Day 16: San Juan de Ortega to Burgos

Mileage: 16 miles
Altitude gain: 581 feet
Altitude loss: 1,030 feet
Weather: cloudy and cool enough for a sweatshirt in the early morning; warmer later, and the rain started after we reached Burgos
Total mileage: 182.5

Today was physically much easier than yesterday, but the long walk into and inside the city of Burgos was harder mentally. That said, I did train on city streets, and it felt more familiar!

Moments I didn’t take pictures of:

-The old man in the village of Cardeñuela Riopico who gave strawberries to a pilgrim in front of us (he shared) and then gave each of us a rose before motoring off with a wave.

-The 30 minutes where we were walking and walking and walking around the perimeter of the airport without seeing another pilgrim or a trail marker and being sure we were lost (we weren’t!).

-The best falafel (pronounced “fa-la-FELL”, FYI) I’ve ever had. Random Middle Eastern place on our way through Burgos.

Overall another good day. We’re living it up in the big city - sock shopping, laundry (we were asked to do this by the locals, LOL) and a beer while our clothes washed. Dinner at a vegan restaurant (!) near our hotel. We haven’t seen the big sites of Burgos yet since I chose a hotel (no bunk needs tonight!) on the near side of town. I’ll make a separate Burgos post tomorrow.

1. We walked out of San Juan into the mist. Very picturesque if chilly (my clothes didn’t dry at all at the monastery!)
2. Mural in Agés, the village where we had breakfast
3. More lovely wildflowers today
4. And more flowers along the trail
5. We stopped by the trail and another pilgrim offered to take this. It’s nice when they’re good photographers!
6. These views don’t get old!
7. The vegan gang in Orbaneja is small but mighty.
8. These are weeds. By the side of a busy road. In an industrial part of Burgos.Read more