We are in Burgos - we have finished.

Today was our longest walk, about 26 kms. The day started a little bit wet…enough to put ponchos on as it was persistent enough to get you wet through…but after about half an hour we had all shed them, and the clouds remained high, and parted, and it became a lovely, though cool day - perfect for walking. The breakfast at San Juan is always a picnic bag - a ham and cheese sandwich, a bottle of juice, a banana, several sweet cakes in cellophane packs…not really satisfactory, but I had the banana and juice, and had the sandwich later for lunch…and we stopped for coffee at the first town…It was a lovely cool start through the pine and oak forest, then downhill and along a country road for quite a while. We were being careful as we wanted to make sure we took the path along the river into Burgos like we did 2 years ago. And we were successful! Went through more vast spaces of green grain fields, undulating but no impossible climbs, except one part was very uneven and stony and awkward, had to watch every step…that led to the view over to Burgos in the distance…after descending from there and passing through a couple of small towns we had to cross over a freeway and then turn off - not marked, in fact continuing along the road was marked - but we remembered it distinctly from last time, and followed the path to the left of the tiny airport and came to the town where we make the crossing and find the very pleasant path along the river and all the way into Burgos without going through the dreary industrial area…by then, once we got to Castañares the little town, there were arrows to help us, but none on the track along the airport…they seem to be directing people the other boring route! Anyway, we had fun, and while sitting at one point another couple arrived who we had explained this secret and more pleasant route to, and they were so pleased, and we were pleased that they had resisted the arrow sending them along the road and had trusted us! So we all walked into Burgos together, and the long walk passed quickly. I think we arrived at about 4.30! Early for us after a long walk, but we left earlier as didn’t sit down for breakfast…found our really nice, new to us, hotel, Norte y Londres, a bit old worldy in a charming way. Had a cooling drink, then showered etc and met and wandered along and to the cathedral square, found there was a mass at 7.30…Rand R went into the cathedral then and I had a wander round the familiar places…I came back to the cathedral for the pilgrimage mass, and after we had a good dinner at a nearby place I’d spied…I had cuttlefish à la plancha, Rachel had grilled fish and Richard had a pizza…all happy. By then it had become cold, nicely cold but we felt ready to retire - the Spanish were probably ready to start their Friday night, but we were ready for bed! Tomorrow a whole day in Burgos, and on Sunday train to Madrid for w whole day there with R&R.. Today’s tally: 28.24kms and 40,980 steps.Baca lagi