Belorado to San Juan de Ortega

Another hot day! We did not leave as as early as intended; 6:45, but of course that was fine. Not a lot of elevation change today, and for some good stretches of the way a very pleasant change in the form of trees! We have been walking in very open agricultural land for…maybe a week? The shade and the company that trees always seem to provide were both very welcome.

Our albergue tonight is in a former church/monastery with its foundations laid in the 10th century (I think?) dinner for me was more modern - pizza and beer.

There was a good Mass here too, by which I mean that we were provided printed guides to help us follow along in six different languages, and the priest gave his homily in the most basic Spanish he could manage. I was able to follow quite a bit of it and I appreciated his efforts.

Tomorrow is a big day; we will arrive in Burgos, which is big town and the former capital of Spain, with a lot to see. It’s a common point at which to take a rest day and that is our plan. We have booked a small two bedroom place. It will seem SO luxurious!!

The arrival in Burgos also marks the completion of the first third of the Camino. The saying is that the first third is all about the body, the second addressed the mind and the third, your spirit. I May be a day ahead of schedule as my mind started acting up a bit today, giving me material to cheer on s as I worked my way toward this stop. Such a process!Read more