A home away from home

Day 11 Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado 23.91km
6.5 hours walking
259.31 km walked so far - I’ve hit my halfway mark today
325095 steps so far

A long walk, a few hills, our first little bit of rain and a much cooler day.
The cooler weather made walking easier for me. The last three days my feet have been really sore about midway, so I’ve been changing into sandals at that point to mix things up and make it to the finish line.
The last few days have all been a bit similar scenery wise, so I haven’t got much to share, but I do love the days where we pass through more small villages. It breaks things up and somehow makes the day feel shorter, at least to me!
Late this morning we headed into the tiny village of Viloria de Rioja. Before we left, Kellie (our group organiser) had shared a post about The Inner Camino House.
It sits between Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Belorado. It isn’t an albergue and doesn’t offer beds. Instead, it’s been created as a welcoming space where pilgrims can pause, rest, eat something simple and rest. Danny Vermeeren, a Dutchman, is the owner and welcomed us warmly.
It was one of those unexpected Camino gifts. A beautiful old stone building with timber beams, baskets overflowing with fruit, fresh eggs, watermelon, coffee, yoghurt and snacks laid out on a trust system for weary pilgrims. There was no rush, no pressure, no sales pitch. Just a warm invitation to stop and recharge. There were even buckets to fill and soak your tired feet. No fixed
Fee, pay what you can afford if you can afford it
We sat in the courtyard with our packs at our feet and our walking poles leaning against the wall, relaxing, chatting and having a spell before heading back out onto the trail. Pilgrims from all over the world came and went, helping themselves to food and finding a comfortable place to sit. It felt less like a café and more like someone’s home.
One of the things I love most about the Camino is that complete strangers continually create these pockets of kindness. Places where generosity is offered freely and where, for a little while, nobody is worried about what you do for a living, where you’re from or what you’ve achieved.
You’re simply a person, sitting at a table with sore feet, a quiet calm and another day of walking ahead of you. ❤️👣
Today I walked a bit with my crew, people who I only met a fortnight ago and now call my crew!!
I also walked with Charbel from Sydney and Bernie from Massachusetts

Just for the record
The woman who found my glasses drove 75km last night to return them to me. She would not accept and fuel money and turned around and drove 75km home 🩷

A few Camino words

Buen Camino
The Camino version of “hello”, “goodbye”, “good luck”, “you’ve got this”, “nice weather today” “g’day mate”

Pilgrim
A person who voluntarily pays money to walk hundreds of kilometres and then complains about sore feet.

Albergue
Budget pilgrim accommodation, often dormitory style. A place to meet people, share stories, eat together, test your tolerance for snoring, hopefully avoid bedbugs and be very patient with human noises all night long - I haven’t stayed in Albergues and there’s a tiny part of me that would love the experience but a bigger part of me that knows it would tip me over the edge after a long day of walking.Les mer