Hola, buenos dias

Caught a beautiful sunrise at my first stay in an albergue (hostel) in Burgette.

The Buen Camino guidebook has this to say about Burgette. "Keep your wits about you when walking through town as the Camino takes a sharp right turn halfway through. There are no less than twelve yellow arrows marking the turn, but it can still be overlooked by those admiring the charm of Burgette." And that was spot on as I would have walked straight passed it after standing right next to it taking a photo if two pelegrinos hadn't set the right example. I've photo bombed you with Burgette pictures again today.

It was a very social evening being at a hostel and also today reconnecting with people as you walk and meeting new ones. While I didn't see Texas Jack today I heard a story about him as he becomes one of the Camino legends for this group of pilgrims. Many sensible pilgrims spend their first night at Orisson hostel half way up the mountain. Orisson has a Camino tradition of holding a pilgrims dinner then asking everyone to stand up, introduce themselves, and say why the are doing a Camino. Apparently Jack doesn't have a deep and meaningful reason for his pilgrimage, his goal that night was just to make it up the bloody hill. Cue the Texan accent and booming voice.

I walked 9kms today and most of the people I've met powered away doing 20kms and I doubt I'll see them again. This is the manufactured modern Camino Frances experience. Everyone meets on the mountain or at Orisson and then powers on to Santiago as per the stages set out in the famous Brierley handbook, creating their Camino families along the journey. I've meet a Camino veteran, one of the two Christine's, and she also sticks to the stages but as some people in her group are slower they just catch a taxi if they get tired to keep with their mates who walk quicker. There are many ways to Camino.

Tonight I have a room in a rural house. The walls are two foot thick, white washed and the timber floors and ceiling would have Darryn counting their value.

I've had a bath, soaked my very sore and tired feet and have 13kms to do tomorrow including a mountain to climb and a steep decent out of the mountains. Apart from my feet, the rest of me is doing well. The feet will improve I hope.

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