Day Nine

I am in Tardajos, the gateway to the Meseta. Today was a strange day. It was an easy walk, mostly downhill except for a brief climb across Atapuerca (see last Footprint). It is July 25, the day of St. James and with that a holiday for pilgrims.

Reading about the draughts and famines that used to ravish the area, the deaths, and the pain those caused, followed by a stroll through a church packed to the brim with golden excess luxury, makes me contemplative. Am I in fact walking with the insignia of a movement that emphasized creating golden temples to St. James at times that cost many of the people whose tithes and taxes built them their lives. Even today, am I comfortable paying this church to enter their houses for contemplation and reflection, when the same 5€ charged for entry could feed a person a good dinner?

I had to say good bye to Maria and Esther who are ending their Camino in Burgos, meeting Esther‘s husband and kids in Leon tomorrow. The Dutch have fallen back, I might see some of them in the coming days, but Sander is too injured to keep up.

Injuries are abound. I am proud of not letting anyone and anything rush me, arriving exactly where I want to be, at more or less the perfect time, without killing myself uphill or downhill. I am, in fact, a few miles ahead, both due to the fact that I left Burgos today after lunch and due to being pretty unharmed, physically and emotionally.

My ON shoes, however, had to go. My one stop in Burgos was a sports store to pick up some Merrell trail walkers, which hopefully won’t completely wear through in a matter of days. Right now they feel … weird, but I’ll wear them in, I am sure.

The albergue I am at is the best I have been in in all of my Caminos. Great beds, great people, and a backyard with cafeteria. I am sitting outside, listening to locals chat, enjoying a Clara (half beer and half lemonade) and Patatas Bravas, typing into my iPad Mini. Tomorrow my Meseta Adventure begins, the best part of the Camino.Read more