Day Twelve: Ages to Burgos

What did I ever do to deserve to be so blessed? Today was another fabulous day on the Camino! Well, two thirds of it was fabulous -- that other one third was not so nice, but we'll get to that later. 

After a sound night of rest, Vera and I rose early (and by early, we mean six thirty) and went down for breakfast; the Albergue owner piled our plates so high we could not eat it all! Toast and croissants and pastries plus coffee con leche and juice -- so much! We ate our fill and headed out of town. 

It is magnificent how strong you feel when standing atop a mountain; to look down at the town you started from and realize how far you've come and how much you had to overcome to get there. The Camino wouldn't be the Camino without such steep climbs -- it gives the pilgrims time to contemplate the mountains in their own lives and find ways to overcome them. And what celebration there is to be had when you are on top of that mountain! I had quite a bit of time to think about the mountains in my life today: the ones I have already climbed, the ones I have yet to climb, and the ones I'm not sure I want to climb or will get the chance to climb. But no matter where my path leads me and no matter the terrain, I know I have the Lord with me protecting my journey.

After a lovely walk through the countryside, we reached a tiny town where our favorite ladies from the UK were having a coffee, so we joined them for a while. It is so nice to come upon a town and find all your friends waiting for you there! (A luxury those who are always up early and are the first ones who arrive never get to experience.) It was such a beautiful morning and then .... we hit a suburb. Blech. Suddenly the way was a concrete highway and we felt more like grubby hitch hikers than pilgrims. This was the icky one third of my day; that and the fact that walking on the pavement gave me my first blisters of the trip. 

But THEN we came to Burgos!! For those who don't know, Burgos is a large city and home to the second largest cathedral in Spain. We walked for almost an hour just to arrive in the city center. (Funny story: So all the guidebooks advise against theft and pit pocketers in Burgos, but Vera needed to stop at an ATM, so we decided that while she was getting cash, I would hold her gigantic wooden walking stick that she purchased a few days ago when I got my hat and use it to smack anyone who tried to take our things. Because we were not mugged, we decided everyone must fear the walking stick.) Once we arrived to city center, we quickly found our Albergue: the municipal Albergue that houses over 150 pilgrims. We dropped our stuff, took a rest, took a shower, and ventured out to find food and go to mass. 

The site of the cathedral was breathtaking: the details of the architecture and the saints that line the archways and doorways could hold my attention for hours. After walking around and soaking it in, we ate dinner at a cafe that sits in the shadow of the massive church. Mass was at 7:30, so we shuffled over and found a boys choir practicing -- amazing voices that echoes off the interior of the chapel. Mass was simple and quick -- the priest seemed tired and didn't even give a homily! He went straight from the gospel to the petitions! Oh well. 

After mass Vera and I stopped in at a chocolate shop we found that sold hot chocolate with churos. If you haven't has the pleasure if drinking hot chocolate in Spain, you should know that it is the richest, thickest hot chocolate you've ever tasted -- imagine melting a chocolate bar and then drinking it. Delicious! There we ran into the brother / sister team from Poland who invited us to their floor (in our same Albergue) for sangria. We stopped by to say hello, but tomorrow is a long day of walking (35 kilometers) and we need to get up early(er than we have been) so that we make it to our next destination in a timely manner. 

Here are some photos from today: 

Sheep!!!! Who knew they didn't all live in Ireland? I like their black faces. 

Everyone likes to comment how strange it is that the two of us walk together being from different parts of the world and never having met before ... but we sure are enjoying ourselves! 

A labyrinth on the top of the mountain!! 

Some people go their whole lives and never see the view from the top of a mountain. 

Coffee break with Muriel, Carol, Liz, an Richard!! 

My toes are rebelling!! But I have a plan to keep them in line tomorrow. (And they don't hurt too much.) 

Prayers said from inside here must count extra ... 

My dinner outside the cathedral. Vera commented that she wished we could stay here for a few days, but I think that is part of the beauty of the Camino -- always a new day in a new town; always a new experience and a new adventure to be had! 

Churos and hot chocolate! Delicious. 

And my bed for the night. Oh -- did you notice that it is absurdly close to the bed next to it? Me too. Ricardo from Italy is sleeping all of six inches from my face right now. 

And it is time for me to sleep, too. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be here and the opportunity to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow. 

Buen Camino. 

Jena