Where Yarmiks Roam: #16-Walking the Camino -May 7, 2016

The 14th day of walking- two full weeks (195 miles so far since Apr 24th)

Altapuerca to Burgos

Book - 15.5 miles

Map My Walk - 13.33 mi, 6 1/2 hours

Fitbit - 31,237 steps, 13.33 mi

Whew another long day. It seems like we should be able to walk a smidge more than 13 miles and not be exhausted, but I guess not. We went from a peaceful pastoral setting and ended up in a metropolis.

An interesting thing about our albergue last night - it was/is a modular home. We could tell by its roof line and the symmetrical ends. The exterior walls were stuccoed and the roof was tiled. So amidst the super old buildings there is this modern modular home that pretty much looks like it belongs there.

First thing on the trail was sheep they all look like the have have identical sheep masks on - black muzzle and black tipped ears

We had to walk up a long steep hill. I know, I know there is nothing new about that. But it was raining (poor us) and the trail was quite rocky

There was a place where someone had made one of the circular mazes where you walk round and round and contemplate something. I didn't want to add any steps to my day so we just kept going

Suddenly alongside the trail we saw barbed wire - the first time seeing that. And, not just a single fence but a three or four layer fence. Maybe there are some Bulls up here training for the arena. It's hard to see but it'd be a trick to get through

Okay - here's the reason. Not Bulls but soldiers! We expected to see a patrol is Spanish Special Forces come out of the woods

Then just a bit down the road there was a gap in the fence big enough for a duece and a half (military jargon for a big truck). So I walked through it because I could. I raised my arms as if in surrender and waved my trekking poles as a sign of friendship.....:nothing

Came to the top of the hill and there was this big cross. We thought it was the one on the Camino where people place a rock from their home, but they were just road rocks

Then we came to this big sign. An Italian couple excitedly asked us to take their photo - so it must be memorable. And they took ours. I tried to translate but gave up

Over the hill we could see Burgos glowing in sunlight breaking through the clouds

In the little villages, usually just as you enter the town the is a bar (snack bar). We stopped for hot chocolate.

Around here there must be a kind a Pegasus in the surrounding woods.

As we approached Burgos we had a choice to make. Should we follow the well marked historical Camino and enter Burgos through many kilometers of industrial wasteland? Or take an alternate (but less well marked, and less travelled) and more attractive way to enter the city? Hmmmm. We took our hand off the iron rod and decided to follow the Rio Camino route. As we back tracked to the junction we had missed many of the peregrinos going by looked at us like, " what are those crazies doing, going the opposite direction?". I think some of them may have ended up in a big and spacious building. Anyway we found faint markers leading the way (sorry picture is upside down)

River Way Camino

It was a delightful way to go. Up over the river on a bright blue bridge and then we walked for klicks in the equivalent if an urban green space.

And then over this pedestrian bridge and BANG we were in the city

We found out hotel with a bit of difficulty. I used my very best Spanish to say "we want this hotel. Do you know where it is". Four passers-by did know. It was that way for awhile and then to the left for a way. One young man brightened up when I asked him and said over and over, "Bingo. Bingo!! Dinero. Dinero!! Dad guessed correctly - go that way until you come to a casino and turn left. And indeed there it was.

We checked in and then went to find some food in the big square. Some wierd big bagel thing with jamon which wasn't very good but we were hungry

Then we found the cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage. It really is amazing. It is a huge building within a relative smaller plaza/square. It needs a setting like St Marks Square in Venice.