July 4th. Today we left the hotel around 6:15 am and
headed for Hornillos del Camino. We are
about to begin walking across the dreaded Meseta. So many people have written about it being
flat, hot and boring but they have forgotten to mention how beautiful it is. First, it isn´t flat at all but a series of
rolling hills as far as the eye can see.
Comprised mostly of wheat fields, grassy stretches and stark rocky
hillocks, it is a glorious patchwork of green, gold and black with brilliant
splashes of red from the poppies dotted throughout. There are even a few trees! The small houses with their light-coloured
walls and dark-red Spanish tiles provide a beautiful relief in this curious landscape. Personally, I am looking forward to walking
across this Meseta.
I think we are going to lose our German friends as they are going ahead to Hontanas today while we go back to Burgos (by taxi). We will return to Hornillos del Camino tomorrow morning (also by taxi) to continue our walk. We are already out of sync with several other people due to our extra day in Burgos. Such is the Camino!
An Observation: While it is important to be physically fit to walk this Camino, I think the real secret is mental toughness - that is the ability to put one foot in front of the other for hour after hour and kilometre after kilometre for the bigger goal - even when one feels like stopping!
A Comment on the Auberges: Auberges - Camino-type hostels - can be found in almost every town along the way. Most people walking this Camino choose to stay in them as they are very inexpensive (5 - 10 euros a night on average) and readily available. That said, I have heard that they are very crowded with 50 or even 100 people in a room - although if one is lucky, there may be smaller rooms with 4, 8 or 12 people. I think one of the main advantages of staying in an auberge (other than the cost) must be the camaraderie and friendships people make staying together night after night. However, a few days ago we were sitting in a cafe listening to a group of peregrinos discussing and comparing their many bites from the bed bugs that often infect these places. On hearing this, I felt very relieved to know that I would have a clean and bed-bug-free hotel room waiting for me at the end of every day!
That is all for now - more later! Thanks to all of you who have sent comments/messages. They are very encouraging
I think we are going to lose our German friends as they are going ahead to Hontanas today while we go back to Burgos (by taxi). We will return to Hornillos del Camino tomorrow morning (also by taxi) to continue our walk. We are already out of sync with several other people due to our extra day in Burgos. Such is the Camino!
An Observation: While it is important to be physically fit to walk this Camino, I think the real secret is mental toughness - that is the ability to put one foot in front of the other for hour after hour and kilometre after kilometre for the bigger goal - even when one feels like stopping!
A Comment on the Auberges: Auberges - Camino-type hostels - can be found in almost every town along the way. Most people walking this Camino choose to stay in them as they are very inexpensive (5 - 10 euros a night on average) and readily available. That said, I have heard that they are very crowded with 50 or even 100 people in a room - although if one is lucky, there may be smaller rooms with 4, 8 or 12 people. I think one of the main advantages of staying in an auberge (other than the cost) must be the camaraderie and friendships people make staying together night after night. However, a few days ago we were sitting in a cafe listening to a group of peregrinos discussing and comparing their many bites from the bed bugs that often infect these places. On hearing this, I felt very relieved to know that I would have a clean and bed-bug-free hotel room waiting for me at the end of every day!
That is all for now - more later! Thanks to all of you who have sent comments/messages. They are very encouraging
Hello Wendy! Thanks for a nice blog about your walk from Burgos to Hornillas del Camino. The scenery sounds beautiful. How many Camino stages have you walked so far? I am trying to follow your route on the Camino Frances map http://www.santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.htm. This one has 32 stages. How is the heat these days? You must be accustomed to it by now.
ReplyDeleteRuth has read all your blogs, but she could not figure out how to post a comment. So she asked me to let you know that she very much enjoyed reading your beautiful and interesting blogs.
I am going for another bike ride this Sunday and afterwards everyone is invited for a swim in our pool. I spent a lot of time gardening in last few days.
All the best on Camino, Wendy!!! Not surprised to hear that there are bed bugs in Auberges. One thing is to deal with the bites... and then there is a potential of bringing them back home in a luggage. Hugs, Vera
Hi Vera: Thank you for your comments. It means a lot to us as despite all the new things happening here we still miss friends and family from home. We are now on stage 3 - Castilla y Leon - Burgos, but will begin stage 4 tomorrow - Castilla y Leon - Palencia.
ReplyDeleteWe still have a long way to go!
Wendy
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteI love your descriptions and can almost see the terrain. We're home from Pennsylvania and most recently Collingwood. Your walk sounds almost made to order because you were well prepared both mentally and physically for the unexpected. The "will to power" is serving you perfectly. It sounds as though you are meeting other interesting pelegrinos too.
Keep enjoying the journey as I know you will.
Lynda
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWendy,
ReplyDeleteI spoke to my colleague Paul, who just returned from a 6 weeks vacation in Spain. Paul and his wife visited many places in Spain, including some towns/cities along the Camino trail, travelling by car. Paul said that they met a hiker in Santiago de Compostela, who was from Quebec, who followed a route from Portugal, because according to him, it is not as busy as the route from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Have you heard about it?
All the best on Camino! Vera
Hi Vera. That is very interesting. One thing that surprises on this walk is how few people we are sering on the trail. This may change as we get closer to Santiago.
DeleteW
Wendy, I am glad to hear that the trail is not too crowded. Is it because people were afraid that it might be too hot in July? Hugs Vera.
ReplyDeleteHi Vera: I am not really sure. We are constantly surprised by the lack of people on the trail. Today we saw almost no-one - except for about half a dozen cyclists.
ReplyDeleteW