It was a great albeit long day, 26 kms with a stop for shopping and lunch in Burgos. We left Albergue Santa Fe this morning at 7:30 after a delicious breakfast of fried eggs. Our host, with whom we have stayed several times gave us a gift as we left. She always makes us feel so special!!

The morning started off cold and stayed cool throughout the day. We needed our jackets the whole day. 

We walked along the river all the way into Burgos. There are many people who walk along this stretch into and out of Burgos. It’s so beautiful lined with trees and good walking, running and cycling paths. A couple of stories stand out for me. 

As we walked along there was a woman with a small white dog. She had a big smile on her face, perhaps because we were grinning from ear to ear as we watched her small dog with a big stick in its mouth prance along head held high as if to say, “Look at me!” The woman wishes us a “Buen Camino”. That was nice and we giggled along as we walked thinking of the proud pup. 

The next fun thing we saw was a woman running and pushing her baby in jogging stroller. As we got closer we realized there was music playing. As we were almost passing she sung out, “if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands” and she clapped!! I sang it the rest of the day. Literally made me day!

We have noticed not everyone greets you with an hola or Buenas Dias or a buen camino whether local or pilgrims. So we have decided when passing people who don’t respond we will simply say “Buen Camino” to each other. If you are by yourself you can say it to yourself. It’s quite silly but it keeps you from feeling bad someone doesn’t greet you. 

Just a few of the things we do to keep a good attitude when we are tired after a long day. 

Hope you are well. Buen Camino!

We opted not to get something to eat at the grocery store for our walk today. BIG Mistake!! Nothing was open in town so we headed out of town with a very steep climb. We stopped after a km to eat an apple and a peach and drink some Aquarius. 

The joy of having walked a previous camino (or 6) is knowing when you are getting to the top of a climb. On today’s hike there are a couple of surprises with a steep descent and another steep climb. But all very doable. 

One of the things I do to climb up a steep incline is to either count my steps (I know strange but it keeps me focused) or I sing (not out loud just in my head, I have to save all my oxygen for the climb). But it’s like Mary Poppins would sing, “just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way.” Well it helps me. 

We ran into Stephanie from Texas but lives in Louisiana now yesterday. We met her in Zubiri and haven’t really seen her since. We saw her several times today. As well as Daniel who sat down with us at lunch. He had heard about our camino story and asked if he could hear it from us. That was fun sharing. 

On our way into Cardenuela Riopico we  saw a pilgrim who seemed to be really struggling. When we were meeting him he shared that he was tired, had a bad hip and wasn’t sure where to stay. We walked in with him and helped him find a bed and get settled. It’s just what you do on pilgrimage as well as in life. 

Tomorrow is another day and I’m looking forward to what it brings. I hope you have happy journeys. Buen Camino 

Oh PS. I have stayed in Cardenuela Riopico 4 times. The first time was with Lindsay when they were celebrating their third anniversary. The owner asked to have a photo with us. 🙂

We slept in a bit this morning because we were only going 12 kms. Before heading out we had a nice breakfast at our accommodation. We saw Pieter from the Netherlands before he headed out in the rain, yes the day started with a drizzle again.  We also met father and son Dave and Matt from Manchester. We saw them along all day because they were taking a short day too. 

After arriving we had lunch and saw Marty and Liza from Connecticut again and had a nice chat. 

We are very close to Burgos now where we move into the Meseta. While the last 285 kms have been the physical part of the camino, strengthening your body, the next 230 kms strengthens your mind, oh don’t let that fool you it strengthens your body also. As you travel through long stretches of desert like vistas where you can see for miles and miles, you have lots of time for deep thoughts and internal conversations. 

We are looking forward to the next piece of our journey. Hope you are doing well. Buen Camino. 

Rain and mud today. That says enough. The rain wasn’t so bad, more of a Scottish mist all day but very difficult to stay dry. The mud on the other hand was sticky and gross. 

If you followed us on our long journey we got stuck in gross clay/mud. It was that sort of day. (Please note the photo is from an earlier time I didn’t take a photo today, but the same experience.)

I think today’s pilgrimage highlights for me how it can be in life as well. You move through some days with ease and comfort (sunshine, no foot pain, a breeze) and other days you have to struggle a bit with demands, heartaches, disappointments ( rain, mud, foot pains), and still other days are charged with energy either good or bad (lightning storms resulting in rest). There is an ebb and flow to life and for me pilgrimage has helped me to understand life better. 

Oh PS we got to connect with our friend Tim who walked last spring and is walking again. More later on why people keep walking.

Buen Camino!!