Burgos

The hospitaliera asks me how I feel and wonders if I might want to stay for another night. I've just packed my things and decided to go for Bilbao, but I do not need to think for long before I decide to accept the offer.

The walk is over. I did what I had set out to do. I have walked more than 260 km between Roncesvalles and Burgos. Even the very long last kilometres through the outskirts of Burgos.

I feel a sudden loneliness. As far as I knew all my friends from the last couple of weeks now had continued on the Camino, Souraya said goodbye and disappeared and I miss the companionship from the last couple of days. Luckily this didn't last for long. Strolling through Burgos I drifted toward the Cathedral square and here I meet many of my friends again and in a way I got another day on the Camino before carrying on towards Bilbao.

The last two days have been long and tough. I started to experience flu symptoms in the evening in Beldorado which I subsequently did my best to ignore and then medicate away.

The highlight of the walk between Beldorado and St. Jean de Ortega was the early lunch consisting of a Estella Galicia and a lovely bowl of bacalao and vegetables. Immediately after lunch, went way up in a series of big hills. After this challenge it felt like we had walked a long way so far but it turned out that there where more than ten kilometres left to St. Jean.

This was probably the longest stretch of road without passing any villages and barely any buildings on the part of the Camino that I walked. The wide gravel road went on through the forests fairly straight and with a lack of clear reference points. The illness had made my stomach a bit uneasy and the last part of today's rather long walk felt far longer. It was a wonderful feeling to arrive. I have rarely felt such joy from the sight of a church tower. The Albergue was situated in old monastery quarters and the treat of garlic soup offered was exactly what I needed. St Jean de Ortega is a small village with few houses in addition to the Albergue, the church and the two restaurants. There were two restaurants, but no real choice as they were operated by the same people and not really open at the same time. This was a good place to spend the night.

And a good place to wake up. It was nice to begin the day basically in the forest, with just one small road leading away which we quickly left for greener pastures. The land continues as before but feels rounder and softer in shape and colour. We are walking on high ground and now and then you can hint stunning views of the surroundings between trees and hills that we pass.

Today's climb was gentle and had a good reward. Me and Souraya are entering a plateau, it's cool but sunny with a crispness in the air. It is rocky, almost like coral rocks scattered all over the place. Between the stones can be found small beautiful purple flowers with long leaf that grow in great numbers in the most impossible places. At times we have almost 360° views around us. At the centre of the plateau a high cross has been erected. Around and after this, pilgrims, as in so many other places have created small monuments, mounds, texts and other arrangement of stones. Among these the most impressive is a giant spiral laid out with a small altar in the centre where small coins, fruit, sunglasses and other treasures was placed. It was a powerful place.

We walked down the hill and through some small villages and then we approached the airport on the outskirts of Burgos. It was a long walk around the airport which continued through industrial areas and suburbs. We are wandering for a long time, eyes searching for the yellow markings on curbs and lamp posts. We, or at least I, where tired and the progress was slow through the city.

The highlight of the afternoon walk is lunch at Burger King in an almost empty mall. At last Souraya gets some proper hamburguesas. Finally, the sign "Albergue 800 m" appeared in front of us. There has been some jokes about "spanish meters" after evaluating different distance markers along the road, notoriously the ones pointing towards bars and restaurants often had very little to do with reality. This was probably not the case this time, but it sure felt like it. The Albergue was small and situated in the city centre close to the cathedral. I have never during the walk arrived this late. If there ever was a time to expect a full Albergue this was it. But they had beds and we had to walk no further.


After a good rest we did venture out in the great city of Burgos slowly making our way along the narrow streets. The cathedral is very impressive and even more striking in the evening sun. It supplied endless entertainment with all the gargoyles, statues and other carved figures on the walls and roof and the more you watched the more strange and crazy the scenes and expressions appeared. Maybe the entertainment had more allure when you almost actively searched fro reasons not to leave the comfortable bench.

The city offers an abundance of cosy bars and inviting restaurants with every possible offering, but it proves extremely difficult to, as we set out to do, find some bowls of soup for two weary and worn pilgrims.

Conclusion