Time Arrived: 2.00pm
Distance: 21 kms
Cumulative Distance: 310 kms
Percentage Completed: 38%
Weather: Cool, mostly cloudy, rain
Accommodation: El Molino Del Comino
Feelings: Henk - Refreshed, Neil - Enthusiastic, Di - Eager
We started the day in clean walking clothes after washing them in the hotel's bath. There is a business opportunity for a laundromat in Burgos given the number of walkers we saw carrying small bags of washing and looking for one. A New Zealand couple who also had stayed at the same hotel as us set out at the same time. They had a tripod with a body harness which operated like a back-to-front wheelbarrow on which they put their backpacks. It was certainly novel, it worked for them and was an improvement on the golf buggy we saw about a fortnight ago.
Before leaving Brisbane I had decided not to walk either today or tomorrow as it was through the Meseta (tableland) which is long and mostly flat with no trees and few towns. I thought it would be too hot, uncomfortable and featureless. However, given that I have already missed 58 kms due to some nasty blisters I decided I didn't want to miss any more of the trail. I was pleased to have made the decision to walk as the weather was good for walking with a cool breeze and it was an easy track. It was quite bare but also novel.
The first small town we went through was Tarjados where we had morning tea and met a couple from Albury who started the walk that morning from Burgos. As we walked out of the town we came across an older man in a cart being driven by two donkeys. He bid us "Buen Camino".
There was only one hill to climb of 100 metres from the 14 kms mark to 18 kms which was an easy climb, then it was flat walking for about 1.5 kms then dropped very quickly to the road leading into Hornillos del Camino. We could see tiny specks of walkers along the path.
We had bread and cured meat for lunch which we bought from the local shop at Hornillos del Camino. We sat on a bench outside to eat it whilst many walkers went past either onto the nearby Albergues or 10 kms onto the next village if they couldn't get a bed for the night. It still is very busy with estimates of 200 - 250 walking each day. It is apparently busier than usual.
Our accommodation was about 8 kms from Hornillos del Camino. We wondered throughout the morning what our accommodation would be like given it was so far off the Camino. Henk rang the number given to us by Raw Travel. The lady on the phone couldn't speak English but Henk managed to understand and give answers with his Spanish. Carmen arranged to pick us up at the church.
After driving through barren countryside listening to English rock music on a radio station called 'Sandra' we arrived at an oasis. The isolated, wonderful, ancient stone house also had an old mill and the water runs under the house to a canal on the other side.
Our rooms were alongside the canal. We loved it immediately. The house is associated with the movie, The Way, as Martin Sheen's grandson is married to the granddaughter of the lady who owns the accommodation. There are photos from the making of the the film hanging throughout the accommodation.
When we were going to our rooms a man wearing a Broncos shirt emerged from his room. It was six degrees of separation as John and his wife Linda live at Shailer Park. We spent quite some time during the afternoon comparing our walking experiences. There were a number of heavy downpours so we were pleased to be indoors.
Dinner was at seven thirty with fourteen of us sitting around a communal dining table. Carmen and her mother served a traditional Spanish fare over several courses with local wine. The food was varied, simple and delicious and the company very enjoyable.
We talk to many walkers on the path during the day but this is the first time we have shared a meal with other Peregrinos at one table on the walk. They came from Canada, Ireland, USA, Spain and Australia.
No comments:
Post a Comment