Time Departed: 7.30am
Time Arrived: 2.30pm
Distance: 7 kms via taxi, 29 kms walking
Cumulative Distance: 508 kms
Percentage Complete: 63%
Weather: Cool then sunny and warm
Accommodation: Hotel El Paso Honroso
Feelings: Henk - Ready, Neil - Eager, Di - Keen
We had an early start as this was to be our longest walking day on the Camino so far. The hotel breakfast started at eight o'clock which was far too late for us but thankfully they made us a picnic breakfast packed tidily in a paper bag that we picked up from the reception. As recommended by our guidebook most peregrinos catch a bus to La Virgen del Camino to recommence the walk but we decided to order a taxi which arrived at 7.00am. The seven kilometres to La Virgen del Camino seemed such a long way and today we had to walk 29 kms. It was still very dark and quite chilly when we arrived at La Virgen del Camino and we sat on park benches eating some of our breakfast.
The path was initially easy to find as there were street lights but once we turned off onto a dirt track it was dark. Thankfully, a retired Belgium woman, Kristen, was waiting on the path as she wasn't certain which way to go. She wore a very bright head-light that stood out like a lighthouse and we walked alongside her and walked in her glow. Henk's GPS showed the way as we couldn't see the Camino signs. It was good to realise that we could help each other.
Dawn came at 8.00am and the sun rose at 8.15am. It was a lovely, peaceful morning with heavy dew and it was good to know that we had left the Meseta behind.
Everything was greener, the track was softer underfoot and we are back walking alongside farms of corn, sunflowers and turnips.
We walked through a number of small villages during the day. At nine thirty we veered slightly off the Camino to Chozas de Abajo to find a cafe for coffee. finish our breakfast and have our first break. The cafe was open but the small town wasn't! At this stage we had covered nearly ten kilometres and we were pleased with our progress.
Most of the walk was alongside kilometres of a straight, minor road.
The varied scenery made the difference from the past days of walking. At noon we found a concrete well beside a cornfield and sat on its edge having lunch and a break. We had a quick break at the albergue, Santa Lucia at Villavante. Neil continued his quest of finding the perfect Espanol Tortilla. When we arrived at our hotel we were pleased with our walking time and the condition we were in. The heat is now gone and we can feel that autumn has arrived.
Our hotel is a combination of a petrol station, cafe, restaurant and hotel. The rooms are spacious. Neil is expecting a "Truckies' Breakfast"!
After showering and resting we ventured out to see the town and the impressive Puenta de Orbigo which is one of the longest and best preserved medieval bridges in Spain and dates back to the thirteenth century.
As we walked across the bridge we came upon three women we met at breakfast at Najera on Day 12. We had only commented that we hadn't seen anyone from the earlier weeks. It was good to see them. One is a Sydney-sider and the other two are Canadian and are about my age. We ended up having dinner with them and had an enjoyable evening.
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