Another week in the life of a pilgrim

Day 11: Azofra --> Grañón (17.4 km) ...

About midday I stopped at Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a small town with a very big cathedral. There is a very famous legend associated with this church. Once upon a time there was a married couple and a boy who travelled through this town and a local señorita took a fancy to the young man but he was not as interested in her. In spite at being rebuffed, the young lady put an expensive chalice inside the boy´s bag and when they were leaving she raised hell and said he was a thief. (I think there is a similar story with Joseph from the bible if I remember my "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" properly). Anyway, the boy was hanged and the man and wife went on their way to Santiago broken-hearted. On their way back, they were surprised to find that their boy was still hanging in the main square and were even more surprised to discover that he was still alive. They went to the local lord and told him what they saw, and he scoffed and said the lad was no more alive than the cock and hen on his plate that he was about to eat. Suddenly, the birds on his plate came alive as happens in fables. So they cut the boy down and they all lived happily ever after apparently. Ever since then, there has been a chicken and rooster in a cage housed inside the cathedral. In days past, pilgrims used to pluck a feather from one of the birds as a good luck token, but nowadays they are out of reach of the multitudes, to the relief of the birds. They still keep a hen and cock in the cathedral and they replace them every 15 days. I am not sure what happens to those which are removed every fortnight, but I don´t think it ends well for them. Later that day after a very long and hot walk, I arrived in Grañón. All the pilgrims sleep in the parish hall above the local church on exercise mats on the floor after having shared a communal meal that was prepared for us based on donations left from the pilgrims who stayed the day before. It was not the best night sleep I have ever had, but it was one of the most unusual, and rewarding in its own way.


Day 12: Grañón --> Villafranca Montes de Oca (27.6 km) ...

I started the day very early because it had been over 40 degrees Celcius the day before and this was supposed to be another hot day, and there was a lot of ground to cover. That meant I was out of the village by 5 am and walked under the moonlight, shining my light periodically to look for the yellow arrows which are painted on everything to mark the way. A pilgrim could walk all across Spain without a guidebook, just following the yellow arrows and scallop-shell symbols which mark the route. This was not a great day. It was hot, long and tiring. And it was about 4 hours before I found a place open where I could have a cup of coffee. Not pretty.


Day 13: Villafranca --> Atapuerca (18.5 km) ...

Walking today was not as hot and not as far as other days. About ten years ago, near the village of Atapuerca, were discovered the largest cache of pre-historic human ancestor bones ever found in Europe, with some dating back 900,000 years to a previously unknown group of peoples they called homo antesores (or something like that). There is even evidence there that our distant ancestors practised cannibalism, which is a pretty good argument against vegetarianism if I have ever heard one. There is a UNESCO visitors centre there which, inexplicably, is only open to tour buses and is only open for a one-hour tour in the mornings. Also inexplicable, the tourist information centre (to give it a loftier name than it deserves) doesn´t open until 1:00 pm to tell you the UNESCO centre is closed now for the day! Needless to say, we were disappointed. The "we" I refer to is myself, and Mike & Nari from the US. The three of us keep running into each other and we had bonded into a little group, which alas has come to an end for the time being as they have taken a rest day yesterday and I have continued on the road. Perhaps I will meet up with them again. The camino is like that.


Day 14: Atapuerca --> Burgos (19.4 km)...

Burgos is a beautiful city in northern Spain, known as the home of El Cid and the base of Franco´s government. The cathedral is one of the finest in Spain and was really worth a visit. I bought the DVD so I could watch it with Juan later. :-) I stayed in a hotel in Burgos because I really needed some time to have an afternoon sista, and wanted to wake up on my own instead of being woken by early-risers. It was worth every penny! There were so many beautiful buildings which I would do injustice to if I attempted to describe, so I took many pictures for you all to see when I return. This is a city I would love to return to again.


Day 15: Burgos --> Hornillos de Camino (21.0 km) ...

On my way out of Burgos (after rising at the late hour of 8:00 am), I went to the post office. I had ripped up some of my guidebooks and mailed portions of them to myself at different towns in Spain to collect on the way. This actually worked very well! I also took advantage of the post office and sent home some things I did not really need to lighten my load, such as my rain pants, my camera bag, and the DVD I bought of the Burgos cathedral. It was a little expensive to do that but I think it was worth it because my bag is now more than a pound lighter. You would be surprised how much difference that makes after a long day. I arrived in Hornillos de Camino, which so far has been the smallest, most boring place on the way. It was a Hornillos Saturday Night! Ugh!! I had a terrible night´s sleep because I was on the top of a bunk bed, a single, and I kept thinking I was afraid to fall asleep because I might fall out of bed and hurt myself. There were also a lot of snorers in the room also and although I was one of the first to go to bed, it was hours before I went to sleep. I didn´t really wake up in a good mood either.


Day 16: Hornillos --> Castrojeriz (20.2 km) ...

Been having a low day today, probably because I didn´t sleep so well. It rained all morning and all I can say about that is that I made a good purchase with my Altus Atmospheric poncho as it kept me dry and protected me from the wind. I am now in an area of Spain called the maseta. It is undulating hills for five days or more with little shade and few water fountains on the way. The day´s walk was not so bad but I am feeling a little blue today, missing my bed, my Franc, my kitties, and everything that is familiar. This is also the first day since I left Orisson that I have not known any of the people that I have encountered in the towns. Usually there is always a pilgrim or two you recognize, by sight if not by name. There was a big soccer match on the telly today as well and everything was closed because of it. I even went to go to the mass at the church for something to do and a little spiritual uplifting, but it was closed too. I think football is more important than God nowadays in Spain! So I made some new friends who I may or may not see again. Tomorrow at least, is another day, and I am grateful for the things I do have. Some people are here walking the camino because they have experienced such terrible tragedy in their lives. At least Ik now my hubby, my cats, my family amd friends will be there when I come home at the end. Not everyonbe can say the same. Until next time, keep safe and happy.