I look at the time, 1:00am. I can still hear partying in the streets of Burgos. I go back to sleep. I’m woken by the sound of someone singing. I check the time, 3:30am. I go back to sleep. I’m woken by something banging somewhere. I can still hear partying in the streets. It’s 5:00am. Back to sleep. I wake just after 6:00am. Silence outside. Mikael’s alarm goes off at 7:00am and Mads, Brian, James, Mikael and I don’t hesitate to start packing our gear.
For now, Holy Week feels more like hedonistic week.
After a dreary breakfast at the hostel, we head to a cafe near the cathedral for a strong coffee.
As the four us are enjoying a coffee, a fight breaks out between a waitress and a young woman. It’s hilarious to witness such a thing when you have no idea what the protagonists are saying to each other. At one point, the young lady approaches the bar and necks a tube of sugar. It seems to be some sort of protest, but I’m not entirely sure. Then she returns to a seat and puts her feet on a chair at which point the waitress really loses her cool and starts yelling at her. We decide to leave quietly and discreetly.
The streets of Burgos are almost empty after the huge party last night. It is very peaceful as we make our way out of the city. We buy a fresh baguette, jamón and cheese for a lunch on the road. The path is flat as we pass the University and then leave town.
Burgos is named after the burgoes, large fortifications that surround the old town. They are something to behold.
The first 11km are flat all the way to Tardajos. We stop for a coffee and a chance to remove our shoes and socks. We talk about cars as we enjoy sitting in the courtyard of the bar.
From Tardajos, we have a short walk to Rabe de las Calzadas. This tiny village should be renamed as the gateway to the Meseta. Right as we walk past the last building, the trees disappear, the track turns white and the heat kicks in.
There is something magical about the Meseta though. After the chaos of Burgos, we find peace and space. Mikael and Mads feel at home as the flat reminds them of Denmark. They start singing Danish pop songs spontaneously. James and I feel at home as it reminds us of the central west of New South Wales in Australia. We could be somewhere near Dubbo, although there are wind turbines here.
After walking across a plateau, we have a steep descent into Hornillos del Camino, a pretty little town set between meseta plateau.
We check into the Meeting Place Albergue. The lady at the desk is so happy and the building is very new. There is a communal dinner cooked by her brother. We can’t help but book in. This gives us a few hours to rest, always appreciated. We have some long days ahead on the meseta and we need to make sure our bodies, but more importantly our feet, are up to the job.
As the afternoon draws on, I enjoy a beer in the garden whilst playing the guitar from the albergue.
We enjoy a communal meal at the Albergue of home cooked paella. It is lovely. We talk to Stefan from Canadá who is walking from Burgos to Leon, and Ellen from New York and Lisa from Colorado who started the Camino del Norte, but decided to shift over to the Camino Frances.
Everyone is tired and hot after our first few hours on the meseta in the middle of the day. Tomorrow we will try to get as many miles done as we can before it is too hot.
The Long Camino 