Burgos

Natalie and I met up with Shelagh and Cathy on Friday morning in Burgos.  We decided that after all the walking we have been doing we both deserved a bubble bath so surprised Shelagh and Cathy by booking into their hotel for the night.  It was heaven and they were both surprised to see us.  We had a lovely day touring around the city. The Cathedral is beautiful and we also took a little sauna train around the city for a tour.  Now let me explain the Sauna train.  We bought our tickets, ( it was 30 degrees) the driver put us and the rest of the our group on the train and locked the doors and left us for about 15 minutes.  On the good side, some people actually pay a lot more  for this service and we got the  sauna for free.

The next day we left with Shelagh and Cathy  for their first day of hiking.  We were walking 18 km to Hornillos del Camino.  Now let me explain to you how our day on the Camino usually works. We get up in the morning, have a little something to eat, in my case yogurt and banana and water and then we walk to the first coffee bar on our trail.  This is usually in about 2 hours and then we relax and have the heavenly cafe con leche.  The first day we stopped in Taradajos.   We had egg, potato and meat tortillas with our cafe con leche.   Just before we left we all had to take our bathroom break.  Natalie and Shelagh were first.  They came out of the bathroom with a look of horror on their faces.  Natalie said " do not use the left cubicle only use the right, there is a black widow spider in there".  Cathy and I tentatively made our way to the bathroom.  Cathy went into the right cubicle and Julie, as inquisitive as ever, slowly opened the door of the left cubicle. There was the  poor spider in the toilet bowl.  Neither Cathy or I wanted him to drown.  But he seemed to be doing a very good job of staying above the water line.   I looked closely and it soon became apparent that it was a spider decal pee target.  Cathy and I could not stop laughing, presumed the other two were taking the Micky out of us, which to our amazement they were not.  You should have seen the look on their faces when we told them.

We stayed at a  lovely Alburgue last night.  It was located at the beginning of the Meseta.  The Meseta is the equivilant of our Canadian prairies.   Not everyone walks the 7 days through the Meseta as it can be a long walk, with not much to look at.  I believe the pilgrims that walk the Meseta are a different type of pilgrim. They tend to be more spiritual, as the time on the Meseta gives one time to reflect.  I have to tell you that last night at the Alburgue has to be one of my most memorable.  Two of the German pilgrims brought musical instruments, a flute and another instrument, a kind of harp, but very small, medieval I believe.  They were playing it and singing outside our window.  I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful it was.  Sitting on the wall, looking out over the Meseta, watching the swallows in the air and listening to this music.  I don´t think I have ever felt this way before.  It was heavenly.

Today Natalie and I  walked another 18 km. with Shelagh and Cathy and we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We are staying in another lovely Alburgue 7 euros with the added bonus that the owner does our washing.  So it is off for a Pilgrims lunch, a nap, a wander and chatting with other Pilgrims. With luck, our German friends will be staying in the same town.   Such is life on the Camino.