We reach Burgos

What an amazing few days we have had since last committing fingers to the keyboard!  The countryside has been glorious, getting sparser in vegetation as we moved out of the rolling vineyards of Rioja into the huge ploughed wheat fields of Castile with magnificent mountain chains stretching away in the distance.  Kites and eagles were frequent sights, together with the deep throated ravens which always link me to my dad.  We have met wonderful people along the route, young and old (up to 75 yrs), travelling alone or in groups, carrying their packs or having them transported by willing taxi.  We have stayed at big municipal albergues with almost all mod cons, and smaller village ones within ancient buildings - all with warm welcomes and help for the tired pilgrim.  We have even been locked out by forgetting our shut-down time, so good was the food and company (to say nothing of the wine!).  Frank had the inspiration to get the best shot of our little group of miscreants to toss coins at the upstairs dormitory window, and a kindly Spanish girl got out of her bunk to let us in!

We have visited ancient village churches plain and fancy - most of their interiors blindingly bright with golden retablos when a ray of sunshine comes through the high windows, or when under the full blare of lights at mass times.  Most of these churches along the Camino Frances were build as fortresses against the Moors - and many of them take their Romanesque design from the Benedictine monastery at Cluny.  The Camino itself became a defence wall and propaganda machine which enabled huge investment in the construction of hospitals (pilgrim refuges) and churches.  Whether the bones dug up under the Compostella (Field of Stars or Cemetery?) could possibly be those of St James or a fortuitous fabrication of the powers of the time remains conjecture!

At last I have experienced the Camino grief of blisters, but thankfully only one and it's getting much better.  Otherwise our health has been excellent, and despite the long days we are pretty fresh.  Tonight we have treated ourselves to yet another hotel (with pilgrim and pensioner discount applied!) as Frank leaves early in the morning by train for Valencia via Madrid, so we have to celebrate our 11 days on the road.  Plus I can dump some of my gear on him and lighten my load for the 10 days that remain my lot.   We are a few minutes walk from the magnificent Gothic cathedral of Burgos and will attend mass there this evening before sampling the culinary delights of this gastronomic and ecclesiastical capital of Castile.  Although as they say in Spanish : mas vale pan con amor, que pollo con dolor (bread with love is worth more  than chicken and sorrow).  I will miss my forerunner who strides ahead to ensure I have a bunk at the end of the road - but no doubt the Lord and Santiago will ensure I don't have to sleep in a field or hay barn when I limp in last to my destination.  Temperatures have become much better for walking and this helps a lot.

Thanks again for your continuing interest and wonderful support - it makes  the hard times to much easier!  Sorry there are no pictures to share as the computer I am using will only let me open one window at a time, and the required technology to get around this problem is beyond me!

Please keep in your hearts and prayers yet another young cancer sufferer who has need of our concern.  Hasta la proxima.