Boog's Blog

Sunday 15 October. Promised to be the hottest day so far. Started out quite cool and got very hot in the afternoon, 86F.

Lots of water drinking as advised.

Garmin and Android agreed on 24.5 km

Morning delightful with an occasional sprinkle.  

At the fir.st coffee stop a PSA was on the TV. Wearing seat belts. Apparently there are cameras checking to see if the driver and passengers are wearing.   Fine for not is 3 points and 200 Euro.  

Great ecológico lunch in San Nicols.  House made humus, crudities, and an excellent salad.  Claimed they grew their own beans. Sure tasted perfect.

Passed these old bodegas used for storage of root veggies as well as wine.  Long long history as explained in the pic.  Only a few left.  

Nice old house in Sahagún along with our donkey companion.

Dinner with others.  Two Norwegian women, two Croatian women and an American they brought along.   Decided to do the dinner at the hotel for both convenience and easy conversation layout. 

Saturday 14 October Hot, very hot

QB with heat exhaustion; Camino with nothing; a shorter stage between towns, just over 18 km.

Nothing.  Either the beauty or horror, depending upon your point of view, of the Meseta in this section.

Think Sierra Madre with QB as Eli Wallace searching for the goal/gold, except here it is a known town.  Think of the mountains replaced by endless plains with searing heat.

Think of the heat beating down.   Here is QB before the worst. 

No wildlife but did see one small patch of green.

A roadside rest stop.  No services but a bit. of shade to eat a bit of food from this am.

A view from the rest stop.  Might be able to just see the absolutely still windmills, 25 or so, in the distance.

The town, about 150 meters long, has an albergue with a hostel to stay at.  Same management.  And yet…

The one star has the best WiFi we have had since the beginning.  Has an elevator. Friendly.  A decent ice cream dispenser, we had three along with two beers.

Friday 13 October same only warmer

A day of medieval architecture, long straight roads, territoriality of birds.

Garmin 27 km

The day starts with a view of a 3rd century Starbucks, prototype. PSL not available.

Nearby is the Church of San Martín, started in 1096.  Could not get in.  It is a deconsecrated church that is now an historical monument with lots of tourist travel.   Details under church name in Carrion Los Condes.

The town name does NOT refer to Carrion of the condors; most unfortunately as that is the feeling in the early am.

Soon one runs into a XIII century emitage quite nicely lit, bright sunlight,  by a romanesque window. Ermitage de la virgin del socorro.

We appear to be part of the seven horsemen of the apocalypse. The four original, Ronnie the milkman (Terry Prackett) and the two Boogs.  We are drought wherever we go.  

Another of the long straight roads. A small town in the background.

A story of geese and a donkey.  We stopped for a break at an outdoor garden bar/cafe.  Two geese were wandering about, as well as two ducks (you will hear no more about them) and a donkey behind the bar. 

The donkey ventured out to the garden.  The geese gave chase nipping at the donkey’s heels. The donkey kicked, as they normally do, but the day went to the geese. The donkey retreated to the back and the geese pranced about.

All happened too fast to capture and observe.  Chose the latter. 

The guide books say not to miss this one, pay the 1 euro for lighting the pictures retablo and be amazed.  In Villa azar, transitional Roman to Gothic, XI to XII.

Have not been able to research retablos.  How were they made? Studios making interchangable parts of polychrome and paintings? Custom made?  Of Mexican origin?  Happy to hear, via email or the comments section, information gleaned by readers. 

A view looking rear. 

As I mentioned, an architectural day.  Front view.

Our abode for the night, an old monastery with its converted hotel section. Plus a QB.

Thursday 12 October same weather

National holiday, Hispanic day, C.Columbus arrived Castille 1497. 

There are three ways out of town: shortcut over a large hill with an 18%-25% grade descent, a road around the hill adding another 8 -10 km of road walking, or a taxi to that location at the foot of an old bridge.

We choose the latter approach.

Garmin 20.1 km

Puente de Itero, 11 arches, wide span needed here. QB on top. The bridge is from the 11th century and, naturally, guarded the entrance to Castrojeriz.

The terrain became a little more green with one field of dried out maize.  Not clear to me if it was every harvested; QB thought it was.

Still no sheep. Did see, once, some cattle but only a few in a pen.

Entered Palencia. Agricultural area with Rivers and canals for irrigation. Rich soil for wheat.

In Boadilla del Camino we found an interesting bar-hostel with another charming host.  Family home since 1995, murals by the owner, sculpture, and good food.   We each had a soup.  Both good.

Approaching his bar with an 11th century church in background. The dark walk has murals.  Not the best pic.

Fromista is at the end of  a canal.

Once again we catch up to the donkey. Not much else in the way of wildlife to report.

The canal ends at an interesting weir where we enter Fromista.  It has a deconsecrated church, the century, described in books as the best remaining Romanesque example.   Closed today but, on Flickr, October thirteen twenty ten, our previous visit, many pics can be found.  A stunning place without a retablo or other adornments.

Hotel tonight is a fine one.  Friendly, modern, and with a good restaurant.  

Wednesday 11 October.  Same dry hot afternoon. 

Starting out. 

Garmin 23.7 km

We are staying at a Posada.  These exist in Portugal, Spain and Brazil,each with different set of rules. Here in Spain they are old important buildings not of historical significance.  They cannot be modified.  No elevator, no A/C.

Paradors, our favorites, are of historical significance but are larger and allow elevators and air conditioning.

This one is wonderful except for the above two points.

As expected the landscape is barren though we did see a field of dried out sunflowers, above.

About 12km of barrenness and we reached Hontanas, another 50 person or so town.  Here is a view from the top before descending.

The almost obligatory 14th century chapel.

We were expecting to find no rest until we reached Castrojeriz but about 5km after Hontanas we found a …bar.. rest area..character with a shop….

Certainly the latter. Someone who definitely belongs in the hospitality business.  Gave us (and later two Norwegian woman we invited into the area) watermelon slices.  Just because he had them.

Bought bad coffee and some beer and the. he gave all of us slices  he made from the ham sitting on the counter.   Just because he had it.  Once again, Spanish hospitality.

Coming into town we saw a castle for the evening stay.  Well ventilated.

But we stayed at the Posada as it was rated 9.7 on Booking.

The town is 3km long built into a step hillside. More than a 1000 year history.

Tuesday 10 October same cold mornings and getting warmer afternoons.

Need to discuss the weather.  We have not seen a cloud for at least 7 days.  Fields are brown like a California summer.  No farm animals.  A severe drought!

The news last evening had a segment on its severity.  Not too bad in Rioja but terrible in Castille y Leon.  Reservoirs at 12%-20%.  Farmers in real distress.  We can easily understand their pain.

Much better trip and experience than seven years ago where a flat on the big hill into Hornillos ended a poor day.

Today we entered the Meseta.  Flatter, hotter, less shade, endless sky.

Again stayed at the same fine place a few kms outside of Hornillos.

Garmin and Android close at 22.5 km. 

Good walk except for the heat. QB’s back sufficiently improved to permit the walk today.

Above, leaving Burgos.  The trees have lovely Burl’s.

QB’s asthma inhaler running low.  Decided to stop in a pharmacy in a small town, very small, no post office, no bus service, but had a bar.

Showed the pharmacist the Albuterol and she could not find it on her inventory.  She called another shop and they identified virtually the same inhaler, 100 mg versus 90 mg.  Sold it to us for 2.69 Euro.   About ten times more in the USA.   

Asked her about a Rx. Well, for peregrinos we bend the requirement as hard to get an Rx.  Spain, again, being accommodating.

The Meseta. QB says why photo, not much here.  Just my point.  Not much here, hot and dry.

Turning a bend the donkey cart appeared again.  Only got one picture, you can see the ears in the pic.   Inside the cart was either his father or friend.  Did not get to ask.

Once we reached Hornillos we stopped for a beer.  Also got something different: a Frankfurter with cheese”.  Was ok as we were hungry.

Monday 9 October cold morning, warm day. Weather is warming again.

Looking back to and earlier  blog post (same date 7years ago) we have cloudless skies today – and out for the next ten days at least – whereas we had rain and wind and mud previously.

We have been enjoying seeing the older entries both for the history and mis-adventures.  Not much changes in the world.

The cathedral is designed to shock and awe; it does.  Could not resist a photo from inside the cloister while looking up.

The church is polychrome heaven. Each chapel more impressive than the previous as one visits them in chronological order starting with those of the XII and ending in the XVIII.

Our Camino guide book says to plan at least, a very minimum, of six hours just to see the church interior.  The exterior is also impressive 

Notice the silver Chariot on the lower left.

Trump staircase with silver, not gold, chariot.

He must have pre-ordered and not paid.

Stopped on tapas streets, San Lorenzo for some wine comparison – becoming lushes – and a small snack.

Ordered a Rioja Crianza and a Reserva Riberra, the regional stuff.  Both good but we slightly preferred the Riberra. 

Burgos has been fought over for more than a 1000 years. Separate from and then joined to and then ….. but now Spain seems more united than in a very very long time.

The news, each evening, has been almost exclusively about the Cataluna vote and what will happen now.  Many talking heads discussing the same limited info; just like at home except in Spanish. 

The demonstrations as televised show a united Spain with Cataluna remaining.  TV news says 80%  wish to remain united. 

Dinner.

Sunday 8 October (looks like used the 7th twice).

Cold morning again, then hot afternoon.

QB bundled up.

Not a good day for QB.  Back spasms again, this time on the other side.  After about 10km, and some tea and coffee we decided to take a taxi into Burgos.

Not a bad choice from my perspective as the way in is well remembered and noted as not a pretty one.

Google goggles has misidentified this landmark.  Do not know what it is but clearly not what they said.

Called a taxi and asked “llevanos a Burgos a cathedral?” Por Supuesto.  He then went on to compliment my pronunciation.  I laughed but he said he was not flattering. 

I mentioned my friend, George, we says I speak with a French accent.  The taxi driver agreed but said it was a soft accent, not harsh like some who say QUE TAL or COMO ESTAS.

When I mentioned that QB’s back was hurting he dug out of his glove compartment a container of something sold for backaches, he said he had more and it works, and once again nicely gave it to us.   Gotta love the Spanish.

We arrived just in time to see the back end of the Burgos marathon; there is also a medical conference here so all rooms are booked.

The race route was lined with small market shops.  QB found a stop here necessary; research purposes.

One goal, as we were early, was to get to Mass at the extremely large and famous cathedral.  Wanted to hear the organ. Made a surupticious recording.

The Mass was in a small side chapel.  Impressive for a side chapel. One cannot get into the main cathedral without a tourist ticket – will do that tomorrow.

See if you can spot, above, Jimmie and or chickens.

Tapas streets, of course, for, well, …

While there are a countable number of pictures of the church could not resist one. Suggest looking it up if not seen before.

Friday 7 October.  A little warmer than yesterday.

A SMDG – explained below.

Very small town.  Population about 23  Next closest has 65 people. However, and important monastery is here.  Quite a beautiful one being restored.

Long day over various terrain.  The first half on reconstructed pathways, the second, over the Montes de Oca, on the difficult old roads.

Garmin: 29 km. about 1900 feet of climbing mostly over the mountain.

The day begins cold, 38F cold.  Took a while to heat up and by the end of the day too warm. Such is the Camino.

The first half is a marketers dream.  Wonderful roads and lovely scenery.

Five arched bridge of Román design.

The early day road. No farm animals seen throughout the day.  

Saturday mornings a number of the gentle readers meet for coffee, the SMCG.   Here in a small town we ran into the SMDG. Saturday morning drinking group.

Several men were at the bar drinking Mo Sa Tel.  Naturally I had to discuss what it was and what they were adding to it.  

Essentially Muscatel with Grappa added.  Being Spanish friendly the bar keeper have us one to drink.  No charge. 

Sweet, not clawing, Sherry like but thinner.  We both liked and finished.

Discussed the Camino roads with a local.  I mentioned I thought they were much different than our previous trip.  Yes, very much improved. Before “horrible” but fixed for more tourism. 

However, the Montes de Oca not so much.

Monument to 300 killed in Spanish Civil War. Monument is on top of one of the passes. 

A much needed Oasis on the long stretch to Ortega.

Ortega’s remains

Monastery

Friday 6 October cooler, finally

We left La Rioja and entered Castille y Léon.  Good roads, seem much better than seven years ago.  Camino seems to have been improved to make walking smoother  but not shorter.

Garmin 27 km

iPhone 24 km

We stopped at the first tourist office after the sign.  I asked for a book on the region, just like Navarre and La Rioja.  No she says.  No tourist overview book.  We are too poor, unlike those rich regions.  

QB purchased a tee shirt to help them out.

12th century facade.  

The walk continues through wheat Fields, onion Fields, tilled soil but we are no longer seeing grapes.

A side note about dinner last night:. Failed to take a picture of the fabulous salmorejo.  Made with avacodos, the base, and apples.  No tomatoes. Oil of course.  Outstanding. 

Spanish friendliness. We stopped for a snack at a 2 forked RB restaurant.  While we were eating out  food the table next to us was served the above.   Naturally I had to go over and take a picture and discuss it with them.  Beef.

A few minutes later one of them, there were four, brought over a plate with several samples.  Wow! both for taste and friendliness.   I generally do not eat meat but could not refuse.  Wow!.  A different world and a different taste.
It is quite common to see stork nests on tops of churches.   Here, in Belerado, there are four clustered together.  Unusal.

Looking at our blog of seven years ago, this town, there is a picture of the same church with almost the same four stork nests.

Our hotel for the night.  Smallish town with this simple but clean resting place.

A short Camino story.  During a break a woman spoke to us of her Camino, starting essentially where we did, except on 5 September.  Included a trip back to London, three days in a hospital in Pamplona after passing out during a walk into a Gale force winds, a mountain rescue. She is determined to walk the entire Camino and not miss a step so she went back to each “departure point” and tried again.