Going Slow
Day 15 Burgos to Hornillos
8 May 2014
Passing the 300km Mark
Yesterday we passed the 300 km mark as we left Burgos for a long stretch near, alongside and crossing main roads and a railway line. Not fun!
Entering the Meseta
Then we entered the much maligned meseta supposedly long, straight and boring, there were very gently undulating hills and again the striking greenery of the wheat and barley fields against the blue sky.
Silence
The not unpleasant heavy silence was a reprieve from the busyness of Burgos. Birds twittering, a gentle wind brushing the wheat and the crunch of our feet on the path. The only other movement the steady walk of peregrinos far ahead of us.
Stopping to Revive
But the heat and the hard dirt road took its toll and my feet ached for ages when we reached Hornillos. I even looked at options for a couple of shorter days. We decided to slow down today. Stop often for an orange or coffee, take the weight off our feet.
Local Encounter
It worked. 21km and into our accommodation by 1pm not too tired and feet fine. Met a woman tidying her hedge. She asked how old I thought she was…81…said she was born in Hontanas and will die there. She didn’t want her photo taken as she didn’t have her teeth in and had not done her hair!
We watched a black bird a bit like a crow land in a field and poke at something. A rabbit (hare?) bounded away. It’s lucky day.
Fellow Peregrinos from All Over The World
We have met people from all over the world. Some of the Europeans are less than friendly but we have had good conversation with people from Germany, UK, Holland, and Latvia.
Others from South Africa, USA, Canada, Colombia, France, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland (lots of fun), Croatia, Russia, Italy (often speak Spanish so we can communicate), Spain of course, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland, Denmark, Poland(he nearly hugged Bronek when he heard Bronek could speak Polish as he had not spoken to anyone for 5 days)-we walked with him for a while but have not seen him again.
That is how it is – you move in and out of people’s lives and may never see them. There are Aussies around but we only saw them early on.
Next Post: First Blisters