Reën is ‘n konstante metgesel die laaste paar dae. Gister was die enigste droë dag sover. Vandag het ons 90% van die tyd in die reên deur die Meseta gestap. Die Meseta laat mens aan die Swartland dink, koring in die goeie grond en hawermout op die hoër gedeeltes. Partykeer lyk dit asof hulle net met klippe boer.

Dis baie klei grond en agv die reën begin die klei onder jou sole vassit sodat dit later voel jy loop op platforms. Om dit te probeer afskraap het geen sin want 10m verder is dit maar weer dieselfde. Dank die Vader ek het vanoggend vir die eerste keer opgestaan sonder pyn in my regtervoet en skeen en die swelling was minder. So ek het goed gestap anders sou die modder dit nie lekker gemaak het nie.

Elke dorpie op die roete in die Meseta is in ‘n klein vallei: so what goes down must go up again. Gelukkig was meeste van die roete gelyk. Na ure se stap in die reën voel alles klam en my baadjie het naderhand nie meer die water afgestoot nie. My rugsak met sy beskerming het darem droog gebly. Dit was ook nie koud nie. Gisteroggend uit Burgos was dit 3 grade gewees tot ver na 10:00.

Burgos is a beautiful city next to the river Arianzón. The cathedral de Santa María is among the most beautiful of Spain’s many cathedrals and one of its largest after the Giralda in Sevilla. I spent at least an hour and a half walking around with the electronic guide. Although it was a sunny day when we arrived, it was cold in the shade. The Albergue La Casa del Cubo did not open until 14:00 so we found a bar with chairs in the sun where I kicked off my shoes to dry out and had our usual cafe con leche.

We found a bakery where we bought fresh bread out if the oven with cheese and headed in the direction of the albergue. There was already a queue of at least 40 pilgrims waiting for it to open. We ended up standing in the queue for 50 minutes. There was one older lady checking in all the pilgrims and the guy was standing there just counting money and telling us not to wear our shoes. We counted out all our coins to pay the €10 fee for both of us and that caused a fuss with the old lady. Marcel promptly told her “lady; money is money” and after a big sigh it was accepted.

Only to bite us in the ass half an hour later when we wanted to do washing and needed €3 for the washing machine and €2 for the dryer. I used my charming personality to change a €5 note into coins only to be told my the guy that were we not the people who gave them all the change? Making a joke out of it seems to have calmed him down. We had to wait in line as there was only 2 machines of each and an American lady was keeping track of who was next in line. Whilst washing and then drying )30 minutes cycles of each) the power tripped three times and I had to go and ask to have the trip switch switched on again. Lots of sighing again.

The walk out of Burgos and for that matter into Burgos is through the suburbs and it feels like ages until you end up on the country lanes again. Our aim is Hornillos del Camino which has a population of 70. We have heard that the albergue has a reputation of bed bugs so we are aiming for Hostel de sol a sol which only has 7 rooms. By the time we get there the sun has come out although the wind is cold. There is room at the inn and it turns out to be a nice place. We get the key from the grocer lady across the road and I understand there is dinner at 19:00 and breakfast at 08:30. Only to realise at 18:30 it’s breakfast between 7:00 and 8:30. We rush the 2m across the road to buy some groceries and make an excellent pasta with mushrooms and chorizo and tomato salad with olive oil and the customary bread and vino Tinto.

Most of the pilgrims decided not to stay but walk another 5,8km to the next albergue which sleeps 12 or it would be another 10,5km to Hontanas which has more space. As we passed San Bol this morning we realise it’s only the Albergue and nothing else and that it’s closed. Luckily we made the decision to stay the previous afternoon.

Tomorrow I’m heading for Frómista and the weather forecast is more rain. A good night sleep will revive the soul and tired body.