Day 14, Rest day in Burgos

11.08.2016 - 11.08.2016
View Deb's Camino de Santiago de Compostela on Deb Godley's travel map.

We were out of the albergue before the required 8am and had breakfast together and then I said goodbye to Gabby, Susana, Louie, Jose, Sylvie and Alfrede, all of whom are finishing here in Burgos. Then I walked the 300m or so to my new hotel and dropped off my backpack and am using the WiFi for a few minutes. At only 8:30, it is too early to check in.

Once the museum opens I can use my free pass and check out stores & such until noon or so, when I can return.

Here's a shot of the bota (boot) storage where I retreived my boots this morning - separated by floor number. Just to give you an idea of the size of this place - most albergues are 10-35 beds, so 150 beds here is by far the largest. There's usually a small shelf for boots to prevent some of the road dust and shoe smell from permeating the rooms. Here it was six drawers of boots. But as I showed with the sleeping alcove, it is very well set up and I slept very well in my private space.

So today is my first planned rest day and I am looking forward to exploring Burgos a little. The day is bright and sunny, but cold again. First stop: Museo de Burgos. This was free with my ticket from the Atapuerca site. Very small, but with some items from Atapuerca.

Museo de la Evolucion Humana was a much nicer and larger museum with very interesting exhibits on our species specifically. Also quite a lot of info from Atapuerca.

I walked around and have a couple of street pictures and was allowed in my room at 12:30. One is of Santo Domingo de Guzman plaza and the other of Casa de Cordon, a 15th century palace, now a bank. I declined to pay extra for a cathedral view, since the cathedral is easily accessible right outside the door.

I ran into Louie just outside and will meet up with him for "lunch" at 3pm. For now, I have a couple of hours, so I am going to eat my orange and then walk up to the Castiila in Parque de cuerdas del Castillo.

I climbed up to the Castillo, but I didn't go in. There didn't appear to be much inside. But I liked the view. There was a poem, I think, that Rhina might like.

I stopped at a couple of museums on the way down. One was modern art and there was much to photograph and the other was altarpieces and processional pieces

After the museums I looked for Louie and waited 20 minutes, then went to the tapa bar I wanted to try. Apparently, voted the best tapas in Spain in 2015, called La Favorita. I asked for 4 tapas and a beer and let them choose for me - it was great. I had something creamy on toast - no idea. Then cheese wrapped in ham; some anchovy on toast mix; and blood sausage with rice in the sausage and it came with roasted red pepper, which was excellent.

On the way back I found Louie, who had been looking for me in the other direction, apparently. He was sitting with Aminta from Mexico and 3 Spaniards all eating chicken wings. So I ordered some wings and joined them. We also ran into a woman from Toronto who said "Oh, you are the redheaded Canadian I've heard about"

Then I saw Louie off to his bus to Madrid and the last of my current Camino family is off home. I thought Aminta and Ada from T.O. might be new walking mates, but they are going to skip ahead by bus; Aminta to see a meteor shower 50k ahead and Ada to skip the Meseta (the flat section between Burgos and Leon that many do not like).

I'm off to see the shops. At 6:30ish, I set out to see if I could find a skirt or shorts to replace the scarf that I had been using for a skirt in the evenings, but which was a looking a bit worse for wear (not being intended as a skirt).

Happily after popping in and out of shops and trying on a few unsuitable items, I found a perfect light pair of beige shorts. So after buying them I rewarded myself with chocolate con churros. I had heard that the hot chocolate in Spain was different than ours, but to date I'd only seen Nesquick packages mixed in hot milk. Walking through the river front park, I came across the Cafe Ibanez, advertising chocolate con churros. Could this be the famous extra-thick super-rich chocolate I'd dreamt of?

Yes! See the picture, I think you can almost taste the thick richness of it. Trust me, though, the real thing eaten from the dipped churro was fabulous!

Back in the room by 8:30 after lingering in the cafe and then on a bench outside the cathedral. A very nice evening. The bed is very comfy feeling, so I'm expecting a good night.

My room is on the 5th floor, so with the walking around, up to the Castillo, through the museums, in and out of stores, and up and down the hotel stairs (pilgrims don't use elevators), I have walked 24,697 steps, almost 14 kms.

To bed, perchance to dream...and on the road again tomorrow.

Bota boot storage