Burgos

11:45pm

Hotel Norte y Londres

Today was probably my favorite walking day yet. Conditions were PRIME. Perfect temperature, beautiful unobstructed views, a light breeze, and steady footing. Just ideal. Our day started with another lovely breakfast, and we were off. One short climb toward the beginning, and then we crested the hill to behold this majesty. 

We could see Burgos in the distance; our long-awaited resting spot. The descent down the hill continued to take our breath away, consisting of wild poppies, rolling hills, and fields of wheat. We stopped at the bottom for a snack and coffee (tea for my dad), and were back on the road for the afternoon. We walked a lot of it with a group of 5 guys, who all met on day 2 of their individual Camino experiences and joined forces to walk together. One from the US, one from Canada, one Germany, and I believe the UK and Italy. It’s so sweet. And they made for some great and entertaining company. 

This afternoon was very soul-filling. Mostly because my dad has really found his stride and feels soooooo much better than he did on his last trip, and even the beginning of this one. It was just exuding from him. His strength. His determination. His pride in himself. 

Another reason it was so lovely is that we opted for a slightly longer (who are we??) but more enjoyable route into downtown Burgos, electing to avoid the industrial areas we’ve heard such awful things about and choose instead the "Rio" path, right along a river and through a gorgeous city park. We made it into downtown Burgos by 2:30pm, which also made us pretty proud. We had some lovely reunions with friends from various stages in our journey who we happened upon along the route, and walked to the cathedral for our first peek and a stamp. Nothing could ever do this place justice. It’s awe-inspiring in every way. 

Tomorrow we will tour it during our rest day, and I can’t wait. We walked around the cathedral and into the square in front of it, where we stopped for some drinks and tapas before checking into the hotel. 

Once we checked in and showered, we headed out for dinner at a restaurant directly underneath our hotel room! Full disclosure: we chose it so we could get their WiFi password, because the signal was way stronger than the hotel’s. BUT! We bought a pizza and drinks, so everybody wins right?? Except we double won, because that pizza. THAT PIZZA. I will dream about it. And then, of course, ice cream. Dulce de leche and coffee for me, and raspberry vanilla for mi padre. Divine, as usual. 

Our hotel is SO charming (old... but that’s right up my alley), crown moldings and creaky hardwoods and fugly floral bedspreads that I of course love. And now we will drift to sleep with the sounds of the city. They’re not all peaceful sounds (HA) but it makes me even more excited to see what this vibrant place has in store for us tomorrow. 

Atapuerca

Another lovely day on the Camino. 

We had a great breakfast at our albergue, and snuck in just in time before a TON of pilgrims filled the place. All the bars in the previous town were still closed, apparently. 

The walk started with more climbing, but I commented to my dad that I am feeling significantly stronger and more fit than at the start of the trip, and that he seemed to be too! He wasn’t certain that was true of himself until we got to the next round of climbs, which was much steeper and longer. And he killed it. And commented at the top, "Ok... I’m definitely getting stronger too." Again, so proud of him. 

At the top of the most significant hill of the day, I was looking at a monument built to memorialize 300 people who lost their lives during the Spanish civil war (it was beautiful) when I heard, "Andie??" And it was Alice! Alice from yesterday, whose company made the time pass so quickly! So lovely to see her again. She joined us at our picnic table where we were having a little break, and as we chatted, I looked over to see the pilgrims cresting the hill we had just conquered. 

I recognized one woman from the last couple nights at albergues. We hadn’t talked much, but we exchanged a few pleasantries. In Grañon, where the magical singing experience took place, she acted as a Spanish-French interpreter for instructions at dinner. But I think she’s French, because that’s the language I hear her speaking most often. So when I saw her at the top of the hill, I smiled, waved, and yelled "Bonjour!" To which she replied, "Bonjour, mon ami!" And then this exchange took place:

Me: "How are you?"

Her: "I’m ok."

Me: "Well, you’re here! You made it up this big hill!"

Her: "... Can I have a hug?"

Me (immediately walking over): "Of course! Are you having a rough day?"

Her (letting out a huge defeated sigh with tears in her eyes: "Yeah."

And we hugged. The best, most genuine, tightest hug. She was crying, I was crying. 

Me: "I’m sorry."

Her: "Don’t be! It’s a good day. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Me: "Buen Camino."

Her: "Buen Camino, my darling."

And then she walked on. We ran into each other several times the rest of the day, and happen to be staying in the same place tonight. Every time I’ve seen her, she either winks at me or calls me "my darling." I don’t even know her name yet. But I’ll never forget that hug. 

Alice walked with us the rest of the day, and even one town past where she intended to stay, so we could finish our evening together. We all checked in at the albergue, showered, and headed down the road to a bar for a drink before dinner at a restaurant for which I had read amazing reviews. And it did NOT. DISAPPOINT. The most amazing pilgrim’s menu awaited us (a fixed price 3-course meal typically including wine), including the most incredible vegetarian options. All three of us ordered the goat cheese salad for our first course, which was divine. My dad ordered curry lentils for his entree (made with herbs from an on-site garden which our amazing server Nacho pointed out to us!), Alice ordered Thai chicken, and I had an INCREDIBLE dish consisting of grilled peppers, cheese fondant, and a poached egg. I couldn’t tell you what it was, but I can tell you it blew my mind. For dessert we all chose pineapple-lemon sorbet and I’m telling you, I couldn’t believe they could do EVERYTHING so expertly. And locally sourced. And ALL for the price of what just the wine alone would have cost us in the states. It’s just heaven. And GET THIS: Atapuerca is best known for being the town in which the remains of the earliest human beings in Europe were found! Dating back nearly one million years. I don’t know about you, but I find this fascinating. And the best part of this little history lesson is that our amazing restaurant is called Como-sapiens. 

See what they did there???

After dinner was pretty much bed time, after a long day. Tomorrow we walk into Burgos, and then take a REST DAY! Much needed and hard earned.

Today was a beautiful lesson in the Camino’s provision: you never know when one small moment can leave a lasting impact. A hug when it’s needed most. A smile. A kind word. I hope not to soon forget how simple it can be to create a safe space for those around me. 

Oh, and happy 4th of July. Speaking of safe space, my hope and desperate prayer is that our nation will become one. For ANYONE seeking refuge. 

Villambistia

7pm

Casa de los Deseos

Another 25km day! Feelin really proud of us. We got a decently early start, and walked about 4.5km to stop for breakfast and coffee in Redecilla del Camino. It’s a little pathetic how much coffee impacts my mood, but it’s who I am! Might as well use it as an excuse to feed the beast of caffeine addiction. Right?

At one point this morning I realized I needed to pay my utility bill. No problem, I can do it online. So here I am, walking through the Spanish countryside, paying a bill. This little slice of my typical reality really slapped me in the face HARD. I was sent into a momentary panic tailspin of worry, and it was all too familiar and yet distant at the same time. Anxiety is a HUGE part of my life. And it’s a huge part of my life because it’s a huge part of ME. On this trip, I can count on only a couple fingers the number of times I have even felt stressed. Please believe me when I tell you, this is a miracle. It just doesn’t happen. So when my familiar friend Anxiety and her Mood Monster minions crept in after this normal task of adulthood, it hit me fast and it hit me hard. I was overcome with worry about all the typical things that adults worry about. Money. Goals. Relationships. Career paths. It was just a moment, but it was so out of the clear blue. Why oh WHY does this have to happen now??? I’m supposed to be in zen mode! But of course, all I had to do was bring up this worry to my dad, who said in his ever-calm tone, "Will worrying help?" 

No.

Of course, no. 

It’s easier said than done to just shut the worry off, obviously, but NO it doesn’t help. And I sure as HELL ain’t gonna let it keep me from living this experience to its very fullest. The truth is, I’m FINE. I’m more than fine. I’m well aware that taking a nearly 2-month trip to Europe makes me real, real lucky. I get it. 

One thing this trip has done is give me nothing but time to think. And think, and think, and think. I am such a self-distractor back home. If I’m driving/cooking/walking/showering/ANYthing, I’m listening to a podcast or an audiobook or my latest favorite music. Heaven forbid there be silence, or an opportunity to become bored. Boredom breeds anxiety. No time for that. 

Out here, it’s me. My feet and my legs and my mind and ME. And we have had a lot more time to get to know each other these last couple weeks. And you know what? I’ve heard a lot more birds, and frogs, and locusts, and leaves in the breeze, and the crunching of rocks (and one snail, RIP little guy, I’ll never forgive myself) under my feet. My mind is never silent, but it’s also quieted down quite a bit without the overstimulation with which I have unknowingly been plaguing myself. I reach information overload MUCH less frequently. But it’s also sometimes HARD. Because the other side of giving air time to your thoughts is remembering pain. Heartache. Heartbreak. Fear. Longing. Insecurities. They creep in as well. But I am learning myself well enough to recognize and invite them in. You say YOUR piece, and leave me in MY peace. I’m not great at it, but GOSH I think I’m getting almost good. I would challenge anyone to get outside, don’t take headphones, and just go. Just walk. The standard checklist and worry will creep up. Pull up a chair and invite it to stay. Say, "Hey, what brings you here?" And I bet you’ll find it’s not as scary as you think. 

[And if it is that scary, if it brings you to your knees and doesn’t let up, don’t tread that water alone... call a loved one, find a counselor, start on medication, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255]

Whew, I didn’t anticipate this getting that heavy, but that’s life isn’t it?

Once I allowed the worry to move through me and got back into the Camino zone, it was just the pavement and me again. We continued on through a handful of adorable towns on our way today, one in which we stopped for a quick picnic table break in a cute little park where I found swings! It was a welcome break from the repetitive motion of foot on pavement that we started with today, and I’ve always loved a good swing set.  

We also met Fausto. Fausto will be 95 years old on July 17. I know this because he noticed two peregrinos (us) enjoying our little picnic in the park and walked right over to say hello. He rattled off some VERY fast and slurred Spanish, and I caught maybe every 4th word. I explained (in my MINIMAL and probably very American sounding Spanish) that we do not know very much of the language. He laughed happily and kept trying, motioning with his hands to help him explain. We learned his wife was in church down the road, and that he is approaching his 95th birthday in less than two weeks. He even got out his ID to show me the proof. "Mira, es verdad!" Fausto was an absolute gem, and a perfect example of the things you miss if you move too quickly through life and distract yourself along the way. And I am so glad we met him. 

As we approached Belorado, where we were planning on eating lunch, I heard my dad a few paces behind me say to a pilgrim next to him, "Hi, how are you?" This was a little unusual, not because my dad doesn’t typically ask these types of questions (because he does), but on the trail it’s generally a quick, "Hola, buen camino!" to everyone, no matter what language we all speak. Because you never know what language anyone speaks! Plus everyone’s blazing past us. So this time stood out, because we don’t always have time to engage others in conversation via direct questions. But she was moving pretty slowly and younger than both of us, so I guess my dad thought she was a little weary. Her response was, "Hey! Tired..." And we all laughed in exhausted agreement and understanding. Her name is Alice. She’s from New Jersey, about to start medical school at Browne. We chatted all the way into Belorado, where she’s staying tonight, and it made the last 5km into our lunch destination just FLY by. God bless you, Alice. Buen Camino.

We had an absolutely wonderful lunch on a gorgeous patio, with a view of nesting STORKS* atop a beautiful church, and headed back on the road for the second half of our journey. 

(*the first time I ever saw a stork was a few days ago, the day one of my very best friends in the whole wide world Aly went into labor. How freakin amazing is that??)

The rest of our journey went smoothly and uneventfully, with one playground stop to sit for a few in the home stretch. I was amused to see two turtles painted on the toys, as our slow pace on this journey has earned us the names Tortuga and Tortugita. It was a fun little hello.

And now we’re home sweet home for the night, unknowingly at the same place my parents stopped on a particularly rough day on their journey 2 years ago, when my dad was rejuvenated by a cup of tea he has since called "the magic tea." Who would have thought? Staying at the home of his magic tea. That sort of stuff comes with the Camino territory, I guess. And I love it. 

Cirueña, Santo Domingo, + Grañon

12pm

Bar Piedra, Santo Domingo

An overused saying in the Pacific Northwest is, "If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes." It’s ever-changing and unpredictable. The same can be said for many aspects of life. One of the many (many MANY) things I love about the Camino is that if you don’t like how you’re feeling... wait 5 minutes. This morning started out a bit rough for me, sooo sleepy and sluggish and my pack has never felt heavier. We knew today would be a long one, consisting of 10-11km stretches without any place to rest or eat or refresh. So it began to overwhelm me as I trudged up the hills of the morning. But we got an early start and we were making pretty good time!  

I became encouraged when I saw our first town, Cirueña, in the distance. We had to walk a couple blocks off the Camino path to find a bar, and we weren’t the only ones who rested there. I had the most amazing bocadillo de queso of the trip yet, with fresh slices of cheese right off the wheel. My dad ordered toast and was given a delicious peach jam, and I love me a jam & cheese combo, so I added some to my sandwich and it was bliss. I usually order café con leche, but I saw the man in front of me order a cafe americano and that sounded better. I’ll never look back. I never drink lattes at home, and I can appreciate the flavor of just the rich, pure coffee. Plus I think I got more coffee for my buck, and you know how this girl likes a good deal.

The only way I can think to describe the next stretch of our walk, between Cirueña and Santi Domingo, is euphoric. We turned the corner out of town and crested our last little uphill of this leg to find the most spectacular view. Field upon field of wheat mixed with wildflowers, including the most vibrant poppies. Mountains in the distance, and the beautiful Santo Domingo down in the valley before us. 

I closed my eyes and felt the soft breeze brush my cheeks and tousle my hair. Maybe it was just the coffee talking (it wasn’t just the coffee talking, but it doesn’t hurt), but I was overcome with gratitude. For this life, for this trip, for this day, for this moment. There is just so much beauty in this world.

We went on to quickly tour the cathedral, where Santo Domingo’s remains are buried! INSANE. Do yourself a favor and look up the story behind the chicken miracle and Santo Domingo. You won’t regret it. 

4pm

Albergue de St. Juan Bautista 

The rest of our walk passed smoothly as well, fueled by our blissful morning, and we arrived to our albergue by about 2:45pm! Which I consider a big win, seeing as it was a 25km day. This place is really special. Again, no frills, but everything we need. 

We spent some time down the street at the very best food truck in all the land, chatting with new friends Lis and Finn from Denmark. The truck is owned by Javi, a lovely Spanish local (from Logroño) who walked the Camino two years ago, inspiring him to sell his blacksmith business and open this truck. I’m obsessed. 

9pm

Dinner was lovely, a group effort by all the pilgrims. This place runs purely by donativo (donation), and the donation box remains open for pilgrims to take from it if they need. How magical is that? Instructions and welcomes and thank-yous were translated into 4 different languages. How magical is THAT? And now we’re all mingling and milling about, some snoozing (papa Daisley among them), some going to sleep sooner rather than later (me among them), and all enjoying each other’s company in one way or another.

10:30pm 
Well, as with many other Camino happenings, some more unforeseen magic occurred tonight. When we first arrived here, our amazing the spunky hospitalero Ynez asked, “Do either of you play an instrument or sing?” Of course my dad said, “Not me, but she sings.” So I learned I would be singing at some point. Yowsers. After dinner, they brought us out to the balcony of the old church we were staying above. They arranged us all in a circle around the room, in built-in chairs made for the choir. We all sat in the circle in silence for a few minutes, candles lit around us. And then the spunky hospitalero whispered to me, “Andie. Sing something.” Uhhhhh ok! What came out of me was Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” When I got to the chorus of Hallelujahs, everyone in that room started singing with me. Our voices were a chorus of echoes throughout the whole church. I hate to overuse the word “magical,” but... I don’t know how else to describe it. We had a few more moments of meditation, and then Ynez explained that instead of a stamp (we collect stamps pretty much everywhere we go on our pilgrim’s credential), their stamp is a hug and a “Buen Camino.” So everyone started hugging. Many people were crying. And the echos of “Buen Camino” hung in the air. If I didn’t experience it myself, I almost wouldn’t believe it.

Tomorrow we plan to walk another 25km, and then two more walking days after that before we reach Burgos and REST. Oh, how sweet it will be. But the journey is the point of this whole experience, so we will take each day as it comes and enjoy each little wonder along the way. 

Azofra

7pm

Albergue de Peregrinos Municipal de Azofra 

Comin’ at ya live from Azofra, where we’re staying in our first municipal albergue of the trip. Basically that means, the most affordable you’ll find, generally packed with people and pretty minimal services. No frills. This is probably one of the nicer ones along the way, as there are only two beds to a room, no bunks, and lots of great indoor and outdoor space to enjoy. 

We arrived here about 1:30pm, I showered while my dad napped, he showered while I napped, and we are having a true pilgrim experience tonight. We went to the market for supplies for what had become my go-to Camino meal, a bocadillo con tomate y queso (a cheese and tomato sandwich, but almost always on DIVINE bread). We also picked up some chips, Aquarius, and breakfast stuff for tomorrow. We walked back to the albergue to prepare our food, sit in the table area to charge our phones (no outlets in the rooms), and decompress a bit. Even after our 2-hour naps, we’ll probably be in bed by 8ish. Which will allow us to maaaaybe get up as early as we’ve tried to do every day... oops... 

Today’s walk was gorgeous, once again through miles and miles of vineyards. A few good climbs, but nothing we haven’t conquered before! 

I had a really cool moment about halfway up one of the larger hills today. I was listening to some pump-up music and thought about stopping, when I thought to myself: No. you can do this thing. And I decided to just do it. I took a deep breath, felt the oxygen flow through me, and forged ahead. As I stepped to the beat of one of my favorite songs, I felt like I was almost outside my body. Like the pain and exhaustion was there, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I felt SO STRONG. It gave me goosebumps, it just felt so good to power through something I almost gave up on. My first inclination when faced with something that will be hard to accomplish is to shy away a bit. I don’t want to fail. I don’t want to fall short. I know I’m in good company with that; it’s human nature. But the best things that have ever happened to me have happened after I decided to take a deep breath and leap. And this philosophy just keeps delivering.