Archive | July, 2022

A COLLECTANEA OF CAMIGOS’ PHOTOS FROM THE CAMINO FRANCES,JUNE 2022.

4 Jul
PYRENEES
View from our bunkhouse at Orisson
SIGHTS ABD SIGNPOSTS – Pointing to the clamber over the Pyrenees
Welcome sight of Auberge Orisson
Alto del Perdon
San Domingo
FLORA
AND FAUNA
They all count!

FOOD AND DRINK ON THE CAMINO FRANCES

Not quite the start we expected – Stansted Services
First Continental Brew
Welcome sight of the Pop- Up van on the Route Napoleon- 2nd day
Happy Days
Pork Crackling Tapa – To die for? Possibly.
Rob taking rehydration seriously .
My classic Spanish salad topped with Elvers.
“Ramblers” must have a different connotation in Spanish.
Tortilla the Pelegrinos’ lunch choice.
Cheese and Membrillo at the Jubilados’ Bar
Tapa time
Tinto Verano at 41* – nothing better.
You can make a song and dance about Estrella Galicia.
Cooling Gazpzcho – lunchtime starter in Burgos
Slow roast Ham Hock – melts in your mouth.
A typical Continental breakfast
A typical breakfast menu!
Orujo- the perfect nightcap.

EVERYWHERE YOU GO ALWAYS TAKE THE WEATHER WITH YOU.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=pa8DunAJMHs&feature=share CROWDED HOUSE, Live.

The sun is always behind you when you are walking towards the West.
The rain in Spain falls mainly in…..
Hiding from the sunshine
A good hat – an essential.
Phew!
Cloudless skies became the norm.
Red Rioja Soil – Blazing sun
Why not?
Welcome shade on a rare forest track
A stretch of water – always a refreshing sight.

MOSTLY PAIRS

Dinner in the little plaza at San Domingo
Mary and Rob Arriving At Orisson
Girls on the Beer.
Hotel A Santiago- A great Pilgrims’ stopover .
Me and Sue with a hangover…Not.
A STRIKING IMAGE AT ATAPUERCA
BURGOS WITH A COUPLE OF CHESTNUTS
“ There aren’t any more of these are there,John?” “ Dunno”
“Probably the best beer in the world”, say
Mary and Anita.
Tom is not superstitious….
“Mother Mary calls to me,saying words of wisdom, let it be”
Tom enjoying an early morning Clara! Salud.

BORDER BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN – A PITY ALL BORDERS ARE NOT LIKE THIS.

ULTREIA ET SUSEIA – “ Let’s Go Forward, Hallelujah “Let’s Go Higher”. Who knows…?

Thanks to the Camigos – Anita,Sue, Mary, June,Tom,Rob and Mike for their company, good humour and perseverance on the Camino Frances.

22nd JUNE. Quintanapalla to Burgos

3 Jul
Waiting for the lift back to Atapuerca from Boomerang Cottage.
Resumption point at Atapuerca.

Much cooler conditions as we began a climb.

Stony conditions underfoot up here.
The simple,wooden cross at the top of this Calvary. Alto de Matagrande,( 1078 metres)
We are now entering the Riopico Valley.
“since the pilgrim dominated the mountains of Navarra in Burguete and saw the vast fields of Spain. She has never seen a more beautiful dress like this”. Or something like that!

There followed a slight incline down to the village of Cardenuela Riopico.

Now on the outskirts of Burgos we stopped for refreshments and alighted a local bus bound for Burgos Centre,thereby avoiding a possibly uninspiring 6 KM walk through the suburbs into Burgos, KM 489.7. Our final Etape is done.

After checking in to Hotel Sercotel de Castilla, we had ample time to explore this beautiful and prosperous city

Useful map from the tourist office easily found after crossing the Arlanzon River.

The Arco de Santa Maria .

What follows are a medley of snaps from that afternoon’s saunter around Burgos.

Catedral de Santa Maria
A walk up to the Castillo
Looking down on the city with the Cathedral prominent.
Back on the ground.
A fountain is always a refreshing sight.
This epitomises the real Spirit of the Camino.
My favourite picture from inside the Cathedral – nonplussed whenever anyone asks me why I walk the Camino – and will there be another one that comes close to this and indeed will there be another one?
At least I took the time to smell the flowers…

An evening at Boomerang Cottage with our hosts Hazel & Rodrigo – returnees from Oz.

2 Jul
This house is allegedly 600 years old and is now a B&B in Quintanapalla.

The house contains an eclectic mixture of artefacts,momentoes and photographs which cover walls, stairs and landings.

We had two rooms for four people off the same landing and they were found to be very comfortable.

Rob at his ease.
The gardens were a welcome retreat from the glare of the sun.
The wine was on the way.
Earlier,Mary was hoping that the directions for hanging out your washing would take less than a thousand words from Hazel, our friendly if somewhat garrulous co- host.
Rodrigo, chauffeur,cook and co- host who could add his threepennies worth too….usually at the expense of Hazel,if she was out of earshot. She, too, would mildly lambast Rodrigo.

It was like being on the set of a 70s sitcom-with fast moving exchanges in Australian inflected English,given a strong Spanish twist! Great fun. Our Steak,chips and salad, followed by an in house dessert were consumed with gusto and Rodrigo then generously served us different kinds of Orujo – a smoky digestif – a very convivial evening and one like no other, for the very best of reasons.

It certainly made for a good night’s sleep in the mens’ bed room at any rate.

Belorado to Quintanapalla,via Atapuerca,on 21st June – Penultimate Etape.

2 Jul
We set off quite early after a Continental breakfast and the waiter insisted on giving each one of us an ice cold bottle of water for the journey – sums up what a good place Hotel A Santiago is for Pelegrinos.

We passed the ruddy coloured remains of the castle lurking above us.

We then crossed the River Tiron via wooden footbridge and then off left towards Tosantos,some 3Km away.

The outlying houses were adorned by colourful Camino related murals.

Then a slight climb to a plateau with views of rolling pastures

Through the tiny hamlet of Vilambistia.

And then a coffee/drinks break at a cafe you could not miss.

Not it’s not “ the hell of a Camino “ but the “ footprint!”
A netting protected Cherry tree overhanging the cafe terrace.
By road that is.
SAN JUAN DE LA ORTEGA – a student of San Domingo who joined him in his road,bridge and hospice building.

The saint that shares its name, the disciple of Saint Domingo de la Calzada, builder and protector of the ancient route, managed to erect a small church and an important refuge for pilgrims which gave them shelter after the difficult climb up the inhospitable Montes de Oca. Today this quiet place is revived with the presence of pilgrims.

Leaving hill views behind as we entered a pine forest.
And a very good path.
Welcome shade.
Arlanzon with the village of Ages in the distance.
A tiny hamlet of about 60 people with some keen garden designers amongst them.
And a handy craftworker .
Not to mention the mural painter!
Moving towards the world famous Sierra de Atapuerca and the oldest site of humanity in Europe. It has a Museum of Human Evolution and there are ongoing works in the archeological site.
Unmissable.
As was this advert for an Albergue on an abandoned double decker bus on the outskirts of the village.

From Atapuerca we were collected by our host from “ Boomerang Cottage” in Quintanapalla – we would be dropped off the following morning for our last Etape .

20 th June. Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado and a very civil meeting with the Guardia Civil.

1 Jul
Another facet of the Guardia Civil’s new image – we had noticed them occasionally patrolling the Camino – the 21st Century version of the Knights Templar?

Leaving Santo Domingo by way of the Santo Domingo y Ermita bridge.

After crossing the bridge, we noticed a block on what appeared to be a simple country road and it was being patrolled by the Guardia Civil. Any trepidation we may have felt was soon dispelled as a smiling officer approached, wishing us good morning and asking how we were! Then he and his colleague indicated the Way which was now off the road – “ Buen Camino”.
One of the original Camino waymarks with scallop shell intact.

After six KM or thereabouts we reached Granon and another memorable coffee stop. The first sights to arrest the attention – Camino murals – which drew us up to an imaginatively and conveniently situated cafe.

A population of about 250 persons but inhabited since Celtiberian times – remains from 2000 years ago have been discovered here. We discovered this permanently placed van doubling up as a well stocked cafe.
Granon struck us as a friendly,peaceful place set as it is amongst rolling hills and arable land.
The only “high” point for miles…
An ingenious way to transfer your Mochilla.
Inside the Iglesia de San Juan Batista there was a florally decorated tableau to mark the feast of Corpus Christi.
Panoramica
Entering the Province of Burgos and a reminder that our camino’s end was approaching.
What moronic impulses drove some dork to deface a signboard?
We entered the small hamlet of Viloria de Rioja,birthplace of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 1019.
The Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion – much and randomly rebuilt- originally a Romanesque church.Inside is the allegedly, original Baptismal font used to baptise Santo Domingo. The village tradition is to return here,no matter where a person is living,to baptise one’s children from the same font as Santo Domingo’s. Sadly the church was closed.
Leaving Viloria de Rioja.
“ How much further!? “ Asks June. Not far now.
Slightly further on and an advertisement for our accommodation. Cocina Communitaria sounds promising.
And what welcoming venue it was.
This way to Reception.
Mary took the plunge.
A shady terrace
We dived into these!

HOTEL A SANTIAGO – probably one of the best stops on the Camino. And the community evening meal was as good as advertised.