Day 14 Villafria, just outside Burgos

View through a window at Ages, Spain
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At the end of a day of walking the first thing you want is a shower and some cool water running on your feet.

A lot of pilgrims in San Juan de Ortega planned to go to Burgos today, close to 30 km.  But I learned the hard way about taxing my feet, so determined to stop short of the town, in Villafria.  A regular city bus runs into Burgos, so I can go in to see the sights.  The first part of the walk was a lovely stroll gently climbing through pine woods, through a couple of real cute towns, Ages ("ah´-guess") and Atapuerca.  The latter is recently famous for being declared the site of the earliest Europeans, and the display at the museum where I stopped to use the facilities was certainly looking impressive (construction ongoing.)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atapuerca

Who ARE all these pilgrims?

Entering Atapuerca, Spain, home to our earliest European ancesters
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But I had, as Frost says, "miles to go before I sleep," so I pressed on.  The road to the top of the mountain was stony, and my feet started complaining not even halfway through the walk.  At the top of the hill I could see Burgos ahead, looking too far way for my feet.  Luckily I had already decided to stop short.

I stopped, sat, and took off my shoes a couple of times, including once on a rock in a beautiful field of grass with thistle and poppies.  Pilgrims often make crosses of wood, sticks, whatever they have, and leave them in places. So I decided to make a St. Brigid´s Cross out of the wheat stalks.  But after a few tries I had to admit I couldn´t remember how to do it anymore.  But I ate my sandwich and continued the road down.

Thistle and poppies on the road to Burgos
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Who are all these Pilgrims?  Where do they come from, and why do they do this walk?  I was listening to "The Places in Between" about a walk across Afghanistan in winter, and the author was explaining his reason for his walk.  He actually referenced the Camino walk to Santiago de Compostela, so it gave me a minute to think about the people I have met here along the trail.

Graham, age 80, from Auckland.  Retired, lives in Auckland, just loves to travel.  Last year did Macchu Pichu.  A friend of his recommended the Camino, so here he is.  His daughter-in-law from Sweden, Runhilde, she´s doing it to accompany Grant for a few weeks.  Her husband, Graham´s son, will join him towards the end of the walk.

Stefanie, from Bordeaux, a student who tried a couple years ago with friends but had to cut short in Estella due to tendonitis.  She´s determined to complete the journey this year.  She´s now in Burgos for 2 days, checking her exam results online and seeing the beautiful city.  Stefanie and I keep running into each other, we stayed at the same albergues 4 days running.

Franzi, from Salzburg, who crossed the Pyrenees with me, also loves to travel and also has climbed Macchu Pichu´s tiny steps.  She turned 60 on June 11, and had planned to celebrate on the Camino.  But Franzi broke her foot just a day after I last saw her in Lorca.  She´s back in Salzburg.

Pierre, a Californian architecture student I travelled with for quite a number of days, decided on the camino after doing a project on the Los Angeles Cathedral and the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela.  Because the latter´s story is so completely the story of the Camino, he learned a lot about it and wanted the experience.

Cindy, from Austin, decided to do the camino after a couple friends had told her about it over the years.  When she lost her only brother, she decided it was time.  She´s been a Federal worker in Texas for the last 25 years.

Lucy, who lives in Sydney and Paris, has a friend who asked her to join her on the camino, sort of spur of the moment as I gathered.  Lucy is doing the lite version of the camino, no hills.  But she did cross the Pyrenees, so not TOO light.

Paloma and her family now living in Texas, are originally from the Dominican Republic.  Paloma, her younger brother who looks about 14, her dad, stepmom, and the stepmom´s 80-year old dad.  The grandfather rests when he needs to so they left him for a few days in Santo Domingo, but he´ll join them today in Burgos on the bus.

A group of Australians passed me on the road yesterday, they ranged in age from 30 to 66.  They seemed to be having a great time, and walked far faster than I could at the end of a long day.  Maybe they are more used to walking, down under

And then there are the surprising many who have walked all the way from Le Puy in France!  Twice the distance and then some!

Each one has a story, these are just a few...

.... more to come