Via OLMOS DE ATAPUERCA, VILLALVAL, CARDENVELA, ORBANEJA and VILLAFRIA.
I was the last one to leave the Albergue this morning, even though I was up early and left by 7.30am, so I was destined to start my day alone!
The track this morning started out walking up a mountain for a couple of hours - I just kept walking higher and higher until I got to an altitude of 1081m above sea level. I was actually walking in the clouds, and it was very surreal and spooky! I was completely alone and couldn't even see my hand when I held it out in front of my face!
I had started the day in a pretty bad mood and really didn't want to continue on. I think I stopped every 10m or so to have a sook! Everything was hurting by this point and I just had no energy. I stopped in the first small village I came across to try and find breakfast, but being a Sunday, everything was closed. I spent some time sitting on a bench talking to the town cat, when I looked up and saw some people in the distance. I could have cried, I was so happy to see someone! I was even happier to see it was my old friends Hermann and Otmar. I waited for them and my day improved by miles! We found a shop that was open and had some coffee and bocadillas. Fueled up, we headed into Burgos.
It was a hike, with the final 2 hours spent walking along a highway, which wasn't very picturesque and my feet and achilles were killing me! I was proud of myself for walking though, as many pilgrims decided to catch a bus for this part of the Camino (because it is so ugly and long).
Once we arrived into Burgos, we were stopped by the Palm Sunday procession which everyone had stopped to watch.
The rest of the gang were at the Albergue, and I was so happy to see them all. We had a great afternoon sitting in a cafe in the sunshine and enjoying our afternoon off.
We all arranged to meet at the Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral that evening, which was quite special and soothing even if I couldn't understand a word of it! I just stood and sat when everyone else did! After the Mass, Otmar pulled me aside and gave me a crucifix that had been blessed by the Pope. I was shocked as it was a very special gift to be given and obviously the token has a lot of meaning to Otmar. I was very touched that he chose to bestow this gift upon me. He is such a kind and special man.
After Mass the group headed out for dinner together - our last meal together until we arrived in Santiago, as a few wanted to walk faster and some needed to slow down. We ended up at an all you can eat buffet - hardly the special meal I had expected, but the men were stoked as I'm sure you could imagine!
Hermann and Otmar were fabulous company today and I really enjoyed walking with them. Hermann doesn't speak english, so he asked someone to translate to me that he thinks I'm the best lady he's met on the Camino - bless!! He is 69 years old and walking the Camino to give thanks that he worked for 50 years without ever chucking a sickie! Otmar gave me a cap with a bottle opener on the brim - he had written Camino De Santiago 2009 on it! Funny, but I don't understand why they think I'm such an alcoholic!!
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