Making Good Use of All that Wind!

So here we are again, to continue from where we last left you in Burgos.

As we object to paying to enter churches, just as much as we object to them being locked all the time, we decided to wait to visit the cathedral until the pilgrims´mass at 7.30 p.m. We were quite willing to attend the mass, but would also use the opportunity to have a free look round.

We had not bargained for the spectacle that was in store for us. See our minders´blog for full details, but we ended up as three small bears in a very big ceremony, with lots of robed clergy, multiple archbishops, even a cardinal, and lots of incense swinging (or whatever you call it). We were disappointed that our Spanish was inadequate to tell us what was happening, but a switched on minder worked out that it was probably the inauguration of a new local saint, called Raphael.

The next day we had to leave at 8.00 a.m. so out we went into the cold and dark, and promptly got lost trying to find the way out of Burgos. As it was Sunday morning there weren´t too many locals to ask ´donde esta el camino?´ but fortunately a kind local spotted us, before we saw him, and put us on the right route.

Not long after Burgos we started to climb into the much talked about high meseta. It is supposed to be a very bleak and isolated crop growing area, and very monotonous, but we loved the peace and quiet, big skies and landscapes and the birds, including some scary vultures. We are also very impressed by all the wind turbines which adorn every hill top in numbers too great to count (next time we can´t sleep we will picture the wind farms and try counting the turbines). Many of them seem pleased to see us and wave their arms madly at us, so of course we wave back.

Today we are staying at at small town called Boadilla. There is a swimming pool but it was too cold to use it, even though we have lsot the chilling east wind. When we looked in at the albergue bed concentration, it was a bit depressing, so we took what the owner said was a good choice: a room in the main house. As we opted for non ensuite, it is a real bargain, and although more expensive that an albergue bed, it is still no more than the cost of a bed in a youth hostel at home, so a real bargain, especially as we get sheets and towels provided. It is so much more relaxing to have our own space to relax in. The only touble is, that just like in Travels With My Donkey, when Tim Moore discovered that a brandy was so affordable, he realised he would want one every night, the same is likely to be true with us and hostal rooms. On the plus side, we can still have a cheap pilgrim meal, and as tonight, get to take this together with all the other pilgrims - tonight again with our Slovak friend whose name is a bit complicated. We just don´t return to their dormitory with them afterwards.

We are sure we will sleep well tonight.

Lots of love, the Camino bears xxx