No internet and no 3G!

It was the worse day of my life!!

How did people cope in the bad ol' days?

Penny's new orthotics:

Top vs bottom the old ones. Hopefully this will make a difference. 

Saturday

The first days walk was pretty good, Penny's leg was sore but coping and the relatively flat terrain was a help. We left Burgos nice and early and trudged through the city/suburbs (which is not fun). 

A giraffe photo for Andrew. 

Stopped at Tardajos and had a nice brekky and hot chololate. Then a picnic lunch on the Meseta: fowl soup, bread (Spanish & French bread sticks are really nice) and of course chocolate. 

Beautiful daughter, beautiful scenery. 

We stopped at Hornillos at the very inadequate albergue.

Some hair hanging from the springs of the bunk bed. You can't see the blood on the sheets or ear wax on the pillow slips. 

Nothing in town was open so we bought some soup, eggs, and bread from the hosts. An interesting dinner to be sure. 

The lady was upset because we refused to pay 1€ for 25mls of olive oil. However sort of scrambled eggs following two courses of soup plus bread was ok. 

We also boiled two eggs to have hard boiled egg each for breakfast. 

Sunday

Once again a relatively flat day for walking. We left the albergue with a boiled egg in our tummy and a small amount of bread. 

Wind turbines in the distance, such a pity that Spain doesn't have the more attractive open cut coal mines that we have!

Leaving Hornillos we set our sights for 10km away —Hontanas where we would buy a more substantial breakfast. 

Guess what was closed in Hontanas? Everything :)

As usual not a dunny in sight, given the 200,000+ people who walk the Camino surely some Aussie drop dunnies would be a good idea?

Continuing along the road we passed the old pilgrim hospital at San Anton.

Mediaeval era convent and albergue. 

 Finally arriving at the really well appointed donativo albergue. Lovely hot showers, slow but functional Internet. 

A weary pilgrim. 

Santo Domingo & the Chooks

After our longer day yesterday we started out expecting an easy day today. 

Best laid plans etc…

After our first five kilometres, Penny was really struggling we stopped at Azofra and had some brekky and Facebook messaged with Richard (handy having an orthopod) in the family. 

It turns out it wasn't all in her head but real!

See the right leg is much bigger? Strange thing is I have an almost identical photo of Andrew at the same stage. 

So we need to get some orthotics with better arch support as well as increase her meloxicam dosage. Also slow down pace a little. 

We continued on for the next eight kilometres with Penny in increasing pain and when we got to the next town we went into the golf club that was open and asked them to phone for a taxi.

This town is the town with the cathedral with the chooks in it:

 

Hard to see but there are two chooks there. 

From Wikipedia:

The most famous miracle, however, concerns that of the rooster and the chicken, which is said to have taken place at Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The story goes that in the 14th century, a German 18-year-old named Hugonell, from Xanten, goes on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela with his parents. A Spanish girl at the hostel where they were staying makes sexual advances toward Hugonell; Hugonell rejects her advances. Angry at this, the girl hides a silver cup in the German’s bag and then informs the authorities that the youth had taken it. Hugonell is sentenced to the gallows, in accordance with the laws of Alfonso X of Castile.

The parents sadly decide to examine their son’s body, still hanging on the gallows, but suddenly hear his voice –he tells them that Saint Dominic has saved his life. His parents quickly make their way to Santiago de Compostela to see the magistrate. The magistrate, who is at the time eating dinner, remarks: "Your son is as alive as this rooster and chicken that I was feasting on before you interrupted me." And in that moment, the two birds jump from the plate and begin to sing and crow happily.

Tonight we will eat next door where they appear to have nice pilgrim meals. Tomorrow we may or may not be able to walk depending on Penny's feet.  Another alternative is we do a half day. 

Electric prayer candles!

PS: How are my blisters going?

Still there but not as bad, the one under me foot is drying out ok but the one on the heel needs more time to heal. 

Time for a break

We weren't going to walk today but pushed ourselves as far as the wine fountain. 

Here we are as captured via the webcam:

And here's a photo taken by a fellow pilgrim. 

In case you are wondering, the wine is not good!

We then started walking to the next town but I was really struggling, Penny is also having some difficulties with her knee. So we decided to turn back to the bus station about 1km behind us. 

The timetable suggested a fifty minute delay so we waited in the freezing cold until the bus didn't arrive. It turns out that you need to phone to get them to pick up from there on that run. The next bus was 3&1/2 hours later. At that stage we caught a taxi to Los Arcos where we are still waiting for a bus but in a nice warm bar. 

A nice tochino & quesa bocadillo (bacon & cheese sandwich) and a hot chocolate, loosen the boot laces and I'm starting to feel human again. 

Penny looks happier too!

Anyway, for today after a 5 km walk we are finished. 

We will catch bus to Logroño where we stay for two nights and resume walking on Wednesday.  This will put us back on schedule as far as the guidebook is concerned. 

Estella

We passed the Queen's bridge on the way out of Puente la Reigna this morning. It was built in mediaeval times to help pilgrims. 

Today we walked to Estella, it was a day of constant climbs and descents including some very tricky paths. 

There was a cool vending area with free wifi that I'm sure Andrew and I stopped at as well. 

I remembered this from last time:

Poor old New Zealand. 

I'm going to have to take a rest day tomorrow, it is getting increasingly difficult to walk mostly due to a 50¢ coin size blister on the ball of my foot but also general aches and pains. I think we will take a bus to the next town and start again from there. 

Alto del Perdón

This is the first iconic place on the camino. Despite what Mr Hockey thinks I think wind turbines look OK.  They are noisy up close (<50m) but from a distance OK.

D02 - Stats

For those interested in the stats

Back to my old stomping grounds

 

Two years ago Andrew and I stayed at this private Albergue (Pensione Uso) in Zubiri.   It's really well done, all day long I was looking forward to getting here. 

Unfortunately last night we decided to do some laundry but couldn't dry it, wet laundry is heavier than a broken heart!!

The walk today was easier but downhill sections on poor ground is not easier I think both of us have lost a shoe size due to compressed toes!

Tonight we are sharing the albergue with a lovely couple from Germany & Italy. They cooked a wonderful dinner for us while we were having a post walk nap. 

Here are some photos:

It's a long way to Tipperary 

Still smiling!

Some of the walk ways were flooded over boot height:(