Day 14

Wednesday September 29, 2010  

Happy Raise a Reader Day  (in Canada)  Thank you, Volunteers!

Day 14 on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela

Burgos to Hornillos del Camino 

Dear Blog Readers,

Sorry this day’s blog one day late.  I stop for the night in a hamlet with only 20 inhabitants, stay at another Casa Rural - one Albergue, one restaurant with 5 tables to seat 20 and one small store - obviously no internet. But I do phone interviews with the two radio stations at home, hope volunteers for RAR hear my interviews.

I leave the wonderful, historical City of Burgos at around 8 a.m. after taking a RAR photo with the lone pilgrim statue, on a bench in front of the grand cathedral. Sunrise is behind me.  Have to trek 4 kms. before reaching the outskirts of the City - walk pass rolling hills and plough fields.  The path moves through two small hamlets before a steady climb up to the first ´meseta´ a flat plateau which goes for kms. at a time.  There are several days of walking the ´mesetas´- these are like living in Saskatchewan all over again, flat with the horizon going on forever!  Walk though sunshine and warmth for about another 4 kms before starting downhill.  The small hamlet, Hornillos, where I will spend the night is in sight, but still takes 4 kms. to get there.  As mentioned only 20 people live here, lots of older women.  The Casa Rural has only 7 rooms, the owners lives in Burgos and I will not see them until the morning when they come to serve breakfast of tea/coffee, toast and jam at 7:30 a.m. Collect the key from the small shop across the street.

The pilgrims sit out in the sunshine and chat.  At six we traipse to the lone restaurant where the first 20 sit down for the pilgrim´s meal.  We have the most incredible time ever, our resident Japanese opera singer burst into an aria and everyone joins in the melody.  That leads to an Irishman belting out Danny Boy with everyone joining in, then the French people got us going with Frere Jacques.  After, we comment that it is the best meal and company for the whole Camino to date!

Trekked 20 kms.   Thanks for all the volunteers and donors to RAR fundraising.

Blessings from Camino,

Yasmin

My personal thoughts for today - The three Japanese men have been on the Camino  with us for many days now.  Only one speaks English.  It is wonderful to be on the trail and hear an aria coming from up ahead or behind. The spontaneous singing at the cafe is what the Camino is all about.  Everyone becomes community, reaching for the same goal.