Susan Gilbert

I don’t know what called to me that I chose to book a room in a bed and breakfast in a small town that was 2k off the Camino but I arrived at the La Posada de Pinter to warm greetings by my hosts that included hugs from Blanca and a rush by Jesus to carry my backpack to my room.  Blanca spoke a little English, Jesus more, but it didn’t take a language to understand the welcome I was receiving.

Delicious aromas waived out from the small kitchen and was delighted to discover I would have dinner there tonight.  This home and my room is filled with original art – large, magnificent paintings hung on old limestone walls.  Exposed 18th century beams in the ceiling and beautifully wood polished floors told me I had arrived at a very special place.

My afternoon was leisurely as I strolled around the town.  When I returned there was a large local gathering of maybe thirty people – adults and children – who were eating, drinking, laughing and celebrating something, I could tell.

I showered and changed clothes for dinner.  The dining room was elegant while welcoming – a room that holds the feeling of many good times.  Jesus brought me a plate of cheese, a bowl of country bread cut into large hunks and a decanter of La Roja wine, then let a candle at my table for one.  I asked him about the paintings, telling him how much I loved them, and he unpretentiously shrugged saying it was thirty years of paintings – they were all his!

With each course that arrived I conversed with Jesus a bit more.  First he brought an appetizer that I could tell was roasted rice with a garlic aoli but had to ask about the secret ingredient which turned out to be squid.  Next he brought a local specialty – garlic soup – that was served in a lovely piece of crockery and was rich in both aroma and taste.  Then came a simple but delicious salad of greens and tomatoes that had to be home grown from the flavors.  When Jesus brought a plate of mixed meats and sliced mushrooms that had been cooked over an open fire I was overwhelmed by the quality, presentation and overall experience of this meal, the hospitality and beautiful setting.  I expressed my gratitude to my host and new friend and simply told him how much this experience meant to me.  He returns a few minutes later and says he has a gift for me – it is a book of his latest art exhibit in Burgos.  I felt like the heavens had opened and angels were smiling down on me.  I asked him if he would autograph it and this is what he wrote – if anyone can translate it for me, please do!

When he brought dessert, a sweet cake covered in chocolate syrup, he continued over to the wine cabinet and with a flourish presented me with a small crystal glassed filled with Madeira.  Blanca came over and joined us and while it may sound silly, I was with my family.  Love and nourishment in all forms were present at this table and I am in heaven here on earth.

Tomorrow I return to the Camino richer in my heart than when I arrived.

May 21st – My visit in Burgos last night was short but memorable.  It’s a magnificent city and I was staying directly outside the Santa Maria gate.  The very Gothic cathedral is considered one of Spain’s most beautiful.  It’s amazing edifice with outstanding spires stands on medieval streets that surround it.  I manage to make it there before it closed for the night and had my pilgrim passport stamped at this most prestigious location.

At the cathedral I run into Orisson pilgrim friends Scott, Dave, Mike, Cindy, Jane and Sandra.

Scott does an imitation pose next to one of the statues and then I do one showing girls can fly too!

Before long I see Kim and Sue enter the square and a short impromptu party unfolds as bottles of wine begin appearing at the sideway cafe tables in the square facing the cathedral.  Many of the Orisson group have traveled together daily while I see different people often as I hopscotch across the Camino staying at in between stages like I will again today.  It’s a joy when I get to reconnect.  There are other pilgrims who I do not see tonight but hope to again very soon.

I have liberally applied sunscreen today for my very short recovery walk – probably about 7 miles – resting before I have another 20+ miler the following day.  After a lovely little breakfast I am once again on the Camino.

I leave Burgos by walking along the river again continuing westward bound.  Locals are walking and running in this beautiful park area and a feeling of gratitude for this experience swells in my heart.  Today I enter the much discussed Meseta.  I’ve heard it said that the Camino has three parts:  the first one third is physical, the middle the mind and the last your soul.  The Meseta is supposed to go on and on with same after same crop fields and little to stimulate the eye or the mind.  I look forward to this new experience while keeping my intention to stay present as my mantra.

After passing the Monasterio de las Huelgas Reales I’m not sure of the Camino path and stop into a small hotel at the edge of town to inquire.  As is typical the woman does not speak English and I no Spanish so she goes outside with me to point the way.  People are so generous with a true desire to help the pilgrims.  We meet another pilgrim, Kristine, who is American but speaks Spanish.  The woman and she communicate rapid fire and then Kristine and I are once again on the path.  We continued to walk together sharing lovely conversation.  When it comes time for me to part ways to my destination, Las Quintanillas, I have made another pilgrim friend.

May 20th – Today will be a long hike to Burgos but I am up for the task.  The first couple of miles are steep and rocky – good to get the heart pumping and blood running through my veins.  It is chilly but crystal clear.

Today’s walk begins on a tree lined path and I hear the cuckoos singing for the first time again in several days.

I come upon a section where someone has spelled out Buen Camino in rocks and the three pilgrims behind me also stop.  One sees me taking a photo and offers to take one of me.

While I’m stopped is a good time to peel off my jacket – look at that clear blue sky!  It’s warming up considerably.

I am expecting that the high point we are climbing to will be a viewpoint but instead it is an unusual surprise of totem poles and artistry marking the 1100 ft spot.

I pass through many sweet villages today:  first San Juan de Ortega where I stop at the little cafe for a cafe con leche, put my feet up and gaze at the cathedral while relaxing for awhile. Before heading out again I zip off the lower part of my pants – I’m now wearing shorts.

Next I arrive in a sweet village called Ages then continue on to Atapuerca where there are prehistoric caves that hold the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe.  The path turns quite rocky and goes uphill.  As I leave I wonder if this is what all the land that our long ago ancestors walked upon everywhere as normal.

At the high point I can see Burgos which I think is another 10 miles away.

Coming down the other side of the hill I see a large flock of sheep being herded across the road by a man and his dog.  I drink in the scene and the beauty.

It’s  been several hours in the now hot sun and I’m feeling the effects of not having applied suntan lotion before leaving today.  At Cardenuela Riopico I stop for lunch that includes a fresh squeezed glass of orange juice.  I have an animated and fun exchange with four Spanish pilgrims who speak no English and I speak no Spanish.  Looking through guide books we are looking for the best approach into Burgos when one of them, a man, opens up a schetchbook and begins to draw the approach via the Rio Arianzon rather than the suburbs and then tears it from the book with a flare and hands it to me.  It is one of those special Camino moments I will remember forever and I plan to frame the drawing when I return home.

I inadvertently stopped my tracking system at this stop rather than pause so I believe it was another 6 miles before I reached Burgos.  Time for a shower, body cream on my sun burn and walk to the Cathedral which is across the street from where I am staying.

May 19th – Last night’s ancient little village with no cafes and no town square was the quietest place I have been on the Camino.  Nothing but the wheat fields blowing in the soft breeze whispering “Just be”.

I left early around 7 am and was the only pilgrim on the path for several miles.  Leaving without breakfast I was looking for the first village with an open cafe.  I passed through Vilamayor Del Rio after a couple miles and crossed the highway to see if a restaurant there was open.  It wasn’t and like we tend to do I saw a pilgrim walking up ahead on the right side berm of the road and fell in behind him.  I had read that this stage followed the N-120 so while I didn’t like to have the speeding traffic that included large trucks speeding past me I didn’t question it. Catching up to the other pilgrim I greeted him with my first Buen Camino of the day.

I felt like the highway and cars blasting by were an assault to my senses.  Since my intention on the Camino is to stay present with each moment and be in a state of gratitude I began to play with ‘how can I turn the highway roar into a song’?  As I imagined what the rithym of this song would look like I noticed the familiar look of the dirt gravel Camino running parallel to the highway on the other side of the road.  Looking for a break in traffic I hurried over, once again finding myself on the correct path.  Isn’t that just how how lives are?  Sometimes on the path, other times not until we find our way back again.

The next town is Belorado and I arrive passing first by the Church of Santa Maria.  I’m so happy to see the door open when too many churchs along the way have been closed.  I’ve read that this church has a fine alter piece with the images of Santiago Matamores v Peregrino.

Continuing on through the narrow and winding way of these very old towns I find the town square and at first think that the Cafes are not open yet when I see all empty tables in the outdoor seating that faces the sycamore trees at the center.  I turned into one and found the door open with a very full cafe of town locals.  By now I am quite hungry and end up consuming not one, but two cafe con leche and a tortilla (Spanish omelet on bread).

Continuing on I’m now starting to see some fellow pilgrims.  I’m completely absorbed with   the continuing landscape, the crunching sound of my shoes on the gravel, and the tap tap of my poles when a Camino bicyclist comes up quickly from behind without a sound shocking me our of my reverie.

About six more miles later I stop again in the little village of Espinosa for a fresh squeezed glass of orange juice.   Continuing out of this sleepy hamlet and down the hill I pass the 9th century ruins of Monasterio de San Felix de Oca.

Passing over the Oca Ruver I arrive at my destination of Villafraca de Montes de Oca where I will be staying  in an Albergue that is a 16th restored pilgrim hospice, Hospital de San Antonio Abad.

May 18th – Last night I saw fellow pilgrim Pauline from Austrailia who I haven’t seen since Akerreta.  We were having a glass of wine when two others from Akerreta came by, Sue and Kim also from Austrailia,  who I last saw in Pamplona.  We all had dinner together along with another pilgrim, Wendy from Zambia/Africa, and it was a lovely time together as we shared Camino stories and got to know each other better as individuals.  Six women came by who are Spanish sisters all doing a portion of the Camino together, one of whom – Mayte – lives in a nearby town to me back home!  What a very small world to meet people here from over over the globe including neighbors.

I leave this lovely city later than normal – 9 am, because today is another short 10 mile day.  A few months ago I could never have imagined saying those words.  Our bodies are so magnificent, capable I am finding of far more than we often use them.  My legs have carried me over 200 kilameters and I have not been in a vehicle since my train ride from Bayonne to the start of the Camino in St. Jean. Yes, my right ankle is still sore, but other than being attentive to it and not over doing, I continue on my journey.

The prior days hillsides of La Rioja’s region vineyards, are now giving way to wheat fields.

I pass mile after mile of many shades of green countryside with varying crops and know I could never tire of this experience.  How fast the days are rolling by – too fast – so slowing things down to smaller segments is a blessing.

Planning to stop at the top of a hill ahead of me to roll up my shirt sleeves and remove the bottom of my pants turning them into shorts, who do I see taking a break also but Pauline.  We walk together from that point on.

At a lovely viewpoint outside the village of Castildelgado we pause to breathe in and absorb the beauty, taking turns photographing each other.

Entering the sweet village of Viloria de la Rioja, the birthplace of Saint Dominic, we run into Sue and Kim, and Mayte and her sisters.  Such wonderful connections have been made through the common bond of the Camino and each sighting of each other a mini reunion.

Pauline and I have a delicious lunch paid for with whatever donation we choose to offer at the Albergue.  Fresh eggs quickly become omelettes served with bread.  This town will be my home for the night and Pauline continues on to her final stop of the day, Belorado, which is several more kilometers down the path.

Note:  When I joined Pauline today I paused my RunTracker and forgot to turn it back on for quite some time so it does not show the just over 9 miles walked.  The normal graph therefore is a bit off and I’ve included my Apple watch stats which were not paused.

The elevation chart is off also and is not included today.  We had mild ups and downs and it was an overall easy walking day with many stops making it a lovely slow moving day in Spain.

May 17th – Today started with great greetings with many fellow pilgrims before starting what will be another short day.  I learned I have a reputation on the Camino.  I learned that pilgrims are asking other pilgrims if they have “seen Susan” and that I have a reputation as the fastest walker.  I knew that I passed others each day but it never occurred to me that I was “fast”.  Then I remembered that a fellow pilgrim who I call “Romania” because I can only remember where he is from and not his name called me the running pilgrim a few days ago!  While I was training I pushed myself to walk harder and faster to build endurance.  Little did I know that would become my normal and easy pace.  The conversation continued with buzz that I was graceful and my walk was natural – which it is, to which we all smiled.  I do feel like I am floating along the path each day as if I am one with the Camino.  The time goes by so quickly as I absorb the scenery and aromas.

Today is a beautiful day, cool but with the sun beginning to break through the clouds.  The vineyards are active and the air smells of fresh toiled earth.

I am about to pass a group of four French men, one who is taking a picture of the other three and I offer to take a photo of all four.  They pose then motion for me to have my photo taken.  One man held his hands up to the sky and said, “The flowers are singing for you” to which I held up my arms and said, “For us all!”  It is a beautiful day indeed.

The swallows are flitting about when I notice one land on a stick.  Thinking I’ll never get my phone out fast enough to snap his photo I silently pray for him to linger.  I think he heard me because he posed long enough for me to capture the moment.

There are some Spanish pilgrims walking with their dog and he is a delight to watch.  He runs ahead the turns and runs back to them again, circles behind them and then does it all again. It’s obvious how happy he is though at this rate his Camino will be three times as long!

I arrive in Santo Domingo in only three hours and just under ten miles.  It feels once again like I should be taking a lunch break here, not stopping for the day; and, I remind myself once again it’s time to rest and stroll this lovely town sans backpack.

Santo Domingo dedicated his life to improving the Camino for pilgrims in the 11th century.  The cathedral was consecrated in the 12th century.  There is a very unusual legend about this place and the result has an unlikely exhibit at the rear of the church containing a live hen.