Holy Places

13 April 2013

Burgos Cathedral this morning. I really wish I could upload photos from this connection, as I probably took a hundred or more.

We spent about two hours wandering through this – superlatives fail me – magnificent? glorious? fantastical? – Gothic marvel in stone.

I was a little disturbed by the decision to turn much of the structure into a museum, seemingly to include virtually all of the little chapels radiating out from the nave. They were, each of them jewels.

Finally, I think I understand the Gothic aesthetic. It is delicated, intricate, given to flights of fancy but also sublime in tender emotion and explosive in its grandeur.

It is, above all things, beautiful.

After saying our goodbyes to Viola (who opted to stay a day or two in Burgos), Eamon and I set off through urban Burgos and onto the Meseta.

Rolling hills gradually gave way to flatter ground, until you would think the world is made of two hemispheres, emerald and grey below, sapphire and white above.

Weather was sunny, and soon became quite warm. Given our late start (11:30), we had thought to walk as far as Hornillos del Camino, 18.5 km from Burgos. By the time we arrived, the only albergue was full.

We had no choice but to walk an additional 5 km in the heat of the late afternoon to Arroyo San Bol.

I am so very glad we did.

San Bol is an oasis of tranquility. Mia (of the Irish contingent) and Santiago (from Columbia) were both here, along with a number of Germans and a heavy-set Italian, making us nine in all not including Felix our hospitalero.

A communal dinner was served, and afterwards we luxuriated in this little copse of trees surrounding an ancient healing spring, hidden in a little valley in the Meseta.

edited to add: photos!