Walking the Camino de Santiago
Through the rain, we walked over this pedestrian bridge, one of the oldest in Burgos. It crosses the Río Arlanzón and culminates in the Arco de Santa María, one of the twelve Medieval gates into the old city. The bridge was extensively renovated in the 19th century, and again in the early 21st century. The river below is the first […]
» Read more
After you spend a couple of weeks walking, riding a bus is a scary thing. They seem to go so fast! It’s amazing how you get used to things. We arrived in Burgos, got slightly lost, and eventually made our way towards the Cathedral. We met this fellow on the way. As you can see, Francine is much restored today. […]
» Read more
In order to make up for our lost day, we decided to bus ahead to Burgos. Here we are at the last bus stop on the Camino before Burgos in Villafranca Montes de Oca, just down the street from our hotel. There were maybe a dozen pilgrims here. Next stop: Burgos! Date: 12 April 2016 Place: Villafranca Montes de Oca […]
» Read more
Before heading for the bus stop, we had our first breakfast in the Hotel San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca. It was in a different dining room from the one where we had dinner the night before, but no less surreal. Date: 12 April 2016 Place: Villafranca Montes de Oca (Castilla y León, Spain)
» Read more
The Hotel San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca is swanky – of that there is no doubt. I believe the building itself is a “dissolved” monastery, and the current owners have built it into a brand-spanking new luxury hotel. While we stayed there it was almost entirely bereft of guests, leading to scenes like this, where we are […]
» Read more
With Francine asleep in the room, I set out to explore the village of Villafranca Montes de Oca. There is nothing here of particular interest except perhaps the church, which is only open on Sundays. So by noon I had returned here to the hotel “Cafeteria”, and I spent most of the afternoon drinking with a pair of little old […]
» Read more
The expression on Francine’s face says it all. Like a day on our last Camino, she was done for the day. It was perhaps 10 AM. We went into this “Cafeteria” for pilgrims attached to the swanky Hotel San Antón Abad. We never left that day. After hemming and hawing, I could see that we were not walking any further […]
» Read more
We arrive in the village of Villafranca Montes de Oca in intermittent rain storms. This place is typical of many in Castilla: the church was locked up tight. In fact, a local I asked about it very firmly gave me the impression that I was an idiot for even asking. Why would the church be open? It isn’t Sunday! Francine […]
» Read more
Francine, as you can see, is not thrilled to be crossing this wet wooden bridge in the rain. I think this might have been the exact moment she decided that she was quitting for the day. Date: 11 April 2016 Place: Entering Villafranca Montes de Oca (Castilla y León, Spain) Map of the day:
» Read more
That bare ruin to Francine’s right is all that remains of the once mighty Monasterio de San Felices de Oca. What is today something between a pile of stones and a deteriorated hut was once part of a venerable Mozarabic church and monastery, built in the ninth century and dedicated to the hermit San Felices of Bilibio. According to tradition, […]
» Read more