Pilgrims on the Way

It might not look like much, but this bench was an important moment of my first Camino. The albergue in Hornillos del Camino was full. It was after four in the afternoon, we were exhausted, and the nearest town was another 10km. Eamon and sat on this bench for almost a half hour while we figured out what to do […]

The albergue was full; there was no room at the inn. Completo. I took this photo of Santiago and Eamon moments after we received the news. We were stunned and didn’t know what to do next. You can see it all on Santiago’s face. It was after four in the afternoon, and the nearest town was another 10km. Santiago decided […]

Welcome to one of the loveliest villages on this part of the Camino. I’m pretty sure that most of the villages buildings are within the range of this photo. This was to be our stopping point for the day, and we were looking forward to settling in at the albergue, right across a small plaza from the church. If you […]

Between the previous photo and this one, I took numerous photos that all looked vaguely the same: the wide rolling terrain of this part of the Meseta, with only one or at most two people in view. In this one, we see something new: the village of Hornillos del Camino in the distance. This was meant to be our stopping […]

When first I read The Lord of the Rings, this is exactly how I pictured Rohan. Apologies for the lack of posting last week. I was at a conference and the hotel Internet was pants. Date: 13 April 2013Place: between Rabé de Las Calzadas and Hornillos del Camino (Province of Burgos, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: Burgos (Province of Burgos, […]

In the village of Rabé de Las Calzadas, we passed this charming little hermitage, the Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Monasterio. This latest iteration was built in the 16th century. It is all that remains of a monastery that once stood on this site and was named for a statue of Virgin and Child that was found here in the […]

On our way out of Tardajos, we passed this fountain in a little square. Throughout northern Spain, you will see these fountains, once the main source of water for villagers and pilgrims alike. Some have signs indicating that the water is not potable, but by and large you can still drink from them. Or at least I did. Hint: don’t […]

The name might be a mouthful, but this is the lovely parish church in Tardajos. Parts of the building date to the 13th century, though it has had many additions and changes through the centuries. The most recent, the current bell tower, dates to the 18th century. It’s built like a fortress on high ground, no doubt as a defense […]

By the time we arrived in Tardajos, it was past 1:30pm, and we were ready for lunch. We stopped in this odd little place, full of various animal skulls and taxidermied heads, including a truly impressive boar. We ran into some familiar faces, including Carlos. We stayed about a half hour in the outside seating before heading back to the […]

We’re under a highway bridge near the banks of a river, probably the Río Arlanzón. There’s quite a bit of pilgrim graffiti along the Camino, some of it simple, some quite detailed, and some that has become positively iconic over the years. Much of it provides advice or encouragement, while some of it is just whimsical. This odd little artwork […]