Day 15

Burgos

We had a day off! We were grateful that we got to sleep in and see Burgos at our leisure. Reflecting on the trip thus far, we realized that getting at least seven hours of sleep (if not more) every night is definitely needed in order to repair from walking 15 miles a day. Having a day off periodically helps as well. We saw a few friends we’ve met along the Camino, and they all were taking today off. 

​Another thing that has been reinforced for me is that I require caffeine before starting out each morning. Because we leave early, coffee is not always available at the hotel and cafes are not yet open. I brought instant coffee and caffeinated gummies that I eat if needed. Jim finds I am more pleasant when I satisfy this basic need.

After a good night’s rest, we had breakfast in the hotel this morning and then headed out do some laundry. And yes, we had a couple of beers while we waited. 

We also had the opportunity to visit the cathedral here in Burgos. It is breathtakingly beautiful. But as one of our new friends noted, it’s more like walking through a museum instead of entering a house of worship. There were no pews in the main sanctuary, and nowhere to silently reflect or say a prayer. But it is truly world-class cathedral (and museum). 

When one completes the Camino, one of the take-aways is a Compostela, a document that certifies that a pilgrim completed the Camino. This accreditation was created in the 9th and 10th centuries when the pilgrimage to St. James’ tomb was given official status. One of the requirements to get the Compostela is that pilgrims must be able to show the distance covered. This is done using the Pilgrim’s credential (or passport). Each day, we must obtain at least two stamps in the credential. They can be obtained at a hotel, restaurant, bar, church, etc.

We have been dutifully collecting our stamps and realized that we will be running out of space in the next few days. One of the tasks today was to obtain a new credential. We tried the cathedral, but they did not have them. We checked online and there is a large albergue where they are available. An albergue is low cost, shared lodging where guests rents beds - kind of like a hostel. One of the downsides of an albergue is that you are sleeping potentially with up to 100 people in a room and snoring is an issue. We have not stayed in one as this 60 year need some privacy and a bit more comfort. But they also provide services like meals and obtaining credentials. Since we got a new one today, we can collect stamps for another 20 days.

​We had a late lunch/early dinner and will be heading to bed early. Tomorrow we head to Hornillos del Camino.