Meeting Emily from Virginia in Ages and Atapuerca

Some Camino moments just happen and they disappear, dislodged by the latest Camino moment. 

You rarely capture them for long but they return when you're next in that location. 

Its a recurring theme for me and from 2007 when I first walked with Simon. In the Caminos that followed there's much confusion if I was on my own or with someone. 

Here we are in Leon, 2016, Stu, Paul even Roger was out for a bit, then Harry who of course was there in 2011. 

It usually starts with, "oh I remember when", like the Newry girls I met in Azcueta and climbing the hill to Villamayor de Monjardin, when we were stuck behind the donkey and auld french woman who clearly had restricted walking capacity and was in a chair, or chariot, as I liked to attempt on French.

I was chatting to the Virginian Emily in Atapuerca about how we rated the meals on our first Camino in 2007.

Now I'm home I've the time to revisit each and every day. This particular day I had a great laugh.

It was everything I hope for from a Camino day.

I stayed in Villambistia last Wednesday, I had my usual drouth. 

I always have a thirst, on October 1.

I finished September in Navarrete, wandered to Najera via Ventosa and bought a 15€ sack of vino from Alvia. It's been years in the coming.

Then I got the bus to Villambistia from Najera. I'd walked 18k so felt pretty chilled that I'd done a shift.

What surprised me was my determination to stay at Espinosa del Camino where Jimmy John and I stopped on the last leg before the boys came out for Paul's 50th. We always planned to come out and do that leg over to San Juan de Ortega. It's a long story from an earlier blog so we will leave it there.

What happened was St Jacques's at jack's best. Espinosa and it 24 beds was far from empty by the time I walked up, it was now full.

Split decision go forward or back. I walked back. Shortest distance and a bus stop. I had 48 mins to the next bus. The rest is history so back to my Thursday story and Emily.

the afternoon before.

Fat Al Scottish Camino

It's over so soon. I arrived in Burgos on Friday October 3rd and left it in the sunshine on the 13:45 bus to torrelevega.

This bus went to San Vicente de barquera, the place Simon and I stopped at on the Norte in June. 

How apt.

I loved the town and then I got the train along to Santander.

I stayed in a place so far out of the centre on the way to the north west coast and the football stadium.

As always a great laugh full of serendipity. Plenty tears of reflection to clear any dusty eyes.

It was quite a mess the actual Camino. My fitness and relationship with food was an abstract concept that I couldn't work out. I kept forgetting to eat and thinking coffee and sugar would work. Then I tried protein shakes for breakfast. 

The result was lots of walking, stopping and buses. So much serendipitous bus getting or missing.

Whether it was leaving Biarritz for San Sebastian, Pamplona, or booking Estella for the wrong night. Brilliant fun.

In Azcueta after I strolled out from Estella my plan was to make it to Los Arcos and stay in the lovely new albergue. The temperature got up and I said I better get the bus. As I walked down the 11:10 bus arrived in time for me to see it, 20 metres before I got to the bus stop. 

The result a wonderful evening in Villamayor de Monjardin.

Ana the host was superb and I met the Danish lads, aka The Vikings.

It was like that all the time and when I got a bus from Najera to Villambistia I thought I'd walk up to Espinosa and finally stay in the reopened albergue.

After a quick beer I wandered up in the afternoon heat. There were a few ahead of me but I was relaxed as I'd checked booking and there were still loads of beds.

As I went to ask if there was a lower bunk available the answer came back saying no albergue is sold out. I laughed at St Jacques's messing with my head.

I walked back down the hill to Villambistia and took the lower bunk just ahead of the two Vikings walking back in. So funny.

Cardenuela Rio Pico to follow, before I finally arrive in Burgos for the end of the El Cid.

70 years now.

Walking the Rio pico to Burgos

After the one hour up and down hill from Atapuerca you arrive in the valley of the Rio Pico. A tiny dribble of water that has clearly sustained a number of towns over the years. 

As it's all about survival water was clearly important not just in the days of Atapuerca but right up to today so first things first. Water stops.

I'm a big fan of Cardenuela Rio Pico and it's big tap is in the centre of the town.

The next tap is 2km down the road in orbaneja. The cafe / albergue opens at 8am until October then it's 11am. Today is October 3rd and so I had some water.

Finally before we hit the taps of the town in Castanes we hit the airport taps.

All good taps and hopefully you'll have drunk a litre between each and not made the sad mistake of just carrying water.

The times are roughly 2km 25 mins, 1km 12 mins and then 3km around the airport. Thus we arrive at the scrap metal, then traffic lights, cross to the left for the cafe with the bus stop and the fountain. 

So easy to jump a number 4 bus to the centre if you haven't the legs to walk along the river. If you have got the legs you'll be rewarded and all the need to do is walk along the side street, past the play park and second fountain, over a wee bridge then turn right. Go past the allotment ceer left over a bridge into a woody area next to the motorway. Follow the path to veer a bit diagonal right and then under the motorway and you'll be on your way.

I love this walk as my appetite grows with every step. I've taken to visiting a cafe near Burgos CF. I cross the river by the outdoor gym and more taps. Part of a new build complex has been given over to a cafe or two and very simple understated and delicious.

Today I took the bus as the El Cid festival was in town and it'sy last day.

Had a coffee as the bus turns off vitoria and then walked around being a tourist.

The cathedral gets closer so quickly

I love the city.

So many angles of the cathedral, I could be here all day.

I had to go so over the bridge I went.

I waved Burgos bye bye and see you soon.

Half pints are the way forward

I say it every Camino and break my golden rule too often.

Half pints for whatever reason are usually less than half the price of a pint.

I often think it's the Spanish way to take the piss out of the Brits and serve them warm lager. The truth is probably in the middle.

Half pints are probably not subject to tax or something.

Here in Villambistia it's €1.60 and €4.50.

Conclusion is, drink less more often.

I paid €1.60 when I got off the bus at 2.30pm before walking up and paying €2 at Espinoza del Camino a place I'm still not calling home. 

Booking.com had beds but not the owner so I was not going to try and book one to wind him 

The vikings have arrived in Villambistia

Unbelievable - I've had three buses and finally got ahead of Nikolaj and Frederick.... Only to find myself caught again

They're too fit. I got a bus 80km😎