We awoke in our nice warm room and had breakfast downstairs before heading off. We decided that this was going to be another day where we would send on our pack. We had heard that the Meseta was one of the worse places to walk due to the lack of services between towns and due to the heat, wind, rain and lack of shelter. There was also no reliable water supply along the way and we had 17 km to the first town so we prepared for the worse. As it turns out we almost enjoyed the day. I was bouncing along in those new ASICS, and my blisters were almost better. The weather was really quite comfortable. It was hot don’t get me wrong, but there was actually quiet a nice breeze as we headed out of town – I even had my jacket on.

As we were crossing this quite unique bridge leaving the town when I had an idea that my beloved could take a photo of me leaning out like they did on the movie Titanic. When he looked back to take the photo he spotted the party we had heard about the night before and forgotten about. Or at least we could see Jacob from Bilbao and “the lovers” who were hiding under the bridge. We looked down and thought Jacob had been causing some trouble as his right eye was quite swollen. He informed us that he had been bitten by something while he slept and would see a farmaci in the next town. That was destined to be a day or two on so I threw him down a couple of antihistamine and he was very grateful and immediately washed them down with a swig from his bottle of wine. Well that made me laugh and wonder how the day would pan out for him.

We headed off on the track and a little while later the three of them came up from behind speaking three languages in their conversation. Spanish, French and English. If only taking antihistamine and wine made me so multilingual! They took off in the distance and we played leap frog a couple of times before two of them stopped for a rest and Jacob took off over the horizon.

We soldiered on with some pain but nothing major. The day was nowhere near as traumatic for us as previous days had been. We had enough water, my blisters were seemingly almost at bay, and, the cool wind stopped the sun from burning us to a crisp. Husband had some shin pain but we walked slowly (what’s new) so it didnt develop too much.

At one of the rest stops we found Jacob actually resting which was a surprise – this guy can walk about 10km an hour all day without even getting puffed. A poster at the rest area showed the albergue with the pool we were heading for and he warned me that last time he’d been through on the Camino there was no water in it. Having just experienced that i prepared for the worst but hoped for the best and off we went as the day actually got hotter and hotter. One long straight road for 17 km.

Eventually we could see the roof of a church on the horizon. The other side of Burgos all the towns were on hills – this side of Burgos they all seem to be in ditches! Anyway that was great for us, a bit like a mirage appearing suddenly on the horizon. After 17 kilometres of nothingness we were finally there and, thankfully, the pool had water so I was in for my second swim on the Camino! It was freezing cold but totally necessary after all these long hikes.

A little while later Antony and Marten arrived also (you know the Frenchman with the nice ass), which was unexpected as we had heard they were resting in Carrion but Antony explained that Marten clearly communicated that he wanted to go today so go they did. Apparently it was a real struggle coming across the Meseta with Marten the ass and with Uno the dog – they were all glad to arrive at this tiny little pueblo with a great albergue with a pool. This was great value at 5 Euro per person.

Marten and Uno hung out with the other guests around the garden and Antony went up the street and bought some food to make his own dinner. We went to the restaurant for the pilgrims dinner and met some nice Portuguese fellows and a Brazilian.

 

Later the guitar came out and we enjoyed a fun night with a bunch of rat bags whose language skills were more outstanding as the night wore on!

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