It's COLD, and I am in Burgos!

As you can see from the post title I am in the city of Burgos - population 170,000 and an altitude of 860 metres.

Yesterday (boxing day) I decided I was in urgent need of a rest, with a comfy bed and no time constraints, and so when I got to Villafranca Montes de Oca I decided the time had come to hop on a bus.  There was a false start because I was given the wrong time first up, but eventually several hours later, a cafe con leche AND a Cola Cao later I was on a lovely warm bus (@ €2.48!) travelling through the rolling hills of the Montes de Oca,  looking at the patches of snow lying on the ground!  No wonder it was teeth chattering cold!  At the bus stop I watched, for over an hour, the temperature change between 1 & 2 degrees!

Brown was the colour of the day's landscape leaving Espinosa del Camino and heading into Villafranca Montes de Oca.

On the way the path passes the ruins of  Monasterio de San Felix de Oca

On the way into Villafranca there is now a much safer pedestrian only crossing of the Rio Oca, with pilgrims no longer having to share a bridge with heavy vehicle traffic!

In Burgos I found a hotel, so that I could sleep in, which is precisely what I did!  I turned off the light at around 9.30pm, and woke at 8.55am - nearly 12 hours later.  When I arrived I had the luxury of being able to soak in a long hot bath, and today I have come back to my room for a siesta, which involved another hours sleep!

The last time I posted was Christmas morning and so I have a couple of days catch up now.

Christmas Day dawned fine, but cold.  The rain during the night meant  that the Rio Oja, which I crossed on Santo Domingo's bridge, was a rushing brown torrent, quite different to the slow trickles I had seen in previous crossings.

Crossing the Rio Oja, Santo Domingo del Calzada.

Looking back at Santo Domingo in the early morning sunlight.

I kept getting lost in the town trying to leave.  At one stage I was so busy admiring the various ancient buildings that I found I was heading back the way I had come in the day before!

On the other side of the bridge I met a chap from Holland who was heading into town to try and catch a bus to Santiago.  He was the only person I spoke to all day!  This first part of the day was pleasant, little wind, clouds but no rain, and pleasant scenery to look at as I walked.

Fortunately before I left the hotel that morning I had put some cheese in a couple of "pan du lait's".  This was what I had for my Christmas dinner, and had it on the run, as from the village of Grañon the weather really deteriorated, with the wind coming up and drizzly rain as well.  It got bitterly cold, and I dragged out the extra mitten linings for added warmth.

Grañon, the only town where people were about, heading for the Panaderia to get their fresh bread for the day!

A surprise in Grañon - this christmas tree was in the plaza. 

The path leaving Grañon.  I headed down the hill to the far side of the dark brown paddock on the left and turned left!

Unfortunately there was absolutely nothing open in Belorado, one of my favourite Camino towns, and so as the sun was getting very low on the horizon, I pushed on up the hill to try and get to the town of Vilambistia where the albergue was meant to be open.  I was comforted by the fact that someone was ahead of me as I had been following footprints all day.

I have stayed in this albergue (the yellow building
 on a previous occasion.  This time I sat on the other green seat that you can't see and ate my Christmas lunch of bread and cheese, washed down with water!

One of the churches in Belorado, complete with its storks nests.

A close up of the stork's nest.  I was reading that they mate for life and keep returning to the same nest year after year to raise their young.

Pollarded Plane trees in the main square in BBelorado

This is the bridge crossing the Rio Tirōn after leaving Belorado.  Again this is quite a torrent from the overnight rains

Arriving at Vilambistia in the dark - I just couldn't push myself any faster - I was greeted by a firmly shut albergue, or "close-ed" as a young boy informed me.  I was absolutely bushed and was trying to decide if I could put on all my clothes, wrap my sleeping bag around me an sleep under the porch, out of the wind on a couple of chairs that were there.

I didn't have to fortunately!  I flagged down a car driving out, and asked about accommodation.  Señor told me to go to Espinosa it was only 2kms away.  The trouble was that it might just as well have been 20 - I was incapable of going any further (and this is a woman who has walked 52kms another time!).  I asked if they could take me and so Señora organised her son, in the car following, to take me.  Then, as I was about to get into his car she stopped me, gave me a hug and planted a kiss on either cheek.  Just writing about this little kindness makes my eyes teary!

Anyway folks the night ended well.  I was delivered to the bar, the proprietor of which was also the hospitalero, who then took me in hand, opening up the albergue, lighting the gas hot water and turning on a heater in the bedroom. He then told me to come over to the bar when I was ready for a coffee.  He made me an omelette "sandwich", read bread roll, a delicious coffee, some christmas sweet delicacies, and then I was off to bed.  Oh, and he too had a gorgeous Nativity scene set up in his dining room.

The Nativity scene in the bar at Espinosa del Camino.

My bed in the albergue.  I was careful where I walked, as the floor boards had quite a spring in them!

My cheerful host making sure I was headed in the right direction.

Before going to bed I was so cold I reckon it was an hour before my skin started feeling warm.  Mind you I am delighted with my new One Planet sleeping bag.  It is perfect, light, warm, and very comfy, even used in the eccentric way I use it, as a doona!

My barman friend opened up so that I could have brekky before leaving.  No wonder I felt cold as I set off.  As I got to the top of the hill I discovered that even the trickling run off from the paddocks had frozen in mid trickle!, though there was no frost.

I am delighted to have this rest here in Burgos.  I have been pushing pretty hard, and I know that the next 10 days will likely be pretty strenuous with the likelihood of snow down to 6 - 700 metres!  More about Burgos later - bed calls!

Just some of the ChristmaAsdecorations in Burgos - outside, and in the shop windows.

The rear of the Cathedral in Burgos, showing some of its fancy stonework.