We both really love setting out before sunrise to enjoy the cool of the mornings, and to appreciate the light as the sun, the sky turns red, pink, and then blue, and golden light spreads across the landscape. The colors are gorgeous.
Now we are truly on the Meseta. It’s flatter, and there seems to be nothing but open fields and sunshine. But we still find it enjoyable. The views are not as stunning climbing across the Pyrenees, but the terrain is easy for hiking, and it’s quite peaceful. We hear only the sounds of the birds and of our feet crunching on the pathway. We see harvested fields of wheat, rocks, birds, piles of stone, and mountains in the distance. Very peaceful and suitable for contemplation. Then another surprise as the path drops into another village.
Our morning stop at Hontanas, another village along the path, was great. As we walked downhill, we were greeted by music, the sound of “Celebration” from the first BAR to greet the pilgrims. The juice maker was quite an entertainer: he sang “Happy Birthday” to another pilgrim, in Spanish of course, and had the whole group laughing, singing and dancing. Quite a treat.
A later stop was at San Anton, the ruins of an old monastery. They have a “primitive” Albergue there – no electricity, but reputedly a great community dinner, and lots of magic about the place. Following the sound of some Celtic guitar music, we found a BAR/Café with another very friendly, very entertaining vendor – and his dog. He provided coffee, tea, and a large glass full of cold, sliced watermelon – a great find on a hot afternoon. An essential part of the joy of the Camino is the wonderful people who serve you so warmly and attentively.
But we were booked a few kilometers further on, in Castrojeriz. Once in Castrojeriz, we visited the main church, the Iglesia Santa Maria. We visit churches every day, sometimes more than one – big ones, like the cathedrals in Pamplona and Burgos, and smaller ones in the villages. They all fascinate, representing the history of their communities and including great artistic finds. After church, we went further into town to find our albergue for the night. Happily, it offered another pilgrim community dinner.
