343 km to Santiaga
Today started beautifully. Francisco, the volunteer at our albergue, had hot coffee ready for everyone at breakfast. We ate, thanked him, and set off on the trail.
Before leaving, I took a photo of a black-and-white mural by artist Anna Repullovique, whose work I’ve grown to love. We’ve seen several of her pieces along the Camino – today’s showed a traditional laundry scene.
We walked toward Bercianos del Real Camino, crossing the highway and passing a small lake where trees mirrored perfectly in the water. The day was just right – the sun, the breeze, the warmth – everything in perfect balance.
PWe’ve grown used to the vast openness of the meseta, a high plateau between 700 and 800 meters. Most of it is wheat fields, with intricate irrigation systems and, here and there, a nostalgic vineyard.
The fields are massive. We spotted two tractors at work – and by the time we noticed them, they were already turning back. Just a few passes and the day is done.
The trail ran parallel to a local road, with trees on the right. They now provide shade – in 2014, they were just saplings.
In El Burgo Ranero, we sat on a bench in front of the church, took off our boots and socks, and watched storks nesting on the roof. A priest rode by on his bicycle, stopped, handed us a poem, and wrote a blessing on the back. It was touching and unforgettable.
Between here and Reliegos, we found a rest stop hiding a sword in a stone. Ive tried to pull it out and become a knight… but no luck. 😄
Now we’re relaxing in our albergue. We cooked dinner ourselves and are still deciding – Leon tomorrow, or not? We’ll see.
Warm greetings from the Camino,
Martina & Ive
