Distance: 20.3km (12.63mi) Elevation gain: 191m (625ft) Duration: 5hr 8m Steps: 34,271 Calories: 1,309 What an idyllic day. From the poppy fields, to the ruins of a XIV century monastery, to the picture perfect approach into Castrojeriz.  Today started in a slightly different way to days past. Because the finishing town for the stage was a village so small that there was barely a couple of restaurants and albergues, staying here was never really an option for someone looking for a private room. I booked a place that was about a mile and a half off of the Camino route. I know this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but…

Distance:  21km (13.13mi) Elevation gain: 128m (420ft) Duration: 5hr 5m Steps: 34,484 Calories: 1,412 “If you want to find an answer, forget the question and trust the Camino” -Anonymous.  I was blessed by a nun and met a Pilgrim who’s been on the Camino for eight years.  I mean, back home we’d call him a bum, but somehow not here. I left Burgos today quite late. It was nine thirty when i set off. Having stayed in an apartment for the last couple of days, I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to chill, make myself a proper breakfast (the Spaniards are not big on breakfast like we…

Distance: 19k (12mi) Elevation Gain:  156m (511ft) Duration: 4h 15m Steps: 32,570 Calories: 1,185 I may never leave my balcony. Like maybe I can extend my time here for another month and just forget about the Camino. I am currently sitting on the balcony of my apartment in Burgos. Apartment you ask? Let me explain. I’m spending two nights here. And as such, I chose an  Airbnb for those nights. I figured two weeks in it would be nice to have the added privacy of not being in a hotel, guesthouse, hostel, fill in the blank. I was right. There is a lot to do here, which means I will…

Distance:  22.5km (14.14mi) Elevation gain:  363m (1,190ft) Duration: 5hrs Steps: 31,474 Calories: 1,384 There is a private home built into the side of a mountain!! And a medieval fair of sorts. Oh and really cool mural art. That in a nutshell is Belorado (pop 1,800). There is also the front part of a something that looks like an old Volkswagen Combi sticking out of a stone wall in the back terrace of my hotel. Never mind the XVI century church in the background with a dozen or so stork’s nests perched on top. It’s all rather bizarre. But it works. Today’s 14 mile (22.5k) walk from Santo Domingo de la…

Where the chicken sang after it was roasted. I kid you not. That’s what Santo Domingo de La Calzada I’m in now is famous for. It’s an awesome story. Legend says that a German pilgrim teenager was passing through with his parents when he was accused of theft by a young girl who’s interest he did not respond to. As was customary at the time he was hanged. Except, that when his parents went to see their son’s body they were surprised to find that he was alive, telling them it was the founder of the town, Santo Domingo who spared his life. They immediately went to see the Mayor…

Distance: 30km (18.76 mi)  Elevation gained: 407m (1336ft) Duration: 7h 10m Steps: 40,468 Calories: 1,936 Temperature: 93F (34C) Today was existential philosophy day on the Camino. And a scorcher. It may have been the existential part that kept me from totally losing it.  Like seriously. It seems everywhere I turned there was a saying, a poem, a sign, something to remind us to follow our hearts; to remember that everything we need is already at home; to love life. I wonder if this is a hard stage for everyone and the constant motivational theme is there to get folks through it. I’m not going to lie. Mentally this was the…