Camino de Santiago Day 12: Agés to Burgos
Misty mornings and back to the city. It's the last stop before the infamous 'Meseta' that makes up the middle of the Camino - which means this marks the End of the Beginning.
If you would like to follow me on my journey on the Camino de Santiago, then sign up now for regular updates.
A misty morning leaving Agés.
But it’s good – you need something to break up the days, to mentally anchor yourself somewhere. Might as well be the ‘place with the dense fog’ as ‘the place with the vineyards’, though this reference is only for those you walked with - it’s no good to the fellas at home who did it before, your own secret code.
We pass Atapuerta - site of the oldest human remains found in Europe. It’s off the road so I don’t bother going in, it’d interfere with my schedule, I’m here to Camino, and so on, so I just take a photo of the sign.
Going the long way round the airport - as dull as it sounds.
Onwards anyway to Burgos – the latest city. Another milestone achieved, even if its somewhat arbirtray - doesn’t matter, they all matter.
Cathedrals and drinking again, I presume?
And people and pintxos
And shoe-shopping and H&M and reggaeton music and Trip Advisor reviews
Feels like I know half the city now, already.
You realise now that you start to hear rumours of others’ existence some days before you meet them for real, and maybe they’ve heard of you too.
‘Radio Camino’, a soap opera of characters with finite lifespans on the trail.
Do you join in or shake it off? It’s all good natured, mostly.
If you’re enjoying this and think others will enjoy reading about my journey on the Camino, then why not share it?
Everyone getting their last-minute bits
The whispers of what lies ahead have grown into conversations, though as with everything else about the trip we’re talking about something we have no idea of. You can read the guides you can even hear the stories and advice from those who’ve walked the Camino before; you can even book your accommodation in advance,
But you until you walk it yourself you’ve no idea.
Not in a bad way, more a slap in the face for reminder of the totality of experience over the futile haze of predictive information
About to walk into the area – or landscape or region or maybe even just state of mind – known as ‘The Meseta’
A flat open stretch from Burgos to Leon – devoid of life and stimulation – an alien concept in Ireland
Some say it’ll take you a couple of days, some say it’s 180km and it’ll take you 8 or 9
Some say it’s flat some say it isn’t
Some say it’s beautiful some say it’s torture.
“The mental third of the Camino” they say – a neat line, bit cheesy – I love it, and do my share of proliferating it around to anyone who’ll listen
I assume it’s something like: you’ve opened yourself up to the road, and adapted to the physical challenge and sensory experience,
You know how to walk and so your mind is freer now
to really get to work
Just you and the road
So stock up now on shampoo, socks, and maybe gin and tonic
There’s no shops out there
Or so the rumours go
If you’ve done the Camino, are thinking of doing it, or are just interested in discussing the Camino or travel in general - then please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.