Day 14: Burgos to Hontanas

Today was the start of the Mesesta ...oh my! What a challenging day....it wasn't the terrain, but the heat plus the flatness. A lot of people don't like the Mesesta because they think it's boring. I thought that it was beautiful, but it was tiring.

The guide book said that the next stage was 21km, but there was only one alburge with 32 beds...yuck. I made plans to move 2 towns past. It had more options. I may have walked 32 kilometers, but I am glad that I did it. Now I have a market to get things for breakfast. 

Okay...now on to the walk...leaving Burgos was a little daunting, but manageable. I did like that they streets had arrows made into them to show you the direction to walk.

I am not a big fan of walking on the road. After a while, it begins to hurt your feet. 

I was trying to enjoy the last little bit of countryside before the Mesesta. 

Although, not every bit of the path today was pretty....train tracks and the highway isn't pretty...

The first town....it didn't have a name that I could see....it was pretty small...I don't think they even had a coffee shop.

There were some nice hills today...

Trajados was supposed to have a cafe, but I didn't see it...who knows. Then Rabe de las Calzados was the last town before the Mesesta, and their cafe was off the trail.

Let the Meseta begin...

I thought it was pretty lovely. It was hot and no protection from the sun. Even though I was wearing sunscreen, I felt the sun baking my skin..

By the time I reached Hornillos del Camino, I was more than ready to rest. I stopped and had coffee, a sandwich, and some boot free time.

Back to Meseta. Only 11 more kilometers to go. Just after leaving town, I noticed that my boot was too tight which bruised my ankle. OUCH! It took a while for it to feel better after I loosened it.

 About 5 kilometers from my stop, I got the most terrible headache. Thank goodness for Alieve! 

There was much relief when I saw the town! My feet were screaming! All of the towns are in valleys, which makes them impossible to see until you are at the town. I think that is one of the things that makes walking this part so difficult.

My room is super nice! I have a single bed...not a bunk bed.

There isn't much to his town....

The best part is when the church bells ring. They aren't the machanical kind, but the original bells (just like the other cities). It's so beautiful. 

Inside the church...took before mass. I got to go to mass that was in English thanks to a priest doing the camino.

Dinner was so good. I had Korean fried rice with a fruit salad...yum yum!