Sunday, 6 May Azofra to Burgos

DISTANCE: 86.6 k/53.8 mi; TIME: 5h 41m; AV: 15.2 kph/9.4 mph; ODO: 1643.7 k

I got up at 6:30, but some of the others were up and leaving before me. I left the refuge at about 8 am. I stopped at Santo Domingo de Calzada to phone Jenny. The local phones in Azofra would not accept international calls. The wind had moved into the NE, still very cold, but not as gusty. I stopped at Belorado to look at the church of Santiago, but it too was locked. I bought fresh bread in the town.

I set off over the Montes de Oca and the Puerto de la Pedraja. It was not too difficult. I cycled all the way up with a few stops. The run down to Burgos was fast. A steady down hill run with the wind behind me, mostly in top gear (30 to 45 kph)! I was in Burgos for lunch at about 2:45 pm. I had lunch at a cafe near the Arco de Santa María.

After lunch I visited the cathedral. Very fine sculpture and very “decorated.” Workmen were cleaning and renovating the exterior. The museum contained some very fine religious paintings in very good condition and a lot of religious objects including a relic of St. Thomas à Beckett!

I rode out to the refuge and booked in, 80 beds in one room! I may have got the last bed. There did not seem to be any more vacant and mine had no pillow, so I used my micro-pillow. The mattress seemed very comfortable. After a shower I went out for dinner at a local restaurant, “Restaurant La Gloria.” I shared a table with three French Canadians. They did not seem very welcoming at first, until they realised that I was a pilgrim too. After dinner, I tried phoning Jenny. The first phone would not recognise my card and the second one I tried had been vandalised. I had a comfortable night and slept quite well with my ear plugs! I must have been snoring at one stage, because I think someone banged on my mattress!

Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Arco de Santa Maria
Burgos Cathedral - West Door

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