On the 26th of April 2013, I left Stuart behind me in the hotel at Burgos while I got a taxi from Burgos to Tardajos, about 8 kilometres outside of Burgos. This enabled me to leave Burgos without having to walk through the sprawling suburbs. At Tardajos, I started walking and ended the day in an albergue at Castrojeriz. I walked about 31 kilometres in addition to the 8 kilometres I covered by taxi.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of walking the Camino was that I constantly met “strangers” who were all doing the same thing as me – they were getting sore feet and exhausted bodies because they too were constantly walking. Because we shared the same physical exercise and exhaustion, we realised that we had much in common that we might otherwise have overlooked. The walking towards a common goal became a shared experience that united us for the duration of the walking.
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I took this photo just after daybreak shortly after I resumed walking the Camino at Tardajos on the 26th of April 2013. It was a very good idea to get the taxi. I was able to cover much more ground than I might otherwise have done and I was able to avoid the grinding tedium of walking through the suburban sprawl before I could start much more pleasant walking. I even enjoyed my temporary feeling of being lost in Tardajos after I got out of the taxi before I was able to find the marker telling me that I was now back on the Camino way.
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This was the view of the Camino after I had left Tardajos on the 26th of April 2013.
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The Camino took me through undulating countryside as I headed towards Castrojeriz.
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More undulating countryside on the way to Castrojeriz on the 26th of April 2013. There were no mountains but there was uphill walking.
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Whenever I had the chance to see the view in front of me, peregrinos were stretched out in a scattered line for as far as I could see.
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More of the countryside between Burgos and Castrojeriz on the 26th of April. This peregrino was resting near another giant cross.
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I never felt alone when I walked the Camino. Large numbers were embarked on the same journey to find themselves.
There was a traffic jam on the way to Castrojeriz that day and it forced all peregrinos to come to a complete stop.
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Another view of the Meseta as I neared the top of the climbing that 26th of April on my Camino walk.
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On the way down from the top of the Meseta.
Eamon, Patricia and me as we drew nearer to Castrojeriz on 26 April 2013.
I took this final photo on the 26th of April as Eamon, Patricia and I drew near the end of our long walk. It had been a long day walking in the company of friends I had never met before.
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Diary Entry Made on Friday 26 April 2013 at 4:52 pm
I arrived at a private albergue called Casa Nostra at about 2:30 pm. I left Burgos by taxi in the dark at about 6:40 am. I was dropped off at Tardajos (cost was €18.00) and I then started walking. I left Stuart Taylor in the Palacio Hotel. I covered about 30 kilometres on foot at a rate of about 5 kilometres per hour excluding refuelling stops.
At the first stop after about 10 kilometres of walking at Hornillos del Camino, I met up with Eamon and Patricia whom I had met in the albergue at Granon. I walked with them to Castrojeriz. Most of the walk was through the Meseta and there was little by way of hills. This was bleak but beautiful country.
Peregrinos stretched out in single file along the Camino as it crossed the Meseta. They stretched all the way in to the distance. I had a good day and now I am in an excellent albergue. Eamon and Patricia are good company.
Distance Walked Today: 31.2 kilometres.
Distance Covered by Taxi Today: 8.8 kilometres.
Total Distance Walked So Far: 303.4 kilometres.
Total Distance Covered So Far: 324.6 kilometres including the 21.2 kilometres by taxi.
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Soul Song Number 16 - Single File
(26 April 2013)
It was raining when the taxi came to your hotel.
It was a gentle drizzle splashing out of the still dark skies.
The rain didn't last long.
It had vanished as you loaded your back pack at Tardajos.
With the easy riding done, it was time to work.
It was easy work though,
There was very little uphill climbing today.
The pain free feet and legs rejoiced in the day.
Into your lungs came the crisp, clean air.
The spirit of life felt good.
On either side stretched the Meseta.
It was green, lush, wild and wonderful.
This was walking at its very best.
Far away, other pilgrims were distant dots.
The passing of the kilometres saw you reunited with old friends,
Pilgrims just like you.
They too were working hard,
Enjoying the steady peace that is the gift of the Camino.
As the day toiled its passage,
The distant dots loomed closer.
As far as the eye could see,
There was a line of pilgrims,
All walking single file.
All urging their bodies towards The Saint.
This was a good day.
One that ended at Casa Nostra in Castrojeriz.
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