What a hot day. Got a sunburn and really felt those 22km. But I have figured out that walking alone, purely at my pace and rhythm really made it so much easier, and the pain is ok.
I had my first squid cooked in it’s own ink today. Wonderful! Though it it is a Galician speciality I believe. And today I have just left Rioja behind and got to the region of Burgos.
The landscape changed almost immediately, and the vineyards and olive tree gardens turned into harvested grain fields. Later in the day a wind came up, and it got even harder walking against the wind.
I did meet a lot of the regulars along the way, including Sam and Shawn,as well as Pauline and Magareth. But I stayed alone and finally got to the Albergue which again had a pool!
A guy called Angel, yes that was his name, checked me in and gave me a Lemon y Cerveza on the house! Wow, what a welcom and it really just felt so good to lie in the cold water and relaxe my bruised body.
I took a long shower, did my laundry and enjoyed the rest of the day with Ellen and people she had travelled with. Tomorrow I will do a really short day of just 12km, and really hope that I get that foot under control. After that the plan is to do two more 20km stretches to Burgos, where I will meet up again with Floris from day one. We have stayed in touch all along, and I am happy we will meet again.
My brother Hunter just posted such a beautiful picture of his tent on top of a vineyard, so I actually am looking forward to not get a Albergue in the next Days. But a shower and being able to do the launders goes a far way on the Camino!