Day 8: Pamplona to Burgos (by Shirley)

Leaving Pamplona, we drove through a tunnel to view an expanse of low hills, cultivated fields of green and mountains to the far south. Turbines charging electricity are numerous. At Puenta del la Reina, (Bridge of the Queen), we were able to participate in the late part of a mass at the Iglesia de Santiago. Pictures of the bridge were taken when Fannette parked on the bridge roadway – only one vehicle honked at us.

We discovered today that we are not 'fake pilgrims' as we suspected, but are 'car hikers' - that made us feel better. We did talk with a man who was biking the Camino. Today was not necessarily a good day to be a hiker or a biker!
The valley where Estella is located is very picturesque with green grain crops on the more level areas and vineyards along the hillsides. There is very little actual flat land – cool and sprinkles of rain today.

The Irachi Monastery near Estella has a wine fountain just below the hill of the monastery. The wine is free for pilgrims. We partially filled a bottle – yuck! They didn't take their socks off before they stomped the grapes. A couple pushing a lightweight pram were walking the Camino with a three year old and a six month old. More power to them!
For a while after leaving the monastery, we could view the hikers along the Camino as we drove down the highways. When we crossed the Rio Eluo at Logrono, we exited the Basque country. Now all the signs are in Spanish solomente. This is wine country, the hillsides covered with neatly pruned vineyards. Numerous large bodegas (wineries) are located here.
Raining, raining as we drive toward Santo Domingo de la Calzado. We can see Peregrinos (pilgrims) walking the Camino which now runs just to the south of the highway. They are draped in raingear, using their walking sticks to provide help in the mud. Snow on the mountains to the southwest. During the worst of the rain, Fannette safely navigates us through several kilometers (miles) of road construction. Santo Domingo de la Calzado was another community of multi-storied buildings with shops on the bottom floor and living quarters above. As we left the town, more hikers were spotted. We have been somewhat surprised to see so many Peregrinos this early in the season. Cool, much rain.

Castilla Delgado provided us with a much needed rest stop – the tea/coffee/chocolate was refreshing. Three, tall, wet Peregrinos came into the truck stop while we were there. Spotted more on the Camino as we drove on towards Burgos. Oh no – it is sleeting now! So glad we are car hikers!

Burgos is a very large city. But we were able to follow the guide book and the road signs to our wonderful sleeping quarters, Meson del Cid, which is right across from the ornate Gothic Burgos Cathedral. An accommodating receptionist guided us to our rooms and showed us where to park the car – indoors and nearby. We unpacked, had a late lunch in a quaint restaurant in the hotel, and then took a trolley to see Burgos. No sooner we were seated when a group of what looked like residents at a Spanish senior center boarded the bus. Rather than spread out, the crammed into our car. The tour was excellent, however, and part of the description was in English. We saw broad avenues lined with trees, many statues, the old wall of the city, entry gates… We finished up at the Cathedral which is too ornate to describe. The Cathedral was started in the 13^th century and contains 18 chapels besides the worship area. The main altar is beyond belief – gilded, many statues, very ornate. El Cid is buried in this cathedral. We exited through the lower cloisters, awed by what we had seen.

Back to the hotel to refresh and gaze out our bedroom windows at the magnificent structure across the plaza from us.