The big city

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From Belorado we walked to Ages - about 27kms. The walking is finally getting easier! It was a gorgeous walk. Raining and foggy, but nice not to be able to see more than 100 or 200m´s in front of us for a change. Rather than seeing the miles and miles we need to walk. I walked most of that day with Mirkosch, we talked about what we considered to be the big problems of the world and how things could and should be better. It was a really interesting conversation - well, at least we thought so. We definitely decided that being close to nature and keeping life simple is a good way forward. We also talked alot about Germany´s history and how things are in Germany now - mainly with the war and the wall coming down. Once again, really interesting to hear things from a Germans perspective and to get some first hand impressions about the wall coming down. Armando caught up with us at the end of the walk, just before town and we headed into Ages together.

Our naps are getting shorter and shorter now - I guess I am now not so exhausted from walking. We spent quite a bit of the afternoon in the bar talking. It was really nice and very social. We had the best Pilgram dinner in Ages - it was really great - all homemade and local dishes, but it was rather large, so I was stuffed by the end. Julian was really sweet - he is starting to teach me Spanish and he shouted me a non alcoholic after dinner drink - typical of Spain. It was an apple tasting digestif. Yummy.

Today we arrived in Burgos. I walked again with Mirkosch, but for quite a while by myself. The bit by myself was really great - I couldn´t see anyone ahead of me or behind me for ages. It was kind of a funny situation as I was thinking around how we are never alone in the world, and here I was feeling so alone and a little unsure if I was on the right track. I then thought that I need to see someone soon just to be sure I am heading the right way, and there was Mirkosch on the side of the road taking a break.

The only other adventure on the trail today was the choice of route into the city. After some discussion, we decided to take the more adventurous option or the road less travelled by. I am so glad we went this way, rather than the safer and more conventional, but also louder and busier route! All the real hardcore travellers seem to have gone the way we chose. We met up with Johan and a really lovely Swiss lady on the outskirts of the city, which was a really nice surprise. We were directed by a Spanish guy to the river and walked along the river to the Cathedral apparently a much nicer route in to the city. Here we met up with Julian. At the Cathedral Johan very kindly bought me and Mirkosch a drink. Then we went to find the Alburgue. We ended up at the new Municipal albergue - it was really amazing, quite large but really well set up.

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