Day 16 19/4/12 Ages - Burgos 30km (wantabe spar)

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After our breakfast the next morning we set of at about 8.30....... It's Jacquie's birthday in Spain...... We both still had our colds and our room was really hot and stuffy combined with hot flushes and coughing wasn't the best nights sleep....I am sure if we were at home we would have only had the cold for a couple of days but because we keep walking we aren't giving it a chance. Its not that bad just annoying and a pain in the a.....se.

Once we were on the road again out in the fresh air we were good....cold and bad night forgotten.Our backpacks on our back again we were happy. The weather is still very cold and windy but that ok. Did quite a bit of climbing....but then what is new .....stopped in a small village and found a seat in the sun and no wind....what luxury.........such a contrast of weather.......we ate yohgurt and fruit ....Jacqui rang Wayne and the kids so they could with her happy birthday...one way of doing it.

That done we were back on the track thinking we would hit Burgos at about lunch time.....well we did...the outskirts which is the industrial part...the population is about 175,000...we walked and walked and walked straight down a footpath that seemed like is was never going to end. We met up with 3 Brazilians... 2 girls and 1 guy. We have crossed their paths before. One of the girls is always laughing and the guy is always joking...they all look as tho they are having a great time.....we walked with them for a while. We decided to stay in a hotel "Abadia Camino Sandiago". Cause it was Jacquie's birthday she wanted a spa and we had planned to have tomorrow of....A day of rest....We assumed the Hotel was on the camino trail so we just kept following the yellow arrows all the way through Burgos. We walked through the industrial then we hit what looked like the CBD then walked and walked. Saw a domino's pizza place....that looked familiar decided to buy a pizza and ask directions as we felt maybe we had gone past it. They were very helpful....assured us we were to keep on going it was only another 20 min walk...ate our pizza picked up our packs and off we went......walked through a very shifty area of town hoping we werent close.....no we were'nt..... we kept going out of that area in a park area over a old bridge and walked and walked.....finally after another hour of walking we made it.....20 mins...... don't think the domino's man has ever walked it. So happy to see that sign has been a big day...went inside.....no one at the desk...TV on .....we called made noises turned the telly off to no avail......we went out side there was a automatic booking of rooms ....we tried but couldn't work it ...went back inside....all we wanted was a spar and a room ...not to much to ask for .....our 20km walk had turned into a 30 + day we were buggered....half an hour later someone came out...yes they had a room with a spar....yep we were pretty excited up we went.

First thing we did was fill the spar bath up and being the nice person that I am let Jacqui go first....plus it was her birthday......she was pretty excited ......spar didn't work....a pilgrim does not complain....#"?%*....doesnt say anything about swearing......anyway the bath was great.....

We had spotted some bottles of red down stairs while we had our wait. All Jacqui wanted for tea was a red wine some cheese and dry biscuits. I left Jacqui relaxing in the hot bath ( I threw all the dirty clothes on top of her) and went hunting and gathering with no spanish. Found a supermacardo two doors down.....I had no spanish she had no english...I pointed to the cheese indicated how much...she nodded and cut me a piece.... indicated to another piece she nodded and cut me another piece....I found some dry looking bread /biscuit in a packet and some crunchy fresh bread.....went to the counter she run up the total showed me on the till ....I gave her some euro she gave me some change .... I said thankyou....she said thankyou I went home....mission accomplished.....bought a couple of bottles of red from the receptionist (she spoke english) and went back to see how relaxed Jacqui was.

Washing done and hung up crocodile dungee style. I had a bath. We had tea....Our plate was a draw pulled from the cupboard...We sat back on the bed eating cheese and bread drank red wine from water glasses and watched NCIS in spanish....

Jacqui's birthday in Spain...one I think she wont forget in a hurry. "Happy Birthday Jacqui"

We were both asleep by 10pm .....been a long day

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