We left the Hotel Norte y Londres around 9 and did our best finding the Camino. We got a great last look at the Cathedral. We then went over a bridge and out of the city of Burgos and into the province as we approach the meseta. Once we got to Rabé, we checked into the Albergue and later looked around town. I also played around with the wide angle and fisheye lens which I got for Christmas from AbbyThe Albergue we stayed in was called Libéranos Domine, based on an old saying about the mud between Tardajos and Rabé, that God should deliver us.

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We returned to the Cathedral (PRS42-1) for a visit since we had missed the main church in the process of looking at chapels. I will fill in yesterday when I get a chance. Here are highlights from the main church. First the main Retalbo.

The grave of El Cid.

The ceiling and the choir.

Also in the choir, the Urinating Angels.

After lunch we walked over to Monestario de las Huelgas (PRS-42-14). It was amazing but didn’t allow indoor pictures. It was founded by Leanora la Inglaterra the wife of Alfonso VIII, and daughter of Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitane (you remember them as Peter O’Toole and Katherine Hepburn). There was awesome artwork and artifacts. Here is the outside of the monastery.

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The cathedral is everything the books say. I will try to fill in with pictures later. We saw the chapels around the main church but not the main church. We started with mass on the Capilla de Santa Tecla (PRS-42-1-10). We were not supposed to take pictures but I snuck one of the baptismal font. The Retalbo showing the martyrdom of Santa Tecla was quite impressive.

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After breakfast in San Millán we taxied back to Nájera and caught a bus to Burgos where we will spend a few days touring and relaxing. According to the Pilgrimage Road, we could spend a few days in the cathedral alone. Here is a quick picture of the entrance to the city and a statue of another famous knight. Yes we have gone from the Song of Roland to El Cid!

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Last post was getting a little long. In the late afternoon we took a bus up to the Suso Monastery. No photos were allowed inside but I did get a picture of the tombs of the 7 Infantes de Lara who were beheaded by their uncle in a fight over succession. The bodies are here the heads are elsewhere.

Here is the keyhole shaped entrance and the capitals.

Finally here is a picture of Yusa taken from Susa and a picture of snow caps from our room.

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We decided that the Monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla (PRS-33) could not be missed so after breakfast, we took a cab ride. There are two monasteries, Suso for high and Yuso for low. We toured both. They are very popular tourist destinations. We first visited Yuso, the newer of the two. Pictures were encouraged and I took a bunch. There are several portraits of San Millán killing Moors. Of course he was a sixth century hermit who though he lived 101 years was not around to kill Moors 500 years later.

The Salón de las Reyes was the first place we stopped. There are portraits of kings from the 12th century and more importantly there are some of the books from 1000 years ago, which contain the first known writing of the modern Spanish and Basque languages

We then entered the church and here are shots inside. Note that the next to last picture looks like a golden Mercury capsule. I suspect it is for incense but am not sure.

Next, we went into the Sacristy, which was a little fancier than the Sacristies I am used to. Here is the front Retalbo and Spring in the celebration if the seasons.

The upper cloister had several paintings of the miracles of San Millán, including curing a blind person.

Final stop if the tour showed some antique ivories of the life of Jesus. After that I took some outside shots and then we returned to our room for a nap.

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A longish (for us) walk of 11.5 miles. We left after breakfast and the first thing after Navarette was the cemetery. The entire front if the Hospital de San Juan de Acre (the ruins of which we saw in the way in) was moved to the cemetery (PRS-30-2). Here are a bunch of photos of the entrance and its capitals.

We then continued to walk through gorgeous Riojan scenery. Coming on a beehive shelter and the spot (or one the spots) where Roldán, Charlemagne’s main knight, killed Ferragut, the 9 foot Syrian giant with either a rock to the head or a knife to the belly. Roldán is known as Roland in French history.

Note that there is a radio mast on the hill where the killing took place.Over a cute bridge and we made it into Nájera. Dinner and bed and ready for next day.

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The night in the real Albergue went fine. No major snorers and our coughs weren’t bad. I had the top bunk and managed not to have to get up at night. We woke before 6 and rummaged around packing until the ligihts got turned on. oWe finished packing and were off around 7:15. As we went out, over the route we had staked out the previous night, I took this picture.

I thought that was the classiest “Road Closed” sign I had ever seen. Real Spanish tiles.

Once we got through the city, we came on lovely park area, la Grajera, which is thoroughly described in Pilgrimage Road to Santiago (PRS-30). After a while walking around the lake we came to Cafe Cabaña Tio Juarvi and stopped for breakfast.

Envigorated by jugo de naranja, patata, and cafe con leche, we headed up to Alto de la Grajera and into Navarette.

As we enter Navarette, we went past the ruins of the Hospital de San Juan de Acre, a 12th century pilgrim hostel which survived until Carlist Wars of the 19th century.

The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago (PRS-30) says that if you come to Navarette and the door to Iglesia de la Asunción is closed, wait around and make sure you get in. We happened by as a Mass was starting took off our packs and celebrated. The Retalbo behind the altar was astounding.

Here is the outside of the church viewed as we were entering (Nikon shot will be a better substitute with computer access). Following it are various shots within the church.

Total of around 10 miles today. More Rioja walks tomorrow, but doubtful anything to top that church.

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How, you may ask did tired pilgrims make the 29 km stage from Navarra to La Rioja so quickly? We are still recuperating and felt a short bus ride was in order and here we are in Lagroño (PRS-29). We are sorry to have missed the church in Los Arcos but that is for next time. Once we got our bearings we visited PRS-29-4, the Concatredal de Santa María la Redonda which is truly inspiring. There is a painted Crucifixion by Michelangelo.

I took a bunch of pictures inside and outside the Cathedral. We had to go out and get some change to illuminate some areas, like the Michelangelo.

After noon we walked the Camino a bit, stopped for lunch and then checked into our Albergue for the night. It is a real one with bunk beds for 24 in a room. I hope our coughs have calmed enough. After relaxing and blogging, we went for a long walk to see the way we will be going in the morning. First we passed the Pilgrim Fountain

Then we got to Iglesia de Santiago el Real (PRS-29-6) with an impressive entrance which includes Santiago Matamoros (St James the Moor Slayer, a bit less passive than Santiago Perigrino).

We also passed a Camino full size board game and a pair of Perigrino statues (with skimpy backpacks)

Dinner and bed. Then on to Navarette or further (with no pushing)

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We started after our long layover in Estella at 7:50. We still have “Camino Cough” but are ready to get moving. The first stop was at the Monastery of Irache (PRS-26) where there is a wine fountain to invigorate pilgrims. “Pilgrim if you want to arrive in Santiago with strength and vitality drink a mouthful of this great wine and overflow with happiness”
We had our breakfast here but the Monastery wasn’t open.
The remainder of the morning we walked up through the gorgeous Tierra Estrella wine country eventually coming to Villamayor de Monjardin.

As you walk into Villamayor, you see the castle of San Esteban de Deyo which has been in Moorish and Navarran hands and may have been invaded by Charlemagne at one point.

Before town there was a Gothic fountain called El Fuente de Los Moros.

We had a light lunch in Villamayor. There we met two young women from Roma and a gentleman from Bologna whom they had met on the Camino. We then continued through wine and olive country.

If this blog seems a little long, there is a reason, the last leg from Villamayor to Los Arcos is supposed to be 11.5 km but is actually 15.2, an extra 2 miles in an already too long walk. The measurements were made with my GPS watch. We did get in finally around 7 PM after 15.5 miles (way too long). We had dinner with a couple from Sweden and a lawyer from Atlanta. The Albergue keeper was kind enough to do our laundry while we ate. Bed by 10.

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