On Spanish soil

The final leg of my flight was enlivened by conversations with a young Spanish couple sitting next to me. They keep a B and B in Tasmania and were flying home for 2 months. She was full of piercings and he was full of tattoos but I won’t hold that against them! They spoke fluent English and almost an Aussie accent. They were quite impressed by all the Caminos I’ve done.

Arriving at Madrid Airport was even more intimidating than the flights, because of the huge crowds and LONG walks to get anywhere. It took half an hour to get through Passport Control, then an underground train shuttle to retrieve bags and then another really long trek to the bus station. I only had 2 hours before the bus departed for Burgos. The worst part of the nightmare was discovering that there was no ticket counter at the bus station. Everything had to be done online.  I had no wi fi at this point. What to do? I was desperate. Two young Mexican girls came to my assistance and made the booking for me and I paid them cash. It was €31.5 for seniors. I rounded this up with a big tip for helping me out.

This was my ticket.

The bus, when it came a few minutes late, was a new vehicle with comfortable seats, including single seats on one side of the aisle and free wi fi. All my emails started coming through and two going out. It was a warm sunny afternoon, but I was tired after a poor night’s sleep. It felt good to arrive in Burgos. The bus station is a stone’s throw from the cathedral, which is right near the hotel, Maison del Cid. I have stayed there every time in Burgos and it felt good to know my way around. This year I found myself in a tiny single attic room on the fifth floor; they have started charging extra for the rooms-with-view of the Cathedral.

There was no time to relax. I needed to find a phone shop to buy a Spanish SIM card. There was an Orange store near the Plaza Mayor which was open till 8.00 pm. After that I made my way to the Albergue to get a Credencial del Peregrino, a pilgrim’s passport. People were sitting outside enjoying drinks and tapas. By this time it was almost Spanish dinner time. The restaurant at by hotel was closed for some renovations, but they recommended another one (la Favorita) which I couldn’t find. I ended up having a Menu del Dia at Las Espuelas del Cid (meaning Spurs of El Cid). This is what I had:

A plate of mixed veggies, Spanish style with lots of fresh peas, followed by grilled Lubina:

… and a big glass of white wine. And so to bed on Day One.