Downshift Musings

We got a great start out this morning after breakfast in town. A little later than we had been trending, but today’s distance was only 20 km.

The terrain gradually changed from vineyards to plowed red clay fields. We passed (or were passed by) a number of tractors pulling small trailers, headed out for grape harvesting. There were a few hops fields and a solar panel field.

We arrived shortly after noon and considered moving on to another town, but it didn’t seem to buy us anything and I have caught a cold and needed a rest. We have ensconced ourselves at an albergue run by Cistercian nuns and housed in a monastery. It doesn’t quite have the mid-cons of some of the other albergues we’ve stayed at but it does have a beautiful gathering room with fireplace and exposed wooden beam ceiling.

We had a big lunch, followed by a nap and then Vespers church service next door. For dinner we went to a supermarket and bought soup and salad which we cooked up in the albergue kitchen. Dinner probably cost 4 euros.

The weather has turned quite cold. I’m not sure we hit 60F today. With most of my layers on I am still cold walking around town. Fortunately, when trekking the camino we stay quite warm through exertion.

We’re still a few days out from Burgos where we are planning a rest day (in a hotel!!!!). Of course, a rest day means we’ll have to walk a double day later on because we didn’t think of adding rest days in when booking our return flight.

That’s all for now. Time to enjoy the fire.