Heading to the Meseta - Day 15 (April 28)

During breakfast at the coffee shop next to our hotel I had another thought on the significance of my dream about elephant ears. It may have been a premonition about my haircut. You see I have one large or African elephant ear and one small or Asian elephant ear. Typically my hair is long enough that it is not noticeable but not any more - my African ear is definitely saying hello to anyone who might notice!

Having Coffee

Today we headed out of Burgos aimed toward the Meseta, a long stretch of the camino that is quite flat and goes primarily through crop and pasture land. Shortly before entering into the Meseta, we made a stop at Tarjados for a quick lunch where I had a delightful tapa consisting of olive, pickle, egg, tuna, all on a skewer with chopped peppers on top - yum!

People make this trip in a host of ways. Some carry huge packs, others chose to forward their backpacks ahead to their next stop so carry only a small pack. Some actually occasionally take a bus from one location to another, usually because of an injury of some sort so need a short break from the constant pounding on the feet and joints. Today we came upon the most unique we have seen thus far. A young girl was pulling her backpack on a luggage carrier rigged up and attached to her waist. She seemed to keep pace with us so it was evidently working quite well and saving the stress on her back.

Upon entering the Meseta, there was a tranquility that reigned, reminiscent of the Eastern part of North Dakota where I grew up. I think I am really going to enjoy this section of the journey. In fact, I had frequent thoughts of my parents, grandparents and brother, all who have departed. I can picture them shaking their heads at what some might call a folly to walk 500 miles but then talking to anyone who would listen about how neat it was that I was taking on this endeavor. The camino has a way of making you think about connections with not only loved ones but also the pilgrims who have walked this path before us.

Meseta

One really pleasant surprise today was just as we about to reach our destination of Hornillos, we came upon a young man and woman carrying a little girl in a backpack. We had heard earlier a story from our friends Steen and Inger about a young couple with a child who were eating a salad from greens they had picked along the path only to suffer a severe reaction and be taken to the hospital in Burgos. Having heard the story, we wondered if they were okay. It turns out, this was them! They had picked what they thought was carrot tops only to learn later was the leaves of a hemlock plant. It affected their central nervous system, effectively making them paralyzed so they spent three days in the hospital. Had they eaten much more or eaten the seeds, it could have been fatal! We were so relieved to learn that they were okay.

Camino Rocks

The municpal albergue in Hornillos where we chose to stay was quite austere and without WIFI. It also seemed to be without lights. For some reason, today really took a toll on me and I was chilled to the bone. I was also a little concerned that I might be coming down with a cold. I was anxious to have dinner, shower and go to bed.

We had a very nice peregrino meal with a gentleman from England and another from France. By 9:00 I was feeling so tired and cold that I crawled into my sleeping bag with my silk long johns, fleece shirt and blanket over my sleeping bag and immediately went to sleep.

Although I am taking many pictures each day, I am being very cognizant that this journey is not about photography but about the walk. My holster set-up has helped with that because it is very easy for me to slip my camera out of it's holder and take a quick picture before moving on. As a result, I have found that my settings may not always be ideal for the photo I am taking but again, the pictures are to document the journey not be the reason for the journey.

Lesson of the Day: Austerity is a part of life and to be accepted as much as abundance.

 

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