Author Archives: victoria hoffer

The sky a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. and a few minutes after: A spot to remember: half way from St. Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago: Not to be confused with the spot, somewhat further on, and more ceremoniously marked, half way between Roncesvalles and Santiago: And here is a close up of Cluny, who said so.Continue reading “Day twenty El Camino”

Mileage: 10.74. Yesterday’s hotel, plain as its rooms were, had a winding staircase the wood of which was very old: An outer and an inner front door both with lots of carved detail and bronze fittings: Along the say, a thick wooden door with one of those tiny windows you see in convents in theContinue reading “Day nineteen El Camino”

13.54 miles today and an even shorter day tomorrow. We have noted the paucity of birds, which may be due to the paucity of trees, but here is a pigeon perched on a church wall: These sheep walking through town look like the sheep of yesterday. Only why are they walking through the main streetContinue reading “Day eighteen El Camino”

Today, a first! Our actual mileage, 15.93 was less than the quoted mileage of 16+ miles; GyPSy does not lie! The meseta is dry: barren: flat: vast: and thrilling to walk through, especially in the morning hours before the sun starts to cook you despite thick slatherings of sunscreen carefully applied. It is exciting toContinue reading “Day seventeen El Camino”

No mileage quote for today because although Ian and Tanya walked (12 1/2 or so miles) I did not! That is correct. I actually said, “I cannot.” Taken ill by some food poisoning-like ailment, only not that bad because it wasn’t painful, I could not even consider walking this morning. As luck would have it,Continue reading “Day sixteen El Camino”

From Santo Domingo to Belorado, 14.5 miles, a “short” day. Not one of the most scenic so far, but not difficult, either. Not your everyday fountain (reminds me of that great bit in Judges 5…”He asked for water and she gave him milk…”): Sheep, a sheepdog, and a sheepherder: Unhappy kitty with a bad leftContinue reading “Twelfth day El Camino”

13.80 miles today. (You can see who is counting.) We arrived in Hornillos at 1:30, which gave us an hour to have a sandwich, a beer (alas, not I), and a rest before our taxi came to bring us back to Burgos. On the way out of town, we came across this lady who looksContinue reading “Fifteenth day El Camino”

A short walk today, 13.19 miles, fairly pleasant, especially the last part along the river into Burgos, and fast enough so that we arrived before our luggage. We did start out with a small handicap, however, that being the first really bad breakfast of the trip so far. What constitutes a really bad breakfast? ForContinue reading “Fourteenth day El Camino + rest day”

Let it be known that the distance from Belorado to Atapuerca, by foot, is not 18.1 miles but 19.71. Fortunately, just previous we had two quiet nights, i.e., good sleep desperately needed after the disastrous nocurnal fiesta in Logroño. Also, we tried to eat well, stopped four times en route for fuel and rest, andContinue reading “Thirteenth day El Camino”

Logroño was the first city or town we have seen so far that was littered with trash. Early in the morning, comes the first shift of street cleaners to hose down the streets and shove the trash into piles. Apparently, a second shift scoops it up. Today’s walk to Nájera was 18.71 miles. We startedContinue reading “Tenth and eleventh days El Camino Logroño to Nájera to Santo Domingo”