Week 20: Camino de Santiago

Wake up at six, walk 15km, shower, wash clothes, 15 minute power-nap, work until 7, common dinner, read a bit, sleep before 10. Repeat.

This week we've been walking the pilgrim route of Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. I'm happy we decided to come. It's been nice to walk a lot for a change. Too much sitting lately, with or without the laptop.

Welcome to our weekly recap! This one's for May 15th-21st, which is week 20, 2014. We'll be posting daily updates about our walk on our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Surprise of the week: How well we're doing here!

Workwise: The theory was that we walk in the morning and work in the afternoon, and we've been doing exactly that. There are all sorts of random unknowns complicating things however. The first days we were exhausted after walking. Some day we had no wifi, the other no electricity. Sometimes the guesthouses opened late in the afternoon, sometimes they were noisy and restless. The walks are perfect for thinking and discussions though, and when we get to the destination, we know exactly what to do next on the computer. 

What did we learn: There is no right way to do the Camino, no matter what some people say. We were a bit hesitant to skip a part and take the bus to Burgos. When the bus arrived at our stop, it was packed with pilgrims. Not everyone thinks you have to walk all the way. Maybe your feet are killing you, maybe the walk is boring, along the highway or through an industrial area. You don't need two months of vacation or years of fitness training to come here. Just pack your bag and do it, even if you only have a week or two, or are able to walk only a few kilometers per day.

Food love: 3€ breakfast: coffee with a pincho and freshly squeezed orange juice. I find the coffee here good, even though one Italian guy was complaining about it, theirs is so much better. Pincho is tapas. I don't know if there's a difference, really. I don't think the Spanish know either. Here they have a lot of bocadillas, bread filled with ham and/or cheese and tortillas (which means an omelette here).  And there is just something seeing the glass of juice squeezed out of the fruits in front of you.

Tip of the week: If you buy water-proof gear, test them before relying on them. Go and take a shower! Our jackets turned out to be like tents, they seem to let water in where there is pressure against the fabric.

Random thought: About eight years ago I read Paolo Coelho's book about Camino, The Pilgrimage. It had to be a reasonably interesting book, since I was able to read it from beginning to end. Still, I remember nothing about the story, except for a dog. There was a dog in the story. Yep, that's about it. Should I try to read it again?

Most memorable moment: Arriving at the village of Hornillos in a heavy rain. It was only 10am, and we were already soaking wet and freezing, ready to call it a day. We asked the owner of one guesthouse what time we can get in. These places are often closed until afternoon, but he gave in and let us come indoors before their opening time. Hot shower and dry clothes, and we felt reborn again.

Camino de Santiago
Long way to go.

Camino de Santiago
Lot's of green all around, in different shades.

Camino de Santiago
The sun rising behind us makes us chase our shadows in the mornings.

Camino de Santiago
The occasional poppy giving a splash of color.

Camino de Santiago
For the first week, the weather was just perfect.

#caminodesantiago
Spring.

Camino de Santiago
One more poppy.

Camino de Santiago
And another, on the fields of barley.

Camino de Santiago
They like to cut their trees funny around here.

Camino
Somebody seems to like these guys.

Belorado, Camino de Santiago
Belorado street art.

Tosantos, Camino de Santiago
Waiting for the bus to Burgos (don't tell anyone).

Burgos, Camino de Santiago
High-five, sir!

Camino de Santiago
Bridges feel like natural places to pause and enjoy the moment.

Burgos, Camino de Santiago
The cathedral of Burgos.

Burgos, Camino de Santiago
Just go, you'll be fine.

And that's it for our week. How was yours?

BTW We've now been over 500 days on the road! Who would have thought?

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This post is part of Instagram Travel Thursday and all the pics are from our Instagram account. Instagram Travel Thursday ia a gathering of Instagram related blog posts every week. You can find a list of other participating posts, or add your own post, at Destination UnknownSkimbaco Lifestyle or at many other hosts' sites. You can also participate by tagging your Instagram pics with #igtravelthursday.

Antti and Mirje

We are Mirje and Antti, a 30+ digital nomad couple, entrepreneurs with restless feet and passion for experiencing the world. more »