Day 54 / Nájera - Redecilla del Camino / 35.41 km

People are awakening around 5. Considering the volume of people in one room the snoring has been light. Some people start packing and having a conversation about their digestion problems. I’m not really interested but there is no avoiding to learn the person has spend more time in the bathroom than his bed. If I would believe in a god, I would think it’s god punishing him for talking at 5 in the morning. I try to doze some more but the waking-up noise increases and takes away any purpose to stay in bed. I join the noise and start packing, brush teeth,...Around 7 I leave the place and have breakfeast I In a bar nearby.

I have no specific plans today and will keep running until I decide I want to stop running. Today it’s grey, rain is expected and the temperature will drop. The 2 weeks have been sunny and warm. I don’t associate Spain with cold and rainy weather. After breakfast I start the day with a steep climb. I’m not alone. The landscape  has already changed compared to yesterday, less vineyards increasingly more big green fields. Although the weather is grey the views are stunning. Sometimes steep ascents are followed by longer descents. One of the challenges since 3 day’s is that the path is full of small pebbles which, although the thickness of my Hoka soles, try to penetrate me feet with each step. I’m constantly trying to find the track wit the least pebbles., but there are always pebbles.

I pass some small villages. In one village I run through a development which was probably build before the economical crisis. 90 % of the houses and apartments are empty and for sale. It’s a depressing place. I think if you buy one house you get 4 for free. There is a swimming pool and golf course, both in somewhat derelict state. 

After passing the urban depression I arrive in Santo Domingo de la Calzada (SDdC), for most pilgrims the end of a walking day. The entrance of the city is with the grey weather and modern, nondescript, architecture somewhat depressing but the SDdC has also an old city centre with a beautiful, and famous, cathedral. Probably the only Cathedral in the world hosting 2 alive hens ! Check Wikipedia for the details. The Cathedral has a museum and is splendidly maintained. I decided somewhat earlier to stay in a village 12 K further and it’s only 11.30 so I take all the time to visit the Cathedral and it has  which is no waste of time. Shakira playing in the museum shop. After my visit I treat myself with coffee and some local pastries. The weather is cold, rain is drizzling.

Around 12.30 I start running the last 10k. I have booked a hotel in a small village. The scenery remains beautiful. Not a lot pilgrims around. 

I pass 2 small villages. One of the typical things you see on the Camino are places with vending machines. I  pass one place where they have taken the vending machine business to a new level. 

The hotel I booked is in Redecilla del Camino and is called conveniently Hotel Redecilla del Camino. A night is 38 €. The room is for 3 people, clean and the bed is perfect. After a tortilla lunch I take a siesta and sleep until 18.00. Pilgrimage can be tough. Later in the evening I will have a pilgrim’s dinner, which seem to be the same I all the places I have been. Primero is a choice of macaroni (variation is spaghetti), salad, soup. Secundo is chicken breast, meat balls, a choice of fish. Postres is flan, yoghurt, fruit on syrup. 

I have booked a hotel in Burgos for the weekend, some 70 k away. With 2 times a stage of 35 k 2 day’s will not be difficult. The weather is expected to get worse, dropping to 10 degrees and mucho iluvia.

Lessons learned :

- You have cathedrals housing hens

- Even with all the signage one can take a wrong turn. 

- Belgian orangettes stay are the best.

Song of the day : Being Boiled - The Human League

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