Caminar ala medieval

still no pics. :-( and it seems that it will stay that way. :-( and I'll have to buy another memory card.

Atapuerca - Burgos

my lovely map enabled me to make a beautiful solitary route over Sierra de Atapuerca that dropped me directly to Cardeñuela Riopico which was not according to the map but I didn't complain. :-) I grew wings instead and the short stretch of tarmac seemed nothing. the second alternative route between the motorway and airfield is becoming more popular but still I managed to avoid most of the pilgrims by taking a more dirt and grassy alternative to gravel road. so I managed to get to Burgos almost entirely on footpaths. which is quite an achievement!

on the way I visited Cartuja de Miraflores with an absolutely outstanding masterpiece of gothic sculpture, a marble tomb of Juan II de Castilla and Isabel de Portugal and the tomb of their son Alfonso, all by Gil de Siloe of the 15C, for which even the architects of Escorial admitted that they did not achieve much with their palace. it is sculpted on three or four layers and incredibly detailed.

Burgos

I stayed in albergue parroquial a little out of the centre and therefore not so popular. so, as my knees and ancles needed a rest day, I was able to sleep one more night. the hospitalera there is wonderful, we had dinners and breakfasts togehter, sang songs...

as it was monday only some monuments were open. the cathedral, of course, which I visited at leasure. but I must say that, after seeing Gil de Siloe's tombs, no gothic monument will be the same again. only the beautiful main cupola in the cathedral could mach that masterpiece. I peeked into iglesia san Nicolas to see the floor to ceiling stone retablo from 1505, and took turns around beautofully preserved 15C Casa del Cordon, another rare example of medieval civil architecture.

Burgos - Hornillos del Camino

the start was very at leasure because Monasterio de las Huelgas didn't open until 10h. I visite the post office on the way and got rained on. it is amazing how the feeling of the big city dissapears when you enter the fortified gates little town around the monastery.

the monastery. oh, the mozarabis decoration - or, what is left of it - is amazing. comparable to the tombs above :-). and the clothes from royal tombs of 12-14C! I drooled round so long that they almost had to kick me out. but, no pictures! not even without flash! so I can never show you what treasures are held there. I was so dissapointed.

I continued through the beautiful meseta until the lovelly and peaceful village of Hornillos, that has preserved its medieval layout along the Camino since medieval times.

Hornillos del Camino - Castrojeriz

another day of beautiful meseta walking (I don't remeber half of the route to Castojeriz, I was walking in the night four years ago, and it's really a pity, that), topped with the warm welcome and a second breakfast at San Bol, and the peaceful ruins of monastery of san Anton. I saw the Tau this time, too.

the albergue I wanted to stay in Castrojeriz was closed. I stayed in the municipal one and got a whole chorus of snoring in the night. thank you so much for the ear plugs, Anne! I was too tired to climb to the castillo on top of it but I did visit the cloister of iglesia san Juan, it has a very fine 15C painted wooden mudejar ceiling.

Castrojeriz - Fromista

the climb to Alto Mostelares that evereyone seems to be so afraid of really is not such a big deal. I took time to enjoy the view from the last mountain I am going to see for some time. and I took a long rest on the top of the last hill of Tierra de Campos, too. jsut enjoying the view of the plains. :-)

in Boadilla I was lucky to see the fine carved 14C baptistery, and, of course, the beautiful 15C carved rollo. and even some piegons inhabiting one of the palomars.

I wanter to sleep in Fromista so that I could take time to appreciate the sculptured corbels of iglesia san Martin. wow! not only they are very numerous, they are also incredibly well preserved!

and now the library with free internet closes. you have to be a little smug to find free internet because in albergues it is not free, of course. :-)

take care!