Author: Thom

This fountain, with its statue of the Blessed Virgin with Child, stands in the center of Plaza Santa María just in front of Burgos Cathedral, which is also dedicated to her. The full name of the church is the Santa Iglesia Basílica Catedral Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos. That’s quite a mouthful, and probably the reason most everybody just […]

Another view of Plaza Santa María. Here Eamon and Viola are chatting while we wait for our breakfast place to open. The nice things about starting early are the quality of light, the quiet, and ultimately a day that ends sooner. The bad bits include the occasional lack of café con leche! I just love the old city center of […]

This is the view looking down on part of the plaza from above. Through that narrow gap by the Cathedral entrance, you can see another plaza, which I believe is the Plaza Rey San Fernando. This photo only shows part of the plaza – Eamon and Viola are just off camera to the right, waiting near the place we will […]

Eamon, Viola, and I spent some time wandering around the plaza in front of the cathedral, taking in the sights and waiting for someplace to open for breakfast. The cathedral is sort of built into the side of a hill, so the plaza is about two stories below the sidewalk that runs behind the cathedral. The two levels of this […]

We spent the night at the giant municipal albergue in Burgos, just down the block from the cathedral. We left at dawn, and mere minutes later this was our view of the magnificent cathedral complex. Glorious! I think this might be tied with Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome as my favourite cathedral building. Date: 13 April 2013Place: Burgos (Province of […]

At the albergue, we met up with more of our “lost” friends. It was bittersweet, as I would not see some of them for quite some time. Cliff (second from left) had fallen in with some quick-marching friends and would be leaving us in the dust. Viola (far right) planned to spend a day or two in Burgos. I would […]

You have to ask yourself who thought this was a good idea? This terrifying, squamous creature stands taller than me, and it beckons you to partake of the eldritch wares of the accursed shop behind. Just no. Date: 12 April 2013Place: Burgos (Province of Burgos, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: San Juan de Ortega (Province of Burgos, Castilla y León, […]

I’m sitting with a stoic friend in the square in front of Burgos Cathedral. Carlos tried to get the fellow to have a more lively expression for the camera, but he was unmoved. Date: 12 April 2013Place: Burgos (Province of Burgos, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: San Juan de Ortega (Province of Burgos, Castilla y León, Spain)

This slightly blurry photo is our friend and fellow pilgrim Carlos from Brazil. I met him on my first day, where he was giving honey to everyone he met – because “Brazilian bees make the best honey!” This photo illustrates some important things about Burgos and the Camino. That look on his face is a pretty typical pilgrim expression: exhausted. […]