Day 12 - Burgos

The heat has gotten the better of me. Last night I had quite the headache and nausea and had to finally admit that I need to stay out of the sun for a bit. And I'm not then only one! The bus to Burgos this morning was full of pilgrims who are either suffering from heat exhaustion, or their feet are in such poor shape that they have been told ay medical centers not to walk. When I see the bandages on the feet of so many people I feel very grateful that mine are doing so well. I'm also very glad that I've been cautious and stopping often.

Burgos is an amazing city full of rich history. It is elegant and majestic and full of culture. I have been careful to stay in the shade here today and checked into a cheap but quiet hotel where I took a nap during the hottest part of the day. I also went into the cathedral. As much as I understand that these cathedrals are the backbone of the Spanish culture, I find them quite creepy and I always feel a bit stunned on the money that is spent on them. I'm very sure that there's a lot that I just don't understand. But for all you cathedral lovers, here are a couple of pictures.

The cathedral was built during the 13th and 14th centuries and of course is symbolic of the great power held by the church in that time. It is a massive structure full of many tombs and elaborate carvings.

There are also many historical statues and bronze figures around the city. Below is one of a pilgrim.

Below is an old lady roasting chestnuts in the gardens. I've checked on the weather and the good news is that it will be much cooler for the next few days. This is perfect timing since the next 200 km of the Camino is called the Meseta, or the plains of central Spain where there is very little shade. I have read that the first part of the journey is all about the physical challenge and dealing with the suffering of the body. On Meseta it is fairly flat with not a lot of diversion and I'm told is the stage where one deals with challenges of the mind. Some find it boring and feel like they're going crazy and then other's say it is their favorite part of the Camino. Time will tell.