VillaFranca De Monte de Oca to Burgos - Music, meaning and loads of rain!

Brooke Murphy
May 7
3 min read

It was a wet, and truely tough couple of days on the walk into Burgos. It’s amazing how much harder and heavy it feels walking in the rain. Everything takes longer.

Finding a dry enough spot out of the belting rain, to change your socks. Where the placement of every item has consumed your mind for the last 2 kilometres on how can you minimise them getting wet, letting rain into your wet weather gear and then getting tucked back in again a little wetter a little colder to go another 5kms.

So much energy is consumed just watching where to walk, keeping still when you have found the warm comfortable walking position - tucking in to though through sometimes, desperately hoping you don’t need to go to the bathroom again in next few kms knowing that you will, ignoring when you need to and trying to keep moving with the promise of a warm shower waiting.

I was so lucky to be able to stay in a 14th Century Hospital for Pilgrims …walking in was instant respite. The comfort and beauty of all the furniture and carpets made you feel like you were immediately healing, resting and recovering from the day. The photos say it all really.

I got to see the resting place and discovery site of the Worlds oldest Man in Villaval and again some amazing art work all along the way until Burgos.

I learnt a fun fact from my new friend David that Kamal had 34 Gold records. Who knew!David does some great works with Variety Bash after a long career in audio visual.

David and I passed the time talking music, and how music maturity moves with you through the stages of your life. As I have got older the notes of Jazz and blues are my go to in the morning. For those of you who know me well my mornings start early so listening to these smokey soft notes gently sliding me into the day has been a wonderful discovery for me.

We talked about memories and experiences that music has bought into our life, I told him of my brother taking me to to see the John Butler Trio at UC in Canberra and how he played the drums on my back all night as lost himself in the music.

And of the first time I saw Colin Hay with Neale how I had cried when he sang solo to Maggie - his voice was so moving and there wasn’t a single instrument playing as he opened the song. Stunning!

He told of seeing KISS in Sydney recently, and reminisced about some of Ted great live bands he has seen over the years! Not to mention how he casually dropped Kamal gave him all 34 gold records.

For many small but signifincant moments likes these on the trail. We walked into Burgos together which was interminable, I have never been happier to stop walking. I was soaked, cold, sore, tired yet once again nourished.

There are no small days on the Camino!

Burgos Beauty, Brilliance and Besties

I cannot being to describe to you the brillinace of Burgos. It has a world Hertitage listed church just for being a Church ‘ I add the priveledge of attending Pilgrams Mass there ‘ Amamzing!

My favourite Photo a quick snap on my way home.

But the best part of Burgos was the Pilgram Dinner organsied by my new friends Karen and Greg. It was most of the original crowd that had walked from Saint’Jean’de Pied de Port.

I am truley grateful for all the friendships I have formed here from all over the world from all walks of life life and will foster and nurture these for the rest of my life.

Thank you Karen and Greg for the great memories!

Today was the best day since we started it was a contratista sunny day and small 2pm walk over relatively flat terrain to Hornillos Del CAmino.

It was nice just to walk and not be preoccupied with the rain or tough terrain. I got to breath a bit today and see some beautiful towns and beautiful art along the Way.

I got the most moving blessing from a Nun in a small town who was providing an individual blessing to each Pilgrim that came through as well as a hug. No persone left their dry eyed. It was deeply moving. I felt seen, loved, cared for in a very short interaction. Maybe that’s what it means to be blessed..?