17 May - Santo Domingo to Belorado (22 km)

Today is our last full day of walking.  We were hoping for sunshine and lollipops, especially after yesterday's beautiful weather,  instead it is 39 degrees, raining with a 30 mph headwind.   So we rose to the occasion, got out the pancho's, gloves, and headgear, and headed west in the direction of the Camino. All are determined today!

We are dressed for the weather and ready to depart our hotel, the Parador in Santo Domingo as we depart for Villemayor del Rio, just short of our target city of Belorado. The weather outside is frightful, but we're going to walk anyway.

We encounter large puddles on the trail.   We navigate around them to keep our feet dry.

We are walking uphill as we leave Santo Domingo

The weather is cold, windy and rainy.   What would the early pilgrims think?   They would have given thanks for the rain that cleanses the earth.   We tried this and it made us feel a little more grateful, but it was still cold.

Lisa and Judi with Panchos flapping in the wind.

The rain has left things strikingly green and lush.   Here is a delightful little bench awaiting a better day.

Finally a stop for coffee in the first town of Granon. This is an open air coffee shop, but at least we are out of the wind.

We have a chance to regroup.

It's not much of a coffee shop but it did the job.

Here is an interesting view from the coffee shop.  Check out the pyramid peak.

Back on the road again.   It has stopped raining.

We continue on.   In the distance we see a hay stack, a marker on this section of the Camino.

We saw this haystack in 2017.

A view of Ganon looking back.   Cute little town, bleak day.

We pass a Camino Map.   We are getting close to Burgos, our destination City.

We pass through a small village

This is the first group of Pilgrims we have seen today.

Here is a grandmother walking the Camino with her Grandson.   They were having a grand time!

Here is an interesting Camino Marker reminding us we are close to Viloria de Rioja.  We stop along the way at the first marker.

Here is the birthplace of Saint Dominic in Viloria de la Rioja.  As the patron saint of the Camino, he spent most of his life in nearby Santo Domingo where he is buried in the Cathedral. But his birthplace here in this little town is not so well known.  The only monument here to this extraordinary Saint is this ruined house.   Do we stop a while to drink from the fountain that nurtured this infant child?

Soon we depart Villoria Del Rioja passing by what appears to be the old city hall.

We stop for a quick break in Villoria Del Rio on the way to our lodging in Quintanilla del Monte, which is just a few kilometers off the main Camino Route.

We are just about finished for the day and we are grateful to arrive at our warm lodging for food, wine and rest after a long cold day.   And we are happy!Do we look happy?

Finally, we end our day at a 17th century farmhouse, now a B&B run by Anna and her mother.  This was one of our nicest evenings with Anna and her family. It was a lovely stay.   More about that tomorrow.   For now, Buen Camino!