Day 18: Villafria -Burgos
(June 16, 2023)
Last night, I had a solitary stay at Hotel Las Vegas, which granted me a peaceful but somewhat lonely evening devoid of interactions with fellow pilgrims. I checked out of the hotel around 7:30 am.
Unlike my expectations of being amidst wildflowers in the countryside, today's journey took me through the suburbs of Burgos and then downtown Burgos before I reached my albergue.
Upon my arrival, at 11:30 am, the albergue wasn't open yet, and there were already people waiting in line to check in. I patiently waited for about 45 minutes until it was finally my turn to complete the check-in process. This albergue serves as the primary municipal lodging for pilgrims.
Initially, I was assigned a bunk on the second floor, near the entrance. Later, after 3 pm, I approached the front desk to inquire about the possibility of a quieter bunk on a higher floor. The two elderly gentlemen working there were very accommodating and reassigned me to the fifth floor, where I discovered an empty dorm. I chose a bunk in the middle of the room, close to the window. By bedtime, a young girl had joined me, making it just the two of us in a spacious room—a unique experience.
Over the next two days, I planned to explore Burgos. However, I knew I had to temporarily leave the Camino behind, as Burgos is a sizable city that offers the flexibility I need to travel to Lisbon, Portugal, where I'll catch my return flight home.
Typically, pilgrims are expected to spend only one night at a particular albergue. Nevertheless, I learned from Eric and Riki (We reunited there!) that we could request an extension, and the two kind gentlemen at the Albergue de Peregrinos graciously allowed us to stay an extra night.
On June 19, 2023, I bid farewell to Burgos and departed for Lisbon, marking the end of my Camino journey. Although this chapter of my pilgrimage concluded, I knew I would return to Burgos to resume where I left off.
Farewell, Camino!
