A fine ending in Burgos

Burgos was my last stop on the Camino de Santiago. Due a case of food poisoning I didn’t walk the 26 km into Burgos. These things happen on a long distance walk and you make adjustments. I took a taxi instead. Besides, I was very happy with the 260 km I did walk (about one third of the French way).

There were advantages to the drive, namely Rueben, my taxi driver from Burgos. It was like he gave me a guided tour on the 25 minute ride. I learned so much about Burgos, from the industries (there are many from auto parts to cosmetics), the mystery of the parched sunflower fields (biofuels), to an alternative walking route along a river to avoid the dreary industrial entrance into the city (watch for the signage in Castañares). And, drumroll….he gave me a long list of restaurant suggestions! My appetite wasn’t quite what it normally was, but over the three days I did manage to sample some. In fact, on my last day I ran into him at one of his restaurant suggestions, Quinta del Monje, where he was having lunch with his family. Totally legit recommendation.

I may have stopped walking in Burgos but I had not left the Camino. Burgos still had a pilgrim vibe. I ran into many pilgrims I met along the Way, like the French couple I had walked on and off with since Ventosa and the fun couple from California I dined with in Santa Domingo. I had pinchos at a packed Casa Pancho with an Edmontonian I met in Viskarett and drinks under the shady esplanade with a woman from New Caledonia I met in Najera. Almost everyone heading to Santiago de Compostela.

There’s a lot to see in Burgos. I enjoyed Iglesia de San Esteban converted into the Museo del Retablo (Altarpiece Museum). The magnificent gothic church houses restored altarpieces and other artifacts (chalices, crosses) from abandoned churches in depopulated rural areas throughout the province of Burgos. They preserve and restore pieces to ensure this heritage is not lost.

Burgos is also home to the fascinating human evolution museum. Starting in the 1990s archeologists in nearby Atapuerca discovered fossilized human remains as old as 1 million years, and a new species, homo antecessor, estimated at 800k years old. There’s a vivid display of intact bones (530k old) from a particularly large archeological site (called “pit of bones”). The species amazingly similar to humans today. Excavations will continue for decades.

Burgos is an easy city to love. The expansive pedestrian core is filled with lovely plazas, colourful buildings, narrow streets lined with bars and restaurants and elegant shopping avenues. Outside the medieval walls there’s a shady esplanade along the river. You can also see the old city walls and remains of a hilltop castle. The city was lively and energetic, but felt a little more chill compared to Logroño and Pamplona. It was my favourite of the three cities.

Here’s a tradition I loved. Vermutería Victoria, a small bar with geometric tiled floor, globe lights and an impressive array of vermouths, is a local favourite. Every night at 10 pm, the lights dim, turn red and the whole bar erupts into song. They belt out the hymn of Burgos. It lasts a good five minutes. “People of Burgos are very proud of their traditions,” Reuben told me.

Vermutería Victoria is steps from the Cathedral of Santa Maria. A must-see site on the Camino. In the plaza outside of the Cathedral I saw the pilgrim I reconnected with a day prior in Espinosa del Camino. She was exiting this gothic masterpiece, a dreamy look in her eyes. “Have you seen it yet?” she asked me. I had not. “I just feel so lucky to be here,” she said to me.

I visited the next day. The intricate stonework carved by talented artisans centuries ago is like dentelle (lace) to borrow the description of my French friends. The luminous white stone so delicate it crumbles under direct sun light.

It is otherworldly. But I know she wasn’t simply referring to the Cathedral. It was the whole experience of the Camino. I felt it too.

I am so grateful to have experienced it. All of it.

Hasta luego Burgos. Until next time. I’ll make sure to look up the lyrics of your hymn for my return!