Camino day 14: Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado

Date: April 14th, 2022

Distance: 22.2km/ 13.8 miles

Time: 8:30-3:15 (A little less than 7 hours)

What a morning! Iris and I were all out of whack. We were spilling coffee, dropping bottles of kombucha, stretching too vigorously in our hostel and knocking things over… Both of us clumsy on this cold and cloudy morning. (Haha)

After several kilometers, the coffee/breakfast truck for pilgrims in Grañon was a welcome sight. (Cafe, juice & a sandwich for 3.50 Euros!) We chatted with the man who was running it, and he happily shared his story with us… After finishing his own Camino, he quit his well paying blacksmith job and to create his own little restaurant & respite along the Camino.

For the next couple hours, I was on the struggle bus. Still coughing & generally not feeling great. Fuzzy head (possibly from last night’s beers). Low walking motivation. But I trekked on.

Breaks in the park. Laying in the grass with our feet up in the air. Looking up at the trees.

Belorado welcomed us with a lively atmosphere and fun pilgrim murals.

I felt like a new person upon arriving to our albergue, Cuatro Cantones. The outdoor oasis was well worth the walk. The cold pool was invigorating & felt amazing on my sore legs. I laid on a towel in the sun- post plunge- journaling, drinking beers, chatting with new friends. It was hard to believe we had been in a snowstorm not long ago… now THIS. This is the part of the Camino I had been waiting for.

Garlic soup, roast chicken, potatoes and wine for dinner. Afterwards, we scurried out to admire some street art, the moon, & have one last beer before the hostel doors closed at 10:00pm.

I went to sleep feeling very content and like more great Camino days are on the horizon. 🙂