We knew we needed a chance to clear our heads, eat food that doesn’t come from a “pilgrim’s menu,” and come up with a plan for how we will finish the Camino, so we took two full rest days in Burgos.
Burgos is beautiful. At the center of town is possibly the prettiest cathedral along the Camino. I remembered the cathedral from my last trip, but last time, I saw little else. I got into Burgos late and left early. My fondest memory of the city was the shoe store, where I replaced ill-fitting hiking boots. This time, we had time to explore, and the cathedral is only a small part of the beauty of this place.
We, of course, started our exploration with the cathedral, and we had fun taking photos in the morning, when everyone was either sleeping, eating breakfast, or walking the Camino already. The square in front of the cathedral was empty, and the rising sun lit up the cathedral from behind. Addie and I went on our own the first morning, as we went searching for breakfast, just the two of us, and the second morning, we went as a family.
Addie and I went inside the cathedral, and Addie, mixing it up with the Disneyland castle, was disappointed at the lack of dragons inside. The interior was stunning, though, even if there were no dragons.
Around the cathedral are plenty of shops and bars. We finally found some good food at the Asian street food bar and the Scottish pub.
There is also a large square that had a carousel in the center. A balloon animal artist walked around making balloon swords for children, who ran around happily. Addie rode the carousel three times. It was a lovely, family-friendly place.
On our second day here, we visited the Museum of Human Evolution, where we got to learn about the archeological dig at Atapuerca, and the chronology of human development. The museum was great, with some neat immersive exhibits. I, especially, enjoyed the immersive brain, a tangle of wires that you can stand inside, while lights shoot around it, to represent the firing of neurons.
We learned about fire building and its impact on language and social development, early tools, animal domestication, early funeral practices, and more.
We are sad to be saying goodbye to Burgos, but feeling more capable of walking the Camino. Our next 150 kilometers to Leon are flat, and we don’t have to worry too much about the stroller through that stretch.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY !!! Thinking of you all. So nice to hear of your time in Burgos and that you had a relaxing few days. Sometimes you just need to catch your breath and evaluate the situation. May your next days be all that you hope for.
Happy Mothers Day you two !
A little R & R goes a long way
Happy trails
Hugs
A 2 nighter in Burgos re-energized our Camino as well. Always enjoy seeing the Camino through your daughter’s eyes. Dragons in the ‘castle’ gave us a BIG smile. I’m thinking perhaps they just decided to sleep in while you were looking around?
How wonderfully cool you all are to be able to take time and enjoy the journey. Happy mothers’ day!
Happy Mother’s Day. What a great way to spend Mother’s Day. Yes you needed to rest but obviously the little ones are always ready for adventure. Remember the Lord made the Sabbbath so we would take time rest. I think a trip of this proportion should have a rest every 6 days to catch you breathe and just relax.
I love reading and seeing the pictures. Wish we were there enjoying.
We initially thought that it would be best to take no rest days, to maintain a routine for the girls, but the rest was definitely needed for us
Yay, for a bit of rest and recovery time. So glad you enjoyed Burgos and the museum. Buen camino