I start walking, and almost immediately find myself on the iphone while underway , What’s App-ing with new camino friends as to where they plan to stay for the night, and looking at booking.com.
I don’t believe that the pilgrims in the middle ages did it this way. Although they are always depicted with just one walking staff  … maybe the other hand was available for a smart phone! Anyway, so much for the intrepid solo pilgrim journey today.

Doing some impromptu stage planning, in order that I reach Burgos by a certain date, in order to meet family and friend further on. I become convinced that I need to get to the town of Grañón today. On the way I pass a really nice cafe with some friendly people seated there who I had met before, who invite me to join. I decline explaining my really important mission to Grañón. This turns out to be a really silly reaction, because I just get hot and tired and don’t make it to Grañón anyway, and never see these people again.

I do decide to stop in the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. There is a square just outside the albergue with restaurant tables, where pilgrims  congregate for lunch and dinner (Plaza de la Alameda)

Santo Domingo de la Calzada

I sit with A. and J. at a table on the square. Then, not sure if they wanted any company. They have just met, but both have the same degree of poshness in their English accents. And both fast walkers. A. an accomplished swimmer.

I also see L. and K. there in the square also. It turns out that they are carrying 14 kilo packs on the Camino! Most often people carry < 10 kilos. Yet they are fast paced on the road.

At dinner there is more of a group collected including G. from USA.  (D. and I had met him in a bar on the Logroño tapas street, called Calle Laurel, along with B. and K. from Puente la Reina.)  I see F. from Ireland , met at Nájera as as well, who comes over to our table .

B. and K.  are staying in the same albergue in Santo Domingo de la Calzada.  K. now has leg injury to the point that she can’t walk next stage. Every step is hurting. Went to a physio, has blue tape on, in the way I see others have here in Europe.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada has a cathedral which contains live chickens, due to the fact that there is a fable based on chickens coming back to life, which is told in this area.

I go around but its not open because of a local religious holiday.  Later it is open, but they want 5 euros. I don’t go in.
I report this at dinner in the square and one German pilgrim notes – one could get a tortilla and a Clara Limon for those 5 euros! Good point, very practical. I mention that my guidebook says that one should allocate at least an hour for time in the cathedral. This gets a hearty laugh all around.

This is an example of a rather marked lack of interest in sightseeing or visiting places of cultural significance that I noted (at least among pilgrims I met.)

In this case,  I concur – as far as I can see, the town is attempting to turn this fable into a tourist trap and cash cow.