Day 14, Santo Domingo to Belorado

Eric and I met at 5pm to explore Santo Domingo, Andy decided he had seen enough towns and hung out in the garden of the hotel.

We set off to first visit the the Casa de la confraternity del Santo which was a disappointment since it was not even open and we had to look in through a glass window. There was however a great town hall and interesting Pilgrim water fountain. 

We then headed towards the Cathedral Santo Domingo de la Calzada (of the road). There were multiple viewing options for this site and since we wanted mass we opted for the full ticket. 

I absolutely wanted to see this cathedral as it has a significant legend based around it. 

The legend tells of a young Pilgrim boy travelling with his parents, he spurned the advances of a young girl so she put a silver cup in his bag and reported him for theft. He was hung for the theft. His parents in mourning continued into Santiago, on their return they found their son still alive. He said Santo Domingo had spared him and to go and tell the Mayor. When they told the major he exclaimed that the boy could no more be alive than the chickens he was having for dinner. At this the chickens are said to have come to life, spouted feathers and flew away. At this the major hurried to cut down the boy with a full pardon.

Since this day a hen and a cockerel have been kept in the church as a reminder of the legend and Santo Domingo.

“Santo Domingo of the way, Where the Roosters crow after being roasted.”

It was great to see the church and the cloister and we then headed off down the road to the monastery which was included in our ticket. We bumped into Frank and Marie twice, they had missed the hen and rooster so we sent our pictures.

The monastery had been converted onto a Parador, Santo Domingo actually has two Paradors which is unusual the other used to be the old hospital.

Since this is now a hotel we could only view certain exhibitions rather than the hotel, there was a slightly odd selection but one has some history of Santo Domingo, who not only build the cathedral but is also considered the engineer of the Camino. He was sent out to build bridges, paths, hospitals etc. to create the Pilgrim route of Saint James to Santiago.

As we started back to the hotel we felt the start of the rain of the expected storm that afternoon so we sped up to avoid having g to run. Eric has decided that despite having a 3 course lunch, it made sense to have the Pilgrim menu in the hotel for dinner…another 3 course menu…no wonder I am gaining weight. 

It was a quick dinner as Eric and I wanted to attend mass. Andy said that he would keep the wine warm for us. We just made it around 8pm just as the Pilgrim blessing outside the church started. The mass was wonderfully atmospheric. Despite not understanding the true meaning it is possible to understand when they are blessing the pilgrims which is lovely. I have also noticed that since attending catholic mass, both in France and Spain, at no point have I been offered ‘blood of christ’, this is blessed but not shared. Being Church of England I am surprised, I have asked two regular catholics if this is normal and been told not really but it does happen. Interesting. During the service the storm which had been brewing all afternoon really broke with thunder and lightning crashing through the Church. Amazing.

Once the mass finished about 8.30pm Eric and I were booked on a special evening tour of the cathedral. It soon became clear that it was just the two of us!! I could not believe it but I was so pleased that I had stayed, I almost left since we had been told that the tour was in Spanish, but Eric had convinced me to stay. It was incredible, one of the best tours I have ever had. We had the guide to ourselves he spent an hour and a half with us and Eric translated for me. We learnt just so much and were let into all the spots closed to the public. Even Eric, an Italian catholic said he learnt loads.

I think Andy thought that the two of us were not coming back, he texted just before 10pm to see where we were!

We arrived back to find Andy nursing a bottle of wine which of course we helped him with. Senor Florien (a complete character and the hotel owner) then announced that he was off for drinks with friends, we could man the hotel in his absence and he left us another bottle of wine as he departed.

Needless to say, last night was the latest night yet and the most messy.

After a good night sleep all is well again though, we were off around 8am. Breakfast was incredibly social, the benefit of a small and communal hotel. Today was supposed to be a boring but easy day. About 24km but on paths mainly along the main road.

However, it seemed like all Pilgrim left at the same time and it felt like we walked as crowd and stopped for coffee as a crowd. Great fun. We had met the two Scottish teachers who I first met a while back at Hotel Jamie, as well as two Turkish sisters who Andy met last night whilst Eric and I were being educated. 

We also bumped into Frank and Marie on route as well as Scott, from the US and Jarrett from Dublin. These are the only two remaining from the young group. I learn today that Jarrett has been in London for the last 10 years as part of a successful rock band, I can see this, they have just split and hence he is on the camino.

We also met up with Sian from Canada who is walking on her own. She was at breakfast but had treated herself last night as she usually stays in the auberges. Definitely a more social option.

The list of people we recognised went on and on.

The scenery was better than the guidebook had warned but still was a little dull as many of the paths were along a road. The other thing was that the towns we passed by were again deserted, even the Churches in the first 3 towns were closed. It is hard to see how towns which don’t have the income from the camino survive at all.

Below is a great sign although not to scale since I have actually covered about 240km, and on this map have not reached Burgos which looks like I have an awfully long way to go still.

We arrived in Belorado around 1.30pm. We arrived just in time to witness a massive bike convention leaving, with Spanish police escort!! 

After our beer we decided to try lunch again since neither my hotel nor Andy and Eric’s offer dinner. Lunch was actually great, I had turbot which was amazing, with red wine of course.

I am now catching up on 2 days of blog whilst in the bath!! Yesterday was so busy I did not have sufficient time to post so today I am posting both days. There is nothing else to see in town today. I suspect since it is so small, that we will meet a lot of people in the central bars of town later.

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