Atapuerca to Burgos

May 18 Atapuerca to Burgos
We walked for a couple of kilometers out of Atapuerca but soon headed uphill abruptly. With a military zone on our left side which kept us out with several rows of barbed wire, we climbed  150 to 200 meters up a rocky path with flowers blooming cheerfully in spite of the seriousness of the military presence. Bright purple hyacinths seemed to be the dominant theme of the day but whites and yellows added to the beauty. It was a misty morning although the sun was successful in shining through. After a steep climb we reached a flat plateau at the top and although there was no direct indication of where to go, we headed straight along the military fence which took us to a path that dropped as quickly as the previous path had risen. But the view from the top was stunning even in the mist. We could see two or three little villages in the distance and could only imagine how beautiful it would have been if the mist had lifted.

 We headed downhill where we had a choice of two routes- one was through two or three villages and a bit longer and the other was just a straight route to Burgos. We chose the former because it promised to lead us to the entrance to Burgos that was along the river instead of through 8 or 10 kilometers of industrial zone. Besides, there was of course the hope of coffee and food as we went through the villages.

We carefully followed all of the directions on our maps and in our books but still somehow missed the turnoff to the bridge so we could cross the river. So instead of walking through the industrial zone, we walked through the slums and when the arrows ended we just headed for the cathedral, knowing that the albergue was somewhere just behind it. When the cathedral disappeared from view, I asked someone if we were going in the right direction and he assured me we were. And sure enough, the yellow arrows soon showed up and eventually we made our way into the cathedral area and found the albergue- a new, six-storey building with touch screen elevators, a cafeteria with vending machines full of assorted junk food, washers and dryers. It's very upscale and has a big city feeling with everyone rushing about doing city things.

And a nod to the past... th eold albergue was in a park setting, near part of the university where people washed clothes outside in a long trough with running water at various spots along it. There was nothing to do there except go back into the city - about a kilometer away or sit around outside and get to know the others who were there that day. It sure was a more casual atmosphere than the new building.
Burgos itself has changed immensely in the last 10 years. The cathedral remains equally beautiful however!