Being flexible is what its about. To Belorado

Another beautiful day with azure skyes and rolling green hills.

We started brilliantly, taking a break in a swish bar for a late Brunch.

Sadly almost 20 mins after leaving the spot, I got struck with incredible stomack pains, hallucinations dizziness and sweats.

It was five km to the next town, one we'd planned to have lunch in before tackling the smaller hills.

Along the track, a man handed out chilled water- for nothing but blessings of pilgrims..and the advertising of the albergue in Burgos.

Somehow, with the encouragement of my dillusions, Morgans concern ( he wanted to flag a passing car to get a lift.. Bless him) I managed to get to the first albergue in Belorado.

Truth be told Lilly chose it because it had a swimming pool. A really nice, clean large place, great showers snd bar AND a pool.. For five Euros a bed.

I lay in the hot shower for about sn hour, not caring if I lived or died, spewing my guts up ( and worse!) after filling the two handbasins. Sucky thing was - i'd only had orange juice and lots of water. 

So for the next 15 hours I slept, dry retched and felt awesomely miserable. I'm so thankful the Albergue was so nice, the internet was fast and the kids confident enough to order thier own lunch and dinner at the bar.

We had to leave by 8, so I was recovered enough to get dressed and walk a little way at least.

St Dom to Redecilla

Stunning blue skies and wheatfields stretching out before us. The camera honestly hasnt captured how beautiful it really us.

Every town is a mishmash of ancient crumbling stone buildings brashly coured and flaking skins , like giant snakes ready to shed. But how beautiful a picture does it make?

We alternate between having breakfast and lunch as picnics along the way, to grabbing pinchos at a bar.

Here is Lilly making her perfect boccadillo of salami and cheese.

There are stalks everwhere, but this is te first time I've seen them nesting.

We followed the sticky sweet smells of baking into a tiny unmarked doorway and up a hall to find this bakery. Mmmmm.  Gorgeous cookies and cakes too good to leave on the shelf.

Though we had planned to press on for another 5 km or so, by 2 p, the kids had completely flagged, so I made the decision to be happy with the 11.5 km we had done and stop here.

Twelfth century Baptismal  font in the Redecilla Church

I've had a shower and a short sleep and now ready for dinner to be ready..

We are mindful of keeping our daily target of 14.5 km done, so just need to make it up in the next few days.

Messages of love the whole way

Age and I had promised each other to return and send some sort of message to the other; whoever crossed the veil first.

Though I felt him strongly on the days just past his death, as soon as he had chosen the spot for his grave, I felt him leave and not felt his presence since.

Whether its that final stage of grieving, where normality returns, or that it is the acceptance that his spirit has moved on; and so must I; its been a hard few months to accept that lack and gap.

I've blogged earlier on to say how I feel that the Camino is that final chapter of farewell for me, to Age; so won't rehash anything here. 

I also know that the amount of love I have surrounding me, being held strong by those around me as pulled me through this journey. 

With this in my heart, I am seeing small messages of love along the way. There was and never has been a doubt how much we loved each other. Perhaps its a trick of the eye, or that I am now looking out for it.. But I see hearts everywhere. Leaves, branches, shapes in the clouds and stones.. All unmistakenly in the shapes of hearts.

I choose to believe these are messages from Age. I choose to accept them as his way of giving me his blessing on my new path and as his farewell to me.

Todays heart was a stone, which was beside my boot when I stopped for a rest.

I'm carrying it now. Beautiful.. No?