Day 14- Cirueña to Belorado

Depart Time:6:40 Temp: 64F RH: 90%

Walked m: 4.2 mi. Camino 2024: 90.9 mi.

The forecast is for thunderstorms this morning so we left Cirueña in time, hopefully, to get to Santo Domingo before the heavens opened up.

Leaving in the dark again, the lights of Santo Domingo de la Calzada reflecting off the low hanging clouds

It’s sunrise without the sun, but clouds are still tinting everything red

We’re closing in on Santo Domingo, still no rain. Maybe wearing raingear will be a good deterrent?

The 4 mile walk this morning from Cirueña to Santo Domingo was almost perfectly straight on rolling hills.

Two downhill sections of the path have been paved since we walked here last year. To improve the walking surface when it rains?

Just after reaching the edge of Santo Domingo, a flash of lightning was followed by raindrops, just after Jim said ” I think we made it!” He’s got to stop doing that.

The puddles were beginning to form as we walked into Santo Domingo. No more photos… gotta keep the cellphone dry!

We walked passed the commercial/industrial areas, through a rundown section then into the old town, passed the Cathedral and Parador hotel then found an open bar for breakfast and to get out of the rain.

A few minutes before 10:00 we walked back to the Parador lobby to rendezvous with a prearranged taxi to take us the remaining 14 miles to Belorado… making today a short walk.

Last year we also got a taxi ride like today by reportedly the only taxi driver available in the area. Today our driver was his wife, who recently became a driver, too. So taxi service in the area has doubled since last year!!

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived at Hostal La Huella, so we waited in the restaurant and sampled some pintxos.

We checked in at noon and were pleasantly surprised by the niceness and size of our double room (with 4 beds!). The view out our bedroom window was extraordinary.

View from our room window: Camino on lower right, 13th century Iglesia de Santa Maria in center, and ruins of medieval castle upper left.

Our transported backpacks had not yet been delivered, limiting our ability to get showers, etc, so Jim ventured into the town square to get some photos of the Belorado Annual Fair.

Belorado has been settled since Roman times and was known as Bilforado by the 10th century. It was granted a charter by King Alfonso I of Aragon in 1116 that allowed for an annual fair which is being held this weekend beginning today at 1:00.

Thousands of revellers were gathered in the Plaza Mayor for the beginning of the Annual Fair

We’re not sure about the meaning but the guys dancing out of the Plaza with the band behind them, were followed by the towns people forming a lively parade throughout most of the streets in the old town. It was fun and engaging.

We had a very tasty, classy lunch/dinner in the La Huella restaurant.

A very nice mixed salad, with local Rioja wine

Baked lemon chicken and stewed pork cheeks (note the “condiment”script and art on the plates)

We followed our routine this afternoon with one additional highlight. Our grandson, Collin Shick, is playing in a professional pickleball tourney in Las Vegas this weekend. Jim became aware of this via a text from Collin’s dad yesterday. The smart TV in our hostal room had YouTube access so we watched Collin and partner Jack Sock win their Round of 64 and 32 matches in the comfort of our especially nice room, doing the Camino “our way”!