The morning was a foggy swirl of mountain mist and the Boar Hunting Club. We finally got coffee and headed out to taxi over the mountain. Because we wanted more time at the archeological site in Atepuerca, we jumped ahead up the mountain by taxi and saved several walking hours.
We walked from San Juan de Ortega into Atapuerca, a world heritage site. We dropped our backpacks at our pension, which was not yet open for checkin, and walk almost a mile out to the site. Unfortunately, being Saturday and a national holiday, all the tours were “completo”. Bummer! We walked back to town
We checked in and hated the place. One bath shared with at least four rooms. Electrical wires hanging out of the walls. Sloshy beds. And a cost that was higher than much nicer places we had stayed.
I went hunting and found good accommodations at an albergue with some small private rooms. We swallowed the non- refundable reservation and moved happily across the street. Spent the rest of the day on art and chatting with other pilgrims at a Paneria with a lovely gazebo.
In the evening, we had a picnic of cheese, bread, olives, and meats in the common area of the casa where our rooms were. A couple from Australia and two young American women who met as high schoolers in Hong Kong, joined us.
Later, we slept well!
Russ and Peg’s 2022 Camino 