Leaving the city of Burgos in the early morning light with no foot traffic, it was now easy to follow the red granite stripe pointing the way through town.

Irrigation sources became much more prevalent on this next stretch.

Distances between towns became greater, as did the dreaded “highway walking” with paths parallel to the road.

Never fear, if a town did not have a pharmacy, they would at least have a vending machine selling pharmaceutical items. One even had an assortment of “battery-operated personal devices.”

I was a bit worried that my favorite breakfast would be at risk in the more remote areas also…

But again, never fear as most all cafes and bars had a “Zummo” machine, a two-sided operation that split, squeezed, and discarded the peel off two oranges at a time within seconds. Oranges in Spain were extraordinarily sweet, therefore the OJ was heavenly!

I knew we had entered the Meseta when I could see the road so far ahead of me.

Lots of bell towers along this stretch also serve as perches where storks build their nests. (for my cousin, the “birder!”)

Often there would be a small village up ahead, but you wouldn’t know it until you crested the hill, as they were down in a valley along an often times dry riverbed.

As more young people leave for more urban jobs, many of these villages remain only to serve the pilgrims walking the Camino.

Even someone who is “Never Lonely” can get a bit lonely out here!

I never missed an opportunity for a peek into the smaller, older churches whose door was almost always open.

In the town of Hornillios del Camino, there was literally no room at the Inn. All the albergues were full for the night, so one of the proprietors recommended we try “El Molino,” about 5 miles away. It was off the Camino, but the proprietor would come pick us up and bring us back to the Camino the next morning. It turned out to be a charming place in the middle of nowhere. We four (three Australians and me) were his only guests. He didn’t speak a word of English, but through my broken Spanish, we learned of his brief cameo appearance in the movie, “The Way.” The crew stayed here during the filming of the movie, and he proudly showed off his autographed pictures of Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.

Only 248 miles to go…getting close to the halfway point.

While the scenery was starting to become more stark and arid, I was grateful the poppies were still with me, lining the trail.

The Saint Anton ruins, one of my favorite rest stops along the Camino. Once a monastery, its founders, the Antonian monks, their order dating back to 1146, were dedicated to the care of pilgrims. A 16th century gothic arch still spans the Camino. Inside is a “donativo,” alberbue that operates by donation only. It is completely “off the grid,” with dinners by candlelight and the only entertainment being the “stars” of the Milky Way.

The beautiful town of Castrojeriz, where you can see a castle up on the hill, and a beautiful church in the foreground.

I awoke early this morning to see the sunrise, as the Meseta is known for its beautiful sunrises. This approach is to the Alto de Mostelares, the highest point in the Meseta.

Though the Alto de Mostelares can hardly be called a “summit,” there was still an attitude of jubilation when reaching the marker at the top.

Rain clouds hovered all around me this day, but never overhead.

Though there weren’t a lot of trees along the Meseta, there were groves where they had been planted in neat rows.

More Camino graffiti..

The long and winding road…

When staying in an albergue, I would always choose a single bed if it meant not having to sweat out arriving in time to secure a lower bunk. This place was like an oasis, with a nice bar, restaurant, and garden in the middle of nowhere.

The path follows along the Canal de Castilla. On the outskirts of Fromista are a series of locks for managing elevation changes along the canal. It was here that I met an older woman from Spain who had walked the Camino 16 times. She explained that the canal was originally built to transport wheat to the coast to be loaded on ships before the railway days. Once the railroad came along, they were no longer used to transport grain, but now serve as an irrigation source.

In the center of Fromista is the Iglesia de San Martin, reputed to be one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Spain.

As if the Romanesque architecture was not reason enough to go in, the interesting capitals at the top of the support columns were worthy of a visit. I read that during renovation in the 19th century. many of the spicier scenes on the capitals were removed for “reasons of decency.”

Even the directional signs along the Meseta were starting to appear a bit weary.

Just a couple of pilgrims having a rest. He was the only person I found willing to slow down long enough for a chat. LOL! This is Pablo Payo Perez, Mesonero Major, a longtime hospitalerio, or Innkeeper on the Camino.

On my last night along the Meseta, I treated myself to a night in the beautiful Real Monasterio de San Zoilo, a restored monastery converted to a luxury hotel, complete with chanting monk music piped into the lobby. This was my “Self Portrait in Shame,” looking back at myself in the mirror, trying to convince myself I wouldn’t regret skipping ahead. I felt a bit like a failure as a “pilgrim” here, sleeping in luxury, and awaiting my air conditioned coach to carry me away the next day…

“Lead us not into temptation…”