This weekend, I did a bit of the lazy man’s Camino de Santiago (Frances) as I caught a bus from Burgos, where I was spending a weekend, to the incredibly cool (in more than one sense of the word) village Santo Domingo de la Calzada. I messed up by not including this village of La Rioja as a meravella in my December entry for La Rioja. You live and learn.
Este fin de semana, he ido un poco de Camino de Santiago Frances en plan vago porque cogí un autobus de Burgos, donde estaba pasando el finde, para visitar un pueblo chulo y frío (de tiempo)…Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Cuando escribí de las siete maravillas de La Rioja, hice un error grande por no incluirlo…pero vives y aprendes.
The town is about an hour from Burgos on the bus that connects Zaragoza, Logroño and Burgos. I was trying to read, but I kept getting swept by all the beautiful scenery outside and somewhat jealous of the peregrinos (pilgrims) walking in the opposite direction. I saw at least 20. I know the Camino del Norte is ahead of me, but I still felt for them in the cold while wanting to be walking with them.
El pueblo está unos 70 kilometres de Burgos y una hora en el autobus que une Zaragoza, Logroño y Burgos. Intenté leer, pero no pude dejar de ver el paisaje bonito. También estaba algo celoso de los peregrinos caminado al dirección contrario. Vi al menos 20. Sé que me espera el Camino del Norte, pero todavía me relacioné con ellos en el frío a la misma vez deseando estar caminando con ellos.
Legend has it that once upon a time, after being killed and roasted, a hen continued to sing and crow right when she was about to be eaten. For this reason, the town has ton of chicken decorations and even a delicious pastry in the shape of a chicken that I had to try. This is one of the many legends that have popped up about the Camino de Santiago.
Hay una leyenda que dice que eráse una vez, después de ser asesinada y asada, una gallina siguió cantando justo antes de ser comida. Por eso, el pueblo tiene muchos cosas de gallos y gallinas e incluso una pasta que tiene el forma de una gallina que tenía que probar. Este es uno de muchas leyendas sobre y del Camino de Santiago.
The town only has about 6500 habitants, but it has a lot of charm. It has a cathedral and a tower. I went up the tower (2€) for incredible views of the city. I wanted to flip off the mountain where I sprained my ankle last year (Valdezcaray) snowboarding, but I restrained. The old town, with its cathedral, cobblestone streets, Plaza de España and not one but two Paradores (castles/palaces that have been converted into hotels) was named a Cojunto de Interés Histórico Artístico in 1973.
El pueblo solo tiene unos 6500 habitantes, pero tiene mucho encanto. Tiene un catedral y un torre. Subí el torre para 2€ para ver vistas espectaculares del pueblo. Quería mostrar un cierto dedo al monte donde sufrí un esguince de tobillo intentando hacer snow (el Valdezcaray), pero no lo hice. El casco viejo, con su catedral, calles antiguas, Plaza de España y dos Paradores fue declarado Cojunto de Interés Histórico Artístico en 1973.
At one of the bars I went into, I asked for the wifi password to find out the bus times back to Burgos. The owner turned out to be from Donostia whose wife supported Athletic de Bilbao. We chatted a bit about Bilbao. (The Basques love Santo Domingo de Calzada).
En uno de los bares que fui, pedí la clave para wifi para mirar el horario de autobuses. El dueño del bar era de Donostia y su esposa era de Bilbao y Athletic de Bilbao. Charlamos un rato de Bilbao. A los vascos les encanta Santo Domingo de Calzada.
I was quite happy with this side trip on a weekend in Burgos. I made it out of there before the rain came in. The bus stopped to pick up a trio of tired peregrinos…which I think is cheating. But then I’m the one who has only done three days so far and on days with good weather, so I can’t really judge, now can I?
Estaba super contento con este viaje a Sto Domingo de Calzada durante mi finde en Burgos. Me escapé el pueblo justo antes de venía la lluvia. El autobus paró para coger un trio de peregrinos cansados…que pienso es algo de engaño. Pero soy el chico que solo he hecho tres días hasta ahora y en días con buen tiempo…no puedo juzgar.
For anyone visiting La Rioja, Santo Domingo de Calzada is a must. Cualquier vistitante a La Rioja debería visitar Sto. Domingo de Calzada.
¡Feliz día del padre/San José/Fallas! (Se ha publicado el día 19 de marzo de 2015.)
setmeravelles 
I stayed in the municipal albergue in Santo Domingo. I thought it was a lovely town. We snuck into the parador to use the loos – such luxury after eight days of albergue and cafe facilities! You didn’t mention the chickens they keep in the cathedral – there was a spare set in the garden of the albergue, so that they could be rotated every so often.
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I missed the chickens in the Cathedral! I didn’t go in the Cathedral so I didn’t see them. A reason to return to this beautiful town.
If the Parador had caught me sneaking photos, I would’ve played the guiri. “¿Qué? I no entiendo, privado?” 😉
I saw a lot of pilgrims looking for the municipal albergue. If it ever stops raining, I’ll be starting my Camino del Norte back up, but the albergues make me nervous as I’m pretty introverted 🙂 Looking forward to reading about your next Camino.
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