St Juan to Burgos day/stage 12

The temperature dropped dramatically today and could I have done with gloves and another layer when I left St Juan just after seven. After almost a fortnight of absurdly high temperatures it felt effortless to be walking and I made fast progress arriving on the outskirts of Burgos around 12.30. Having the company of a delightful couple from Brisbane who were walking a tad faster than I would have done also helped.
The difference between were I was yesterday and today couldn’t be greater. The section along the río Vena valley was delightful with several small villages offering coffee and breakfast, more communities dependent on the Camino for their survival. Just before Agés there was a tricky rocky bit with sheep on either side. You could hear their bells in the mist. This part of the Camino felt timeless, the occasional wooden cross indicating you were on the right path. Someone has placed a pair shoes on the intersection.
Burgos was visible around 12km before we arrived. Not a particularly pretty walk into the city and somehow we missed the greener riverside detour option. My hotel, and it is a hotel which is a bit of a treat, is very close to the Museo de Evolucíon Humana and well signposted so easy to find. All the museums are closed on Mondays so I had no choice other than spend the afternoon happily and aimlessly wandering about and stopping for churros and chocolate. The Cathedral is quite breathtaking, such a contrast to the small monastery chapel in St Juan where yesterday I went to the Pilgrims’ mass, each of us saying the liturgy in our own language.