Slightly uphill (rolling) and a slight downhill at the end.
I have discovered a new Spanish delight…Grape Bread. It’s very much like a baguette type bread with grapes in it. Not like a zucchini or banana bread, although I found several recipes online for that kind of bread with grapes. I must make some when I come home.
Much of today’s route follows along the highway it’s a flatter and straighter route, but the quiet sounds of the camino are punctuated by the rushing cars and trucks that go past us.
Fields of sunflowers to make sunflower oil.
Starting in Pamplona, we were very much in the Pyrenees, but now, after a week, we are very much into the foothills of the Pyrenees. The mountains, are farther away from us, the hills here are rolling in sloping and not nearly so difficult climb.
And I’m done feeling guilty about the paved roads the benches, and the shady trees. Yesterday I had a long stretch in which you know I wasn’t doing well and I kept thinking, “I just want to sit down for a few minutes.” But there was bench so now after griping about how the amenities affect the camino I’m now just going to be grateful for the ones that I do see.
Buen Camino
Still a long way to Santiago
Tiny churches along the camino.
I stamped it upside down and had to squeeze in another right side up 😄
Today was a difficult day for me. My pack felt heavy and I just didn’t seem to walk as quickly. There can be a real mind game walking the camino. Questions and doubts flooded my mind. However despite those doubts I managed to somehow trudge on and made it into town.
A trudging we will go, A trudging we will go, Heigh Ho Camino a trudging we will go.
Santo Domingo de la Calzada is known for a famous legend about a young man, a jealous girl, and some crowing fried chickens. Click here to read the story
That’s about all I have to share today. Tomorrow is about a 13 mile day and I plan to have my pack transported ahead to our next hotel. My shoulders need the rest.
Today we gave back. We are walking out of Logrono and a young woman caught our attention and was waving toward her car. We thought she meant to give us a ride and we said no thank you and we would kind of kept on walking. Then we got the impression that her car was broken down. There was another couple there and the man was helping to helping her to push her car. So we joined in and helped push her car down the big street onto a smaller street. I guess we didn’t look too old to help push a car.
There are changes along the Camino today’s road is long and paved, which makes it easier to walk. I’ve noticed in the meseta, which is a long dry flat stretch through Spain (some people call it The Skin Cancer Stretch, rest in peace Jimmy Buffett) but we noticed 4 years ago that people had planted young trees along the way to provide shade. Two years ago they were more mature and more trees had been planted. I often wonder if these changes (which I know are meant for the comfort of the pilgrims) do they somehow take away from the camino or should I just look upon it in gratitude and realize that it’s still my walk
I think I wrote about this 4 years ago and have spent a lot of time pondering this question. I think my answer is that I should be grateful for the shade, the smoother paths that have been built and all that the camino provides.
We also had an excellent lunch in Navarette. We found this restaurant 4 years ago and were pleased to see it was open so we made a lunch reservation. Restaurants in Spain are often not open for dinner until 8:00 pm or even later. Lunch is generally served until 3:30 or even 4:00 pm so sometimes it’s easier to get your main meal early in the day and subsist on snacks for dinner.
So we made a reservation at El Figon de Duque.
With a new friend
You know who you are 😊
And had very good food
Sea Bass
Strawberry Something or Other
I don’t know why the stamp doesn’t say El Figon, but there it is 😊
The blessings today began before we even left Estella. We stayed in a hotel about 2 km outside of town so we needed to walk back into Estella to begin our day. As we checked out the guy at the desk said he’d take us to Estella. The hotel had a shuttle that we knew nothing about.
The second blessing came as we waited for the guy to take us in the shuttle. There was a wedding at the hotel and lots of young couples and families attended. One young women was sitting outside with her 2 year old. The baby smiled at me and I sang Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, complete with body movements. He laughed and I was happy.
The third blessing came at lunchtime in Viana. On the camino it’s easy to lose track of the days. Today is Sunday and the streets are full of families congregating after church for a drink and a meals. Kids are playing soccer and babies are in strollers. We finally found a restaurant with tables inside. We looked like pilgrims, a bit dirty and sweaty, certainly not dressed in our finest attire. The waiter took no note and seated us. No menu in English and we couldn’t decipher the Spanish menu. Being adventurous people Glen pointed to the menu and our waiter said, “Si?” And Glen said “Si.” This is what he got.
Yup, a big plate of raw meat 😮
And a hot stone to cook it on 🤭
Perfect with a mixed salad 😁
The fourth blessing came along the route. A man driving on the road stopped and asked if we wanted water. He had some in the back of his car. Our water bottles were full but what a lovely surprise.
Finally today lived up to what yesterday started out to be. Overcast and cool, 62 degrees, but no rain. The road is mostly flat with a few rolling bumps.
The forecast for today is rain. No problem. We stepped out from the hotel and immediately felt wonderful. There was a very light drizzle and the temperature was about 20 degrees cooler than yesterday. With our rain jackets and water resistant pants we were prepared to walk to Los Arcos.
We got about a quarter of a mile away from the hotel when I realized I had left my trekking poles in the lobby. I encouraged Glen to go on. He said he’d walk slowly so I could catch up easily. Well I retrieved my sticks and started back, but I stopped to take some pictures and there were less yellow arrows to indicate the way of the camino and it started to rain harder. Still I thought I can walk in this as long as my feet stay relatively dry. You clever fellow pilgrims, you already know I then stepped in a puddle up to my ankles. Now it’s really pouring and every step is squish-squish-squish-squish…. Still I thought this can’t last all day like this I can still walk to Los Arcos. I finally arrive at a little town called Irrachi. There’s a monastery here with a famous fountain with 2 spigots. One with wine and one with water, all for the Pilgrims.
I was all for stopping 4 years ago and partaking in a pilgrim tradition, but not today. Just past the monastery is an iron worker’s shop and work shop. 4 years ago I bought this necklace. I was keen to stop and buy some more for the grand children. So I ducked in thinking I’ll buy and keep going.
Well who should I find in his shop?…Glen, the young couple, another woman we met two days ago and several new people that we got to know. Our young Jewish friend even stopped by at one point.
We were there for 2 hours trying to get a taxi. Everybody along the camino where it was raining wanted a taxi. The rain was absolutely a deluge. On top of that the path changed from paved to dirt about 6 feet from the entrance and it was making a puddle that would require thigh high boots to traverse. We were cold, wet, uncomfortable, and stuck. And suddenly everything changed.
We began talking to one another in whatever language or gestures we could find in common. Even the Ferrier joined in. I got my 5 necklaces and he gave me a Tau made of iron (sorry I couldn’t find a picture to show you). The woman from the hotel said something to the Ferrier and they took off through the rain. They came back with a pot of hot coffee, a pot of hot milk, sugar, and a package of cookies that looked and tasted homemade. It was our own little feeding of the 8 if not the 5,000.
4 years ago
Finally the cab came and 7 of us piled in. Our driver took us to Los Arcos but we had to go 2 km farther because our hotel is just out of town. We were sad as each person got out at their stops. We were sad we didn’t make the walk to Los Arcos. We admired those who dared to brave the walk: the young couple and our Jewish friend. Perhaps this rain was God’s way of saying to us, “I know you want to walk, but I don’t want you to be weary when we walk together. Rest Pilgrim. I’m with you always.”
I have walked 9.6 miles to Alto de Perdon, which means Mount of Forgiveness. Here are the bronze statues depicting pilgrims under a field of stars. I love that expression “under a field of stars”. For more information click here.
Our past caminos started in St. Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees mountains. It’s a traditional start to the Camino Frances and about 400 pilgrims begin their walk each day. We, however are starting in Pamplona so this is about the fourth day for most pilgrims. We started in there because Glen and I have already walked over the Pyrenees and in fact I have walked them a twice (2019 and 2021). I now feel like I have nothing to prove.
Pamplona is just off the picture on the left
So on today’s journey, which is no stroll in the park as you can see in the elevation profile, I met an American man. I asked him where he started from and he said, “Saint Jean Pied de Port. Where did you start from?”. When I told him I started from Pamplona he responded, “Oh”, which spoke volumes to me. What he was really saying is real pilgrims start in SJPdP and brave the mountains. So I looked at him and said, “So Mister I walked the Pyrenees like a real pilgrim, I have walked them twice and I don’t need to prove anything”. He smiled a little sheepishly and said, “yes”.
So if there’s a message for today it’s this…everybody has their own pilgrimage in life and no journey is better or worse than another. Do what’s right for you and do the best you can. And be kind to those you meet on the way. You don’t know what their journey is.
Buen Camino
My Backpack is my friend 🥰
Second stamp
A bridges for the pilgrims’ convenience or for motorists who find pilgrims crossing the highway inconvenient.
SPOILER ALERT: Despite the story you are about to read, I was not really stressed out over the events of today 😎
Paris to Hendaye, France
Hendaye, France to Irun, Spain via metro, 2 stops, 3€ 20 extra for the tickets
Irun to Vitoria, girl at the station told us to get off at the second stop and switch to the train to Pamplona. Our ticket is for Vitoria and then the next ticket is for Pamplona.
The train stops in Brinkola which according to the map on the train is the end of the line. THE END OF THE LINE! As if it’s Gandolf shouting, “You shall not pass!” We are totally at a loss because everyone on the train has dispersed and the train station looks like a bombed out building from WWII when I spot two guys wearing green shirts get out of the last car. I watch them and notice they get into the first car. They must work for the train company. I run into the car and…they’re not there 😮. Luckily they are in the engineers room and they tell me not to worry. We’re going back to Irun but they tell us to get off at Zumarraga where we can get a train to Pamplona. Yes!
The train goes to Zumarraga in the opposite direction of Vitoria. Here we talk to someone at the station who speaks no English and my Spanish barely extends beyond ordering a cafe con leche. He says to get back on the train (still going in the opposite direction, get off at Araia and take the train to Pamplona. Great! Our ticket doesn’t say that but he says not to worry and I trust him.
Zumarraga to Araia, the conductor herds us to the very back of the train because this train is actually going to Madrid and it’s going to separate and we don’t want to be on the wrong end of that. We’ll get the train to pamplona there.
Araia to Pamplona, as we approach Araia the conductor suddenly yells for everyone to stay on the train. There’s no train to Pamplona there so we’re going to Vitoria. Does this seem familiar?
Vitoria to Pamplona, the conductor hustles us off the train and says to go quickly to platform one where we are to run at a brick wall which will magically transport us to platform 9 3/4…no wrong story. I go into the train station to make sure this train will go to Pamplona. I can’t understand the ticket agent so I keep saying Pamplona and he responds DE LIE. It’s like a bad game of Marco Polo. Finally the guy next to him intervenes and says DELAYED! We saunter to the platform and the ticket agent comes running out to tell us the train is not delayed it’s about to leave! We manage to board and before the door closes I yell to another agent, “Pamplona?” and he responds “si”. This train is headed to Barcelona. I hope it stops in Pamplona 😬.
Arrival at the train station in Pamplona at 6:00 pm. We are 30 minutes late but amazingly we have made it to Pamplona in what must be the most convoluted route. What an adventure! 😁😁😁
We arrived in Paris on Saturday, August 26 for three nights. We’re visiting with my cousin; she is quite elderly. Whenever I’m in Europe I make a point to go and visit her. When we’re on the same side of the Atlantic it’s practically like being in the same neighborhood. Tomorrow we take a train to Pamplona for two nights and will begin our walk on Thursday morning.
I don’t know if this is some kind of a sign but last night as we were walking to my cousin’s apartment we passed two women carrying backpacks with the shell of Saint James. Ah Pilgrims! It turns out that last year they walked the way of Vezelay in France to Pamplona (over 900 km I think). They were on their way to take the train to Pamplona to finish their walk. Perhaps we’ll meet them some time on the Way.
I have mixed feelings. I’m still concerned about the walk and at the same time I am so looking forward to it. I will keep you all posted about adventures on the camino.
One day I decided to go for a walk... 