One day I decided to go for a walk...

TRAVELING THROUGH SPAIN

9 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 10

Villafranca de la Oca to Ibeas de Juarros

We have been traveling through various regions across Spain, each one of them special. Pamplona where we. started out is in Navarre. Navarre is very beautiful and very rocky with steep hilly mountains. It’s the Basque region and the Basque are known to be hearty people, strong people, and not. afraid to take on a challenge some say that they’re not the friendliest people, but I did not find that to be true. This region in Spain reaches up over into the French Basque region. The really interesting thing about the Basque is that their language is different from Spanish and so you’ll notice that every sign in Navarre has it written both in Spanish and in Basque. And linguists have tried to discover the origins of the Basque language and all they can say is it’s completely different from any other language in the world.

The next region we went through is Rioja, which is vineyard after vineyard after vineyard. This is the heart of wine region in in Spain. I think when you go to the grocery store, you will see a lot of Spanish wines from Rioja. Campo Viejo can be found in Spanish groceries and your favorite Krogers.

Yesterday we crossed over from Rioja into Leon & Castilla. I think it’s the largest region that we cross on the camino. We will be walking here most of the time. The city of Leon is the capital of Leon & Castilla. There are rumblings that the people want Castilla to become its own separate region. I understand the Catalonian separatists in the east who want to separate from Spain and become their own country, but I don’t really understand the need to be a separate region.

Buen Camino

A shorter day with a big climb and rolling hills downward.

The morning sky over Villafranca de la Oca

Your laugh for the day. The gnats were out in full force.

BICYCLING ON THE CAMINO

8 September 2023, camino 3, Day 9

Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca

I spoke about bicycling on the camino 2 years ago and I want to reiterate my findings. Having bicycled in organized rides in the states there are certain rules to be followed. When passing it is customary to call out, “On your left”. This way other bicyclists or walkers on the path know to move right so the bicyclist can pass safety. This does not happen on the Camino.

With so many countries and languages “on your left” might not be understood. Then there are those cyclists who come from countries that drive on the left side of the road so they are accustomed to passing on the right.

I used to try to get out of the way but often found myself actually stepping into the path of an oncoming cyclist. So whenever I hear a cyclist coming I just stop and stand still. They can see me and they know which direction they are going. That’s my strategy.

There is a different question of whether or not cyclists should even be allowed on the camino.

A few feet before this picture was taken the path was half the width and two bicyclists came through with very little warning. It was a little scary.

But back to the question. In his book Off the road: a modern-day walk down the pilgrim’s route into Spain, Jack Hitt has a discussion with Claudy, a Flemish man. Claudy is insistent that bicyclists are cheaters on the camino. Then Jack brings up people who ride horses…

or have donkeys to carry their packs…

Claudy snorts and says, “That is tradition.” End of argument.

I have a lot of respect for the bicyclists. Just look at the elevation profiles and imagine cycling up those hills. I just wish there was an easier way to know they’re coming.

Buen Camino

A WEEK DOWN

6 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 7

Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

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.

Buen Camino

A BETTER DAY

7 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 8

Santo Domingo to Belorado

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

I stamped it upside down and had to squeeze in another right side up 😄

15 miles today

A WEEK DOWN

6 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 7

Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

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.

Buen Camino

BEING THE BLESSING

4 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 5

Logrono to Navarette

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

And had very good food

I don’t know why the stamp doesn’t say El Figon, but there it is 😊

10.6 miles today

Buen Camino

THE WORD OF THE DAY IS BLESSING

3 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 4

Los Arcos to Logrono

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.

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 WORD OF THE DAY IS TORRENTIAL

2 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 3

Estella to Los Arcos

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.

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.”

Buen Camino

ALTO DE PERDON

August 30, 2023

Midway from Pamplona to Puenta La Reina

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.

THE ON RAMP TO THE CAMINO

31 august 2023, camino 3, day 1

Pamplona to Puenta la Reina

17.65 miles from rising to bed

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