A Captain’s Camino

Eight days of walking so made a short day today – only 18 km and 4 hours. Of course, the route had to have three demanding hill sections early on, but overall a good walk.

The weather is gorgeous, sunny, 70s, with a moderate wind that was not in our faces today. So the scenery ended up beautiful, as well. Groves of olive trees, vineyards, others fruit trees, just an amazing array.

Albergues (or hostels) along the way are generally clean, neat, and cheap. The albergue last night was 6 Euro, less than $7.00. Tonight’s is 8 Euro plus 1 Euro for a sheet and pillow case (both disposable).

Most have bunk beds to hold more pilgrims. The mattresses and pillows are vinyl for easy cleaning, not very thick, and not particularly comfortable. But our tired and aching bones and muscles generally don’t care. We just want a hot shower (usually happens if you get it early), a place to lie down, and no bedbugs!

You’ll usually see the typical pilgrim doing the “starfish” after their shower and cleans clothes – spreadeagled on the bed – and hoping the Motrin kicks in!

All have sinks for washing your clothes by hand; some have a pay as you go washer and dryer, too. About 5 Euro to wash/dry a load.

Extra thought: I’m friends with 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.

Just some shots of the beautiful church last night.

Extra thought: For chemists, alcohol is not a problem, it’s a solution.

A beautiful, comfortably warm day with no rain in sight!

Five hours today and the terrain was not too bad. The weather…a different story. Rainy, windy, and chilly. Unfortunately, the wind was in our face (15-20 mph) all morning and didn’t get to see a lot. When you have on your pack, floppy hat, and poncho, all you see is the brim of your hat and 3 feet ahead!

I’m still trying to warm up and we arrived at the albergue more than an hour ago. At least the sun is out now and I’m “sunning” myself to warm up!

Stopped at another trailer stand in the middle of nowhere. Good drinks, snacks, and food, and they were blasting 80s rock songs and dance anthems! I’ll bet they love checking their back account as the only game in town (boondocks)!

Along the route today was also a famous free wine stop for pilgrims! You can fill your bottle with wine or water. Admittedly, the wine has not been aged much (maybe a week? 🙂 ), but it’s free and pretty cool.

This albergue actually has a washer and dryer! So, no hand washing for me tonight, although I’m just washing in water with no soap. Putting on something out of the dryer sounds wonderful!

As I’ve said, there are many nationalities on the Camino. An observation so far is that the South Korean pilgrims are collectively: the least willing to try Spanish, the most aggressive (lines, accommodations, etc.), and the most likely to stay in their nationality group. Must be cultural, but they are pretty different from all other pilgrims so far.

And then the laundry is done, hot shower completed, and resting in my bunk before heading out to dinner at 7:00 pm. Such a life! And the warm shirt from the dryer was heaven sent! Little luxuries…

Extra thought: Tried to grab the fog; I mist.

It is amazing – the beauty of the town I’m staying in tonight!

Actually, the same thing happens everyday…whatever town has a bed for me and that means I can stop walking…that is the most beautiful town in the world!

Extra thought: My mood ring is missing, and I don’t know how I feel about that.

Only a 5 hour trek today – yahoo! Now at Estella, a pretty town with a magnificent old town section. But just not like the beautiful, clean, smaller villages dotted around the countryside.

The day started crystal clear and a bit warmer. We were on the trail by 7:00 am, and sunrise at our back was spectacular.

Similar scenery to yesterday and just as beautiful along the trail.

There is a fence along the route where people fashion crosses from sticks and place them in the fence. Hard to see in a photo, but moving on person.

Estrella old town is amazing as shown on the photos.

And I have now traveled over 100 kilometers, much of it mountainous or hilly. Looking forward to some flat ground at some point.

No pilgrim meal tonight. Another pilgrim and I opted for pizza! Stuffed and now off to sleep. Buen Camino!

Extra thought: Ban pre-shredded cheese; make America grate again.

What do you do if you have tired feet? Keep walking.

What do you do if your back is aching? Keep walking.

What do you do if you are thirsty? Keep walking.

That’s the Camino. Keep walking.

But who would have thought that a 500 mile walk would require so many steps? Go figure.

The good thing for me so far – zero foot problems! (Just knocked on wood)

Extra thought: Life is short. If you can’t laugh at yourself, call me, I will.

After a scenic and what seemed like a long slog today, I arrived in Punta la Reana, a beautiful village (like every other). I had a prebooked bed in an albergue that was “just on the far side of the village across the river.” Sounded great, makes for an easy start tomorrow morning heading out if town.

After crossing another stunning and very high arched Roman bridge, the walk to the albergue proved to be a serious uphill 3/4 mile “stroll” from the bridge…and following the end of a tough 15 mile walk from Pamplona! Aches and pains abound among the pilgrims tonight!

Fortunately, the place is nice, has great shower, laundry, and clothesline facilities, provides dinner and breakfast, has a beautiful pool (mountain stream cold, but very refreshing), and gorgeous views in all directions.

Hopefully, peace and quiet will reign and we will all have a restful night of body-renewing sleep. I’m already feeling better today so the meds are helping, but rest will be welcome.

The weather again today was between 45 and 75 degrees, sunny, and low humidity, pretty typical and very easy to appreciate! If I ever post that the weather is boringly the same day after day, slap me! It is glorious and makes life easier for pilgrims.

The scenery since coming out of the Pyrenees is very much like Southern California. Scrub grasses, pines, sycamores, brown fields – all combine to make for very pleasant scenery. And every new village is stunningly clean, quiet, and welcoming.

So far, prices have been very reasonable for every thing. The beer and wines are excellent, meals good and filling, and the albergues all comfortable.

One thing that is prevalent, but surprising, are many electric bikes on the Camino. I certainly knew you could walk, bike, or ride a horse on your Camino, but I didn’t expect electric bikes. Really a boost for those long uphill parts of the route, but the prices for the beautiful electrics that I’ve seen in shops are also steep – from $1,000 to $5,000! Serious money!

And finally, my clinic visit yesterday in Pamplona seems to be helping. I’m feeling better today and I hope another good night will be the cure. So I’m off for a nap before dinner!

Extra thought: I call my horse mayo and sometimes mayo neighs.

Had a nice Saturday evening in Pamplona … everyone in the streets and some type of festival going on. Here are a few Pamplona shots:

A thought: I scream. You scream. The police come. It’s awkward.

Thirteen miles into Pamplona today and not a bad trail/walk. My feet are tired and my hips ache a bit, but that will subside this evening. Of course, the same aches will come back tomorrow, the next day, the day after that, etc. Buen Camino!

The famous (infamous?) running of the bulls is here in Pamplona in July each year so no chance I’ll get gored in September. I do plan to walk those same cobble stone streets though to get a feel for the environment. May need to do a bull run sometime in the future…

Not posting much tonight, I need some sleep. Got some meds from a local clinic today for apparent strept throat and they should kick in fast. More tomorrow from the next stop.

Well, to be frank, I’d have to change my name.

The only animals we have seen so far besides birds, slugs, and lizards are:

Sheep, Cattle, and Horses

While all three of these mammals are well known and prevalent in the U.S., I think the breeds in Spain must be specially bred to produce excess fertilizer! They are all prolific poopers! The evidence is widespread in the mountain areas and all over every pilgrim road or trail. You actually have to concentrate to avoid contact. Now I know why all of the albergues makes pilgrims remove there hiking boots / shoes before entering! I would add a photo, but I expect you can all visualize my meaning well enough…

Whenever I try to eat healthy, a chocolate bar looks at me and snickers.

So…along the route we pass over many “cow catchers” – you know, the small pits at entrances/exits to pastures so that the livestock cannot walk out. You have probably walked over some, too.

Let me tell you…don’t ever cross a cow catcher when you’re using hiking poles. Human feet, especially size 12s like mine, make it over just fine. The tips of hiking poles are really small, meaning they slip easily between the cow catcher grates or pipes quite quickly!

I am really lucky that I caught myself in time when I began to push down on one of my hiking poles as it sank into the pit below! Otherwise, the result would have been broken bones and an abrupt end to my Camino. Whew!!! That was close.

I’m a bit surprised some lawyer hasn’t sued to have a warning placed on all hiking poles! “NEVER USE ENTERING OR LEAVING GRAZING AREAS!” Every other product has more legal warnings than directions for use. I guess I’ll just have to rely on common sense next time. 😉

Forget world peace, visualize using your turn signal.

On Wednesday, I also spent several hours having lunch and beers with a delightful South African couple, Chris and Mariette.  Super interesting talking about US and South African politics, family, life, etc.  Chris is my age and now retired, was in the South African Army before the apartheid changes, and then in law enforcement.

Chris and Mariette had stayed in a different town just after Roncesvalles where I stayed last night. When I was walking through that village this morning, they were waiting out front of their albergue.

They had been informed that Mariette’s 85 y/o father had suffered 2 heart attacks and was in the hospital on a ventilator. They were leaving the Camino to rush back to South Africa To be with him.

Mariette gave me a stone that her Father had given to place Her to Cary on the Camino. Pilgrims often place stones from home at the Cruz de Ferro. It’s an ancient Roman cross along the route at which pilgrims leave small stones of remembrance, with important messages or meanings, or to symbolically leave their burdens behind.

I will place her stone at the base of the cross, along with the stone Alivia painted for me, and say a prayer for her Father and the family.

I hope that can restart their Camino journey in the future and that I will see them both again

What I if told you

You read the top line wrong.

Left Roncesvalles at 7:30 am on the way to Zubiri, about 12-13 miles and moderate terrain. Somehow misplaced my Costco sun hat (Rats! Although I’m a sailor, I couldn’t say anything stronger about the loss/theft since I was in a monastery). Easy to replace and since the weather is cool today and we’re walking westbound, the sun won’t be much problem. I’ll grab a new hat on Saturday in Pamplona.

Half the trail today was rustic, with some paving and stamped concrete thrown in. Not a hard walk, but my hips a sore. May break out the ibuprofen tonight for the first time.

Lots of small and very picturesque villages along the way. A few shops open here and there catering to pilgrims and the bread…OMG, the bread. It may be the biggest reason I ever travel to Europe, and Spain has fabulous bread. And meats, cheeses, etc. Always something for a good pilgrim lunch. The Spanish economy must gain a great deal from the couple hundred thousand pilgrims that pass through each year.

And the pilgrims do show up from everywhere! So far: USA, France, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Italy, and Spain – just those I’ve talked to so far!

Didn’t know or didn’t remember that there were magpies in Spain, but we’ve seen their distinct black and white features many times already. Along with huge Griffon vultures. Otherwise no wildlife so far.

Anyway, I made it to Zubiri in 5 hours, arriving at 12:30 pm, and without a place to sleep. But the Camino provides! We knew that the town was mostly booked up, and the municipal albergue was under renovation. That left few options, but to walk to the next town or after to find lodging.

As I walked through the town with another Camino friend today, Brad, a retired Navy Captain of my vintage from California. We were passing what just looked like an apartment building when a man pulled up, unlocked a door, with a small “Albergue” sign on the side of the building. We asked if he had rooms and he proceeded to open what appeared to be a garage for and – voila! – a reception desk! He had a few reservations, but still about 10 beds left. Turns out it was an albergue, just not well marked or well advertised or it would have been full, too. We were blessed to be in the exact right place at the right time. We gratefully do not have to walk another 5-6 miles to find an open room.

So after unloading our packs, we had a nice sandwich and LARGE beer for lunch. Now siesta before sightseeing and a peregrino dinner somewhere.

Some people are wise; some are otherwise.