Catching the bus to Sahagun

We got up this morning and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel, although the group of Spanish students who had arrived late last night slowly emerged and the waitress seemed even more frazzled than yesterday.

We packed and kept thinking that someone was knocking on our door, but it was the teachers with the group who were trying to get the kids in the room next to ours to get up.

An easy walk to the bus station, and then a wait for the bus to drive, and another one for the driver to take his break, but just after 10:30 the bus pulled out, and it was with heavy heart that I said "goodbye" to Burgos.

I was really pleased that we had bought our tickets when we did, because a couple of people tried to buy their ticket with the driver, but all the seats had been sold, and we had numbered seats.  The boys were behind me, and I had an aisle seat.  The seat next to me was taken by a lady who was very quiet.  The bus was equipped with its own wifi, and I was able to blog and post whilst traveling.  It was definitely a luxury bus!

There were serval stops en route, and early on a family with a very loud child got on - a child with one of those vices that you just can't ignore.  I hope when I travelled with my children when they were much younger that I did a better job than that family.  The boys tried to ignore it by watching the film "Taken 2" with Spanish subtitles, because the volume was off.

After several more stops we reached Sahagun, and were relieved both to get away from that child, and also to get our backpacks out.  A short walk took us past the bull ring and into town.  The albergue here is a former church.  The lady had just left, but the side door was open and we were told that it was ok to grab a bed and then pay when she came back after siesta time.  So that is what we did.  The room is divided into cubicles with 8 bunk beds, with basic kitchen and bathrooms at the top of the stairs.  We ate our sandwiches, rested and then I went and registered us.  Later, we went out to a supermarket and the boys cooked dinner.  

I think we will try to have an early night, because although the walk is not a long one tomorrow, it is a couple of days since we have walked, and it could be difficult to get back into it!

Exploring Burgos part 2

Our second day in Burgos began leisurely, with breakfast at 8:30 rather than 6am!

We then got the bus out to La Cartuja de Miraflores, and Carthusian monastery with an amazing history and artwork.  This took up most of the morning, but was totally worth it.  The alabaster carving commissioned by Isobel la Catolica for her parents is beautiful.  The wood carving of the choir stalls is intricate, detailed and each one is different, although they give the impression of being the same.  I can not really describe the beauty because it is also tied to the sense of peace and serenity that pervades the monastery.  We left in awe.

A short walk down the hill took us to the bus stop, and very soon along came a bus back to the centre of Burgos.  A good public transport system that is well-patronized is also a wonderful thing.

 Lunch in the Plaza Mayor, and then a siesta, and a final walk to find a supermarket before a supper of pinchos.  We have so far left the 2 bottles of the liquid wash-everything soap, and a bottle of shampoo and body wash that we were given, and so we needed something to wash with.  We also bought fruit for lunch the next day.

We had some splendid pinchos again, and some meat and fish skewers.  I could eat my way round Burgos.   We finished off with chocolate con churros again, and the owners gave the boys some extra.  When we walked back to the hotel, the streets were empty- everyone was watching the game, Spain v Italy, so all the bars with big televisions were packed.  We watched the game in the hotel, and then went to sleep, knowing that we were going to catch the bus to Sahagun in the morning and begin walking againq

Exploring Burgos

The first thing we did when we left the albergue was get breakfast in the cafe opposite.  We chatted with some of the people we had met, who were continuing on, and then went down to the hotel.  Our room was already available, so we dropped off the backpacks and headed for the bus station.  Jonathan worked out the automatic ticket machine while I waited in line.  He was faster, and we soon had our tickets booked and seats selected for Friday.

We were then going to visit the Cartuja de Miraflores, but decided to do the Cathedral instead. It is one of the most beautiful buildings, both inside and out.  The small entry fee included the audio guide, which was fascinating.  The history of the Cathedral is closely linked to the monarchs of Castilla y Leon, and also had the tomb of El Cid.  Some of the architecture and artwork are breathtaking and we were amazed by it.  We spent a long time just looking and listening.

After a late lunch and a siesta we decided to visit one of the other churches, only to find that it was shut, so we went up to the castle instead.  The castle has a long history which was fascinating to read.  It also gives a splendid view out over Burgos and we were really glad we had gone up there.  

Dinner that night was a 10 euro pilgrim menu, we all chose the soap castellana, and then each had a different main dish - I had the trout, which was delicious - and then homemade flan or rice pudding, all washed down with wine or water, and bread, included in the price.  A walk back through the old town to the hotel settled our dinner, and we were soon  asleep.

Pictures of the cathedral 

Arriving at Burgos

There was no breakfast at San Juan de Ortega, so we quickly covered the distance to Ages, the  next village we had almost walked to the day before.  There were a couple of bars open for breakfast, one of which was small and crowded and slow, so we went up to the next one, which was part of the municipal albergue.  It was open, light, clean and well appointed, with a great-looking pilgrim menu for the evening meal.  There were several people having breakfast, who we had chatted to at various times on the way, including a crazy Spanish girl who hugged us and asked about Nico's blisters.  I wish I knew her name, she is very funny, friendly and so full of energy and life.  Anyway ,we stopped for breakfast and decided that if we were to do this again, then this albergue would make a great place to stay.

Ezra joined us for breakfast, by now she was moving very slowly and we have been trying to persuade her to take a few days off and get the bus for a couple of stages to let her feet recover.  It is what we have decided to do once we reach Burgos.  There is so much to see in Burgos, and the buses are cheap and reliable, and sleeping beyond 5:30am is very appealing to 2 teenage boys (and their mum!).  Anyway, breakfast was over, so we picked up our backpacks and walked on.

It was sunny, but the wind had a definite chill to it, so we kept our jackets on.  The way followed the road for a while and then turned off on to path and up a hill that got steeper and rockier the higher we climbed.  We walked past a huge herd of shorn sheep and were warned to keep away from them by 2 barking dogs, and still we climbed.  Suddenly there was a large cross at the top of the hill, and on the other side, our first view of Burgos.  The wind was still blowing strongly, and even with the sun, it was chilly as we began our descent towards Burgos.  The Way is generally well- marked, but there are several divergent paths and routes to take here, and we ended up taking one.  It turned out to be serendipitous, as we came across a village with wonderful tortillas and excellent facilities just at the right time, but it did mean walking along road for quite a stretch.  I will take road walking for the benefits of that bar/ cafe, where the owner was so friendly.

Feeling refreshed and relieved, we walked on, and again missed a turning, so had to backtrack.  By doing so we also helped some other walkers find the right path.  We walked around the outside of the airport, and reached the village of Castanares, just outside Burgos.  Again, there were options: walk along the road, follow the river path which is tricky to find, or take a bus in to the centre.  Just as we crossed the road, the bus turned up to loop around to the bus stop that was almost in front of us.  Decision made - for 1euro we got the bus into Burgos and saved ourselves a good hour of walking.  We quickly picked up the Camino again, and arrived at the large municipal albergue close to the cathedral.  We checked in, got to our beds, and unrolled our sleeping bags.  After showering and showing the boys how to work the washing machine, we went out for a light lunch.  After a nap, we found the tourist office, and then investigated a couple of hotels to find accommodation for 2 nights. The albergues are set up for single night stays only, and you have to have your pilgrim credential to stay.  We found a really nice hotel, Norte y Londres (North and London) and the man at the desk was friendly and helpful, and so we booked it, no credit card reservation, no deposit, and turn up the next morning and they would either store our backpacks or let us have the room if it was ready. With that sorted, we went back to the albergue, the boys finished the washing, and also helped the young Korean girl with how to get her clothes washed using the machine.  Then we went out for a supper of pinchos, followed by chocolate and churros for dessert,which was the perfect way to end the day

San Juan de Ortega

We started out late, but the pg tips for breakfast were worth it.  I should add that there was free tea and coffee once we had checked in at the albergue yesterday, another reason why it was so welcoming!  Again, walking was good, and we made good progress.  The boys kept on saying they could continue, so it was close to 11am when we stopped for either second breakfast or early lunch. The sandwiches at El Pajaro in Villafranca Montes de Oca are wonderful, so good, in fact, that we bought extra for the boys and had them wrapped for later.  The walk up to this point had been fairly level, but we soon had to climb a very steep hill, that seemed to go on forever.  

At the top of the hill was a very simple, yet moving memorial to the earliest victims of the Civil War.  Several young men of the village had protested the military coup led by Francisco Franco in 1936, had been arrested, taken to this isolated place and shot.  There were fresh flowers in a vase.  It was a powerful reminder of the futility of war.

After a few moments of reflection, we continued down at steep slope and up an even steeper hill.  The path widened and we were walking through a pine forest.  It was sunny, but there was enough shade, and we kept walking without realizing how far we had gone.   Suddenly the path turned a corner and there was the very small village of San Juan de Ortega, our destination.  We hadn't even had lunch.  We stopped at the bar next to the albergue attached to the church and thought about continuing.  The boys ate their sandwiches, and I split some of my beer. Part of us wanted to walk on and in some ways I wish we had, but in others, I am by glad we stayed.  The dormitories were upstairs, and one led to another.  The beds were not numbered, so we just had to find beds that had not been claimed.  I showered and then curled up to sleep.  The boys showered, their water was hot, mine was cold.

We attended the mass and pilgrims' blessing, which was not so moving, but still interesting, and went to the bar for dinner.  Ezra joined us again, and Jonathan tried morcilla for the first time (Spanish black pudding), which he loved.  Ezra and the boys then went down to the river, and I chatted to the barman for a while.  It was getting chilly, so we had an early night.  It was so cold in the albergue that the radiators were on.  The boys put their damp clothes over a radiator to dry.  I had the best night's sleep so far, because it was cold.

We were actually up early and out before the majority of the others in the albergue the following morning, and on the way to Burgos.

Another great day (day/stage 10)

Once again, we were late leaving the albergue.  We had shared breakfast with Ezra, who was still struggling with blisters.  We had colacao (hot chocolate) and she had eggs.  As we were leaving the albergue, another pilgrim was trying to arrange for her backpack to be transported to her next stop.  Yes, for a fee you can have your backpack taken to your choice of albergue at your next stop.  It helps if you speak Spanish and know the name of the albergue you are going to, but we got it sorted, and then got our boots on and set off.   The weather was good, some cloud cover, but not too hot.  With a good breakfast we made good progress, and only had to stop for "comfort breaks".  For some reason we had bought enough bread to make sandwiches, which we ate as we walked through the fields of wheat, vineyards and along minor roads.  It just felt good to be walking.

There were 5 albergues in the town we were heading for, and Jonathan had chosen one that looked good in the guide book.  The first one we came to was outside town, and looked huge and uninviting.  We walked on and arrived at the second, Santa Maria, next to the church, in a converted theatre.  Outside, the girl whose backpack we had helped send on, was sitting.  The backpack had arrived safely at the third albergue, where we were heading.  She had collected it, but said the albergue itself  had a bad vibe. At that moment, Ezra appeared,  and the hospitalero, a delightful man named Pierre, from Luxembourg also appeared and welcomed us warmly. We stayed.  The albergue was very quirky, but had an air of peace and calm.  It was Sunday, so all the shops were shut, but there was a Mass in the church next door at 6:30, followed by a special blessing for pilgrims, to which we were invited.  After the mass, we moved to a side chapel, and the priest welcomed us all, shook everyone's hand and asked where we were all from.  He then gave all of us a sheet of paper in our respective languages, and also asked one person from each language to read a little of the history and reasons for walking.  I read the English, and others read inn French, German and Italian. We then shared verses of the prayer in our respective languages.  It was very moving.

I had earlier had a wonderful conversation with Pierre, and there were few people staying, so it was all very calm.  The other hospitalero, Helene, was also by helpful, and got out a huge first aid kit for Ezra, to clean her blisters.  After the service and blessing, we went with Ezra to the clinic to have a nurse check her feet.  It was a bit stressful for her, but the nurse finally dressed them, and then we went for dinner.  A glass or two of Rioja helped ease the pain, and we had a great evening with laughter and fun.

Back at the albergue, the boys discovered that no one else had checked in, so they were able to sleep on the bottom bunks.  We all slept pretty well, and had a good breakfast, included in the cost, the following morning.  Once again we were the last to leave, but it did mean that we saw Pierre and  Helene, and were able to thank them again for a wonderful albergue.

A golf course and a concert

We were among the last to leave the albergue. Once again I was called upon to help with translating. A young Asian walker had left his clothes on the outside line to dry ,and the albergue volunteer had brought them in, leaving them on a bench inside, so they wouldn't get stolen. The walker had not seen the clothes and was getting very upset, the volunteer could not make himself understood, so asked me to show him where his clothes were. The volunteer was upset because the walker did not seem the least bit grateful that his clothes were inside and dry, in fact he appeared angry that his clothes had been moved.  I wonder how much more upset he would have been had they really been stolen!

The walk out of Najera was pretty steep, and confirmed my view of the place. It is just not that pretty.  However, as we reached the top of the hill, it seemed as if the whole of Spain was opening up to us.  The weather was clearing, and walking was good.  We arrived at the next village quite quickly it seemed, and took a short break before the 7.5km walk to the next village.

The guide book we are using is not always very clear.  We came up a hill past a rather swanky golf course, and the book said that a little further on was a cafe/bar.  We walked on about half a km but didn't see it.  By now, it was hot and we were all ready for lunch, so we walked back to the golf club house and bought the smallest sandwiches ever.  The facilities were, of course, pristine, but the service was rather snooty.  The whole area seemed to be weekend apartments, and was rather like a modern ghost town.  

Refreshed from lunch, we continued on, and then, of course, came upon the cafe/bar of the guide book, at least a km further up the road.  However, we had already eaten, and still had about 6km to go before reaching our destination of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.  There are 2 albergues in Santo Domingo - the first one is run by Cistercian nuns, and looked very tranquil, but we had decided to stay in the one further min toward the town, the Casa del Santo.  We entered and after a brief conversation, one of the volunteers asked me which part of Spain I was from!  Although the albergue was very big, it felt very spacious and quiet after the previous night.  We found our beds, showered, hand washed our clothes and hung then to dry.  We then took a nap before going out to buy bread and sandwich filling and look for a place to eat supper.  We also met up with Ezra again, who was still suffering with bad blisters.  

We got food for breakfast and lunch the next day, and then looked around the cathedral.  There is an interesting story about the cathedral, and there are 2 cockerels kept in a special henhouse actually inside the cathedral .  While we were there, a group of musicians began warming up for a concert that evening.  They sounded so good that the boys and I decided to get tickets.  It was a great surprise to find out that the concert was free.  

We went to supper, another wonderful meal, and then to the concert - a string chamber orchestra with students from a University in Bilbao.  It was wonderful.  The acoustics in the cathedral were superb, and my frayed nerves were calmed.  It was a very special way to end a day's walk, and the boys and I really enjoyed the concert.  Several other pilgrims/walkers were also at the concert, which last an hour.   We walked back to the albergue quickly, because of the 10pm curfew, with the music from the concert still fresh in our minds.  

Stage 8 - a very long walk

The walk from Logrono to Najera is a very long one - some 30 km.  After the beautiful sunny afternoon and evening of the day before, today started out cold,misty, drizzly, and then the rain began as we trudged on.  As we left the outskirts of Logrono, the wind picked up making the rain ponchos rustle even more.  About 5kms outside Logrono is a nature park and reservoir.  I am sure that in the sunshine it is beautiful, but today it looked grey and tired. We walked along past the fishermen huddling under their umbrellas, and came to the Cafe del Tio Juarvi - an oasis of dry, with clean facilities.  Time for coffee,but not second breakfast.!  

As we were about to leave, a fellow walker let out an expletive,and was obviously upset.  She couldn't find her phone, and had unpacked everything looking for it.  She had left it in the albergue/pension in Logrono, 5 km back.  Acting as an interpreter, I liaised with the bar owner to call the number to try to locate it.  Then I liaised again to call the albergue to see if it had been found.  Knowing that we still had 25 km to go, I did not want to stop for too long, so as we moved on, I wished her luck and thanked the barman for his help.

In the next town we stopped for second breakfast, and I looked for a shop to buy bread and filling for lunch.  There was nothing on the way, and I didn't to go too far off route. I went back and got the boys, hoping that we would pass by a shop on the way out of the town.  No such luck.  The rain had eased off, and walking was easier, but it was still a long way without food, so we took the detour and went into the next village.  There we found a bar and settled  down for Serrano ham sandwiches, knowing that wee still had just over 11 km to go.  

The walk on to Najera was pleasant enough, through more vineyards , but Najera itself is not a pretty town, and the outer edges, before we got to the old town, were decidedly scruffy.  Also, as it was siesta time everything was shut.  We finally got to the bridge to turn to the albergue ( which was clearly marked) and were accosted by a kid trying to direct us/lead us there and push a certain restaurant.  He tried Spanish, French, German, and English as I tried to ignore him.  The albergue was small and cramped, but the volunteer worker was friendly and we checked in.  I gathered up the wet clothes from yesterday,and today's dirty things and goth them in one forth the washing machine.   The boys went to sleep. 

There were several groups of people we had previously met and because of the location, I decided to find a shop and cook our evening meal ... Big mistake.  The supermarket was at least 1 km back, the kitchen and most of the utensils and plates were monopolized by another family, I was also trying to do  laundry and not fall asleep.  Needless to say, I had a bit of a meltdown.  An unnecessary comment and a false apology pushed me over the edge.  I went to bed early and then kept others awake with my snoring.  Payback can be such a .... at times!

Logrono and pinchos

Having walked a little further yesterday, the walk to Logrono was considerably shorter, and somewhat easier.  Breakfast, as previously said, was fresh coffee, bread and jam, and Madeline cakes, or Magdalena's.  We walked through rolling hills and vineyards, and although the clouds were dark and low, it didn't rain and the scenery was beautiful.  There were one of two steep inclines, but on the  whole it was a pleasant walk.

We reached Viana, and stopped for "second breakfast".  We have become hobbits!  Second breakfast is usually coffee, tea or colacao (hot chocolate) and a serving of tortilla de patata ( Spanish potato omelet).  Again, we met several other walkers who we had met previously, and the cry of  "buen Camino" or "have a good walk" is a constant.  It was a little chilly, but the food was warming, and we soon continued.   Viana was full of school children trying out their English, and I surprised them with some Spanish and their teacher seemed rather impressed.

We  were quickly out of Viana,and once more walking through the rich red dirt and the vineyards of Rioja.  The path leveled out and the walking was easy.  We arrived in Logrono before the albergue opened.  I went to checkout the other albergue,but decided to stay where we were.  The dormitories were crowded, with the bunks closely packed, but I was in one corner, and had a little extra room to put my backpack.  We showered, washed clothes and went to find a bank and somewhere to eat .  That bank was a good walk away, and walking back, there was a kebab shop.  We were so hungry that fast food was needed, and it was not too bad.

Back at the albergue,was had a rest, and then got ready to go out to eat.  Jonathan wanted to try the cafe/restaurant recommended in the guide book, but as we were leaving, Maricruz, the lovely Spanish lady from a couple of days ago invited us to join her and her family for pinchos, so we did.  Pinchos arer a wonderful Spanish tradition of going from one bar to another, having a drink and eating a small snack.  It was wonderful.  Nico and Jonathan soon got into the idea and began to speak some Spanish as well.  We had a wide variety of pinchos, and the time flew by.  We had to keep and eye on the time, as the albergues close and lock their doors at 10pm,  so that pilgrims who rise early are not disturbed.

We were back at just before lights out, and went happily to bed.

Stage 6 and some of the people we have met

We woke early again - at about 5:30 - and very quietly packed out bags and went upstairs for a breakfast of coffee/hot chocolate, orange juice and packet toast, margarine and jam in the Sports centre bar.  You had to prepay for this, when you arrived, and you couldn't just buy coffee, as the German man found out. I shared my jug of coffee with him, which we both agreed was earth Ike sludge!

We were out of the albergue/sports centre by 6 :40 and walking through the last bit of suburb, back to the wine fountain, and beyond.   Back in Larrasoana, we had met a couple from Sidcup, of all places, and we met them again today.  They were only going as far as Logrono, but were intrigued by the wine fountain. We walked with them that far, but then left them there as I had already sampled the wine, and drinking that early didn't really appeal.  It was sill overcast and a bit drizzly, but the rolling hills of northern Spain are beautiful ,and were also gradually giving way to more and more vineyards as we entered La Rioja country.

We mad really good progress, and before we knew it we had reached the guidebook's suggested stop at lunchtime.  We stopped in the main square and had lunch in a small cafe, but as it was good walking weather, we decided to continue on to the next village before stopping for the night - only another 7 kms!

The final km was up a rather steep slope, but as we turned the corner, we heard a shout of "hi" and it was Ezra, a NewZealander we had met earlier.  We got checked in, and cropped our backpacks by our beds, and met Lisa, a young Swede, who had been in the sports centre the night before.  This albergue, in Torres del Rio, did not have a kitchen, but for 10 Euros, their sister restaurant did a very good 3 course meal which included wine and bread.

The boys decided to have a rest ,so I sat outside and chatted with Ezra, while she ate her salad.  Then the lady opened up the church, so we went to see it.  It was rather interesting ,and it was built in an octagonal form.  As we were leaving, the Sidcup couple appeared, and I took them down to the restaurant, so they could buy their dinner tickets, and we and a glass of wine.

At 7pm we went back down for dinner, which was great, and as we were enjoying our main course, the kind Spanish lady and her family arrived.  They are walking with a 6 month old baby!

It was a very enjoyable meal with great company and good wine.  Then it was back to the albergue for lights out at 10 pm. We sleep in bunk beds with at least 8 to a room, and shared facilities.  Sadly, that night, there were a couple of really loud snorers next to me - so loud that I could actually here them throughout the closed door when I got up to go to the loo!  I know that I snore as well, so I feel for the others in that room!

We had paid for breakfast when we booked in, and it was rather busy, but better that the day before.  The coffee was fresh, as was the bread, with butter rather than margarine, so we were well nourished when we set off the next morning, for stage 7 and Logrono.

El Fuente de Vino (day/stage 5)

We woke to rain the following morning, which seemed to have eased off after breakfast, but returned as we reached the bridge at the far end of town, after which the town is named.  Out came the plastic rain ponchos again, and we walked on.  I wish I could say that the countryside was beautiful, but it is a little difficult to enjoy it, when the rain is blowing in your face, the wind is driving down and also causing the plastic to rustle so loudly in your ears that you can't even carry on a conversation.  Fortunately,however, the rain eased and then stopped, and we were able to dry out and put the ponchos away.

We decided to walk past the main albergue in Estella, to the one the other side of town .  It was a stranger place, part of the local sports complex, which was being rebuilt. So when we arrived, there was a lot of noise! However, the welcome was warm, and there were only 5 other pilgrims staying there,so it was very quite.

One of the reason to do this was to go to the Fuente de Vino, or Fountain of Wine.  Yes, there really is a fountain on the way, where you can get a drink of wine.  It is by a monastery where the monks used to make wine and also host. Pilgrims. Sadly, the monastery closed due to lack of novitiate ex, but the. Winery, or Bodega is still making wine, and so the mayor decided to reintroduce the fountain as it is part of the history of El Camino.  Yes, I did have a drink there! 

Leaving Pamplona (day 4)

From Pamplona we have done a lot of walking,with limited access to Internet connection. However, we are still alive and are currently in Burgos, birthplace and final resting place of El Cid. But more of that later.

The walk from Pamplona to Puente la Reina was tough. The weather closed in and by the time we arrived at the outskirts of Pamplona it was raining and chilly.  We put on the cheap plastic ponchos, which kept us dry, but also made us very warm.  At one point, at a very steep hill, I stopped to catch my breath, and a very kind Spanish lady offered me her walking pole. I need to add here ,that in Pamplona we had bought a couple of walking poles, but of course,the boys had then, and by now they were half way up the hill.  I. Took it reluctantly at first, but then realised how helpful it actually was , and made it to the top, where I waited to return the pole and thank the kind pilgrim who had helped me out.  We continued on through the wind and rain, and eventually reached a tiny village called Lorca where we stopped and had coffee and tortilla de patata, and a chance to dry off and change shirts.  My "guardian angel" from earlier, arrived a little after us, Andy ad delighted to see us still in one piece, and continuing on in good spirits.

The weather began to clear and the rest of the day was uneventful. We arrived at an albergue, checked in, and I decided to brave some cooking.  The supermarket was pretty good and we ate well. We were pretty tired, and soon turned in for and early night, as we knew that there was much more walking to do!

On to Pamplona

I got up the next morning and made really great chorizo omelets for breakfast.  I love fresh chorizo.  In fact this whole blog could be one long menu of food! However, it is also about the experiences of walking a Pilgrim's Route across Spain, so I'd better focus. This morning we said goodbye to Carol, as she is attempting to complete the walk in fewer days, so she needs to walk about 30km per day. I enjoyed her company ,and hope that she makes it.

The walk to Pamplona was relatively easy and uneventful.  The countryside is beautiful, but it did get very hot and sunny. When I say relatively easy, there were a couple of rather steep hills, and the entry into Pamplona itself is up the old gateway, over what would have been the moat, and into the citadel. We arrived at lunchtime, and were fortunate to find a small shop open to buy sandwiches and fruit for lunch. The albergue also had a washing machine that was free to use, so I got all our dirty clothes in as quickly as possible.  Just as well, because soon there was a line of people waiting, and the machines took just over and hour to run their cycle .  It was really hot ,so everything dried without the need of a dryer. We all then had a siesta, before heading out to see the main square.

It was beautiful, and we loved being outside. There is more to explore in Pamplona than we had time for, and now it's lights out in the albergue in Puenta la Reina, so our further adventures will have to wait for another day!

The weird Chinese walker

We were just sitting down in the bar/restaurant for the pilgrim's menu, when there was a commotion outside, and someone asked if I could help translate for someone.  I went outside to see a Chinese guy moaning and wailing on the floor and causing quite s stir.  He seemed inconsolable,exhausted,and barely able to make himself understood. Several people were surrounding him, and it was difficult to understand what exactly was going on.  His story was that he had just walked 40 km, to get to larrosoana, and the albergue was full and he had no where to stay. He looked like he was going to pass out.  People were trying to get him to take some aspirin, drink some fluids and calm down, so he could be better understood.  I was charged with going to the supermarket to see if "my friend" there knew of some alternative accommodation.  I did so, and checked in the nearby Hostel, which was a lot more expensive.  I got back and found that someone had offered to move out ,or share a bed,so he had been taken to the albergue to rest.  I was a little wary of this,especially after the Paris incident,but tried not to worry,and enjoy my garlic soup, fish and rice pudding, but I wanted to get back as I had left the iPad in my backpack.  The story got stranger and stranger.  Apparently he had got lost going over the mountain the day before, slept in a barn, or outhouse, thrown his shoes away because they were too tight.  It was all very odd, and I didn't trust it.

It turns out, that I was right not to, and not to get too involved.  One of the other people had walked with him the following day and his story had changed several times.  It would appear that he was a freeloader, and looking for free food and lodging, taking advantage of the kindness of others who are on this Pilgrim's Way.

Walking on (Day 2)

The correct footwear correctly fitted is everything.  Nico has 2 very sore,burst blisters on each ankle,from not having his boots tied tightly enough on the first day.  We have now bought something to cover them for a while, which is supposed to help with healing as well.   I have a rather large bruised area across the top of my right foor where my boot was laced too tightly, and dug into my foot on every downhill, of which there were many on the second day of the walk.  However, these are surmountable.  I loosened the lacing this morning, and the bruising is already healing.

The walk from Roncesvalles to Larrasoana was long, with stops for breakfast, lunch stuff, snack, water breaks, breathers,  but we made it to our destination.  In the albergue we met up with Carol again, which was fun.  We also met a couple from Sidcup, which was rather a surprise.   Breakfast was not going to happen unless I cooked, so we went to the supermarket, where I got eggs, chorizo and bread for omelet.  Speaking Spanish is a real advantage in these situations, so much so that I was left in charge of the shop,  while the owner went to get the oven fresh bread for us!

Then there was the incident with the Chinese, guy, but that is a story in and of itself!

St. Jean to Roncesvalles

No amount of reading had prepared us for the wind.  We took the advice of the hostel and set and set out as close to 7:30 as possible.  It would have been easier if I hadn't been woken up at 5:45 by the fire alarm which the boys slept through (some help they would have been if there really had been a fire!). Breakfast in the town at half the price of the hotel, and then off, up hill, for a very long way. We had to stop after a little ways to check on Nico's foot - he already had a small blister and his toe was bleeding .  We got out the first aid kit and administered something. A very helpful women stopped to check on us and as we seemed to have it under control, she carried on.  We met up with her again at Orisson, a rest stop/restaurant about 8 km up the first mountain. We got drinks,sandwiches for lunch and had some gateau basque, a local dessert, to fortify us for the next stage.

By now we were above the clouds,and it was getting sunny . We continued on and then the wind started. It was incredibly strong ,and loud, and had not been mentioned in any of the reading I had done.  We couldn't hear each other speak, and I was worried that we might get blown away.  We found a place to stop for lunch, and a very strong gust caught the lens of my sunglasses and out it it flew!  Fortunately one of the boys managed to grab it before it blew away, but it was enough for me it pull out my regular glasses and put a cao on.  This meant that I had to keep my head down,so that the cap didn't blow off either.  A little while later, Nico's cap when flying,but again we managed to catch it before it flew away.  We seemed to climb in the wind forever, but eventually we arrived at the point of descent,which was just as treacherous -very steep, and because of recent rains, very slippery.

The trail went through a thick forest and again, seemed to go on forever.  However,suddenly the forest cleared and we had arrived.  We checked in, showered, washed clothes ,and met up with the lady form earlier. We decided to reserve the same evening meal, and enjoyed a very convivial repast with other pilgrims.  I am very proud of the boys for the way they kept going, and we conquered the mountains!

Finally, St Jean Pied de Port

We finally made it to the start of El Camino.  It was a very stop/start,hurry up and wait journey,but once we finally got to the Pilgrims' Hostel to collect our Credentials, it was all worth it.  Actually the bus ride from Bayonne was worth it.  I haven't been to this part of the world for many years, and I had forgotten just how stunning the scenery it.  The boys, of course, fell asleep!

We had arrived in Bayonne at about 3:30pm, and had to find where to buy the tickets.  Once again I was astounded at how helpful the SNCF girl was as I tried to communicate in schoolgirl French I had learned over 35 years ago.  I got the feeling that they are a little embarrassed by the strikers in Paris,and just want to get on with their jobs. Anyway,she helped me buy and then validate the ticket, so that we were ready to go as soon as the bus arrived, some 2 hours later.  We went for a little stroll, bought some postcards and stamps, sat down for a coffee and wrote the cards.  We also found a post box to send them on their way!

The bus was on time, and we were soon driving through the western Pyrenees and into sunshine.  It felt good.  The walk from the station to the hostel was easy, and we walked past our hotel on the way, so checking in was easy later.  The gentleman in the Accueil was helpful , our Credentials have their first stamp, we each have a Pilgrim's shell and after a good meal, we are set.

I don't know when I'll be able to connect to the Internet and update this again,but tomorrow ... We walk!

The Adventure Begins

To misquote Dickens, it was the best or journeys and the worst of journeys.  We had to start a day early thanks to a strike by French air traffic controllers, and trouble on the trains as well.  We flew in to Heathrow, train to Paddington, tube to St Pancras and Eurostar to Paris.  Although long and incredibly tiring, that was relatively plain sailing, and we seven managed to find a Shepherd Neame pub near St Pancras for a rather good lunch.  Once in Paris, we had to get out to Charles de Gaulle airport, where we had a cheap hotel for the night and were going to get the TGV to Bayonne.  The Paris metro system is notorious for pickpocket, something that I forgot to warn the boys about, and sadly they fell victim to a nasty group, and we lost a phone and a wallet with drivers license.  It was all rather distressing, and filling out a police report was also stressful and time consuming.  Actually, finding a policies officer to get to a police station to give the details was a story in itself. However, we finally got it done, and found out that there had been a similar incident earlier in the day.  Fortunately these things can be replaced , no money was lost, and we finally got to the hotel and to eat about 3 hours later than I had anticipated.

The hotel was cheap - a room with a double bed, and single bunk bed over, and  communal toilet and shower rooms at the end of the hall, and no air conditioning.  Of course, by now, I was in a much heightened state of emotion, and couldn't decide what to do in the morning. Sleep was needed but not forthcoming, and we all tossed and turned through the night.  We had a hotel booked in St Jean Poed de Pont, and also at the airport.  The phone lines were jammed for information about which trains were running, and having decided not to try to travel, having changed my mind again, we packed in10 minutes, got the hotel shuttle and went to the train station.  A train was running, we jumped on it and got to Bordeaux. There was a train to Bayonne an hour later and the person at the information office even called Bayonne station to check on the train to St Jean.  Then across the road for a coffee and dessert ( crime caramel, mousse au chocolate and tarte aux abricots ).  

I am not sure if the boys will get over my dithering , or how well they and I will get over the pick pocketing incident, but we are on our way, and hopefully now, things will get

better. 

A tangential mind

I have a problem.  It's pretty common, I think, but goes by different names, depending on who is talking.  I have what I call either a trivial or a tangential mind.  That is to say, I find that I tend to have very random thoughts at sometimes inappropriate times, and this can lead to strange ideas.   I  have an enormous amount of totally trivial knowledge stored in my brain, that seems to pop up at the weirdest moments.  I also had a huge repository of songs, any one of which could be triggered to play at any moment.  I call this my internal iPod, which at times is amusing, and when I can share the song, is fine, but when I can't, causes people around me to wonder what I am laughing or smiling about.

Sometimes, I have so much going on in there, that I don't know what to do.

Sadly this often results in feelings of being overwhelmed and an ensuing lethargy and procrastination. Others might call this ADD or ADHD and some would even go so far as to suggesting medication.

Today, however, I am actually trying to focus on a couple of things that could be really important. So I am going to try to tame some of the other stuff, focus, and be productive.

 On the other hand. ....

Squirrel!

Time

It's a strange thing, time.  According to Dr. Who " People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." 

Of course, if you don't know who Dr Who is, then that quote means nothing to you.  So go and look it all up!

So, I wrote and published a blog back in October.  I had already written a couple of other "blog-like" pages, and stored them on my computer, not brave enough to publish them.  However, now that I am going on a "Big Adventure" I need to start out again.  I have change the title of the blog (worked out how to!) from Starting Out to In a Round Hole.  I feel the need to explain that a little.  I often feel like the proverbial Square Peg in a Round Hole, being hammered about so that I fit, hence my blogger name.  However, I was not happy when I started, not realising that I had given the whole blog a title, as opposed to the blog I was writing at the time. I also got busy/lazy and was not disciplined enough to keep writing.  

Skip forward to today.  In 3 days I leave for France, to travel to St Jean Port de Pierre and then walk El Camino de Santiago, or The Way of St James, from south west France, across to Santiago de Compostela and I really need to document this trip.  So, I resurrect the blog, and hope that I can work out how to access it on the iPad I will have with me.

The time between then and now has disappeared.  Things have happened, some good, some bad, but I've done my usual "muddle through" and moved on. I am not the most "computerate" of people, but I can type and write, so am hoping for a little bit of success with this.

As one of my favourite films characters said: "To infinity, and beyond" ... well, maybe not to infinity, but the first step is France, and that happens on Wednesday, and I can't wait!