Backpacking Bill

There are surprisingly good places to stay and there are surprisingly bad places to stay. Unfortunately, last night’s accommodations fell into the latter category. The place was disappointing and weird. The huge Buddha statue should have been an indicator of weird but the resident dog, peregrinie,was nice.

Well we are out and on our way. This is going to be a short day, 12.7 km less than 8 miles.Did I say “short”? Today I learned that there are no short days.

I don’t know what was going on in this community. Some were dressed I white with red berets and red kerchiefs around their necks. One guy had a red sash around his waist.  Hesitated to take a photo seemed to me that would be intrusive. Maybe associated with Saint Fermin but this doesn’t seem to be the right day and I didn’t see any bulls to be chased by.

As questionable as last night’s accommodations were, tonight’s more than make up for it.

It is interesting to me to find myself in a large group of people who don’t speak English. We all, for the most part, try to make it work with a few common Spanish words, pointing and sign language.

Walking the Camino is hard. One starts with expectations and dreams. All that being said, you can’t get away from the fact that it is not easy. It’s a pilgrimage, it’s not supposed to be easy.

Last evening we had dinner with two women we had met the day before. They are from the area of my birth,  Northwest Washington State. One of them discovered that she has a back issue and will be limiting walking, maybe need to drop out. This is the second person we encountered that may be dropping out. This is a tough slog. I could not find the words to tell her that there is no shame in stopping, it’s Gods will. Anything I would have said would have sounded perhaps patronizing. We had a great dinner with great company.

This morning we leave for Puenta La Reina. That is after we get back to the place where we leave our luggage. It’s just a 7 minute walk. We had coffee at the drop off place. Met a Dutch woman who was doing ten days on the Camino; traveling alone and carrying her one year old son.

Not looking forward to the walk today. Have to walk over a high ridge, the weather is threatening and the wind is blowing hard. However, the temperature is moderate

Tina was smart. The young woman who owns the place we were staying offered to give her a ride to Pamplona. Tina took her up on the offer.

I, on the other hand, elected to do the walk. Fortunately this was not a bad day, a few hills but mostly downhill. 

Note: This may not look like the most inviting place to load water. However, the Spanish take great pride in the quality of their water. Old sources like these are plentiful and safe.

The guy stationed here during a battle must have been a target

Heck with expensive hotels in Paris or pricey ones in Saint Jean, I had my best night sleep in a Hostel with no private bathrooms bunk beds and only gave you sheets a blanket and a towel on request.

I am writing this at the end of the day. This was a tough one. The guide books say that this is an “easy walk in the woods”. It isn’t. Most of the pilgrims we met reinforced this observation. But, we made it.

However, all that complaining aside, it was a beautiful experience.

Had our first Pilgrim meal. Had salad, bread, main course (I had pork loin, french fries with Pardon pepper) (Tina had pasta Bolognese) a glass of wine and dessert -15.50 €

Met some fellow pilgrims from Italy; had a great conversation even though they didn’t speak English nor we Italian.

Tina recorded a bunch of steps and miles today.

Today we picked up the leg to Burguete. A tough day. More great vistas across the Pyrenees. The price for the great views was a lot of uphill climbing.

Crossing into Spain

The price continues to be paid on the steep trail down to Roncesvalles

Made it to Roncesvalles

Easy few miles to Burguete – Dinner and bed

In cities it seems everyone speaks English. That is not the case in rural Spain.

Our plan is to start the Camino tomorrow. Part of the plan is to skip the greater portion of the first day route. The first day is notorious for being one of the hardest days of the entire trip. I was going to skip this adventure – I am pushing 80 after all. We did not want to cheat ourselves out of this experience. So, today we walked the greater part of the first day’s route – to the Albergue at Orisson. That was an early idea that bit us. It was a killer. Up – up – up.

Taking the high speed TGV train as far as Beyonne then changing to a local to St Jean.

Well, it’s a high speed train as far as Bordeaux. Then the train slows. Like the Acella going through Connecticut. The urban landscape changes quickly to a sprawling agricultural plain after we leave Paris.

Near Bordeaux there starts to be signs of venticulture. Also noticeable is the limestone that is, I understand, important for raising wine grapes.

Made it to Bayonne. Had a little lunch and got on the train.

It is amazing to us to see all the people who smoke and vape in Europe, even in restaurants. Maybe they think they are sophisticated but they are just stinky.

Made it to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Saw my first Camino marker

This is the arch that is the traditional start of the Camino

We took this photo of the arch on the way  back to the hotel from dinner. Unlike Paris, Saint Jean Pied de Port closes up early

This has been a full day indeed.

Went to a Patisserie near our hotel.

Strolled down the Champs Elysees

We took a cruise down the Seine

Had to spend a little time at the Eiffel Tower

Early dinner at a place that a friend of Jim suggested

Took the Metro to Montparnasse

Came back to the hotel and relaxed

Made it to Paris.

Got through French immigration

Ubered to hotel

Had lunch

Crashed

After a couple hours we ventured out.

Stopped at a local place for Happy Hour

We will have an early night tonight

This afternoon we started our adventure. The first leg is a flight to Paris where we have plans to stay two nights.

Got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

We even had time for a Leopold’s Ice cream

Delta to Detroit then Air France to Paris.

Just made it to the next plane, now off to Paris.

I’ll post again tomorrow.