A lot of familiar faces. People are getting into the rhythm of the Camino. It seems harder to pack all my belongings into the backpack every day. It’s the same stuff but it seems to expand. I have most of the things separated into three dry bags: my every day bag; my clothes bag; and the stuff that I won’t use very much like an external Phone battery.
[Yesterday/Sunday] Today’s walk wasn’t as hard. On the trail we had a discussion about Butterflies in 3 languages: English Spanish Italian. Where else is that going to happen?
Last night [Saturday] I stayed in an Albergue in Zubiri. 8 beds. Informal. Much more homey than the dorm at Roncesvalle.
Hard to find an Albergue in Pamplona. Splurged on a hotel. Slept like a baby. I washed my clothes in the shower and managed to flood the bathroom. Hand washing is a pain in the butt. I just know that one of these days I will forget some clothes that are hanging to dry.
Loved Pamplona. Nice tapas dinner at Las Ollas. Good Rioja.
Beautiful city. Beautiful people.
Today/Monday- Stage 4 walking w Lynda and Jenny from Devon England. Lost my Italian friends. Started out alone from Pamplona. Found Lynda and Jenny on the road. Met them in the Albergue in Zubiri. It feels like a big family.
All day I whistled Four Strong Winds. Walking up a hill, Jenny played us a great sea shanty: Nathan Evans Wellerman
Very hard stage today. 25 km. Some climbing. 86 degree heat.
Now in Puenta la Reina. Met Juan and Maria (Dominican Republic via Miami) and Blair and Denise (San Antonio) at the Albergue bar, after the walk, for tapas and drinks. Juan is a physician. He and Denise are helping me with my feet, which are a mess.
One bad toenail and many blisters. You don’t need details. I am very hobbled and sore at the end of each stage. Somehow we all manage to get out there the next day.
Dinner at the hotel tonight with Jenny and Lynda. Nice pilgrim meal with wine for 17 euros. Dinner and lodging: 42 euros. The Camino is a snip! (British slang for a bargain from Lynda).
To everyone reading this: the Camino is an experience in life not to be missed. Find the time. Consider one of the shorter trips doing the last 100 miles
the bear
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