May 31- Hospital de Orbigo to Astorga
We stayed at a funny little albergue last night called the Karl Leister Parroquial Albergue. It was cold but it has a certain atmosphere with a huge mural on the wall. We were in a room with 5 or 6 bunk beds and although we all eeded extra lankets to keep warm, they were available and I think everyone had a good sleep- at least I did. There was one funny thing just before I went to sleep. We were all settling in and one person fell asleep before the rest of us and started snoring really loudly. I sat up to grab some tissue to stuff into my ears at the same time as 3 other people also sat up and reached into their backpacks for earplugs. It looked so funny to see everyone pop up at once that we all had a little laugh and rolled over to go to sleep.
What a beautiful walk today! We finally got off the pavement and off the flatness and headed into small hills. The scenery was beautiful farmland mixed with vacant but flowering fields. Some fields were freshly planted, some were freshly prepared and ready to plants and the wheat fields are all maturing and almost ready to harvest. The grape vines are leafing out and bushes are flowering in yyellow and white. Incidentally, I think I've figured out why everyone is so happy eating so much bread in this part of the world. The wheat fields are generously mixed with poppies and it would be impossible to harvest one without the other. Perhaps that adds a little extra spice to the bread?
This was one of those days when we seemed to bar hop from one spot to the next. (Remember that a bar is also a cafe in Spain:)) we walked 2.2 kilometers and had a cafe con leche and a panini... I know, wrong country, but it was good. Then we walked another couple of kilometers and stopped for an orange. After heading up the hill for 6 or 8 kilometers we suddenly ran into a rather strange but lovely man who lives up on the plain and had about ten kinds of juice, coffee, water, fresh pineapple and watermelon and a bunch of other stuff. He calls his place the Casa de los Dioses - the house of the gods and welcomes everyone to their house. "Come in, this is your house, take what you want, where are you from etc. etc. He seems very happy to see everyone and everyone seems happy to see him. And his watermelon was cold and delicious and just perfect at that time. He leaves a little box out for donations but never asks for one. We stopped for awhile, ate some watermelon and fresh pineapple, drank some water, left our donations and walked on eventually coming to a spot that was just 3 kilometers from Astorga and a perfect spot for lunch. After a beautiful salad and a bocadillo with eggs, I had enough food for the day and wouldn't need dinner.
The last 3 kilometres into Astorga is a killer as it goes on and on and up over a huge walkway to cross the train tracks and up and up on the pavement but eventually we got to our albergue and cleaned up.
We went to the Catholic mass tonight as this town has a group of cloistered nuns that seem to specialize in singing. They were tearjerkingly beautiful as is the church itself.
Astorga is an interesting city as it has a chocolate museum, a Gaudi museum and apparently still uses the basics of a sewage system that was put in place by the Romans. in addition the cathedral is a wonderfully i tricate and beautiful building and, of course, it has all the assets and stores of a modern city.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Villar de Mazarife to Hospital de Orbigo
May 30 - Villar de Mazarife to Hospital de Orbigo
Places with 'hospital' in their names are most often places that have been used for centuries as literally hospitals for ailing pilgrims that have been travelling across the country to visit the tomb of Santiago. This spot is no exception. It's also known for its beautiful bridge of the twelfth century which has the most (or so I've been told) arches or eyes as they're called of any of the bridges of its time. It's also one of the longest bridges built in that era, spanning several streams of the river Orbigo.
With the exception of the last few kilometers, we pounded the pavement to get here, feeling much more tired than we would have had we been walking on a dirt path. This particular stretch was unremarkable, pleasant for the most part with the exeption of the part that ran along the railway track and the section that circled the sewage treatment plant as we entered the city. But it had nothing in particular to recommend it. It's fields freshly planted with corn, fields of wheat, a complex irrigation system and with bright red poppies dominating the flowers mixed with grasses dancing in the ever present wind as we made our way along the treadmill. A quick stop for a coffee, fresh orange juice and a bocadillo with scrambled eggs made for a little diversion at the 8 or 10 kilometer point at a spot called Villavente.
I am really tired today because the albergue had a tour bus group come in after we we all in bed. A huge busload, rolled their suitcase in on the tiles sounding like a thunder storm or a group of cattle gone wild. I don't know what the story is but the people were all hungry because they had plastic bags full of food that they rustled , munching on whtever was in them for what seemed like hours. The sign on the bus in the morning said something like Ukstansky and they certainly weren't speaking a language I recognized. They did try to be quiet and most of them got into their sleeping bags quite quickly but there were, of course the inevitable trips to the bathroom with doors banging while they got themselves organized. I don't blame them - they actually seemed like a group of nice people, but the albergue should never have done that unless it was a se rious situation of some kind. All albergues have signs that the doors are closed and lights out at 10:00, but in this case it obviously doesn't include tour groups! That's the albergue Sam Antonio de Padua in case you're in the area. They do a lot of things right but that was one big bonehead move. Those of us in my area got basically no sleep after that. As those of you who know me might imagine, I was like a grizzly bear with a sore head for the first few hours this morning (and afternoon!)
Hospital de Orbigo, where we are now is planning a big party this weekend. They have streamers across the main streets in the old town and, according to the posters are planning a whole medieval themed weekend with jousts (part of the history surrounding the bridge) and medieval dinners. Everyone is encouraged to come in medieval costumes and a meiga (witch) scene will be held at one in the morning on one of the nights. Knowing how the Spanish are on a regular Saturday night I imagine this will be quite a scene. Too bad in a way we'll miss it but I'm sure it'll be chaotic and loud. Men are busy all over the old towns putting up old fashioned structures and bringing in bales of hay. It looks like tonnes of fun for the locals and whoever else it draws.
Places with 'hospital' in their names are most often places that have been used for centuries as literally hospitals for ailing pilgrims that have been travelling across the country to visit the tomb of Santiago. This spot is no exception. It's also known for its beautiful bridge of the twelfth century which has the most (or so I've been told) arches or eyes as they're called of any of the bridges of its time. It's also one of the longest bridges built in that era, spanning several streams of the river Orbigo.
With the exception of the last few kilometers, we pounded the pavement to get here, feeling much more tired than we would have had we been walking on a dirt path. This particular stretch was unremarkable, pleasant for the most part with the exeption of the part that ran along the railway track and the section that circled the sewage treatment plant as we entered the city. But it had nothing in particular to recommend it. It's fields freshly planted with corn, fields of wheat, a complex irrigation system and with bright red poppies dominating the flowers mixed with grasses dancing in the ever present wind as we made our way along the treadmill. A quick stop for a coffee, fresh orange juice and a bocadillo with scrambled eggs made for a little diversion at the 8 or 10 kilometer point at a spot called Villavente.
I am really tired today because the albergue had a tour bus group come in after we we all in bed. A huge busload, rolled their suitcase in on the tiles sounding like a thunder storm or a group of cattle gone wild. I don't know what the story is but the people were all hungry because they had plastic bags full of food that they rustled , munching on whtever was in them for what seemed like hours. The sign on the bus in the morning said something like Ukstansky and they certainly weren't speaking a language I recognized. They did try to be quiet and most of them got into their sleeping bags quite quickly but there were, of course the inevitable trips to the bathroom with doors banging while they got themselves organized. I don't blame them - they actually seemed like a group of nice people, but the albergue should never have done that unless it was a se rious situation of some kind. All albergues have signs that the doors are closed and lights out at 10:00, but in this case it obviously doesn't include tour groups! That's the albergue Sam Antonio de Padua in case you're in the area. They do a lot of things right but that was one big bonehead move. Those of us in my area got basically no sleep after that. As those of you who know me might imagine, I was like a grizzly bear with a sore head for the first few hours this morning (and afternoon!)
Hospital de Orbigo, where we are now is planning a big party this weekend. They have streamers across the main streets in the old town and, according to the posters are planning a whole medieval themed weekend with jousts (part of the history surrounding the bridge) and medieval dinners. Everyone is encouraged to come in medieval costumes and a meiga (witch) scene will be held at one in the morning on one of the nights. Knowing how the Spanish are on a regular Saturday night I imagine this will be quite a scene. Too bad in a way we'll miss it but I'm sure it'll be chaotic and loud. Men are busy all over the old towns putting up old fashioned structures and bringing in bales of hay. It looks like tonnes of fun for the locals and whoever else it draws.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
León to Villar de Mazarife
May 29- León to Villar de Mazarife
It was a bit of a strange night in León for some reason. Our room was painted a very bright yellow on three walls and orange on the other and was reminiscent of an old university dorm. In fact a part of the building is still used as a residence for university students and it has that kind of energy rather than tired or drunk pilgrim energy. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it and they are considerate and kind, but for whatever reason neither one of us slept very well and we were happy to get up and get going.
We had a full breakfast across the street - freshly squeezed orange juice, café con leche, tortilla (eggs with potatoes) and toast - all for 3€uros each. Then we followed the yellow arrows out of town, and followed and followed and followed. It seemed like we would never get out of León and in fact it is about 7 kilometers before there's any relief from the city. Even then we were in Virgen del Camino so it still took another few blocks to get away from the buildings and traffic. We stopped for a coffee in a little restaurant where I have stopped every time I've been past here (this is my 4th time) and the people are always cheerful and friendly, greeting everyone who passes by whether they stop or not.
On we went but after another few kilometers we were still feeling so shellshocked from all of the traffic noises earlier we stopped at the next available bar for a breather. We felt better after sitting and chatting and eating an egg bocadillo and were finally ready to go on for the last 12 or 14 kilometers that we had to do. We headed up to a plateau on the road this time. in previous years we were directed right up on to the plateau but this time it was the road. There were a couple of small bumps but for the most part it was flat. The colours were beautiful. The grasses varied from the bright yellow-green of the wheat to a more blue-green of one of the wild grasses and then grasses with a silver-grey and purple sheaves. The wild flowers were abundant, noticeably various purples including Spanish lavender and wild hyacinths. There were blue and purple lupins and flowers in whites, yellows, pinks and, of course red poppies. The road seemed endless as it headed flat and straight to our destination, but eventually we arrived and headed for the showers to get warm and clean. Our chores are done and we're relaxing before a vegetarian dinner which is being prepared by the owners of the albergue. I can't remember what they said we were having but it does include salad, pumpkin soup and crepes with 4 kinds of chocolate (there are 4 kinds of chocolate?). Man we are suffering here on the camino!
It was a bit of a strange night in León for some reason. Our room was painted a very bright yellow on three walls and orange on the other and was reminiscent of an old university dorm. In fact a part of the building is still used as a residence for university students and it has that kind of energy rather than tired or drunk pilgrim energy. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it and they are considerate and kind, but for whatever reason neither one of us slept very well and we were happy to get up and get going.
We had a full breakfast across the street - freshly squeezed orange juice, café con leche, tortilla (eggs with potatoes) and toast - all for 3€uros each. Then we followed the yellow arrows out of town, and followed and followed and followed. It seemed like we would never get out of León and in fact it is about 7 kilometers before there's any relief from the city. Even then we were in Virgen del Camino so it still took another few blocks to get away from the buildings and traffic. We stopped for a coffee in a little restaurant where I have stopped every time I've been past here (this is my 4th time) and the people are always cheerful and friendly, greeting everyone who passes by whether they stop or not.
On we went but after another few kilometers we were still feeling so shellshocked from all of the traffic noises earlier we stopped at the next available bar for a breather. We felt better after sitting and chatting and eating an egg bocadillo and were finally ready to go on for the last 12 or 14 kilometers that we had to do. We headed up to a plateau on the road this time. in previous years we were directed right up on to the plateau but this time it was the road. There were a couple of small bumps but for the most part it was flat. The colours were beautiful. The grasses varied from the bright yellow-green of the wheat to a more blue-green of one of the wild grasses and then grasses with a silver-grey and purple sheaves. The wild flowers were abundant, noticeably various purples including Spanish lavender and wild hyacinths. There were blue and purple lupins and flowers in whites, yellows, pinks and, of course red poppies. The road seemed endless as it headed flat and straight to our destination, but eventually we arrived and headed for the showers to get warm and clean. Our chores are done and we're relaxing before a vegetarian dinner which is being prepared by the owners of the albergue. I can't remember what they said we were having but it does include salad, pumpkin soup and crepes with 4 kinds of chocolate (there are 4 kinds of chocolate?). Man we are suffering here on the camino!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Mansilla de las Mulas to León
May 28- Mansilla de las Mulas to León
We were prepared for un unpleasant day of walking the 19 or 20 kilometers into León but it was quite a pleasant surprise. Yes the path was close to a major highway for part of the day and it was a noisy, but on the other hand it was also safely away from the highway for all but about 200 meters and so there was no safety risk. For the rest of the time the path was a distance away from the road and quite pleasant.
The wild flowers are still blooming abundantly, the clouds were spectacular and the path was easy. We went through several smaller villages and two in particular where we chose to stop, first for a tea and a fresh orange juice and second for some lunch were very enjoyable. At the first, just outside of Villapuente I think, the were playing the Ode to Joy at top volume. What an enjoyable treat that was! We stayed there for about a half an hour just listening. I felt so invigorated from hearing that beautiful music being played with no restraints. A couple of hours later we stopped and took an 80 meter detour for lunch at a small bar. Some of the things they offered seemed a bit different so we asked for a chicken bocadillo. But the man asked if I wanted to try a special dish of the house that was garlic chicken and potatoes and that's what we ended up having. It was super delicious and he was very pleased to hear that we thought so. I imagine his wife cooks up all the little special things they have. He gave us a little piece of cake to try because we were so happy with the lunch - and all for 5€uros each.
For the past few days the mountain range called Cordillera Cantabrica has been off in the distance to our left, looking spectacular with its snow-covered peaks. But it suddenly snuck around in front of us as a reminder that it won't be long before we are walking uphill in a big way in a few days. I'm looking forward to it.
Boy I pulled a major stupid today! We decided to have our packs carried ahead today. To do that we write the name of the place we are going to be staying (in this case in León) on an envelope put some money in there and pin it to our backpacks in the morning. So having done all of that, do you think I remembered the name? No- not even close. Do you think I remembered the book with the name and address in it? No- of course not. What I did remember was the name of the street so as we were approaching León all I could do was hope that they would have signs trying to direct other 'pilgrims' to their albergue as well. We had no trouble finding the street and I felt sure I would remember the name if I saw it but we walked the full length of the street and no luck. We did see another albergue but felt sure that wasn't the name. Eventually Suzy remembered that I had phoned for the reservation and should have the number on my call log. I did so phoned them and got the address. As it turned out we were essentially there. But to add ridiculousness to stupidity, the name they have on the street sign is a different name than the one in the books!! Once we got all of that straightened out we were fine. Sheesh - hopefully that's my last idiot move of the trip.
Out to see the cathedral and other sights and have some dinner - and now to bed so we can do it all again tomorrow. The weather is sunny but quite crispy chilly and a bit breezy. Good walking weather.
We were prepared for un unpleasant day of walking the 19 or 20 kilometers into León but it was quite a pleasant surprise. Yes the path was close to a major highway for part of the day and it was a noisy, but on the other hand it was also safely away from the highway for all but about 200 meters and so there was no safety risk. For the rest of the time the path was a distance away from the road and quite pleasant.
The wild flowers are still blooming abundantly, the clouds were spectacular and the path was easy. We went through several smaller villages and two in particular where we chose to stop, first for a tea and a fresh orange juice and second for some lunch were very enjoyable. At the first, just outside of Villapuente I think, the were playing the Ode to Joy at top volume. What an enjoyable treat that was! We stayed there for about a half an hour just listening. I felt so invigorated from hearing that beautiful music being played with no restraints. A couple of hours later we stopped and took an 80 meter detour for lunch at a small bar. Some of the things they offered seemed a bit different so we asked for a chicken bocadillo. But the man asked if I wanted to try a special dish of the house that was garlic chicken and potatoes and that's what we ended up having. It was super delicious and he was very pleased to hear that we thought so. I imagine his wife cooks up all the little special things they have. He gave us a little piece of cake to try because we were so happy with the lunch - and all for 5€uros each.
For the past few days the mountain range called Cordillera Cantabrica has been off in the distance to our left, looking spectacular with its snow-covered peaks. But it suddenly snuck around in front of us as a reminder that it won't be long before we are walking uphill in a big way in a few days. I'm looking forward to it.
Boy I pulled a major stupid today! We decided to have our packs carried ahead today. To do that we write the name of the place we are going to be staying (in this case in León) on an envelope put some money in there and pin it to our backpacks in the morning. So having done all of that, do you think I remembered the name? No- not even close. Do you think I remembered the book with the name and address in it? No- of course not. What I did remember was the name of the street so as we were approaching León all I could do was hope that they would have signs trying to direct other 'pilgrims' to their albergue as well. We had no trouble finding the street and I felt sure I would remember the name if I saw it but we walked the full length of the street and no luck. We did see another albergue but felt sure that wasn't the name. Eventually Suzy remembered that I had phoned for the reservation and should have the number on my call log. I did so phoned them and got the address. As it turned out we were essentially there. But to add ridiculousness to stupidity, the name they have on the street sign is a different name than the one in the books!! Once we got all of that straightened out we were fine. Sheesh - hopefully that's my last idiot move of the trip.
Out to see the cathedral and other sights and have some dinner - and now to bed so we can do it all again tomorrow. The weather is sunny but quite crispy chilly and a bit breezy. Good walking weather.
Monday, May 27, 2013
El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas
May 27 -El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas
A good sleep which set us up for a 19 kilometer walk today. It's still flat and straight with a little curve or bump here and there and the path is right beside a secondary road. But there was little traffic and the fields to both sides are full of green wheat and wild flowers, the birds are singing all day long and the path is easy. It still seems longer when it's so straight and somehow it's harder on my body with the bonk, bonk on the same part of the bones and using the same muscles in a limited way than it is going uphill. But it was a beautiful day in spite of a bit of rain and we got to our albergue just after lunch.
Mansilla de las Mulas is a quaint little city with lots of little plazas every block or two. We walked around a few blocks and met the bar crowd sitting in chairs all over the city, chatted a bit, ate ice cream (me not Suzy) and wandered back to the albergue for tea. This city was once surrounded by walls that were about nine feet thick and there are still remains of them around the city. It's an interesting place to wander around even though we don't really need any extra walking at this point.
Our albergue is called The Garden of the Camino and has a nice open, grassy courtyard where everyone is currently sitting. It's getting chilly though and we'll soon be heading indoors for food and bed. We're in a dorm with 24 beds on one side of a wall and about 20 on the other side of the wall so it might be a bit of a noisy night. After our room for two in a hostal in El Burgo Ranero it'll be quite a change. But we seem to need to get out of albergues every now and then and just have our own bathroom and some peace and quiet. I think that makes us not 'real' pilgrims by some definitions.
Tomorrow it's into Leon - another good sized city with a wonderful cathedral.
A good sleep which set us up for a 19 kilometer walk today. It's still flat and straight with a little curve or bump here and there and the path is right beside a secondary road. But there was little traffic and the fields to both sides are full of green wheat and wild flowers, the birds are singing all day long and the path is easy. It still seems longer when it's so straight and somehow it's harder on my body with the bonk, bonk on the same part of the bones and using the same muscles in a limited way than it is going uphill. But it was a beautiful day in spite of a bit of rain and we got to our albergue just after lunch.
Mansilla de las Mulas is a quaint little city with lots of little plazas every block or two. We walked around a few blocks and met the bar crowd sitting in chairs all over the city, chatted a bit, ate ice cream (me not Suzy) and wandered back to the albergue for tea. This city was once surrounded by walls that were about nine feet thick and there are still remains of them around the city. It's an interesting place to wander around even though we don't really need any extra walking at this point.
Our albergue is called The Garden of the Camino and has a nice open, grassy courtyard where everyone is currently sitting. It's getting chilly though and we'll soon be heading indoors for food and bed. We're in a dorm with 24 beds on one side of a wall and about 20 on the other side of the wall so it might be a bit of a noisy night. After our room for two in a hostal in El Burgo Ranero it'll be quite a change. But we seem to need to get out of albergues every now and then and just have our own bathroom and some peace and quiet. I think that makes us not 'real' pilgrims by some definitions.
Tomorrow it's into Leon - another good sized city with a wonderful cathedral.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero
May 26 - Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero
Well, we sure started this day out wrong! Our albergue offered only 'twinkie' breakfast - nasty sweet things in packages so we declined and left with only a cup of coffee saying we could get breakfast somewhere else on our way out of town. Then for some reason we decided not to since the next community was only about 4 kilometers away. So we made our way out of town on the path beside the road and sure enough reached Calzada de Coto in record time only to find that the bar was closed because it was Sunday. We had gone almost a kilometer out of our way to get there and started back to reach the path we wanted when a little old man stepped out of his house and asked us why we were going back. We explained but he assured us that we didn't have to do that and that if we kept going there was a path that would get us back on the one we wanted. Sure enough, it all worked out exactly as he had explained that it would and we got back on our path fairly quickly.
But now we had an extra 6 kilometers to go before we would get breakfast and that was only IF there was an open bar at the next town. So we headed off with all of the energy we could muster reminding ourselves and each other never to do that again. We have fallen a bit careless as open bars are so readily available here in Spain and we didn't even have a peanut between us. By the time we had reached our next possibility for food, at the 10.5 kilometer mark we were starving and not feeling that well. But luckily there was an open bar right at the beginning of town and we gulped down orange juice, a bocadillo with ham and cheese, a tea, a banana and an apple. A bocadillo is a hunk of French bread about ten inches or a foot long with no butter, oil or dressing of any kind with (in this case) some ham and cheese in it. They're dry and not that great but today they tasted wonderful!
I still felt really low energy and fairly sick from gulping down all of that food on an empty stomach and didn't regain my energy for about an hour and a half. Lesson learned! Today's walk was another treadmill but not as bad as the one a couple of days ago. It is an odd experience though to be able to see people for so far ahead. We were glad to pull into town today though and settle ourselves in a small but very busy hostal, right across the road from a somewhat grim looking albergue. Now we're clean, we've eaten and are ready for bed. What luxury.
Well, we sure started this day out wrong! Our albergue offered only 'twinkie' breakfast - nasty sweet things in packages so we declined and left with only a cup of coffee saying we could get breakfast somewhere else on our way out of town. Then for some reason we decided not to since the next community was only about 4 kilometers away. So we made our way out of town on the path beside the road and sure enough reached Calzada de Coto in record time only to find that the bar was closed because it was Sunday. We had gone almost a kilometer out of our way to get there and started back to reach the path we wanted when a little old man stepped out of his house and asked us why we were going back. We explained but he assured us that we didn't have to do that and that if we kept going there was a path that would get us back on the one we wanted. Sure enough, it all worked out exactly as he had explained that it would and we got back on our path fairly quickly.
But now we had an extra 6 kilometers to go before we would get breakfast and that was only IF there was an open bar at the next town. So we headed off with all of the energy we could muster reminding ourselves and each other never to do that again. We have fallen a bit careless as open bars are so readily available here in Spain and we didn't even have a peanut between us. By the time we had reached our next possibility for food, at the 10.5 kilometer mark we were starving and not feeling that well. But luckily there was an open bar right at the beginning of town and we gulped down orange juice, a bocadillo with ham and cheese, a tea, a banana and an apple. A bocadillo is a hunk of French bread about ten inches or a foot long with no butter, oil or dressing of any kind with (in this case) some ham and cheese in it. They're dry and not that great but today they tasted wonderful!
I still felt really low energy and fairly sick from gulping down all of that food on an empty stomach and didn't regain my energy for about an hour and a half. Lesson learned! Today's walk was another treadmill but not as bad as the one a couple of days ago. It is an odd experience though to be able to see people for so far ahead. We were glad to pull into town today though and settle ourselves in a small but very busy hostal, right across the road from a somewhat grim looking albergue. Now we're clean, we've eaten and are ready for bed. What luxury.
Calzadilla de las Cueza to Sahagún
May 25 - Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagún
Everyone in the albergue got up early and seemed to want to rush out of there. We were on two floors with about 30 in each room and it seemed like about a third of the people left at about 5:00, and another third about 6:00. We were up just after 6:00 and heading down to the road to the bar for breakfast in spite of our lack of sleep and the bathroom rush. I don't think that anyone slept very well and yet everyone seemed to feel different. There were lots of good humoured jokes while we stood around waiting for each other to get out of the way in the bathroom and somehow people seemed to feel pretty good. Our breakfast in the bar was a nice change - toasted bread and scrambled eggs and ham and the ever delicious Spanish coffee. So we were well set up for our longer walk today - about 22.5 kilometers to Sahagún.
Today's path was thankfully different than yesterday's. It wasn't as flat or straight or well-groomed. It had curves and bumps and irregularities. And for whatever reason everyone seemed to be enjoying it a whole lot more. Certainly we did. And even though it was 5 kilometers longer it seemd a lot shorter. Who knows what yesterday was al about? Maybe it was the full moon and the luar eclipse that was supposed to happen somewhere in the world that night. But whatever it was it seemed to make everybody crazy for a short time and we were definitely all glad that day was over.
We went to the first albergue we saw as we got into Sahagún - right on the edge of town. It was called Albergue Viatories. As it turned out it was a great place to stay. It had both hotel rooms and an albergue but for once they didn't try to cram as many people into the albergue as possible. They had cubicles of four with each bed enclosed on three sides and at least 10 or 12 feet across to the next bed. It was a nice setup and we could eat right there as well. Everyone was in a much calmer mood for this night and there weren't even any particularly loud snorers. It was however really cold and even with my sleeping bag I wasn't warm enough and didn't know they had blankets. The only other downside was that they served little packages of sweet things for breakfast so we left after only coffee.
Everyone in the albergue got up early and seemed to want to rush out of there. We were on two floors with about 30 in each room and it seemed like about a third of the people left at about 5:00, and another third about 6:00. We were up just after 6:00 and heading down to the road to the bar for breakfast in spite of our lack of sleep and the bathroom rush. I don't think that anyone slept very well and yet everyone seemed to feel different. There were lots of good humoured jokes while we stood around waiting for each other to get out of the way in the bathroom and somehow people seemed to feel pretty good. Our breakfast in the bar was a nice change - toasted bread and scrambled eggs and ham and the ever delicious Spanish coffee. So we were well set up for our longer walk today - about 22.5 kilometers to Sahagún.
Today's path was thankfully different than yesterday's. It wasn't as flat or straight or well-groomed. It had curves and bumps and irregularities. And for whatever reason everyone seemed to be enjoying it a whole lot more. Certainly we did. And even though it was 5 kilometers longer it seemd a lot shorter. Who knows what yesterday was al about? Maybe it was the full moon and the luar eclipse that was supposed to happen somewhere in the world that night. But whatever it was it seemed to make everybody crazy for a short time and we were definitely all glad that day was over.
We went to the first albergue we saw as we got into Sahagún - right on the edge of town. It was called Albergue Viatories. As it turned out it was a great place to stay. It had both hotel rooms and an albergue but for once they didn't try to cram as many people into the albergue as possible. They had cubicles of four with each bed enclosed on three sides and at least 10 or 12 feet across to the next bed. It was a nice setup and we could eat right there as well. Everyone was in a much calmer mood for this night and there weren't even any particularly loud snorers. It was however really cold and even with my sleeping bag I wasn't warm enough and didn't know they had blankets. The only other downside was that they served little packages of sweet things for breakfast so we left after only coffee.
Carrión de las Condes to Calzadilla de le Cueza
May 24 - Carrión de las Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza
That's a mouthful isn't it? And somehow appropriate because it was a day that no one seemed to enjoy. It should have been a good day and an easy one. Only 17.5 kilometers, sunny, flat, straight, no mud. But everyone hated it including us. I don't know why it was such a hard day for everyone and there's sure no logical reason. But it was mind numbing, body crunching, soul deadening hardship for everyone it seemed. Maybe it was too straight. For sure you could see everyone for miles ahead. The road was in this case 'jaw droppingly flat' and jaw droppingly straight. It was nicely groomed I guess, although I prefer ungroomed paths because they are more interesting. It was like being on a pilgrim treadmill all day with everyone else. The young man who was sleeping in the bed above me commented when he came in "Boy am I glad to be off that death march!" And we all knew exactly what he meant because that's kind of how it felt. Weird actually.
We got to the albergue early in the afternoon and did the usual preparations for the next day - washed, washed clothes, got our stuff organized and then went down to the bar/cafe and had some lunch. The albergue had a nice courtyard and a swimming pool in the backyard and we spent time sitting in the sun, putting feet in the ice cold swimming pool water and just relaxing. The energy was frenetic though, especially among the younger crowd who were drinking too much, talking too much and more loudly than usual and not settling down. And in fact, in spite of all of the time available for relaxing the unsettled energy stayed in the air and carried into bedtime. Generally everyone settles down quickly and and it seems to only take a few minutes until we're all asleep. But not this night. There was teasing, joke telling, rude comments back and forth as guys ribbed each other about one thing and another and just general rowdiness.
Two guys decide they were going to get up at three and start walking. It was a great time to do it because it was a full moon and another fairly straight road so it must have been fun for them. I got out and looked out the window right after they left and it looked fabulous outside - very light from the moon and wide open prairie spaces. I envied them their moonlight walk but have to admit I would have been afraid to do it myself unless there was a bit of a crowd.
That's a mouthful isn't it? And somehow appropriate because it was a day that no one seemed to enjoy. It should have been a good day and an easy one. Only 17.5 kilometers, sunny, flat, straight, no mud. But everyone hated it including us. I don't know why it was such a hard day for everyone and there's sure no logical reason. But it was mind numbing, body crunching, soul deadening hardship for everyone it seemed. Maybe it was too straight. For sure you could see everyone for miles ahead. The road was in this case 'jaw droppingly flat' and jaw droppingly straight. It was nicely groomed I guess, although I prefer ungroomed paths because they are more interesting. It was like being on a pilgrim treadmill all day with everyone else. The young man who was sleeping in the bed above me commented when he came in "Boy am I glad to be off that death march!" And we all knew exactly what he meant because that's kind of how it felt. Weird actually.
We got to the albergue early in the afternoon and did the usual preparations for the next day - washed, washed clothes, got our stuff organized and then went down to the bar/cafe and had some lunch. The albergue had a nice courtyard and a swimming pool in the backyard and we spent time sitting in the sun, putting feet in the ice cold swimming pool water and just relaxing. The energy was frenetic though, especially among the younger crowd who were drinking too much, talking too much and more loudly than usual and not settling down. And in fact, in spite of all of the time available for relaxing the unsettled energy stayed in the air and carried into bedtime. Generally everyone settles down quickly and and it seems to only take a few minutes until we're all asleep. But not this night. There was teasing, joke telling, rude comments back and forth as guys ribbed each other about one thing and another and just general rowdiness.
Two guys decide they were going to get up at three and start walking. It was a great time to do it because it was a full moon and another fairly straight road so it must have been fun for them. I got out and looked out the window right after they left and it looked fabulous outside - very light from the moon and wide open prairie spaces. I envied them their moonlight walk but have to admit I would have been afraid to do it myself unless there was a bit of a crowd.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Fromista to Carrión de las Condes
May 23- Fromista to Carrión de las Condes
Quite a lovely walk today alongside of a canal for a good part of the way. I do have to say though, that for a path that has been described as 'jaw-droppingly flat' it sure does have some bumps in it!
That aside, it was a lovely sunny day and we really enjoyed the multi-coloured flowers and the birds along the canal. I saw two cuckoos just across the canal and could hardly believe it because they don't very often let themselves be seen apparently. At first I wasn't sure but they moved to several places in the trees, with one of them giving a 'cuckoo' each time. From the time I spotted them they moved and 'cuckooed' four times before they disappeared so it was a big thrill for me. We are still seeing lots of storks as well and enjoying the places they make their huge nests.
To have a stork nest in your town is often considered a sign of good luck. We see them on top of churches, old chimneys and anywhere high in cities where they can possibly build. But on top of churches means right beside the bells, which often boing every quarter of an hour. Can you imagine what that must sound like from up there? What the heck must it be like to be a baby stork? Maybe they're deaf but I doubt it. They make quite a loud clicking noise that must be some kind of communication. Anyway, we love to see them up there, standing over their nests or flying overhead. They're so huge! Reminiscent of herons at home actually, except that they're mostly white with some black.
After about a 19 kilometer walk in the heat and a questionably clean albergue the night before, we were happy to each ante up twenty-two dollars for a 'hostal' room with just the two of us and our own clean bathroom. A hostal in Spain is different than a hotel but I'm not exactly sure why. One thing is for sure - they're much cheaper and almost always very satisfactory.
Carrión de las Condes is an interestingly little town in spite of its strange name. It has old monasteries and convents that are currently used for albergues and hotels.
Quite a lovely walk today alongside of a canal for a good part of the way. I do have to say though, that for a path that has been described as 'jaw-droppingly flat' it sure does have some bumps in it!
That aside, it was a lovely sunny day and we really enjoyed the multi-coloured flowers and the birds along the canal. I saw two cuckoos just across the canal and could hardly believe it because they don't very often let themselves be seen apparently. At first I wasn't sure but they moved to several places in the trees, with one of them giving a 'cuckoo' each time. From the time I spotted them they moved and 'cuckooed' four times before they disappeared so it was a big thrill for me. We are still seeing lots of storks as well and enjoying the places they make their huge nests.
To have a stork nest in your town is often considered a sign of good luck. We see them on top of churches, old chimneys and anywhere high in cities where they can possibly build. But on top of churches means right beside the bells, which often boing every quarter of an hour. Can you imagine what that must sound like from up there? What the heck must it be like to be a baby stork? Maybe they're deaf but I doubt it. They make quite a loud clicking noise that must be some kind of communication. Anyway, we love to see them up there, standing over their nests or flying overhead. They're so huge! Reminiscent of herons at home actually, except that they're mostly white with some black.
After about a 19 kilometer walk in the heat and a questionably clean albergue the night before, we were happy to each ante up twenty-two dollars for a 'hostal' room with just the two of us and our own clean bathroom. A hostal in Spain is different than a hotel but I'm not exactly sure why. One thing is for sure - they're much cheaper and almost always very satisfactory.
Carrión de las Condes is an interestingly little town in spite of its strange name. It has old monasteries and convents that are currently used for albergues and hotels.
Itero de la Vega to Fromista
May 22 - Itero de la Vega to Fromista
A short walk planned today as we wanted to stop in Fromista - a small city instead of a little village with a dozen or two homes - as we needed to replenish a few odd things. We had tentatively chosen an albergue from Miam Miam Dodo but when we got to town we didn't feel it would be suitable because of its location, so we ended up staying at a spot called Estrella del Camino. Today we didn't feel it would be necessary to reserve a spot because we would only be travelling 16 kilometers and would get there about lunchtime.
Sure enough, we were the first people to sign into the albergue as it was a little bit off the beaten track. It was a really pleasant atmosphere with a little courtyard in the middle and they had washers and dryers! All you had to do was give the woman your dirty clothes and a few coins and she ran them through the washer and dryer. Good deal. They also had some basic food but we chose to go out for dinner with Nancy and Bea from Cambridge and and Irish man, Adrian, who had been walking with his son also joined us. We had a nice dinner in a hotel that had really interesting tables and wall decorations. The tables are big old boards that had long saws fitted into them in strips about 5 or 6 inches apart. Between the strips are rows of sharp pieces of rock. Apparently these were once used for thrashing the wheat from the chaff. Then about 4 inches over the top of that was a big piece of glass. It looked quite unusual and really nice.
As we entered into Fromista there was a canal with what appeared to be a series of locks. It didn't look wide enough for serious boat traffic but there must have been something going on there. We had a pleasant afternoon, picking up things from the drugstore and buying a few groceries for the next day. It was nice to have the whole afternoon to idle away in the sun.
The albergue is private and they run a tight ship. Some of the young people were still outside just before ten and were being quite noisy. We were starting to worry about it being a noisy night. But the owner came in and told them they had five minutes to get in bed and be quiet or they were out on the street - and she sounded like she meant it. Obviously the young people thought so too because they shut right up and we all had a good sleep!
A short walk planned today as we wanted to stop in Fromista - a small city instead of a little village with a dozen or two homes - as we needed to replenish a few odd things. We had tentatively chosen an albergue from Miam Miam Dodo but when we got to town we didn't feel it would be suitable because of its location, so we ended up staying at a spot called Estrella del Camino. Today we didn't feel it would be necessary to reserve a spot because we would only be travelling 16 kilometers and would get there about lunchtime.
Sure enough, we were the first people to sign into the albergue as it was a little bit off the beaten track. It was a really pleasant atmosphere with a little courtyard in the middle and they had washers and dryers! All you had to do was give the woman your dirty clothes and a few coins and she ran them through the washer and dryer. Good deal. They also had some basic food but we chose to go out for dinner with Nancy and Bea from Cambridge and and Irish man, Adrian, who had been walking with his son also joined us. We had a nice dinner in a hotel that had really interesting tables and wall decorations. The tables are big old boards that had long saws fitted into them in strips about 5 or 6 inches apart. Between the strips are rows of sharp pieces of rock. Apparently these were once used for thrashing the wheat from the chaff. Then about 4 inches over the top of that was a big piece of glass. It looked quite unusual and really nice.
As we entered into Fromista there was a canal with what appeared to be a series of locks. It didn't look wide enough for serious boat traffic but there must have been something going on there. We had a pleasant afternoon, picking up things from the drugstore and buying a few groceries for the next day. It was nice to have the whole afternoon to idle away in the sun.
The albergue is private and they run a tight ship. Some of the young people were still outside just before ten and were being quite noisy. We were starting to worry about it being a noisy night. But the owner came in and told them they had five minutes to get in bed and be quiet or they were out on the street - and she sounded like she meant it. Obviously the young people thought so too because they shut right up and we all had a good sleep!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hontanas to Itero de la Vega
May 21 - Hontanas to Itero de la Vega
Really strange names along this part of the camino!
We planned our day to be 21 kilometers today as the meseta is for the most part fairly flat - except for the hills. We made our way fairly quickly along the 10 kilometers to Castrojeriz where we wanted to have breakfast. We had the usual bread, butter and jam for breakfast at our albergue but that sure doesn't last very long!
It's always a pleasure walking in to Castrojeriz as it is so flat beforehand and there's a little pavement to walk about a kilometer from town. All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere up juts a structure going right over the middle of the road that is the ruins of an old convent where they used to try to help lepers. It's very attractive and I always enjoy seeing it there. We stayed in Castrojeriz for over an hour and it was hard to leave when we did because it started to rain and we were soon going over a huge hill. What's with this anyway? The meseta is supposed to be flat. But up and up we went, climbing about 150 meters before we dropped back down to pounding along the flat again until we got into Itero. The scenery was lovely though and it was a nice walk. As well, the rain never did amount to anything.
Our albergue tonight is called La Mochila and like the whole town of Itero it was a bit odd and somewhat musty. But the two young women and the young man, the cook, were so pleasant and helpful it was actually quite an enjoyable place to stay. We spent some time trying to find a fountain with dancing ponies that was mentioned in John Brierley's guidebook but when I eventually asked someone in the local corner store, she said it hasn't been there for 15 or more years. Oops John, pay attention to details if you want to write guidebooks.
This is the beginning of the part of Spain where they offer nasty little packages of sweet things for breakfast. Our new friend Nancy from Cambridge Ont. calls them twinkie breakfasts!
Really strange names along this part of the camino!
We planned our day to be 21 kilometers today as the meseta is for the most part fairly flat - except for the hills. We made our way fairly quickly along the 10 kilometers to Castrojeriz where we wanted to have breakfast. We had the usual bread, butter and jam for breakfast at our albergue but that sure doesn't last very long!
It's always a pleasure walking in to Castrojeriz as it is so flat beforehand and there's a little pavement to walk about a kilometer from town. All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere up juts a structure going right over the middle of the road that is the ruins of an old convent where they used to try to help lepers. It's very attractive and I always enjoy seeing it there. We stayed in Castrojeriz for over an hour and it was hard to leave when we did because it started to rain and we were soon going over a huge hill. What's with this anyway? The meseta is supposed to be flat. But up and up we went, climbing about 150 meters before we dropped back down to pounding along the flat again until we got into Itero. The scenery was lovely though and it was a nice walk. As well, the rain never did amount to anything.
Our albergue tonight is called La Mochila and like the whole town of Itero it was a bit odd and somewhat musty. But the two young women and the young man, the cook, were so pleasant and helpful it was actually quite an enjoyable place to stay. We spent some time trying to find a fountain with dancing ponies that was mentioned in John Brierley's guidebook but when I eventually asked someone in the local corner store, she said it hasn't been there for 15 or more years. Oops John, pay attention to details if you want to write guidebooks.
This is the beginning of the part of Spain where they offer nasty little packages of sweet things for breakfast. Our new friend Nancy from Cambridge Ont. calls them twinkie breakfasts!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Rabe de las Calzadas to Hontanas
May 20 - Rabe de las Calzadas to Hontanas
We are officially in the meseta today which is the Spanish equivalent of our prairies but we had a huge hill to climb anyway. It went up 10% for about a kilometer and then down at 18% for about half that distance and had us all huffing and puffing on our way up and straining our knees by putting our brakes on, on the way down. Some people even walked down backwards to protect their knees. But the bikers were in their glory giving wild whoops as they got to the top and headed down. It was fun to watch them because they've had a few hard days slogging through the mud and straining uphills.
The views were spectacular today both on the way up and down the hill and although the distance was hidden in the mists it was all really lovely. The kind of wide views that don't really show up well in photographs unfortunately but still wonderful to look at live.
It was a pretty easy walk as we stopped about halfway in Hornillos for a coffee and snack. Our guide books had varied between 15 and 21.5 kilometers and for sure the distance was the latter so the people who were nursing sore feet and legs had a hard day. But for me (lucky me) it was a lovely day of walking. There seemed to be quite a few places in Hontanas so we weren't worried about getting a place that day. And sure enough, we had no problems. We stayed at a spot called El Puntido, had a nice lunch, did some laundry and relaxed. As it turned out they had forgotten to mention to us that we had to sign up for one of two different dinner times if we wanted to eat there - 7:00 or 8:30. The early shift was full so we decided to try our luck elsewhere. And what luck that we did. We went down the street (it's basically a one street town) to Santa Brigada where we had a really nice home cooked meal - a huge bowl of home made chicken vegetable soup, roast chicken or a meat stew that was wonderful! So many of the meals are the same it was really nice to taste something simple but different. Along with the two Canadian women from Cambridge we had a very pleasant evening.
The albergue El Puntido was very pleasant with lots of space for washing and hanging clothes and sitting around chatting with others. The bedrooms were not too crowded although the showers were a bit odd - both in the same room with no place to change except in the open, unlocked space accessible to each other and anyone else who chose to walk in. I thought the people who worked there were very efficient and helpful.
We are officially in the meseta today which is the Spanish equivalent of our prairies but we had a huge hill to climb anyway. It went up 10% for about a kilometer and then down at 18% for about half that distance and had us all huffing and puffing on our way up and straining our knees by putting our brakes on, on the way down. Some people even walked down backwards to protect their knees. But the bikers were in their glory giving wild whoops as they got to the top and headed down. It was fun to watch them because they've had a few hard days slogging through the mud and straining uphills.
The views were spectacular today both on the way up and down the hill and although the distance was hidden in the mists it was all really lovely. The kind of wide views that don't really show up well in photographs unfortunately but still wonderful to look at live.
It was a pretty easy walk as we stopped about halfway in Hornillos for a coffee and snack. Our guide books had varied between 15 and 21.5 kilometers and for sure the distance was the latter so the people who were nursing sore feet and legs had a hard day. But for me (lucky me) it was a lovely day of walking. There seemed to be quite a few places in Hontanas so we weren't worried about getting a place that day. And sure enough, we had no problems. We stayed at a spot called El Puntido, had a nice lunch, did some laundry and relaxed. As it turned out they had forgotten to mention to us that we had to sign up for one of two different dinner times if we wanted to eat there - 7:00 or 8:30. The early shift was full so we decided to try our luck elsewhere. And what luck that we did. We went down the street (it's basically a one street town) to Santa Brigada where we had a really nice home cooked meal - a huge bowl of home made chicken vegetable soup, roast chicken or a meat stew that was wonderful! So many of the meals are the same it was really nice to taste something simple but different. Along with the two Canadian women from Cambridge we had a very pleasant evening.
The albergue El Puntido was very pleasant with lots of space for washing and hanging clothes and sitting around chatting with others. The bedrooms were not too crowded although the showers were a bit odd - both in the same room with no place to change except in the open, unlocked space accessible to each other and anyone else who chose to walk in. I thought the people who worked there were very efficient and helpful.
Burgos to Rabe de las Calzadas
May 19 - Burgos to Rabe de las Calzadas
We got an early start out of our albergue since the lights had been left on all night. I wanted to walk out of the old town gates since this was the old way out of town and the gates are beautiful. But since there were no yellow arrows anyone nearby doubted me. This time, however, I knew what I was talking about having walked this walk a couple of times in the past. The old albergue was out this way - almost a kilometer from the downtown centre and I have to admit I had a few moments of regret that it no longer exists as we passed by.
The last time I was here we were in a middle of a field on the way to the university grounds and the area was always full of peregrinos sitting in chairs chatting, kids playing, couples walking and just general friendly conversations going on everywhere. This time, with the albergue in the middle of town everyone was busy coming and going and doing city things, with no particular time to relax or chat. Nothing wrong with it - just different.
As always, it was a long bit of pavement pounding to get out of the city. It is evident that the city is growing and there is no sign of the depression that everyone refers to in connection with Spain. Eventually we turned off onto a dirt road and walking got a bit easier. We had not slept well and were worried about accommodation that day. The crowds are a bit overwhelming, especially out of the city and even though we knew that a lot of the people who came into Burgos the day we did were going to spend an extra day, we were still concerned. We had planned to walk about 20 kilometers but we do walk slower than a lot of people, especially the younger crowd and in this case if the beds were full (no reservations allowed in the next place) we would have had to walk an extra 10 kilometers at the end of the day. So we went with the safe choice and decided to stop after only 10 or 12 kilometers to ensure we got a bed. It was strange stopping before lunch and we hardly knew what to do with ourselves for the rest of the afternoon. I had a little sleep, walked back and forth to the bar for tea, food and wifi connection and then ended up back in the albergue playing dominoes with others who were there. One was an Italian/Australian guy who as well as playing dominos helped to pass the time by talking about how they processed the olive oil on his farm in Australia. It was really quite interesting. We had a simple but good dinner and an early night with just two women from Australia in our room.
We got an early start out of our albergue since the lights had been left on all night. I wanted to walk out of the old town gates since this was the old way out of town and the gates are beautiful. But since there were no yellow arrows anyone nearby doubted me. This time, however, I knew what I was talking about having walked this walk a couple of times in the past. The old albergue was out this way - almost a kilometer from the downtown centre and I have to admit I had a few moments of regret that it no longer exists as we passed by.
The last time I was here we were in a middle of a field on the way to the university grounds and the area was always full of peregrinos sitting in chairs chatting, kids playing, couples walking and just general friendly conversations going on everywhere. This time, with the albergue in the middle of town everyone was busy coming and going and doing city things, with no particular time to relax or chat. Nothing wrong with it - just different.
As always, it was a long bit of pavement pounding to get out of the city. It is evident that the city is growing and there is no sign of the depression that everyone refers to in connection with Spain. Eventually we turned off onto a dirt road and walking got a bit easier. We had not slept well and were worried about accommodation that day. The crowds are a bit overwhelming, especially out of the city and even though we knew that a lot of the people who came into Burgos the day we did were going to spend an extra day, we were still concerned. We had planned to walk about 20 kilometers but we do walk slower than a lot of people, especially the younger crowd and in this case if the beds were full (no reservations allowed in the next place) we would have had to walk an extra 10 kilometers at the end of the day. So we went with the safe choice and decided to stop after only 10 or 12 kilometers to ensure we got a bed. It was strange stopping before lunch and we hardly knew what to do with ourselves for the rest of the afternoon. I had a little sleep, walked back and forth to the bar for tea, food and wifi connection and then ended up back in the albergue playing dominoes with others who were there. One was an Italian/Australian guy who as well as playing dominos helped to pass the time by talking about how they processed the olive oil on his farm in Australia. It was really quite interesting. We had a simple but good dinner and an early night with just two women from Australia in our room.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Atapuerca to Burgos
May 18 Atapuerca to Burgos
We walked for a couple of kilometers out of Atapuerca but soon headed uphill abruptly. With a military zone on our left side which kept us out with several rows of barbed wire, we climbed 150 to 200 meters up a rocky path with flowers blooming cheerfully in spite of the seriousness of the military presence. Bright purple hyacinths seemed to be the dominant theme of the day but whites and yellows added to the beauty. It was a misty morning although the sun was successful in shining through. After a steep climb we reached a flat plateau at the top and although there was no direct indication of where to go, we headed straight along the military fence which took us to a path that dropped as quickly as the previous path had risen. But the view from the top was stunning even in the mist. We could see two or three little villages in the distance and could only imagine how beautiful it would have been if the mist had lifted.
We headed downhill where we had a choice of two routes- one was through two or three villages and a bit longer and the other was just a straight route to Burgos. We chose the former because it promised to lead us to the entrance to Burgos that was along the river instead of through 8 or 10 kilometers of industrial zone. Besides, there was of course the hope of coffee and food as we went through the villages.
We carefully followed all of the directions on our maps and in our books but still somehow missed the turnoff to the bridge so we could cross the river. So instead of walking through the industrial zone, we walked through the slums and when the arrows ended we just headed for the cathedral, knowing that the albergue was somewhere just behind it. When the cathedral disappeared from view, I asked someone if we were going in the right direction and he assured me we were. And sure enough, the yellow arrows soon showed up and eventually we made our way into the cathedral area and found the albergue- a new, six-storey building with touch screen elevators, a cafeteria with vending machines full of assorted junk food, washers and dryers. It's very upscale and has a big city feeling with everyone rushing about doing city things.
And a nod to the past... th eold albergue was in a park setting, near part of the university where people washed clothes outside in a long trough with running water at various spots along it. There was nothing to do there except go back into the city - about a kilometer away or sit around outside and get to know the others who were there that day. It sure was a more casual atmosphere than the new building.
Burgos itself has changed immensely in the last 10 years. The cathedral remains equally beautiful however!
We walked for a couple of kilometers out of Atapuerca but soon headed uphill abruptly. With a military zone on our left side which kept us out with several rows of barbed wire, we climbed 150 to 200 meters up a rocky path with flowers blooming cheerfully in spite of the seriousness of the military presence. Bright purple hyacinths seemed to be the dominant theme of the day but whites and yellows added to the beauty. It was a misty morning although the sun was successful in shining through. After a steep climb we reached a flat plateau at the top and although there was no direct indication of where to go, we headed straight along the military fence which took us to a path that dropped as quickly as the previous path had risen. But the view from the top was stunning even in the mist. We could see two or three little villages in the distance and could only imagine how beautiful it would have been if the mist had lifted.
We headed downhill where we had a choice of two routes- one was through two or three villages and a bit longer and the other was just a straight route to Burgos. We chose the former because it promised to lead us to the entrance to Burgos that was along the river instead of through 8 or 10 kilometers of industrial zone. Besides, there was of course the hope of coffee and food as we went through the villages.
We carefully followed all of the directions on our maps and in our books but still somehow missed the turnoff to the bridge so we could cross the river. So instead of walking through the industrial zone, we walked through the slums and when the arrows ended we just headed for the cathedral, knowing that the albergue was somewhere just behind it. When the cathedral disappeared from view, I asked someone if we were going in the right direction and he assured me we were. And sure enough, the yellow arrows soon showed up and eventually we made our way into the cathedral area and found the albergue- a new, six-storey building with touch screen elevators, a cafeteria with vending machines full of assorted junk food, washers and dryers. It's very upscale and has a big city feeling with everyone rushing about doing city things.
And a nod to the past... th eold albergue was in a park setting, near part of the university where people washed clothes outside in a long trough with running water at various spots along it. There was nothing to do there except go back into the city - about a kilometer away or sit around outside and get to know the others who were there that day. It sure was a more casual atmosphere than the new building.
Burgos itself has changed immensely in the last 10 years. The cathedral remains equally beautiful however!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Villafrance Montes de Oca to Atapuerca
Friday May 17
Up and at it early today after listening to nonstop trucks roar by all night. Apparently there are a lots of things transported between cities here in Spain and Villafranca seems to right on the major route! Still, we both had a fair sleep. Our breakfast had been promised at 7:00 but didn't show up so we left with tea and a banana, knowing there was nothing for at least 12 kilometers.
We headed straight uphill today gaining an elevation of 200-250 meters in the first three kilometers. We left in the rain and walked into snow, not sticking on the path, then sleet and hail and even some sun or awhile while we were up on the top. After a couple more serious ups and downs, mostly on a groomed path but with a few kilometers through the mud, we descended into San Juan de Ortega where we were looking forward to some kind of breakfast after those 12 kilometers. It was not to be however- the bar served coffee, magdalenas (a cross between a muffin and a cupcake in a package), and some kind of prepackaged russian salad in a plastic package - the latter of which needless to say we declined!
But the next community, Ages, was only 2 or 3 kilometers away so we hurried on and found freshly squeezed orange juice, ensalada mixta and the ever present tortilla (baked eggs and potatoes) so we were pretty happy with that. Ensalada mixta consists of lettuce, tomatoes, boiled eggs, onions, olives, tuna, limp white, soggy asparagus (they like that here!) and bean sprouts - and always with bread of course. While we were eating it hailed again but then, although the clouds looked threatening, the sun shone while we walked our last few kilometers into Atapuerca. We were no sooner ensconced in our room however when it began to hail again.
Atapuerca is a very small community but its claim to fame is that it is a UNESCO site because the remains of a human were found here and have been identified as being over 800,000 years old- some of the oldest ever found.
And speaking of human remains, one of the spots we passed today on top of a mountain was a spot where in 2011 they found the remains of over 30 people who they believe are some of the 'disappeared' from 1936. They believe there are at least as many more there as well.
Tomorrow we will walk into Burgos, one of the largest and most beautiful of the cities on the camino. It's just about 21 kilometers from where we are today.
Up and at it early today after listening to nonstop trucks roar by all night. Apparently there are a lots of things transported between cities here in Spain and Villafranca seems to right on the major route! Still, we both had a fair sleep. Our breakfast had been promised at 7:00 but didn't show up so we left with tea and a banana, knowing there was nothing for at least 12 kilometers.
We headed straight uphill today gaining an elevation of 200-250 meters in the first three kilometers. We left in the rain and walked into snow, not sticking on the path, then sleet and hail and even some sun or awhile while we were up on the top. After a couple more serious ups and downs, mostly on a groomed path but with a few kilometers through the mud, we descended into San Juan de Ortega where we were looking forward to some kind of breakfast after those 12 kilometers. It was not to be however- the bar served coffee, magdalenas (a cross between a muffin and a cupcake in a package), and some kind of prepackaged russian salad in a plastic package - the latter of which needless to say we declined!
But the next community, Ages, was only 2 or 3 kilometers away so we hurried on and found freshly squeezed orange juice, ensalada mixta and the ever present tortilla (baked eggs and potatoes) so we were pretty happy with that. Ensalada mixta consists of lettuce, tomatoes, boiled eggs, onions, olives, tuna, limp white, soggy asparagus (they like that here!) and bean sprouts - and always with bread of course. While we were eating it hailed again but then, although the clouds looked threatening, the sun shone while we walked our last few kilometers into Atapuerca. We were no sooner ensconced in our room however when it began to hail again.
Atapuerca is a very small community but its claim to fame is that it is a UNESCO site because the remains of a human were found here and have been identified as being over 800,000 years old- some of the oldest ever found.
And speaking of human remains, one of the spots we passed today on top of a mountain was a spot where in 2011 they found the remains of over 30 people who they believe are some of the 'disappeared' from 1936. They believe there are at least as many more there as well.
Tomorrow we will walk into Burgos, one of the largest and most beautiful of the cities on the camino. It's just about 21 kilometers from where we are today.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca
Thursday May16
Stayed at La Casa de Cuatro Cantones last night in Belorado. I had asked if we could have at least one bottom bunk when I made the reservation and bless their little hearts they gave us two bottom bunks. We paid 4 €uros extra to be in a smaller room with fewer people (10 €uros instead of 6) and so were in a room with 2 very polite young German boys/men above us.
The albergue has a restaurant which prides itself in making homemade food and in fact made a very tasty meal for us all. But one problem that happened that day was that there was someone who seemed to want a new pair of boots. He took one pair for several hours, presumably while he went out for a drink or whatever, then he brought them back (they were at least two sizes too small) and tried to take another pair but the boot owner happened to be there and was able to stop him. Of course the thief, whose old boots were there pretended it was a mistake. Then in the morning a young Danish man and the hospitalero were both missing their boots. So - for anyone who is planning to go, I recommend painting or otherwise putting a very obvious mark on the back of your boots so there is no way anyone can 'borrow' them accidentally.
Most places make us take our boots off at the door and leave them on shelves where everyone has access to them. The camino is a place where 99 percent of the time all of your belongings are safe, but it only takes one dickhead to ruin it for someone- as usual.
Today we walked only a short time as planned-12 kilometers. It was a pretty uneventful walk and we stopped once for a coffee. It went quickly and we were safely in our home for the night before noon. We were laughing because if we were at home and had gone for a 12 kilometer walk we would think we had gone on a fairly good hike- but here it's just a quick walk:)
We're staying at a casa rural today so there are only the two of us in a room. The restaurant is right next door so food and drink is readily available.
Today was predicted to have rain but it was sunny and quite cold and windy. We're hoping for sun or at least no rain in the morning because we have a pretty big hill to climb and it gets slippery quickly when it's wet.
Stayed at La Casa de Cuatro Cantones last night in Belorado. I had asked if we could have at least one bottom bunk when I made the reservation and bless their little hearts they gave us two bottom bunks. We paid 4 €uros extra to be in a smaller room with fewer people (10 €uros instead of 6) and so were in a room with 2 very polite young German boys/men above us.
The albergue has a restaurant which prides itself in making homemade food and in fact made a very tasty meal for us all. But one problem that happened that day was that there was someone who seemed to want a new pair of boots. He took one pair for several hours, presumably while he went out for a drink or whatever, then he brought them back (they were at least two sizes too small) and tried to take another pair but the boot owner happened to be there and was able to stop him. Of course the thief, whose old boots were there pretended it was a mistake. Then in the morning a young Danish man and the hospitalero were both missing their boots. So - for anyone who is planning to go, I recommend painting or otherwise putting a very obvious mark on the back of your boots so there is no way anyone can 'borrow' them accidentally.
Most places make us take our boots off at the door and leave them on shelves where everyone has access to them. The camino is a place where 99 percent of the time all of your belongings are safe, but it only takes one dickhead to ruin it for someone- as usual.
Today we walked only a short time as planned-12 kilometers. It was a pretty uneventful walk and we stopped once for a coffee. It went quickly and we were safely in our home for the night before noon. We were laughing because if we were at home and had gone for a 12 kilometer walk we would think we had gone on a fairly good hike- but here it's just a quick walk:)
We're staying at a casa rural today so there are only the two of us in a room. The restaurant is right next door so food and drink is readily available.
Today was predicted to have rain but it was sunny and quite cold and windy. We're hoping for sun or at least no rain in the morning because we have a pretty big hill to climb and it gets slippery quickly when it's wet.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Grañon to Belorado
Wednesday, May 15
Today trended upwards all day although with all of the downs we only gained about a hundred meters. As usual though, we walked those hundred meters quite a few times during the day as we went up and down the hills.
We left the church bell tower at about 7:30 after a community breakfast of coffee and cookies, with some white bread and jam thrown in. The church bells rang on the hour and the half hour all night long so many of us woke up at least briefly for each set of dongs. This albergue - Alberge de San Juan Bautista - prides itself on being different from all others. There is a sense that they feel they are more authentic or at least like they all used to be. In fact there is something special about Grañon although inevitably it is losing some of that unique charm it had a few years ago.
One thing that is unique is the fact there are no beds. We all sleep side by side on mattresses on the floor - without any space between the mattresses. Those mattresses are thin and covered with some kind of plastic - think about the mattress pads used in gyms. Upstairs, nearest the bells and with a railing that overlooks the dining area were 17 people - including us. Downstairs there were another 25 or so, also on mattresses on the floor.
The hospitaleros worked hard ( and loudly) as they made our dinner using the money that was left by those who stayed the previous night. Several of us helped peel potatoes and chop vegetables. After many hours of chopping and peeling we ended up with a substantial potato soup and a salad for 44 for dinner - as always served with lots of bread. Everyone one helped with the clean up.
Another unique aspect of this albergue is that there is no set price - it is 'donativo' which in the original sense means leave what you can, take what you need. It is an honour system which is surprisingly abused by few. You leave whatever money you wish in the morning in a box as you leave.
The walk today was shorter than was outlined in our books and I doubt they moved the towns. There were several stops in between and we took advantage of two. Since breakfast at our albergue was unappetizing, we stopped at the first community and had a café con leche and a small ham and cheese croissant. It was our first rainy day in a long time so feeling a little sorry for ourselves for being cold and wet we also made another stop at a place called Villafranca del Rio. That was a great bar which was very elegant so the 'peregrinos' were somewhat out of place. The owner was horrified when one woman took off her boots in the middle of his fancy restaurant and started to perform some kind of surgery on her blisters. There's a lot of foot talk on the camino but even we were less than impressed with her lack of consideration for what the guy was trying to do with his place. But in spite of all of that, we had a huge glass - 8 or 10 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice that was so delicious it still makes my mouth water just thinking of it. And we had a bocadillo with scrambled eggs in it - known as a bocadillo francesa.
The walk today is described in our guidebook as the 'peregrino treadmill' and it's an apt description. The scenery seems quite pretty but was hidden by clouds today and the path is straight and goes on and on with the others visible for long distances. Completely boring as far as the walk went so one had to be telling oneself some pretty good stories to make up for it.
We arrived just after lunch, even with our two stops and are now clean and warmly ensconced in the Albergue de Cuatro Cantones in Belorado.
Cirueña to Grañon
Tuesday May 14
Wow! What a treat to stay at Pensión Casa Victoria. This is a private house with 4 rooms that are rented out. Our room at least, had a shower and toilet included and everything was sparkling clean. The owners treat their clientele as ppersonal guests and try to do everything they can to make guests comfortable. Our breakfast included eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice along with the usual toast and jam, tea and coffee as well as fresh fruit for the road. We didn't get away much before 8:00 but we knew our day was o ly 15 kilometers so we felt pretty relaxed about it.
Our guidebooks indicated that we would go up and down a couple of hundred meters a time or two and so we did. Some of the climbs seeemed long but the road was pretty groomed. It was a hot day so that took a little energy. The views all around us were unusually beautiful as the hills rolled off in all directions. The flowers this year are the best I've ever seen them and the hills nd roadside are lush with poppies, mustard, bacelors' buttons, thyme, rosemary and other varieties whose names I don't know. Just lovely to walk through all of this and smell the smells and breathe the fresh air ( huff, puff, pant, pant). Lots if big breaths happening for sure! At the top of one of the highest hills there was a little lounge area with 3 cement chaise lounges and several other benches. I sat there for a full hour with my boots off and my feet up enjoying the view in all directions, enjoying the sunshine and the slightly cool breeze.
We finally arrived at Grañon and headed for the church with the bell tower albergue to see if there was any room. As it happens we were the third and fourth ones there so we had lots of time to relax, get our washing done, get some lunch and whatever else we wanted to do. In the past when I've stayed here it's felt like a special place for several reasons, the comunity dinner, the singing in the church, the donativo aspect and just the general gentleness. The tone is set of course by the hospitaleros who happens to be there but everyone tries to keep it as the old- fashioned alberge it is trying to be. The down side is that there is only one male and one female shower and three toilets for about 40 people and there are only mattresses on the floor.
We lounged around the town of only about 200 or 300 people for the afternoon, buying the odd piece of fruit or cold drink. The only internet access was in the bar but it wasn't a nice place to sit on a hot sunny day so basically an internetless day again.
After the dinner was eaten the hospitaleros said there was a tradition of every country singing a song. It was quite entertaining and some groups did really well. Suzy and I did not represent our country well.
Wow! What a treat to stay at Pensión Casa Victoria. This is a private house with 4 rooms that are rented out. Our room at least, had a shower and toilet included and everything was sparkling clean. The owners treat their clientele as ppersonal guests and try to do everything they can to make guests comfortable. Our breakfast included eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice along with the usual toast and jam, tea and coffee as well as fresh fruit for the road. We didn't get away much before 8:00 but we knew our day was o ly 15 kilometers so we felt pretty relaxed about it.
Our guidebooks indicated that we would go up and down a couple of hundred meters a time or two and so we did. Some of the climbs seeemed long but the road was pretty groomed. It was a hot day so that took a little energy. The views all around us were unusually beautiful as the hills rolled off in all directions. The flowers this year are the best I've ever seen them and the hills nd roadside are lush with poppies, mustard, bacelors' buttons, thyme, rosemary and other varieties whose names I don't know. Just lovely to walk through all of this and smell the smells and breathe the fresh air ( huff, puff, pant, pant). Lots if big breaths happening for sure! At the top of one of the highest hills there was a little lounge area with 3 cement chaise lounges and several other benches. I sat there for a full hour with my boots off and my feet up enjoying the view in all directions, enjoying the sunshine and the slightly cool breeze.
We finally arrived at Grañon and headed for the church with the bell tower albergue to see if there was any room. As it happens we were the third and fourth ones there so we had lots of time to relax, get our washing done, get some lunch and whatever else we wanted to do. In the past when I've stayed here it's felt like a special place for several reasons, the comunity dinner, the singing in the church, the donativo aspect and just the general gentleness. The tone is set of course by the hospitaleros who happens to be there but everyone tries to keep it as the old- fashioned alberge it is trying to be. The down side is that there is only one male and one female shower and three toilets for about 40 people and there are only mattresses on the floor.
We lounged around the town of only about 200 or 300 people for the afternoon, buying the odd piece of fruit or cold drink. The only internet access was in the bar but it wasn't a nice place to sit on a hot sunny day so basically an internetless day again.
After the dinner was eaten the hospitaleros said there was a tradition of every country singing a song. It was quite entertaining and some groups did really well. Suzy and I did not represent our country well.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Roncesvalles to Zubiri
This was a beautiful day for walking! It started out as a bit of a misty morning but we stopped after only 4 km in Burguete to see my son and his wife who had stayed there over night. After a leisurely breakfast we didn't start off until close to 10:00 but by then the sun was shining brightly. Sunny but cool - can't get better than that for walking all day. Our goal today was Zubiri. My son and his wife planned to walk the 40 kilometers to Pamplona because they had already discovered there were no available hotels in Zubiri. We planned to stay at the albergue so weren't too worried.
Having been fortified with a good breakfast, we found the walk to Zubiri pretty straightforward although we heard later that some people found it extremely hard after the hard previous day getting over the mountain. We sure have noticed a difference in our endurance compared with those who just started a couple of days ago in SJPP or Roncesvalles and we're feeling quite pleased with ourselves to note that we really are stronger than we were a month ago. More walking, more strength - perfect!
Look at the crowds we started off with this morning from Burguete. Of course those who started from Roncesvalles were already long gone. These are the very late starters.
The road undulated as always. We did some climbing and walked on fairly decent terrain. It was an enjoyable day although we saw one poor man fall on his butt and land in the mud - much to the amusement of his family and friends.
But as they got closer, one of the men whistled to the dog and suddenly the dog moved the sheep away from us and left about 3 feet between them and us as they passed. Good dog!!
The job done with no muss and no fuss - and they all calmly continued on their way.
Oh boy...There are some things about this ipad that drive me crazy and one of them is how difficult it is to complete a post of any length. If the blog is more than a couple of short paragraphs and I ever go back up to correct something it will not let me get back down to the end of the blog to continue. I don't know if this is an ipad issue or an ipad/google issue since my blog is a google thing. At any rate, if they're just playing silly buggar with each other I wish they'd stop....of course - there's a good chance it's just me:(
Having been fortified with a good breakfast, we found the walk to Zubiri pretty straightforward although we heard later that some people found it extremely hard after the hard previous day getting over the mountain. We sure have noticed a difference in our endurance compared with those who just started a couple of days ago in SJPP or Roncesvalles and we're feeling quite pleased with ourselves to note that we really are stronger than we were a month ago. More walking, more strength - perfect!
Look at the crowds we started off with this morning from Burguete. Of course those who started from Roncesvalles were already long gone. These are the very late starters.
At one point we were on a country road that had a bit of a bank on one side and slight drop off on the other. We heard some noise and turned around to see a herd of sheep coming up behind us taking up the whole road! We stepped to the side as much as we could but there was little room. We hoped the sheep would feel like walking around us not through us. They looked big and had horns!!
The job done with no muss and no fuss - and they all calmly continued on their way.
We were starting to get worried about whether there would be any place to stay in Zubiri as so many people had passed us. And as it turned out there were no places left in albergues or pensiones when we got to Zubiri. The albergue was 'complet'.
Luckily, someone said they thought the hotel did have a space now. So we went there and sure enough they did so we grabbed it while we could. It felt very luxurious to have our own bathroom and we had a great sleep and started out for Pamplona with a nice breakfast at the hotel.
Luckily, someone said they thought the hotel did have a space now. So we went there and sure enough they did so we grabbed it while we could. It felt very luxurious to have our own bathroom and we had a great sleep and started out for Pamplona with a nice breakfast at the hotel.
Oh boy...There are some things about this ipad that drive me crazy and one of them is how difficult it is to complete a post of any length. If the blog is more than a couple of short paragraphs and I ever go back up to correct something it will not let me get back down to the end of the blog to continue. I don't know if this is an ipad issue or an ipad/google issue since my blog is a google thing. At any rate, if they're just playing silly buggar with each other I wish they'd stop....of course - there's a good chance it's just me:(
Orisson to Roncesvalles
May 3
Okay- over the mountaintop today. We have about 750 meters to climb today in overall gain although in fact we go down about 100 meters twice so our real climb is more like 950 meters in 14 kilometers. Today is not the sunny day yesterday was for our relatively short walk. We have both our heads and our feet in the clouds and everything in between. Visibility is sometimes as short as about 20 feet but at least we are not starting out in the rain. This is the part of the walk that people fear the most and sometimes for good reason. We are lucky that we can even make this walk today because two days ago when we first came into SJPP we were told at the Pilgrims' Office that the road was closed because of the recent snow. But yesterday the police opened it again. When Damon and Kristina crossed yesterday they had rain, sleet, hail and snow and of course, where there was no pavement, lots of mud to go with it. But if you read yesterday's blog you will remember that there will be another 7 kilometers of pavement to travel on today before we hit any dirt paths. There is a specific downhill part of the path that the police have recommended that everyone avoid since it is still covered with snow and is very slippery. It's interesting to see how close the communication is between the police and the Pilgrims Office with additional help from Jean-Jacques, owner of Auberge Orisson.
Just as a weather comparison, when I first went over this mountain in 2003 it was April 8th and I didn't see any snow. And I would like to make a point about this mountain about which so many scary things are written on various forums. And that is this: every mountain and every ocean can be dangerous. Mother nature is forceful and when in the mood can and does kill. There are times when no human can conquer the ferocity of the mountains and oceans. But in reality, much of the time both the mountains and the ocean are peaceful and with respect, we can cross them. For this particular mountain, the police check it every day in the spring, fall and winter and give a report to Pilgrims' Office. As well, in the spring and fall, Jean-Jacques from Orisson also gives a report to the Pilgrims' Office. If these people say it is not safe to cross the mountain it's because it's not safe to cross the mountain. Why the heck would anyone else think they know better that those who are on the mountain every day?
It was way too drippy to even get the camera out today so no pictures but it was a beautiful day that I really enjoyed! We walked through the drippy mists pretty much all day until we were part way down the descent into Roncesvalles. It gave an eerie sense to the day but in some ways made it feel quite mystical and magical. In most places we couldn't see down into the valleys we were skirting. Inevitably there are those who have recently gotten off a chair for the first time in years who just stop at some point and feel they will never make it. But in the end they do of course since the option of staying on the mountaintop in the dark is not all that attractive. It was exciting for me to see the mountain in this misty, magical mood as it has been mostly sunny the other times I have walked it.
This is the first time I have been at Roncesvalles since the new very fancy albergue has been built. Good grief what a place. Very modern, impersonal and convenient - little soul - but certainly anything else you might need. The young women at the check-in are obviosly very used to mimic sleeping, eating and washing in several different languages!
After a conversation at Roncesvalles it became clear that vertigo is an issue for some people on this walk. One of the issues that the people with vertigo had is that in some places the snow still covers most of the road in a huge bank and pushes up against a path. So although that path is usually 8 or10 feet wide with a huge dropoff on one side, in this weather it was about 18 or 24 inches with that same huge dropoff. We had a discussion at Roncesvalles at how much that terrorized anyone who was alone at the time they walked that part. It has been eye opening to me to hear how frightened these people are because it is something that has never occurred to me, as someone for whom vertigo isn't an issue.
Okay- over the mountaintop today. We have about 750 meters to climb today in overall gain although in fact we go down about 100 meters twice so our real climb is more like 950 meters in 14 kilometers. Today is not the sunny day yesterday was for our relatively short walk. We have both our heads and our feet in the clouds and everything in between. Visibility is sometimes as short as about 20 feet but at least we are not starting out in the rain. This is the part of the walk that people fear the most and sometimes for good reason. We are lucky that we can even make this walk today because two days ago when we first came into SJPP we were told at the Pilgrims' Office that the road was closed because of the recent snow. But yesterday the police opened it again. When Damon and Kristina crossed yesterday they had rain, sleet, hail and snow and of course, where there was no pavement, lots of mud to go with it. But if you read yesterday's blog you will remember that there will be another 7 kilometers of pavement to travel on today before we hit any dirt paths. There is a specific downhill part of the path that the police have recommended that everyone avoid since it is still covered with snow and is very slippery. It's interesting to see how close the communication is between the police and the Pilgrims Office with additional help from Jean-Jacques, owner of Auberge Orisson.
Just as a weather comparison, when I first went over this mountain in 2003 it was April 8th and I didn't see any snow. And I would like to make a point about this mountain about which so many scary things are written on various forums. And that is this: every mountain and every ocean can be dangerous. Mother nature is forceful and when in the mood can and does kill. There are times when no human can conquer the ferocity of the mountains and oceans. But in reality, much of the time both the mountains and the ocean are peaceful and with respect, we can cross them. For this particular mountain, the police check it every day in the spring, fall and winter and give a report to Pilgrims' Office. As well, in the spring and fall, Jean-Jacques from Orisson also gives a report to the Pilgrims' Office. If these people say it is not safe to cross the mountain it's because it's not safe to cross the mountain. Why the heck would anyone else think they know better that those who are on the mountain every day?
It was way too drippy to even get the camera out today so no pictures but it was a beautiful day that I really enjoyed! We walked through the drippy mists pretty much all day until we were part way down the descent into Roncesvalles. It gave an eerie sense to the day but in some ways made it feel quite mystical and magical. In most places we couldn't see down into the valleys we were skirting. Inevitably there are those who have recently gotten off a chair for the first time in years who just stop at some point and feel they will never make it. But in the end they do of course since the option of staying on the mountaintop in the dark is not all that attractive. It was exciting for me to see the mountain in this misty, magical mood as it has been mostly sunny the other times I have walked it.
This is the first time I have been at Roncesvalles since the new very fancy albergue has been built. Good grief what a place. Very modern, impersonal and convenient - little soul - but certainly anything else you might need. The young women at the check-in are obviosly very used to mimic sleeping, eating and washing in several different languages!
After a conversation at Roncesvalles it became clear that vertigo is an issue for some people on this walk. One of the issues that the people with vertigo had is that in some places the snow still covers most of the road in a huge bank and pushes up against a path. So although that path is usually 8 or10 feet wide with a huge dropoff on one side, in this weather it was about 18 or 24 inches with that same huge dropoff. We had a discussion at Roncesvalles at how much that terrorized anyone who was alone at the time they walked that part. It has been eye opening to me to hear how frightened these people are because it is something that has never occurred to me, as someone for whom vertigo isn't an issue.
We
made it down to Roncesvalles in pretty good time, glad to be there but
not nearly as exhausted as many. Our previous 400 plus kilometers of
walking no doubt helped considerably. The new albergue at Roncesvalles
is quite an amazing place. It's very modern with beds in cubicles of
four, lockers for backpacks and other things, clean, hot showers and
clean toilets. We did feel a bit as if we had entered a foreign country
and had to go through a processing centre. We had to line up, fill in a
form, show our passports, get our credencial stamped, go the bed number
we were given, put the lights out at a specific time. And wake up at a
certain time to overly loud music piped in through the loudspeakers. The
place was full and apparently 50 or 60 of the overflow had to sleep in
the old dorm.
The new albergue
also has touchscreen elevators and a wonderful woman in the laundry who
washed dried and folded our laundry for 2.70€. Quite impressive all in all.
My son and his wife walked over from Burguete to join us for dinner and although the dinner was really quite awful in the brand new hotel there, we had a nice visit and talked to other Canadians from the east coast.
My son and his wife walked over from Burguete to join us for dinner and although the dinner was really quite awful in the brand new hotel there, we had a nice visit and talked to other Canadians from the east coast.
Saint Jean Pied-de-Port to Orisson
May 2nd
Well it's been a month since we started walking in France and here we go spending our last night in France at Auberge Orisson, part way up the mountain. The walk over the top of the mountain called The Napoleon Route is about 27 kilometers, depending upon whose map you're looking at. Apparently Napoleon used to prefer this route over the lower route via Valcarlos because it is open and therefore potential attackers could be seen from a distance. At any rate this is going into the foothills ( or is it the thighhills?) of the Pyrenees and it cannot be denied that it is definitely uppish! This is not the highest peak we will cross but it is the biggest elevation gain in one day. The Napoleon Route has an elevation gain of just over 1200 meters. Today we will walk just over 8 kilometers and climb about 500 meters of that distance.
I had to laugh at this sign in hours instead of kilometers. Just who is the mysterious person who walks at this pace? The language you may not recognize on these signs is the Basque language, known to us as Euskara. Almost all signs in Basque country have their language on them.
We started out before my son and daughter-in-law because they wanted to be well rested as they were going to walk close to 30 kilometers and from 250 to over 1450 meters in elevation gain this day. they would stay in Burguete for two nights while we took our two stages to get over the mountain.
In the end, they caught up to us at Orisson where we had coffee and tea before they pressed on for their final 20+kilometers.
It was a spectacular day going this far up the mountain! Not for the same reasons that Napoleon did, we enjoyed the wide open views, where the green hills rolled down behind and beside us with houses and little villages nestled in the valleys. White clouds hung low in the valleys creating a magical scene as we climbed higher. When I first walked this route in 2003, there was a paved road up to Huntto- an auberge which is about 4 kilometers up the hill, where I stayed with 20 others before Orisson was built. But now the single tracked paved road extends up to approximately kilometer 15. Not an improvement from my perspective, but no doubt is from a variety of others. In addition to the auberges at Huntto and Orisson, a variety of chambre d'hôtes have sprung up in recent years so there are quite a few places to chose from if you want a head start on the hill. Reservations though are recommended for most times. Here's one sign we saw on the way up.
This is indicating the first auberge at Huntto - Ferme Ithurburia. I stayed there a couple of times in the past before Orisson was built. It's also a great place to stay - probably more traditional as it's an older couple in their own home.
We arrived at Orisson in time for lunch so had lots of time to sit around and chat with people we had met. What an international mixture - Spanish, French, Germans, Danish, Irish, Koreans, a young woman from Iceland, Australians, Americans and, of course, Canadians. There were at least 4 other Canadians so I think the our contingent was the largest. There was a sit down dinner for about 40. The inimitable Jean-Jacques was chief cook and entertainment. He certainly knows his business and is doing a great job of it! Good food, lots of laughs, comfortable beds (as much as metal bunk beds ever can be) and a good sleep set us up for the walk over the top in the morning.
Friends we meet along the way.
These are some type of vulture I believe. I don't think they're waiting for us although we're going so slowly they may think we've died:)
Hey - we're higher than the clouds!
Finally, we've almost reached the Auberge Orisson.
Another friend of the way. Look at the size of that bell on this cow's neck! It's huge!
And there's the Auberge Orisson
Well it's been a month since we started walking in France and here we go spending our last night in France at Auberge Orisson, part way up the mountain. The walk over the top of the mountain called The Napoleon Route is about 27 kilometers, depending upon whose map you're looking at. Apparently Napoleon used to prefer this route over the lower route via Valcarlos because it is open and therefore potential attackers could be seen from a distance. At any rate this is going into the foothills ( or is it the thighhills?) of the Pyrenees and it cannot be denied that it is definitely uppish! This is not the highest peak we will cross but it is the biggest elevation gain in one day. The Napoleon Route has an elevation gain of just over 1200 meters. Today we will walk just over 8 kilometers and climb about 500 meters of that distance.
I had to laugh at this sign in hours instead of kilometers. Just who is the mysterious person who walks at this pace? The language you may not recognize on these signs is the Basque language, known to us as Euskara. Almost all signs in Basque country have their language on them.
We started out before my son and daughter-in-law because they wanted to be well rested as they were going to walk close to 30 kilometers and from 250 to over 1450 meters in elevation gain this day. they would stay in Burguete for two nights while we took our two stages to get over the mountain.
In the end, they caught up to us at Orisson where we had coffee and tea before they pressed on for their final 20+kilometers.
It was a spectacular day going this far up the mountain! Not for the same reasons that Napoleon did, we enjoyed the wide open views, where the green hills rolled down behind and beside us with houses and little villages nestled in the valleys. White clouds hung low in the valleys creating a magical scene as we climbed higher. When I first walked this route in 2003, there was a paved road up to Huntto- an auberge which is about 4 kilometers up the hill, where I stayed with 20 others before Orisson was built. But now the single tracked paved road extends up to approximately kilometer 15. Not an improvement from my perspective, but no doubt is from a variety of others. In addition to the auberges at Huntto and Orisson, a variety of chambre d'hôtes have sprung up in recent years so there are quite a few places to chose from if you want a head start on the hill. Reservations though are recommended for most times. Here's one sign we saw on the way up.
We arrived at Orisson in time for lunch so had lots of time to sit around and chat with people we had met. What an international mixture - Spanish, French, Germans, Danish, Irish, Koreans, a young woman from Iceland, Australians, Americans and, of course, Canadians. There were at least 4 other Canadians so I think the our contingent was the largest. There was a sit down dinner for about 40. The inimitable Jean-Jacques was chief cook and entertainment. He certainly knows his business and is doing a great job of it! Good food, lots of laughs, comfortable beds (as much as metal bunk beds ever can be) and a good sleep set us up for the walk over the top in the morning.
Saint-Jean-le-Vieux to Saint Jean Pied-de-Port
April 29th - Saint-Jean-le-Vieux to Saint Jean Pied-de-Port
What a beautiful walk into Saint Jean Pied-de-Port! It was just 3 or 4 kilometers but the foothills are a brilliant green and the wild flowers are abundant. Eyes feast on reds, yellows, blues, pinks, white and countless shades of green. The hills roll over into the distance and the clouds hug the valleys in the early morning. The last stretch into SJPP is all uphill (what else) but we are happy to be here. It was poignant for me to enter the city through the ancient 'port' or door. We are still in France but it feels different here. This is a city where for centuries pilgrims from all directions have met to restock and prepare for the long journey into Santiago de Compostela. It's a little city which is accustomed to serving many nationalities.
After going to the Pilgrims's Office and getting our credencials stamped we found a spot to sleep at a place called Accueil Jacquaire where Marie took us in and treated us like honoured guests, making us tea and ensuring we were comfortable. Then she gave us both an energy healing which felt quite lovely. We poked around town and picked up the odd thing for the next part of our journey, spent some time in the pilgrims' office adding strings to scallop shells for incoming pilgrims but mostly just relaxed as we waited for my son and daughter-in-law to join us.
The upper door to Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port
Marie's back yard
SJPP was completely full that night. Apparently it has over 400 spaces but they were all full and people were being sent to neighbouring communities to sleep. Marie did not have enough space for both of us the next night so I found a spot at a neighbouring place. That ended up to be the worst night I have ever spent on the camino or probably anywhere else for that matter. It was called Sur le Chemin au Chant du Coq. The woman who owns it has 6 rescue cats and a rooster and I'm not sure what other animals. She advertises herself as having a Zen attitude but as far as I can tell that means she is interested only in herself which, as far as I know, is quite an unusual form of Zen. The night I stayed there in a dorm with numerous others she had female visitors who played the piano, sang horribly off key, screeched and clapped at each other and smoked like sailors for too long after the paying guests were in bed and ready for sleep to prepare for the big climb the next day. All of our clothes and sleeping bags reeked of the smoke that of course poured upstairs to where we were trying to sleep. She insisted that none of us move a muscle before 7:00 in the morning. It was a horrible night and what a strange woman. She walked around town in her bare feet but wouldn't let us carry our street shoes upstairs to put in our backpacks. I couldn't wait to get out of there! Luckily for me Marie had invited me back over to her place for breakfast so the day took a turn for the better.
Unless you're a chain smoker you may want to avoid this place in SJPP
The next day Damon and Kristina arrived. It was so great to see them and we were all excited to walk up the big mountain. We visited and chatted, poked about, ate a great dinner and generally prepared ourselves to head up the mountain the following day.
What a beautiful walk into Saint Jean Pied-de-Port! It was just 3 or 4 kilometers but the foothills are a brilliant green and the wild flowers are abundant. Eyes feast on reds, yellows, blues, pinks, white and countless shades of green. The hills roll over into the distance and the clouds hug the valleys in the early morning. The last stretch into SJPP is all uphill (what else) but we are happy to be here. It was poignant for me to enter the city through the ancient 'port' or door. We are still in France but it feels different here. This is a city where for centuries pilgrims from all directions have met to restock and prepare for the long journey into Santiago de Compostela. It's a little city which is accustomed to serving many nationalities.
After going to the Pilgrims's Office and getting our credencials stamped we found a spot to sleep at a place called Accueil Jacquaire where Marie took us in and treated us like honoured guests, making us tea and ensuring we were comfortable. Then she gave us both an energy healing which felt quite lovely. We poked around town and picked up the odd thing for the next part of our journey, spent some time in the pilgrims' office adding strings to scallop shells for incoming pilgrims but mostly just relaxed as we waited for my son and daughter-in-law to join us.
The upper door to Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port
Marie's very loveable dogs
SJPP was completely full that night. Apparently it has over 400 spaces but they were all full and people were being sent to neighbouring communities to sleep. Marie did not have enough space for both of us the next night so I found a spot at a neighbouring place. That ended up to be the worst night I have ever spent on the camino or probably anywhere else for that matter. It was called Sur le Chemin au Chant du Coq. The woman who owns it has 6 rescue cats and a rooster and I'm not sure what other animals. She advertises herself as having a Zen attitude but as far as I can tell that means she is interested only in herself which, as far as I know, is quite an unusual form of Zen. The night I stayed there in a dorm with numerous others she had female visitors who played the piano, sang horribly off key, screeched and clapped at each other and smoked like sailors for too long after the paying guests were in bed and ready for sleep to prepare for the big climb the next day. All of our clothes and sleeping bags reeked of the smoke that of course poured upstairs to where we were trying to sleep. She insisted that none of us move a muscle before 7:00 in the morning. It was a horrible night and what a strange woman. She walked around town in her bare feet but wouldn't let us carry our street shoes upstairs to put in our backpacks. I couldn't wait to get out of there! Luckily for me Marie had invited me back over to her place for breakfast so the day took a turn for the better.
Unless you're a chain smoker you may want to avoid this place in SJPP
The next day Damon and Kristina arrived. It was so great to see them and we were all excited to walk up the big mountain. We visited and chatted, poked about, ate a great dinner and generally prepared ourselves to head up the mountain the following day.
Miramont-Sensacq to Saint-Jean-le-Vieux
April 29
Today we arranged to take a transport baggage van from Miramont-Sensacq to Saint-Jean-le-Vieux. We chose this spot because we wanted to get into Saint Jean Pied-de Port for May 1st to meet Damon and Kristina who were going to join us for a few days on the camino, but also because I wanted to walk into SJPP through the upper 'port' or door- a sentimentality I know but hey, since I'm here, why not?
The young man who was driving the van was a charming young guy who told us about all of the places we were passing and kept pointing out the views of el pays Basque - Basque country- with enough pride that I thought he must be Basque himself. But when I asked him it turned out that he isn't but does live in the Basque area.
The scenery became very beautiful as we drove into the foothills of Saint-Jean-le-Vieux. The previous flatness turned into brilliant green foothills and the houses changed so that they were all white with brick red trim. We felt that the Basques have a different relationship with the land than the people in the areas of France we had walked through. In the French section, everything is very neat and organized. The fields are immaculately groomed, the trees are planted in rows, even in the forests. Nothing is left to chance. In Basque country the houses and yards are extremely clean, tidy and thoughtfully organized. But the surrounding areas are left a bit more natural and there is the sense that the Basques people aren't trying to beat back nature in quite the same way as the rest of this part of France. Just an impression and not intended to sound like a judgement on anything.
We stayed at the Hotel Mendy in Saint-Jean-le-Vieux which was very clean and modern. I think we were the only ones in the hotel where we had a pleasant and relaxing evening, happy to be closer to SJPP and Spain.
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