Day 5 May 24 St. Jean Pied de Port to Valcarlos

7.5 miles 17,390 steps at a snail's pace! 

The official Camino Frances starts here in the Pyrenees Mountains in France, Basque Country.  Istvan , our host drove us here from his hotel along with Phil and Kathy and we all started out together . 

Since Craig and I immediately changed our minds about how long we wanted to stay walking on the Camino, now thinking about continuing past Burgos, we bought new peregrino passports! 

We walked with Kathy and Phil to the junction where they took the Napoleon route, the most strenuous uphill climb and we opted for the allegedly easier low route. Since we took the off road detours, we had a good share of ups and downs as well.  They will stay in Orisson tonight and we perhaps will meet back up in Roncevailles tomorrow.  

Since we didn't train much before we left, these first two days in the mountains at high altitudes should suffice to get us in shape. 

At this moment, we've assumed our post walk positions at the hotel- horizontal, twin beds, Craig listening to his happy tunes playlist, me writing and recording. We'll both be napping before long in that endorphin enhanced post walk moment . Later, we'll explore, eat and drink, get some Ibuprofen cream, and see what the evening brings. 

Happy, so happy to have returned to the Camino. 

Saying good-bye to Istvan 

We have emerged from our reverie of sleep and are now sitting on a cafe having a cana (Tilda over the n) and vino Tintoretto with tapas of olives , fresh bread and cheese with membrillo and I forgot the English word for this kind of jam!  A group of men with berets sits beside us playing a card game, laughing boisterously and eating potato chips. Reminds me of the WMS boy posse:)

A national event begins tonight and the entire nation, albeit Europe will be watching. It's the European soccer championship and both playoff teams are Spanish. It takes place in Portugal and starts at 9 PM. 

I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be. 

Beautiful weather today. Big rain tomorrow . No importa. 

No rain in sight!!

Day 4 Madrid to Pamplona to Bizkaretta

After a 12+ hour sleep last night, and after several cups of coffee and breakfast, we departed Madrid by way of the Metro to the Atocha Station to catch the train to Pamplona.  

Our pre-arranged transportation worked out perfectly as Istvan met us and drove to his Casa Rural in Bizkaretta. 

We have a room and dinner with breakfast tomorrow and a ride to St. Jean Pied de Port, our starting point. 

Istvan and his wife are Hungarian having lived and served peregrinos for 2 years. 

It's been a peregrino kind of evening with a communal meal shared with another American couple and 4 German women. 

We had a fascinating conversation with Istvan's wife about the EU, Hungary's role in it, her perspective on Putin and the Ukraine situation. Where you are from informs life and beliefs regardless of where one lives. 

The American couple is from Westchester but the husband is from Sourh Dakota and wife is from NYC. No coincidence?!?!??

We seem to enjoy each other's company a lot. Kathy is from Brooklyn and Phil is from a tiny town about 30 miles away from Wessington Springs where Craig grew up.  We are at similar stages in life now, as well as having similar backgrounds. The Camino does that, seems to know who to connect with whom or perhaps we are just a little more receptive? Suspending judgments is a big deal. 

Chocolate made locally and cherries.

Today it hailed , lightning, 100 km winds, rain and sunshine . Tomorrow? Quien sabe? 

Notable food and drink - an evolving list

Fried eggplant with honey

Padron peppers- fried and salted

Lentil soup puréed with nutmeg

Tomato purée on bread

Dessert - find name

Menestra - various types

Olives, olives, olives

Sopa de ajo- bread and garlic soup

Lentil soup with a touch of vinegar 

Pizza with a fried egg on top

Caldo de Gallegos with a touch of vinegar

Torta de Santiago

Cheese from Arzua

Rioja wine- Tempranillo reserva 

Salmon tostada- toast on the bottom, scrambled eggs with a little whipped cream, layered smoked salmon (lox) on top. 

Cerezas in augardente- cherries in some type of alcoholic substance

Day 3 Madrid with Anna and Eben

The Viber free text and call App kept us in touch. We decided to meet in front of the Prado at noon. The Metro works so well here, yet another indication of how advanced Europe is compared to the US. Indulge me; I am a Europhile who is thoroughly happy with my fabulous life but stills feels line I was born on the wrong continent . 

I digress: shower fixtures that keep the temperature setting from one time to the next, all toilets equipped with 2 flush settings, lights that go on and off depending upon physical entry. Hotel rooms that activate electricity by putting key card in slot.  

Perfect timing. So delighted to see the happy couple.  We strayed to a tapas place, ate sheep's cheese with rosemary, Iberian ham and cheese and then went to El Prado. 

Comment: restorations of color, especially the Titians are excellent. Anna and I remarked on the representations of women. All the nudes that show up while the men are fully clothed. Great feminist material! One particular painting depicted a young boy conflicted about whether to choose virtue or sin, each represented by a woman.  Breast milk used to put out the fires of hell. Women held on a pedestal yet blamed for the evils and temptations of the world.

After the Prado, Eben and Anna led us to some winding streets to another tapas place where we enjoyed some wines, arugula salad with Olive oil that tastes so fresh and fried eggplant with honey. 

Must try to make that. 

We departed, and promptly at 6.30 we fell asleep. Now it's midnight and I'm awake. And so goes the jet lag. It's all fine. Tomorrow takes us to Pamplona by train.  

Marilyn's 2014 packing list

Marilyn’s Revised Packing List (May 2014)

raincoat- black in blue stuff sack

rain pants in stuff sack and in with raincoat in blue stuff sack

rain hat (Craig’s gray), one sun hat, one visor

down coat in stuff sack with 

1 spork

1 plastic bag for dirty clothes

toilet paper /container for used paper

1 Camelbak 

foam seat

1 daypack (black carry bag in holder)

black sandals

In Blue Compression Sack

3 pair underpants, 2 bras

3 pair of socks - Smart Wool PhD, 3 pair sock liners

3 short sleeved t shirts ( black, turquoise,gray)

1 button down short sleeve shirt - concrete color

1 long sleeve shirt (smart wool turquoise)

1 thin long sleeve black shirt

3 pair pants (2 Capri, 1 thin tights

1 pareo  + 1 red and black scarf

1 black dressy top and 1 thin green patterned top

1 black and white dress

1 off white light jacket

Zip Lock Baggie

white sun protector arms, ear muffs, gloves

Orange Sleep Bag Stuff Sack

clothesline, sleep sack, ear plugs, eye mask, pillow, back up glasses, 1 rescue blanket

Green Coffee Stuff Bag

coffee, cup, immersion heater

Black and Blue Stuff Bag

Medications including ibuprofen and toothbrush

Cosmetic Plastic Bag

sun block, lip gloss, body glide, comb, sewing kit,floss, scissor, tweezer, face products and Dermatologica face wipes

Added to Pack Before we Leave:

Baggallini Purse

Sunglasses, iPhone/cord/headphones, money, passport wallet (AAA Debit, NEA Credit, driver license, GHC, tickets, insurance doc, Camino credential  money, journal and pen)

1 pedometer 

1 set hiking poles

boots

Craig has:  headlamp, pillow, Spanish phone

Total weight without water:17 pounds

Day 2 May 23

A long uncomfortable 8 hour flight to London. This was to be expected and on the plus side, all went smoothly. We had no trouble bringing our packs on the plane with our poles tucked in the sides.  

We arrived in Madrid by 5:30 PM.  Our first "buen Camino" was said to a young man from the Bahamas who was so very excited. He recognized the costume and approached us! The predicted population this year for the Camino Frances is just about the population of his entire country.  Perhaps we'll encounter him again though I expect his pace will far outdistance him.  230,000 is the number we read.  As with any statistic , this can mean a lot of things. 

It's all so familiar; like coming home.  The hoteliers recognized us from last year and when we went out to the Restairant Campanilla, the jovial owner remembered the baseball hats he had given us. The food was piled high including morcilla which is blood sausage. Big important tapa here and everyone is proud of their own creations.  

He also remembered that I'd written a Trip Advisor review last year. Hence we received more trinkets and were privy to one of his sexist Spanish sayings.

"The Spanish enjoy their women and wine "caliente."

No harm done. Easier to forgive when it's another country . 

Off to sleep. We're meeting Anna and Eben tomorrow. 

Jet lag recovery time. 

Departure day

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Yesterday as I awoke a little rabbit was munching away in the dew dripping grass.  I missed the photo moment.  Today I sit in my chair, my father’s chair, as I do each morning with my coffee, watching the water which is glass textured today with barely a movement except where the sun beams down in sparkles and a solo paddle boarder comes into my view.  

This is my home, my refuge.  And at this moment I feel overwhelming joy and gratefulness.  It’s the moments we gather up.  I put my thumb between my pointer and third finger to seal it in.  A wise man taught me this.  I could just sit here and relish it.  But I have an adventure to catch.  

Our first stop today is breakfast with George and Karla and the airport to drop George 

off for his Swedish adventure. 

We're on the plane. British Airways always pleases. 

For now, a long happy sigh mixed with giddy anticipation. 

The pilgrimage. What will it bring?  The second time. Is this like the second child?  No expectations, just spaciousness.  And trust .