Day 7 May 26 Burgette to Zabiri

14.55 miles 34,152 steps

Downhill over mud and rocks- steep - that was most of today. Our shoes and poles do us well.  

Lost shoes.  Get this: Phil of Kathy and Phil left to hike to Roncesvailles and stay in the Alberge there. Seems someone there stole Phil's very nice Solomons.  They called Istvan who graciously came and picked them up, drove them to Pamplona to buy a new pair and then back to Roncevailles so they could commence walking.  

We passed the Corazon Puro today on our walk to Zubiri and he came out to greet us. Old friends already!  

We arrived in Zubiri and began a search for a place to stay. It's a town of 200 serving a nearby factory. 

We quickly found a pension for 35 Euros with a warm hearted woman running it.  I asked if there was a hair dryer and she brought me one and then launched into a conversation about how many things get stolen so she can't leave them out. One would like to think that everyone walking the Camino would leave it better and accept hospitality graciously.  Oh well, it's just more opportunity to practice suspending judgment. 

As the woman said, there are mostly good people in this world. 

Dilemma of how far to go. What to do after we get to Burgos.  We're still undecided about where we'll go, which path, how far, etc. it's fun not knowing and having the ability to decide on the fly.

 

The weather - think Pacific Northwest.  There you have it, complete with slugs and exquisite beauty.

Last time I walked for Beth. I took photos of shrines of the Madonna to send her . She loved them.  I dreamt of Beth last night. She was radiant. So I have decided to suspend disbelief and make her my Camino guide.

The Cafe here is bubbling over with peregrinos enjoying the after walking camaraderie with beer, wine, and tapas! 

People here from South Korea, New Zealand, and all the usual places.  

Our enchanted forest

Istvan and Barbara's Corazon Puro

In Viscaret

The only show in town!

My oh my. White bean soup like none other! 

Day 8 May 27 Zabiri to Pamplona

12.84 miles. 30,132 steps

Working backwards, it is 7:30 in the evening and we are luxuriating in our posh Pamplona hotel Maisonnave in el centro of this lovely city. For 2 days we will leave our peregrino status and be touristas!  Our laundry is drying, our selves clean, Voltaren cream rubbed on sore legs and in a while we'll venture out for some Basque food. No hurry- the Spanish don't eat until 9. 

Our room

The view from our window

We left around 8:30 this morning, an hour later because Carmen of the coffee shop offered to find us a good hotel in Pamplona. Why this oferta we'll never know .  As we were leaving we kissed and she told us that if we need anything, just give her a call. 

I contemplated this kindness for quite a while. Meanwhile, the weather is warm and sunny so here's Craig changing into his shorts with glee! 

Here's a pile of pilgrims stopping for a lunch break.  Loving the sunshine. 

We've shared time and food with this couple and enjoy them. Her foot is very sore so they stopped early today to rest. Perhaps we'll catch each other again. It happens - with no planning . 

We walked through this ancient town outside of Pamplona. 

The typical Basque dessert of the region. Will need to walk .... And then some

Pamplona live at 10PM.  Dinner is happening. Overheard by a young peregrino we met earlier today: I want to live here.  Who wouldn't? 

Estafeta - great strolling, restaurants, shops. The running of the bulls happens here.

Day 6 May 25 Valcarlos to Burgette

IInteresting: the language choices at the cash machine here: Spanish, French , Basque, Catalan , Galician , English, Japanese 

10 miles. 22,307 steps

Today we crossed the Pyrenees, uphill almost all the way. 

Staying at the Turismo Rural Don Jauregui de Burgete.  

It was a considerable hike today. The scenery was spectacular, not unlike the Pacific Northwest though scrub oaks and beech trees mingled with evergreens.  We saw only one other peregrina from New Zealand on the trail; most people take the high route which would have provided two days of uphill steep grade. This was enough.  We rejoiced when we reached the downhill road into Roncevailles .  Arduous.  

We had a bowl of caldo with a splash of some brandy in it before we returned to the Camino to walk to today's destination , Burgette.   Now it's 8:30 and the day is ending.  The room is toasty, our clothes are washed and drying , we had a lovely dinner of sopa, tortilla, pimientos grilled, and some tasty torta.  

In between, we sat at a bar and had olives and a cana and wine with a mother - daughter team who are staying actually in Hemingway's room at the other Casa rural in town. We chatted for an hour, easily . Meeting people and engaging is one of the Camino's pleasures. 

I've been listening to the Sun Also Rises and wouldn't you know- the part about him going trout fishing in Burgette is on as we are here.  

Our walk today

Calling ahead for a hotel reservation. CC says I look line Woody Allen!!

That's kilometers!

Witches we're burned at the stake in these woods.  In the 1500s.

The White Cross

Warm, full, content. 

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.