Day 15 June 3 Viana to Logrono

6.5 miles. 16,071 steps

9.5 total including wandering around

It's 3:15 We're in a lovely hotel room with streets of tapas bars and a lovely square with a fountain surrounding us. I just had lunch of white wine and a salted mushroom quinoa salad and a bath in a big tub. Ah, the life of THIS peregrina at THIS moment. 

We should call this Camino, Camino On the Fly.  We decided last night that we would take the bus into Logrono, have a day to look around and continue on. That changed this morning when we decided to walk into Logrono. It was a pleasant 6 mile walk to our hotel which is located 2 minutes from the tapas street.  We'll stay 2 nights and explore this college town. 

Observations:

People know Seattle now when they ask where we are from. Why? The seahawks?

There is a prevalence of smoking.  Not indoors since the EU bans that.

No tipping- it's not customary nor expected.  Food service people are adequately compensated. 

These towns are safe and safer. Children play. Women bike/walk alone. 

It is still light at 10:30pm

No one even starts to think about eating until 8:30 at night and then the tapas bars and restaurants are open until after midnight. Life takes place in the streets.... Not families:)

Breakfast in Viana before leaving for Logrono.

Symbol of the Camino

Beautiful walk into town

Asian Peregrinos cover themselves from head to toe to protect from the sun, gloves, scarves over faces. 

Nice place for some  relaxation. A king sized bed- a first! 

Padron peppers

Cheesy delights

Calle Laurel

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Day 14 June 2 Los Arcos to Viana

12.5 miles 29,497 steps

Another day, another 12 miles.  We left about 7:45 which seems to be our pattern.  Breakfast ensued at this lovely albuergue about 4 miles down the path. 

It was here that we met a South Korean woman and two Canadian women from Vancouver with whom we spent many evening hours with once we all arrived in Viana. 

The weather was perfect with some cloud cover but enough warmth to keep us comfortable. Once again the landscape was gasp inducing. 

Leaving Los Arcos

We had the chance to take a short cut which I regretted due to its ski slope-like quality. After a certain amount of whimpering on my part, I live to tell about it. 

Today felt easier. The body did not speak so much and thus freed up the mind to wander. We talked earnestly about this Camino for us.  

 We realized that we really had not trained adequately to be prepared for the strenuousness of crossing the Pyrenees on the first days and the intensity of walking day after day.  Craig's prolonged cold and my busted knee disrupted our training schedule.  That coupled with perhaps a false sense of confidence from last year's Camino experience contributed to a tough start. The newness last year and the push to make it to Santiago probably helped with overcoming the physical discomfort. 

This year is shaping up differently. We have the time. We are letting the path, the places of interest, and our desires determine how far we walk and where we stay. 

For example, tomorrow we will get to Logrono, find a hotel, drop our packs and explore the city at a leisurely pace. 

That means that once again we will meet up with different people. 

I think our Korean friend was a little sad that we were parting ways but still we didn't exchange contact information; instead just hugged, said buen Camino and perhaps we'll meet again. Same with Mario. And the women from Vancouver. 

We did eventually get into the church for mass with a special blessing from the priest for each peregrino including a sprinkle if holy water. 

I'm not sure why today felt easier. Perhaps we are getting in shape. I know that the messages from home with news and words of encouragement really mean a lot.  Gratitude's a big deal:)

Day 13 June 1 Estella to Los Arcos

14.5 miles 33,877 steps

A day's rest made a big difference.  Today felt almost good. The landscape was impeccably beautiful- wheat fields dappled with poppies, olive groves, and the endless vineyards.   The path was solid, rolling along, not very hilly. We stopped once for some lunch and a couple other times for short rests and arrived at our hotel at Los Arcos by 3:30 with plenty of time to recover for tomorrow. The sun shines and it looks like good weather for the week. 70s. 

We're figuring out our pace. Slowing down, doing less miles, more rest days to enjoy our time and the towns in the way. 

Here's the famous spot where peregrinos can choose wine or water!  It was 8:30 am when we passed by.  Note: wine from this Navarra region is excellent. 

A view along the way.

The roses hide the rough spots!!!

This man managed the little church and invited us in and then stamped our Compostelas. 

This is the church we visited. 

Just a hint at the beauty of today's walk. 

Day 12 May 31st Estella all day!

The local market 

We love this room 

The post event photo!  3 on 3 games.

The view from our room. 

The Hotel San Andras on Plaza de Santiago.

Our day:

Wake up late

Wash clothes- 14 Euros and they're fresh!

Eat lunch 

Siesta

Pharmacy for knee - now I add this fantastic wrap to my arsenal

Back out to the square for the evening. 

We're on Spanish time now. 

We think we've hit our stride and figured out a good pace to get to Burgos that will allow us to enjoy our walk and also the towns in between.  

This is a town not to be missed. Children and teenagers playing everywhere, cafés full.  Our waiter loves his job!

Note: there is no bad wine in Navarra!

I'm a happy peregrina tonight !

Day 11 Puente de la Reina to Estella

15 or more likely 16 butt busting miles

35,353 steps

I declare that this might be the most physically difficult day of my life. We realized that our previous Camino started at the meseta, the flatlands. Every day even beyond the Pyrenees we climb climb climb, up and over, into a village, down down down and do it all again.  And every step is worth it. 

But today I hit the wall. Lunch helped, especially the first of many I hope freshly squeezed orange juices!

I realized something important today. Important to my well-being .  I had subscribed to a blog called Americans on the Camino.  People share every nuance of their experience including but not limited to close up photos of their disgusting blisters .  When we would find wifi I'd read all these experiences and they we're seeping into my psyche and unconsciously framing MY experience.  It was Fox News of the Camino.  So I I friended this group on FB and mail feed.  It was a freeing moment.  Meanwhile I've been reading (on the plane at least) The Circle by Dave Eggers which looks provocatively at information transparency in our culture from all sides.  It makes for great Camino conversations. 

The young people I spoke about in Pamplona . " it's mom and dad."

We have plunked ourselves down in a lovely thriving town and since we are feeling exhausted and physically wrecked and since our hotel room is so cozy and the proprietors so friendly, we looked at the map and tomorrow's climb and said, "why not?" So we sit here now at 7:30 drinking vino and cerveza and going to take the day off tomorrow!! 

Praise the guides of the Camino. We just returned from a dinner event that lasted hours. We met two women from Ireland who are hijing to Logrono.  Then our former buddies, the mother and daughter team and THEY are staying an extra day here as well. Oh how we validated each other's exhaustion! And how we laughed. And our dour waiter. I took it upon myself to get him to smile at least once: it happened twice. 

Names: Judy and uh oh... 

Viva la feminista!

We missed a lovely town setting for our lunch so here we are eating whatever we found to eat in our backpacks!  It happens. 

Some school children created this

Where did this come from?

Little hotel San Andras - town of 15,000

Estella !

Day 10 Pamplona to Puente de la Reina

34 510 steps. 15 miles 

Hotel Jakue

Gave kineseotape to Sarah

Some days you gotta dance.

I found out something new about Craig. He puts the toothpaste on his finger and THEN on his toothbrush. To save toothpaste.

And he takes such very good care of me. 

Day 9 May 29 Pamplona

IIt's noon. All we've done today is read and watch some BBC and CNN while under the covers. I have tremendous appreciation for not moving.   Rest. Rest . The Spanish saying: que bonito a hacer nada and despues, descansar.   

There's a whole beautiful city to explore, maybe.  

My immersible hot water heater works and I'm having a cup of Starbucks instant.  Not to worry- I've already had a cafe con leche into which I dunked a croissant- a pleasure from my youth I do not ordinarily indulge in.  

The weather will improve later and we'll explore then . No worries. We're in Spain where dinner does not begin until 9 and it's still light out at 10.

How's the body holding up? This 67 year old body? So far, fine. While we're walking, one foot in front of the other, I don't think about age, about the passage of time . It's an altered state- those moments.  But then a conversation ensues and the number may come out:

"No, you can't be 67".  A compliment? An achievement ? Luck? 

Question: what does 67 look/act like anyway?

And then thoughts can turn to how much time is left? That stuff .  We decided that we don't need to disclose age unless it's necessary to be truthful. 

Withhold judgment of ourselves as well. Big Camino lesson

We had news from home today. Some troubles, some grief, some joy.  And that is the stuff of life. We are not walking to escape. We love our friends and family.  How I appreciate the immediate circles of support that swoop in when someone is on distress. We walk for them.  I felt a little homesick today. 

We keep meeting a delightful young gang of 5 or 7! They met on the Camino and are traveling more or less together. - from Germany, Albuerque,  Canada , Montana - they hurt too and they enjoy the comfort of us, mutual roles, "my mom will feel better when I tell her we're with you!!

Sauna - oh yes!  In this hotel.  Love it. 

View from our window

Cafe Iruna 

Ok. I wasn't going to post this but CC said that if I am using my voice on this blog, then I must tell the story.  I had the idea to take this photo of the Men's bathroom in Cafe Iruna to be able to say, "this is the bano that Hemingway peed in", to add to the historical significance

of the site.  As I situated myself to take. the photo, I accidentally snapped a photo of a man coming out. Ohhhh I thought I was in deep doo doo but nothing happened. Here's the photo: