Thursday, June 30, 2016

The Camino Blues

What are the Camino Blues? Well simply put it is the somewhat depressive state one may get after doing the Camino.  However its not just a Camino thing. I have often felt it when I have returned from any vacation, that low, that feeling of being lost and not wanting to go back to the real world.

I have also heard that after anything you train for and build up for after its completed there is a low.
That goes from a 5k to College Graduation to the Camino.  When I first heard of this it was when I was training for my first half marathon.  I didn't see how it could be. I mean why wouldn't I be excited about reaching my goal? Why would that make me depressed?  Then the day came when i did my first half marathon. The day of and the next few days I was proud of myself and excited. Then I began to feel the low happen. It was hard to do the 'rest' part of recovery since I had been walking everyday for months. Then it was as if I had nothing to look forward to, nothing to work for.  So I found myself looking for new adventures.

One of those adventures is the Camino. This years as I came off my week of camino I was faced with some challenges and found the low very low. First I was ill when I returned.  I am not sure if it was dehydration or something I ate, but my stomach was upset for a few days. Which made making the flights home less than enjoyable.

Then once I was better from that I was able to take my sister site seeing around Germany. One morning about a week after my return both my knees swelled up and felt like funny to walk on. Then I noticed my calf was swollen and hard as well. I began to fear that I had over done it and started to worry my walking days may be numbered. I know a bit dramatic, but i was in a lot of pain. Come to find out I did have a bit of a tear and bruise in my calf. After some rest, but still walking some and a few days of Motrin the swelling went down.  I could once again walk without pain and begin to think about the camino.

They often say the best thing to do to combat the camino blues is to start planning your next one.  The planning part is easy for me since I already knew I had more camino to do.  In fact as i rested my legs, with ice packs on them I was already planning the next stages.

Really I guess that is true for most things that bring us down. If we can find something to look forward to, something to believe in, something to work for, we are able to lift ourselves up and dust ourselves off and head on to the next adventure.


Monday, June 20, 2016

Taking Care Of Your Body

Today I went for a massage.  During my massage I got to thinking about how important it is to take care of our bodies.  Not only as an everyday thing, but in respect to the camino as well. After all we are asking, no telling our bodies to walk all those miles. The least we can do is be good to it.

So what does being good to ones body entail? If you think of your body as a machine, say a car, you know that it needs gas and oil to go anywhere. Also periodically it needs a tune ups, tire rotation and such.  Same with your body.

The body runs on fuel we get from our food. To get the most out of our bodies we need to feed it well. Both in training and on the Camino. Which i know is not the easiest thing to do.  I am not advocating any crazy diets but more just eating healthy foods that provide us with what we need.  Good carbs, proteins and fats. They are the gas and oil in our tanks. That and the all important water and hydration.

Let me say a bit on hydration here. Staying hydrated is so important. It seems like such an easy thing to do as well. Just drink water while you walk. Simple.  Yet I have read many stories of people getting dehydrated on the Camino. In fact I had it happen to me as well. I knew I need to drink and I thought I was drinking, yet it still happened. I must say I was sort of surprised I got dehydrated on the second day out. While training I always had my water and drank it before, during and after the walks.  So there I was walking the camino and sipping my water as I went. Ahhh.....there was the problem, I was sipping and not just drinking water.  I think in my head I was afraid to run out of water. Even though we had plenty of water with us and knew there was places to get water on the way.  Also the coffee and the wine does not help with hydration.  I would say to make sure you drink, and I mean drink a lot of water. Especially the first few days. I think traveling also dehydrates one, so if you can keep hydrated you will be better off.

Not saying stay away from the coffee and wine. Just saying to remember to drink water before and after your coffee and wine!

Now that we have fueled ourselves properly and are well hydrated, what other ways can we be good to our bodies?  Massage could be one way. I do enjoy a good massage. I originally used to get them for stress relief. However I have found that the more I walk the massages help to relieve the tightness of my muscles.

Other ideas might be as simple as a long hot bath. Once again helping to relieve the stress put on the muscles while walk and training.  Helping you and your body relax. Add a little aromatherapy if you wish to enhance the bath.

Pedicures and feet massage are another way as well. I would suggest though if you do pedicures close to the time of the camino make sure they do not remove any of the callouses you have built up while training.  I have found you can have strong, tough skin and yet keep them moisturized and they still feel soft.  Yes it may take a lot of cream to get them there, but it can be done.

I guess really it is all about being good to your body. To make the extra effort to make sure your body will be able to do whats being asked to do.  Being aware of your body and knowing what it need to relax after a hard day training or walking.  Rewarding yourself in good ways that do not undermine what you are trying to accomplish.

Just a quick note on weight management. There is so much talk on Camino sites about the weight of the pack you carry. I would like to say if you are carrying extra weight on your body this would be a good time to try to shed some of that as well. I have struggled with my weigh for a long time. It is an on going battle. So I know what it is like.  My first Camino trip I was heavy, and I guess it was a good think I didn't have my pack because I did struggled up the hills.  This past year I work diligently on getting more fit. I am happy to say that this time around when I weighed my pack and myself I was 10 pounds lighter than the pervious year. I still have a long way to go but I will get there.  So for every gram of weight you worry about in your pack, just ask your self if you could shed a few on your body.  Your knees and hips will thank you!

Refueling your body while on the Camino. What I will say on this is simply you will burn anywhere for 1500 to 2000 calories a day walking for 6 hours or so. Your body will need to refuel. This is the time its okay to eat the pastas, the bread and paellas being offered. You will need to eat to keep your strength and energy. Make sure to get your protein as well.  Its nice chicken and fish are offered most evenings.  Once again from what I saw on the Camino it was good wholesome food. Not processed.
So good for your body food.

In closing I guess I just want to say take care of your body and it will take you places you dream to go. Neglect it and it wont be there when you need it.  Treat yourself to a treat now and then whether its a hot bath or a massage at the spa.


Happy Training! Buen Camino!


Saturday, June 18, 2016

The Places I stayed

I thought I would share with you the places I stayed during my Camino Experience.  When I pre planned I used Booking.com for the most part.  I know there are many places out there not listed on booking.com but it was a good place to start and to see where things are available.  I love to research and plan so I enjoyed the hours of research.

Yes you can to the Camino doing just Alburgues.  However we choose for us the second time around we wanted the comfort and privacy of our own room. Was it more expensive? Sometimes yes, but then sometimes it ran about the same as two beds would have. That is the beauty of going with another person, being able to share the cost.  Also it was nice to know we had a place to stay each night. There was no race for a bed, fingers crossed for us.  The trick is knowing how much you can really walk in a day.  Who knows next time we might just wing it and see where we stay. 

So here is a run down of the rooms: 

Camino Part 1

One our first Camino we only pre booked Orrison. We knew it filled up fast and we decided we would break up the first day. So glad we did. The other places we just walked in and asked for beds or rooms. We did the bunk bed thing the first two nights and the last two were private rooms. 

Orrison- http://www.refuge-orisson.com/en/#le_gite

Roncevalles at the Monastery- http://alberguederoncesvalles.com/reservas.php

Valcarlos- a little place on the main road 
St Jean

Camino Part 2

I pre booked the rooms for the trip. When looking online it looked like places were filling up and I didn't want us to be with out a room.  We did however end up changing out our last two nights a bit, when we stopped in Lorca and were able to get a room there on the spur of the moment. 

St Jean Pied de Port- La Villa Esponda

Zubiri- El Palo de Avellano-  This one you book directly.  http://elpalodeavellano.com/ptarif_2.htm


Pamplona- Alojamientos Room Pamplona 

Puerto la Renia- Albergue Jakue

Lorca- Albergue La Bodega de Camino ( this one we just picked on the spur of the moment)

Iratxe- Camping Iratxe Ciudad de Vacaciones

Biartiz-Premiere Classe Biarritz very budget hotel


Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Day Six Making our way back to the real world...sort of.


When we were planing our Camino trip we both agreed that we would not be walking in the dark. After all the sun was up in Spain this time of year from 7 am to 9 pm, roughly. No need for head lamps/flashlight etc.   However our last morning found us waking up at 6 am and heading out into the dawn or pre dawn as it was. Lucky for us there was enough light we could see where we were going.

Sunrise over Estella
The plan was simple, get the early bus out of Estella to Pamplona, get the bus in Pamplona around 11 am and be in Biarritz by 2, time enough to go see the beaches.

Our  route was also simple. Follow the road and path back to Estella. It would be about a 4km walk to the bus station and we figured should take us an hour or so. It was all downhill after all.  We did have a spectacular sunrise to watch as we make our way east.

We made it in good time to the bus station and bought our tickets. We had about a half an hour to wait until the bus arrived. So we went to the cafe next door and enjoyed a cup a coffee and croissants.
Before long the bus arrived and we were off to Pamplona.

The bus was pretty full but we were able to get seats together and about the middle. No back of the bus for us this time.  The ride was smooth and uneventful. It was weird to think we would get to Pamplona in an hour today and what it took us three days to walk.

We arrived in Pamplona and went to find the bus for Biarritz.  After soon searching we found the ticket window and went to buy our tickets.  However it seems the bus we wanted was full already so we would have to take a later bus.  I will say here that I wish I had pre booked this section.  The 11am bus was 15 euro per person where was the 2pm bus was nearly 30 euro.  So what we saved on transportation in the beginning we ended up using here. But we had to get to Biarritz tonight for the hotel and the flight tomorrow. Some times you just do what you have to do.

On the upside to all of this is that we now had time to walk downtown Pamplona and see what we missed the first time. We hadn't seen the bulls or Ernest Heminingway at all.  So we took to the streets and wandered around just checking stuff out. Sitting at a nice square enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze. Then we moved on and found the Bull ring and the monument to the running of the bulls.  However, couldn't find a single Hemmingway. Well except the street, we did find that.

A surprising thing happened there also. A fellow pilgrim asked for our assistance.  We did our best to help. She was asking where the Alburge was and since we didn't stay there at first we just said we didn't know.  Then we looked at our map and tried to give her directions to find it. There definitely was a language barrier. She was of Asian decent and knew a little Spanish and little less English. Then she smiled and went on her way. We comment to each other we hope she found the place. Then as we were looking for Hemmingway we came upon the Alburge and congratulated ourselves that we gave decent instructions.  Then out of the blue the lady comes up to us to tell us how she found the place and thanked us. She was now off to one of the churches. We did out best again with the map and sent her to the main old town. There are so many churches in Spain, and they are all magnificent.
We parted ways and hoped she found her way.  I guess walking around a big city with the backpack and shell on it is a give away saying we are pilgrims. It is nice that as pilgrims we all step up to help one another.  It warmed my heart.

We wandered around for Lunch and found ourselves back at Burger King. It seemed fitting to go back here. This time I tried a burger. At least by now I was able to eat. Then we headed back to get our bus.

Waiting in the bus station, enjoying a beer, we were trying to figure out where we would meet our bus. We began to worry a bit. All the other bus routes were posted on the screen and told what bus bay to go to. Nothing was showing for Biarritz. We went to the ticket counter and it was closed until 4 pm. Weird to me that the ticket counter would be closed but it was. So after some looking around and trying to figure it out we asked a bus driver that was taking a bus to St. Jean where our bus was and she said it was the bus that was boarding. We got our stuff and got onto the bus.  Relieved to have finally found the bus.

The bus was full.  Mostly with Pilgrims making their way to St. Jean to start their trek. I can't say they looked fresh and ready to go because honestly they had that look of jet lag to them. They were looking for a shower and a bed you could tell.

What caught my surprise about both bus rides was how taking the bus back the way you came, looking for the path as you go, reaffirmed just how far we had walked. To look at the path in the distance and see how it went up the mountains and then down only to go up another hill gave me a new appreciation for what we did.  Sometimes when you are on the hills you are only thinking of making it over them. But then to step back and look at them put it in perspective and makes you feel small.  And maybe that is one of the lessons of the Camino. To help us understand that our "problems" might feel like mountains but they can be over come.  I am happy we took the time to take the bus back.

We arrived in St Jean and everyone got off the bus. Literally everyone but us got off the bus. The driver took a short break, we changed seats and then we were off to Biarritz.  Then it was a short walk from the Airport to the Hotel. The walk might have been short but it was on the side of a busy road and I didn't like that too much. But we made it safe.

After we checked in and showered we watched some tv and relaxed. We arrived too late to go exploring the beaches and plus we were pretty tired. It was all catching up to us.  There was a restaurant next door and we went there for dinner.  We settled on omelettes and salad with water.
It was a pretty good meal.  It was a quiet meal, no other pilgrims around. Made me miss our pilgrim buddies already.

We picked up some wine and spent the remainder of the evening just relaxing and watching some tv and talking about the trip and planning the next one.  Tomorrow we will be flying home back to our lives and our commitments. So it was nice to have the night to just relax and enjoy each others company.

The last night is always bittersweet.  You are happy for the experience and also sad to see it end. Then there is the physical part where you are tired and happy its over, but then are you really? For now we will take some time to recuperate and reflect on the lessons learned.

Until next time......and there will be a next time! Hopefully sooner....than later.


Pamplona 










Sunday, June 12, 2016

Day Five- Lorca to Estella and beyond!

There is a sound that comes with morning in an alburgue.  Doesn't matter if you have a bunk bed or a private room, the sounds of the pilgrims will wake you. Or at least they woke me. The sound of rustling of backpacks and of boots walking down the hall and stairs.  Whispers and sometimes talk not so quiet can be heard in multiply languages.  I figure the talk is mostly the route of the day and where to get coffee.

Morning five was no different. We hadn't set an alarm and our room with the shutters closed kept out the morning light.  So for us the sounds of pilgrims was our alarm clock.  We packed up and headed out. We noticed a vending machine on the outside of the alburge that had coffee and other drinks.

We sat on the bench and had coffee and breakfast bars. I tell you, our breakfast bars and granola bars were life savers.  After our quick breakfast and our little coffees, yes we had a couple each, we were ready to hit the road.

 In our minds we knew it should be an easy day. After all we were suppose to be able to walk it yesterday, right? so just a few kilometers.  As we made our way down the dirt road, I was once again thankful we had stopped.  Those next 10 kilometers proved to have their challenges.  After heading out of Lorca you are meet with a few ascent.  Not huge, but steep in their own way.

The sun was shinning bright and once again the path had little shade to offer. I know it couldn't have been very warm temperature wise, but it felt quite warm.  Occasionally we would get a cool breeze that would feel great. Sometimes I would just stop for a moment and let the breeze pass over me, just taking it all in.

We seemed to make good time that morning and we arrived in Estella in the late morning.  The town of Estella was founded in 1090, and it still maintains a lot of its history and charm. The cobble streets and the Romanesque architecture of the Churches.  On our way in we passed the Church of San Miguel. What a beautiful example of early craftsmanship. It amazes me how they were able to carve and sculpt the figures all those years ago. With just simple tools and a lot of patience.

As we continued into the city we came across a tourist office. We stopped and were able to get information on the buses for our ride back to Pamplona the following day. The nice lady also gave us a map of the town and directions to the bus station. We decided since it was early we would go and check where the station was.  It was pretty easy to find.  The station itself was in the old train station and next to the city center. There was a large square with lots of shops and cafes.  We did notice a few cafes open and so we decided we should go ahead and get lunch while we could. After all we had time and we only had a few more kilometers to go for the day.
We order a sandwich and a couple of beers. We really didn't know what sort of sandwich we were getting we just sort of pointed. It turned out to be  a hard roll with a Spanish omelet inside. I thought it was pretty good.

Then it was time to head back to the trail and look for the lodging for the night.  I had seen a campsite that also had little cabins to rent at a decent rate. It was outside of Estella, i was told 3 km. I also read it was close to the wine fountain.  I was looking forward to seeing this fountain that dispenses free wine along with water.

 We found the route again and headed out of town. I do wonder about some of the signs and paths. Especially today. We did start talking about how it seemed they were sending us out of our way. I can only imagine it had to do with the old path being there. We found ourselves in a residential area.  However the locals and other pilgrims were good at keeping us on track, especially when we choose to go off the path to look out of the valley. They keep calling to us....:this way, you go this way'.  We did get back on the path and we passed a local who we asked for directions to the campsite.  First she said told us to go to the wine fountain and then we will get to the campsite.

Sure enough a bit more down the road and we were at the wine fountain or Fuente del vino.  We got our pictures taken and filled up one of the water bottle with some wine. Well only about half full.  It was a nice break and by then I needed it. I was just losing steam fast that day.
Every kilometer felt like it was taking me forever to walk.  Its funny how being tired makes things feel longer. In fact, my fitbit says that yes we did slow a bit our average was still around 25 minutes, to includes breaks.

We arrived at the Campsite and were able to check in right away. We were told there was a market for food and that the bar served food as well.  So we were set for the night. Nice. We found our little cabin with its own little wc. There was a shared shower block right across the way.  We did the clean up thing and then went to the little store to have a look around.  We didn't see much that interested us and we figured we would get dinner at the bar. They had pizza and hamburgers on the menu and those sounded pretty good. So we got some beer, 7up like drink for me to make  a shandy, and some chips.

We sat on our little front porch and just relaxed. Listened to some music, drinking our drinks and watching as the other pilgrims came by.  I don't know why, but I was surprised to see how many others choose to stay there.  But it was probably the same thoughts I had. It was right on the path, and it offered a little bit of peace and quiet. Also it being only 28 euro a night had to help a lot of budgets as well.

Soon we thought we should head over to get dinner. I was starting to get hungry and my stomach hurt. I just needed something more on it than chips and granola bars.  So we went to the bar and asked for a burger. We were told that they only had a set menu that day. No other cooking.  The bartender than put out the starters on the counter. There were an assortment of spanish food, most of which I did not recognize. I did notice there was the black ink octopus, I once wanted to try that. However at that moment my stomach started to act up and just looking at the food made me nauseous. So we thanked him and headed out to see if we could find something else. The little store was closed and there was no where else to eat.  What to do, what to do.  We headed back to the bar and I got an ice cream. At least it was something on my stomach. Then it was back to the cabin for another granola bar and some trail mix.

We settled in for the night. Tomorrow would be a big day with an early start.

Total km walked 14.  I know it was suppose to be only 10 go figure.





Friday, June 10, 2016

Day Four Puente la Reina to Estella

Our plan for day four was to make it to Estella.  The guide book said it was around 22 km. So we knew another long day was ahead of us.  We were still feeling pretty good leg and back wise. Maybe  a headache from too much wine but that soon would pass.

Breakfast was coffee and granola bars we had brought with us. While sipping our coffee we saw a group of cyclist getting ready for a day on the trail.  Soon enough it was time to hit the road. 

We head down the road and through the town of Puente la Reina. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and the streets were fairly quiet. There was a crispness to the air and the skies were clear.

As we walked we wondered if we would be able to get any supplies, with it being Sunday and all. The roads were so quiet.  Then we saw a few stores and cafes were open for the pilgrims.  We stocked up on water, gatorade, chips and lunch. Coming out of the store we saw one of the French couple having coffee. They didn't look like they were walking today, no packs was the clue. 

We continued on the cobble roads and then over the bridge, a 11th century bridge better known as the Queens Bridge.

The day is said to be one of the 'easier' stages. With a mix of rolling hills and vineyards.  The landscape was beautiful. It did however start to get rather warm as we walked along. There was even a section of well perserved Roman roads outside the town of Ciauqui. The town it self was on a hilltop.  Since this section is out in farm lands there really is no shade to rest in.  Also some of the rolling hill were fairly steep.  One in particular was a challenge.  We just took our time and stopped when we needed. 

With the combination of heat and lack of food I was getting tired. At one point all the signs looked like we were still a long way away from Estella. But we just kept on walking. We might have been tired but we were trying to stay in good humor. 

We came upon a little town of Lorca. Once again a quiet little town, with cobble streets. We happened upon two Alburges and decided to stop for a rest and some ice cream.  Sitting on a bench outside enjoying the ice cream, I kept looking at the sign at the alburque across the street. It said it had double rooms available and for a reasonable price.  Even though we had reservation in a town on the other side of Estella, I was tempted to cancel those and just stay here for the night. After all it was getting late in the afternoon and we had at least another 10km to go.  The more I sat there the better it sounded. So I casually mention "hey they say they have rooms over there. Should we see if ones available?" Without hesitation the answer was "yes".  At that point we were both just plain tired. 

So we head across the street and ask if they have something available and we are in luck. They have a double room with a private bath. They also serve a pilgrims meal if we were interested, and we were. We were shown to our room. Time for a shower and a bit of a nap. But first I had to call the other hotel. They were understanding and told me it was ok, they would see us tomorrow.  So with that taken care of I rested comfortably for an hour or so. 

Dinner was served in the bar of the Alburgue. The showed us to a table where a couple from America, and Frenchmen and a man from Denmark were seated.  The converstaion was the normal camino talk at first. Where are you from, where did you start, and so on. The Frenchman told us he walk from St Jean to Roncelvalles, 27km, in 5 hours. Wow!  And he was an older gentleman at that. Amazing.  

Our dinner was a round of pasta with sauce and bread, followed by chicken and ice cream for dessert. Oh and the bottle of wine for the table.  I was happy that I was able to eat more this night. 

At a table next to us was two Spanish gentleman who were cycling the camino. They told us how they did 90 km on the Camino that day. Their English was not so good but they made sure we understood they didn't take the regular road but took the Camino trail.  Just thinking back to earlier in the day when we saw a cyclist pushing his bike up a hill, I had a great respect for those who can ride the trail. 

You never know what the Camino will challenge you with or how things will happen, but I was happy we stopped where we did tonight. Maybe we were suppose to be here at this time with these people, exchanging ideas.  


Total Km walked for the day 13. 

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Day Three Pamplona to Puente la Reina.

The sun streamed into the room and soon it was time to start our day. After all we had to be to breakfast on time! Somehow we just didn't want to disappoint the lady. So we headed down the street to the bar. She welcomed us with a smile and showed us to the back room where there were tables. She showed us to the table that was set with two cups and bread, and meat and cheeses. Then she took our order for hot beverages. Next she brought over fresh made toast.  It was great service! There was so much food to eat we ended up packing up some cheese and bacon and bread for later.

After we had our fill and paid our bill we started to head out. The lady, really should have gotten her name, motioned for us to wait. Then she help up her phone to us. She had a translation app and it said "I will show you where to get the path to the Camino".  We nodded and waited.  After taking care of the other patrons, she motioned for us to follow her and out the door she went. We were expecting her to point in the general direction of where we needed to go. However she just started to walk and so we followed. This woman could walk too and fast! I did my best to keep up. We crossed some large streets and went down some roads. Not sure how far it was but it was quiet a walk. She then stopped at a park and pointed at the Camino sign, and smiled. We thanked her and she wished us a Buen Camino, and off she went back to the bar. We both just stood there watching her for a moment, amazed at the help she gave us. I said a prayer of thanks for her and we set off for the day.

We had a long day ahead of us. The guide book said 22km.  I had found an allburge in Puente la Reina that I really wanted to stay out, so I knew I just had to do my best to get there.  We did have the advantage of leaving out of Pamplona from the outskirts. The walk started out pretty level and on dirt paths. We soon found ourselves with many other pilgrims. There was a steady steam of us dotting the pathway.

Today was the day we would have a significant climb again, up to 'Alto del Pedron' (Hill of Forgiveness) pass. This is the hill with the iron pilgrims sculptures and the wind turbines. I was really looking forward to reaching the top. The weather was pleasant. Even though the clouds looked menacing it helped keep the temperature down. As we walked we saw the group of French pilgrims pass us.

The views on top of the mountain were amazing! Breathtaking in fact. Also its nice to take the moment and look back on where we started from. From up here we could see all the way to Pamplona. It was then I realized how large that city was. Also I had to feel pretty proud of us for making it up here.


Also at the top of the hill is a food truck where you can get refreshment and a stamp for your passport. We meet an American pilgrim there. She is from Denver and we chatting for awhile. Soon it was time to move on. We heard it was all down hill from here. 

We quickly learned that "all downhill" doesn't always mean easier. Yes it was downhill, but the path was made up of rocks, loose rocks. It soon became clear that this could take as much time going down as it did coming up.  Every step seemed to have to be thought of. There was a few time my ankle twisted and I began to worry I might sprain it.  We continued on. Down, down the rocks we went. Then we came across a 'rock garden" of sorts on the side. Hundreds of small piles of rocks, all stacked up three or four high.  When I first saw it and realized what it was I had to stop and just look. The picture does not do it justice. It was just such a site to see. That all these people who passed this way before had taken the time to make these piles. 


A few kilometers down the way we passed the French group who had stopped to have lunch.  It was not far from here that I began to feel ill. Dehydration had hit me. Here I thought I had been drinking plenty of water, but I guess I hadn't.  So from that point on we were a little slower. Sometimes you have to play little games with your mind to push yourself forward. I will say were were getting pretty tired by mid afternoon.  We came up a hill in front of us and noticed the French group gaining ground behind us. It became our "mission" to beat the French up the hill. So we gave it all we had and we did beat them up the hill. Then we rested a bit and they passed up. Oh well, the point was we beat them up the hill. 


 As we got closer to the town I had said I thought the alburgue was once again on the other side.  We were pleasantly surprised to see that once we crossed the river right there was the alburge. What a welcome site! 


We checked in and were shown to our room, told what time dinner was and left to relax for a bit. We checked on doing laundry but the washer was busy. We cleaned up and sorted our packs out. Recharged batteries, tried the internet to check in with family and had a bit of a rest.  Soon it was time for dinner.  Dinner consisted of a buffet of starters and salads and then a mail course, fish or chicken, and dessert. In addition there was both white and read wine.  Dinner looked wonderful! The buffet had lobster bisque, stuff crab on the shells, salad, paella, the list went on and on. It was such a same that my stomach wasn't feeling well. I did try my best to eat. It was just a shame I didn't enjoy it more. 


After dinner we were able to get some laundry done and then time to call it a night. Another day on the camino done. So far neither of us were having foot or leg pains, and I was thankful for that. 


Total Distance 22 Km


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Day Two Zubiri to Pamplona

I woke in the middle of the night with heartburn.  In the past I had experience it but it had been a long time.  I guess it was either the strong coffee or the wine or a combination of both that did it. The one thing I didn't pack, and was kicking myself for forgetting, was tums or other antacids . Make note for future trips tums and such to go in the first aid kit.   Sorry to say I didn't sleep very well.  All too soon the alarm was going off for us to start the day.

Morning prep....On our way!
We had booked the late breakfast which was at 7:30 am.  We packed up and headed downstairs to the breakfast room, which as it happened was were we had dinner as well.  On the tables there was coffee and hot water for tea, orange juice and water, and plates of bread.  We were told to sit in the back table and when we got there we found the group of french people we had dinner with.  However the mood for breakfast was very different. It seemed as if everyone was focused on the day ahead. The idea of just eating and getting on the road. It also didn't help that the server was cleaning up while we were still eating and they ran out of bread, and she did not want to get us more.  I am sure they just wanted us gone so they could go about there day as well. So after some bread and coffee and juice, we headed out for our second day.

Our plan for the day was to make it to Pamplona. The guidebooks says its 21k and a medium level for walking. We were up to the challenge. After all that was just 13 miles or so and we had all day to do it.

We walked back over the bridge and headed out. Come to find out the mediaeval bridge, which give the town its name was also know as 'Rabies Bridge'.  Animals were walked around its main pillar to stop them from getting rabies. The legend says that the pillar was the power to cure the disease. In fact there is festivals of Zuriri held in the first week in August in honour of San Esteban. And here I just thought it was a pretty bridge.



We headed down a tree lined path. It was a nice way to start the day. nothing too strenuous. When planning the trip we noted that some of the stages would continue on to Larrasoana. On the map it doesn't look that far. However while walking it this morning I was happy we choose to stay in Zubiri for the night.  There was some ascents and even thought there weren't huge, if we had seen them at the end of the day it would have been more difficult to do. Funny how your mind and play those games on you. Same hills, same climb yet after a night of rest and starting out fresh it was easy to do. 

We walked down the path past the Magna mining site. Not one of the more attractive bits of scenery I will say.  However it did remind me of the mines of Arizona.  There was a sign to let us know we were leaving the "industrial area". From then on it was more woods and greenery. 
For the most part the walk was downhill with a few hills thrown in for good measure. After a threat of rain at our first coffee stop, the day was overcast and comfortable for walking. The day past quickly and soon we were on the outskirts of Pamploma.  As we crossed over a bridge we saw an alburge and there was the German guy we had meet the night before.  He had decided he would stay there for the night.  However we had a room already book on the other side of Pamplona and we continured on. As we walked we felt pretty good. We had a few snacks and water on the way. We thought we would do lunch when we got to Pamplona. Thinking it was a big city and all we figured we would be able to get something when we arrived around 1pm.  However the walk into Pamplona was a bit more challenging then we anticipated. 

In my mind for some reason I thought it would be a simple walk into town. However the route takes you on the outskirts of town. Or so it felt like. What was suppose to be just 3 km away was now feeling more like 10.   Every now and then we would see Pilgrims ahead of us and the markers so we knew we were on the right route. However we mistook the bridge on our map as the one where we meet up with the German. Little did we know that the bridge on the map was further down the road. 

As we past cafes we noticed they were all closed. Welcome to Siesta time in Spain. There seemed to be nothing open for food. So we continued on. We finally found a large map on the side of the road and a few groups of Pilgrims gathered around. We stopped to try to figure out where exactly we were. It was comforting to know others were feeling the same way.  After getting our bearings we continued on. Soon we came upon another river and a large bridge. This was the bridge on our map! Yeah! We crossed the bridge and made our way up to the old walled city of Pamplona. We had finally arrived!

Walking through the gates into the old city I thought back on what it must have been like for pilgrims from years ago to reach this city. Pamplona in the old days was a walled city and the old part of the city is well preserved.  We walked the cobble streets lined with shops. We were still looking for food at this point.  Everywhere we looked the cafes were still closed.  Then up ahead in the midst of all this history was a Burger King.  I couldn't believe it. However it was open so we went in for lunch.  Lunch was chicken wraps, fries and beer. Yes they serve beer at the Burger King in Spain!

After refueling ourselves and checking the map for direction to the hotel we headed back out.  We walked another 2 km or so to the area the hotel was in. I had picked a hotel on the other side of the city hoping in the morning it would make it easier. But by this time I was wondering if it had been a good idea. I was getting tired.

We found the bar that the hotel was connected with and it said it didn't open until 6 pm. So we made ourselves comfortable on a bench and rested.  Every now and then we would take turns walking around, just to stretch. We did find a market and decided we would get supplies there in the morning for tomorrow.  I also came across a restaurant with a daily menu for 12 euros.

Finally the time came to check in at the hotel. We went there and there still was no one. I started to call the number I had and a lady came out of the store next door. With our limited Spanish and her limited English we were able to check in to the hotel. She then said the room is this way and started to lead us out of the bar and down the street, around a corner, down a another street and into a high rise building. We rode the elevator up to the sixth floor and she showed us our room. It was nice and had everything we needed.  She told us breakfast would be at 7am tomorrow morning and we need to be there. Then she was off.
Pretty feet!
 Two days of walking and no blisters! 

We cleaned up and then headed out for dinner. We went back to the place i saw the menu for.  We were the only ones there at the time. It was such a weird feeling that people were not on the streets. It was nice having the place to ourselves.

We ordered the daily menu and we learned that we were able to order a starter, a main meal and a dessert, and it came with a bottle of wine. We were surprised to find that spaghetti and paella were considered starters.   We order paella and risotto, and for our main meal Chile relleno with fish. it sounded different and it we were in Spain so why not try different?  When our starters came out they were the size of a main meal. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to eat it all. However I did. It was delicious. The wine was a Tinto. The experience was wonderful!  Great food, great atmosphere, and great company!

We headed back to the hotel and decided we would stop into the bar the hotel lady ran. She was there tending bar. When she saw us she smiled. We ordered a couple beers. She then gave us a plate of Tortilla, or spanish omelette. I was so full I couldn't eat but one bite. But my partner in crime ate the whole thing. He said he didn't want to offend her.  Then a young lady came up to us and in good english explained that she was the ladys  daughter and her mom wanted to make sure we understood breakfast was at 7 am.  They seems very insistent on it. So we assured them we would be there at 7am. With that we headed back to get some well deserved sleep.


Stats from Fitbit:     
                                25.21 km          9:22:41 min           22'19" pace 

I kept the fitbit running all during the walk, so the pace is the average including our breaks. 






Monday, June 6, 2016

My Apologies

Just a few words to say how sorry I am that it took me so long to get to writing about my trip.  I was hoping I would have been able to post some things from the Camino, however I did not have much luck with internet connections.

My plans on my return was to meet up with my sister in London and we would fly together to Germany. That all went well.  However I was a bit under the weather on the flight back. I spent a few days just trying to get back to normal eating and such.  My sister and I did some sight seeing and were having a good time. Then one morning I woke up with both knees swollen and a lump in my calf, making it difficult and painful to walk. It was so strange that it took a week after my camino for any pain or injury to show up.

I took the time to mend and now I am in better frame of mind to write of my Camino.

More to come.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Day 1 - Roncevalles to Zubiri

The alarm woke us up at 7 am. Our ride would meet us just down the street at 8 am. This gave us an hour to get breakfast and pack back up. We were basically packed.  Last night we did the "what did you bring" thing where you virtually unpack and repack your bags. So after a quick clean up and breakfast of croissants and orange juice we were ready to head out.

We stepped out to meet the day. The sky was overcast and looked a bit threatening.  I said a slient pray that Roncevalles had better weather. When we got to the meeting spot we saw a group of other pilgrims waiting there. We just kept to ourselves at this point. Only when the van arrive did the others move towards us. We exchanged where we were from. The 2 couples were from America. One of the gentlemen commented that yes the Americans were taking the van over the mountain.  He went on to tell us that they were going to Pamplona. They had to change with plans due to his wife having an illness or injury the week before they were due to come over. They felt the mountain would be too much for her, so they will start in Pamplona.  You just never know what the Camino has in store for you!

Our van pulled up a bit before 8 and we all piled in. The ride back up the mountain was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand it was just a nice pleasent drive. Then when I stopped to think about it and remember back to being on the road, walking down the road, it really hit me how much we had done last year. Sometimes it seems like we didn't do much, but on this day I knew we had really walked a lot those days. The road seemed to go on forever, winding back and forth. How had we done it and in the rain to boot!  I had a renewed appreciation of our efforts.

Leaving Roncevalles
As we drove along, the sun started to peek through the clouds. It looked like we would have good weather to start with after all.  We arrived a little before 9 am and we were soon on our way!  We were looking forward to the coffee stop already! The guide book said it was about 3 km in, so that would be an hour give or take. No Problem!

We arrived at a little cafe sooner than we though we would. Either the guidebook was wrong or this place was new. The place however looked like it had been there a long time. We found a table outside, in the sun and sat down to our first cafe con leche of the trip.

With us leaving out of Roncevalles so late we thought we would be the last ones. However as we sipped our coffee we saw other pilgrims passing by.  Not that it was a concern but it is nice when you know there are others on the path with you.

The path to Zubiri was not too bad. In fact it was a nice walk. There were some assent and descents, but nothing like the Pyrenees. I can see how this day would be welcome after walking over the mountain.  The rain held off for most of the day. It was funny, we would stop for a coffee or break and it would start to sprinkle. So we would pull out our coats and put on our covers and then head out. As soon as we were on the path, maybe 5 minutes at the most, the rain would stop.

We arrived in Zubiri around 4 pm.  We were booked into an Alburge that had private rooms as well. They also served a pilgrims meal, which is great not having to go look for food.  We had time enough to shower and rest a bit before dinner. We took a walk around the town and found a little market open. We stopped by to get some food for tomorrow and beer for the evening.  Which turned out to be an adventure on its own.  Funny thing when you carry your bags on the plane, you end up with out a cork screw or a bottle opener for beer. We should have stuck to cans.

We had dinner with the early group at 7pm. I was so happy to have it early. I was hungry. All that walking really works up an appetite.  It was nice to be able to just go down to dinner in socks and/or sandals. I was done with my boots for the day.

The dinning room was full. We were shown were to sit. They fill up one table at a time. There was room for 9 people at ours. We found that our table mates were from France and one young man from Germany. It was funny because here we were in Spain and we were using more French and German that night. Lucky for me the German guy liked to speak and practise his English.  These people would become our "camino people or family" of sorts. The people you see through out your journey. The ones you wonder how far they got or where they are. Its odd really. Most people go on the camino to get away from people, and yet we form these bonds, well I am not sure bonds is the right word, but connections with other so early on.  I guess its just the way.

Our meal was nice. We had a starter of soup, broth really and then a choice of pork or fish, with bread and wine and ending with dessert of Lemon custard or tiramisu. All in all a pleasant evening. Soon it was lights out for us. We set our alarm to wake us for breakfast, which was also included in the price.


                                                      Day one- 22 km
I used a fitbit to track our progress. However on this day the battery died at 13.9 km.







Camino Part Two

On my way.........


The start of the second part of my Camino for me started with a train ride to the Nuremberg Airport. All in all it wasn't a bad trip. Since I now live in Germany, it was easier to get to Biarritz this year.
Simply a train to the Airport, a flight to London, and then a flight to Biarritz.  It is odd that even though i had a long layover in London, going through Madrid or Paris would not only have cost more, but would have been even longer layovers. Strange but true.


The flight from Stansted to Biarritz was uneventful. The sort of flights you always want. Everything went according to plan.  As we boarded the plane we saw a good amount of people with backpacks as well. I started to mull over in my mind how all these people have come together to walk the Camino.
No one really said anything to each other at that point, but when we landed and started to make our way thru the airport there was a look from one another that said " i know what you will be doing".

After getting through immigration we saw my name on a sign. Our ride was there waiting for us! We had booked with Express Bourricot  (www.expressbourricot.com) to take us and others to St. Jean Pied du Port. It was nice that the van was full because it made our cost less, which is always helpful. After a short wait for our fellow pilgrims we headed off to St Jean. 

Last year we took a bus to St Jean from Bayonne, which is about the same distance as from Biarritz.  The roads wind through the mountains. The experience was much better in the van than in the back of a big bus.  It was strange and yet comforting to see the sights once again.  The trip took around an hour. 

We were left off just outside the tourist office which is on the main street. It worked out well because our Hotel was not far at all. We double checked we had reservations for tomorrow morning to Roncevalles. Yes we did, in fact they had so many people going they needed to book another van. So we were scheduled for 8 am, with a full van, which like i said reduced our cost. I was liking this! 
Pizza with Egg on it? Trying new things.

After checking in to the room, we ventured out to get supplies from the local Aldi. We were hoping it was still open. Even though the sun was still out and shinning, we knew it must be getting late. 
We found some croissants, fruit, boxed orange juice and some wine. We were set.  We headed back and stopped at the restaurant we stopped in last year. We had remember it for having really good pizza. So we ordered a pizza and some wine.  However this year the pizza was not so good. Sad but true. So back to the hotel for some wine and final planning! 

Tomorrow we continue on our way........from Roncvellas to Zubiri.....22 km.