Puente la Reina

A very long day awaited us today, with a steepish climb and a steeper descent both made more difficult by either small pebbles, sharp stones and larger round stones. The going was slow and challenging to say the least. The scenery changed from forest to fields of wheat, other grains and snow peas. The wind created a ripple effect over the dark and light green of the crops making it look like green shimmering waves reminiscent of the calm sea. 

Bird song kept us company most of the way… in Spain it seems everyone including the birds have enough sense to have a siesta in the afternoon, except the pilgrims who keep pressing on to the next town or the next hill.

 Either way, our expected 22 km walk extended to 27 km and we are very sore and very tired.

One of the highlights was reaching the Alto del Perdon where there is a monument depicting silhouettes of pilgrims on their way to Santiago alongside rows and rows of wind turbines.

Tomorrow is another day…

the pre rest day…Los Arcos

Excited to start today despite the weather forecast… bad weather coming to Spain from the west and it looked like there was no way to avoid getting wet. The gear prepared and packed, forecast checked at both starting and end points. It looked like a few hours of dry… Our other concern was supplies, food that is as there was to be a 13 km section of isolation. We stpcked up on fruit, pastries and chocolate and set off. We tried to set a good pace but our bodies were not responding… “enough is enough” seemed to be the message but the 661 kms to Santiago sign provided enough encouragement and we took off.

The morning passed briskly enough and we managed to get to the last town  efore the long lonely haul for morning coffee and cake, bought a bocadilo of jamon y queso and set off… and the rain started as well. Ponchos and rainpants came flying out of evetyone’s bags… luckily we were already in ours so bracing purselves against the elements we set off again. The wind was cold, the rain icy and wet. Head bent low so as to avoid the rain being blown into our faces from all directions we made slow progress. The scenery still beautiful and very green. The terrain very similar to previous days, the rises and descents easier to manage and many more flat stretches.

Our biggest surprise came with a pause in the rain, an enterprising soul had set up tables, chairs and a food van just when we wanted to have lunch. Pity there was no WC!

And of course the rain had not quite finished… this time a lot colder and heavier so much so that we could feel it through our jackets and shoes.

Now they look like pilgrim boots!

Puente la Reina to Estella

We started the day with trepidation as once again varying accounts had us facing a challenging day or a very challenging day. The only comfort was everyone agreeing that it was not as difficult as the first day out of San Jean. Still, we had walked for 9 hours and were not looking forward to a repeat… back was hurting, feet were hurting…I could see and feel the beginnings of blisters.. but we woke with fewer aches than we thought and left through the arch and over the bridge (theme for the day) headed for Estella.
Buoyed by the flattish road out of town we set a good pace till we hit the first of many hills which of course slowed us down and had us asking why 8n earth were towns always at the top of the hill, and why oh why did our path always pass by the church which of course was at the highest point only to come down and do it all over again. (No answer required…)

The scenery once again came to our rescue, fields of wheat, snowpeas, fava beans intermingled with vineyards, olive groves and canola fields reminding me very much of my own family’s origins… a much smaller, poorer scale, they farmed wheat, olives, chestnuts, grapes, a variety of vegetables and fruits some even for sale so it was like being 6 again and marveling at the poppy dotted field of wheat.

Other pilgrims passed us then we would pass them with an “ola” or a (Bien camino) asking each other if everything was okay each of us nursing our own wounds and struggling to keep going.

Like yesterday the last leg seemed interminable but we got here and resting up for the next leg.

Pamploma rest day…

For a rest day, 17,000 steps or 11 km visiting battlements, medieval, gothic churches and other well known land marks isn’t bad, but we did manage to grab a siesta…
San Nicolas yesterday and San Saturnino churches are awesome in their history, their ornate altars and their peaceful atmosphere. The cathedral also very imposing and grandious had an amazing lady chapel and two alabaster caskets carved in alabaster for king Carlos III and his wife.

Great city, plenty here for a return visit. We had a quick visit at the museum, it ranges from prehistoric to modern master pieces. We got in for free as pilgrims but it was almost closing time. 

I was looking forward to this day, not only did it precede a rest day, but it was also shorter in distance and therefore not as long as the previous 3 days (we were on our feet and walking for the good part of 8 or so hours), it was also supposed to be flatter, though one of our fellow pilgrims embarking on his third Camino, informed us there was a sting in the tail, that meant a steep bit or bits. He was right… on the most part we ambled along, gritted our teeth for the climbs and hoped our knees would not give way on the way down.

As a consequence we made it into Pamploma by 2pm rather than 5pm and are very glad of the rest day tomorrow. Every muscle aches. When we stop and then try to move every muscle objects. Hopefully a rest day will give us the energy and flexibility we need to continue.

One thing we have learned is how to climb and descend… very slowly, conserve your energy and you can make it to the end.

Of course a good meal with wine goes a long way and we rewarded ourselves tonight by going to the Hemingway bar. Tomorrow we plan to explore more Spanish delicacies…

Cloudy with touches of rain

Third stage was set to start in cooler temperatures with drizzle and probably a thunder storm so we prepared our wet weather gear hoping it would do the job… don the jacket and put rain pants in the daypack. We expected an easier day as it was not supposed to be steep… but of course what goes up must come down and where there are hills there must also be climbs… again we were surrounded by beautiful trees, most moss covered, avenues of silvery slender trunks with whispy looking pale green leaves, smelly cows in barns, black faced and black hooved sheep with long stranded wool in the fields and horses like Gaston rides (Beauty and the Beast).

The pace was quicker and the mood lighter as the road ahead seemed and felt kinder… flat and smooth rather than steep and stony. This was somewhat tempered by almost double the distance we had travelled the previous day (25 km as opposed to 17… ) and of course there were steepish bits, gravelly rough bits both up and down, streams to cross and little towns with no coffee or toilets. Picturesque buildings, wild flowers and endless avenues of trees.

Then the down pour and thunder and more kilometres to go… we were both spent and looking forward to a nice long hot shower. The accomodation was out of town so we ended up at the local bar (coffees) sharing a table with some Germans and waiting for a taxi (one hour) to take us to our accomodation. After 2 consecutive days of walking mostly uphill for 8 hours plus, we could not face adding more kilometers to our tally. Plus the signage had the milage increasing rather than decreasing!

Our reward the accomodation in the casa rural used by the film The Way, where Martin Sheen pretends to be a bullfighter. The host very gracious, the food delicious, the wine plentyful.

Roncesvalles, up and over the Pyrannes

Second stage and we were all good as stage one, though challenging, had been done and dusted. Up early for a good breakfast and made sure bags were packed and ready to go. We planned to travel light as it was going to be warm, hot for walking but made sure we had our jambon e
fromage sandwich and a litre of water each.
Despite the previous day’s climb there was more ahead and it seemed that around every bend there was yet another hill to climb, so getting to the top seemed to get further and further from our reach. The down hill part seemed like the promised land…But when we got there, the descent was steepish and again endless. 
More amazing sights and amazing people along the way all wishing each other a Buen Camino, each of us nursing our sore muscles in our own way.

The welcome, accomodation and meal all overwhelming, our 3 course meal just 17 euro, wine and bread included. The highlight stuffed artichokes.

Finally managed part of a mass for pilgrims and the special blessing to send us all along our way. The church is very old, wish we could stay longer. Now for some sleep.

Orisson, first stage, first climb!

Wow, every warning you have heard about this stage is absolutely true. The climb is steep, it is challenging, it is difficult. But oh, the rewards…

Magnificent panoramic views all round to the sound of cow bells and crowing roosters… and

No less than 11 eagles catching the wind and soaring above us… hard to believe we are really here, placing one foot in front of the other climbing step by step towards a summit we cannot see nor imagine. We feel the stretching muscles and the aching bones paling into insignificance as we drink in the views.

It felt as if we were sneaking out around 7am, the sun not yet visible, a few other pilgrims also making their way out of San Jean, some whispering quietly taking a photo at the 791 km sign to Santiago, others clattering their walking stocks and hurriedly passing us by. Everyone in good humour saying bonjour or bon camino.

Excitement and trepidation in the air as even seasoned trekers anticipated the difficult way ahead. Bike riders also made heavy work of the road. We met Germans, Danish, Spaniard, French, American and a fellow Australian. We passed each other along the way commenting on the unseasonable hot weather, marveling at the eagles and the occasional word of advice. One even shared his chocolate with us.

Our first much needed stop was at Hutto, luckily there were toilets…then came the hike up a stony path which seemed to never end… and then round a bend… was the refuge of Orisson, toilet, coffee, cake and lunch ….

Some pilgrims stopped at Orisson, others continued after a lunch break. We decided to stop and continue the rest on the morrow.

Saint Jean Pied de Port

Finally here, the start of the Camino de Santiago de Campostella. It appears to be the beginning but the germ started growing yearsvago and started taking shape in the last 5 years… the recent visits to New Norcia in Western Australia with a group of Saint Monica’s colleagues and the St Ambrose & Our Lady parish pilgrimage to Penola in South Australia both contributed in keeping the dream alive. There is also the tireless and painstaking planning that Bill put in… all leading to this day, finding the first arrow after registering our participation,.
The rest of the day was spent wandering around getting our bearings and making sure everything was in place for the start.

Holy Saturday vigil

At the end of another day of discovery, mainly searching for a good market for special Easter treats, and fighting the effects of jetlag… your body telling you sleep, sleep, sleep and everything around you just starting the evening buzz we struggled out onto the street and headed towards Notre Dame cathedral for the blessing of the fire, hoping we were not too late and that we had made a good choice…

We joined the cue, again we hoped the right one.. you never know, it could have been the tourist cue and not the worshippers’ one. But all was fine, 2 bag checks and a pour la veglie later we were seated (thank God,, as it was going to be long). We had passed a huge stack of twigs, wood ready for the fire and found seats on the aisle one third of the way up the church, all had an air of anticipation, some emptiness but mostly eagerness for what was to follow.

Difficult to make out… the chuch was darkened, the shiny things are phones, hoping to capture the enourmous fire just outside the entrance. TV screens gave everyone a view of outside proceedings, but the tourists are everywhere, on chairs, right in your way just so they can get a view and the perfect shot… but the almost silent and unlit procession entered the church, a single light made its way slowly up the aisle declaring the light of the risen Lord, while assistants started passing the light from the fire to all those present, so gradually the church was lit candle light.

The readings and the music seemed interminable, and then… the entire church was illuminated..This is at the end as I was loath to take photos during the service.

The rest followed, almost in a blur, with the baptism of a catachumenate and the rest of mass…

What did I think? What did I feel?

It was a very different experience from the two previous ones, tinged with being a tourist in a big crowd and aware that this could be a target for anyone wanting to make a point or two… Overiding it though was both the ritual thousands of years old and the palpable faith of all those gathered, whatever the stage of belief, we were all there to witness, to participate, to be with other Christians. I heard Spanish, Italian, German, English, French and I am sure many more nationalities were present, all sharing the tradition, all stating their belief… we are a people of hope, we go out to serve and proclaim…