The Occasionally-Examined Life

This Camino I decided to have just two rest days and more short-distance days. Today was my first rest day, in Pamplona, and my legs were appreciative.

With 200,000 residents, Pamplona is a jarring contrast to the small towns I’ve been in all week. And kind of a shock. There’s an intersection near my albergue, where hundreds, if not thousands, of young folks and pilgrims hang out at night. The noise level is amazingly high and it’s an intense urban experience.

It was great seeing the two brothers who run Casa Ibarrola and they are still a lot of fun. My Spanish skills get a real workout (though they speak English and other languages), which is great. Sadly, there was a lot of late coming and going in the dorm last night, so I didn’t get a good night’s sleep, air-conditioning notwithstanding.

I went to Calle Estafeta last night, which is pincho Ground Zero and dug in. For 4-5 euros, you get a pincho of your choice and a glass of wine (and a healthy pour, at that). My favorite last night was a sauteed artichoke and sweet onion plate. While it’s financially feasible to go from bar to bar, having a pincho at each stop, the amount of wine you get would slow you down quickly. I cut myself off at two pinchos, determined not to court a hangover this morning, Sitting outside along the street lets you enjoy your pincho and wine and take in the passing scene.

As I sit writing this, I’m amazed how many pilgrims are showing up at Casa Ibarrola, sans reservation, looking for a bed. There are several categories of accomodation along the Camino but only one kind, the “municipal” albergues, don’t take reservations. This is a Holy Year, with special activities in Santiago, and there’s also a huge pent-up Camino demand, so arriving here mid-afternoon without a reservation is a formula for sleeping in a church pew.

In case you’d forgotten, Ernest Hemingway wrote a few popular books set in Spain. The Spaniards have not forgotten him and are still trading on his history here.

Sugar in all its fascinating forms are on offer here as well and I thought the following items were fun. Especially the “dentures” made of sugar – what a foreshadowing of what will happen if you eat too much!

I’m not sure what the shoes are made of, marzipan maybe, but I was assured that, for a hefty price, they’re edible.

As part of my rest day and health maintenance plan, I had a 30-minute leg and foot massage this morning. Wow! It was terrific and really ironed out some kinks in my quads and calves. I’m not much of a massage customer generally, but this was really worth it and I know my legs will be ready to go tomorrow. (No photos, to protect the innocent)

I also located and visited the local Decathlon store. This is an international chain of sporting goods stores, something like Dick’s in the U.S. I popped in there to replenish my supply of energy gel. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an edible, syrupy gel in foil tubes that provides quickly-absorbed glycogen. It was developed for endurance sport athletes, marathoners and bicycle racers, and provides a boost when muscle fatigue sets in. I find taking it 3/4 of the way through a hard or long hike gives me the boost I need to finish the day without exhaustion. Unlike some booster drinks, no caffeine is involved.

The area of Pamplona that I’m staying in has a lot of albergues and the Camino goes right through town here. But there are several large squares and it was interesting to get away from pilgrims and get a good look at urban Spaniards up close. Generally, they’re well-dressed and groomed, even the hip youngsters. And families are a Thing – with three, four, and even five children out for a Saturday walk with their parents. They’re a handsome people.

When I was taking “ALM Spanish” in junior and senior high school, one of the first food words we were taught was albondigas. Perhaps because spaghetti with meatballs was on offer every Wednesday in the school cafeteria. So when I decided to eat lunch at a plaza-side cafe today and a familiar menu item caught my eye, I had to order it.

The downside of a rest day is that it throws your daily routine off and I now need to start seeing to my backpack and stuff, reviewing my 24 Kms route tomorrow (yes, another long one), and getting ready for an early, possibly rainy, start tomorrow. And that’s no bull.

Zubiri to Pamplona – 21 Kms, 30,452 steps

I was off with the sunrise this morning, prepared for a 50-50 chance of rain that never materialized, and looking forward to a relatively flat walk to Pamplona.

I had plenty of company at times but was all alone for long, pleasant stretches, too. I’m becoming less enamored of other pilgrims chatting away non-stop in my vicinity. It seems at odds with the natural beauty around us.

The sunrise over the mountains, with clouds, was beautiful. Unfortunately, my walk took me initially past a monstrous magnesium plant, with huge mounds of raw materials. I guess it’s a strategic product as there were a lot of signs ordering us to remain on the path at all times.

Naturally, just about everybody passes me, especially younger folks. So I was shocked this morning to pass a few others; kind of a rare moment. Later I was passed by a young lady with a backpack and a small dog. The dog, apparently, is also walking the Camino! I can’t imagine his step count.

My path today wound through a number of villages, mostly along narrow tracks on hillsides and in deep forests. One path followed along the Arga River for quite a while and I was serenaded by the nice sounds of the water rushing by. Judging by the washed-up debris, the river level gets really high when it floods.

The passion for Basque culture and separatism runs high here. The violence that marked it in the past is largely gone, but the independent streak is alive and well.

I encountered more Europeans and Australians today while walking. And more bicyclists, many of whom were not on the Camino, just on the Camino as a fun off-road ride. These guys zoom by with little warning and I’m surprised I haven’t seen a collision yet. At least they’re usually wearing helmets.

As before, there are official Camino sign posts and stelle, and then there are a slew of yellow arrows. These often appear, painted on the street, on fence posts, on sewer caps, etc. when the other signs are missing and they are very welcome. Natually, some wags can’t resist adding some graffiti to them.

I was happy to reach the outskirts of Pamplona and this year I decided not to take the stressful, loud 4.5 Km walk through the suburban downtown streets into town, and instead took an alternate route through a riverside park. It was slightly longer but so much more pleasant.

I was very happy to arrive in Pamplona itself and at the Casa Ibarrola albergue, one of the best in town. It has a unique dorm area with custom bunk modules, and is air-conditioned. Outstanding!

After 6-1/2 hours of walking today, I have a rest day planned here tomorrow. I’m looking forward to enjoying some local pinchos (tapas) and vino tonight and doing a little exploring tomorrow.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know: Since you asked, my legs and feet, while tired, are holding up very well to the daily effort. My back is a little sore from carrying the pack but not too bad. I think I’ll get a leg and foot massage tomorrow.

Vizcarret-Guerendiáin to Zubiri – 10Kms, 13,721 steps

Roncesvalles to Zubiri is a typical stage but I decided to give my legs a break in the first week by dividing the stage in two. Today, I went to Zubiri, a relatively short distance at 10 Kms, but a challenging walk at times nonetheless. At the end specifically, I went down some steep paths over sharp rocks and large rock slabs – good opportunities for a Camino-ending fall.

The two long-haulers in our albergue jetted off at dawn and will probably go all the way to Pamplona today. The Irish lasses passed me in the first 20 minutes and disappeared. I caught up with the Aussies and walked with them on and off throughout the day.

The day started off with a nice, long, steep climb out of town and then the beech trees were replaced with pine. The way was mostly on forest paths but not necessarily easier on the feet.

The weather was simply outstanding! Sunny, low humidity, and with a nice breeze. I passed through several smaller villages, ever vigilant for the Camino markers.

The fields are pretty brown now, what with the drought and unusually hot weather. The path had a lot of brown deciduous leaves littering it and other plants were dried out too.

The thing about the walk to Zubiri is that the last kilometer or so is really hard. It’s a steep downhill and the path goes over jutting rocks and slabs. As I mentioned earlier, it’s dangerous and requires careful attention to where you’re putting your feet. Imagine my surprise when, in the middle of this section, I found I was sharing it with a herd of cows!

The cows were calm, even shy of me as I passed by, but then they followed and I didn’t want to be crushed by a cow on a descent! They had no problem negotiating the rocky surface with their hooves, probably do it every day. Nonetheless, it as a surprise to encounter them.

I have such horrible memories of how bashed up my feet and legs were when I arrived here in 2019! How nice to arrive in good shape, if tired, this year.

I arrived at 12:30 and was pleasantly surprised when the hospitalero let me right into my albergue (usually they open around 2:00). I showered, got my laundry going in a machine, and had lunch. Very civilized.

Tomorrow is my first really long walk, 21 Kms, to Pamplona. There’s a rumor of rain but I have yet to check on that. Thanks for coming along.

Roncesvalles to Vizcarret-Guerendiáin – 12 Kms, 18,390 steps

Due to the fact that the weather forecast was poor for the the next morning, I went out last night in front of my alberge and took the picture above. That’s the famous 790 Kms sign everyone gets themselves photographed in front of as they leave Roncesvalles. Turns out doing it the night before was a good idea:

Here’s what the start of the Camino, across the street, looked like at 8:00 AM the next morning: misty, foggy, wet. Everyone suited up in their rain gear and headed out for the next stage. In my case, I put on my Altus poncho, which covers me and my pack. It was misty and damp, but not actually raining, which was promising. Within half an hour, the sun broke through, the mist cleared, and everyone shed their rain gear.

Today’s walk went through mostly-flat and very welcome forests. I re-experienced an appreciation of the raw beauty of it all; it was almost overwhelming. The huge mossy beech trees inhabit a special world.

My halfway point today was the town of Espinal and halfway throught it was Bar Keler, a wonderful place to take a break. The exhuberant owner is a real character, who delights in quoting Marcus Aurelius and exhorting us all to connect with our inner selves. He was a bit manic and may have been sampling the espresso too often. Oh, but the food on offer was outstanding. A wide range of tasty stuff in small, perfect-for-pilgrims sizes.

I felt bad for the gaggle of young pilgrims I saw who fell for the signs and had stopped short at what was a “vending village”, instead of carrying on a few blocks further to Bar Keler.

How nice it was to just sort of stroll along (though there were a few uphill climbs), knowing I had plenty of time to reach my stop for the day. The town of Vizcarret-Guerendiáin is small but has several nice alberges and Bar Juan, where I had lunch while waiting for the albergue to open.

In my albergue, La Posada Nueva, I met a number of interesting folks. Three senior citizens from Australia (also on their second Camino), two young Irish girls from Kildare, and two long-haul pilgrims: Maurice, an American who started in Paris, and Hendrik, a Dutchman who started near Amsterdam! We had a very pleasant communal dinner.

My legs and feet are tired but doing quite well considering. I’ve been stretching carefully every night and morning. Tomorrow is a taxing but short walk to the riverside town of Zubiri. After that comes a long one, to Pamplona.

Auberge Borda to Roncesvalles – 17 Kms, 17,778 steps

Overnight we had a huge thunderstorm and downpour but, luckily, the weather cleared by morning. After a communal breakfast and general well-wishing, we loaded up our packs and headed out at 8:00 AM.

The walk ahead of us was a little daunting and, in 2019, I did it during terrible weather, so I was really looking foward to doing it again in good weather and enjoying the vistas.

I soon met up with Margo, a solo hiker from Indiana I met the day before and, as our walking paces matched, we stayed together for the rest of the day. Her husband and daughter are meeting her in Sarria in five weeks and they’ll walk the last 110 Kms together.

I fulfilled my goal of seeing the views! They were awsome. I didn’t take many pctures simply because a photo doesn’t do justice to the scale of the view. Suffice to say the views were magnificent and humbling.

We proceeded through the mountains and I was surprised at how many details and landmarks I remembered from last time. Given that I was walking through fog, sleet, and rain then, it’s amazing how much I registered and retained.

There were a lot of other pilgrims out there with us and even what looked like a few tour groups. The temperature was 70-80 F and there was a good breeze to keep things comfortable. The first half of the day featured lots of uphill climbs, while the second half was all down.

Crossing the international border from France into Spain on foot was a little less formal than, for example, it is at the airport. There was a sign and a “cattle guard” (one of those grills in the ground to keep cows from passing) and that was it. A very refreshing change from the requirements of the last few pandemic years.

Near the highest point of the day, we encountered the pilgrim shown above, with his unicycle! That was a “”first” for me.

After about four hours, including a break, we came over the final peak and started several more hours of relentless downhill. This was tough on my knees and my legs were pretty rubbery in the last kilometer. But, at last, we arrived at Roncesvalles! Margo said goodbye and we headed for our separate alberges. Mine, La Posada de Roncesvalles, featured air-conditioning and it was worth every penny.

Many alberges bring in extra revenue and make it simple for pilgrims by offering a special-price dinner and breakfast. The fare at La Posada as very good, and the staff was first rate. For dinner, I had a huge salad, a pork knuckle and escalloped potatoes, and cheese cake. Very tasty!

I hand-washed my clothes and hit the rack early. I slept well, though my legs were a bit worn out. Tomorrow is a short, recovery day, only 12 relatively flat Kms.

Tomorrow’s forecast is dicey, we may have to start out in rain gear (never real encouraging) but let’s see what happens.

Saint Jean Pied-de-Port to Auberge Borda – 8Kms, 17,763 steps

At last, with great excitement and an improving weather forecast, I set off from SJPP at 8:00 AM, looking forward to this first, hard stage of my journey. It’s a pretty uphill slog getting out of town but eventually my path gave way to rolling hills and dales.

The streets were empty and quiet as I made my way down the hill to the old city gate, across the bridge, and out of town.

The day before, I made the obligatory stop at the Pilgrim Office in SJPP to get the latest intel on the local route, weather, and tips.

The weather was really perfect: clear, cool, and with low humidity. I encountered many other pilgrims; they passed me or I passed them. However, the “easy” part of the morning ended after a few hours and the really steep ascent up paved roads started. My aerobic training this summer helped a lot, but it was still quite difficult and I had to stop to get my breath now and then. I had plenty of company doing that.

I was not wiped out, however, by this ascent as I was on my last Camino. I decided to not take a very steep, popular shortcut and stayed on the road, which was more gradual. I saw no other walkers but I met a solitary bicyclist with an amazing story:

Russel, an Englishman from London and an ardent cyclist, caught severe COVID two years ago and was hospitalized for four months. He suffered all sorts of awful physical problems and now has “long COVID”. One of the effects is that he has no short term memory. Yes, just like in those movies, he cannot remember tomorrow what has happened today. He has to leave himself notes and recordings so that he’ll know what happened! Due to this, he lost his Art Gallery business and is now living on disability. His Camino is an attempt to reset his life. Wow! How incredibly brave just to tackle the Camino with such a disability.

I finally made it to the Orisson Refuge. I took only three hours and felt much better than my last Camino (last time, the climb wiped me out). I chatted with Robert, who was continuing on over the mountains, and also talked with a couple I met through the Camino forum,

After killing an hour, I made may way one more kilometer up the road to Auberge Borda, a new, small establishment. I stayed at Orisson last time, so I wanted to give the new guy a try. Wow! Borda is a very nice place; modern, clean, and well thought-out. Laurent, the proprietor and only staff, is a former food service manager. He’s done several Caminos on foot and by bike, so he knows what being a pilgrim is all about. He’s funny, clever, and a great cook – staying there included a nice communal dinner, during which we all introduced ourselves.

We slept in dorm-style accomodations at Borda but with separate cubicles, not bunk beds, and it was very comfortable. Everyone was excited about what was to come the next day, our ascent over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles.

I left Paris aboard the SNCF high-speed train Friday morning and whisked south through Bordeaux, at nearly 200 mph at times, to Bayonne. What a pleasure train travel can be compared to flying!

At Bayonne, I expected to connect to another train to St. Jean Pied-de-Port (SJPP) but found a “special bus for pilgrims” laid on by the railway instead. It sounded interesting, so I boarded the very nice tour bus and we wound our way through the foohills and quaint towns to SJPP, arriving at the train station at the same time the train woud have. Perfect.

There was a Spanish family sitting in front of me on the bus, with a tiny dog in a dog carrier/backpack. I wondered if they were really going to go on the Camino with the dog!

My hotel is on the rue de Citadelle, the main drag through the old town and the route of the Camino itself. The Pilgrim Office, an important source of information and resources, is just up the street. It’s now Saturday and there is an energy and tension in the people passing by, a sense of anticipation. I was out on the front steps this morning at 8:00 AM and wishing “Buen Camino” to those folks heading down the street to begin their walk (or bike ride, in some cases).

The town is the former capital of the region and is a tourist spot. French schools go back into session next week, so this is the last summer holiday weekend and SJPP is jammed. The weather is really nice today, sunny with temps in the 80s. The forecast for the next few days, and my Camino start on Monday, is not so good. It’s a case of hoping the weatherman has gotten it wrong; almost no one gets through the Camino without getting rained on but starting off in the rain kind of dampens the spirit.

I’m spending today loafing and packing. I’m using a two-bag strategy: I’m wearing my excellent Gregory Zulu 40-litre backpack and having a small duffel bag transported each day. This lets me keep the backpack weight down to a managable 14 pounds (including 4 lbs of water in the hydration bladder) and still access supplies and gear I deem essential. As you may remember, I’m 6’2” and 230 lbs so my clothes, shoes, etc. are larger/heavier than some, and this strategy, based on my last Camino experience, works for me. I’m just lucky that the bag transport services along the Camino are good and reliable.

Continuing Sunday…
The good news this morning is that the weather forecast for the next few days is improving. When I went over the mountains in 2019, it was through a hellish storm and I missed all the fantastic views. There now seems to be a chance I’ll see them this year.

I’ve arranged a meet-up this afternoon with some fellow pilgrims who are also starting off tomorrow. I’ve already had some nice conversations over breakfast with pilgrims from Canada, France, and Germany. The comradery of a shared challenge is easily established.

The next few days will be strenuous and I may not be able to post daily but I’ll catch up ASAP. Hang in there with me and wish me luck!

It’s 2022, the pandemic is sort-of under control, and I’m not getting any younger, folks. These are some of the reasons that I’m embarking in four days on another Camino de Santiago hike, 800+ kilometers across Northern Spain, from France to Santiago de Compostela.

In 2019, after completing my first Camino, I wrote:

So, what was it all about? The inner stuff, the accomplishment and achievement, the challenge met, sure. I think it was also about the pilgrims I met, and met again later, along the path. There was something spiritual going on there for me. The unlikely connections and can’t-be-random interactions with people from all over the world kept me in tune with the special moment of what I was doing on the Camino. This walk also came at a transitional time in my life, my retirement, and that colored my views and conversations, too.

It was a special achievement for me and I’m going to do it again. This time, I’m taking longer to do it and, hopefully, can spend more time appreciating the experience. Here are some links you may find useful this year:

If you’ve not heard of the Camino de Santiago before, see my earlier primer: Camino History and Fun Facts

If you want to know what I’m taking with me, the basics are the same as in 2019: What To Pack

To prepare, I spent three mild, summer months in Canterbury, UK, walking the many footpaths and trails in the area. I broke in my new boots and reacquainted myself with all my gear, in really idyllic circumstances. I also spent 60-90 minutes most mornings in a local gym, lifting weights and building endurance. Paraphrasing Tricky Dick (the late president Richard Nixon), “I’m rested, tanned, and ready”.

Subject to the rigors of the trail and the limitations of sometimes-spotty hostel Wi-Fi, I’ll attempt once again to document my journey here daily. I thank you in advance for joining me. Cheers.