Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Where to begin

Last night's host, amazing. 

Wonderful hospitalero

Wonderful cook (Pollo Paella)

Wonderful entertainer

All punctuated, all the time, with "Don't Worry, Be Happy!"

The place was clean and well kept complete with outdoor foot soaking pool. 

This morning, the bag rustlers were full on by 5:30...  Where the hell are they going in such a rush at 5:30???

MAYBE they wanted to get to the party in the next town over, Torres del Rio.  We went by at 7 am and could hear a band playing as we crossed the river into their not sleeping at all little town!  Apparently one of the bars was keeping the partying going from the night before with a loud band and several people dressed in costume going into the bar.  The outdoor stage looked like it was just shut down for the morning a few hours earlier.  See, the Spanish, when they party, they are pros!  They party for 4 days NON-STOP!!! Evening, overnight, Morning Afternoon it just keeps on going.

Not being the wild Spanish Partying type, pushing on to Viana made more sense where a breakfast for one could have fed 2!

4 eggs

A ton of ham

Potatoes (of course!)

Pan (bread - OF COURSE!)

Orange juice

All good! 

That sustained till Logrona, another pinchos friendly city and a ton of architectural wonders.

Can you guess what tonight's din..

PINCHOS

..ner will be?...   

Yes, Pinchos bar hoping! 

Tomorrow we are where the trail takes us, no more big cities until Burgos.

8 Days in.

Day 8 – Sansol (Thu, Sept 11)

Stats check:

Total so far: ~148 km (since SJPdP on Sept 4)

Today: ~22 km

Average: ~21 km/day — right where I want it

Left to Santiago: ~630 km

The Walk;

Some days the trail is packed and noisy. People everywhere, cyclists bombing past, barely a bell between them. Other times it’s dead quiet, and that’s the good stuff. Early mornings especially — so quiet you almost feel like you need some noise, but everyone back home is asleep. Past of your brain is screaming for some conversation some connection - the other pay5 of the brain, enjoys the solitude and silence.  An interesting contradiction, but hey, that is the walk.  So what do you so?  Simple that’s when you just relax, embrace the peace, and let the Camino put you in that near-meditative zone.

to

Estella – The Rosary

At the church on the hill in Estella, I saw something that floored me. A French pilgrim was in love getting her sello (stamp in her Camino passport).  She was pointing to a rosary on the desk and talking in French.  At first the Spanish señora was terribly confused, as was I, as to why the last kept picking it up and talking in French with hand gestures a plenty.  They tried translation apps with no success. 

I was able to add 5 the French lady in English what she needed, she was able to explain in very limited English that she lost her rosary and wanted to buy a new one but couldn't communicate that

I was able to translate the message for the two and when the Spanish lady read the message, she became tearful, opened the desk drawer and t retrieved a very beautiful rosary and handed out to the French lady closing her hand around the rosary and then saying a prayer.  The French lady felt bad taking the Spanish ladies rosary a she just wanted to buy one, but the Spanish lady insisted somehow saying the today was blessed and fated to go to her.

What I witnessed was the true power of the Camino in an in unfiltered manner, call it what you want, I felt destined to be there at that time and place.  See, I was making GOOD time asking the trail in the early morning, even taking advantage of a brand new and mostly undocumented canal trail into Estelle...  Seriously, the road with the Camino up the hill to my left, the canal to my right, both heading to Estelle, really really can't get lost...  Anyways, I took a break and enjoyed 2nd breakfast with my friend Charlton who was already in Estalla.  So leaving and heading back to the Camino I got a bit turned around and missed my first bridge back over the river.  So I was already feeling the time lunch from the extended break but the church was open and I wanted a stamp so that is how I climbed up all the stairs and got my stamp and made two ladies cry. 

I think I got a special blessing with my stamp.

Last night: Friggen awesome Albergue, not necessarily in accommodations, which were incredibly well kept and maintained, but the hosts!  The made it a community and it was fantastic. 

Today : Sansol, A very nice and well kept Albergue 

Tomorrow: Logrona, TBD

KAS Limons consumed, a lot, like really a lot.  Apparently I am promoting their drink

Beverage to other pilgrims and spreading the addiction.  Seriously, there is very little that quenches and refreshes after a walk then a bottle or four of that.  Sharp lemon hit with just enough sugar that your face doesn't go all puckery and some carbonation just to brighten it all up...

I think KAS is like "UP PRODUCTION, KEVIN IS BACK ON THE CAMINO!!!"

Anyways, time to go, I can smell the paella cooking downstairs for dinner!

The journey passed the one week mark.

One week in, this is why you haven't heard from me!

Where are the posts? 

Well...  I've been walking my ass off, sweating my ass off, taking care of daily chores, etc etc etc.  Couple that with the fact I have been with my good friend Charlton from Wales and I have just been having fun since Pamplona, catching up, and enjoying our friendship...  How else do you think all those drinks (listed below in the food section) got consumed. 

But first, the walking, it has been hard! 

 Great rewards, but damn hard.

  Easier every day but still a few hills every day that are there just to kick you down a few notches and keep you in line and not getting cocky.  The trail will continue to get gentler over the next week and then we will all be begging for something, anything, a small whoop, anything but Flat!

So some observations, Lynne and I were TRYING to take the river route into Pamplona, a well documented route with a solid reentry point...  Yeah, that was not too happen, see the Pamploniums, they don't let that happen!  Peregrino, Camino THAT way!  Over very nice lady explained we were off Camino and insisted in escorting us back to the Camino!  What do you do?  Si' lead the way is what you do (damn I wanted to finish that river walk).

Oh and the FRESH squeezed orange juice, one in particular, this little van, on a dirt par of the Camino on the summit of a hill before you turn and start the slog thru the suburbs to Pamplona...  Sweet sweet oranges, hand squeezed right into the cup, about 3 1/2 oranges into each cup and could from sitting in ice before being squeezed...  Oh my!  Liquid heaven!  Damn good thing that is not available on that fashion locally, I would turn and probably diabetic!

Lynne joined Charlton and I Sunday for some playing around Pamplona and having a pinchos bar crawl!  You have no idea what pinchos are, they are very small portions of food with the intention of you being able to eat several of them as you visit multiple bars. 

Lynne was enjoying some Iberian ham on pastry, Charlton was enjoying some miniature sandwiches, and I enjoyed a miniature steak kabob with mushrooms on top of a roasted potato slice. 

For a second shot, which I did not get a picture because I was too busy enjoying the moment.  Charlton enjoyed some fried chicken pieces on a piece of toast and I can't honestly remember what Lynne and I enjoyed only that it was really, really good. We each enjoyed a shot of pacharán and some mini baclavas for dessert.  Later for dinner, we found our way into the main square and enjoyed some very unique pizzas. I enjoyed a particularly interesting pasta meal. Picture. A giant plate-sized french onion soup crock. Filled with rigatoni and a delicious sauce with mushroom, sausages, and spices. In much the same way you drape a piece of cheese over a french onion soup, they had a very, very thin crust draped over the entire bowl which was then seasoned. It was extremely delicious! Yesterday, just before the summit of Alto de Perdon I stopped for an impromptu picnic and Lynne was already there so she joined me. 

French chorizo mini sausages

French sheep cheese 

Fresh bread

Chocolate bar 

Apple

And KAS Limon!

Perfecto!

And I must say, I'm very glad that I stopped before the summit for this picnic because when I got to the summit it was all blocked off part of a movie set. The iconic Pilgrim silhouettes had been vandalized so somebody could make a movie and profit off the Camino. 

Yesterday at Alto del Perdón, the monument was desecrated. Film crews blocked pilgrims from a proper visit. Enough of us were denied that we could have started a riot.

It felt like the Bible story of Jesus flipping tables in the Temple. He cleansed what was sacred from being turned into a market.

That’s what I wanted — to cleanse the Camino of that violation, to take back the silence and the wind, and leave the monument for what it was meant to be: sacred... But alas we did not, in pilgrim style we stood there, eyes burning into their souls, knowing one day they will be judged for their act...  That was enough to satisfy my pilgrim thirst for justice. 

But, while I am venting, those damn cyclists, of ALL the bikes going by, I have counted FIVE ringing their bells, FIVE!  The rules, like almost all other trails, demand a bell or loud vocal call, prohibit E-Bikes, and give foot the right of way.  Let's just say I'm not a fan of bikagrinos, but short of going nuclear of them, I'll grit my teeth and hold my own on the trail and make them slow down....    Five bells, The rest can suck gravel! 

So to kinda wrap up:

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time!

How do you talk the Camino, 500 miles/800 kilometers, approximately 1,000,000 footsteps?

One step at a time!

What is the hardest part of the whole ordeal?

Taking that first step(or bite)...  I have approximately 195,000 steps down.

The physical journey, day 3

Why did it suck so hard in the hills today?!?!?!

Oh wait, we just did the Pyrenees on days one and two and haven't had a recovery day.  Mind you, these hills two days ago would have been nothing, but today they sucked. 

Let's rewind 

Roncesvalles was a great stop, we connected with so many pilgrims from so many countries! The Camino was always very much an international track unbucked the numbers of international people in the variety has increased at an exponential rate. We had the communal dinner which was plenty fine but nothing to write home about so I won't. The company we had at the dinner table was wonderful and we all got along very well. 

Afterwards most of us went to the pilgrim mass to receive blessings for our treck and after that off to an early bed. I was out long before they shut off the lights. Of course, it didn't fail that someone had to wrestle through their bags at 5:00 a.m. and someone else had to to have their alarm go off at 5:30 only to look at it, Shut it off and go back to sleep. Lynne apparently did not get much sleep, I can't say the same. I Proudly proclaimed my victory to an early sleep for everyone to enjoy!

You struck off early this morning from Ron says Baez making a few stops at the various towns but otherwise walking with intent and purpose. We knew it was chilly this morning but we also knew the temperature was going to rise fast. The descendant is a berry just seemed to suck more than it did 10 years ago as the path is more eroded with layered shale underneath training at the nickname dragon's teeth.

We are checked into one of the best rated albergues in town. We opted not to participate in the communal meal tonight as we were both starving as we came in and after we had a"light" lunch, We had zero room for anything else. Www. As a matter of fact, all we have enjoyed since our lunch is a pink lemonade ice cream bar, which was as good as you think it could be and maybe even a little bit better. 

Tomorrow, tomorrow Pamplona! I will meet up with my friend Charlton and we will fulfill a pack the two of us made almost 3 years ago. From there on we will see where the path takes us.

Up up up and OVER the Pyrenees mountains.

So first things first, the Pyrenees mountains did not shrink in the last 10 years and if they did not enough to make the forget any easier. I think my mind has erased the pain and suffering from 10 years ago, except, well, when I crossed 10 years ago the weather was very mild and partly cloudy -PERFECT crossing conditions. 

Yesterday: foggy, dizzy, everything damp then wet.  Why is that important?  Sweat doesn't evaporate nicely that way and when sweat doesn't evaporate you can overheat.  During the climb to Orrison and then onto Borda out was frustrating to have to stop quite often to let the body cool and heartbeat come down which is not why makes the legs happy.

Along the ascent Lynne was frustrated at the lack of a view of anything but fog.  I assured her nature was holding off for a grand reveal upon our arrival at Borda - and boy did we get the reveal!  The pictures we took do nothing to capture the beauty, but dammit we tried and and tried!

Arriving at Borda, which was absolutely amazing.  The host, Michael, was a live wire and comedian and a damn good cook. The place, on pilgrim standards, was top notch with everything thought out from the mindset of experienced pilgrims.  The host not only fed is a delicious meal with Basque vegetable soup 

Basque potatoes ogratin

Axoa, a Basque potatoe dish with peppers

Of course a shitload of bread, water, and wine. 

Finished with Flan de Yogurt, another Basque favorite of flan made with yogurt.

Add to the Michael's unique comrdic styling and animated made for a very memorable experience and the issuance of Margarita as a tail name to one of the more experienced pilgrims.  She certainly kept Michael on his toes and us in stitches.

Today brought a comparatively easier climb, but still a test of fortitude and resolve.  Luckily there were more consistent gradient sections allowing me to kick into hill climbing mode and burn up the slopes, Summit, and drop down into Roncesvalles.

Roncesvalles had really grown up since my last visit with a bunch of modernizations and a current rehabbing of the hotel roof and vital systems (the Wi-Fi no longer sucks, it is professional grade setup now, smooth and fast. 

I want to take a moment here at the end to get away from the physical journey, I'm not ready to touch upon the spiritual journey yet, that will come later...  No I want to touch upon the mental journey, I am just going to put this out there : I AM SO FUCKING PROUD OF LYNNE!  Having undertaken readiness prep several times, I can say she has really embraced the journey.  I know it is so damn easy for us to pick things apart but let's be honest, she crossed the Pyrenees singing not suffering in misery like so many others.  I know it is hard for people to be proud of her but take it from me, people should be proud of her accomplishment and let it stand on it's own merit. 

Tomorrow, Zubiri, Sunday PAMPLONA where my friend Charlton is currently hanging out awaiting my arrival!  It will be so nice to meet him again and walk some sections of the Camino together. 

Anyways, that should be enough for now.

It is officially day three of Camino 2025 and I am with my sister Lynne for the first few days until we arrive in Pamplona.Day one started at 11:00 a.m. departing for an 18-hour journey to get to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPdP). A journey that could be jokingly called planes, buses and automobiles... And shuttle bus. All the transportation was as smooth as could be expected on a journey such as this. We had some bonus points taking the shuttle from Pamplona to Saint Jean Pied de Port where we have the luxury of paralleling the Camino all the way back.We took the remainder of day number two to get settled into our accommodations for the night, pick up last minute equipment that had been pre-ordered and walk around the town enjoying the beauty of SJPdP, visiting the citadel, walking along the river, venturing to the local LIDL store for a few grocery items and getting some food.Basque sausagesBasque cakeBasque ciderBasque cured meatsAnyone else seeing a pattern here?Eating all the local food specialties, because when in Rome do as the Romans do but when in France, Spain, & Portugal, eat the damn food - They are all countries known for their culinary mastery... So, anyways, yeah, exploring their culinary wonders.TodayToday, as anyone who has read about the Camino knows, today is the hardest part of the Camino Frances, hands down. It is a three hour journey from SJPdP to Orrison... The first hour and a half is a little rugged but totally fine, after the initial early walk everyone adjusted to the climb. I went into hill climbing mode and just sped up the climb........Well, until the hairpin turn... Hill climbing doesn't describe the climb... I don't know how the cars do it, but I can say they are always in low gear.The off road switchbacks didn't fail in their roughness.All that said, it was a nice climb, the suck factor amplified by the food and drizzle and very high humidity. Just standing there one could be drenched, walking just added a lovely sweat component that wasn't evaporating away. That meant overheating was a major risk so we had to break our climb into smaller portions just to let the body cool off before the next climbing bite.Luckily the extreme angles are done for now... At least for a bit.Orrison was the welcome refuge we so hoped for with hot vegetable puree soup, basque cake, and the obligatory bread. It gave us enough rest to meet some other pilgrims heading to the same place as us, Albergue Borda.A true Oasis in the Pyrenees mountains. Small, only 15 people here and managed with a very lovely and energetic host Michael (say it in a very French manner). The showers, glitching badly for whatever reason. See, they give out tokens that is good for 4 minutes of running water... Key there, RUNNING water...OnlyWellThe system messed up on ALL the showers, everyone got 15 seconds of water... Cold water.Michael did a work around but I, in traditional Camino water saving mode for wet, sudsed up and went to rinse with 4 seconds of brutally cold mountain water...Another token gave me ample time for the rinse and a quick adjustment allowed the coins to pop back out for 15 more seconds, but I got my shower done in 30 seconds of running water. Just have to adapt and go with the flow.... I mean, go with the lack of flow of water.Tonight's meal is pork, promises to be wonderful. The sound of pork suddenly turned several people into temporary vegetarians, which the remainder of us gladly offered to eat their portions with much laughter and kidding....Speaking of which, they have a beautiful small ceremony as they check in people, they pass around cups filled with either lemonade or herbal tea for the toast. Michael goes thru the rules and processes, brings everyone up to their bunks and just generally plays the warm Albergue host perfectly.So anyways, that catches everyone up with what has happened so far. Tomorrow we finish the climb over the Pyrenees, the worst behind us now. In a few days I'll catch up with good friend Charlton in Pamplona and Lynne will take a detour on the way out of town to go see a special church.