Preparing!

Thank you for joining us on this crazy journey!

Our journey begins on September 11th when we fly from Toronto to Paris. We start our walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port, France on September 14th with our final destination about 790 km away in Santiago de Compestella, Spain. We are not sure how long the journey will take us but we expect it to be around 35 days. Our flight home will be from Lisbon to Toronto on November 10th.

Come join us as we blog our journey of the days in between.

Why are we doing this? People have asked us that many times. The simple answer is, we aren’t sure. We hope that by the end of the journey we might find the answer. \240We will keep you posted, so stay tuned.

Cross your fingers and maybe say a few prayers for us as we embark on this adventure. My foot is still a bit of a pain so we are hoping the Camino will provide for Ed and I what is needed along the way.

Wondering what the Camino is all about? Check out this video. You’ll have to be patient and skip the commercial.

https://youtu.be/ux1hAlG9ETA

The following is offered to pilgrims as they embark on their journey.

Blessings on Your Journey

As you begin this pilgrim journey

May your heart be open to surprise.

With reverence, gratitude, and acceptance

May you behold your life each day.

On every step along the way

May hidden goodness come to meet you.

In meditating on your memories

May courage be your companion.

As your life-stories rise up to greet you

May you welcome them home with love.

On every step of your pilgrimage

May you find new grace for living.

From unexpected places in your life

May blessings rise up to anoint you.

As you walk the memory road

May it become a path of transformation.

As you look upon your wounds

May you know the joy of healing.

In claiming the beauty of your life

May you recognize the One

In whose image you are created.

In moving beyond the wounds

May you be able to take up your life

And go on with your living.

Blessings on your journey!

We tried to get in lots of walking each day. These were practice walks in beautiful Pancake Bay and Lake Superior Provincial Parks.

How blessed we are with great family and friends who fed us and shared their beds. We spent the last few days catching up with as many as we could in the London area before we head out on our journey.

After months of planning, preparation, packing and repacking, the day has finally arrived. We are through security and on our way to Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport. Our trekking poles are not allowed in our carry on luggage so we had a box prepared with bubble wrap and lots of packing tape to protect them. We weighed our backpacks at home and both had come in around 15 lbs. We weighed them again as we checked in and mine is weighing in at 7.8 kg (17.2 lbs.) and Ed’s at 8kg (17.6 lbs.). Yikes! We are going to have to eat all our snacks to lighten our load. 😉

We arrived in Paris ahead of schedule after a relatively smooth flight. Not as much sleep as we would have liked, but we did managed to get some.

We were very pleased to find that the box carrying our trekking polls also had arrived safely. We breezed through customs and then headed off to locate the train station which is also at the Charles de Gaulle airport

Ed’s mouth was soon watering when we came across fresh croissants.

Waiting and walking around as our train is not until 1100.

We already met some fellow pilgrims while waiting at the airport/train station! Cheryl and Bev, sisters who are coming to do their first Camino from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They too are starting to walk from St. Jean on Sept 14th and are traveling on the same train. The Canadian Pilgrim crest on the backpacks helps to identify fellow pilgrims.

Based on requests from followers, we have set up an Instagram account, “comradesinadventure”. We will continue to post our full stories and pictures in this blog and we are not instagram experts but for those who want to follow us and comment that way, it will be another option.

Bayonne- Our first amazing french city.

We arrived by train around 5 pm. We travelled about 800 km in 5 1/2 hours on the high speed train. Great way to travel and we were able to catch a bit more sleep to keep us going for awhile longer. As we stepped out of the train station we discovered a gem of a city. After checking in at the Hotel Cote Basque which was directly across the street from the train station our original plan was to relax, shower and grab a bite to eat. \240The sights of Bayonne were calling us so we quickly freshened up and headed out to explore (there will be time to relax later). \240There is a beautiful river that runs through the center of town with many bars and restaurants lining the streets on both sides. After a walkabout to explore we settled on the Cafe Delices and it was certainly not a disappointment. The local Bourdeux wine served was also amazing. After enjoying our supper we set off to explore the streets and the steeple we could see (and hear) in the distance. I know there will be more, but this cathedral in the heart of the city was spectacular. If you look closely you can see how minute I (Lisa) is next to the giant structure.

It’s late now and we are crashing so check back tomorrow and I will add more details about the landmarks.

Day 0

Back to the train station early this morning only to find out we are actually on an auto bus. We met a lovely young man Max, who is from England. He studied as a Doctor and is just taking time off before he starts to practice. We figured it might be good to know a Doctor on the trail.

It was a beautiful but foggy drive as we made our way to the start of our journey St Jean Pied de Port, or the “ foot of the mountain”, the gateway to the Pyranees.

OMG... We can’t believe it... We have arrived and are overflowing with emotions. We are registered at the pilgrims office. We barely met our new friends and yet it was already hard to say goodbye as they were heading out to start their Camino today. We will take the day to explore the town of St Jean Pied de Port.

For those wondering the time difference, it is 6 hours.

Walking tour-St Jean Pied de Port

After getting checked in at the pilgrims office and wishing our new friends Buen Camino, we grabbed some breakfast at Cafe de la Paix. From there we located the town visitors center and headed out to explore the town with our city attractions map in hand. St Jean is a beautiful medieval town in the middle of Basque Country. So much rich history and well preserved architecture. The Citadelle towering over the town has been converted into a secondary school. For a brief minute Ed was tempted to put in an application, but then we weren’t sure if the moat surrounding it was used for unruly students or teachers.

We ended our walking tour with a riverside footpath which meanders along the river Nive.

Our Camino begins... well sort of.

It turns out our accommodation for the night, Gite Zazpiak-Bat is located along the pilgrim route about 1.5 Km from the start (at the pilgrims registration center).

We headed out of town and the trail quickly changed to being what seemed like straight uphill. Our elevation gain on the short walk was ??. The good news is this is 1.5 Km that we won’t have to do tomorrow. (So far today we have climbed the equivalent of 56 flights of stairs according to our watches).

The view when we arrived was spectacular looking out over the farmland and Pyrenees mountains. We are still pinching ourselves because this doesn’t seem real yet.

We will have our first pilgrim meal here tonight. Wondering how many will be joining us and where they will be from. (Check back and I will update later).

Signing off now so we can have a quick nap as we are still trying to get caught up on missed sleep and prepare our bodies for the days ahead.

Day 0 Camino Summary

Our Camino officially starts tomorrow but our Albergue is along the route so we did get a bit of a head start today.

1.75 km, Camino distance today

1.75 km, total Camino distance to date

64 m, Camino elevation gain today

64 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

2514 steps, Camino steps today

2514 steps, total Camino steps to date

0h:35m, Camino time today

0h:35m, total Camino time to date

Day 1 - Orisson - No Wi-Fi so this one will be delayed

One bite at a time! We had to remind ourselves of that a few times today. It was a short but very steep climb as we left St Jean Pied de Port. The views were breathtaking (or maybe that was the elevation gain). \240There were so many pictures today it is hard to only share a few. We were surrounded by the mountains following the switchbacks in the road that midway turned into a cattle path. Everything was so peaceful, the sounds of the church bells, the cattle bells, and fellow pilgrims panting as we climbed one step at a time.

We were just getting ready to take a break on the side of the road, when we came around a bend and like a mirage, we found our Alberge for this night - Refuge Auberge Orisson. I haven’t had a Coca Cola in years but this one tasted so good!

Life in the Alberge.

The view is picturesque. The pictures do not do it justice. We are sharing a room with 2 other couples, 3 bunk beds. Ed drew the short straw so he gets the top bunk. From our window we look out over the outdoor cafe area with the Pyrenees as the backdrop.

Once we got our room, the tasks for the day were quickly completed. Showers, laundry and a nap. Enjoying the view we went down to have a pre dinner cocktail. It appears there are about 50 pilgrims here tonight. There is no other place to stay close by as the next town is tomorrow’s destination, about 17 km away.

Supper was a pilgrim dinner with lots of chatter and new connections made. Following our supper, all pilgrims were asked to introduce themselves, where they are from, and why they were doing the Camino. It was so wonderful to experience this. It didn’t matter what language people spoke, everyone shared and there was a common understanding and connection far beyond what words can describe. It was an emotional introduction!

Day 1 Camino Summary

7.6 km, Camino distance today

9.35 km, total Camino distance to date

579 m, Camino elevation gain today

643 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

10792 steps, Camino steps today

13304 steps, total Camino steps to date

2h:39m, Camino time today

3h:14m, total Camino time to date

Day 2- Orisson to Roncesvalles

Our day started with a Pilgrim breakfast at our Alberge. Coffee is served in a bowl and traditional breakfast is baguette with jam and juice, certainly not what we are used to.

We said goodbye to our room mates:

Steve & Ann from Florida,

Carson & Barb from Georgia.

Of course, only to pass them again several times along the trail. We are so glad we booked Orisson well in advance as there is no other place to stay and they had to turn many people away. The service was excellent and food traditional and very good. \240We could purchase a sandwich as well to pack with us for on the trail today and we were very glad later to have this.

We hope the hike today would be easier, but it certainly was another challenging one. Once again, however, the views were spectacular. We climbed to an elevation of 1418 meters

Our first wow moment was the statue of Mary. Smaller than we had expected, but the sun rising and the rays of sunshine lighting up the sky as we arrived made for an excellent photo.

Mid morning, we had to dig out our ponchos as we reached the higher peaks. The rain didn’t last long, but it did cool things off nicely.

About a third of the way for the day, there was a food truck waiting for pilgrims. A fresh banana, hard boiled egg and coffee were very welcome.

Onward and upward it seemed! As we spotted the Roncesvalles Monestery, our home for tonight, it quickly changed to a steady and sometimes treacherous downhill for the last 5 km. We were very glad the ground was dry at this point.

Wifi is very slow here. We are trying to load the pictures but having trouble so please keep checking back. Hopefully over the next few days we will find a better connection.🤞

Our stay at the monestary was a beautiful. There are over 200 beds and they were turning people away. Things are very busy on the Camino right now so it is important to book ahead. \240We had another wonderful supper sharing with fellow pilgrims.

I will try to add more details on the history to come...

Day 2 Camino Summary

18.5 km, Camino distance today

27.8 km, total Camino distance to date

728 m, Camino elevation gain today

1371 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

28117 steps, Camino steps today

41421 steps, total Camino steps to date

6h:22m, Camino time today

9h:36m, total Camino time to date

Day 3 - Roncesvalles to Zubiri

This morning we awoke to the sound of the monk choir at 6 am. Well I guess that is the sign to get up and at ‘em, so off we go.

Breakfasts have consisted of white toast and jam. Today we were able to stop at many little villages. Our first stop was in Burguete at the supermarket for fresh bananas. \240 We so much appreciated this simple pleasure! Our next stop was in Espinal where we found many of our friends at a local cafe (and the best coffee we have had to date!). \240We have met so many beautiful people already on this journey.

The first part of our journey today was fairly relaxed with a few ups and downs but the final 10 km was brutal. People had warned us that this would be a difficult day and now we can appreciate why. The last 3 km was straight downhill over very slippery and uneven ground, one step at a time.

Our home for tonight is Hostel Suseia which as it turned out, 3 of our new friends are also staying at.

We are both feeling good so far. Legs and feet are all good. Carrying the pack is going well. We are now out of the mountains and tomorrow should be much flatter as we head to Pamplona.

Hotel Susei

What an amazing place!! We had a gormet meal prepared by the owner, Sara. Fresh local authentic foos of the Basque region and lots of fresh vegetables which we have been lacking. \240The chatter at the table is so incredible. People coming together from so many different countries, ages, backgrounds, all for a common purpose, to walk the Camino. Tonight at the table we had:

Aidan from Ireland, Marco from Germany (who is riding a unicycle on the Camino) Sarah who is becoming a great friend from Washington DC, Ann & Stephen (great friend too!) from Florida and 5 sisters from Switzerland.

Day 3 Camino Summary

24.5 km, Camino distance today

52.3 km, total Camino distance to date

414 m, Camino elevation gain today

1 785 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

35 524 steps, Camino steps today

76 945 steps, total Camino steps to date

7h:33m, Camino time today

17h:09m, total Camino time to date

Day 4 - Zubiri to Pamplona

We had a wonderful breakfast at Hostel Susei this morning before heading out. One of the guests joked, ”Did anyone have to think about what they were wearing this morning?” We all have a limited wardrobe so there really is no choice. Wash one day, wear the next, repeat.

The guide book had said today was relatively flat. \240I guess Spain has a very different interpretation of flat as we still had quite a few climbs and decents. The path was beautiful and meandered along a river. At times we felt like we were back at home and hiking the local trails. We travelled about 10 km before coming to our first long awaited morning coffee stop.

We visited a beautiful church, Iglisia de San Esteban on the top of a hill in Zabaldika. We were able to climb the bell tower to give it a ring.

The day was very hot with temperatures around 30 degrees. The walk into Pamplona was very long. We felt like we were there and then a sign said we still had 5 km to go. So we stopped for a beverage and then trudged on, arriving around 3:30.

Tonight we are checked into a hotel, Hostel Arrisua. It is wonderful to have a long hot (unlimited) shower, clean sheets, and the room all to ourselves. I will only have Ed’s snoring tonight.

The running of the bulls takes place in July here in Pamplona. \240However, there is a mini festival in September coming up on the weekend. We saw them setting up the posts that will line the streets for the run. It is probably best that our timing is off for this as I would be very worried that Ed would want to participate.

We had a lovely early supper with Ann & Stephen at Goiko Grill. Walked the streets around our Hotel and then early to bed. Tomorrow will be a bit of a rest day, we are only going to walk 10 km.

Day 4 Camino Summary

25.1 km, Camino distance today

77.4 km, total Camino distance to date

426 m, Camino elevation gain today

2 211 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

35 317 steps, Camino steps today

112 262 steps, total Camino steps to date

8h:23m, Camino time today

25h:32m, total Camino time to date

Good morning from Pamplona.

Thank you for all your messages of love, support, likes and encouragement. It certainly helps us along this journey. We had faster Wi-Fi last night so we were able to post some videos. Check them out by selecting the arrow on the picture (it is a little light on the picture).

Buen Camino

Day-5 Pamplona - Uterga

Today was a difficult day but we made it to our Albergue and the Camino did provide!

We had a mix up with our reservation for today. We were only supposed to walk 10 km but we ended up walking close to 20 km.

As we left Pamplona, we met up with Ann and Stephen and stopped to fuel with coffee and a croissant. They then helped us navigate our exit from Pamplona where we travelled through the city’s medieval fort before leaving this beautiful city.

As we were about to leave the city, the sky was looking dark so we stopped to grab our rain ponchos and pack covers. The sky then opened up with thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Even the cars were having difficulty traveling through the streets. The fortunate part was we were under an overpass so we were protected from the elements. We waited for about 45 minutes for the rain to subside before we ventured out.

We had steady rain for the next 2 hours and 8 km of walking. Friends had to rescue a women who got her shoes stuck in the mud. It is clay and it took 2 strong men to pull her out.

The amazing part is as the rain stopped, a beautiful rainbow appeared.

After a coffee and breakfast/lunch, wringing out our socks and drying off our feet, we headed up the hill to Alto del Perdon.

From here it was a sharp downhill into Ulterga, our home for the night at Casa Baztan.

Ed is nursing the Camino cough and my casualty of the day is my big toe. \240I think some of it is from the downhills. It appears to be bruised and a little swollen.

Life at Casa Baztan

This was a unique experience for us, however quite common on the Camino. There is a room full of bunk beds and people from around the world filling them. I think the room would hold around 20 people \240but it is only 1/2 full. (plus 2 dogs tonight). There is a beautiful chapel in the building where they offer communion and prayers daily. A backyard to sit with lots of clothes lines for drying our daily laundry.

We had a traditional pilgrims meal, with 2 friends from Sweden, 2 friends from England (who are heading off to India after this to do yoga teacher training) and 1 young gal from Taiwan. Pilgrim meals are normally 3 courses and prices range from 10-15€.

Day 5 Camino Summary

22.3km, Camino distance today

99.7 km, total Camino distance to date

527 m, Camino elevation gain today

2 837 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

27 886 steps, Camino steps today

143 097 steps, total Camino steps to date

7h:22m, Camino time today

24h:31m, total Camino time to date

Day 6 - Uterga to Puente la Reina

Today was a much better day! \240We both had a great night’s sleep and left feeling refreshed and energized. We only did a short walk to give ourselves a bit of a break. We are falling into a routine of how to pack daily and getting ourselves more organized for the mornings. Our packs are not any lighter, but we barely feel them now on our backs.

We made a side trip to a beautiful medieval church Santa Maria de Eunate which used to be situated on the route but now the modern day path goes through the villages. They list it in the guide as one of the “jewels of the Camino”. The church has been linked to the Knights of the Templar who long defended the pilgrims on the route to Santiago. As we went inside a women with a tour group was singing. We only got a short video but it was amazing sound. It has been suggested that Eunate was also a burial place for Pilgrims who had succumbed to the gruelling physical hardships experienced along the route. Thankfully that wasn’t us!

We stopped for our morning cafe and met a women Diane. She leads the Yukon group of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims.

We have lost track of what day of the week it is or which number in the month. Someone might need to remind us when it is time to get on the plane to come home. Thankfully we have a few weeks before we have to worry about that.

It truly is amazing the friendships and bonds that form along the journey. We are still traveling at the same pace as some, others have gone ahead, some are now behind us, but we are in daily contact with each other about our journey and what may lay ahead.

With our shorter day today, we were able to get some laundry done by machine, have a nap, and will venture into the town to take a look around.

Wifi is still not strong so sometimes the pictures will be delayed and we will only be able to post our videos when we are in the larger cities.

Albergue Jakus

Our home for tonight is Albergue Jakus. We had recommendations from others to stay here. We are in a pod with 4 bunks. Steven and Ann are also here tonight.

There is a beautiful garden bar area, a common area kitchen (but I don’t think we will have the energy to cook tonight).

Day 6 Camino Summary

11 km, Camino distance today

110.7 km, total Camino distance to date

78 m, Camino elevation gain today

2 915 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

15 012 steps, Camino steps today

158 109 steps, total Camino steps to date

3h:55m, Camino time today

28h:25m, total Camino time to date

Day 7 - Puente le Reina to Estella

The consensus among our pilgrim group is that the people writing the travel guides do not know what flat means. Today was described as flat rolling hills, however it felt like we were climbing over small mountains at times. The terrain has changed. We no longer hear the sounds of cattle bells, the scenery has been replaced with crop farms, vineyards and olive groves.

The other interesting guide book fun fact is we believe the distance between places must have been calculated many years ago as the crow flies. \240With our modern day accurate Garmin watches, when they say a day will be 21 km and then it turns out it is actually 27 km, the last 5 km can be brutal. It was very hot today, but we were blessed with at least a breeze and the journey took us much longer than we had anticipated.

Last fun fact of the day, Stephen mention that if you want to find an open bar in a village, just look near the church and you will find one. \240So far this theory seems to be accurate, at least for today.

In Spain and France where we have travelled it is very common for most businesses to be closed in the afternoon between 2-4. Many restaurants close from 5-7. They value family time and this is a time for family be together. We have seen in restaurants that during the closed time, staff sit down and share a meal together.

There was a very unique stop that someone had set up, an “Olive Garden” in the middle of an Olive grove.

We walked a bit today with Ann & Stephen and we were very happy to meet up with Sarah again who was staying at the same hotel. You see so many familiar faces on the journey and they do really start to feel like family with everyone looking out for each other. \240A man stopped by our table tonight, he recognized us from the Alberge last night to ask us how we were feeling and wished us a Buen Camino.

The Camino and the mountains we have now left behind (we hope) can be hard on the body. We saw many people with knees now taped, many with blisters who were now walking in sandals and carrying their shoes. We don’t feel too bad, we are doing ok.

There are many times when you get into a rhythm as you walk. The peacefulness of the surroundings, the sound of your poles clicking on the path as you walk. There were two young guys who passed us today and they had music playing. We were both surprised and commented about how foreign it now sounded.

The town of Estella seemed like it would never get here today but when we arrived it really felt like we were stepping back in time. The church which we passed on the way in was built in the 11th Century. The streets and bridges of the city had a \240very midevial feel to them. \240We had a small piazza just outside our hotel for the night which was filled with children playing and the sounds of laughter.

We checked in to Alto Estella Hostel for a quiet peaceful night. Our own room and shower! We love the Albergue community, but just nice to have your own space from time to time.

Day 7 Camino Summary

27.0 km, Camino distance today

137.7 km, total Camino distance to date

510 m, Camino elevation gain today

3 425 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

36 096 steps, Camino steps today

194 205 steps, total Camino steps to date

8h:12m, Camino time today

36h:37m, total Camino time to date

Day 8 - Estella to Los Arcos

Estella is a beautiful city, we really enjoyed our short stay here. It had a great energy and everyone was very welcoming and friendly.

As we headed out of town we made our first stop at Fuente del Vino. There is a local winery at the monestary that not only provides an Aqua (water) fountain, but they have a tap of vino tinto (red wine). It was an unusual way to start the day. We had planned ahead and brought along plastic glasses from our Hostel, but many pilgrims were emptying out their water bottles and filling them up with wine (I think they will be regretting that later). There was also a local blacksmith hard at work who was making some very unique pieces of art.

The weather forecast called for rain and the clouds seemed to circle around us for most of the morning. We put our pack covers on when we left and had our ponchos ready and easy to grab just in case.

The first 10 km of our day was a steady climb up to the summit at Villamayor de Monjardin. There was a small store in this tiny village so we stocked up with a sandwich and an Aquarius (electrolytes drink). We were very glad we stocked up as the next 13 km was a flat to gradual downhill that meandered through open hay fields and vineyards with very little to no shade and no villages to make a rest stop. We were very grateful for the breeze today and the intermittent cloud cover.

We arrived at our destination Los Arcos, tired hot and dusty, but all in all it was a very good day. This is a tiny town, population only about 1200, but this is a frequent stop for many pilgrims. There is a beautiful cathedral once again in the heart of the town. We have found that in many towns and villages, you can see the church steeple for miles marking the location.

Our hats have become an essential piece of our equipment. They protect us from the elements of sun and rain. Ed’s has moisture wicking liner so it keeps the perspiration from running down into his eyes. Mine keeps my hair from blowing in my face on windy days and also helps to conceal the bad hair days that seem to be the norm on the Camino.

We will nap and shower and then head out to explore our home for the night.

Hostel Ezekiel

Our home for the night is Hostel Ezekial. Not the best location but we were able to book ahead which gave us peace of mind. After a shower and nap we walked back to the center of town by the cathedral and found our friends hanging out. Unfortunately it was 4:35 and the kitchen closed here from 4:30-6:30 so no food for us, we would have to wait. After a refreshing beverage we headed into the cathedral.. wow... we have already seen so many and the \240ornate decorations are amazing.

We wandered the streets a bit and then went back to the square to grab supper and then home to bed. We are not on a hard timeline, but we like to get on the road early to get ahead of the heat and hopefully arrive at our next destination with time and energy to explore.

Day 8 Camino Summary

23.9 km, Camino distance today

161.6 km, total Camino distance to date

449 m, Camino elevation gain today

3 874 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

33 551 steps, Camino steps today

227 756 steps, total Camino steps to date

6h:43m, Camino time today

43h:20m, total Camino time to date

Day 9 - Los Arcos to Viana

We left Los Arcos with misty rain. We had our rain coats on and our ponchos ready once again. The first part of the trail was relatively flat through vineyards. As we headed out of town we were blessed with another beautiful rainbow. The unique thing about this one is it seemed to disappear into the blue sky. The dark clouds stayed behind us and it wasn’t long before we shed our rain jackets.

We had 2nd breakfast in a small town called Torres del Rio. As it was Sunday, there wasn’t much open so choices were limited. To get our sugar pick me up, the best we could do was an Oreo ice cream bar. One of the things we have found on the Camino is there will always be something available when you need it. It might not always be what you thought you were looking for, but it will keep you going. And who is going to argue that it is not every day you get to eat ice cream with a coffee for a mid morning snack.

After Torres del Rio, the terrain changed and we had much more up and down. On the up hills we had to hold onto our hats as the wind was quite strong. We have learned that it is much easier to traverse the downhill using a slolam style, moving in a zig zag from side to side as you slowly move down the hill.

We had picked a bit of a shorter stage today, only 20 km to Viana. As we arrived the energy in the town was buzzing. They have just completed their centennial celebrations. The streets and bars were full. Lots of talking, singing and laughter. As we passed by, so many strangers nod and greet you with ”Hola.” One older women grabbed my arm gently, and wished me, ”Buen Camino.” The warmth of a greeting just warms the heart.

We checked into our home for the night and found a little piece of paradise at Palacio de Pujadas. A beautiful historic hotel on the outskirts of town. The hot shower and clean linens felt amazing. We ventured out into the streets to grab a bite to eat, however much was closed from 3 pm to 8 pm until they open again for dinner, yikes. It is incredible how the streets had cleared out in the time it took us to shower. Everyone was now home spending Sunday afternoon with family and friends. I guess this was the Camino way of telling us it was a good day to have an afternoon nap.

Your feet on the Camino are so important. They take a beating each day. It is so important that you listen to them. A small stone in your shoe can cause a blister to form very quickly. It is kind of like the princess and the pea and you can feel everything in and under your socks. Even when we are close to the destination for the day, we stop and remove or fix any issues. So far our feet are doing ok. We have had a few hot spots which we promptly taped, and that seemed to alleviate any further \240issues. My big toe nail that took a beating in the mountains is hanging on. I have found a way to tape it daily which seems to be working. My Plantar Fasciitis is doing ok. Lots of stretching and Arnica seems to be working. Fingers crossed and prayers our feet will continue to carry us forward on the journey. 🤞

Ed’s cold is almost gone. Thank goodness as it is tough slugging when you are congested!

Time to sign off and enjoy a well earned nap today!

Many of the local restaurants on the Camino offer a “Pilgrim Menu” for dinner. This \240includes a first plate (appetizer) and a second plate (main entre). They normally have options to choose from, beef, chicken, fish or pork. Dinner also includes, wine, bread and dessert. The menu prices are quite reasonable ranging from 10-15 €.

After our dinner tonight, we took a brief stroll around Viana, another beautiful historic town.

Day 9 Camino Summary

20.6 km, Camino distance today

182.2 km, total Camino distance to date

407 m, Camino elevation gain today

4 281 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

28 545 steps, Camino steps today

256 301 steps, total Camino steps to date

6h:5m, Camino time today

49h:25m, total Camino time to date

Day 10 - Viana to Logrono

Today was a short rest day. Only about 10 km to get to Logrona. It was a fairly easy walk, passing many vineyards that were ready to be picked. It is starting to feel more like fall. The air is a bit cooler in the morning and when there are trees you can hear the sounds of the leaves crunching under your feet. I believe the Camino heightens your senses. Maybe it is the quietness when you are walking, but it seems like you are more aware of the sounds, smells, and sometimes sights around you. When you are traveling over uneven ground you are often focused on the ground with each footstep. When the path is smooth, it gives you a chance to look around while you walk. On advice from someone who has walked before us, we do try to stop and look behind to see where we have come from.

There are 6 regions on the Camino, similar to what we would call our provinces. We left the first region today, Navarra and have moved into La Rioja.

Our Alberge was very easy to find just across the river at Albergue Santiago Apostol. They had both private rooms as well as bunk style beds so we have a private room for the night.

There is a wine festival going on in town called the San Mateo. We are starting to think that all of Spain is a continuous festival. After we freshened up we headed off to explore the town. In the central square (next to the cathedral) it felt like most of the town was there. There was music, singing, food and of course Vino. 2.50€ would get you a peameal sandwich and small bottle of wine. It also appears by the posters that we just missed the bull fight that was yesterday. Probably good once again as Ed may have wanted to test out his Matedor skills.

It’s Monday but it seems like no one is working and the kids are not in school so maybe it is a holiday. After walking the busy streets we found a grocery store to pick up supplies for tomorrow then back to the Albergue for a nap and laundry before our Pilgrim dinner.

Our evening in Logrono will be very memorable!

We went back to the central square to have a pre dinner cocktail. We found a lovely pub right on the busy strip so we could watch what was going on and with our Brierly book and Booking.com, we were ready to plan out our next couple of days. We ordered two red wine and when the waitress delivered them we are not really sure what happened, but one glass broke and we were covered in wine. So back to the Albergue with more laundry to do. \240We then walked back to the square to enjoy drinking (not wearing) our pre dinner cocktails.

We also had a special meet up tonight with Nancy and Doug who are also from London. We met virtually though a work colleague and had found out they were also doing the Camino. We have been messaging before and during our walk. They had started 2 days behind us but are moving at a quicker pace so they have caught up with us and happened to be staying at the same place. It was so lovely to finally meet them in person, share a pilgrim meal and a few glasses of wine and many stories about our journeys so far. The Camino creates such a special bond. We had never met before, yet it felt like we had been friends for ever. They are taking a well deserved rest day in Logrono, but I am sure our paths will continue to cross.

Day 10 Camino Summary

9.8 km, Camino distance today

192 km, total Camino distance to date

89 m, Camino elevation gain today

4 370 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

13 509 steps, Camino steps today

269 810 steps, total Camino steps to date

2h:32m, Camino time today

51h:57m, total Camino time to date

Day 11 - Logroño to Ventosa

It was a beautiful walk out of the large city of Logroño. We followed a paved path through several parks. At about 8 km there was a picturesque pond in the park and a little oasis with a cafe shoppe right on the path.

We stopped in at the town of Navarette for a quick lunch stop. Before ordering our lunch we ventured into the town chapel. Wow! I think this one was the prettiest ones yet. Amazing sculptures and the entire front wall was an ornate gold structure.

We walked and talked a lot today with Stephen and Ann. They were also staying in Ventosa. It always seems like the last 5 km are the toughest and today was no exception. \240The day started out cool but the walk after lunch was very hot and dry.

This is a very small town with very few places to stay. We checked in at Albergue San Saturnino. We are in bunk beds once again sharing a room with 3 others. They were turning people away when we arrived as they are full and the next town is 12 km away. We were very glad we booked ahead.

Some have asked about the lavatory news. Well the best way I can describe it so far is you need quite a bit of luck. The first few days were the worst as our bodies adjusted to the schedule and the different diet. It is definitely easier for men along the way! We may seem to stop often for coffee and snacks but this then allows us to use the WC (water closet). There have been a few times where we got caught between towns, but there always seemed to be a camaflage tree nearby and I always keep tissue readily available in my pocket. \240I did learn that squatting with my pack on and the extra weight is not possible. Some towns also have public washrooms and I have a rule, never pass by if there is any doubt.

Now off to find dinner and wifi in this little town.

Day 11 Camino Summary

23.9 km, Camino distance today

215.9 km, total Camino distance to date

392 m, Camino elevation gain today

4 762 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

29 807 steps, Camino steps today

299 617 steps, total Camino steps to date

6h:50m, Camino time today

58h:47m, total Camino time to date

Day 12 - Ventosa to Azofra

We left the tiny town of Ventosa behind when it was still dark. It was quite noisy in the early hours at the Albergue so we were up and we figured we might as well head out. It was a beautiful time of the day to watch the sun rise as we walked but it was definitely more difficult to see the route markers. We have taken shorter days than many but we feel ready to move forward the next day and have the opportunity to explore the towns when we arrive. Several we have met are already looking forward to or have taken rest days. Everyone needs to honour their bodies and do their own Camino, what ever that means for them.

Heading out from Ventosa, the ground was a very red clay. We were very glad that it was dry as from what we had read, the red muck would stick to your shoes like leeches, we’ll take the dry dust!

The first town we came to was Nájera which was about 10 km in. When you first enter the town, it felt very modern and then you walked through the older section. It was a beautiful town home of the Monasterio Santa Maria de la Real which was the burial place of many illustrious kings, queens and knights of years past. Of course we stopped for a coffee to fuel for our journey. We often try to also stop at a supermarket to grab bananas and apples. It is easy to have them as snacks along the way and helps to tie us over between towns. This also helps us to at least get a few fruit and veggie portions for the day.

Leaving Nájera, it felt like we had changed terrains. We had entered what appeared to be the badland hills. The red soil was now a wall and became the hills we would traverse over for the rest of our day. You could tell this area was much dryer as they had cement dyke systems set up for irrigation of the vineyards. So many grapes! We can now understand why wine is often cheaper than water to purchase in many restaurants.

Our stop for the day was in the small town of Azofra. This is a tiny village with a declining population of ~250, owing much of its continued existence to the Camino. We checked into our home for the night, Pension la Plaza. The local bar gave us the key and then pointed us up the \240hill to our room. When we came back down to grab our lunch, Ann and Stephen had arrived so we sat with them and shared beverages, watching the weary pilgrims walk by who were heading off to Santo Domingo which is our destination for tomorrow. We also met Carmin from Romania who had lots of stories to tell. We were immediately connected because we noticed she had the same shoes as us. Coincidence or Karma?

Our Ghost Pilgrim. The other day, walking on the long dry section into Los Arcos we met a pilgrim who was heading in the opposite direction. This is not that unusual as often people do travel the route in reverse. He had a very distinctive patch across on the front of his travel pack. As we got closer to Los Arcos and had met up with Stephen and Ann at this point during the last few kilometres we passed him again. We all commented on this as we didn’t understand on a linear path how he could have looped back to pass us again still moving in the opposite direction. The next day, Stephen and Ann came across him again, still moving in the opposite direction. We are now calling him our Ghost Pilgrim and have made a pact to take a picture of him the next time we see him to see if he actually shows up in the photo.

Day 12 Camino Summary

18.1 km, Camino distance today

234 km, total Camino distance to date

190 m, Camino elevation gain today

4 952 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

24 170 steps, Camino steps today

323 787 steps, total Camino steps to date

4h:54m, Camino time today

63h:41m, total Camino time to date

Day 13 - Azofra to Santo Domingo

We have been blessed with beautiful weather. We left Azofra as the sun was coming up over the hills and our destination today isn’t too far. We have taken a shorter day than many others but we enjoy getting in early and having a chance to explore the local culture. We are doing well physically so far but we will have some longer days coming up soon.

The first town we came to at 10 km was Ciruena which was a ghost town. Unusual for the area as it was built at the top of the hill around a golf course. So many places were for sale, very few cars, beautiful parks and even a 25 m outdoor pool that sat quietly with no one around. We were very tempted to check out the pool and go for a dip but we had places to see and get to.

We met Carmin from Romania last night \240She is travelling solo and had joined us for beverages. We were instantly connected as she was wearing the exact same shoes that we have, La Sportiva and the exact same colour. She had carried with her this morning for the first 10 km a grocery bag. When we stopped to have a coffee at the golf course (the only place open in town), Carmin served us up a feast.

We arrived in Santo Domingo around noon. Our home for tonight was an apartment I had booked through booking.com which has been our main source for booking accommodations. It was a great little place, a lovely terrace with a clothes line and even a little washing machine in the kitchen. There would be real laundry done today!

We had picked up a little feast at the local grocery store for lunch. We enjoyed a hot shower and a nap while the laundry was spinning before heading out to explore more of the town.

Touring Santo Domingo

A beautiful city! We explored the older section and found the chapel. It was very much worth the 4€ entry fee into the cathedral to see the amazing artwork and historical architecture. It is truly amazing how they were able to build these structures with the limited tools available at that time.

These are large cities, yet we always seem to run into pilgrims that we know which makes this community seem small.

Off to bed early as we have a longer day tomorrow.

Day 13 Camino Summary

16.9 km, Camino distance today

250.9 km, total Camino distance to date

269 m, Camino elevation gain today

5 221 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

22 939 steps, Camino steps today

346 726 steps, total Camino steps to date

5h:1m, Camino time today

68h:42m, total Camino time to date

Day 14 - Santo Domingo to Belorado

We have been blessed once again with beautiful weather. It was great to have breakfast in our little apartment. We had picked up supplies at the supermarket market on our way home from dinner yesterday.

As we headed out of town, we could smell the fresh hay and the roosters were just starting to crow. We had a longer day so we wanted to get out before the heat. We were now in different terrain. No more vineyards, lots of hay fields, potatoes, and beans. We even had a tractor pass us with a load of manure. Yes, fresh country air to wake you up in the morning!

We had many little towns that we would pass through today. Our first and our coffee stop was in Granon. We found a lovely little cafe right across from the church. It was run by an artist/musician and you could feel the artistic flair. It was called The Way!

We had lunch at a lovely stop in Villamayor. It was a quaint place that had fresh made cheese, fresh bread and we added our electrolytes with Aquarius. The route was described as mainly flat, but my watch said different.

One of the guides said that after 14 days, your body will have adjusted and no more aches and pains. We have been very fortunate compared to many but we will have to wait until tomorrow and see if this is really true.

We are falling into our Camino routine: walk, beverage with friends, shower, nap, explore, supper, sleep, repeat.

Our home for the night is La Huella del Camino in Belorado.

We went out to explore Belorado. Many towns seen so much alike, yet all are very unique. On the Main Street, they had bronze impressions made of local celebrities, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estivez are among those honoured due to the recognition through the movie ”The Way” that they have brought to this area. Many of these small towns would not exist today if it wasn’t for the 1000’s of pilgrims who flock through each year.

On our walk about, we went to explore the church. Many have stamps that you can add to your credentials which will be the record of your journey. The church in these towns and villages are the heart of each community.

We had dinner tonight with Mike & Laura from Alaska. We had seen them a few times, and introduced ourselves in Viana. They started the walk on the same day, however, were unable to stay in Orisson. We shared a wonderful pilgrim meal, laughter, wine and pilgrim stories. It turns out that they too have seen the ghost pilgrim!

Day 14 Camino Summary

23.6 km, Camino distance today

274.5 km, total Camino distance to date

406 m, Camino elevation gain today

5 626 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

33 131 steps, Camino steps today

379 857 steps, total Camino steps to date

6h:28m, Camino time today

75h:10m, total Camino time to date

Day 15 - Belorado to Villafranca

We had a wonderful stay at La Huello del Camino. Both dinner and breakfast were among the best we have had. We did not have to leave too early this morning as it was only a short day. There was very little wind which made the walk quite hot and very dry through the farmland. I guess the climate is preparing us for the Meseta (prairie) which will be coming next week.

We passed so many fields of dry sunflowers. We could only image how spectacular the scenery would be in the summer when they were all out in full bloom.

We had several small villages that we passed through today. They all seen so quiet other than the pilgrims. We stopped in the town of Villambistia and it appeared they were making soup for dinner. It looked so good we wanted to stay but we still had distance to travel.

The village we are in tonight is a quaint little place, not much here. We are at a tiny hostel in a very old building on the Main Street (it was at one time a shoe factory). This seems to be a popular place to stop as we have a large climb going out of town in the morning and it is always better to do it with fresh legs rather than at the end of the day.

We shared a lovely pilgrim dinner with Ann and Stephen at the Albergue - San Anton Abad one of our best meals yet and it looked like a lovely place to stay next time.

Day 15 Camino Summary

12.5 km, Camino distance today

287 km, total Camino distance to date

213 m, Camino elevation gain today

5 839 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

17 440 steps, Camino steps today

397 297 steps, total Camino steps to date

3h:25m, Camino time today

78h:35m, total Camino time to date

Day 16

We left Villafranca bright and early. We had a good climb as we left the town which went on for about 3.5 km. We were only about 10 minutes in and the jackets had to be removed as it got quite warm. It was a beautiful climb however, through a treed area with lots of shade and a few plateaus to give one a break from time to time. We had brought along snacks for the journey as there were no villages we would pass until we were at the 12 km mark today.

It was a great trail and we were back with the cattle as we passed through San Juan and a little town called Ages.

Our home for the night is a lovely place, The Pilgrims Hostel in the village of Atapuerca. This town is an Unesco world heritage site. Human remains from 800,000+ years ago have been discovered in caves just outside of town. Excavations are still underway today and this is the site of many tour buses from Burgos.

The path today was very tranquil, far from the distraction of any towns or villages. It truly felt like a walking meditation for most of the first 12 km. The rhythm of the poles, sounds of the birds, the wind rustling the trees, thoughts would enter your mind, then peacefuy leave, it was a wonderful relaxing feeling.

I was having a discussion last night with a wise pilgrim, when I said that it is wonderful that the toughest decision some days is whether to order another coffee or an Aquarius. He commented that as he passed each route marker either a yellow arrow or a shell which marks the direction, he gives thanks to those who have come before us to mark and determine the route. We don’t have to think and worry about which way to go, we simply have to follow the path laid out for us... if only all life decisions were this easy.

I do worry a bit about our accommodations as it is so busy but we are doing ok to book ahead at most places. Thinking about this has allowed me to reflect on not worrying about what direction we were at least heading! \240Ed keeps reminding me that, “the Camino will provide”. \240I just need to trust that. 😉

Exploring Atapuerca

We shared a wonderful dinner with Stephen and Ann once again. There was a great place right next to the Albergue run by a husband and wife, The Comossapien. Gourmet dishes prepared from regional supplies were highlights of the menu. This was a treat and something very different from the pilgrim meals we have been enjoying. Some of the menu options were lamb, pig cheeks, blood pudding and T bone steak without the T. This could be our last dinner with them as we are all heading to the big city of Burgos tomorrow and then they are jumping over to a different Camino route (Via de la Plata) so we won’t see them again. They had already completed the Francis route in 2017 and wanted to explore at least some of a different area of Spain. We have learned a great deal from them and they have left us with many tips as we move forward on our journey. It was wonderful to share this meal with them at a place they had visited last time and wanted to enjoy again.

After dinner we wandered around the village for a bit to help settle our full bellies before heading off to bed to rest our weary legs. There wasn’t much in the town but of course, as always, there is a beautiful cathedral.

Day 16 Camino Summary

19.6 km, Camino distance today

306.6 km, total Camino distance to date

304 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 143 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

27 545 steps, Camino steps today

424 842 steps, total Camino steps to date

5h:27m, Camino time today

83h:2m, total Camino time to date

Day 17

We left Atapuerca early, but got caught in a lineup for breakfast. There was only one very tiny cafe open and only one person working. We took our time and the sun was just coming up as we left the village. This turned out to be a blessing as the path we would travel out of town was on very uneven rugged ground so we were both happy for the extra light to ensure we had good footing with each step. We had to climb up and over the Atapuerca mountains before descending into Cardenuela. At the summit there was a beautiful cross marking the path that so many have travelled.

We had several small villages to travel through and then a hard left down a dirt road that would take us out and around the Burgos airport. It certainly wasn’t a very busy airport as we didn’t see one plane come or go as we travelled the long and dusty road around it.

As we entered the last village on the outskirts of Burgos, we had to make the decision to take the river path or the road path into town. As the sky was blue with very few clouds, we chose the river path to give us a bit more shade. The path was amazing! \240At first it was a small dirt trail under a few overpasses which I would not want to be travelling in the early morning or late at night but it soon turned into a beautiful ashphalt trail that meandered along the river. Burgos is a very large city and this park/trail system runs the entire length. It was quite busy as we found our way with local walkers, joggers and a few bicycles. Once again, it was the last few kilometres that seemed the hardest.

We finally made it to our home for the next 2 nights. \240Yes, taking a rest day! (But Ed says we still need to get our 10,000 steps 😂) We are at Hotel Cordon in the heart of the historic district. There is so much to see here. We will explore what we can but also hopefully give our legs a bit of a rest before we move on. We are feeling blessed so far in our journey. So many others are nursing injuries and pondering whether to go on. We have been moving at a slower pace than some others, but other than tired aches, we are feeling pretty good. We are over 1/3 done and past the 300 km mark!

One of the things I have discovered to make my journey seem easier is that I have been setting my Garmin watch to track our journey but then trying to forget it. In the beginning, I knew that the next town was 10 km away and I would look to see if we were on track. When the distances were wrong (which they normally are) it was always harder to go beyond what you had been expecting. Now I just think about what the next town is and will we be stopping there for coffee or Aquarius and I don’t look at my watch until the end of the day. Small mental shift, but it has made it easier. \240Ed still follows his watch closely. 😉

Day 17 Camino Summary

21.1 km, Camino distance today

327.7 km, total Camino distance to date

156 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 299 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

29 255 steps, Camino steps today

454 067 steps, total Camino steps to date

5h:46m, Camino time today

88h:48m, total Camino time to date

Day 18 - Rest day in Burgos

What a wonderful city to enjoy a rest day from walking! Burgos is a city that brings history to life. Well, we still did a lot of walking exploring the city but it was different than the routine of the past 17 days.

The day started with a leisurely breakfast at a cafe in the Plaza Mayor. We then made our way to the Museum of Human Evolution. The tour of the museum was 2+ hours and was filled with local artifacts dating back 800 000 years. The local digs have provided the oldest and most complete artifacts that help with the understanding of human evolution. This museum really tied back to our stay in Atapuerca, the excavation site for many of the artifacts and photos on display.

We then met up with Sarah, Tara, Ann and Steven for lunch. We met these wonderful folks Day 1 of the journey and tomorrow we will be splitting up as some are moving to a different routes and others are bussing ahead to accommodate their schedules. We met as strangers just a few days ago and today parted as friends! \240We hope that our paths will cross again and we wished each other, “Buen Camino”, we know we will keep in touch.

A tour of the stately Cathedral was our after lunch activity. It is an enormous building with spectacular architecture from the 14th century. It \240is filled with magnificent statues, artwork, carvings, frescos and so much more. It truly is amazing how these structures were built so long ago by hand and without the building techniques that are common today.

Day 19 - Burgos to Hornillos

Burgos was such a beautiful city it was hard to leave but we also know there are many other amazing places we have yet to discover.

We walked about 5 km before we were actually past the city limits. Then another 7 km before we came to our first town and of course our 2nd breakfast stop.

We entered the Meseta. Leaving behind the built environment and paved roadways, we entered the relative wilderness and vast grasslands. It is similar to our Canadian prairies although from what we saw today, maybe not as flat. There is little or no shade on the Mesata and the towns are often spread farther apart. In the mountains the villages were often built in the hill and could be seen from miles away. Here they are built in the valleys where there is a greater water supply so you don’t see them off in the distance. \240You crest a hill, and there it is.

Our first gem of the day came just as we were leaving Rabe de las Calzadas. There were several barns painted with the most amazing murals on them. The first portrayed 3 famous individuals as you will see below.

Our 2nd little gem of the day appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. There was a cemetery which often are very ornately gated and beside it a tiny chapel. The doors were open and we could hear music coming from inside so we wandered in. It was a beautiful chapel! Two sisters were there and they were able to stamp our passport with a very unique and memorable stamp. Then the one sister blessed us, kissed our cheeks and gave us a small necklace each. We are not sure what she said as it was all in Spanish but it was very moving and we both felt very blessed as we continued on our journey.

We made it to our stop for the night in Hornillos, a tiny town. Once again, we are at the Albergue that is attached to the local bar and restaurant. \240One stop does it all! We are grateful we have booked ahead as a few other places we saw were “completo”.

We have a few longer days coming up in the Meseta so we will be in bed early to try to get out before the heat of the day.

Day 19 Camino Summary

22.7km, Camino distance today

350.4 km, total Camino distance to date

157 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 456 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

31 538 steps, Camino steps today

485 605 steps, total Camino steps to date

5h:57m, Camino time today

94h:45m, total Camino time to date

Day 20 - Hornillos to Castrojeriz

Left, right, repeat. \240It is amazing how wonderful a hot shower feels at the end of the dusty road.

We have found ourselves in a bit of a rhythm on the Meseta and at times we have been moving at a fairly quick pace. It is beautiful in a different kind of way. Much of the landscape is very barron, but the dry crops, and few rock piles create a mosaic unique to this area. We have yet to find a flat area however, so far it has been gently rolling hills.

As we left the sleeping town of Hornillos we tried to get out just as the sun was coming up and the roosters were crowing. We wanted to get as much distance behind us before the day got too hot. We had 10 km to go before we would reach our first coffee stop for the day.

Surprisingly, everyday we have found something that makes us go, “WOW”! \240As we approached the first town and we were anxious for the WC and our first coffee of the day, we could hear beautiful singing before we could see the town of Hontanas. As we crested the hill we saw the Oasis, a lovely cafe/bar/market. Outside, one of the waiters was serenading the pilgrims as we entered the stop. Probably anything would have tasted good, but not only was the music amazing but the chicken stuffed pastry and coffee tasted devine.

As we were leaving Hontanas, once again we heard music coming from the cathedral and the door was open so we just had to take a peek inside. They had a beautiful tribute to so many great inspirational leaders from around the world.

We passed by the ruins of a former Convent in San Anton. Unfortunately many sections have been destroyed but you could easily imagine how grand this building must have been when it was originally built in the 11th century.

As we crested our last climb of the day, we could finally see the town of Castrojeriz. The ruins of a former Castle stood on the hill top overlooking the town. The Cathedral stood on the outskirts of town, almost creating a gateway into the town. The entire town was built on the side of the hill, which really defined the term, downtown! The road into our Hostel seemed very long as all the streets run parallel along the hill and we were situated at the far end. Apparently there is also a tunnel system that connects many of the homes via their wine cellars.

Exploring Castrojeriz

We took a little time to explore the town. We found the most amazing little shop called El Peregrinos. It was an older gentleman who ran the shop and he had everything in it that a Pilgrim might need. Ed has worn the tips on his poles down to the metal and mine were getting close. The shop had tip covers that would help provide a much quieter and hopefully safer journey. We had looked in the big city of Burgos with no luck, this shop had it all!

Day 20 Camino Summary

21.8 km, Camino distance today

371.8 km, total Camino distance to date

211 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 667 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

30 495 steps, Camino steps today

516 100 steps, total Camino steps to date

5h:52m, Camino time today

100h:37m, total Camino time to date

Day 21- \240Castrojeriz to Fromista

Right, Left, Repeat. Today was a tough day! \240Turns out it was also our longest in time and distance.

We had a longer day than what we have been used to. The day started out with a very steep climb which lasted for about 1 km, then steep downhill on the other side. Our first rest stop was at 13 km but unfortunately there wasn’t much available. We have been very fortunate with the food options we have had along the way and when they are not available, we feel grateful for what we have had.

Today we truly experienced the Meseta. The road was long, dry, and very little shade. We came to an Oasis, a small cluster of trees which provided a reprieve from the sun’s rays and allowed us to enjoy our apples we had packed for the journey.

We finally made it to Broadilla and grabbed a sandwich an an Aquarius at a very unique Albergue/cafe. We were chatting with the owner who noticed our Canada patches and it turns out he had done some schooling at Western University, 519 Area he called it in reference to the 519 area code. He said the owners from the Malibu had been good friends and support for him and had taken him into their big Greek family. Once again, a small world.

I had taken my shoes off at lunch and could have quite easily stayed there but our reservation was in the next town so we must move forward.

We had 6.6 km to go, most of the trail was along a canal. We were tempted to get in and swim but the water was far from clean. We had a few trees along this section of the trail, and at one point we had a cloud pass by and had shade from the trees and it felt like heaven.

We finally made it to our destination for the night, Fromista. This is the southern most city we will travel through on the Camino Francis. The canal was built in the 18th Century and brought proper irrigation and an abundant source of power for the mills in the area.

We found enough strength in our legs to explore Formista. They had 3 large churches here, we were able to make our way into one of them.

We enjoyed a wonderful pilgrim meal of bbq ribs, apparently a local specialty. While we were having supper they had a pop rock station on ... then Louis Armstrong - “What a Wonderful World” began to play. \240It truly is!

We stopped at a local pastry shop to pick up fruit for tomorrow and Ed was having a sweet tooth moment. \240I hope he burned enough calories today!

Day 21 Camino Summary

28.5 km, Camino distance today

400.3 km, total Camino distance to date

280 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 947 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

39 076 steps, Camino steps today

555 176 steps, total Camino steps to date

7h:38m, Camino time today

108h:15m, total Camino time to date

Day 22 - Fromista to Villalcazar

It is amazing how a good nights sleep and a new day will change everything!

We have been sleeping very well, especially considering every night has been in a new bed. Most rooms have been very quiet but then again after all the fresh air, I think we could sleep anywhere, well almost. There is a shortage of beds at the Albergue’s in many towns. We met a young couple from the UK who want their Camino journey to be spontaneous. They ended up sleeping in a barn one night with several other pilgrims and an outhouse toilet for a whopping 6€. Ok, so that is out of our comfort zone and we have been booking ahead to ensure we have a place to stay.

Today was a beautiful trail. We took the alternate route which followed a tree lined riverside path. The river was actually a dry creek bed with little to no water but it was a very soulful walk. There was cloud cover until around 11am which made for a perfect temperature for walking. We were surrounded by the sounds of the birds in the trees, leaves rustling, and a few herds of sheep. Many pilgrims took the faster/shorter road path which ran along the roadway which also made our trail less busy.

Along the walk we met a fellow Canadian, Isabel from Quebec. This is her second adventure of the year as she said she had driven across Canada in July. We talked a little more and it turns out she stopped at the Voyageurs’ Lodge at home in Batchawana and remembers the apple fritters vividly and with great fondness!

Along our path we came to another beautiful church in the middle of nowhere, Ermita de la Virgen del Rio. Not quite as ornate as others we have been in, but beautiful and majestic in its own way.

Our stop for today was at 15 km in Villalcazar. We both probably could have kept going but our room was booked here and the town ahead in another 6 km had no beds available to be booked. Apparently there is a big wedding going on there. After the added length from yesterday, we will take the extra rest and nap time today. As we sat enjoying a glass of vino before dinner, people were coming back from the next town by taxi. They had done the walk only to find no beds. They will sleep here and taxi back in the morning. We are quite happy with our decision to stop here tonight.

After lunch we did some brief exploring of the local church before heading off to our hostel. This church was built by the Knights Templar who protected the pilgrims bound for the Holy land. King Alfonso X claimed that the white Virgin here had cured pilgrims, she is still here so we will have to see if we hear of any recent healing stories.

We have mapped out the remaining days into Santiago and we believe we should be arriving there early on Octover 26 (42 days). This means that in days, we are now about 1/2 way in our journey. In a couple of days, we will pass the 1/2 way mark in kms.

Some interesting notes:

You may notice on the top of many of the church roofs and steeples, very large nests. These are the stork nests. We have seen a few around but none out delivering babies so far.

I have been asked about my necklace. This started out as a souvenir but has become much more. I picked it up from the blacksmith shop just outside of Estella (just before the wine fountain). The blacksmith had so many unique things but adding extra weight to our packs is always a consideration. The necklace caught my eye. It is the shape of a shell and has the cross of Santiago forged into it. It has now become part of my limited daily wardrobe. I have had several people take notice of it and ask where I found it. For me, it is a reminder that you never know what you might find inside an open door. Many did not take the time to stop at the blacksmith in their hurry to get to the wine fountain. I am so glad we did go through his open door and will continue to go through open doors to discover and explore on this journey. Besides, the blacksmith had one of the cleanest WC I have used on the Camino.

Day 22 Camino Summary

15.3 km, Camino distance today

415.6 km, total Camino distance to date

47 m, Camino elevation gain today

6 994 m, total Camino elevation gain to date

21 460 steps, Camino steps today

575 636 steps, total Camino steps to date

3h:15m, Camino time today

111h:30m, total Camino time to date

Day 23 - Villalcázar to Cazadilla

Today is Sunday and it seems the towns are even quieter on a Sunday morning.

We started our day with an amazing breakfast. Not so much the quality of the food but the hospitality we received. The only restaurant in town didn’t open until 8. We had checked things out yesterday and asked one of the volunteers at the Municipal Albergue if he knew of anywhere else. Knowing we had a longer day, we wanted to get out as early as possible. The volunteer spoke no English so with the help of Google translate once again he was able to communicate to us we could come there. He would open the door at 6:30am. The volunteer was there and showed us where everything was. We ran into Isabel from Sherbrooke again and continued our conversation about the world famous fritters from the Voyageurs’ Lodge. The coffee, toast and jam would fuel us until we could get to the next town. The Municipal Albergue is run by donativa (donation). The volunteer went out of his way to make us feel welcome and fulfilled and certainly started our day in an amazing way.

As we left the sleeping town of Villalcázar the sun was rising and there was a low lying bank of fog. The result was a spectacular view behind us.

As we entered the first town of Carrion at about 6 km, we found an open door at the church of Santa Maria. As we entered we could hear the singing, the beautiful voices of a choir of nuns. We quietly made our way inside and enjoyed the amazing sounds for several minutes. As we left one of the nuns waved to us a greeting without even skipping a note.

We fueled our bellies, and took in a few more sites as we left Carrion. From here we would have 17 km of flat Meseta road with no food or water according to the guide. The morning was beautiful for walking. There was a light fog which kept the sun off our backs and a bit of coolness in the air.

Well the book was almost right. It was a long flat dry road. By about km 12 the sun had burned off the fog and things were starting to heat up. There was one mobile canteen set up at about the 16 km mark. We grabbed a fresh orange juice and banana and then set out for the remainder of our journey. The last 5 km are always the hardest and today was no exception. What increased the challenge today was the distance between any type of civilization. When you looked behind you could see the road just travelled and looking ahead you could see the road yet to travel. No homes, buildings or signs of human existence. At one point Ed said, “I guarantee you we are closer to our stop tonight than we were 5 minutes ago”.

At 23.5 km, we finally saw signs of a human colony and our home for the night in Calzadilla. A tiny town but a welcome rest stop for the night.

Many people choose to skip the Meseta during their Camino. Some say it is boring, while to others it is a peaceful and soulful section of the Camino. The mountains had their challenge of the elevation changes, the Meseta has the challenge of the endlessness. We are feeling grateful that we have had the opportunity to explore and experience each of these beautiful sections.