HOW HEAVY IS MY PACK ?

On day one I walked 32 km and on day two 18 km with the approximately 12 # pack.  At the end of day two in Zubiri I was exhausted, and I looked it. A pilgrim gentleman carried my back pack up to the 3rd floor bunk room I would sleep in.   I stayed at another wonderful Albergue that also served a Pilgrim´s Menu(PM). No need to walk further. 

Some Albergues such as this one have charming diningrooms for breakfast and dinner.  The community atmosphere helps you connect with other pilgrims. The Pilgrim Menu is usually a 3 course menú: appetizer , entre and sweet and it includes a bottle of local red wine.  The Price varies from €9.50 to 12.00.  and is usually very filling.  Most have been very good.  I have had whole fresh trout, rabbit, paella as entres.  All usually come with fried potatoes of some kind. They are filling and even better with a glass of wine. Here are some pictures showing sights of the past week.

Alto del Perdon with windmills and the wrought iron sculptures of Pilgrims progress

Later I walked through Puente La Reine where there was fragrant pepper roasting in progress.

 Bushels of peppers to be roasted

Tumbling out of the red hot hopper

Hot and smokey

 Residents came by to pick up bags on just charred peppers to take home and peel.

Where am I now... Logrono.  625 Kilometers to Santiago.  How did I get here?  I listened to my body - an aching right side and a shin splint but fortunately no blisters.  I learned from others on the journey how to ship my backpack to the next sleeping place and ride the local bus for a short distance every day so that I can walk and learn from the best parts of the journey.  Today I started walking at 7am.

This sunrise is about 8 AM.

 It was not quite light but there was some Street lighting and there is always someone not too far in front of or behind you.  I walked 12 km at a good pace without a backpack (it took the taxi) and with poles.  Then I took the local bus for 8 km and visited the beautiful town of Viana and then walked into Logrono. My pack was waiting at the Albergue.  I showered, got clean clothes  and set out for Tapas tonight.  aAglass of wine and 4 interesting Little plates for €7.00!  Tomorrow I have a similar journey planned for Najera.  And we are to have our first day of rain.

The weekly market in Viana

Frisee and apples

Local cheeses

Many olives fixed in many ways.

I am excited , euphoric and overwhelmed by this journey.  But I will keep walking!

BETTER THAN I EVER IMAGINED

TGV train to Bayonne

First official sign to the Camino from the train

Albergue sign St Jean

The train trip from Brussels to St Jean Pied de Porte was wonderful.  I had a reserved seat.  Unlike the Eurostar trip we were not served lunch but at 1 pm everyone in my car pulled a lunch out of a sak or a bag or a package.  And lunch was enjoyed by all. I changed trains and stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Montparnasse. Using the Metro was easy, but waiting in line to buy the ticket from a machine was exasperating.  A large group ahead of me could not get the machine to accept their coins. Metro personnel nearby had no interest in assisting.  Luckily I had plenty of time for the connection.  When I  changed trains in Bayonne I met Renata from Austria. We had enough time to walk around the square in Bayonne before getting on the train to St.Jean. It was a "puddle jumper" and filled to standing room only.  We all seemed to be on the same mission, going in the same direction.

Also met Tasha from Las Vegas and her friend Joe.  Walked to the pilgrim office  got info on Albergues  and more. Many were also picking up a Credencial del Peregrino  at the Pilgrim Office. You need this in order to stay in the Albergue / Hostels. They are low cost at 10 - 15 Euros / night. 

Eva, Marie and Renata

  Met Renata at the Albergue registration, she had two new Austrian friends Maria and Eve and  we all dined together at a local place featuring a Pilgrims Menu. (More Later)  We talked about our planned walk etc. When I told them my plan to take two days on the route adjacent to the road through Valcarlos, they said NO NO NO!  You must come with us.  My route had been washed out in a rain storm and was now a very dangerous walk on the highway.

Breakfast - small bowls of coffee,French bread, butter, jam, honey

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So the weather was beautiful - pure sun, gorgeous mountains.  And we walked from 8 am to 5:45 pm - a little over 32 kilometers.  My goal was 20 km.  We stayed at the albergue in Roncevalles; it houses 183 folks in 3 large rooms on 3 floors.  And it is beautiful and comfortable, Very different from our first night in a17th century building.    Buen Camino

A LITTLE LUXURY TO START

Near the English Channel on the EuroStar

I begin my Camino on Sunday.  But  I did treat myself with a little luxury to start with.  I used frequent flyer points to fly first class to London.  And it was worth every point ...almost like having a private room.  It was a daytime flight, and that helped with the time adjustment.  After an overnight in London I took the Eurostar - premier class - to Brussels. The train station -St Pancras is a destination itself.  A real hub of activity, shops and restaurants, not at all like the British rail stations I remember in 70's and 80's. Then there is the train- assigned seats,'wireless connection,

Premier Class - single seat with table

and food service at your seat....with a tray table.  A quiet SMOOTH RIDING TRAIN. A light lunch was served that included  a rice and dried apricot salad with a mint dressing, generous servings of a stilton and a cheddar cheese, a small green salad and a strawberry flavored mouse. And wine as well as coffee or tea were available.  I booked my tickets through RailEurope.com, lots of good information and accurate schedules.








Nephew Ioannis was waiting for me at the Brussels Midi station. I Spent a wonderful evening at his home meeting his wife and
children.
On Thursday I met  Ioannis at his office and a colleague of his - Dirk - joined us for lunch.  Dirk walked the Camino in 2010.  BUT he started his journey here in Brussels then to Namour and then through France, Lourdes and on to Santiago. He walked about twice the distance I hope to achieve in 100 days.  I plan to follow Dirk's good advise, "Don't rush, no deadlines."

Today I went to the Magritte exhibit at the Beaux Arts Museum. Search out this title on the internet It will be in my thoughts as I walk.  LE MODELE ROUGE.
 Buen Camino!

SUCCESS!

Although it seemed impossible, yes, with some advise and thoughtful analysis I was able to lighten the load of the backpack.  Right now the weight is 11.25 pounds.  I have walked everyday with the full pack!  And I can do it and not have a sore back the next day.  The hilly terrain on the other side of town is where I have worked out the most.  I hope this pays off when I get to the Pyrenees.

While in Pennsylvania getting Votzy settled in his new home, I got some more suggestions for things to have with me....just-in-case. The best came from niece Stephanie.  She introduced me to www.RoadID.com.  They make a simple, easy-to-wear ID bracelet with your custom information and contacts. I also picked up some reflective tape and a flasher/reflective light to put on my pack.

Also while in Pennsylvania, nephew Nick tutored me in texting on the cell phone  to be used to make

Nick, the tech guru.

room reservations, how to down load pictures more efficiently and quickly to the computer. Which brings me to what to do with all those cords.  Things that require charging that I will take 1) MP3 player(spanish lessons 20-30 and a little music) 2) Cell phone with Spanish Sim card, 3) Digital camera.  No tablet, no smart phone and no hair dryer! I did purchase a light weight plug/converter and a three outlet plug cube.  And, oh yes, A SINK STOPPER for the clothes washing routine.(thanks Charlie B for that suggestion).

Another really helpful website I used recently was RailEurope.com.  They mapped out my train trip from Brussels to St Jean Pied de Port, France.  Showed me how to change trains in Paris including the Metro to take from one station to another.  Tickets arrived last week with coach and seat numbers assigned.