Wednesday 13/05 Day 8.
Up at 6.30 and
no rush getting ready to move out which we did once we had a coffee, walking
slowly downhill to the bridge – a photo and our day really started at
7.30am. Some brilliant scenery
interrupted only by the fact that we were forever taking the up and down route
rather than following the ridges/contours…..why she kept saying……..and the
answer…..all the villages are on the top of hills/hillocks and we repetitiously
went down 400m to walk back up 430m because the hilltops controlled the
approaches and the only way ancient peoples could invade/pass by was at night
or by the ‘not expected route’. An hour
and a half into Manero (on schedule but the long climb out of P la R was a
killer. Neil was very patient stopping often for me. We had a piece of fruit/water break and headed off to
Cirauqui, and el portal café… We had a good half hour break here and then headed for Lorca
– a good 2 hour stint with the sun just starting to show its affects. This was a tough 2hrs-beautiful
vineyards/olive groves + horrendous long downhill/steep uphill segments. Finally Neil walked into Lorca
and decided to book in for the night and forget about the target Villatuerta
Puente….we are behind schedule but Michele is not well enough for us to
maintain a daily schedule let alone attempt to catch up.
Alb La Bodega
del Camino (a locked double room –share of shower/toilet with 8 bed dorm; we
had our shower and washed clothes before others were in the dorm) – Rest while
the clothes dry. We decided not to have
the pilgrims meal and each have an item from the bar menu. Unfortunately the church was locked so we
could not get a look inside, so back to the Alb for a fresh OJ and the daily
update……Estella tomorrow and the bank….and then we shall check how far behind
schedule we are.
Thursday 14
May: Day 9 - we gathered our gear together and moved out at
7.30am with Villatuerta our first stop….and on time with a gaggle of women
outside a patis/café and next to a bank. Expresso/croissant
We arrived at Estella on time…..another OJ/croissant each and a toilet
stop and we headed for our next Irache.
A long haul through the suburbs of Estella climbing most of the time and
when I could see the Hotel at Irache in the distance I decided that we would
take the direct route, plunging steeply down-hill before climbing a long, long
way back up to the Hotel. I was now
regularly waiting for Michele and we had a fruit stop amongst this set of rest
periods. At Irache we had at least an
hour plus for me to get to our scheduled stop for the day Azqueta, so after
several check stops waiting for Michele I then decided to do the final dash and
book in. Just when I had the village church in clear view (about 400m as the crow
flies) the path took a wicked right hand turn steeply down for about 600m and
then the criminal climb back up for a similar distance. I arrived in this quiet village but could not
find the albergue, but found the Bar closed…just a CC dispenser. Two young girls arrived walking in the
opposite direction to us and they advised that they were catching a bus to Los
Arcos……I waited for Michele and contemplated a similar bus trip. When Michele arrived we discussed this option
when another two walkers came in looking for the albergue….I gave them the bad
news. They headed off to Villamayor de
Montjardin and so did we with me leaving Michele to leg it on her own. It was theoretically 2km, all uphill and a
rise of 200m, but alas the usual, down first then you have to climb back to
that height before you start the climb ahead.
I booked in at
the first Alb Villamayor de Monjardin (E15 each a bed/breakfast in a dorm of
six-sheets pillow slips and blankets provided and a great kitchen area). Michele arrived and I checked her in. Then the usual shower/clothes wash/nap and
this update……and we did run into Fai and Kit (chinese doctor) again who were staying in the main
Alb.
Today’s
message: Michele is slowly travelling better and todays kms on her Map my Walk
was 17.7km.
Dinner was at
the Restaurante near the Alb de Pereginos and it was crowded as the only one
open at the time. The poor barman/waiter/cum everything except the cook was
more than confused but we waited patiently and the dinner arrived in due
course…..an english language table ( 4 poms/2Brissie ladies/2 other aussie /us/
and the HK couple. Unfortunately we were
at the wrong end of the table so we could not converse with the HKL
couple. At the Bar were the ‘professor
couple’ but he did acknowledge me with a nod while sampling olives with his
scotch.
Friday 15
May: Day 10 - A good test
for Michele….a cold morning with rain forecast, 6.2kms to a mobile coffee stop,
and a further 6.2km to Los Arcos, so we donned the jackets and covered our
backpacks with the rain cover.
Five minutes
into the walk it was bloody freezing, with intermittent rain dogging us,
otherwise it would have been a pleasant morning at the office. Just when I
thought that our mobile coffee shop had failed to front, cursing but patiently
waiting for Michele to catch up, we turned a corner and there it was. As we pulled in a gust of wind (ice?) blew
over the signs and sent chairs scuttling.
Expresso each warmed our hands and Michele tried her first open air
toilet stop (not pleasant), behind the coffee vendors S/W and generator. Gloves for me, wet
weather pants for Michele and we continued….next stop Los Arcos……but it was freezing (though I
did not feel the cold below the waist……hands/face predominately). Coffee and some fruit and we put on the
ponchos over our gear/backpack and set forth for the next 7kms to Sansol….but
Michele was fading so I did not think we could go the extra km to Torres dei
Rio. I regularly waited as she fell further behind, checking that she made all
the waymark turns but more importantly that she would make Sansol………she did and
I had walked on quickly ahead for the last km to book in and have everything
ready. Alb Sansol is a neat little spot,
12 double decker bunks, neat little bar and friendly staff……E10 + 8 + 3 =E21
each. So we showered/washed
underclothes, hung our wet weather gear to dry and adjourned to the bar to
update. Michele once again selected a
table with a lone aussie woman who, as it turned out, happened to also be on
the Gallipoli trip with us.
Saturday 16
May : Day 11 - Up around 6.15
but slow to get through breakfast and then we were perhaps the last to leave
our accommodation. The inevitable steep
ravine down and then the steep climb back up and further through Torres del Rio
and we were on our way. I had set Viana
at 10.6km as our real rest point but knowing that Michele would want a stop
after each climb.
Viana turned
out to be an interesting place and we found the recommended café Four jambon
tortilla with piquementos plus a beer, then two more jts plus a beer and a pot
of tea and we both felt refreshed. The
church was opposite so we did a survey…….a brilliant place.
The next 8+
kms killed Michele and the closer we got to Logrono the further back in
the alb/host queue we slipped. We
checked in with a million others at the Pilgrims Welcome on the bridge, town
map and directions to the municipal Alb….. I hot footed it in front of many
others but was still a dozen out of the number game…I quickly visited three
others…complete as were two pensiones….so I headed quickly for the back blocks
and picked up a Pensione at E50 a
double…..spotless clean/towels/and easy access to all. So a shower/wash the undies/ and we headed
across the Calle to the Bar that services the Pensione…….a beer and a ron……and
a walk around to find dinner.
After an hours
walk checking out the town centre we found a bar, and the barman found us, and
we had another pilgrims dinner, and several other pilgrims joined in the
activities at this bar while we were there. E10 each plus our expresso ……..I had asparagus in olive oil/vinegar, lamb
chops, apples, and bottle of red wine…….and home to bed invigorated by both the food and the
parents/young children everywhere….and obviously christenings/first communions
by the dress of each generational family group…..the whole café area was just
so vibrant. Big groups of locals (male and female groups) playing cards.
Sunday 17
May: Day 12 - Another not
too early rise but we were on the street at 7.30am and heading out of the town
centre waymarks……Michele was concerned but I soon picked them up where I
expected and could not see any reason for Craig’s advice that the waymarks were
difficult to find and few and far in between. The route took us out through reasonable
affluent suburbs before picking up a track leading onto a public
parkland and adjacent rural areas…..and the path was full of locals/visitors
doing their Sunday morning fitness thing. We reached a lake and had a coffee/croissant
stop (great spot and many a pilgrim breakfasts/morning teas here) before
continuing, while the locals did an about turn and returned to Logrono (and
some did an additional lap of the lake before returning – a15km plus round trip
stop. At the top of the hill we discussed the target stop for today again
and agreed that Navarette would be it, and we could see it from where we were
at the top. So we started the
descent on a gravel path uneven but firm and I could feel every uneven stone on
the bottom of my feet…….today the legs were taking about 10 minutes walking to
get going again after each waiting spot.
About 1-2kms from the outskirts of town Rachel (Anzac Cruise/dinner at
Villamayor) passed Michele and was about to cross the road when she recognised
me…she walked with us for about 800m and then decided to walk on uncertain as
to where she would stay the night. Upon arrival at Navarette at 11am the main albergue was not open until 1pm - we sighted another (Hostal
Villa de Navarette) and booked in E40 a double room with WC/shower. Shower/ change of clothes – the washing bag
given to the Alb (E3). We had arrived in time to attend the local church - an extremely
ornate/costly building and the bells were tolling calling all to the first
communion ceremony. They came walking/in
cars but all dressed up, (mini-skirts and hotpants are back in) men in suits and expensive
watches/jewellery/clothing on show…..and photographs/video shots filled in the
hour before mass at 1215. Church full
with about a quarter of the congregation standing. We did feel a little out of place in shorts
and sandals…but that was us and we had made mass again.
A visit to the
supermarket next to our Alb gave us the requirements for
lunch-cheese/apples/nuts/ spicy crisps.
Michele to her wifi and me to a rest, contemplating our schedule for
tomorrow…..and all the while the Bar over the road was clearly audible-perhaps
they were celebrating first communion…..it was obviously the time in this neck
of the woods.
Dinner at the bar over the road with a Danish man Willem. We decided to not do Menu of the day and had a few tapas.
Monday 18 May:
Day 13
This day
started well with us rejoining the path after finding our own way through this
rather affluent township…….well dressed locals and several banks support this
assertion. We travelled fairly well for
the first hour and then by passing Sotes and Ventosa before the climb to Alto
de San Anton, though each time I stopped and waited for Michele I found it
difficult to get going again. After reaching
the peak I waited for Michele and two irish women noticed the poppy on my hat
and stopped to talk…and when Michele
arrived they continued on for several minutes and we then waved them
goodbye as I would not be able to travel downhill like them…….in fact it was
almost impossible to move…my big toes were numb from contact with the hard toe cap
of my boots as well as the feet now swelling from this contact and a reduced
circulatory return as I could not get back into stride. Half way down we had a mobile juice man and
the fresh OJ was welcome, but the break was not….I struggled on for another 2
kms and fortunately we came to a little park…..I waited for Michele and then
took off my boots and put on my sandals for the remaining 3 kms into Najera….and
I blissfully walked ahead and found an Alb Puerta de Najera for our night….and
the place was complete soon after. As
usual I left my poles/cap outside so that Michele could see where we were
staying for the night and she actually arrived just as I was being served. The usual shower/wash shirt/undies and we
headed for a nearby bar for a quick pint. And back for a rest after a short
stroll around this section of the town. It was a long way through town with not much waymarking but each time I (Shell) thought I was lost up would pop an yellow arrow.
About 5pm we headed for a drink and some dinner and voila a shoe
shop (not for Michele) and I spotted several pairs of shoes/boots that might
save my feet. And the first pair I put on were far too small but he came up with
another size and they fitted beautifully…the same shape foot as the shoes I purchased
in Melbourne…so I decided to ditch my boots and purchase these……and straight
over the calle was a bar with a pilgrim’s menu so we joined a Dutchman and a Danish
gent for dinner(wine incl)….and added a few extra bottles of red to wash it
down.
Tuesday 19
May: Day 14
The day did
not look good, rain obvious, cold wind, and no sleep for Michele. We left the
Alb at about 7.40. We had spotted a bar with a E3 brekkie…fresh fruit
juice/coffee/croissant…and then headed across town to pick up the trail but
rain…so we about turned and headed back to the bus station to check a bus to
Santo Dominigo…one at 8.50 and there
were several others there waiting to catch it to places further on. It was a little late but the E1.61 trip took
15minutes and we then dropped into a bar to shelter from the rain/wind at S.D,C
for brekkie No2….but this cost us E4.60 each…and so we then headed off at about
10am with me dancing in my new shoes and hoping that the rain would not return.
I decided to walk ahead to Granon and breezed through the 6.7km in just over one
hour despite the 150m vertical climb…and Michele was travelling reasonably
well. I dropped my backpack at the Alb
La Casa de las Sonrisas….it did not open until 1pm so when Michele arrived at
11.30, after quick water break, we moved out for another 4km to Redicella del
Camino …..once again I moved ahead and booked in at Alb San Lazara (E5ea).
Unfortunately everything in the town was closed except a little shop and
we all had to purchase any meal requisites but the prop decide to provide a
vegetable soup for dinner (donation). Early to bed as it is freezing.
Most of this is by Neil as he keeps a daily log and I haven't had the energy to take notes - have just added a few comments. Feeling lots better now though so if it would warm up it would be good - though I guess it won't be long before I am complaining of the heat again.
We are about 75km behind Neil's 'plan' but I think he is learning - everything doesn't have to go exactly to plan. It must be very frustrating for him to have to wait so much to check on me. Once I am well he should be able to go ahead.
Neil and Shell
