Camino de Santiago, Part 3. Naverrette to Burgos

The Cathedral at Burgos.

Our departure from Naverrette was delayed because Shelly's boots were missing! After a few frantic minutes of searching, a very sheepish looking Irishman came down the stairs and placed the shoes in the rack, he had picked them up by mistake. We were relieved to have Shelly's shoes back! We had to walk six kilometers to get breakfast at Ventosa, then continued on to Najera, a nice little town set against some cliffs. We lunched there then walked into the "Zona Natural" on the west side of town.

Leaving Najera via the Zona Natural.

Photos here:

We continued to Azofra, a small "Camino town", whose main reason for existence is to support the pilgrims. A very nice albergue there, with 2-bed cubicles. Here, I went to the Saturday evening Mass at the local church. In a beautiful old chapel, the sparsely attended service was in Spanish of course, but easy to follow, it's format almost the same as our masses at home.

The next stage to Granon was a rather dreary one, cloudy and threatening rain but no real downpours. Lunched in the nice little city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada then up to Granon.

The albergue in Granon was a memorable one. It is a parish albergue, located in the upper floors of the annex to the local church, St. John the Baptist. We were led to a large room and told to find a spot on the floor! We were provided mats to sleep on. We were then invited to come to the communal dining room at a certain time to help prepare dinner.

The sleeping room at Granon.

So we all helped prepare the salad and spaghetti dinner and cleaned up afterwards, under the supervision of our energetic hosts. Later that evening, we were brought to a balcony in the church and had a sort of prayer/meditation meeting. It was a fun experience, and I really recommend staying at this albergue to anyone doing the Camino. 

Next day we were off in the dark, stopping for coffee and crescents at Redecilla, where we ran into David and Debbie from Maryland. We walked to Belorado then on to our planned destination at Tosantos. Although the albergue was open, the local cafe was closed for the week so we decided to push on the Villambistia.  Here we were able to get laundry done, have a few drinks and watch other pilgrims pass by. Saw David and Debbie pass by. Saw Shelia and Jim (from England), who we had met earlier and had taught a couple of card games to, so we played cards with them after dinner.

The next stage led us to the hill country past Villafranca, ascending into the clouds. The dirt path eventually became quite broad, really wide. We decided that it must be a logging road, although the trees in the region look a little scrawny to me. We eventually began to descend again, entering more open country which featured some lovely oak trees, not unlike the foothills of the Sierras back home.

On the way to San Juan de Ortega

San Juan had a really large albergue with a restaurant, but no beer! By this point, beer had become something of a necessity to ease the discomfort of our feet! It was still early so we continued through Ages to Atapuerca. This town is a UNESCO World Heritage site because the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe were found here. We met up again with David and Debbie, Shelia and Jim, and we all had a nice dinner at a local bar. The proprietor was a bit of a character who has a collection of post cards from pilgrims from around the world. I'll be sending him one, too!

The next day it was on to Burgos! We followed a route that eventually took us to a riverside parkway that led into the heart of town. After stumbling around downtown for a while we came to the massive cathedral. Then we pushed on through to the far side of town and found a very nice little hotel near the university where we called it a day.

Yeah, we felt that way at the end of the day, too.

We had planned to go back into town and explore, but we were just too tired! We found a place that advertised hamburgers and that sounded good right then. Alas, what they served was not at all like the pictures on their menus! American hamburgers were difficult for the Spanish to replicate for some reason!

I should take a moment to describe our daily routine: We usually walked to about 2 or 2:30, then looked an albergue. After checking in, there was wash to do if you wanted a steady supply of clothes, often this was done in a sink and the clothes hung out. Then we would take our showers. That done, we would usually go and look for a cafe for a quick drink, maybe we would see some other pilgrims we knew and would chat or even play cards with them. We never cooked dinner, we would go find a "Pilgrim's Menu" or "Menu del Dia", which were usually quite reasonable. Back to the albergue to rest and write in our journals. Lights out was usually around 10 PM. Lights came on by 7:00 AM, sometimes the albergue had a light breakfast of coffee and toast, often we would get a breakfast at a cafe along our way. And so the routine started all over again.

Camino de Santiago, Part 2. Pamplona to Naverette.

Windmills in the mist.

We continued through Pamplona (from our albergue in Villava) and pushed on through the southwestern suburbs and into the countryside. As we ascended some hills, the cloudy skies finally decided to start raining on us. Not a heavy downpour, but a steady rain which started to make the paths a little mucky. Some low-lying spots became quite muddy, and we tried to move around the worst of them. Eventually we came to a cloud-shrouded summit; we could just see the wind-power generators, we could actually hear them before we saw them, they're really pretty noisy! I've never been that close to one before.

Heading down the other side of the summit we hit some really muddy trails, our feet probably picked up pounds of mud as we plodded on! The rain finally quit and we reached Obanos where we stopped for the night. It was another long day, 8 hours, 24 kilometers. My left foot, which had been giving me problems even before the trip, was bothering me. Plantar Fasciitis, look it up, it's not pleasant, but it wan't bad enough to make me want to stop, either. Shelly was having issues too. There was only one place open for the Pilgrims' dinner so all the peregrinos came there. We shared the table with three Germans and four American girls. It was a nice time.

Puente la Reina

Left Obanos the next morning after the innkeeper ran our clothes through the drier, (for 2.00 Euros). Had breakfast at a hotel's cafe in Puente la Reina. Nice old bridge, (puente) here.We had planned to do a short day, but stretched it to another 24+ K day and made it to Estella. We were sore, but as always, glad to make it to where we did. Shelly was starting to get a shin splint, so we found a pharmacy and bought some tape. The next day was relatively short, 21 K. to Los Arcos. An interesting stop along the way was the Fuente de Vino, which dispenses free wine to the peregrinos passing by. It's a limited amount, by the way. I was able to get only a taste as it was almost empty, but it wasn't bad!

The first albergue we checked out in Los Arcos was full, so we panicked and took a pension for the night. It was nice having a room, but kind of pricy. The next morning we noticed a couple of other albergues further into town that were not full, so we could have gotten a bed after all. A lesson learned.

Along the was to Estella, notice the ruined castle on the upper right.

After Los Arcos, the next stop should have been Logrono, but we found a nice place called Viana a little before Logrono and decided to stop there. Here we enjoyed the first Sangrias of the trip!

Departing Vianna, we had to then push through Logrono, a large city. Indeed, by the time we were finally out of the city it was time for lunch!

Entering Logrono

We ended the day in Naverette, finding a nice albergue which was next to a cafe which had really excellent food. We had tapas (appetizers) with some local wine and we could tell this place had good quality food so we planned dinner there too and weren't disappointed! I has peppers stuffed with cheese and cooked in squid ink that was delicious!

We met several fellow pilgrims we had met before and it was always nice to chat with them. One American couple was quitting and another lady was having such trouble with her feet that she bought new boots on Logrono! The four American girls we had met in Obanos were also ending their Camino, they didn't have the time and only planned to do part of it anyway. One of them was having serious foot problems anyway. Several people had complained of loosing toenails! The difficulty of extended walking was taking its toll. We too had our problems. Mine was mainly that sore left foot and Shelly was having lots of blisters. It seemed that 20 K a day was our comfort limit, but we routinely pushed beyond that distance.

Our friend, Santiago.

Photos here:

Camino de Santiago; Part 1, St. Jean to Pamplona

The foothills of the Pyrenees.

The flight to Madrid was uneventful, but just long. American Airlines was alright, we got dinner and breakfast on the trans-Atlantic leg.

We arrived in Madrid at 10 a.m. It is a large airport with many facilities, including a Metro link and a railroad line. Since our hotel was close to the RR, the information lady suggested we take the more direct RR ride, and it was a winner at only 5 €.

Our hotel was an AC Carlton, and was very nice. Indeed, we decided to book our last 2 night in Spain there so we could see more of that city. Next day we hopped on the train to Pamplona. We got to view a lot of central Spain which looks a lot like central California, but with older buildings!

From Pamplona, we caught a bus to France and to St. Jean Pied de Port. This is a pretty town in southwestern France whose main claim to fame is being a principal jumping off point for the Camino. Lots of pilgrims, (peregrinos) in the place, and lots of facilities for them. The Pilgrim's Office was crowded with folks picking up their Pilgrim's passport and the people working there also helped us find a place to stay for the night.

In order to qualify for the inexpensive hostels, (albergues) along the way, you need a Pilgrim's Passport (credencial), which is stamped at each place you stay. This becomes a ritual; you stagger into an albergue and produce your national passport and your credencial, and then you're given a bed and your credencial is stamped.

We stayed at Refuge Le chemin vers l"Etoile, an old albergue in the heart of the old town, It's owner was a nice guy who gave us a lot of advice about walking the Camino, some of it made sense, some, not so much, but he was good-natured. He also prepared a nice communal supper for us which we shared with several other peregrinos, most of whom were not english speaking, but we still had a pretty good time.

We started out the next morning before sunrise. We were a little apprehensive about starting in the dark, but we eventually saw a lot of other walkers so we just followed behind and had no problems finding the way. It was one of the toughest stages we were to encounter on the Camino, due to the climbing and wind! By the end of the day we had covered almost 24 kilometers after 8 1/2  hours, a long day indeed!

Arriving in Roncesvalles, we came to the main albergue. It was a big one, and one of the best organized we were to encounter. Also on of the nicest, it was fairly new and provided us with 2-bed cubicles which were nice and we had a nice meal at the restaurant. 

Photos here:

The Albergue at Orrison, between St. Jean and Roncesvalles.

The locals

Roncesvalles, our destination, is there in the center.

After Roncesvalles, we walked for two days to return to Pamplona! The first night we stayed at a municipal albergue which was really different from the Roncesvalles. Definitely a step down! The next day we made our way to Pamplona, actually stopping just outside of the city in Villava.  On the way, we stopped for a second breakfast at a really neat trekking cafe set along the trail on the side of a river. 

Our albergue in Villava was a private one, we got a semi-private, four bed room which was a tad more expensive than our last, but which turned out to be a good deal since no one else ended up in the room, so we got a private room!

Preparing for the Camino, pt.2

Gathering the gear!    

Just days away from our departure now, I gathered up most of my gear and placed it on the bed.  The recommended weight of your pack for this trek is 10% of your body weight, which will be impossible! But I'm still shooting for a sub-20 pound target.

While I'm confident that our fitness level will be adequate for this adventure, our main concern has been our feet! Shelly bought yet another set on insoles yesterday, let's hope these help her sore feet! I'm bringing an ankle brace to wear at night for my plantar fasciitis....man, we must be getting old!

The latest forecasts look okay. Occasional evening showers, highs around Pamplona in the 80s. It will be cooler than here thank goodness.

Preparing for the Camino de Santiago

Hunter's Creek, outside Reno.

 

Looking back at Reno in the distance.

Applegate trail to the North Fork of the American River.

Above Alpine Meadows

Our Trip to Florida!

Sunset at EPCOT Center.

Went to Orlando at the end of October to see Gordon. We figured with Gordon's training cycle coming to an end, he might not be in Florida much longer, so we decided to visit. We planned a 10 day trip which included 2 travel days. Gordon graciously offered us the use of his car for the couple of days he had to work while we were there.

As I said, for the first few days Gordon had to work while we explored. We'd come back at the end of the day to pick him up from work. Here's Gordon as an engineer in training:

So for the first couple of days we took day trips to the Atlantic coast; First, off to St. Augustine, I wanted to see the oldest European settlement in North America, and I wasn't disappointed! The old stone fort there is a very interesting place to visit.

The view from the fort at St. Augustine.

Next day was to see Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. We drove by the Kennedy Space Center and looked around from the outside, but frankly, didn't see anything that would be worth the $100 entry fee, so we contented ourselves with a few pictures at the entrance! Yes we are cheapskates.

Next stop was Cocoa beach where I put my toes into the Atlantic, I believe that's the first time for me!

Soon though, Gordon got some time off and we went to Disney's EPCOT Center.

The three of us at EPCOT.

Well, EPCOT's okay, not great, although there was a food festival going on that was fun.

The weekend came and Gordon had to go to Savannah, GA to attend a friend's wedding so we tagged along and shared a room with Gordon in the historic part of town. I must say, Savannah is a very nice place. While Gordon was doing his thing with the wedding party, Shelly and I walked all over the historic district.

Savannah is also a port city, with many nice shops and eateries along the riverfront.

Coming back to Orlando, Gordon took us to a rock-climbing gym for some lessons in climbing. We were both able to scale some of the walls, but I wasn't feeling super competent. It would take me a few lessons to get the hang of that. Shelly did quite well. Gordon has become pretty good at it!

Gordon's belaying Shelly as she scales the wall!

The next day, our last day there, we rented canoes at a state park and toured up and down the Wekiwa river. Here we were able to spot lots of wildlife, many birds and turtles and a couple of alligators!

Highlight of our river trip!

Florida is pretty interesting. I should mention that the wildlife we saw on the river is not confined to those wild places. There are ponds everywhere, and at Gordon's apt complex I saw turtles and 2 small alligators, along with Ibis and Herons all over the place.

All in all, we had a great time, (although I'm thinking Gordon is pretty happy to have his apartment back). It sure was good to see him. The link below is to the web album containing more pictures of the trip, I'll try to caption most of them as soon as possible!

Click for more pictures!

Shelly and Deb's excellent adventure...

Nearing the end of the hiking!

Shelly is now back and almost entirely recovered from her trek to the Himalayan foothills! She traveled to Nepal with Deb Hall for a 13 day adventure which included six days on the trail heading towards Everest Base camp!

At Singapore Airport.

They endured a 19 hour flight to Singapore, followed by an 8 hour layover there. Then on to Kathmandu via SilkAir.

Shelly and Deb arrived in Nepal two days earlier than the rest of the group in order to get a few extra days in Kathmandu. hey spent that time acclimating and strolling around taking in some of the sights.

The hotel in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is crowded and, well, not exactly a 1rst world city. Many sights unusual to our western eyes...

The view from the hotel.

Buddhist shrine, a stupa.

Street scene! This is a crowded town.

Street scene: dogs and monkeys are revered and fed on the street!

Soon the group had assembled and Shelly and Deb joined in the scheduled siteseeing, etc. visiting the monasteries and squares and shops around town. It was now time to begin the trek:

The plane for Lukla Airport.

The group took the flight to Lukla Airport. Shelly discovered later that the airport at Lukla has quite a reputation. In fact, the History Channel has named it the most dangerous airport in the world! There is an interesting video on YouTube about it! Link to a video of Lukla airport

Our next post will focus on the hike!

Jayden's First Birthday!

Mashing the Birthday Cake!

It's hard to believe a whole has gone by since little Jayden was born! On the actual day of his birthday, we just had a present and, well, everyday is kind of like a birthday for a 1 year old.

 Jayden seems to like doing this lately!

 Jayden's first birthday present!

He didn't really get the whole present thing, so his big sister Lily helped.

That following weekend, Ryan and Nicole invited everybody to Gibson Park for a real party. We had hamburgers and hot dogs and Shelly made a sacrificial birthday cake. When we raised our boys, we somehow got into the habit of letting them tear up the birthday cake with their bare hands! The boys have never forgotten that and so we offered one for Jayden.

 The cake!

Well, it took a while for the cake to be served, and Jayden was a little worn out from all of the excitement; he had to take a short siesta.

zzzzz

But he woke up in time to enjoy the cake and resumed his position of life of the party!!

Happy Birthday Jayden!!

Recent Pictures of Jayden!

Hey look! Jayden's waving!

It's been a while, so thought I'd post some new pictures of Jayden. Hey stayed with us for a weekend at the end of April...

Sharing the paper with Grandma. He's already looking at car ads.

Having a laugh with Gramps.

Not sure if he's enjoying himself here.

He suddenly became self aware!

Trying out the Blogger link in Picassa...why not a new picture of Jayden?!