Author: admin

05 September: Azofria to Santo Domingo

Did 11 kilometers today. Had to stop because it got too hot. It is hard for me because I am having trouble sleeping and while pilgrims have to suffer I suffer with a Sangria or two, maybe three.

Alzofria was nice. We left early as it was cool. The trail was waterlogged, muddy and rough. It is ok to walk early when it is cool but as the sun rises the heat begins. To make matters worse Jerry thought the first village was only 5 kilometers away. As usual he was wrong. It was 12. And hot. So I stopped and took a taxi to Santo Domingo, about 6 kilometers away. I could not go on.

This was the early pub, 12 kilometers from Alzofria. Btw it is fairly cheap here. Spending about 30 euro a day. Accommodations are about 12 euros and a pilgrims meal about 13 euros. The meal comes with a  bottle of wine….gratis. Boy I love this country.

Countryside is barren. Brown and undulating hills. No shade. Like the San Joaquim valley in California. Very very hot. Humidity is off the scale here. In 30 minutes you are drenched in sweat. Not nice.

Santo Domingo is a large town. Beautiful central square with the usual church adjoining. Domingo himself was a wanna be monk but the local monks would not accept him. So he branched off by himself and helped all the pilgrims get through the area on their way to Santiago. He dies in 1109 and is the requisite Saint and sponsor of this area.

Group from Brazil enjoying paella and Sangrias.

Read ya tomorrow.

04 September: Navarette to Azofra

Did 24 klicks today. Started out cool and that was great for the first few hours. Normally civil twighlight at the beginning with about 30 minutes before sunrise. You can see ok but buildings and streets are still in the shadows. City lights soon come off and the day begins.

Weird that the start of this walking began with a long climb. About a kilometer uphill. The landscape then flattened out into lush green rolling vinyards as far as the eye can see. The grapes seem to be like concords but they’re probably not.

A glass of wine here costs 1 euro 50. Gosh I love this country. The day progressed across undulating landscape with barren, brown coloured Mesas. The sky is broad but cloudy with the sun obscured by haziness. Thank goodness as the temp is about 30 C today but we cannot really feel its full brunt as there is a constant breeze blowing. It is heavenly. A real gift for us.


Group of Canadians wiped out on their bicycles. Jerry helped the woman with no thxs to us. They just carried on. Why???

Speaking of people, most of the pilgrims keep to themselves. No socializing at night particularly the Americans, Canadians, and Scandinavians. Elderly like me and Jerry socialize well enough and talk to everyone we meet. The older people respond and chat, while the younger ones just stick to their ipads and iphones. Sad. That is the state of the younger generations. No social skills at all. Luckily not all of them.

Pedro and Marisa from Argentina.

Katarina from Switzerland.. our two french sweethearts. French Bulldogs cause they just keep going and going.

Martina and Nolina from Bourges France. Of course some lighter moments too.

The last 5 kilometers were brutal. 32 C. Wind died and very hot. We made it though. I had to cool off. Our current Albergue.

Pool was only 2 feet deep and very cold. I did not care.

Read ya tomorrow.

 

03 September: Viana to Navarette

Why dear lord, tell me why that every town, village and hamlet here is built on a high hill. At the end of the day when your legs are burning, sweat is pouring out of every single pore of your body, you are dying for a cold one you have to navigate up a very steep hill to get to your quarters.

”Why dear lord, why?”

” Because I can” I thought I heard an inner voice say to me. “Remenber John my son, I am lord and you’re not.”

I left it at that.

Viana last night was very cool. They have a custom here called “Kintos” where they have a celebration with the young men and women of the village of coming of “drinking age.” Can you believe it? What a country. I just had to see this….and I did… and I had to participate:

Hola!

We started the day in…more rain. Have to move on though so we cranked through 22 k but decided to stop because every thing is wet and that is not good. Jerry and I stopped at a park just outside of Logrono,a major city in this part of Spain, to change our clothes for drier ones but to no avail because our drier clothes are damp. Press on:


We arrived at our Albergue around 1330. Tired but Jerry and I went to a cafe for a cold one and chatted with two women from the Netherlands. One was named Marijke, the same name as my late wife. That was weird but she and her walking partner were very nice. Glass of wine cost 1 euro 50 cent – about 2.75 Cdn. Wow. What a country.

Marijke is on the right. From Den Haug.

read ya tomorrow and……..HOLA!

 

 

02 September: Los Arcos to Viana

Huge thunderstorm last night. Unfortunately it carried on all morning today. Streets of Los Arcos were soaked but very clean. When we got out to the countryside it came down with a vengeance. Gales force winds, sleeting rain, some hail. You could not stay dry.  I cursed the guy who.stole my poncho. It got so bad Jerry and I sought cover behind a bush. I remember crouching there as the rain was crowning my head and soaking every last bit of me thinking “ why john, why. Why are you doing this? Are you insane? Perhaps I am.  Dot? Am I?

When we got to the first village there were many pilgrims huddling about trying to stay dry. But there was no point because everything is wet. My waterproof boot? Not. Socks are soaked through, pants, shirt, everything. Rucksack is holding out. Thanks Mark and Michael. So many of these pilgrims decided to take a taxi or a bus. Not me or Jerry. No, like the good retired Naval Officer I am I soldiered on. Ás you can imagine the terrain was terrible. Water was gushing down the hills like a flash flood. One young girl got caught up in a torrent and had to be pulled clear lest she might drown. So Jerry and I called it a day at Viana. We wanted to walk to Logrono but our clearer and rain soaked minds prevailed. Nevertheless we did 18.8 km in this mud and muck.

No pictures  today. Too wet

I hope you all have a nice day.

01 September: Estelle to Los Arcos

Did 22 kilometers today. First part was cool with many hills one of which was about 2 kilometers long. Jerry times these hills by counting off 100 steps followed by a 20 second stop to recharge.  It seems to work. We walked through Estelle for about 2 k and then hit the country. Remind me of Victoria and Van Island. Brown, dusty, dry and dead looking. Here it is hot. About 84 today. Sweating like a pig. Drinking lots of water, pop and beer. The water is awful, the beer not much better but I have to drink something…right?

The second part of the trek was tough and not so much for the walk but for the heat. Bright sun, no clouds and no water fountains. It was so nice to finally finish and get into the Alberques. Jerry and I arrived in good time only to watch the other Pilgrims arrive sore and blistered. All ages here with many elderly doing this thing. The Italian girl is nowhere to be seen anymore but she hangs out with a drinking cohort. Oh to be young again.

What surprises me is the lack of interaction between the Pilgrims. Many just want to be left alone. Some are just not friendly at all. I make the effort but no response.  Tonight I sleep in a room with 6 women. I wonder if they snore!

There is a castle at the top of that hill!

That is it. Read ya tomorrow.