Category: A Very Short Story

From the Short Story Vault

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.

31 August: Puenta Del Raine to Estelle

This is the terrain. Some times worse. 3 Pilgrims have had their Camino ended because of sprains and breaks. It is like walking over cobblestones on steroids. Try doing that for 20 kilometers. Not fun but then again Pilgrims cannot have fun. They must suffer.

But we are rewarded with views like this:

Or meet interesting people:

Andy and Susie from Canberra Aussie

Nice French couple from….France. I traded bunks with this guy on the first night because the totally efficient but anal  Dutch lady refused to accommodate them. “You were assigned these beds so you have to take them” she said Of course the couple could not understand her and were very upset so me being me waited till the Dutch lady disappeared and then I gave him my bunk. They were happy and that is how I came to meet Jerry from Northern Ireland who has been my walking partner ever since. Buen Camino.

We did 22 kilometere today. The front end was pleasant but then the temperature reached into the low 80s for the last half which were tough. Lots of hills. One hill in particular was very steep and about a half a kilometer long. That almost did me in but after a banana at the village cafe I felt better and continued on. The last few kilometers are the hardest of course.

At the end and relaxing thinking…John? Are you insane?

Ok Dot, which drink is mine?

And looking at this:

Caught up. Read ya tomorrow.

30 August: Pamplona to Puente del Reine

This will be short as the internet is poor.

Did 24 km today” left Pamplona early and walked some 15 km 10 of which took us up a ridge of windmills and an iron figures call “Wind Across the Way.” Prëtty cool.

It took us almost all morning to get up the ridge where these figure are located. The walk down was no walk in the park. It took a long time to do it.

This is sad:

During the Spanish civil war in 1936-7 Franco massacred hundreds of men,women and  children in this area. This monument honors them.

This is me.

Cool huh.

The rest of the walk that day was uneventful but the sun finally came out and you could feel the heat. That is why I feel (and look) so cool. Call me Nomad of the Camino. I did the same thing on my French walk 5 years ago when it was so hot. Soak the towel in cold water and fling it over your head. It is very lush here but I am told that will soon change.

I trained a lot for this but the training has not prepared  me for the rough terrain here. Not nice.

I would tell people to focus on hill climbing and thighs and calfs. Walk yes but walking alone will not do it for you.

That’s it. Read ya later.

Hi Dot

 

29 August: Zubiri to Pamplona q

Better day today. No rain but steep hills. Right off the bat we had a steep climb but we are still in the Spanish Pyrenees s that is to be expected. We passed through some small quaint villages as well. Stopped for our morning coffee and bun. Not as nice as the French bread with chocolate but ok.  The countryside here when you can see it is spectacular. Houses scattered about will nilly it seems on the hills, clean sparkling white walls of concrete, maybe stucco with red tiled roofs and matching shutters that actually work like shutter should. The hills and the landscapes are amazingly green and lush. God’s natural pallette of various shades of green.we also walked past the Argo river ( go Argos go),a river in Spain that was actually named after the Toronto Argos. I kid you not.

yGetting to Pamplona was a stretch. Again the sign posts seem out of whack or my walking partner Gerry is out to lunch. He thinks in miles while I think in kilometer. We reach the outskirts of Pamplona and he tells me we have a mile to our hostel, but after walking one hour it is nowhere to be seen. In  fact showing up after a very long walk, This can be extremely frustrating when you are tired and hungry, your legs are screaming with lactid acid and you are thirsty for a cold beer. Finally we arrive at our hostel to sleep with 250 of our closest friends. Some scenery:

My walking partnër Gerry from northern Ireland. Good guy and he likes beer and he laughs at my stupid jokes. He also helped me a great deäl during yesterdays brutal walk in the monsoon.

Hi there.

Pamplona is a beautiful city. Our hostel is located in the centre of a walled town, over a thousand years old. Unbelievable history. They have had the Romans here, the muslims, catholic, facsists and now democracy. But they have thrown off the yoke of catholicism for a more secular society.You can say whatever but catholocism and protestantism  has given the world fantastic architecture, music, art and literature.

A local church.

Tapas

Dot eat your heart Dot.

They have the running of the bulls here during St Fermin  day festival in July. Earnest Hemingway made that event famous with his first novel The Sun  Rises. They have a bar here named after him.kinda empty. Perhaps they are looking for some bulls.

That is all. Read ya larer.

Oh yeah and someone stole my poncho in Zubiri. Bien Camino!

Shakeyjay.