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Phil Merrell

Phil Merrell

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    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Cool Bridge at Villava
      Rio Arga at VillavaVillavaThe Entrance Gate to the Old City of PamplonaSomething Must Have Been FunnyThe Municipal Albergue Jesus y Maria... or is it an early version of the Matrix

      Pamplona

      May 14 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      (Posted 6/24/25). Dale is still hurting from the fall the day before yesterday. We decided we would walk the 5 miles into Pamplona though, and sent our packs ahead. The walk went pretty well.

      We had reserved in the municipal Albergue, which turned out to be a former large church converted into a massive 122 person dormitory. It has a couple of levels of sleeping spaces in the center of a vast open cathedral like space. The effect is somewhat like the human storage space in the movie The Matrix. Walls of bunk beds extending into the distance. Oh well, it’s only one night.

      While eating late lunch, we ran into a friend we had met the first day in Orisson who has a health background. She convinced Dale he should get a medical evaluation (not to hard), and helped us find a clinic. Thanks Judy Gross! After a reasonably long wait and an X-ray, we received the good news that nothing was broken or cracked. Now it’s just time needed to heal.      Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Rainy Start From Roncesvalles
      But the Weather Cleared UpOn the Trail1On the Trail11th Century Monastery in ZabaldikaThe Senior SisterGoing Up the Bell TowerLeft Bell is the Second Oldest in the Province of NavarrePilgrim's Service BlessingThe Sound Goes On and OnEngineering Analysis of Bell Tower StaircaseZabaldika Communal Dinner

      To Zabaldika

      May 13 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

      (Posted 6/16/25) It was raining lightly when we started out, but quickly petered out into a mostly sunny day. We are sending our backpacks ahead to lighten our load. We walked around 6 miles. Before getting to a long, steep downhill section . Between my sketchy knees and Dale’s bruised ribs, we chose discretion over valor and shared a cab ride down the hill and on with some other more mature pilgrims. Dale’s ribs are bugging him a lot.
      We made our destination for the night, an albergue run by nuns at the Church of Saint Stephen in the tiny village of Zabaldika (pop. 14). This ended up one of the nicest stops on our walk. The head sister opened the church before dinner and explained the history of the church and the different paintings and features. We were invited to climb the narrow winding stone staircase up the bell tower and ring the bell. The bell was made in the 11th century and is the oldest bell in Navarre Province. After being rung, the pure tones of the bell linger an incredibly long time. After a great communal dinner, we went back to the church for a sharing time and a very moving blessing of the pilgrims.      Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      The Start of the Day. It's Steeper Than it Looks
      This Guy Drives a Coffee Truck Part Way Up the Hill. A Welcome Break.It's as Steep as it Looks. Nearing the Top... We ThoughtUp in the PyreneesLunch at a Fountain Up TopReally Almost the TopThe Top!!Down There is Where We Sleep TonightRoncesvalles Monastery. Sleeps 180 in Pretty Good StyleRoncesvalles Sleeping Accommodations

      Over the Hill to Roncesvalles

      May 12 in France ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

      (Posted 6/6/25) The Pyrenees where we crossed are not technically challenging, it’s just a long slog. But slog on long enough and you’ll get it done. Then comes the hard part for me. Going downhill just kills my knees. We walked about 10 miles today, and the last 3 were steep down. By going slow, I made it in pretty good shape. Dale, not as much. He slipped on a tree that was across the trail and fell downhill onto the log. Banged his ribs pretty good. We limped our way into Spain, down to Roncesvalles, a huge old monastery that is really well run.Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Morning in Saint Jean
      Heading out of Saint JeanIt's Steeper Than It LooksPart Way UpMade it to Orisson, Beer Time!View From OrissonSheep Dog Working!

      Up To Orisson

      May 10 in France ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      (Posted 6/6/25) We had a pretty easy start today. Only five miles, but it was all uphill. We stayed at an albergue in the mountains called Orisson. Very pretty location. Some rain off and on, nothing serious.Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Church at Vilar do Conde
      Another, but OlderBuy this hot sauce!Entrance to an excellent restaurant with good food in a beautiful courtyard dining roomBobbin Lace MakerMaking lace - incredible dexterity!!Watch the design grow as she worksLocal women who meet most days make bobbin laceThis town was once a ship building powerhouse

      Vilar do Conde

      May 8 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      (Posted really late) So we’ve been getting tired of the crowds in Porto. Yesterday, a guy in a small vegetable shop was talking about how nice his little village outside of Porto was. So today we decided to get out of the city and drove out to Vilar do Conde, a town just up the coast. It turned out to be a great choice. Some interesting old buildings, and it is the bobbin lace capital of the world! Women of the town have a century old tradition of making beautiful lace using the bobbin method. Watch the videos and be amazed! A whole room full of women who show up almost every day to make lace. It was also a major ship building center centuries ago. They have a replica sailing ship and a good maritime museum. All in all it was a great day and so nice to get out of town and the away from the crowds.
      This is our last day together. Tomorrow Dale and I drive back into Spain and take trains to the start of the Camino de Santiago, French route at Saint Jean Pied du Port. While we plan to walk for a couple of weeks, the women are headed for Paris. Who is making the best choice? We’ll see!      Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Trains on Strike
      Sao Bento Train StationTrain Station2Pastry Overdose!Porto CathedralSalted Cod. - A Portuguese National ObsessionResting Our Dogs

      Douro Valley Epic Voyage

      May 7 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      (Note - posted late) We got an early start this morning for a planned train trip up the Duero Valley. Got to the station to find the trains had gone on strike. So no Duero Valley on this trip. But we did get to see the gorgeous tiles in the old train station. Afterwards, to overcompensate for our disappointment we went to the nearest pastry shop and gorged ourselves on almost one of everything they had. Gotta hand it to the Portuguese in pastry.

      After that, we went to the Cathedral of Porto and continued walking off pastry around town for the rest of the day.      Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Douro River in Porto
      Trying to Impress HerTiles on Ordinary Houses

      A Birthday in Porto

      May 6 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

      Today was Debbie’s birthday. We started out at a park overlooking the Duero River and walked around town for a while. After lunch we had an exciting cab ride to the beach. Lots of exciting action and commentary from the driver! It was nice to get out and see the ocean. Had a great birthday dinner there.Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Bom Jesus Stairs Near the Top
      Looking Down Over The Upper StairsThe Upper StairsHalfway DownThe Upper StairsThe Lower Stairs SectionThe Water Powered ElevatorGoing Up!Opening The Water Valve To Fill The Ballast TankThe Very Bottom of the StairsAnother Church at the Top of The HillPorto is a City!Douro River Runs Through PortoFamily Dinner in PortoPortoPorto

      Bom Jesus and On To Porto

      May 5 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

      We spent the morning on the stairs at Bom Jesus. The stairs are beautiful and long. There are chapels for the stations of the cross as you go up. There is a tradition of walking the stairs on your knees for penance. My opinion is that you would have to have been pretty bad.
      A cool element is the water powered elevator for those who don’t want or can’t make the stairs. Two small cars, one at the top and one at the bottom, are connected by cables. They fill a water tank in the top car and the extra weight makes it go down, pulling the bottom one up. Then they let the water out of the one on the bottom, fill the top one, and do it all again. When they let the water out it sounds like a giant toilet flushing.

      Then on to Porto to meet up with family! My brother and Debbie’s sister are also married and we met up this evening in Porto. Great to see them!      Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      Main Church of Bom Jesus at the Top of the Stairs
      Main Alter of Bom JesusPeaceful Walking. Handrail is Living TreesA Small Chapel in the WoodsHercules Astride a SerpentBraga BelowWaiting For SunsetThere We Go!Three Piece Desert - The Portuguese Really Get It About Sweets!!Bom Jesus

      To Braga

      May 4 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

      We drove up to Braga, to a place on the hill overlooking the city. Bom Jesus is a complex of churches, gardens, trails, and a few old hotels. It is really a peaceful place. There is a beautiful stairs that comes up from way down the hill. More on that tomorrow. Got some exercise walking the trails through the beautiful forest. Had dinner at the hotel restaurant overlooking the city. We are staying one night up here.Read more

    • Phil MerrellTravelerThey’re Back! Spanish Easter
      1700's Cutting Edge Physics
      Rooms and Rooms of High Tech InstrumentsBotanical GardensWait for it... Debbie

      A Day in Coimbra

      May 2 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

      Coimbra is full of tradition. It’s the oldest university in Portugal and the second oldest in Europe, established around 1300. University life dominates the old part of town. The students wear black capes everywhere, giving it a Hogwarts kind of vibe. We spent most of the day at the university. The early physics and chemistry buildings have been preserved, with an incredible array of “cutting edge” apparatuses used to develop knowledge of physics from the 17th century on. Rooms and rooms of devices, old lecture rooms and history. Way cool.

      We dodged heavy rain and occasional thunderstorms all day. It has been a wet spring so far. This evening we went out walking and ended up at the cafe that used to be part of the Church of Santa Cruz, where there was live music. Student singing groups were performing fado, a mournful Portuguese singing style. It appeared to be a competition. Each group marched in with their own flag, sang a song or two, and marched out. I don’t think it was classic fado, but it was enjoyable. Afterwards, the group that won climbed into the fountain outside and sang another song.      Read more

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