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Bill and Katie's Camino
  • William Struth

Bill and Katie's Camino

The Start of the Camino over the Pyrenees Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 1, 2022
    William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    This is as close to the running of the bulls as I want to get
    Puerta de AtochaMe and Katie in the gardens at Puerta de AtochaThe Pamplona Cathedral. There was a group inside singing the Kyrie Eleison in SpanishThe old town in PamplonaGot to find those small doorways!Waiting for my Norte Burger at Lamudita

    Pamplona

    May 1, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Travel day today. We arrived in Madrid spent a couple of hours in the Puerto de Atocha station waiting for our train to Pamplona. The Gardens in the station are really beautiful. The hotel here in Pamplona is really nice, and the person at the front desk recommended a great restaurant, where we had a wonderful basque burger and some Estrella Galicia. We also took a nice walk around town and I'm looking forward to coming back in 5 days. We're going to meet the Australians (Mandy and Maria) tomorrow to take cab to St John Pied-de Port.Read more

  • William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    Peacock
    Pamplona City HallThe view from Pamplona's wallsThe entrance to the City HallScavenger huntArga river in Pamplona.The view from our hotel in SJPDPThe Pilgrims office. Yesterday 500 people got their credentials.Can't be France without cheese.Sheep at the citadel in SJPDP

    Peacocks,Taxis, Wine and Sausages

    May 2, 2022 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Today was another travel day from Pamplona to St Jean pied de Port (SJPDP). Mandy and Maria's ( the Australians) train arrived at 1:30, so we spent the morning exploring Pamplona. The highlight of the morning was visiting the animal garden. They have quite the assortment of birds including peacocks, as well as deer and a whole bunch of teenagers racing around doing some sort of scavenger hunt. As a matter of fact the deer were very interested in the scavenger hunt.

    We met Mandy and Maria on time and our taxi came on time as well, but it was a tiny Toyota Prius for the four of us with our big backpacks and Mandy and Maria also had suitcases because they were meeting their husbands after they walked the Camino and they were planning on 45 to 60 days to do it. Somehow we all managed to fit into it.

    I thought Italians were crazy drivers, but they don't even hold the candle to the Basques. The whole 45 mile journey was switchbacks up and down mountain sides. And as far as our driver was concerned the speed limit was a suggestion, especially when he was passing somebody on a blind corner.

    We got to SJPDP in one piece though. We had to wait for for our room to be finished cleaning before we could check in, which was basically the housekeeping staff giving us the key while using Google Translate to make the transaction. The next step was getting our credentials and getting them stamped and dinner, that's where the sausages come in and then exploring the town in the evening.    Read more

  • William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    Dinner at Orisson
    Leaving our shoes at the door.Leaving our hotel in SJPDPUp and out of SJPDPMeeting new friendsLooking back from the outskirts of SJPDPThe way forward. Yes! We're going up there!Getting closerLooking back on the way we walked.Orisson!Orisso a bit closerThe view from the deck after dinnerMore view

    Uphills and new peoples

    May 3, 2022 in France ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    We were walking only 5 miles today ( 8 kilometers). The man at the Pilgrims office told us it was a 3 hour walk to Orisson, so we decided for a late start. After finding breakfast at a cafe in town we were on way at 10. Katie was real nice she stopped and waited for me many times. She had to, because much of the way was really steep with lots of switch backs. After an hour we had made it 3k with over 6000 steps. The hill was steep! For me and around town or in local parks 6000 steps is just under three miles. It took me a while with my sleep deprived brain (did I mention I barely slept last night?) to figure out that with all the steep hills I was taking shorter steps.

    We met a lot of nice people from (in no particular order) Ireland, Germany, Italy, Iowa, California, North Carolina, and even Connecticut.

    Anyway after a bit of struggle for me, we made it to Orisson in the 3 hours. We had no internet. I think the owners believe in the old adage about pretending it's the 1960's and put your phones down and talk to people. After a lovely afternoon on the terrace we had a tasty communal dinner. And I ordered lunch for tomorrow, because there's nothing between here and Roncesvalles (17k) our next stop, if the food truck doesn't show up.    Read more

  • William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    A new friend
    Leaving OrissonThe shepherd's VirginFood truck! Sometimes it's not there and there is nothing else on the route for food or refreshmentsThe marker for when the route leaves the roadIt got foggy/cloudy.More friendsTraining runThe top of our route. We made it over the mountains!First sign to SantiagoThe border crossingThe shelter near the pass in case you get caught out in the weather.The first Camino pillar in Spain

    Lots of up and the down

    May 4, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Today's walk was from Orisson to Roncesvalles. We were the last ones out of Orisson. And headed up the road and up the mountain to the pass.

    Speaking of the mountain pass we saw both the French and Spanish rescue services doing training runs over the pass with off road vehicles.

    Lots of pilgrims and we were passed by many people coming out of SJPDP. I expected that since I do walk slow! But I get there!

    Poor Katie had to slow down for me on the up hills but I could keep up with her on the down hills. We met a few new people walking including a mother and daughter from Zimbabwe. It was so foggy people actually told us they missed the marker for where the Camino leave the road and it's just a few feet from the road. Check my pictures, you'll see how close it is.

    The up today was long and steady and the down was short and steep. It'll be down hill most of the way for the next two days.

    The Hotel Roncesvalles has a great restaurant and for a price fixed menu you get a whole bottle of wine EACH! We texted our Camino friends and finished the bottles in the bar. Earlier I was trying to teach Declan how to use walking poles because of his bad knees and it did not take, but we had a few laughs after dinner about that.    Read more

  • William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    Not the magic bridge. Thanks Terra
    Leaving the hotelThe start of our walkHolding up the crossCowsMore cowsKatie, Mary, Silvio, and DeclanNot the magic bridgeHemingway slept here1Is that an artichoke plant?1Lunch with Sharon, Mary and Terra1Me and Katie. Thanks TerraThe Magic BridgeSome of the trail todaySome of the views today

    Cows, Coffee, and a Magic Bridge

    May 5, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Today's walk started with a pleasant walk from Rocesvalles through the neighboring towns. We passed lots of farms. And caught up with a couple (Mary and Declan) that we have been walking with off and on so we decided to stop for a cup of coffee for me and Katie and their breakfast in Burgette. Burgette's claim to fame is it's where Hemingway stayed and part of The Sun Also Rises is set there.

    We also met Silvio, a retiree from Milan. He had quite the tale to tell about his encounter with the Bomberos, the Spanish mountain rescue squad.

     People walking the whole 800 k are predominantly retirees, like Mary, Declan and Silvio. The next biggest group is college aged people.

    We caught up with a few friends for lunch, Mary, Sharon and Terra and we were searching for a restaurant that served a camelized onion omlette (tortilla). We found the restaurant, but they were out of that tortilla, but the others that we had were great!

    After lunch the trail went up some steep sections and then down a steep washed out decent into Zubiri, where we crossed the Magic Bridge. Legend has it that in medieval times people believed that if their cow had rabies then if they took the cow cross the bridge three times it would magically get cured.    Read more

  • William StruthBill and Katie's CaminoTraveler
    Welcome to Basque Country
    The way out of ZubiriWaterfallThe old chapelThe head restoratiinist giving Katie her seloA little hoy along the way.Another cross along the way.Shadows and treesThe midieval bridge into PamplonaIn front of the cathedralPintxos. Basque country they are pintxos (pintchos) and not tapas.Katie, Sharon, me,Terra, and MaryOut taxi friends: Maria and MandySelos from SJPDP to Pamplona

    Waterfalls and pintxos

    May 6, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Well our walk is done for now. We finally made it back to Pamplona. If I ever do this stretch of the Camino again I will think strongly on making Pamplona a rest day. Our stay in Zubiri was wonderful at Casa Rural Txantxorena. We went left town crossing over the"magic" bridge. And followed the trail mostly down hill to Pamplona.

    We stopped at a midieval chapel being renovated at La Abadia and talked with the head of the project. Then, we made our way thru the final towns and past a waterfall to Pamplona. The last 10k we walked was along the Arga River. Through a nice and quiet river park. Then a stranger stopped us and gave us a blessing before we crossed the river and walked up through the city walls where we got our final selo (stamp) at the cathedral. If I want to get a compostella I will need to I will need to start back up in Pamplona and get another selo there.

    We ran into our walking friends Mary, Terra, and Sharon, and taxi share friends Mandy and Maria at the main square and had dinner (pintxos not tapas) and said our goodbyes.    Read more

    Trip end
    May 6, 2022
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