Camino Frances | FindPenguins

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Trip start
September 17, 2022
Camino Frances Traveler
Logrono to Ventosa
September 1, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
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Camino Frances Traveler
Saint-Jean to Orisson
September 18, 2022 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
The first four kilometers didn’t seem like much of a problem. The roads were hilly, but nothing I could not swiftly walk. However, the last four of the day were killer. I probably could have gone further, but I am glad to be staying in Orisson. The gîte here has an unmatched location and I’ve met quite a few Americans.

My favorite moment from the day was when the guy who works at Refuge Orisson was showing us our room and he was just casually rolling a blunt while explaining how things worked.

I am rooming with a French couple, a German pair, a Korean pair, and a couple from Arizona. Everyone is very nice so far and I am happy to be showered and have a chance to nap for a bit before dinner.

It’s also very nice to feel like I have things under control and get to be the expert. Everyone else has so much more stuff than me and I feel like I can efficiently pack and unpack as needed.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Orisson to Burguete-Auritz
September 19, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
I woke up early in Orisson to the most beautiful sunrise over the mountain. The sun seems to rise slowly here, as it takes a journey over the peaks of the Pyrenees.

Along the road, there were so many herd animals. Sheep, cows, horses, pigs… and some free animals like the birds of prey that circled the highest summits.

I walked with Chet for a long time, as we seemed to walk at about the same pace. He is a very kind man and I hope I see him and his wife again.

Roncesvalles was a cute little town but I’m glad I went the extra two kilometers through the woods to this town.

I was the first to arrive at my hostel, and got a head start showering and resting before dinner. Sadly, I am once again stuck in a room with a guy who sounds like he’s coughing his lungs out. I don’t anticipate much sleep, even with my earplugs. I wish sick people would just stay in a private room instead of ruining it for everyone else. I really can’t get sick while I’m on this trip so I’m trying to stay away and wash my hands plenty.

For dinner, I walked to the local grocery store with my bunk mate, a woman from California who is currently living in Kentucky with her daughter and grandchildren.

I met two guys from the US who were a riot. They referred to each other as “my best friend” almost exclusively and one brought about two pounds of tea supplies that he shared with me. This is by far the latest I have stayed up and it’s because of good conversation, company, and tea.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Burguete-Auritz to Zubiri
September 20, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
I left Burguete-Agritz before the sun rose over the mountains and was accompanied by crickets and cowbells tinkling in the dark.

This area is very agrarian and I often am startled by an errant donkey honk or sheep baah. Early in the morning, I saw foals sleeping in hay piles with the sun on their coats. I really wanted to just lay down with him since I didn’t sleep well and wished I were somewhere as cozy.

I walked up on a strange sight: people getting pictures and stamps from cops. I’m not sure if the public’s relationship with police here is different than the US but I was still weirded out by the scene.

When I arrived at my destination for the night, I was delighted to find a river and, before testing the waters, I stripped down to take a swim. I did not anticipate how much colder this river was than the others I had swam in this trip. It was a fun little adventure regardless. I find I am getting less and less prudish about stripping to my skivvies as my trip goes on.

I met a new friend at dinner named Amy. She is a cat lover, a disability rights advocate, and sign language enthusiast. We had great conversation and the food was pretty good. I actually even got a choice between meat and fish this time! Though, if you think about it, fish is meat. It’s not somehow plant matter or something. It’s all meat.

One of the courses for the meal was a simple puréed potato and vegetable soup our table received one very large pot. One guy volunteered to serve all of us and I pulled out my Oliver Twist impression when I asked for seconds.
“Please sir can I have some more?”Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Zubiri to Villava
September 21, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
While the terrain is now much more flat, my feet are paying for the past two weeks of nearly non-stop hiking. I am going to take a day in Pamplona to explore the city and rest my tired feet. I have already gone nearly 100 kilometers and I think I will try to keep the pace of resting for a day or two every 100.

The walk today was along the river and I even stopped for a bit and put my feet in. The water was so cold that I couldn’t do it for long, but I had a very nice spot under the shady trees. Heidi, from Germany, even joined me for a bit before we both moved on.

The town I am staying in tonight is a suburb of Pamplona and it is beautiful. The albergue I am staying in tonight is right on the town’s river walk.

I still lament that my brain is in French mode now that I am in Spain but it seems like more people here speak English than earlier in France.

Ashley, who I met my first night in Orisson, is also staying at the same place and we had a lovely drink together on the riverside.

Also I dropped my phone in the albergue toilet so that was fun.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Villava to Pamplona
September 22, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Ashley, my new friend, and I walked from the little town outside of Pamplona into the heart of the city. It was a nice change of pace to walk with another person, after walking alone for so many days. I find her very easy to talk to and a kindred spirit. I hope to run into her again along the Way.

One of the things I love about waking the Camino is how I can execute on my goals. Today, my goal was to walk 4km to Pamplona, get a massage, and have a giant bowl of pasta. I have accomplished all of these except the pasta but it’s currently on the way, as I just muddled my way though ordering at an Italian restaurant in Spanish. Probably should have gone to a Spanish restaurant but I was craving pasta.

Apparently there is a seafood version of carbonara so I’m having that and an entire bottle of sangria, because that’s what you do in Spain, I guess.

The mini “running of the bulls” festival is this weekend in Pamplona and while I don’t have much to compare it to, the city is packed.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Puente La Reina to Estella
September 23, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
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Camino Frances Traveler
Pamplona to Puente La Reina
September 23, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Today was a slow start, as I couldn’t drag myself out of bed until around 8:30am. I have a little bit of a cold, with a sore throat and runny nose. I took a COVID test, which was negative. I couldn’t help but feel like I was taking a pregnancy test in the middle of the street in Pamplona.

The walk was long but fairly easy today. At least five kilometers was just getting out of Pamplona and I went further than necessary since I got distracted and subsequently lost while dodging pedestrians. Thankfully, a wonderful old Spanish man could see that I was a pilgrim in distress and walked me back to the trail. I’m not sure what it is, but I can clearly feel a respect and admiration from the old men of the area. They are more likely to say hello (or holà) and wish me a “buen Camino” than any of the other demographics that I pass.

Though the day was overcast, I didn’t get rained on like I was worried about. Instead, it was just mild and a very nice walk. On one stretch of walking along farmland, there were almond trees planted along the way. I would not have known this, however, except that a previous pilgrim wrote “ALMONDS” on a rock with an arrow pointing at the trees. I think I was one of the only people who heeded this recommendation because the passing pilgrims looked at me like I was crazy as I gathered the dropped nuts.

I’ve found that most of the pictures I take are of plants I think are cool or art installations. Today I was even brave enough to ask someone to take my picture in front of the famous steel pilgrims from the movie The Way.

I made it to Puente La Reina in time to shower and take a quick nap before dinner. Sadly, one of my roommates tonight is a woman I don’t particularly care for. At least it’s just a night!

Tomorrow I set off for Estella, where I have two nights booked in a private room. I’m hoping this will give me time to get well and rest while this bug runs though my system.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Estella to Luquin
September 27, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Leaving Estella was hard after being stuck inside for so long. I felt very disconnected from other pilgrims and honestly felt like giving up and going home. My very small albergue didn’t help. There were only two other people who I barely saw and I ate dinner and breakfast alone.Read more
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Camino Frances Traveler
Luquin to Sansol
September 28, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
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Camino Frances Traveler
Sansol to Logrono
September 29, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
After a refreshing visit at the Palace Albergue in Sansol, I set out in high spirits to Logrono. My new friend, Dautsen, and I agreed to meet up for a drink in the city.
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Camino Frances Traveler
Ventosa to Azofra
October 2, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Flies
Wine with a promise of a hamburger but no burger came
Bribing my way into dinner at the albergue
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Camino Frances Traveler
Espinsoa del Camino to Ibeas deJuarros
October 5, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
I left my comfortable, but not totally welcoming albergue run by a german couple early. The sun rises behind me as I walk most days, making my shadow long.

Today’s walk was long and partially uphill but there was more shade than previous treks. However, the flies appeared to find the shade just as appealing and they came out in droves before it was even noon. On previous days, I’ve managed to escape their torment by walking early in the morning, before it got too hot. Every buzz enraged me and I probably looked and sounded insane as I swatted and growled at the tiny black bugs that seemed intent to crawl into my nose and fly into my eyes.

I paused for pizza and a coke with Phil from New Zealand and Dautsen from Belgium in San Juan de Ortega and set out on my diverging path to make it to the only accommodation I could find with a reasonable price. Unfortunately, that last 8km of alternative Camino was along the road. Fortunately, a strong wind blew along the road and the flies finally left me alone. Still, it was a long day and from km 21 to km 29, I was very hot and tired as there was nearly no shade and my pack somehow felt heavier today.

I made it to my hotel, however: a blessed private room that is nothing special, but is all my own where I can even lock the door. It’s nap time now and I relish simply being off my feet.Read more
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Trip end
November 14, 2022