Roncesvalles

We snaked up the mountain and had around an hour and a half until our ride would arrive. Manuel graciously offered to share their lunch with me: a baguette, jamon (not prosciutto!), havarti cheese, some savoury rolls filled with cheese, pate, or chorizo, bananas, and dark chocolate as dessert. It was delicious!

We settled on some benches to enjoy lunch and Mercedes joined us after taking some photographs of the scenery. She joyfully exclaimed, "This is life! No responsibilities!" She stated such a picturesque setting was proof there was a God. Her enthusiasm was contagious and reminded me even simple moments like this should be celebrated. I really enjoyed their light-hearted banter and savoured the warm sunlight on my face.

The last time I was in Roncesvalles, the restaurant and pub had been bustling. Today it seemed so quiet in comparison. I did not see many pilgrims and the people there were older and part of a tour group.

Before leaving, they changed into their camino outfits, grabbed their backpacks and hiking poles, and we piled into the van to take us to St. Jean.Read more