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Camino Frances & Europe
  • Lisa Fleming
  • Lisa Fleming

Camino Frances & Europe

An open-ended adventure by Lisa Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 31, 2024
    Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Guangzhou

    September 1, 2024 in China ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Today our pilgrim journey began. We arrived in St Jean Pied de Port via train from Paris yesterday afternoon and began walking this morning. Already it feels like a long time and so very far from home and we have had just 4 days and three countries. We spent a long day in the steaming humidity of Guangzhou China. We arrived at 5:30am in one of the biggest airports in the world. things felt exotic, hard and foreign. We were given a complementary airport hotel for our 19 hour layover but my careful planning of WeChat pay didn't work. Eventually I managed to get Alipay to work. For a bit we thought we were going to be stuck in the hotel all day. After leaving the hotel I saw not one other foreign person all day. We took the metro to town which required several changes of line which I felt proud I managed pretty well. It felt surreal to be somewhere so foreign. We wandered around and saw amazing things and ate traditional Cantonese food at a gorgeous tiny basic place served by an old couple where we pointed at what we wanted & enjoyed the very solid old wooden stools and table & everything. We got duck and chicken with rice, green veg & soup. That evening we got street food which was more unusual, some good and some a little too novel. There was a skewer of insects on offer to be grilled over hot coals. It was still sweltering into the evening and we were sticky and prickly with heat exhaustion, glad to return to the air conditioning. Our hotel had the hugest 50m pool, bigger than any 50m pool I've ever seen. We had to buy swimming caps to wear. We both fell sleep in the hotel after dinner and it was hard to rouse Ed to get the 10pm shuttle bus for our 12:30am flight. I think we were asleep before take off...Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler

    Guangzhou

    September 1, 2024 in China ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Today our pilgrim journey began. We arrived in St Jean Pied de Port via train from Paris yesterday afternoon and began walking this morning. Already it feels like a long time and so very far from home and we have had just 4 days and three countries. We spent a long day in the steaming humidity of Guangzhou China. We arrived at 5:30am in one of the biggest airports in the world. things felt exotic, hard and foreign. We were given a complementary airport hotel for our 19 hour layover but my careful planning of WeChat pay didn't work. Eventually I managed to get Alipay to work. For a bit we thought we were going to be stuck in the hotel all day. After leaving the hotel I saw not one other foreign person all day. We took the metro to town which required several changes of line which I felt proud I managed pretty well. It felt surreal to be somewhere so foreign. We wandered around and saw amazing things and ate traditional Cantonese food at a gorgeous tiny basic place served by an old couple where we pointed at what we wanted & enjoyed the very solid old wooden stools and table & everything. We got duck and chicken with rice, green veg & soup. That evening we got street food which was more unusual, some good and some a little too novel. There was a skewer of insects on offer to be grilled over hot coals. It was still sweltering into the evening and we were sticky and prickly with heat exhaustion, glad to return to the air conditioning. Our hotel had the hugest 50m pool, bigger than any 50m pool I've ever seen. We had to buy swimming caps to wear. We both fell sleep in the hotel after dinner and it was hard to rouse Ed to get the 10pm shuttle bus for our 12:30am flight. I think we were asleep before take off...Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler

    Paris

    Sep 2–3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We flew overnight & arrived Paris 7:30am. Everything seemed easier. Paris was good to us. The sun was shining. We were warmly greeted by our friends brother Matko to his lovely Parisian apartment with pastries for us on arrival. We then roamed the city on electric lime bikes. It was so much fun, very easy to navigate. We easily found our way to the River Seine and then were just minutes away from the Eiffel Tower. We saw a cycling event in the Paralympics, streets closed off and crowds closing and yelling for cyclists on road bikes with prosthetic limbs. The atmosphere was so jovial. We made our way to a recommended French bistro and ate escargot for very reasonable price. Even Ed enjoyed them. I then walked back to our apartment and Ed made his own way back by bike. Time in Paris on his own. It was a special day for both of us. So much history every where you look & beauty and cool interesting characters & different fashion & people of all colours.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Bayonne & St Jean Pied de Port

    Sep 4–5, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We took the train to St Jean & due to my error spent a few hours in Bayonne which turned out to be a beautiful little city full of cobblestoned streets with historic church & a big wall around the middle of town. We enjoyed strolling around taking it all in and trying new food. Ed bought a butterfly fly knife which is illegal in Australia so he was very pleased and has been playing with it since. Then we got back on train to St Jean which is in the Pyrenees and the beauty took me by surprise. Drizzly and misty. We found our “Gite” & were welcomed warmly. We woke early but well rested with the other pilgrims before light ready to start our journey….Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
    1About to set off.. like starting new school in new uniform shoes raincoat - ready for anything...
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    St Jean to Valcarlos the alternate route

    Sep 4–5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Our first day on the Camino Frances. We fought in the morning so Ed set off alone and I went to pilgrim shop to get hiking poles. He did so well, walked at great pace and managed to negotiate the app & maps and found our albergue which was not yet open and in the back of a school. He walked into a classroom before eventually finding Josef who could show him to our bunks. It was a small municipale albergue. Basic but comfortable & lovely atmosphere with fellow pilgrims. A wonderful start. I struggled to work out the maps on my own & didn’t know where to go & was nearly in tears so I went to pilgrim office & got help so I managed to work it out & set off on my own. Shortly into the journey a deep serenity came over me as I settled into the rhythm of walking and the beauty & peace of walking in the Pyrenees. Our journey had begun & everything felt right in the world. 😊Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Valcarlos to Roncesvalles

    Sep 5–6, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Day 2 walking. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the local bar then headed off in gentle rain. Lovely walking conditions. Cool and misty in the mountains. Again the beauty of the Pyrenees surprised me. I was hoping for Camino spirit but didn’t realise how beautiful it would be. Shortish walk 12km or so but quite steep uphill. Easy day for me but made Ed’s legs ache. We stayed in the monastery centuries old. So much history as a passing through the Pyrenees since Roman times. I went to mass & pilgrim blessing and the singing and atmosphere was beautiful. All the volunteer hospitaleros in albergue are Dutch. Huge place with hundreds of pilgrims & very well organised. We made new friends with lovely people from Columbia.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Roncesvalles to Zubiri

    Sep 6–7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    A long day of walking due to the rain. I set off early out of the monastery alone just as it was getting light. They woke us all with beautiful deep singing music on the monastery at 6am so everyone was up and about early. I stopped for breakfast in Aspinal the 2nd town. Ed started a bit later & got sopping wet as poncho which fits me well is small on him and didn’t cover him so well. I waited for him to get to Aspinal by which time he also had blister as wet socks had slid down into his shoes. He took taxi with another man to Zubiri. I was lucky with the rain & didn’t get the worst of it. I met lovely people on the path from England Ireland and Norway. Coming onto Zubiri with steep slippery shale took a lot of concentration. 3 people whom had fallen were taken away in ambulances. Zubiri was packed and my walking companion couldn’t get a bed & Ended up walking 40km that day as there was a festival in the next town. I had a lovely day but the weather and achey legs from previous days steep climb took the wind out of Ed. We went to the sporting hall for dinner where to our surprise we had really good dinner of salad grilled shrimp & mussels and ‘fruita’ of very sweet fresh pineapple. I’m eating a lot. It feels great to have good appetite & eat heartily after the days walking.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Zubiri to Zabaldika

    Sep 7–8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Zabaldika felt like a slice of heaven. I arrived in the heat of the day after climbing a steep goats track off the main Camino route to arrive. It was so quiet and leafy & we were greeted by a sister from the society of the sacred heart that run this Donativo albergue perched up on a hill looking over the district. She showed us the church which has the oldest bell in the Navarre region. I walked up the over 100 steps in tiny circular stone staircase to ring the bell and hear it sing to welcome the pilgrims. It felt so peaceful and quiet after the booked out towns in the nights before. Ed had taken the bus to Pamplona as he had sore legs & a blister. I asked if it was ok with him if I stay in Zabaldika & meet him in Pamplona in the morning. I knew he wouldn’t be alone as he was with pilgrims in a Donativo. There was a beautiful mass with singing & we had home made dinner cooked by the volunteer hospitaleros, old local people who spoke no English (& when we didn’t understand she explained further with lots of fast words and more explanations of which we understood nothing 😂) of salad & bean & chorizo stew as a family with the other pilgrims. Best meal in Spain so far. Ed enjoyed his day to himself in the city exploring & I enjoyed my day of peace with heaven smiling on me. 😇Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Zabaldika to Pamplona

    Sep 8–9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Easy short walk into Pamplona only 8km or so. Lovely farming country and quaint farmhouses. Ed ended up walking with me as his albergue shut the doors at 10pm & he got back from his pizza at 10:15pm so was locked out. A shock at first, he called me & tried a hotel but they said he was too young & illegal for them to take him so he got a taxi to my Donativo albergue just about 10km away. What an adventure to be alone & locked out at night on the other side of the world. we both managed not to panic & found a solution. We walked together this morning again. Had breakfast in an ordinary town which was not touristy so was interesting to see ordinary apartments & simple Spanish life and people. Then arrived into Pamplona which is a decent sized city with incredible history and cathedrals & a citadel, ie wall around to protect from invaders. Pamplona is having festival so full of life and music in the streets. A joy to be amongst. A mix of old Viking looking stuff with drums and clarinet kind of instruments, and also church bells and choirs singing beautifully. We ate churros dipped in chocolate, not for the last time I think 😊Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler

    Pamplona to Zariquiegui

    Sep 9–10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We had a short walk today maybe 12km. It was hot though with short climb into town. Tomorrow a bit more climb then steep down and apparently after that mostly flat for a good while. Ed is keen to ride a bike so I’ll look into hiring one. That will be good so we can cover a bit more distance each day. Ed fell asleep late afternoon for the evening so I went into Pamplona for dinner alone. I got to talking to a pilgrim in a bar and lined St my watch and it was 9:45. The door to albergue get locked at 10 so I jumped up& rushed home and got there with 2 minutes to spare almost suffering the same fate Ed had suffered the night before. The landscape is quite different now. Fields of sunflowers and haystacks, expansive and open with windfarms dotted about. We met a lovely couple from Melbourne. Unfortunately Steve has a lurgy he picked up on the plane so their Camino is not going the way they planned. It’s challenging for me to mould my walking to fit with Ed and be ok with that. I feel like I’m missing out on the people I meet that walk further and then I don’t see them again so hard to find my people. I’m working with my mind to be at peace with the Camino I’m on.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Zariquiegui to Maneru

    Sep 10–11, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Ed’s longest day of waking today 18km. It was easy enough until after lunch when we had longish steep uphill with no shade in blasting sun. I think Ed was a bit dehydrated, he had a headache. Mañeru was incredibly historic. It seems most people live in beautiful old buildings. Our albergue had an incredible carved stone floor in the entrance way. There is a photo of Ed there, probably a bit hard to see. Even the little downmarket supermercado was in a historic stone building. We bought olives stuffed with anchovies in little serving size tins and ate with a tooth pick. Shared a lovely pilgrim meal with the other guests and drank local vino Tinto, ie red wine, as we are now in a wine region.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Maneru to Estella

    Sep 11–12, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Lovely day walking through farmland. Olives, grapes, fig trees on the side of the road. Even a working windmill. Easy day 17km with no hard climbs. Ed was getting the hang of it, found the walk ok. We stayed in a luxury albergue overlooking the river, still shared bunks but everything was nice, proper sheets rather than disposable and smaller room, just 4 people in our room with 2 normal beds and our own bathroom. Ed had a big plate of pork ribs for dinner, best dinner for him so far. He wants to get a bike and I have started investigating, I visited a bike shop in Estella and also Decathlon. I’m in two minds if it’s a good idea…Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
    Free wine fountain
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    Estella to Luquin

    September 11, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Most of these photos are Estella. I’m beginning to learn that most of these villages are incredibly beautiful little stone cobblestones streets and walled places with amazing bridges and big gates to protect them from invaders. We took the alternate route to Luquin which was a lovely shaded forest walk. Only one bar(cafe/ restaurant) here. The albergue said the bar was open until 3 & then reopening at 6. We went there to get some lunch but kitchen closed and reopening at 7 so Ed cooked us some pasta with churissso & garlic that the albergue had in the kitchen. We shared with another pilgrim from Germany & drank with vino Tinto I got from the famous “wine fountain” where they offer free wine on tap to pilgrims at Irache https://www.irache.com/es/fuente-del-vino.html . We ate on the terrazzo and the light was so beautiful over the fields. I thought if I was an artist be lovely to try & paint the light. There was a cathedral right across from us & from our 3rd floor albergue window the bell was just metres away and when the bell rang we both jumped it felt so close we could feel the vibrations.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Luquin to Torres Del Rio

    September 13, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We walked 20km today and it was easy. No big climbs, easy paths amongst rolling hills with beautiful light in the morning especially. Starting to get the hang of things. We could have easily walked further today but the next town is another 10km and they call the next stretch the “knee breaker” due to the up and down. Tomorrow we will walk 20km into the next city Logrono but now that Ed is more used to it doesn’t feel daunting to push him a bit. Logrono is a city so we will try and rent bike there. Fingers crossed we can. We have both been in good spirits today. Tonight’s meal wasn’t much chop & the albergue lacks character but we’re going to bed tired and happy.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Torres Del Rio to Legrono

    Sep 14–15, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    One of life’s perfect days. We rose early and I started walking just after 7 when the sun was still coming up. The light was so beautiful it’s hard to capture with my limited skills but I tried. We walked 22 or so km and wanted to be there by 1 when the municipale albergue opened as you can’t book & they have been filling up. We got there about 12:45 & people put backpacks in a row as the queue so we could relaxe rather than stand in line waiting to open & check in. We then did the standard pilgrim things, showered, did our washing, & got food. we tried small plates they call pintxos which are the tradition in this area. Delicious. Then we walked out into the suburbs to the Decathlon which was not so perfect, hot & lots of big box shops, but ok. We got Ed a mountain bike to finish the Camino on. They have a buy back scheme which we will utilise when we get to Santiago. I got food to cook for dinner but by the time I walked back I was tired & so happy that a Mexican woman offered us enchiladas, another pilgrim wine & later an Italian a bowl of pasta al tonno (pasta with tuna & tomato). It was all simple and good. I offered up a bowl of figs to share. A lovely communal evening in rather than eating out was lovely. Ed walked the whole distance seemingly happily & then the walk to Decathlon too & was in a good mood. We went to bed tired & happy.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Legrono to Navarette

    September 15, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Harder day today. The surrounds were beautiful as we walked, lush farmland. Not far 12.5km but there was a headwind and I was tired and out of sorts. Ed’s first day on bike. We strapped his mochilla to his pack with occy straps which didn’t work very well. It was a bit hilly, not too bad riding into the wind made it pretty hard. We stayed in the municipale albergue which was ok. I met a lovely old Japanese woman who was catholic so on this pilgrimage. She didn’t speak English but we gave her some chorizo pasta and she gave us some chopsticks.. Both of us had upset tummies today so neither of us in great spirits. I didn’t even get any photos of him on bike.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Navarette to Azofra

    Sep 16–17, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Back to good spirits again. Magnificent walking today through lush farmland. A bit over 22km. It was grape harvest festival in Nájera that we passed through on the way. Ed had good day on the bike. Carried pack on his back instead of the rack. Azofra tiny village with wonderful municipale. We had our own room with beds not bunks & there was lovely outdoor area. The grapes were ripe & ready for picking. I think one of the photos is where they have been harvested & the plants are much smaller. We got paella for dinner in the local restaurant with local La Rioja wine & enjoyed it with friends I had met in Logroño. Delicious. Ed took his separately later. He doesn’t mix with pilgrims. Spends his time on his phone chatting to friends at home. He has also discovered they will sell him alcohol which is unfortunate…Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Azofra to Castildelgado

    September 17, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We walked through farmland again. We stayed in a place that isn’t even really a village in someone’s home. Walking through tiny villages. It feels less prosperous area, not as much money around. Less shops & cafes and life, harder to buy things. I have been in a harder place as concerned about Ed. I found a very hidden away little shortbread shop in Grañón, a village with barely any shops, or at least they were not visible because it was siesta time. Spanish villages are deserted in the afternoons and it’s hard to buy anything. I bought lots of shortbread and mango cake. I like to have snacks in my pack, especially now as the villages are thinning out and we might go for many hours without access to much. Big change from previous days.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Espinosa to Atapuerca

    Sep 19–20, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Big uphill walk today over a mountain. It was misty and beautiful. Ed did really well on the bike and I enjoyed the beautiful walk. I saw chestnut trees. Atapuerca has important archeological dig site for ancient pre-human species & there is big museum about it in Burgos. A woman cooked up chorizo and lentil soup using greens she collected on the way and i bought wine and bread and figs & salad.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
    1Our albergue in old building right by the cathedral in middle of town.1

    Atapuerca to Burgos

    Sep 21–23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Lovely morning walk out of Atapuerca up over big hill but then missed a turn & had a really hard long walk into town on industrial & busy roads. Had a rest day but not restful as we had to leave municipale albergue between 8am-12. I needed new sleeping bag liner & walked to decathlon only to find it was sold when I got there. Then we discovered Ed’s bike had a flat tyre & we couldn’t make the pump or the foam work & it was after 2pm so all local bike shops shut which meant another trek to Decathlon pushing the bike. Ed decided biking wasn’t easier than walking after all & we decided to return the bike. To my amazement rather than the buy back scheme they gave us the money back for the bike. I was so relieved I nearly cried. I walked back exhausted & met fellow pilgrims in a bar. The atmosphere in Burgos on Saturday afternoon/evening was buzzing but relaxed, very comfortable & fun. I think every citizen must have been out it was so full. Had a lovely evening with new and old friends & I had to race back to albergue to miss being locked out.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Burgos to Hornillos

    Sep 22–23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    20km or so today. Easy walking. The start of the Maseta. Big open spaces. I love the Maseta. Feels so expansive. Ed’s first day walking again and he went really well. We had paella pilgrim dinner but Ed wanted to cook for himself so he went to the tiny shop & got chorizo and tomato and pasta & we had garlic in our bag. His dinner turned out great, I would have eaten with him but I’d already paid. We had no booking and the municipale was full but we managed to get beds. ☺️ we are getting more used to how it all works.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Hornillos to Hontanas

    Sep 23–24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    What a day. I love the Maseta, wide open fields, so expansive. In the morning the wind farms weren’t moving it was so still. I had been feeling overwhelmed with parenting & decided to stop after 10km at an albergue that had a spa. I love a bath or spa. The rest day in Burgos had turned into me waking out to Decathlon twice, & I also hadn’t realised that they would kick us out at 8am to 12, even though we were staying another night. Anyway upshot was it wasn’t actually rest day & today I was struggling, Then we had this mix up & I ended up walking almost all the way back to Hornillos to look for Ed & Ed walked to the next town, poor thing walked 20km in his slides because I had accidentally packed his sock bag into my bag & he had no data so we missed each other. so we both had a big day again. It’s lovely here though & we enjoyed a lovely communal paella & Ed even made an effort to talk to other pilgrims. It was grand 😊Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    Hontanas to San Anton

    September 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A glorious day. After yesterday’s balked attempt at rest we had short day today., about 6.5km for me and 10km for Ed. He had no data & we walked together fora while and he looked around at things, we picked blackberries & looked at tiny mice & it was grand. I stopped at San Anton a beautiful Donativo in the ruins of old pilgrim hospital with no power so he continued on to Castrojeriz alone & stayed at the municipale., I had long day here spent resting with lovely group of women. My pilgrim family started to form in Hontanas & continued here. We had home cooked vego meal by candle light. I absolutely loved it. Reset my batteries. Ed did well on his own too.Read more

  • Lisa FlemingCamino Frances & EuropeTraveler
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    San Anton to Boadilla

    Sep 25–26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    What a wonderful day. After our night in the pilgrims hospital ruins with candle lit dinner they took us into mass in the nearby monastery that is home to a group of cloistered nuns. They don’t come out. They were on the other side of a big metal grate during the mass. We could see them though, they were wearing habits and veils. There is one that has lived there for 50 years. Ed stayed in town and we met after mass/breakfast. It was a wonderful solo walk on the vast maseta and by the afternoon the wind was howling like crazy. There was nothing to do but be alive and in it. I loved it. Ed arrived just in time for dinner at 7pm windswept tired and hungry. Wonderful friendships are starting to form.Read more

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