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Camino de Santiago (Frances)
  • gmoney
Aug – Oct 2023

Camino de Santiago (Frances)

We're setting out on an adventure of a lifetime. Just two crazy kids walking 500 miles across northern Spain. I hope you enjoy following along. Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 28, 2023
    gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)

    SFO to Heathrow

    August 28, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 64 °F

    Just waiting to board our flight to London and then on to Madrid.

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Pat having a Peroni whike waiting for our flight to Madrid

    Heathrow to Madrid

    August 29, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    We just got off a 10 hour flight. The turbulence near Iceland was not amusing but we're feeling good on land now.

    Our trip has been full of delays but we've finally arrived in Madrid. Pat says he'll only come to Europe again if we upgrade to business class. I think I agree. Time for bed.Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    A pincho of tortilla española that was big enough for us to share plus toast and ham.
    Inside the cathedral.One of the many stained glass windows. This one is the ascention.The Royal Palace.The exterior of the cathedral.The fresco in the dome of the Royal Palace's chapel. I got in trouble for taking a picture of it.I snuck this pic of the throne room.2Roasted suckling pig for lunch. Sorry, not sorry (well, a little bit sorry).My lunch's siblings.1Delicious churros con chocolate. We'll have to compare and contrast at different chocolaterías.

    Madrid Part 1

    August 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 77 °F

    We put 8 miles on our feet exploring some of Madrid's delights. Started out with a simple but filling breakfast, walked up Calle Atocha through Plaza Mayor to the Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena. We toured the cathedral and marveled at its beauty. One room covered in gorgeous mosaics didn't allow photography so you'll have to check it out for yourselves.

    Next we toured the Royal Palace and said hi to King Felipe and Queen Letizia (ok, it was a painting). Lots of beautiful art and tapestries. After that, a well earned lunch in the cave at El Botín, operating since 1752.

    For dessert, churros and chocolate at Chocolatería San Gines. Yum!

    We did a little more walking and window shopping, then picked up some Jamón Iberico de Bellota to nibble on later.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    On our hotel's terrace.
    Turtles begging for food and getting it.2Pat's first croqueta.Our usual-Doble Estrella or Águila for Pat, tinto de verano for me.2Bacalao tapas in Mercado de San Miguel. The bacalao al pil pil was really good.Pat being his cute self.1The flamenco venue.The other side of the Royal Palace.Onen of the gates of the Plaza Mayor.1The Camino is everywhere.1Just a bit of their first song. It got much better after we had to turn the phones off.

    Madrid Part 2

    September 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Walked 12 miles today.

    Started the day with the buffet breakfast at our hotel. I tried the pan con tomate. It was tasty but it's really hard to beat the freshly baked croissant. We spent the rest of the morning waking it off in the Parque del Retiro.

    We shopped and ate throughout the afternoon. I found several fabric stores but was only able to shop at two of them before they all closed for siesta. The Mercado de San Miguel was crowded and fun for tapas.

    We capped the night with an intimate flamenco show. They only allowed us to record the opening song. I really enjoyed the show. The female dancer made beautiful shapes with her dress and body. The male dancer looked like Rick Springfield (enough said there).

    Tomorrow we head for Pamplona.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Getting on the train, it was easy to spot the pilgrims.
    We saw several wind and solar projects from Madrid to Pamplona.This was a 15€ lunch...NY steak, fries, fried egg, salad, bread and wine.This is the ayuntamiento (town hall) in Pamplona.The side door to the Cathedral. Doors are so beautiful in Spain.Cute caricature of the running of the bulls.1Pat at the famous Cafe Iruña.1We're not officially on "our" Camino yet, but we're on the Camino.2Well hello, Mr. Hemingway. Come here often?2Fabulous pintxos at Bar Gaucho!

    Pamplona-pre Camino

    September 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌩️ 68 °F

    Pretty chill day, not weather-wise (which was pretty warm). We made our way to Pamplona via train, which was a very comfortable ride. We saw several pilgrims on the train (there's a certain "look" about us). Once we arrived, we spent the afternoon exploring the old part of the city and walked the famous route of the running of the bulls. I'm fascinated by the architecture of the midieval, gothic San Saturnino church. I post alot about food, but I'm into the history of our surroundings as well. After late evening pintxos, we got drenched in a thunderstorm. Luckily, we only had to run through it for a quarter mile.Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Pat walking through the gate into St. Jean Pied de Port
    2Waiting in line at the Pilgrim's office.Lots of rain means fast running water.1Pat being a gentleman.

    St. Jean Pied de Port

    September 2, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Took a two hour bus to SJPP, a cute little town in the Basque region of France. Our hosts are lovely and they are sharing their home with 18 of us. We are sharing a room with two ladies who turned out to be excellent roommates. Pat was kind and let me have the bottom bunk. We met two couples from Australia who are great fun. It rained off and on but we should have nice weather to officially start our Camino tomorrow.Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    The main drag of St. Jean Pied de Port.2Outside of our SJPP lodging ready to start our Camino.

    Day 1-Orisson/Auberge Borda

    September 3, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    No one slept much last night. We were all too excited. We had mild weather today which was perfect for hiking. We only walked 7 miles but it was straight up the Pyrenees. We went from 500 feet elevation to 2900 feet. Pat did today's walk in his Chaco sandals. We saw a couple different types of sheep, cows and vultures. The views are spectacular! The Aussies are with us as well as another Californian, NYer, South Koreans, a German, a Swede and a Brit. Our lives are pretty simple now....walk, laundry, eat and sleep...and converting kilometers to miles, pounds to kilograms, and Fahrenheit to Celsius. We really should just switch to the metric system.Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Just me and a horse crossing the road.
    The statue of Mary and baby Jesus.It got too warm for pants so I did what I had to (a respectful distance away from Mary).There was disagreement about where the French/Spanish border is so we decided we would mark it here.These decomposed leaves are six inches deep and squishy.If you zoom in to the grey building in the center, that's where we're going.Just follow the arrows.The stained glass at the church in Roncesvalles.

    Day 2 - Roncesvalles

    September 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 70 °F

    And just like that, we're back in Spain. What a day! Laurent, our host at Borda sent us on our way with a continental breakfast and a sandwich for the road. Hopefully, this offsets the gluttony of last night when he kept bringing out pots of food and bowls of bread. The other food available on this leg was a food truck that had snacks, including homemade sheep's cheese.

    I don't remember every twist and turn of the trail today, but there was alot of uphill and then a very steep downhill in 40 mph winds. Luckily, it was a warm day so the wind felt pretty good (except when it was pushing us to the side). The view of Roncesvalles from Col de Lepoeder (4500 feet in elevation) was breathtaking. The terrain varied from asphalt to rocks to mud to six inches of decomposed leaves.

    My feet are doing well so far but the hips are getting sore. We have a short day planned for tomorrow, so we'll sleep in and take our time. The only downside to doing a short day is that we may not see the friends we've made again. But I'm sure we'll make new friends.

    Oh, and we walked 10+ miles, acended from 2900 feet to 4700 feet and then a steep decent to 3100 feet.

    After dinner, I attended the pilgrim blessing at the church. One of the priests offered a historical tour of the church but most pilgrims either didn't hear him or had dinner reservations so there were only four of us. The finale was a tour of the crypt that is not available for tourists to see. It still has the original artwork from the 13th century.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Hostal La Posada in Roncesvalles
    The view of the monastery from our window.🎶 It's a long way to Santiago, it's a long way to go 🎵Walking through lovely Burgete.Following the yellow arrows.The enchanted forest we walked through.The view from our table in Espinal.The yellow arrows can be anywhere.1Our accomodations for the night.This is most of the town of Viscarret.1Crossing the flooded bridge.

    Day 3-Viscarret

    September 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Since we had a short walk today (8.5 miles of gentle decent) we slept in and started walking at 10am. We brought part of our breakfast to snack on later because they gave us so much. For 5€, we each had two pieces of toast, a croissant, ham and cheese, yogurt, banana, coffee and freshly squeezed oj. I won't even tell you about the three course gluttony last night. I did say I was going to eat my way through Spain.

    Our walk today took us through an enchanted forest and a couple of cute towns (Burgete and Espinal). We saw a couple people we knew and met a lady from Vienna that made a stamp for pilgrims' credentials. I was the first to get a stamp from her. She said she was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it until now.

    We arrived in Viscarret hungry and stopped at Bar Juan, one of two restaurants in this hamlet. The ladies were quite dour and stonefaced but after I asked the elder what Patxaran tastes like, she started talking to us and brought us a complimentary shot. It's anise flavored but mild and mixed with some spices.

    Now we're just waiting for feeding time. It smells really good.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Out 75 year old German friend. Our group shared lots of laughs trying to communicate thru an app.
    Very subtle yellow arrows.Food truck swears you'll find a partner if you leave your underwear.Many people end their Camino here. I'm proud of how well we're doing.Magnasite procssing plant. Apparently, it's used to cool steel.Snacking on wild blackberries.The river in Larrasoaña where we cooled our feet.

    Day 4-Larrasoaña

    September 6, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 77 °F

    A bottle of wine shouldn't cost 3.50€. Just so you know where I am.

    We left Viscarret around 8:30am after a light breakfast. We walked under a canopy of trees most of the day.

    Up...down...up...down...down...down...down...WTF am I walking on...down. Actually, I'd heard so much about this treacherous descent on "dragon's teeth" that I was prepared for it to be much worse than it was. It was long and hot but I never doubted our ability to get through it.

    A couple from Chile were riding e-Bikes down the treacherous stretch and one of them got caught in a tree branch. When she pulled her bike out, it ended up in a jagged rock ditch. We helped her get everything righted on her bike and she was on her way. She has massive cojones riding down that trail.

    We stopped for lunch at Zubiri and saw a few people we knew. I had the ribs that came with fries and salad. It was all delish. The olive oil is so good here.

    All the pilgrims are in agreement that the distances on the maps are underestimated (that's polite speak for BS). We were supposed to walk 10 miles today but it was over 12 miles. We soaked our feet in the cold river and tiny fish started nibbling on our toes. We're sharing a room today with two ladies...we both got the bottom bunk since we arrived first. Pat's a lucky guy. We decided to forego dinner at the albergue since we had such a large lunch. We ended up sharing salad and pasta at a little place across the street owned by a couple who met on the Camino and left their jobs to work on the Camino. We met a couple there who live in Alsace, France (on the border of Switzerland and Germany) but the husband works in Switzerland. He is a chef and his salary is 3x what it would be if he worked in France. The wife does her shopping in Germany. It's fascinating hearing the everyday reality of other parts of the world.

    Tomorrow we head to Pamplona and will be meeting up with the Aussies for dinner.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Part of the trail was alongside a river.
    Part of it was alongside a road.You have to know which spiggot to get your water from.This was outside to church in Zabaldika.2It's much cooler under the umbrella.A bridge in a town somewhere in Spain.3Cute couple by the river.This interesting house is just outside the ancient walls of Pamplona.San Saturnino church in Pamplona. This church is spectacular.We just need to get to the other side of the walls.2

    Day 5-Pamplona

    September 7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Wow, today caught me by surprise. I woke up feeling good with nothing hurting. The path was supposed to be pretty flat but there were some steep climbs. Our albergue packed us a breakfast that was enough for breakfast and lunch so we ended up not stopping to rest along the way. We just snacked as we walked. Big mistake, as I hobbled into Pamplona 11 miles later.

    Before getting into Pamplona we took a detour to a church that let us go into the bell tower to ring the bell. The weather got pretty hot after that so we pulled out our fashionable sun umbrellas. The Brits we walked with were melting and said they were going to buy umbrellas in Pamplona.

    We had dinner with the Aussies and watched locals dancing in the Plaza. By the time the night was over, my aches and pains of the day were gone but nonetheless I'm looking forward to our rest day tomorrow.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    We've sampled pintxos at other places but can't get enough of Bar Gaucho.
    With Fran, tour guide extraordinaire.King Felipe and Queen Letizia.Us in the local media after meeting Queen Letizia.One of the walls surrounding Pamplona.Pat getting gored.Me diving out of the way.One of the chapels inside the Cathedral of Santa María.The gigantes on parade.

    Rest day in Pamplona

    September 8, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 73 °F

    What can I say? Unbelievable, unexpected, and unforgettable. First, by chance, we met a local tour guide whose live online tours I followed during lockdown when I was recovering from spine surgery.

    Then we met King Felipe and Queen Letizia who were here to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the unification of the three boroughs that became Pamplona.

    We toured the beautiful cathedral and then saw the gigantes parading through town.

    Just so you don't think our lives are all sunshine and butterflies, we left a suitcase at the hotel in Pamplona so that we could either offload some stuff or add new things to our backpacks. I had made several packets of my hair products that I intended to remove from the suitcase and put in my backpack for the rest of our Camino. Well, after we took the suitcase to the post office to send ahead to Santiago, I remembered that I didn't pull the hair products out and I really need to wash my hair. And Pat left his razor in the suitcase so we'll both be looking frightful. Oh well, it was still a stellar day.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Our walk today was from Pamplona to Uterga.
    See the windmills on top of the mountain? That's where we're going.1We just happened to meet two pilgrims from Sacramento.1That's a big stack of hay!1Pat doing his thing. His pictures are always great (the ones he's in and the ones he takes).Having lunch and a rest against the church wall in Zariquiegui.Here's the church. The bells were so loud we jumped when they rang.1Getting closer.1And...we made it to the top. Now for the 3 mile descent to Uterga.A young German couple set up shop here today.

    Day 6-Uterga

    September 9, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    I was a little sad to leave Pamplona and the great time we had there. I could easily spend a month or two just "living" there. The Camino took us past the University of Navarra so we detoured to the general office to collect a stamp. For those who don't know much about the Camino de Santiago, we collect ink stamps in a booklet to present to the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. If we fulfilled certain requirements, we are issued a Compostela which documents our pilgrimage. We can get stamps at our lodging, restaurants, churches, etc.

    Our 12 mile journey today included gentle ascents to the Alto de Perdon peak which is covered in wind turbines and a Pilgrim monument. The decent into Uterga was steep and covered in loose rocks but we made to our lodging in good shape.

    After two nights at a nice hotel in Pamplona, tonight's accommodation leaves alot to be desired. We reserved a private room, but there is a room behind ours and that couple has to pass through our room to get out. They are very nice so I don't think there will be any issues. The place smells a little off, like mold and Raid.

    We happened to meet a fellow Sacramento pilgrim couple on the way today. Paloma and Enrique are pretty much on the same schedule we are. There are a few others here that we've shared dinner with over the last week.

    After my hair product fiasco, we bought some conditioner this morning. I figured I'd use our Dr. Bronner's bar soap for my hair and the conditioner would make me somewhat presentable. Luckily, someone abandoned shampoo in the shower so now I feel like a million $$$.

    If you've noticed I'm always wearing the same clothes in the pics, it's because I only have two sets of clothes, one I'm wearing, and one I change into after my afternoon shower. Then I wash the dirty set and hope it will dry by the next day.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Sunrise leaving Uterga.
    Our detour to Iglesia Santa María de Eunate.3The exterior of Eunate.Me taking a picture of a pilgrim statue.Pat walking through Puente la Reina.The beautiful bridge in Puente la Reina.Another shot of the bridge.Not all the arrows are yellow.2The view from our balcony.Our room is on the left with the balcony.1A sign said 2km to go but the signs lie. Delirium had set in.

    Day 7-Cirauqui

    September 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Today was a day of almosts. We left Uterga at sunrise when it was nice and cool out. We were supposed to walk 12 miles today but it was more like 14 miles. I had the bright idea to detour a couple of km to see a mysterious church called Santa María de Eunate. It's in a valley surrounded by farmland and nothing else. There's no record of its origin, only alot of supposition. We had to wait a half hour for the church to open (we were early, they were late).

    Because of this detour, we ended up having a steep ascent into Obanos and it was starting to heat up. We trudged along and stopped for patatas bravas in Puente la Reina. The stretch between there and Mañeru reminded me of the American River trails. The first almost occured on this stretch. The Vuelta a España (Spain's answer to the Tour de France) was coming through this area today. We saw two helicopters fly by really low so we knew the cyclists were going by at that moment. Twenty minutes later, we ascended to the road they just passed through.

    We arrived in Cirauqui, our final destination of the day, to the whole village finishing up a wine festival. They were all wearing a wine glass on a harness around their necks. It looked like a good time we almost had.

    The almosts really don't matter. I had a physically challenging, but fun day with my honey. And we have a great private room with our own bathroom and balcony.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    1Last night's village with the sun rising behind it.
    1I'm confused.1Some arrows are pretty obvious.2In Estella2Pretty artwork. I think this was in Ayegui.1We're ending the day halfway up this mountain.2This was the good part of the road.4Having dinner on a jaiali court.5Irache wine fountain. I think the wine was watered down but it was still tasty.

    Day 8-Villamayor de Monjardín

    September 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌩️ 70 °F

    We had a long day (17+ miles) ahead of us so we started out at 7am while it was still dark. It was also raining with lightening and thunder. We carefully walked over an old Roman road and bridge trying to dodge the puddles and mud. Miraculously, our socks and feet didn't get wet.

    We walked through several towns, crossed over many bridges and played with some kitties. It's mostly a blur.

    We have a private room and bath today but have to sleep in bunk beds. It's my turn to take the top bunk. Oh, I had seafood paella for lunch and veal cordon bleu for dinner. Yum!

    The lesson I learned yesterday was to drink an Aquarius (Gatorade-like) at every break. I did that today and I feel great. Except for my feet. They hurt. Alot.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Looking back at Villamayor de Monjardín.
    The vines are loaded with grapes.Pat looking cute, as always.Cool castle on the hill, I think.The owner leaves a bucket of bread out to feed the animals.I can eat tortilla de patata everyday.The church in Los Arcos.Torres del Río. Our stop for the night.The view from our balcony looks to the trail we walked today.1

    Day 9-Torres del Río

    September 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Woke up early to eat our breakfast and be on the trail by 7am. Our host left breakfast on the table for us. Lovely fresh bread, homemade jams, donut peaches, and oj and coffee. It was good but since it was all carbs, I was hungry a couple of hours later. Luckily, there was a food truck with picnic tables set up so we has sammies and Aquarius.

    It's funny how the body parts that hurt in the evening, don't hurt in the morning. I guess that's why we keep walking. The trail today was nice and easy. We started downhill and then it leveled off for most of the day, meandering through beautiful, green farmland.

    We arrived in Los Arcos in time for lunch. We wanted pizza but it wasn't available for a couple of hours so we had tortilla de patata. We waited another half hour for the church to open because we heard it was a beauty, and it did not disappoint.

    The half hour wait gave me time to attend to my foot. I have a problematic pinky toe that gets pinched and I've been surprised how well it's been handling the walks. Well, up until today. After two weeks in Spain and nine days on the Camino, I can officially announce that I have a blister. Yesterday's 17 miles must have done it in.

    The last four miles seemed to go on forever, partly because it was actually six miles for a total of 14 miles today.

    Our place today has a pool! The water was freezing but we got in anyway.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Pretty views everwhere
    Food stands show up when you need them.Sometimes the trail runs along the highway.Entering Viana. The townfolk were dressed in white with red scarves for the running of the bulls.The bullpen.Entering La Rioja.1The middle drawing is the same as a tattoo I got in Puerto Rico.1Toes taped up so the little one doesn't hurt. And there's the tattoo that matches the graffiti.

    Day 10-Logroño

    September 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Another 12 mile day that turns out to be 14 miles. At least it was mostly downhill and flat. Alot of the friends we're making now are transitory since we're doing different distances. We still get to chat a little and wish each other a Buen Camino.

    We had a 6 mile walk to Viana and on the way we found a cute food stand run by a lady from Milan. We stopped for a Aquarius and a croissant the kept trekking. Viana was a larger and more modern town than I expected after seeing so many small, medieval villages. We arrived at 11am and found out they were doing a small running of the bulls at 1pm. We pondered waiting around to see it but that would mean we would walk the next 6 to 8 miles in the heat. So we opted to eat our snack and a couple of pintxos and then head to Logroño.

    We arrived in Logroño around 2:30pm but still had to walk another mile to our hotel. At least we have a rest day tomorrow and we're near Calle Laurel where all the tapas bars are. By the way, right before Logroño, we left the Navarra Basque region and are now in La Rioja. So it's time to switch from pintxos to tapas.

    We wrapped up my blistered pinky toe but because it tucks under the 4th toe, it hurt all day. I hiked in my Chaco sandals to give my toes extra space. After we showered and felt alive again, we figured out a way to tape my toes so the pinky one doesn't hurt as much.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Part of our breakfast spread. Spain knows how to do cured meat right.
    Santiago Matamoros1Pilgrim statue.The Cathedral of Santa María la Redonda in Logroño.Pat ready for some patatas bravas.3Yes, I was ready for some too.2A stack of fried pork belly. Crispy outside and tender inside.Yummy, creamy tarta de queso.The guys at Bar Soriano making mushrooms.

    Rest day in Logroño

    September 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    What a treat to wake up and not have to put on the backpack and head out. I couldn't rally last night to go to the famous Calle Laurel for a tapas crawl so we're doing it twice today, first at lunch then for late dinner.

    Our hotel has a great breakfast spread of ham, chorizo, salchichón, cheeses, breads and eggs however you'd like. We stuffed our faces and then went out to explore. We walked along the Gran Via which reminded me of the downtown San Francisco of my youth; relatively clean, modern and lots of shops. We toured a couple of churches then headed to Calle Laurel to sample some tapas. The area wasn't very crowded at lunchtime which was fine by us. I had to try the mushrooms at Bar Soriano I had heard so much about...yum. Other standouts were the torreznos (fried pork belly), patatas bravas, and the creamy tarta de queso (slightly underbaked, crustless cheesecake). Most of these places specialize in one dish so you eat that and move on to the next place. Shops started closing at 1:30 and reopen about 5pm. The restaurants close about 3pm and reopen about 7:30. So we went back to our room for siesta time.

    The tapas bars slowly started opening at 7:30pm and were in full swing at 8:30pm. Who are we having dinner this late?! It was a little more crowded but we always had plenty of space.

    Now were getting ready to hit the trail tomorrow.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Ready to walk again after a rest day.
    We didn't notice this sign at first.We stopped to watch the geese and ducks.The signs are everywhere. You just have to stopped and look for them.3Unbelievably spectacular.Our snack outside of the church in Navarrete.Pat and his pilgrim buddy.2A little afternoon gossip session.1Which way should we go?1End of the day fun. The Office fans might recognize the parody.

    Day 11-Ventosa

    September 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Pretty easy walk today, although it turned out to be 14 miles instead of 10.5. We tried to leave early today but the breakfast buffet didn't start until 7am and you know my priorities. We even snuck jamón y queso sandwiches in my bag for snack later.

    The walk out of Logroño took us past a Guardia Civil base so we walked in and asked if they had a sello (stamp) for pilgrims. They did and were very nice to us. They take pilgrim safety seriously.

    The rest of the walk was pretty flat and took us around a lake where we met Marcelino at his donativo stand. We made it to Navarrete before the rain and ate our sandwiches among the other pilgrims outside next to the church.

    The alterpiece of this church is really impressive. I put a 1€ coin in a box to illuminate it. Spectacular comes to mind. I'll have to do some research to find out how such a small town has such an impressive church.

    We continued our way to Ventosa, our destination for the night, through vineyards loaded with grapes. It sprinkled most of the way so we covered our packs but didn't bother with our rain jackets or umbrella. The spinkles felt good and helped us stay cool.

    We got to Ventosa at 1:30pm, earlier than our normal end of walk. We shared a yummy pizza at the Buen Camino cafe then checked into our place. It's a nice room with a gorgeous bathroom and there's a comfortable shared livingroom with tea available. Perfect since now the rain is coming down hard. Dinner tonight is a salad and chicken paella.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Ventosa, from the trail before sunrise.
    1Walking, and posing, in the vineyard.1Finally tall and thin!Caves.The caves close up.Drinking fountain in Azofra's plaza.3This is what our first hour of the day looked like. It was fun!

    Day 12-Azofra

    September 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Short 11 mile day today. We left our hotel a little after 6am in order to finish walking early before the heat. It doesn't really get too hot here but you feel it when you're walking this much everyday. We stopped at the local restaurant that was, thankfully, open early for some breakfast and then we were on our way at 7am while it was still dark. Sunrise isn't until 8am here.

    We stopped in Nájera for a snack and continued on to Azofra. Between those two towns were flies contstantly annoying us. We arrived in Azofra at noon and sat in the plaza for a couple of hours greeting pilgrims as they arrived. There are lots of flies here too. I'm not sure what's attracting them and I'm pretty sure it's not us.

    The rest of the day will be spent strolling around town and having dinner.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Heading across the plaza for early breakfast.
    21The iconic view heading to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.2The view from our room at the Parador.The church attached to the Parador.1Our Parador as seen from the Cathedral roof.I think this is the first time I've seen the stations of the cross in color.Mosaics in the crypt.2The chickens in the cathedral.

    Day 13-Santo Domingo de la Calzada

    September 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 64 °F

    Walked about 11 miles today. Mostly flat with one climb. We walked pretty fast today. We checked into the Parador Bernardo de Fresneda which was originally built as a monetary and pilgrim hospital. It's really nice and parts of the walls show the original stone.

    We had a huge lunch so we skipped dinner. Pat had pizza and I had fettuccine carbonara and dorado fish with salad. Dessert was coffee flan. Then we may have had churros and chocolate.

    While Pat napped, I toured the church attached to our parador and the ivory and nativity exhibit. Then I walked over to the cathedral to find the chickens that live there (there's a hard to believe story behind it). The crypt below the cathedral has beautiful mosaics. I also walked up teeny stone steps up to the roof and could see our parador from there.

    After that, my feet were done for the day.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    It's all mine! They made the eggs the way my mom did when we were kids, with crispy edges.
    Pat's birthday mimosa.Our Parador. The church is on the left, the rooms on the right."Have a nice day" -Sunflower1If you zoom in, you can see pilgrims on the trail.1Having a snack at a Colombian place. The pink thing is fruit cocktail.3We may stay in nice places but this is the pilgrim's reality. Washing and drying clothes by hand.

    Day 14-Quintanilla del Monte

    September 18, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Had a massive breakfast at the Parador and thank goodness we did, because we didn't find anywhere else to eat until the end of our walking day, even though we walked through three other towns.

    We've left La Rioja region with its green hills and vineyards and are now in Castilla and Leon where the hills are brown and covered in sunflowers. Bloom season is over but they're still cool to see and I even picked a seed out to sample. The shell was soft and as thin as paper and the seed tasted, well...like a sunflower seed.

    We're walking over gently rolling hills now. I used to call these mountains, but now that we've walked over serious mountains, these are just hills.

    And today is Pat's birthday! We're not in the most exciting place to celebrate but wherever he is, becomes the most exciting place to be.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Sunrise from the original Camino path from Quintanilla.
    1An ermita built into the mountain.1The view from our room tonight.2A well earned beer and sangría.3I had to work hard for a honk!

    Day 15-Villfranca Montes de Oca

    September 19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    I can't say enough about our stay last night at La Aldea Encantada. It was one kilometer off the Camino and had a few nice houses, alot of crumbling houses, no church bells and no services. I slept great since it was so quiet there. Apparently, the original Camino ran through there and our hostess showed us the original trail to take back to meet the new trail. Dinner last night was made by the hostess's mother with alot of it coming from their garden. It was delicious.

    Today's walk was on rolling hills and through three towns. One has a hermitage built into the mountain. We snacked on some salchichón, cheese and bread on the way. Alot of the walk was on a gravel path next to the highway. Many semi trucks were driving by and back when I was in my 20's, drivers would honk at me. Well, fast forward a few decades, I have to work a little harder to get them to honk. You'll see my efforts in the video.

    The weather was great and all the body parts are working well and don't hurt. This is a very cute town with several places to eat.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    2Video update for day 15
    1Video hilarityLooking back to our accommodationsJust before sunriseGreat red color from the sunAwesome sunriseWhere do I go?She saved meCrumbling castleSt. James the Muslim slayer and the PilgrimJust a panoramicThis Is A 11th century Hermitage of Santo DomingoAnother HermitageView of me sticking my camera out the window of our hotel1Just inside the window1Me, just thinking about the dayJust having a beer2The love of my life ♥️

    Day 15 - Villafranca

    September 19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    We started the day just off the established Camino, only to find out that we were actually staying on the original Camino path. after the stay, we walked about a mile of the super secret path of the Camino.

    Make sure to watch both videos for all the video hilarity.    Read more

  • gmoneyTravelerCamino de Santiago (Frances)
    Just a video selfie
    Looking out our window this morningSunrise leaving VillafrancaWalking through the woods1Almost looks like Auburn trails1Shadow selfieThere's our selfie1Lots of sunflowersNice meal out before doing laundryNice landscapeCool Panoramic

    Day 16 - Atapuerca

    September 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    Had a very pleasant walk today, started to a beautiful sunrise in Villafranca before we left. The walk was a 7.5 mile to start, we went 8.5 before stopping for a cafe Co leche and a cerveza (OK maybe two). We then made our way to our stopping point for the day, total of 12 miles today. One more day to Burgos, and a day off, yeah.
    No video update today, sorry.    Read more

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