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Walk-about in SpainWalk-about in Spain
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Walk-about in Spain

May - June 2023
In which two intrepid travelers head to Spain to walk the Camino for three weeks and then head to a castle south of Barcelona to attend a wedding. Read more
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  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    Day 8

    Day 5 - Pamplona to Puenta de Reina

    May 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: having a picnic at Alto de Perdón
    Lowlight: realizing I was having an allergic reaction to something I ate.
    Food highlights: Torta Txantxigorri
    Kilometres walked: 20 km
    # of steps: 29,411
    Elevation gain: 300m

    We had 5k of solid uphill climbing and 4 k of steep decline, so we decided to have our backpacks delivered to our next location and just carry our light daypack with food and foot gear (spare socks, foot repair stuff, etc.).
    We had a lovely picnic 'Where the path of the wind meets that if the stars'. A place so high that nothing hinders the wind. Hence, windmills are strewn along the ridge.
    As we were scrambling downhill, I felt the slight twinge of a possible allergic reaction. Here we were halfway down a mountain with no road access and I realized my epi-pen and antihistamines were in my backpack and not with me. There was only one way out if this, keep going and pray it was not going to be a bad reaction. The praying worked...after all, this IS a Camino...and I thought it was probably the baguette and a little cross contamination as I had asked at the bakery if there was sesame and he was sure there wasn't.
    We made it down to a village, then caught a taxi to the town where we were going to stay and stopped first at the pharmacy for antihistamine.
    At the same time I realized I was also allergic to either pollen or the plastic covering the pillows.
    So now I sleep using my clothes bag as a pillow.
    But in the meantime I had a couple of drug induced slower days.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    Day 10

    Day 7 - Estella to Los Arcos

    May 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    At a glance:
    Food highlights: drinking wine from a fountain.
    Kilometres walked: 20.94
    # of steps: 28,895
    Elevation gain: 370m

    A pleasant walk and perfect walking weather.morning café con leche in a gas station sin croissants. A short walk uphill to a blacksmith shop and then up to a winery that has a wine fountain built into their back wall. They donate 100 litres of wine per day to the pilgrims.
    From then on we were mostly in oak forests and fields of grain.
    We are seeing more grape vines and fig trees. Judging by the trunks, the vines must be 200 years old and the fig trees 200.
    We stayed at Pension Ostadar a modern townhouse converted for pilgrims with a few more euros in their pockets. We had heard that the municipal albergues were very crowded and people were sleeping on foamies in the dining halls.
    We met a couple from Alberta who almost bought a place on Protection Island.
    We had spaghetti bolognese in the square with April and Brenda from USA and Margaret, a spry 75 with great legs and great personality from the Isle of Jersey.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    12
    Day 11

    Day 8 - Los Arcos to Viana

    May 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: ancient paintings on the roof of a church that was a ruin yet the paintings have survived amongst the rubble.
    Food highlights: red peppers stuffed with spinach and walnuts in a tomato sauce. And lentil and chorizo soup. Oh, and white asparagus on our lunch picnic boccadilla.
    Kilometres walked: 18.34k
    # of steps: 28,842
    Elevation gain: 150m but some of it was lost and regained.
    Our choice was to walk 28k or 18k. We chose (wisely I think) 18k. Trudy, however, felt she could walk the 28k. I replied that I could too but it wouldn't be fun.
    Trudy woke from a dream that she and Peter and others were at Barry Lortons who with Elvane who were hosting a potluck and neighbours and friends were bring food. Later today you got an email from Elvane that Barry had died. He had suffered from bladder cancer. Barry was one of those characters that make the world more interesting. Sad to not have him here.
    We have become immersed in the social life of the Camino constantly running into the same people. Today we had coffee with four Aussies, whom we met at Orison, on our first day. This evening we had dinner next to them. One of them Viv, originally from England, worked as a hairdresser on the Alaska cruise ships back on 1975. She worked for a hair salon that had salons around the world and ended up in Australia.
    Tristan, with whom we shared a room, is having foot issues but still walking.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    21
    Day 12

    Day 9 - Viana to Navarrete

    May 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    At a glance:
    Highlight: the incredible gilt work in the Church of the Assumption in Navarrete.
    Food highlights: chocolate dipped cookies
    Kilometres walked: 27.11
    # of steps: 35,307
    Elevation gain: an easy 150m

    We are in Rioja, land of grapes and wine. We passed an experimental vineyard of white Tempranillo grapes, a genetic mutation of the traditional red grape. They were experimenting something or other....our Spanish is challenged by research projects ...but each row of vines was carefully marked.
    We were overconfident today, day 9 with no blisters. We ignored our usual rule of taking a break, airing our feet every hour and changing our socks at lunch. Both Trudy and i now have a blister each on our heels.
    Tomorrow we have to get to the Municipal Albergue in Azofra before 3pm, 23k away, else we lose our reservation.
    We are in a private hostel tonight, 2 beds, shared bathroom, a pillow case and bottom sheet, no towels, access to a kitchen for a total of €38.
    Empanadas (ham and cheese) potato chips and cookies for dinner. No lunch, just chocolate and an orange and a few sunflower seeds.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    1
    Day 13

    Day 10 - Navarrete to Azofra

    May 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    At a glance:

    Food highlights: vegetable stew and a flan for dessert
    Kilometres walked: 22.24
    # of steps: 29,664
    Elevation gain: 200m mostly a slow climb.

    A quiet day for the most part walking on paths and narrow country roads between vineyards. The old vines have 4-6" diameters and are pruned right back to knee high, the new growth rising up another foot, maybe two. No wires or a supporting trellis nor any signs of a watering system yet right across the path are newer vines with a water system and the older growth trained along a wire support. I wonder how different the harvest is?
    Tonight we are at a Municipal albergue. Municipal albergues vary greatly but are usuaĺy a tad grungy and they are all cheap. This one however, is a modern albergue whose construction surpasses most municipal albergues. For €12 each we each get a bed in a room for two. Not a bunk bed. There is a foot pool in the courtyard to soak your aching feet but only one young man braves the cool temperature. Deluxe!
    The town is small and only one restaurant with the typical pilgrim menu 1st course mixed salad or vegetable soup, 2nd course chicken, or pork or calamari or eggs and chips and 3rd course ice cream on a popsicle sticker flan.
    We met Michael a young adventurous Aussie (with clean feet from soaking in the foot bath) who joined us for dinner.
    Michael is tattooed all over with nose and lip rings and dread locks.
    He told us that like Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild) he had no clue of what he was doing when he embarked on a 1,000km across Australia hike. He soon learned tins of food were not the way to go. Yet here he is wearing a heavy cotton! (heavy and never dries) hoodie and a too heavy pack which includes a laptop and foul weather sea going gear which he needs for a hoped for job on a yacht. We told him about Ivar in Santiago who runs a Camino forum and a luggage storage service.
    He told us that after the Camino he was going to Canada next . 'We're from Canada. Where in Canada are you going?'
    'British Columbia.'
    'We're from BC. Where in BC?'
    'Vancouver island. '
    'We're from Vancouver Island. Where on Vancouver Are you going? '
    ' A place called Nanimo or something like that.'
    'We are from Nanaimo. '
    It's a small world.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    11
    Day 14

    Day 11 - Azofra to Grañon

    May 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: going to mass in a church, sleeping in a church, eating in a church, having a ceremony in a church with 40 others.
    Food highlights: Risotto cooked by Michael
    Kilometres walked: 21.72k
    # of steps: 28,756
    Elevation gain: 210m

    We have continued to have good walking weather--breezy ambient temperatures. Today was rolling hills of wheat and barley and no grape vines.
    We finished in Grañón in a church hospital for pilgrims.
    It is a donotavito albergue. Our donations feed tomorrow's pilgrims.
    As we register the hospitalio asks us if we can be the chief chef. We look horrified and suggest we are better being told what to do.
    Michael is here too. He volunteers to be the head chef.
    All 40 of us help. The team of 4 Italian bicyclists are experts with a knife. The 3 young women are born salad makers. Trudy chops tomatoes, carrots, peaches, potatoes, whatever came her way.
    I suddenly remember our 2nd night, at Roncesvalles waiting to be let into the dinning room. I had noticed 3 young women in front of us and when the door finally opened a young man quickly placed himself near them so he would be placed at a table with them (and us plus a few others). That young man was Michael and the 3 women were now making salad. There are 20 of us sleeping on mattresses on the floor. We have a private door from our sleeping room into the loft overlooking the pews, altar and gilt carvings. We just spent an hour each of us, one at a time holding a candle saying a few words on our Camino experience before passing the candle to the next person. Now we sleep. Ricardo introduces himself as we slip into our respective sleeping systems. He gives me permission to push him if he snores. It's nice to know who you are sleeping with.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    Day 15

    Day 12 - Grañón to Villafranca Monte de

    May 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: stayed in a pilgrims tradition hospital San Anton Abad
    Food highlights: chicken in orange sauce
    Kilometres walked: a measly 12k
    # of steps: 15,596
    Elevation gain: 213m
    We need to skip the equivalent of 3 stages (days) in order to get to Lyon where they have train services. So we are skipping 12 kilometers today by taking a bus then walking. That is, if we can find the bus stop and if the bar tender read the schedule correctly.
    Ricardo left behind an ear bud which I passed on to a fellow Italian pilgrim who knew Ricardo. Unfortunately, this evening we ran into Ricardo, and his name is not Ricardo, it is Lorenzo! I should have kept the ear bud as Lorenzo hasn't seen his fellow pilgrim who has his $200 earbud.
    We sat next to two men at dinner and when one mentioned BC Liquor stores, we chatted with them. They grew up in Victoria, one, Steve, ended up in Abbotsford and Mike in London but kept in touch with each other and when they retired they decided to do the Camino together.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    11
    Day 16

    Day 13 - Villafranca to Atapueca

    May 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: The museum at Atapuerca
    Food highlights: our foraged croissants
    Kilometres walked: 17.22
    # of steps: 24,623
    Elevation gain: 205m
    Breakfast was included with our very expensive accommodations ($112 for 2) so we made good use of it and snuck out a croissant stuffed with ham and cheese each for lunch.
    It was a 1 or 2k slog right off the bat up 200 m before going downhill for 50 and back up. Good to get it over and done with first thing in the morning.
    We passed through a beautiful oak forest and a fit looking man in his 30s who had his backpack on a 2wheeled shopping cart. Maybe he had a bad back . He was obviously struggling.
    Once at the top the forest turned into a pine forest.
    6 k on Michael passes us. He is only carrying a little canvas bag. His first day sending his heavy 20+lb. bag ahead. He was so thankful not to have worn it up the hill.
    He had a 30k day and was feeling it wouldn't be a problem without the weight of his pack. He flew on ahead of us.
    Another 5K and at a cafe we run into Lorenzo and the woman from the Netherlands with very short hair. He hasn't found his ear bud yet nor the fellow who has it. I should have kept the ear bud as this is the second time I could have returned it.
    He too saw Michael and Michael told him the name of his sous chef Dorio. Dorio has, the now trail famous, ear bud.
    There are 2 young women chatting. One is wearing bright red lipstick and the other is admiring it and her determination to wear it on the Camino. Red lipstick!
    We run into a man, who said he was Ukrainian and a translator but he lost his job and can't find work. He had with him two dogs and a huge backpack going the opposite way. He is broke and out of food for his dogs so we give him some change.
    We stop early for our picnic near a fountain in the entrance to town of Agés.
    Lorenzo stopped to get water and tells us the lipstick wearing woman gave him Dorios cell number. Hopefully they will now connect.
    We race the last 1k into Atapuerca trying and succeeding to beat the black stormy clouds that are thundering close by.
    Atapuerca is famous for being the one place in the world where they have found bones from many hominid species and from many different time periods from as far back as 1.2mill years ago.
    We spent almost an hour in the small museum in town where the eager woman there shows us just about everything they have. I notice they have the 3 volume set of Malaspina's voyages and mention I worked for Malaspina University. After some chitchat about Malaspina I mention I am interested in finding out if he collected textiles from the PNW and if so where would they be? She knows a Malaspina expert and will ask.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    Day 17

    Day 14- Atapuerca to Burgos

    May 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    At a glance
    Cultural highlight: the Cathedral Santa Maria in Burgos
    Food highlights: Tortilla (potato & egg pie) topped with a local sausage Mocella which looks like blood sausage and a grain and tastes like haggis.
    Kilometres walked: 20.6k
    # of steps: 27,541
    Elevation gain: +126 for the 1st k then -247m
    A quiet easy walk to Burgos. We opted for the less known river route which was noisy with birds and very pleasant.
    We arrived at the municipal albergue (€10 ea ) just before it opened and waited in line meeting Larry a senior from Friday Harbour. Trudy's seniors rail card fell out when the man was registering us and he waved his proudly too. I think it was the seniors card which got us a semi private room with only one bunk bed.
    Also in the line was Lorenzo once again. He had connected with Dorio and was expecting to be reunited with his Apple Air Bud tonight.
    We did our wash and hung it up to dry under darkening clouds and headed out in a downpour to tour Santa Maria Catedral. Amazing cathedral. By coincidence, Cathy and I had been there for medival days when the catedral was filled with lords and ladies.
    We got back and decided to splurge €3 to use the dryer with a fellow who was having dinner with Lorenzo. We made a deal. We would pay for the dryer and he was in charge if getting it out in 35 mins.
    Now the big news. Lorenzo had a big smile and opened his Apple Air Pod case happily showing me a complete pair.
    We ate at a restaurant that had menus in English, with junked honey or tree chocolate cake on the menu, along with Hake goes in the oven. Trudy had a very boney sea bass with salad and decided to stick with other options in future.
    As we head back in the rain to the alburgue we spot someone in bright rescue red foul weather gear. There could only be one person carrying that. Yes, Michael. He is planning a short day tomorrow as he wants to go from donativo to donativo and a short day will put him onto a convenient donitivo schedule.    Read more

  • TravelerWalk-about in Spain
    Day 18

    Day 15 - Burgos to Hornillos

    May 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    At a glance:
    Cultural highlight: having a nun bless us and put a medallion of the virgin Mary around our necks.
    Food highlights: a neopolitano or is it a neapoleano for breakfast....pastry stuffed with chocolate. Paella for 30 for dinner.
    Kilometres walked: 19.53k oh heck, call it 20k
    # of steps: 29,966
    Elevation gain:103    Read more

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