ARCA

Today was our penultimate walking day.  Coolish in the mornings (I have been wearing the South African flag arm warmers Tammy bought me) but soon have to moult the chill cheater and arm warmers as the day heats up.  We walked for two hours again before stopping. for a Cola Cao.  I had a banana so I bought a chunk of ´pan´and had a banana sandwich.  The path is quite busy.  Many more pilgrims left from Arzua this morning than have been leaving from the smaller places we´ve stayed in between.  Arzua is one of the stage stops in most guide books and it seems that many pilgrims religiously follow the Brierley guide (or other guides) and stay over at the places suggested in the books.  When we left Morgade, and Gonzar or even Casanova, there were far fewer pilgrims on the road early in the morning.
We covered the 20km in just under 5 hours and arrived at the Pension Maribel sign on the trees in the forest just before 12h30.  The sign says 500m to Pension Maribel.  After walking what seems like a km the next sign says 100m - then when you get to the next intersection another sign also says 100m.  We all booked in and I went to to the centre to get more time for my cell phone and to check out the restaurant where we will eat tonight.  It is the same little place we had a wonderful dinner in June so I´m looking forward to eating there again.
Some of us are planning on leaving early tomorrow so that we can make the 12 o´clock mass.  We will then wait in the square to meet the others as they walk in.  We are all looking forward to meeting old Santiago but are a little sad that our adventure is coming to an end.  We have booked two taxis to take us to Finisterre tomorrow night to watch the sun set over the Atlantic at the End of the World.

In Arzua

We are in the Pension Arcano in Arzua, a very nice pension in a quiet road off the main Camino route that runs through the centre of the town.  They have an enclosed indoor ´terrace´ on the first floor with pot plants grown by the mother who was ironing linen when we arrived.  It is a long, airy room with three wrought iron cafe tables and chairs at one end, a vending machine with all the coffees and chocolates, and another with cold drinks and chocolates in the centre of the room and then a comfortable 12 seater leather curved sofa around a centre table.  On the far wall are washlines where all the linen is hanging to dry.  This internet facility is tucked into a corner with a screen around it.  We have bought salads, fruit and cheese and will have dinner in tonight.
Our stay at A Bolboreta in Mato Casanova was really wonderful.  It is 2km off the Camino trail but worth the walk for a comfortable night´s stay.  The dinner is €8 for a 4 course meal and breakfast is included in the room charge.  They put out a breakfast - for those wanting to leave early in the morning - with microwaves, toasters, breads, biscuits, jams etc. 
We made an early start this morning and walked through lovely forests and many small hamlets.  The first big town was Melide and we followed the yellow arrows to the parish church to get a stamp.  I was directed to a door at the side of the altar and when I knocked and opened the door, two men angrily chased us away telling us to ´Vamos´.  ¨No sello aqui?¨ I asked.  ¨No, no, no!¨they said.  ´This is a Camino de las Cafe-Bars´ I commented to Bell and Jill.  Most of the churches are closed when you pass by them.  Those that are open don´t have stamps and when one is directed to the parish church to get a sello you are chased away.  Nearly all of the stamps in my credencial are from bars, reaturants, pensions, hostals and albergues - very few churches. 
The next 11km were very hot so we were thankful for the shade of the forests.  From around Boente 6km from Melide, the terrain becomes hilly and undulating as you descend to many small rivers and climb out on the other side.  We stopped at Ribadiso da Baixo to have lunch at the cafe-bar next to the ancient San Anton hospice albergue.  The man in the cafe-bar recognized me and said that he remembered my ´hombre´who drank brandy and coke!  (That was Charles Mason on the last group walk so I hope someone reads this and passes on the message!  He has not been forgotten!)
The last three km to Arzua were undulating but they passed quickly.  We found our pension, checked in and then went out to buy food for supper. We will make Seville Ensalade - a salad with many different fruits, olives, cheeses and lettuce, tomatoes, onions etc.  Tomorrow is our penultimate walk and we are all a little sad that our Camino is coming to an end. 

Ladies toilet - YECH!

On the way to Foncebadon

Ladies on the Caminos - PLEASE do not leave your toilet tissue on open ground for everyone else to see and trip over.
Nearly every open piece of ground - which could normally be used as a picnic site - is being taken over by peregrinas as an open air toilet site. 

DRIP DRY LADIES !!!!  Or, carry your unsightly toilet paper with you in a plastic bag and get rid of it in the first available dirtbin.

Progress on the Camino

I took this photograph used on the heading of this blog in June. 3 months later and there is a large construction going up in the field on the left facing the village. It looks like a complex of duplex flats. What a pity they didn't build it a bit further back or on the other side. It will dominate the view and obscure that lovely approach to the village.

This concrete and stone path down the hill to the magnesite factory outisde Zubiri is a welcome change as the dirt path used to be a death-trap in wet weather.

The eucalyptus forest outside Arca is making way for a new Autovia between Santiago and Lugo.  There is also a new highway being built between Santiago and Finisterre that will cut down travelling time to about 45 minutes.  One can see the roadworks cutting through the 'montes' forrests on the way to Fistera.

Photos from St Jean to Pamplona and Sept. 5th - Zubiri to Pamplona

The Virgin de Biakorri (1095m)

An equestrian pilgrim leading her horse

Spanish and Basque names on the signs

Judith in the mist:  The Col Lepoeder is 1430m

 Tricia and Alan

Bell and Hemingway!

Brian and Syl

I walked most of the way with Bell and Alan. We seem to have the same pace. Tricia likes to spend as much time as possible on the trail so she is a bit slower, by choice. Brian marches ahead. We had breakfast before we left so didn't go into Larrasoana, the first village after Zubiri. Its also one of the few villages you don't walk through on the Camino. The path up from the picnic site before Trinidad de Arre was very dry and stoney. I had to get to Pamplona before the banks closed at 2pm so after having a lunch in Trinidad de Arre, Bell and Alan walked on and I got a bus the remaining 4.5km into Pamplona. I was able to do the banking and then arrived at Pension Sarasate - almost home from home now! After checking in we had dinner at Bar Dom Luis. Good day today.



Viva España !!

I checked the long range weather forecast today for Pamplona, St Jean Pied de Port and Zubiri.  It looks as though we will have perfect weather for a walk in (up?) the mountain!  Pilgrims often report on high winds, lashing rain or thick mist with no views when they walk from St Jean to Roncesvalles. 
We start walking on Friday 2nd September and it looks like it will be a beautiful day!

31 August:  Pamplona - 16/24°C Rain and possible thunder during the day. Partly cloudy skies during the night. 

1st September:  We travel to St Jean Pied de Port - 13/22°C - Few morning clouds, light rain with clear spells during the day. Few clouds during the night.

2nd September: We walk from St Jean to Orisson - 18/26°C - Sunny! 

3rd September:  Orisson to Burguete - 13/24°C - Sunny with some clouds.

4th September:  Zubiri - 17/31°C - Sunny with some clouds.  (Wow - 31°C???  Perhaps it is an error?)

5th September:  Pamplona - 16/22°C - Cloudy.

6th September:  Puente la Reina - 14/25°C - sunny with some clouds.