Hello again! First a “Thank You” to every one for the nice comments and good wishes. The Internet is quite slow most of the time so rather then answering everyone individually, I upload pictures for you.

A beautiful day again but ….I developed blisters on my little toes today…that’s what I get for bragging last night. Charlie has no problems what so ever…loving it all and keeps saying that “this was one of my better ideas”. We are now staying in a nice small auberge along with several people we met on the way. We all walk, talk and then later somehow everyone is at the same place again.

Aaahhh….we have to get up there…

We made it – Alto del Perdon

Susanne and Barbara, the German girls our bed neighbors in Roncesvalles…we met them again at a coffee break.Bed secured…showered….laundry done…relaxing with a nice cold beer.

Hola from Pamplona – capitol of the Navarre (Basque region) population 200,000 and city of the el Encierro/running of the bulls made famous by Hemingway.

Wonderful day…sunshine…birds…beautiful vistas. Walked through several  Basque villages with interesting Spanish architecture and crossed the stone bridges of the river Arga several times….. did not do a “Martin Sheen” as in “The Way”.

Had dinner in the main plaza earlier….for the Spanish it was lunch since they eat dinner at 9 or 10 pm. Now staying in the auberge “Maria y Jesus” in the old city surrounded by a massive stone wall. Our bed neighbors are from Venice, Italy. You should hear everyone groan when getting up and moving around and all the blisters. We have no blisters yet…a few sore body parts – yes…it’s “Tigerbalm” to the rescue.

We are are sleeping here.

Dinner – Fried mushrooms, Tomato-Tuna-Cheese-Olive salad w/ bread and beer for two.

Pamplona – yes, we really are here.

 

On the trail

 

Buenos Dias! Just a short day today. Started at 7am in fog and mist and arrived at Zubiri at 1:30pm with the Spanish sun shining on us. Had breakfast after 3 km and stopped a couple times for coffee and beer. There were a few of Altos to climb today but nothing like yesterday….still muddy. Walked with Milos from Bulgaria a short while, then with John from Belgium who has been walking for 73 days from home…had very interesting conversations with both. Also met an Italien who has walked all the way from Rome, Italy. A great day!

The view after climbing an “Alto”

Leaving the Auberge this morning after a “Hallelujah” prayer wake-up.

The town of Burguete – Ernest Hemingway lodged here in the 1920 and discribes it in his novel “The Sun Also Rises” The hotel still has a piano with  his signature on it.

 

Hello everyone! I am beat….very tired. The first day is said to be the toughest of the Camino Frances….and boy was it that. Very steep……a climb from about 550 ft to 4757 ft and half of it in deep mud due to the rain. My 20 pound back pack got heavier with every step. Fog and misty rain all the way ….no beautiful view over the mountains and valleys unfortunately. We now share a cubicle of four with two girls from Berlin in a hostel in Roncesvalles…..it is very clean and and has hot showers….oh, thank you.

Images of today!

Departed at 7am arrived at the hostel at 2:30pm

Above: Resting in our sleeping quarters

Below: Cows cheering us on

Below: Camino marker in the fog and mist

Going down to Roncesvalles, Spain

 

……still raining…..going tomorrow rain or not

Saint Jean Pied de Port UNESCO site

The gate to the Way of St. James

The Citadel