First a feature of my blog is located in the menu item titled About. If from time to time you look at the About menu you will see a map of my progress. It appears to work best if you click on “map” to turn off the satellite view. It also seems to work best on a computer.
Last night the lights were switched off at a 10 and quiet fell over the albergue. At 6:00 the lights came on and the place came alive. The sun doesn’t rise until 7:45 so what to do? I could think of nothing but walking. So I put on my headlamp and started down the path…in the dark…without breakfast. After 45 minutes I came to Burguete and found a bar (cafe) open. As the sun rose I had the most wonderful tart of cheese, sausage and potatoes along with two coffee con leches. Delicious. Today’s walk was through a variety of landscapes. Pastures, rolling hills, small villages, scraggly under growth, old forest and pine forest. Today was a long walk and I passed the preferred stop to go on 5km to get closer to Pamplona for a shorter day tomorrow.
I arrived in Larrasoaña, a very small Spanish village, and checked into the municipal Albergue. For comparison last night was the Four Seasons, tonight the place that was a Motel 6 thirty years ago. But it was a whole new group of people. As I waited in line this older Irish gentleman kept asking what the manager was saying. I had no idea, she was speaking Spanish.
I started my routine and when finished. Walked down to get some bananas for tomorrow. On my way back one of the women from Holland I knew waved from the patio outside the only bar. She was with the Irish guy I’d met (and that was in the bunk above mine). I stopped for a beer. Soon two other Irish guys joined us and the Holland lady left. The Irish guys were a riot. They had an amazing knowledge of American TV, movies and 80’s/90’s music. They were interested in US affairs and had a great time with all things Texan. (JR and Dallas). They kept going to buy pints of beer and would bringing me a small glass of beer. They said they were protecting me from the Irish way… No complaints from me. We finally went to the pilgrims dinner and I had wine, garlic soup, beef stew and ice cream. Afterwards after one more glass of wine I headed back to the albergue to find a interesting sing along from the albergue crowd underway. It sounds goofy but was really fun to watch. I have some video.
Today was a long walk, my upper thighs were tired. Tomorrow will be shorter.
Walk 27 km
Steps 42447
Elevation up and down.