Pampalona

Yesterday I walked about eight hours….up and down hill and dale.  I walked further than I had planned, but the choice was to stop after only two hours in a town that had a questionable pilgrim’s refuge and literally nothing else… or to walk with a new friend to the next town, another six hours away.  

We walked. Marcella had sent her backpack ahead by bus, but had at least a decade on me and a bad hip, I had my full (probably TOO full) pack.  We were about evenly matched!  We walked slowly.  At one point we came to the edge of a beautiful little mountain stream and stopped for a half an hour to soak our poor tired feet!  Wonderful!  We stopped at a little town that is basically a suburb of Pamplona.  It had a pilgrim’s refugee in an old monastery.  

We were beat!  We limped a block or two to a bar and ate tapas (little finger foods) for dinner chased by a couple of well deserved beers!  I couldn’t have done the trip without her encouragement!  My first Camino buddy was the best!  

Marcella had had her backpack sent toPamplona, so she continued on but BY TAXI!  Perhaps we’ll meet again, but that is the way of the Camino!  Sometimes you meet only in passing, and yet it is still an amazing experience!

The Bulls at Pampalona

Today I continued on toPamplona myself…another couple of hour’s walk.  I’ve been exploring the town today.  I didn’t make it to the museum, so I may spend another day or part of it here tomorrow.

I don’t really feel as badly as I thought would.  I have some blisters, but my muscles are not that sore… of course it’s often the second day that the most soreness shows up.  We’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning!  

Many of my East coast friends have checked in…. so far no one seems too badly damaged from the combined whammy of an earthquake followed by a hurricane.  There seems to be lots of cleanup to do, so stay safe out there, okay?

Life’s a trip!
Claudia