Camino de Santiago
On the “rest day” in Pamplona i walked 19,347 steps. That included several side trips to churches and wall walking, but also a 3 mile round trip to get expoxy and and a hose clamp to fix Drew’s hiking stick. (It worked!)
That along with the full day hiking led to no newsletter the next day.
Steve is not driving us nuts. Yet. But poor WiFi has led to no newsletters for the previous days.
Our days are filled with hiking, and getting stamps from bars, hotels and churches to fill up our credential. When complete, you show this credential to the church they verify that yes you visited all these places on your way to reach Santiago. If approved you receive an official “Compostela” completion certificate . It’s very cool. Here’s mine so far, one week in
One of my side trips in Pamplona was to St Lorenzo church, where the statue of St Fermin is kept 364 days of the year. Then, one day in July, they parade him around during the running of the bulls.
I wanted to see the statue, get a stamp,and got there at about 8PM… knowing the church closes at 8:30PM. It was open… but in the middle of mass. the choir was lovely, and I actually stayed and took communion! I thought id get the stamp right after the mass, but that turned into social time with the parishioners, and after the deacon literally pushed everyone out, and the priest locked the doors, the deacon stamped my credential which i appreciated. Drew’s quote was: Come for the stamp, stay for the salvation!
Our hike the next day led us up to the Alto de Perdon, or height of Forgiveness. It was the windiest hike we had ever been on. It makes sense there were so many wind turbines on top! These sculptures were on the very top. Both sides of the mountain were crazy windy.
The land we’re walking through has some great fields filled with healthy asparagus , beans, and sunflowers. However, Drew commented on this one we saw:
Steve talked me and Drew into a two mile detour ( thats far when carrying a pack) to Santa Maria Eunate church. It was built in 1075 and has many ties to the knights Templar (Cue Curse of Oak Island field trip!). Even in the hot weather it was worth the detour.
I came out around the corner and found this unposed picture… the green grass was very cool to the touch!
Our destination that day was Puente De la Reine, or Queens Bridge.
A cool little town, with a beautiful bridge from the 12th century
To end this letter, let me share what a typical day is like:
Wake up.
Brush teeth, do your hair, pack your pack all over again because your crap is everywhere
Get out the door by 8 typically when the Albergue wants you out.
Walk about 3 miles
Stop for cafe con leche and a croissant at a cafe
Hike some more, see sites, get stamps
Thank god for no rain (try and find Jesus again)
Check in at Albergue, shower, and put on your clean clothes that you will wear the rest of the day, and most of tomorrow until you can shower again
Do laundry of the clothes you wore today, either by hand, or pay 7-8 Euros to use their machines
Have a brewski, find a place to stay the next night via booking.com or whats app, sometimes 2 nights out!
Write a newsletter
Get some dinner
Finish writing newsletter
In bed by 9ish
Fall asleep as you think of Mindy whom you miss very much.