A day of white chairs.
Finally, the Camino is getting into the swing of things! Every two to three miles a coffee shop with pastries and pop.
We were up and out by 6:30 am this morning, even though we sat at one of the dining tables in the common room and worked at getting accommodations for future days. There are ao many people on the Camino this year that there have been a few occasions where people have had to take taxis to distant towns to find a room or sleep outside in public areas. It was so much more fun to just walk into a town and find an albergue with empty beds like we did in 2019. Now we book ahead to assure we have a bed in our upcoming towns.
After about 20 minutes of cruising booking.com and other sources we found a room or two for the upcoming days. Then it was out the door, back down the big hill an on route again. Melissa caught up with us after a mile or so. We chatted for a few minutes before she picked her pace back up. We agreed to meet at the first white chairs in the upcoming town.
There was a fairly steep hill to climb, then we were in the small town and found Melissa outside a coffee show drinking coffee and enjoying a tortilla. We joined her and had a tortilla and a coke. Checking the map we found another town in about three miles and agreed to meet there.
The scenery just keeps getting better. Rolling hills of wheat and barley are now interspersed with grape vines for wine. Everything is dotted with wild red poppies. So intimate and close when walking through it compared to whisking past it in a car.
We arrived at the next town to find Melissa having another coffee. We vowed to just stop long enough to buy a muffin and a coke, but sat down, got to talking and 20 minutes whisked by. From the cafe the route went uphill through the town then down the other side and down an ancient Roman road, still paved in the original cobblestones. Very cool.
At one point we stopped to take a break and Becky caught up with us. She walked the rest of the way to Estella with us. Other trail passed under the freeway. It was a split highway with a gap between the two lanes. The sun streamed down between the two lanes so that in our photos it looked like we had halos around our heads. We walked into Estella and found the municipal albergue. This where Becky and Sally had their packs shipped. We checked to see if they had accent beds. They did, enough for the three of us. We already had accommodations arranged, but we are curious as to how difficult it is to walk I to town without reservations and get a bed.
We walked through this quite large river front town to the other side and found our B&B. We had a little confusion as to how to get to our room once we were inside the apartment house door, but the lady running the place came down from then second floor to guide us up.
She has taken a second floor apartment and made four bedrooms available. We interviewed with her for about half an hour, getting our keys, checking passports, arranging pack transport, discussions the town. She spoke no English, but I was able to converse with my very weak a Spanish enough that we could get business done, interspersed with laughter at our inability communicate clearly. Once in our room I paid her the €5 charge to wash all my clothes. Then we rested. When it was time to get something to eat my clothes were not ready (7:00). They were hanging out to dry. My pants and a shirt were dry enough.
We tried a Chinese restaurant we had seen on the walk into town. We tried to get in, but they didn’t open until 7:30. We walked to a Camino shop and bought postcards, then return and sat down. When we looked at the menu we realized we did not want to eat this particular typed of Chinese food and walked out. We went for Donar Kebabs down the street. Becky had never had one before. As always, they were absolutely delicious
Back to our room and prepare to sleep. I will get up at 5:45 am and walk to the town of Los Arcos. Sally will take a taxi to Los Arcos at 10:15 and Becky will get up around 7 or 8 and walk. All three of us will end up in Torre de Rio for the night, about an 18 mile walk for the day.
Sally spots a sign of Pepsis and prays to the Pepsi Gods to send her one today. She didn’t.
Town on a hill in the distance. First first white chair of the day
Same town.
Poppies are in full Bloom
Poppies in the distance
Two pilgrims along the trail
Every little town is so picturesque- Absolutely spotless and clean. All stone and brick.
Becky and Sally spot their halos
Me, Alexandria from Germany and Becky
More Poppies
Becky has her first Doner Kebab
No comments:
Post a Comment