Kimaira itt-ott

We are in Logrono.

Last night we went to have dinner, and watched the Barcelona – Arzenal football match.

I ate fried chicken-wings and salad. Later catalan-icecream (which has a hot caramell top, but cold ice-cream under the cover).

Barcelona won for 2:1. There was a very good ambient in the bar, but I guess the people would have been more sad, if the English team wins.

We wake up today morning at 5 am, but we got up only at 5:30 am. We left at 6:25 am.

The weather was very nice, warm, but not too hot, and the sun was behind clouds. The wind just barely touched us, so we could go very well. We were in Viana already by noon. Sansol and Torres del Rio was so close to each other, that we thought that they are one town.

After Viana, at the fuente of Ermita de La trinidad de Cuevas, we stopped a bit to relax. It was around 1 pm. A Spanish ‘bacsi’ came with a car. He was listening to the radio loud, and stopped to fill up his bottle with water. He asked us where are we going, and said to us that Logrono is only 7 km from here.

Another pilgrim came, and he said to the ‘bacsi’ that he likes the best the wine of Rioja. For that, of course, the ‘bacsi’ went back to his car, and took out one bottle of wine and a cork-puller.

He opened it, we drank, he did not, and we talked – in Spanish. The wine was very good. He said that he made that wine, he cut the vine, etc.

Later we said bye, and went on.

We arrived already to the first Refugio around half past 2 . Its only 3 euro, and even donativo, which means, you can give as much as you want. I cannot complain to this Refugio, although this is the cheapest until now.

I relaxed a bit. I should get up now and go and see the town, and get some dinner. In reality I am in a mood for a good omlett.

I got some allergy on my legs – at my ankle, I think its because of my socks. I think I have not rinse it enough after washing.

I was thinking about that we usually meet with the same people, sometimes with new ones. For example today, we met with someone from New -Zealand. The person flied 24h to Roncesvalles, and started from there. What makes people to fly that much? Well, it must be what made me to come for a month too… Maybe it cannot be explained….

Yesterday it was harder to find a place to eat dinner than we originally thought. At 8 pm we were still looking for a ’spanish’ place to eat, which is open and not too expensive. Finally, at one place they recommended another one! If this will not work, we have to eat in a chinese restaurant. I ate a daily menu, first dish: spaghetti with tomatoes (too much food). Second dish: I asked for the fish of the day. As it turned out, trout. But, not boneless, so it took a lot of time to eat it =P.

For dessert I have asked for some sweet cake. It was very tasty.

We left from the restaurant a bit before half past 9 pm, and we had to hurry, as the Refugio closed at 10pm. Of course, I was not packed, so I had to pack quickly in the dark. There was no light in the room.

But then I could finish with all and a few minutes after 10 pm I could lay down. The plan was that we wake up at 5:15 am, or I mean, we are waken up.

I wake up in time, but the preparation took more time, so we started around 6:10 am. Yesterday we went around the city well, and seen a lot of nice places, but still we found new things in the morning.

A lot of traveler started at this early time, and now we have seen why.

From Estella we went towards Irache, and we stopped at the wine fountain. The Irache winery maintaining two fountains, one is giving water, the other is giving wine (red wine). Of course the wine fountain was not working, I really hope that there was a traveler who could really try it.

Then we walked further and arrived at a cross-section. What was strange that there was an arrow which was pointing backwards and said ‘to Villatuerta’.

We choose the route to Villamayor de Monjardin.

I have changed my water in my camel back =) in the town of Azqueta, to fresh fountain water. We aired a bit, and started again with more energy.

I think we left from Villamayor around half past 11 or 11. We spent around 1 hour in the dutch Albergue. We tlked with Jan, who is working there now for a few weeks. Otherwise he is unemployed. I would like to be a person like him. It seems that he is without a real base on Earth, and he believes in God. For me it is important to have financial base. It is hard for me to imagine that I could be living without that.

We went on our way, expecting that in the next 12 km there are no towns.

We arrived to Las Arcos at half past 1, and we choose the austrian Refugio for 6 euros. This Refugio is good as well, I have used the internet a bit. I have noticed today, that my feet is aching, and its hard to go down on stairs. Its like you have muscle pain after exercise I guess. I found a power connector too, so I can charge my camera. I already got few hundreds of photos.

Our plan was to wake up around 5 am, but no one was waking up at that time, so finally we stayed until 6 am. We prepared some breakfast, and started around 8 am. Tomorrow, I will be more prepared, and will put everything into my bag already before sleep, so I am ready to go at 5 am!

We went thru again on the medieval bridge, built for the pilgrims above the Arga river. I did not see the rain, just heard that at night it was raining. I am curious how would have been the ground, this reddish clay without rain. It was not too high above where we were going, but it was slippery still… we got a lot of mud on our boots =)

Then we walked on roads built in the roman times, stone-bridges. I got already a small blister on my small foot-finger.

We sat for a few minutes on the main square of Lorca, it was again 1pm exactly. I put water into my sack, aired my foot. How would they be if my sock is not special ‘breathing’? (and my shoes too). We arrived around 2pm into Villatuerta, where we drank a cafe in the cafeteria. We were just in time, as theoretically it was supposed to close at 2:30 pm – for siesta. We sat a bit, then we bought ice-cream and continued. This was well after half past 2.

We arrived into Estella very slowly.

We aimed for the first Refugio, the Hospital de Peregrinos, which can accommodate approximately 114 persons. We were the last two! We were lucky, those travelers who arrived after us, got only a foam to sleep on. And some people had to go further. This accommodation was only 4 euros. Around 6 pm we went to find a cheap place to eat.

The train started at 10 pm from Pamplona. We arrived already by 5:30 am.

We walked from the train station to the way into the city, and we found our route. After 10 minutes we got hungry, and we went off the road and looked for a place to have breakfast. After one minute a few old lady helped us to show where is the route =) They were nice, lol

We got our credential or passport at the border of Pamplona, at the University. We started at 9 am, there was 705 km to go.

We went thru Cizur Menor, and already from here you could see the wind mills on the ridge of Sierra del Perdon. We did not know yet at that time, that our route is going that way. We have met with many people on the way.

When we arrived to the top of the hill, there was a beautiful view. And wind. Indeed a good place for windmills. On the way down, there were many big stones, like you see in rivers. My feet got aching from it.

We arrived into Uterga around 1 pm. Exactly at that time, the bells were ringing, and a big queue of people walked on the streets. It looked like some remembering or so. I have seen the pendulum in the bell as it touched the edge of the bell while moving.

When we got into Puenta de la Reina, we were very tired, and we got in the first accommodation – Refugio. The shower was very nice!

In the afternoon we walked in the town, checked the old bridge (puente) and that which way are we going on the next day. We bought some stuff for the night (food, wine, etc).

In 2006, after several (lots) years of work, etc. I thought that I need to renew.

With a friend we travelled to Spain, to Barcelona, and we started our one month trip. We had our tickets back to Budapest, from Madrid, at a certain date, exactly by one month after we arrived (I do not remember by now the dates….Let it be enough that it was summer). And we had around 700 Kms to walk.

We made some basic plans, we had map for each day, printed out on A/4 sheets. Take train to Pamplona, walk to Santiago, take bus to Madrid.

I had a small backpack. For long walking you should not have more weight on you more than 10% of your weight. Lets say for me it is around 6 kg. I had a goose-down sleeping bag/sack, which is only around .8 kg. Very light, but still warm. I had a pair of waterproof sandals, which I could use to change my trekking boots what I use for walking. You really have to have something to change for. It gives some rest to your feet. I had one extra set of cloths (additionally what I was wearing), a bit of more extra for underwear, and socks. Very good socks, I have to say. The plan was that we can wash at each stop/location, where we go to sleep. I had a big notepad, a pen, which I lost in the early days…. I had a warm sweater, a good jacket against wind/rain. I had shower gel which could be used also for hair, and toothbrush, a half tube of toothpaste.I had a small cloth for my head, against the sun. And I had a small piece of stone, which I took from home.

I had no perfume…. I have to tell that after some time I got more sensitive to smells/odors, and I missed to smell perfume. I am not telling I did not use ’shower’ and ‘deo’, but all had a kind of neutral smell, nothing distinct. Its good to smell good perfume, but only some, not a lot. Awww, I don’t like if someone is using a bucket of perfume…. I really recommend to everyone to try this feeling. Do not use any perfume for some time, and then test yourself. Do you miss nice smells? Can you imagine a flower and feel the smell of it? Now think on a half lemon, and think to lick it, You see? how different our senses are?

I had no music player…. I missed music.

I had no mobile phone. Yeah, indeed. I had one, but I lost it, on our trip to Barcelona. I can say, I lost it on the 0. day. I was free. I felt good. =))

So, that is all for beginning. Lets start.

My last photo is dated from yesterday when I tried to took picture about the sunset. How awful =P

Ok. I planned to make a series about my Spanish trip. Maybe it is now the time for it. Yes, I really think so.

Eh.

September is gone. And no word from me.

Eh.

I am in US still, and in the last weeks, I travelled around a bit here. Now with airplane, not driving.

I was in Louisville, Kentucky, and in Allentown, Pennsylvania. But I did not really take photos. Sorry. I was busy with other stuff.

Soon.

Arizona? -> Grand Canyon! Yes, state of Grand Canyon.

But lets go in sequence. First stop by at Montezuma Castle. It is an interesting ‘building’.

And continue with….. Continue Reading »

I forgot this photo from my previous post.

The sun shines here 350 days out of 365,  and so it did this day. And it was raining too!