Day 6: Estella - Los Arcos (22 kms)

I leave a bit late -- about 8:30 am.  I first have a coffee and cream pastry, then start my walk.  It is drizzling again, that continuous light unending rain -- the tsirimiri.  It continues on up the gradual uphill to Irache where the wine fountain is. Although sadly, since I get there about 10 am, not a drop is left.

The uphill continues on to Villamayor de Monjardin where I have another cafe con leche and a media bocadillo franceza (scrambled eggs on a half baguette) for lunch at 12 noon.  The Tres Amigos from South Korea are also there and we chat a bit.  From there, the rains continue on through country roads and lush green fields and hills, vineyards and olive tree groves under grey and cloudy skies.  Achingly beautiful scenery.

My feet are getting very sore and a pressure point on my right ankle is bothering me. I am in a trance-like state. I hear and feel the rain pitter-pattering on my raincoat.  I see the drops falling down my cap hood.  I feel my solitariness yet my belonging to the whole scheme of things.  My thoughts are wandering all over the place.  Endless hills are on sight, as well as the unending trail. The phrase der Weg ist die Ziel in German, or roughly, "the way is the goal," keeps on playing in my mind, like a mantra.

Finally at 4 pm, a city appears. It is Los Arcos, my goal for the day. I check in at a private pilgrim house, Casa de la Abuela -- the owner and hospitalero is very kind and welcoming as is the place.

I go with a group of pilgrims to mass at the church where a pilgrim blessing is given at the end.  Later we have dinner at Restaurant Mavi recommended by the hostel owner. I have a great sopa cocido, stewed chicken, and flan plus red wine, the pilgrim menu all for 11 euros.  As we walk back to the hostel, it starts raining again.

Wine fountain at Irache.  Tip: get there early.  Tip for the early: leave some for the latecomers. :-)

Grimacing cat, not so happy with the rain...

Grey clouds on the Way

Villamayor de Monjardin

Church at Los Arcos

Leaving Los Arcos 

Day 5: Puente la Reina - Estella (22 kms)

I start early today, about 7:50 am and am thinking of just snacking along the way, but I am immediately sidetracked right outside the albergue by a warm and welcoming cafe.  I go in for a cup of cafe con leche, a pan neapolitana (a chocolate croissant, pan chocalat in France) and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Great breakfast!  I cross over the Puente de las Peregrinos on the way out of Puente la Reina.

From there the trails pass through olive trees and vineyards up to Maneru, then to Ciraqui.  I stop for an hour at noon for a lunch of tortillas con jamon and tortas patatas in Lorca.  From here, I continue walking, this time with 2 British pilgrims, Caroline and Joanna, to Estella.  They are friends who first met as English teachers in Japan and live now in different places, but who come together for a trip every so often.  We arrive in Estella around 3 pm and check in at the  Albergue Municipal.  Happiness!-- we get bottom bunks!  It is not raining when we get there but it starts raining about 4:30 pm. It is a nice small town.

I join the 2 British girls for dinner.  We get some groceries at a nearby store and cook at the albergue kitchen -- fusilli pasta with a bottled tomato sauce and canned mushrooms, washed down with 2 cans each of Spanish San Miguel beer.  All of this cost us only 3 euros each. Early to bed.

Breakfast!

Puente de la Reina

 
 

Blue and copper door

Olive tree orchard

Fountain at Lorca

 

Nearing Estella

Once in a while, you see scrawled political messages showing Basque unrest -- Estella's Basque name is Lizarra

 

Buen Pan, Excelente Agua y Vino, Carne y Pescado, Llena de Toda Felicidad (Good Bread, Excellent Water and Wine, Meat and Fish, All Full of Happiness)

 

Iglesia de San Miguel, Estella