I've been walking for four days. At this moment I am in a lovely hostel beyond Pamplona. Today is day four of walking for most people. Many of us started together in St. Jean in France. We had a sleepless night worrying about the difficult first day over thr Pyrenees. The weather was drizzly and cold. There was no bailout option...stop at 8 km or go over the top and into Spain. The next day was drizzly too but we were becoming a unit and familiar with each others' name and origins. On the third day we reached Pamplona and some of us stopped before or went beyond. On day four, today, we are injured and cranky. Many people have devastating blisters or cripplingly sore knees.
Today we left from various places in or around Pamplona and felt powerful or wounded. Age is not the difference... sometimes it is training, fitness, equipment, luck. We are tired and scattered.
I've had a great time meeting people from around the world. One evening I was invited to tag along for suppervwith Jose from South America and Pablo from US/Spain. Jos schmoozled the staff at a restaurant to cook a traditional Spanish bean soup. It was so good that I can't describe it. Other pilgrims came in and wanted to order the same but it wasn't a choice and Jose shared our leftovers from our pot. Everyone was swooning at the deliciousness and the atmosphere soon became a great celebration with picture taking and fast friendships. That is the way of the camino.
Yesterday in Pamplona I had a delicious seafood dumpling and glass of red wine for four euros. By fluke, I was on the street where they run the bulls.
Serendippity rains down on me.
Please ignore all typos!!!
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