Author: Thom

This morning I slightly overslept, and Herve and I left about 6:30 – half an hour after I wanted to leave. The morning air was cold, but there was no cloud in the sky and the day I promised heat. We walked through the old town gate, through the newer part of the village, and passed the cemetery. The Camino […]

By 5 AM the pilgrims were everywhere stirring in the albergue, and within half an hour, many of them were already packed and getting ready to go. by 5:45 AM, many had already hit the road.The sun wouldn’t rise for another half hour. The heat had made early morning converts of us all.While I had no intention of leaving until […]

Somehow Herve and I were actually up and out 6:05. We walked out of the old town and into the more modern sections of Pamplona. Even where there were towering modern apartment blocks, in the distance I could hear a rooster crow.  Four times I’ve walked out of Pamplona. I have never failed to get lost at least briefly. At […]

Up and packed by 6:30, breakfast at 7:00, and out the door by 7:30. It was important to get out early, because the forecast called for 40° C (104° F) again today in Pamplona, our destination.  It’s possible that 7:30 was even too late.  Herve and I recrossed the medieval stone bridge back to the Camino and were on our […]

Lights on at 6 AM in the Roncesvalles albergue. There are hundreds of pilgrims here. Herve and I got breakfast in the hotel next door. It started at 7 AM, and we were out of the door by about 7:45. We were definitely not leading the pack today.  The weather was cool but that would not last. Before leaving, I […]

After a hearty breakfast with a large group of pilgrims at Beilari, I headed out. I left one of Francine’s cards with Joseph at Beilari, and we embraced. He was touched by Francine’s story, and he was so kind to me, coming back ten years after the both of us had been there together. It was a cold, misty morning. […]

Today was a day of rest. It was also a day of errands and writing.  The first necessity was new shoes. After putting about 1200 km on my previous pair, they were done. I was very fortunate in that the best of the pilgrim shops here carries the brand and model that I prefer.  As I came out of the […]

The day dawned cold and clear in the mountains. Breakfast with 28 pilgrims was a bit of a madhouse. I had a great conversation with a Swiss-American woman named Julie who had walked from Moissac on the Via Podiensis. She, like most of the folks I talked to, is ending her pilgrimage in Saint-Jean today. Herve and I finally left […]

A long breakfast with Herve and our hostess, Madame Dueé.  We didn’t leave until very late. The first stop was the village church at 8:30. Not only was it locked, which is a thing I’ve gotten used to, there’s a sign on it that says it is closed to the public. I’m pretty sure that sign is a violation of Canon […]