Pilgrims on the Way

This is the final descent into the town of Zubiri. I had originally planned on going as far as Larrasoaña today, but the descent left me bone-tired. It was, after all, my very first day of Camino walking, and no matter how much training you do, it never stacks up to the actual thing. My companions, Eamon and Cliff, were […]

The descent into Zubiri flattens out occasionally into fields or clearings. Here’s a photo of yours truly taking a brief break from the downhill walk in one such place. The fellow on the left was walking with his parents, and he’s way more energetic than I was. But, hey – at least the rain stopped. Date: 02 April 2013Place: approaching […]

My beautiful bride Francine refers to these sorts of rocky, treacherous downhill bits as “goat paths” on the theory that they were clearly designed for the use of goats and not people. Going down into Zubiri, we come to the first of these – a Roman Road Goat path. It’s actually not dangerous (except when it’s raining), but it does […]

This is always good advice. I needed it then, and I needed it this morning. There are quite a few signs like this along the length of the Camino, and they often pop up just when you need a little dose of encouragement. Date: 02 April 2013Place: Between Viscarret and Puerto de Erro (Navarra, Spain) MAP! Here’s the route I’m […]

In several places, the Camino follows the old Roman road network. Here we see what happens when your road is pillaged for building material for more than a thousand years. That’s Eamon up ahead. I think he’s photographing a flower. Date: 02 April 2013Place: Between Viscarret and Puerto de Erro (Navarra, Spain) MAP! Here’s the route I’m walking today (Roncesvalles […]

Sometimes it takes a sudden vista to remind you that you’re still walking down out of the Pyrenees – and will be for a week. Navarra is gorgeous, even in the rain. I’m partial to mountains anyway, having grown up in the dead flat of Chicago, but there’s something homey and hobbity about the northern Pyrenees. Date: 02 April 2013Place: […]

You don’t often get traffic jams on the Camino, but when you do they usually involve livestock. This flock of sheep is coming down a farm road to take over the Camino on their way to their grazing pasture. Fortunately for me, this photo was taken looking backwards towards the village of Viscarret where we had lunch, so we missed […]

Just around a corner in one of the little plazas of Viscarret, we came upon a bar with outdoor seating and lots of pilgrims. We sat down to my first Camino lunch. Here we see Cliff and Eamon chowing down on their packed lunches. I, on the other hand, popped into the bar and discovered the delights of the bocadillo […]