Stage Two – Roncesvalles to Zubiri

20.5 km.

October 7, 2011

BA..EEP, BA..EEP, BA..EEP, BA...EEP

I was startled out of my sleep at 6:30, in somewhat of a stupor. I couldn’t accept that this was actually the alarm I had to get up for as it had a strange sound to it. I rolled over in my bed and tried to ask some Spanish people who were getting up if that was someone’s personal alarm. They had no idea what I was asking and then the lights came on so I knew I had to get up. My legs, which throbbed and ached during the night, seemed to be better due to some advil I took in the night. There was just a crazy flurry of activity as pilgrims filed into the bathrooms and  rolled up their sleeping bags and stuffed everything into their back packs.

I had to gather my clean laundry from the basement and get it back into my pack and be out of the albergue by 8:00am. I discovered, as did everyone, that it was raining so had to pull out the rain gear to start the day. It was very cool, windy and rainy as I started out in the dark that morning but after about 2 km of walking I had to start taking off jackets as I was very hot. The rain poncho was keeping all the humidity inside, soaking my jackets from the inside out. Wasn’t sure what was worse, just getting wet from the rain or soaked from sweat and humidity.  I walked alone today and battled with the poncho all day. Finally I just left it around my neck and over my backpack so my body could breathe between intermittent rain.

The path was very beautiful today through forests and small villages and hamlets. It was a bit slick underfoot due to the rain but there were less severe up hills today but a steep descent into the small town of Zubiri. I arrived at 2:00pm and I was literally done for the day. Many people walk an additional 5 km today but I was ready to stop. My feet and legs were very sore but I had no blisters..yet. A good sign!

The albergue was a 24- bed  room with the bunks side by side. I would be sleeping directly next to an American woman from L.A. That was her first day walking as she chose not to start in SJPP. I set up my bed, took a shower and washed my clothes. I hung them out to dry under some cover from the drizzle. Then I rested from 3:30 to 5 pm.

Kim and the S. Korean girls arrived about 2 ½ hours after me. (Miss Moon (21)  and Gina (36 year old nurse) and one other that I could not pronounce or remember her name. )The girls spoke very little English and didn’t understand me either. Kim said he didn’t always understand me but usually got the general idea. It must be difficult for the Asian people on the Camino because no one knows their languages except them and they do not know other languages and little bits of English. I observed that the South Koreans ended up travelling in groups even if they came as individuals. They would almost always buy their own food and cook together in the albergues. It was much cheaper to do it that way for sure and I am certain that the diet change was a bit drastic. It would be safety in numbers considering the communication problems but I did meet a couple of South Korean woman and men, who did walk alone but they spoke good English and were quite devout Catholics.

After my nap I was just starving so I decided to go in search of a restaurant to get some food. Ah ha! I found a bar/restaurant up the street and went in. However, this was the beginning of my training in Spanish culture. I could not order anything to eat until 7pm and then I had to eat from the pilgrims menu where one gets a 1^st plata (course or plate), 2^nd plata, dessert, bread, wine or water., The Spanish do not eat dinner till later like 9 or 10 o’clock, when you can order from a menu. In the mean time, if one is hungry you can have tapas (appetizers) that are set out under cover on the bar. They may be heated up or  bread with cheese or ham on it or a plate of olives. I decided to get some chips and a beer and a cafe con leche (coffee with steamed milk) and read my book while I waited for 7 pm. I could also check my email from a kiosk in the bar.I saw a few other pilgrims come and go but I was the only one eating at 7 pm sharp.



Medieval Bridge
Puente de la Rabina crossing the Rio Arga
Legend has it that any animal
passing over will be cured of

rabies.

I got back to the albergue, wrote some notes, studied my guide to see where my next day would lead, doctored my feet and legs,  read a little and listened to a little meditation music on my mp3 player, while lying on my bunk.  It was going to be a noisy night,I thought, with everyone (about 24 pilgrims) sleeping in such close quarters. I put in my earplugs as the lady from LA was already snoring lightly and one of the Korean girls was already asleep above me on the top bunk.  I drifted off to sleep with my aching legs and I thought about what a challange I was in for.