Beilari, the guesthouse I stayed in last night in St. Jean Pied de Port, was a great way to start the Camino. Their 26€ rate included a bed, dinner, and breakfast. The best part was the communal dinner - it was a chance for me to meet and speak with the other pilgrims. We had a good mix of nationalities represented at the dinner: France, Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. We started the night with an aperitif, followed by introductions, and then the meal which included a cream of zucchini soup for starter, rice and vegetables for main, and yogurt and herbal tea for dessert; wine, water, and bread were served as well.
After breakfast at Beilari, I started the Camino at 7:50 am today at the Pilgrim's Gate in St. Jean Pied de Port on a beautiful, tranquil morning. It took me 4 hours (12.9 km; 8 miles) to walk to Valcarlos, a Basque town in Navarra, Spain. The solo morning walk was marvelous. Walking southwards across farm lands, river valleys, and through forests, with views of the Pyrenees, I felt like I was in God's country. I loved that goats, cows, and sheeps grazed freely in green pastures and that flowers grew wildly along the camino. Summer is upon us and everything around me is alive and well. I came across bikers holling out "Buen Camino" to me as they wheezed by. I chatted briefly with random locals, all of them happy and welcoming.
Above: You may wish to listen to the Pilgrims' Hymn as you start your pictorial tour of my first day on the Camino
Above: Starting the Camino at the Gate of St. Jacques - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, this is the historic entrance for pilgrims en-route to Santiago de Compostela via St. Jean Pied de Port towards Roncevalles.
Above left: After crossing the gate of Notre-Dame; this gate has the statues of St. John the Baptist and the Virgin and Child, which bless all travelers below
Above left: Flora on the Camino - purple foxgloves (top left) are commonly seen
Above: Having crossed the border to Navarra, Spain, I arrived at Arneguy at 10:40 am
Above left: View of Valcarlos, where I stayed the night
I checked into an empty albergue at Valcarlos (with a code given to me by someone at a nearby restaurant) and had the place to myself for a bit before other pilgrims started to stream in. After I settled in, I took a shower, washed my clothes, and then lined them out to dry under the hot sun. Two thumbs up to this albergue. The cost is only 10€ per night; it is clean, the bathrooms have hot showers, and it offers free Wi-Fi. Since meals are not included, I went to a mercado nearby to purchase some food. I also had a cheese omelette with fries for lunch at the restaurant next door for 5€.
So, what do you know? A group of pilgrims from my home town in California is staying at the albergue too. They cooked a big dinner and invited the rest of us in the albergue to join in - it's so nice and generous of them. They embody the Spirit of the Camino to share, welcome, and appreciate.
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