Walk with Sandra: Camino de Santiago: Day 6 - Pamplona to Puente La Reina (June 19, 2014)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Camino de Santiago: Day 6 - Pamplona to Puente La Reina (June 19, 2014)

I woke up at 5 am this morning and left the municipal albergue at Pamplona at 5:30 am. It was still dark outside but the city lights were on. Nonetheless, fear overcame me briefly as I saw a couple of men walking in the center at that time. I wondered why they were up so early and imagined the worst-case scenario (i.e. a robbery). Faith eventually overcame fear and I kept on walking... and walking... and walking. The morning colors were amazing as I arrived at Cizur Menor to see the sun's rays shone over the hills and wheat fields. The uphill climb was rough but with one step at a time, I reached the peak of Alto de Perdon, or the "Forgiveness Hill" (at elev. 800 m). It was surreal to finally see this landmark in person. On the ascents, I learned to put more weight on my heels versus the toes and knees and noticed a big difference as I worked the biceps. Also, my packs seemed to be surgically attached to my body now as they feel like one with me.

One of the ways to enjoy the spirit of the Camino is to appreciate those who walk with me today. I had the privileged to walk with 2 pilgrims today. Talking, while walking, with them made time pass faster. The first was Gonzalga, from Galicia, Spain. I had picked up a hat on the ascent towards Alto de Perdon and decided to hang it on my pole in case the owner came looking for it - and he did. Gonzalga came walking down and when he saw his hat hanging from my pole, he said that it belonged to him. For a second, I wondered if he was pulling my leg. Anyway, I returned it to him and we started chatting along the way. He told me things about Galicia, and about Spain customs. I liked that his goal was to enjoy the silence of the Camino - to disconnect in order to connect. We parted ways at Uterga as he was faster and wanted to cover more distance today than me.

Next, I met Alexander from Latvia. We had met briefly in Pamplona yesterday. He spoke about his experiences so far on the Camino - I could not believe that he walked from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles from 5 pm to 3 am (most of the way in the cold dark - no photo ops, etc) and then slept outside the albergue because it was closed. He got a stamp from them in the morning anyway and then proceeded to walk to Zubiri. What perseverance! He was so down-to-earth, easy-going, and funny too. He saw a tattered Euro flag hanging from a rural building and asked if a big dog had jumped up to bite it. Lol! It's refreshing to meet someone so authentic like him. As he walked faster than me, he politely bid me farewell and went along his way.

Well, it is siesta time now since pretty much everything's closed in the center between the hours of 2 and 4 pm. I arrived at Puente La Reina at 11:30 am, 6 hours after I started walking, covering a distance of 23.5 km (14.6 miles) today. I'm staying at Albergue Padres Reparadores at 5 euros a night. After showering and laundering my clothes and hanging them out to dry in the hot sun, I headed out to the center to eat - I found a place that served fish and chips for 6 euros. On the way there, I stopped in at the 12th-C Church of Santiago to give thanks. I plan to return there at 8 pm for vespers. The highlight of the town is the Romanesque bridge of Puente La Reina. Built in the 11th-C, the 6-arches bridge was commissioned by Queen Dona to facilitate the passage of pilgrims across the river Arga. Puente La Reina is also where the two main routes of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela converged.

Foot-wise, I still have a blister on a right toe but otherwise, I feel great. I will have to wrap the toe in moleskin and band-aid tomorrow morning. Thanks for reading and being there for me in spirit. God bless and buen camino.