Tag Beaux

Day 8: Logroño to Navarrete

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I hadn’t realized it when I arrived in Logroño but all of Spain and Portugal were experiencing a massive power outage. Even after the power returned, Calle Laurel was pretty quiet, which made it easier to try different pinchos from different places. Overall, it threw a little wrench in my plans so I decided a shorter next day would have to suffice.

The Camino winds through a great green space called Parque de la Grajera. I would have loved to ride the mountain bike trails. I would not have wanted to fall into the reservoir with these guys!

A bull might have been a better mascot. Beaux had to go. He lost a foot, then an ear, and was just too small to photograph. Churches are often a telltale sign that you have arrived.

An excellent dinner with friends followed by a quick stroll to my bed for the night.

Day 2: Roncesvalles to Urdániz

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What a bright beautiful morning! The picture didn’t quite capture the frost… it was 37 degrees. You also can’t see the bells on the horses. I haven’t figured out why one would bell a horse.

Only 787 kilometers to go! Not the most inspiring message at the start of the day, which started far too early as the folks at the monastery began playing Gregorian chants at… 6am. I hope my first stay at an official albergue is not representative of those to come.

Most pilgrims opt to stay in Zubiri after leaving Roncesvalles but I read some reviews applauding the pilgrims’ meal at Acá y Allá so I went the extra mile (technically, 2.5 kilometers). Along the way I spotted this beautiful jacaranda tree.

There was rain in the forecast for about 5pm so I was relieved to see Urdániz up ahead as the sky grayed.

Dinner was both delicious and entertaining as we tried to determine the what and why to the picture on the Vina Igara wine label. I thought maybe it depicted a walker at the end of another 16 mile day.

At the Starting Line

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Today was another challenging travel day. The plan was to get to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPdP) early enough to pickup a Pilgrim’s passport, a water bottle (forgot to replace my hydration bladder after washing the backpack), locate and check into a hostel, wander a bit, then relax before the first big day. Instead, a one hour delay at Dax made me miss the connecting train at Bayonne. A 2 1/2 hour layover there did allow enough time to discover a charming cafe that served up this quesadilla platter. It was basically a ham and cheese crepe made with a tortilla instead and topped off with an egg. It worked.

After obtaining the passport and a water bottle, I found the hostel I had booked. I’m in a 4-bed women’s dorm but luckily, Beaux is my only roommate.

I even had a little time to stroll along the city walls and the citadel.

It is an endearing little town. I’d be more annoyed about being delayed but a lot of the shops are closed due to the holiday.

Beaux on the Go

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Since I don’t have my bike, I decided to bring Beaux the Armadillo along as my travel companion. After many hours on planes and trains, we were happy to have an opportunity to stretch our legs and wander about the city.

Paris has not been without mishap. The train from the airport to the city was out of service. I can’t make the Navigo card I bought for the Metro to work. These issues led to delays that made us miss the last train to Bayonne for the day. The holiday has everybody traveling so train tickets are scarce and expensive. My new phone is locked so I can’t use a local sim card.

On the upside, we arrived. An airport employee invited me to travel with her into the city so I had company and a guide. It has only rained while I’ve been inside something. I found a reasonably priced hotel room off this adorable street. While I don’t know what I’ve been eating, it has all been good.