And Now For the Packs!

Today is our 6th day of walking and our first with our packs -we did 13 miles!

We started from Puenta La Reina, or Queen's bridge commissioned by Dona Mayor, wife of Sancho 111, to support medieval pilgrims crossing the Arga river.  It is a  stunning bridge and the Camino goes right over it.

Last night in the aubergue was surprisingly good for both of us considering we were sleeping with 10 other people in the room - mostly young who didn't get up much in the night.  We let the mass of pilgrims leave, and as we waited for the post office to open at 8:30, we had coffee con leche and hot chocolate.  We packed up another 5.5 pounds of things to send ahead to lighten our load.  I am down to 2 shirts, 2 pants, long underwear tops, 2 camisoles, 2 pairs of socks and 2 underwear.  I also sent ahead my rain jacket and pants which are heavy in lieu of the new poncho I have that will cover my pack.  This feels even more liberating!  The heaviest things we are carrying are the said ponchos, sleeping bag and food for our picnic lunch.

As we were leaving over the bridge we ran into some Orrison (the first night) friends we hadn't seen for days and had a photo op celebrating our first day carrying our packs, then it was off on the walk.  We were warned that this would be a day of little shade and the temperature was expected to hit 90.

Marshall and Dan from Asheville, NC

Leaving Puenta La Reina with our packs

We walked through a couple of wonderful villages and in Cirauqui, found  lovely streets and architecture as well as  helpful people who got the right foot cream for Diana in the pharmacy, who suggested a wonderful place for an egg breakfast, and in the cafe, a man who helped figure out the phone issue we had. We were concerned with the late (9 am) start we were making, that we would not make it to Estella, our target town in time to get a bed before all the albergues filled up and wanted to make a reservation.

                             

                               

                                  A kind Ciauquian who posed at his door

  

Leaving Cirauqui, we walked over an old Roman road and bridge.  I liked noting it, but much prefer walking on the gravel path than having to navigate the uneven stones of either the Roman or Medieval roads.

We slathered ourselves in sun block including the tips of our ears and behind our legs and walked along fields most of the day in search of a little shade for our picnic.  Even the square in Lorca, the next town was sun drenched.  They weren't kidding - no shade!  The only trees we found along the way that had a modicum of shade had been used by other pilgrims as toilets.  We kept moving on sustained by chocolate and a few cashews with perspiration streaming off our bodies.  In my case, I was wiping my runny nose (my cold is at that stage now) and my kerchief was soaked.  Through all of this, we learned how to adjust our packs so they were most comfortable (with the weight seated on the hips) and blessed the cool breezes and marveled at the beauty of the landscape and wildflowers bordering the trail.  

     Cairins along the road with vineyards and the next village in the distance.

                                 

         It looked like other pilgrims had the same idea to lighten their loads!

At one point we passed kilometers of wild blackberries that were ripe.  It looked a little like the 'feeding the masses' parable from the Bible because I know there were enough blackberries for any pilgrim who noticed them and wanted them.

The Camino graffiti found in the cool tunnels under the highway is creative and fun to read.

We arrived in Villatuerta Puente, 3.7 km, or 2.5 miles from our intended destination of Estella and were so elated to see a sign for an Albergue, La Casa Magica.  We headed straight for it and entered a cool medieval building with no one around.  After calling 'Ola', or 'Hello', we were greeted by a lovely woman.  I tried my Spanish by asking "Tennes dos camas for esta noche?"  She replied in perfect English, "Yes, rest your sticks, take off your packs and your shoes and sit down - have some water."  At which point, I just burst into tears.  Her kind welcome was so generous.  While she went to get something we fished out sandals and I made myself comfortable in the hammock chair.

Diana looked at her feet and when Simone (originally from Brazil) saw them, she said "Take a shower, do laundry and I'll call the clinic for you - they can treat your feet."  The house is lovely with 4 rooms with 5 beds each, great showers, sitting porch, courtyard for drying laundry (she did our laundry for us), an internet nook and several sitting rooms.

    Pyramid at the clinic

The clinic was lovely and Diana is set to walk again tomorrow.  There are a few people limping around here and I followed one man's idea of soaking my feet for a while in cold water - it felt delicious!

I am finding that the day's walk is often long and hard and I get recharged over a great pilgrim's dinner and conversation, a good night's rest, and am ready to do it again the next day.  We are now waiting as Simone and her lovely husband, Miguel prepare a vegetarian meal.

My Angel Card today was 'Patience' - I am glad I was patient for the gift of La Casa Magica and the magic I feel for being held so lovingly in this beautiful home.  We're also lucky that we had trouble getting through on the phone to make a reservation in Estella.  This feels like a bit of heaven.

From the tunnel - to all of us!