Obanos

Good day walking. A couple of Camino highlights (above): Alto del Perdón and the Church of Santa María de Eunate (8 sided church that has stood for 855 years!)

Also, fields of wheat, peas, and rapa (rape seed - yellow flowers).

Tomorrow at Casa Maralotx in Cirauqui.

Zariquiegui (Alburgue San Andrés)

Beautiful weather today! Walked 11 km out of Pamplona and halfway up Alto del Perdón. My ankle held up well, so continuing up over the 350m "hill" tomorrow and onward to Obanos (Casa Raichu).

Several churches and ruins dating back to the 12th century along the way today: 

And gardens in Pamplona:

If you want to make God laugh...

... tell Him your plans.

I never expected this trip to conform to plans, but I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon.

The first two days over the Pyrenees went quite well. My legs were very tired at the end of day 2 (in Roncesvalles), but no pain, no blisters, all good.

At the start of day 3 (to Urdániz) my left shin and ankle felt a little off. This got gradually worse over the first 5 miles, especially when walking in slippery mud.

In the next couple of miles, as I started to wince at the pain, my hiking companion Alexa helped me come to terms with the reality that I was not going to finish the day on my feet.

They say: "The Camino will provide."

When we arrived at the edge of the next village (Bizkarreta), there was a hired van loading a small group headed to Zibiri, just short of my destination. I got into the one open seat and was delivered directly to my hostel in Urdániz!

It was hard to let go of the dream of making the whole journey uninterrupted and on foot. But each person needs to complete this journey in their own way. And my way will require doing what is needed to care for my leg. Amor fati.

With the good counsel and support of friends back home (Thank you Jess, Irene, and Emily), as well as other pilgrims at the hostel, I decided to take the bus to Pamplona the next day (yesterday). I already had today scheduled as a rest day in Pamplona, and I am sipping coffee on the street while writing this.

I contemplated going back and walking the sections I skipped. But the consensus of the pilgrims that I have talked with is to keep moving forward - the journey is to Santiago, regardless of the mode of travel. So, I am embracing the wisdom of the community and continuing on, as best I can.

Tomorrow, I will attempt to walk 6 miles to Albergue San Andrés in Zarikiegi.

The next day takes me over Alto del Perdón, but I am planning to limit the distance again, probably to Obanos.

As for my leg, it is getting better. No pain when walking (on flat ground with no pack), but the ankle still feels a little tender. Stretching, resting, and wrapping are about all I can do for now. Hopefully I will be able to keep moving forward, if slower. 

City Walls and a Grand Cathedral (Pamplona)

As a gateway to/from the Pyrenees, Pamplona has been a strategic center for at least t,wo thousand years. It's an old, walled city where the streets are narrow canyons that bend and intersect in all different ways.

The cathedral is spectacular. It's a complex of besutiful structures and additions from the late middle ages.

Below is the tower in last photo, from the inside. 27 meters. 13th century and still standing!

This is a floor:

Staying in Pamplona again tomorrow.

Urdániz

Started from Roncesvalles (above) with a rainy morning hike through lush green woods. In Urdániz tonight. 

Tomorrow heading back to Pamplona. 

The Bear went over the mountains (Roncesvalles)

Sunrise over the Pyrenees. 

And then... walk.

It was a long day of walking up over the mountains and down to Roncesvalles. But I met a great companion early on, and spent much of the day in fascinating conversations with a kindred spirit from the other side of the world (Perth, Australia).

Here I am at the top, at Col de Lepoeder.

Tonight I'm staying in a monastery that has been hosting pilgrims since the 13th century. 

Tomorrow is a long walk ~25 kilometers - but relatively level. Will be spending the night near Ilarratz.

Borda

Beautiful hike though the French countryside today, after Easter mass at a 14th century cathedral. Got a little wet and chilled at the end, but a hot shower and a communal dinner with 16 pilgrims finished the day nicely.

Climbed 800 meters in 8.5 kilometers today. Quite steep through much of it. Photos below gives a sense. Trail went up to the peak of the first photo (and further up from there.) Second photo is from that peak looking back down to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Tomorrow: 16k over the pass and down to Roncesvalles.