May 11th–

Happy Mother’s Day !!

Caroline passed thermodynamics, Alexandra loves trekking, Hamilton is managing well and so I’m celebrating my mini-universe today.

The day was over-cast, cool and windy, a nice break from yesterday’s intense sun. It was a long walk into Logrona and a long walk out. We find walking in the cities the hardest. With pavement and noise we have to be on constant lookout for our guiding yellow arrows. We saw our first stork nesting on an electricity tower. Apparently she didn’t get the note from the parent police that it might not be a safe place.

Fortified with more coffee and tea and finally some eggs and ham (usually it is bread, pasta, jam and more bread) we were able to make it to the other side of the city into a long park full of bikers, walkers, children, fisherman and picnickers enjoying the nice weather. This is where I found the hermetically sealed shrine to Mary and Jesus. I’ve seen so many statues encased this way.

A rest, ibuprofen and the iPod gave me enough spring in my step to finish the last 5 miles. We have been in the Navarre region this entire walk and today we entered Roija, the big wine making region. We have walked over 200km in 10 days and are 1/4 way to our destination.

High up by the side of a highway we walked along a mile of chain link fence covered with thousands of crosses made of sticks by the passing pilgrims.

As we came into town we followed this shepherd and flock of sheep with three dogs keeping the rear guard. Alexandra and I are totally enchanted by sheep, goats and their tinkling bells.

We treated ourselves to a private room in the Alburgue but the one toilet and two showers are shared with 18 others. There is a second toilet but is two floors down. I hung out the window to hang up the wash and was relieved I could get back through the narrow window. Definitely a new skill set.

More pasta, a salad and yogurt with Donald Duck decorating the label was a satisfying supper and I then strolled to yet another golden cathedral. Three stories of wall to wall gold glowing in the dim light.

“Blessed are you pilgrim, when you don’t have words to give thanks for everything that surprises you at every turn and twist of the way.”