Today, for the second time on my Camino, I decided to carry my full backpack rather than sending it ahead. At 7:30 a.m., Ingrid and I followed the path from Muruzábal to Óbanos, a mere twenty minutes away.
At the entrance to the historic village of Óbanos, we stopped to admire the metal scallop shell, the symbol of the Way, set in concrete pavement. A friendly white horse welcomed us to town. We walked past the neo-Gothic Church of St. John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista), but we didn’t go in. In this town, the noblemen of Navarre met in the 14th century to try to limit the power of the monarchy.
It was only a half hour further to Puenta la Reina. At the entrance to town was the beautiful Church of the Crucifixion, or Iglesia del Crucifijo, today named after the 14th century “Y”shaped crucifix brought here by German pilgrims.
In town, we stopped for breakfast. I went inside the Iglesia de Santiago, with its twelfth century façade and portico. The interior was sombre but was brightened by a gilded statue of Santiago Peregrino. On my way out, I ran into Darina from Slovakia and found out she might stop in Lorca, which was also my destination. Darina and I had quickly come to understand that we both enjoyed walking alone, and at our own paces. However, whenever we stayed in the same town, we would often meet for dinner or beers.
On the way out of town, I strolled through an arch and across the Romanesque Puente la Reina, which means “Queen’s Bridge.” The bridge’s six arches span the Arga, which we had first crossed in Zubiri. The bridge was named in honor of Doña Mayor, wife of Sancho III, who ordered the Romanesque bridge be built to help the increasing numbers of medieval pilgrims cross the river safely. Charlemagne is thought to have stayed in this town after he defeated the Moors in Cizur.
At Puente la Reina, Ingrid and I parted ways because she was moving at too fast a pace for me. I lingered to take photos of the bridge, and she went on her way. Soon, I came upon a Californian named Rubin who was slowly making his way with two bad knees. We had run into a group of Mexican guys earlier, and he was with them but going at a snail’s pace. I had to sneak off into the woods to take care of business. When I got back on the path, I thought for sure I’d overtake him, but I never saw him again. It was hard to believe with those knees that he was outpacing me, but apparently he was!
I continued on my way to Mañeru, which was another 5.2km mostly on level ground but turning into a steep slope with reddish soil and large stones which made progress awkward. This village is linked with the Knights Templar and the Order of St. John, whose influence was considerable in the Middle Ages. Here, I stopped for a coffee break then walked past a small cemetery with a pretty iron cross over the gate.
I continued on another 2.6 km to Cirauqui, passing vineyards and olive groves and fig trees along the way. Cirauqui is a medieval hilltop village with narrow winding streets, archways, and imposing houses with massive main walls and façades, ornate balconies and doorways topped with coats of arms. It was quite a climb into town and I didn’t feel like lingering as I needed to walk another 5.7km to reach Lorca by 3:00 or they’d give away my room, unless I called to let them know I’d be late. As I wasn’t sure my phone would work in Spain, I powered on.
After descending a steep hill from Cirauqui, I came upon a rough track that was once an old Roman road. Alongside, was a rest area / “book crossing;” it offered, for donations, fresh fruit, drinks, tables, chairs, library books and a place to rest in the shade of an olive grove. A young Spanish man with a braid and his girlfriend were operating the stand and said they’d been doing it since July of 2017. He said something to the effect that he hoped the land would become a cultural center in two years.
My pack was feeling ponderous at this point, and it was scorching, so I enjoyed a bit of a rest in the shade.
Finally, it was a long tough slog 5.7 km to Lorca under a relentless sun. The dirt track meandered gently downhill through open farmland and parallel to a highway. We tunneled under the highway several times and then walked under a modern aqueduct (canal de Alloz). I didn’t really chat with anyone all day, so it was a bit lonely. On the hot, shadeless dirt track, it seemed to be a day of centipedes. The Way seemed to be crawling with them, or maybe it was just the heat making me delusional!
We crossed a medieval stone bridge over the inviting río Salado (Salt River) before the long uphill climb to Lorca, and although many pilgrims had stopped to soak their feet, I didn’t stop because I had run out of water and just wanted to get to Lorca and have a cool drink. It was miserable as there was little shade and my mouth and throat felt like sandpaper; I kept stopping to catch my breath under each tiny bit of shade I could find.
I finally arrived at Lorca at 2:00, drenched in sweat. I was never so happy to arrive somewhere. This quaint village is the site of a former pilgrim hospice with connections to the monastery at Roncesvalles.
Ingrid was sitting at the door of La Bodega del Camino, looking red-faced and irritable, but she had to go on because she’d reserved a room further on. I felt so bad for her because it had been a grueling walk and it would only get hotter as she hiked on. It also happened to be her birthday; I didn’t think today’s walk could have offered much of a birthday celebration.
I secured my room and went right upstairs to shower and wash my clothes. While I was having a tinto verrano and a cool gazpacho at the bar, Darina arrived. We arranged to meet for dinner in the cafe of the albergue at 6:30. I went up to my room and lay down to catch up on Instagram and write in my journal.
At a dinner of paella (a frozen pre-made and heated version), Darina and I were joined by Josh and his sister Lisa. Josh, who lived in Washington, D.C., would be starting a new job at USAID the following week, and Lisa would continue to Santiago without him. Pat from Seattle checked in at the albergue right across from Bodega, but she partook in the pilgrim meal there.
I had a bottom bunk in a nice 6-person room. We were given sheets and pillowcases but no blankets. I hadn’t yet used my sleeping bag, and was trying to avoid using it to see if I could do without it and possibly toss it out (reducing the weight in my pack). When darkness descended, the cooling night air made me wish I had taken it out, but I didn’t want to rifle through my pack in the middle of the night, possibly waking the other pilgrims. Instead I put on my fleece and leggings, but it was hard to be comfortable without any covers on. To warm up, I did knee exercises in my bed, trying not to disturb my five roommates. 🙂
Ruminations {week one}
The first week of my Camino was all about getting into the rhythm of the walk: determining when to eat breakfast and when to stop for snacks or second breakfasts, learning to listen to my body’s needs and limitations, figuring out the afternoon routine once I checked into the albergue, learning how to sleep with hordes of people in the same room, realizing that I didn’t want to walk in the late afternoons when there was no respite from the sun. I quickly learned to reserve rooms ahead of time because of the crowds.
The challenges of my first week included getting used to carrying my full backpack. I only carried it two days, opting to send it ahead for the other five, but those two days were misery. After the first week, I would opt to send it ahead for the rest of my Camino.
The heat was another challenge. The early mornings were pleasantly cool and the sunlight lovely, but around 10:00 a.m. it got hot and by 11-12, it was usually sweltering. Walking up and down hills in the heat with little shade made me wonder how on earth people did the Camino in the summer.
Problems with my loved one would become a near constant on my Camino and I often shared with other pilgrims my fears, worries, and even my hopes. I would find consolation from many compassionate people, some of whom would share a related story that was highly personal, without offering unwanted advice. After a deep talk, they would often disappear on the horizon and I’d never see them again, as if they were angels who dropped in to console and assure me I wasn’t alone in my struggles. These were sacred moments.
My first hope was to befriend everyone I met, which is how I often feel whenever I am thrust into the midst of people I don’t know. I had that optimistic view in the first heady days of walking. Soon it became apparent I would be naturally attracted to certain people, and them to me. Just like in life, some people got on my nerves. Others I had no feeling about one way or the other. Some people I hoped to befriend, but they seemed standoffish, and I’m not one to pursue people who don’t seem interested. I never considered latching on to anyone and walking with them the entire way; that simply wasn’t my way. I wanted time for silence and contemplation, although I was happy to have chats with pilgrims who would walk beside me for a while. I enjoyed sharing intimately with fellow pilgrims and listening to their stories; this rarely happens in everyday life. I also liked to walk at my own leisurely pace, stopping to take pictures or to rest whenever the urge hit me. I loved the long stretches of silent reflection and stopping into churches to pray.
My first week’s highlights included the first two days walking over the Pyrenees. Between the excitement of starting out and the magnificent scenery, I felt great energy and enthusiasm. I enjoyed walking with Ingrid those first days. I was entranced by bucolic scenes of green meadows and infinite peaks, spotted pigs, cows, long-haired sheep, black-faced sheep (churros), horses wearing gently clanging bells, and a beech forest, the trees gnarled and moss-covered.
Another favorite day was walking from Pamplona to Muruzábal. We had gorgeous scenery all day, topped off with the climb to Alto del Perdon. There we had magnificent views of wind turbines twirling on the ridge line and rusted sheet metal pilgrims headed westward in a line. On that day, I met Darina from Slovakia, who would become a dear friend on my Camino, and who would encourage me to take a bicycle on a detour to explore the 12th century Romanesque church of Eunate. This was of my most memorable moments on the Camino.
I found myself captivated by anise, blackberries, thistles, prickly weeds, figs, olive groves, huge square haystacks, rolling farmland, medieval stone bridges, and meandering rivers. I became obsessed with collecting sellos (stamps) in my pilgrim credenciale. I loved the tapas in Pamplona and the potato tortillas and café con leche that became regular “second breakfasts” along the Way. I loved the pilgrim meals where people shared their reasons for doing the Camino and fellowship evolved among pilgrims. I loved simply being outside each day, putting one foot in front of the other, with no other obligation whatsoever. It felt like a daydream, magical and otherworldly.
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Muruzábal to Óbanos (1.8 km)
Óbanos to Puente la Reina (2.2 km)
Iglesia de Santiago in Puente la Reina
Puente la Reina
Puente la Reina to Mañeru (5.2 km)
Mañeru
Mañeru to Cirauqui (2.6 km)
Cirauqui to Lorca (5.7 km)
Lorca
*Day 7: Monday, September 10, 2018*
*29,410 steps, or 12.46 miles: Muruzábal to Lorca (17.7 km)*
You can find everything I’ve written so far on the Camino de Santiago here:
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On Sundays, I post about hikes or walks that I have taken in my travels; I may also post on other unrelated subjects. I will use these posts to participate in Jo’s Monday Walks or any other challenges that catch my fancy.
This post is in response to Jo’s Monday Walk: Rock Cistus and Water.
Love that opening image, Cathy! To me it’s all peace and stillness. Much needed with the turbulence going on in your life. 🙂 Great that you hit it off with Darina. It’s good when you find someone who’s happy to walk solo but then likes to share later. I tend to be like that. Many thanks to you, hon, and I hope that some of life’s problems are resolving themselves. Love to you and Mike xx
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Thanks, Jo. It was all very peaceful, at least until it got hot and I got parched because I ran out of water. I loved the way Darina and I worked out a friendship on the Camino that worked for both of us. I really loved my mindless, contemplative walking without having to think of anything! And it was always great to meet Darina or other pilgrims in the evenings. About the problems, who knows if they will ever resolve themselves. At this moment we are in the dark. All we can do is turn it over. Love to you and Mick, too. xxx
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Your very first photo is a beauty, Cathy.
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Thank you.
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This is great. It’s something we’ve been talking about doing for the past few years and hopefully will manage sooner rather than later. I love the detail and the photos. Tell you one thing though – no way I’ll be carrying a rucksack!!!!
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I hope you will do it, if you can, Marie. You will find it very rewarding, for sure. It’s so easy to send backpacks ahead at the cost of about 3-5 euros a night. What is an all day walk for a pilgrim is about a 10-20 minute drive for the vans that transport them. I highly recommend it! 🙂
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How absolutely fantastic a walk! Thanks for taking me with you. But, lazy as I am, I’m glad it was only a virtual walk for me. 😀
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Thanks for coming along, Pit! I doubt you’re as lazy as you say, with all your bicycling! But I’m glad you enjoyed it from the comfort of your home. 🙂
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Thanks for your trust in me, Cathy, but I must confess that I haven’t been on my bicycle since in the middle of last year – sadly.
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It will be spring soon, Pit, so I’m sure you’ll be back in the saddle again soon. 🙂
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I keep trying to kick myself in the butt, but that’s so difficult to reach! 😀
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Haha! You’re hilarious! 🙂
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🙂
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How beautiful it all looks. However, like Pit, I’m glad I am only accompanying you virtually! You seem to have worked out well how to get the best out of your days, with a balance between solitude and comradeship.
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Thanks, Anabel. The first third of the Camino was my favorite scenery-wise. I should have mentioned that as well. The early parts of the Meseta were gorgeous, but the later parts were flat and dull. I did learn to juggle quite well my times for solitude and fellowship. It worked out perfectly for me overall, I think. 🙂
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Thank you for doing the walking for me, and letting me share at my living room table. I especially enjoyed your reflections on the week’s walking – It gave me deeper insight into you, and some good ideas for encapsulating a journey,
(Just an aside. I’d love the photos to be tied to the account, i.e. interspersed rather than all at the end. My aging finger gets tired scrolling backwards and forwards to make the connections, and the photos seem to take a while to load.)
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Thanks for coming along on my walk, Meg. I’m glad you enjoyed the ruminations on the week. My intention was only to write those, and not a day-by-day account, but I’ve changed my mind as I want to record it all for myself, mainly. Each day felt so rich in experience, that I want to have it all for posterity sake. 🙂
Thank you for your suggestion as to tying the photos to each bit of text. I’m debating about this; I know what you mean exactly as I don’t like scrolling up and down to see related photos. Sometimes, when my focus is on prose, then I like the prose to be all together to keep a flow going. However, for the Camino walks, my focus isn’t so much on the prose as it is on the whole experience. I will write my next one as you suggest and then maybe I’ll continue writing them all that way. On my prose-focused posts, I want to keep the prose together to keep a flow going, but on these Camino posts I don’t think it’s necessary. I think often people just look at pictures and don’t actually read what’s in between the photos, but that’s up to them in the end, whether they will read it or not. Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂 Where can I find your latest writings? Or are you still not blogging?
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Normally the extended prose and then gallery works, but this one was so many different places. I hope you didn’t mind my comment. I think I’ve lost a bit of my politeness-regulator as I age!
Am I still blogging? Yes. Am I still posting? Intermittently I post publicly, and I think I’ve managed to sort it out so people can comment on the public blogs. One of the things I’m being indulgent about is the length of posts- what once would have been three posts is now one, to, as you say, keep the flow going. I’ve nearly finalized a Journey Itself one to link to your March 19th post.
It’s a new blog: https://formeandafew.com. If you follow, public posts should appear in Reader.
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I’ve written my next several posts as you suggested (which is the same way I used to write all my posts in the past!), and we’ll see how I like them. I do dislike scrolling up and down while reading a post, so I understand perfectly how you feel.
I’ll go check in to see if you’ve posted anything new. I thought I was following, but I might have missed some while traveling for 11 days at the end of Feb.-early March. I look forward to reading your Journey post! I need to get busy writing my next one myself. 🙂
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Still no ability to comment on your blog, Meg. 🙂
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Depends on the date of the post. Comment ability only began yesterday with the animals on bikes post.
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I missed the animals on bikes. Have to check back then! 🙂
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Lovely to hear how you felt about your first week. Seems you were settling into a fairly good routine. The bridge and river reflection is so nice. Hope life at home is going well.
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My intention was only to write a weekly summary, so I’m glad you liked that, Jude. I will do one at the end of each week. I changed my mind about writing a daily account as each day was so rich in experience, so I want to record it all for myself. I’m also able to relive it by writing it all; when I do it, I also remember things I forgot to write in my journal.
That bridge and reflection was beautiful, as was the scenery on the first half of this walk.
Life at home is fine, Jude, but we don’t know what has become of our youngest. No word from him in several weeks. We’re letting him have space, and we need to detach anyway. Getting ready now for my trip to Morocco and Italy. 🙂
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[…] (Camino: day 7) Muruzabal to Lorca & ruminations (week one) […]
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Wonderful, your posts are so generous Cathy, I don’t want them to end
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Thanks so much, Gilly. It will take me nearly a year to finish them, so they won’t be ending any time soon! 🙂
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Found another one I missed. Must have been a busy time for me in some way but I have caught up now I hope. Loved this one and as usual, your photographs amaze me. Amaze me because when I get tired my photographs show it! My hands seem too weary to hold the camera straight or without wobbling and I can tell my state of tiredness from my photos, often. Despite your weariness you manage to produce crystal sharp pictures. I envy that ability. Particularly like the river reflections (was it River Reina)?
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You must be busy, but don’t worry, we all are. You’re so nice that you keep reading. I have checked into your blog and it seems to be either closed or to have no posts on it. Have you stopped blogging? Or should I be looking elsewhere?
The Puente la Reina (Queen’s Bridge – I guess Reina means queen) crossed the River Arga.
As for my pictures, many did not turn out well, but I tried not to include them or I deleted them! I’m surprised with how clear some of them were. I brought a small Canon with me, but I ended up using my phone camera for almost the whole Camino! I can’t believe they turned out as well as they did. Thanks so much for your compliments, Mari. 🙂
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Not blogging so much these days but did put one up last week. I’m a volunteer at our local archives where we are transcribing 17th-18th century documents, the idea being that they will eventually be put up on a website for general use: but first it’s transcribe, print, scan, then catalogue. I am surprised how tired this is leaving me!
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I still can’t find any posts, Mari. Are you still at Travels with Camera, or on a different blog? That job sounds very meticulous and tiring! I hope you get some rest. 🙂
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I think it is a unique fellowship amongst the pilgrims walking the Camino trail. It is a feat of personal endurance. I imagined I might do a similar pilgrim’s walk in Norway to Trondheim, but I won’t get there now. It is lovely to walk along with you in a virtual sense.
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There is definitely a fellowship that forms among pilgrims on the Camino. The walk from Norway to Trondheim sounds interesting. Thank you so much for walking with me virtually, and for taking the time to comment. 🙂
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The pleasure was mine. All the best.
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