Author Archives: Lizhk

It is Camino coincidences that has you meeting the same people again and again. Not only Tobias and Muffin but also Bill and Chin from Maryland, Virginia. Everywhere we went, there they were. They are with an ‘unguided’ tour group which meant the tour organizers took care of moving their luggage leaving them to carryContinue reading “Day 9, Vianna to Logroño”

Todays post is about a guy and his dog who we keep meeting along the way. I first saw Muffin and Tobias at Orrison. We were having dinner and I looked out the window and there was a young man with a huge backpack tieing his dog to the fence while he came in andContinue reading “Day 8, Los Arcos to Vianna”

We have passed the 100k mark from Roncesvalles which means we have walked a tad more than 124k. We spotted a sign telling us that at a blacksmith’s shop a couple of k up from Estella. Everyone has been anticipating today, the day we walk to a wine fountain! The Bodegas Irache winery is alongsideContinue reading “Day 7 Estella to los Arcos”

3 pieces of gear The couple from Australia pass us. He’s wearing a kilt. Go figure. And yes he does wear underwear his wife informs us. They also wear ankle gaitors. These are gaitors designed for hikers and walkers and they cover the ankle and the shoes so stones and dirt don’t get down insideContinue reading “Day 6, Puente la Reina to Estella”

Everyone is waking up with sore muscles. I woke up with a cold sore. Sophie’s foot is swollen and her knee pain kept her awake all night. Sarah G have problems with her foot yesterday. Where everybody usually gets up before me my alarm went off and everybody stayed in bed. I think Camino wearinessContinue reading “Day 5, Oct 4 Pamploma to Puente la Reina”

Today was a walk through beautiful quiet villages and forests. Geraniums are popular here. They decorate the entrances, the balconies, even woodpiles! We came across a small church attached to a house on the side of the hill. I had noticed it before last year and the year before because of the peaceful garden nextContinue reading “Day 4 Zuburi to Pamploma”

It is pitch black outside and pouring! The forecast says it will get better the further west we walk. So we dress in raingear, skip the dry baquette with jam breakfast, put our headlamps on and start walking through the witches forest–so named because they burned witches here. A half hour later we stopped forContinue reading “Day 3 Roncesvalles to Zuburi”

Day 2. It is dark but the excitement woke us early and in the pre-dawn we are milling around the dining room waiting for them to open the door for breakfast. Baquettes, butter, jam and bowls of coffee. We pick up our boccadillas (sandwiches made of small baquettes, ham–think prosciutto, and cheese) we had orderedContinue reading “Oct 1, Day 2 – Orisson to Ronscevalles”

Our first day is not a long distance—barely 8k but in that 8k is a 800metre climb. We prepare by eating a hearty breakfast which included a French apple cake, Basque fig preserve, Basque chocolate hazelnut, Basque black cherry jam, fresh banquettes, butter coffee, eggs and more. And then read the signs of heart attack….justContinue reading “Day 1 – St Jean Pied du Port to Orisson”

Despite our pre-planning, we forgot today was a Sunday, which wasn’t a big deal except it wasn’t until mid morning coffee that we realized on Sundays there is no noon train to St. Jean Pied de Port. That in itself wasn’t a big deal as we had shopping to do so we could do itContinue reading “Day 0 – Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port”