Date Added: May 12th
Date updated with photos: 2 on May 12th
I am trying something new to get around problems I have had uploading my blogs. I will write and upload the narrative and add photos time permitting when I am online and able to do so at least that way I will keep the blogs "flowing". I guess if blog readers are interested they can check back later for photos. As time permits I will sort out the other blogs I have written and get them uploaded. I finally figured out it doesn't like to upload photos in one go and that means I can't do the blogs while offline like I have been doing. Also, the pictures are just taking too long to upload. Since the other day's blogs are already completely written with my offline blogging tool, not much I can do about those except rewrite them and upload before adding the pictures. Well something to do in my down time early June when I am in Zamora doing my Hospitalera thing. It has been exceptionally hot (31 degrees in the shade today!) and I have had to make sure to leave early to get as much walking in before it gets too hot. Many perigrinos were up and on their way before 6 am this morning but I only managed to be on the road by 7. Today I am headed to Peurte la Reina which is 23.8 km (25.5 km adjusted for altitude) from Pamplona.
The biggest a challenge of the day, aside from not overheating, is to climb Alto de Perdon, which is a 790 m high climb. Actually, compared to Day 1 this would be a piece of cake, if I were able to tolerate this heat better. I took a "selfie" when I reached this point and posted that on Facebook.
Going down on the other side was quite treacherous and steep. The countryside was beautiful though and very pretty fields growing various crops. The nice difference here in Spain is that folks live in the town and farm outside so there are very few houses in between the towns. In Canada, we would have a long lane way and a farmhouse every mile or two. Not here.
In order to manage the heat I wet my bandana and put it on my head under my sun hat. Whenever I started to feel the heat getting the best of me I found some shade, wet the bandana again and rubbed my face with the water and then returned it to its spot. This helped a bit, but it was at slow trudge to Peunte la Reina. The town is a typical Spanish Camino town - one long street with all sorts of shops all shut because they close at 1:30 and don't open until after 5. It was 4:30 when I arrived in town looking for the Albergue I planned to stay in, (Albergue Santiago Apostol) which was on the far side of town. What I didn't realize was that it was 650 m up the top of a hill. Once I did that climb I was not about to leave to explore the town as I could not face the uphill journey for a second time that day.
No matter, there were lots of new friends who felt the same way. The accommodations were good and there was a nice selection of dishes for the dinner -not just the typical menu de dai. There were about 50 of us eating dinner together and the travelling group spend time bonding and giving advice about sore feet, knees and hips during the evening. Dinner was pasta for the 1st cours, eggs, sausage and fries for the 2nd and flan for dessert. Someone said that the meal was carbs sans guilt as we had used so many calories today. I could not believe the beer glass of wine I was served with dinner! I will add that picture later.c
I tucked myself into bed very shortly after dinner and was sawing logs by 9 pm!
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