Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 8

Date: April 17, 2025 Thursday

Where did I begin today?

Estella (Capuchinos Rocamador)

Where will I stay this evening?

Los Arcos (Casa de la Abuela)

How far have I come?

21.5km (13.6 miles)

I left the hostel at 7:30am, after saying a quick prayer (there’s a door on the second floor of the hostel that opens onto a balcony in the tiny chapel). When I tried on my Hokas, my blister rubbed up against the side and was very painful but when I wore my Teva sandals, there was no pain. I put all my clothes, toiletries, etc. inside my tiny stuff sack and left it in the lobby with the luggage transportation envelope attached. I carried my nearly empty main backpack (better support) with only the essentials. Since my blister had flared up, I’m very glad I decided to use a luggage transport service today.

Bought a banana and pastry in a convenience store at the edge of Estella and kept walking to the famous Irache wine fountain. Since it was the Thursday before Easter (a holiday in Spain apparently) the fountain had not been refilled so there were unfortunately only drips left. I still drank some wine from my shell and took some pictures though. Next door to the wine fountain was a blacksmith shop selling trinkets and I bought a shell necklace with the cross of St. James; it’s simple iron on a leather cord but I like the design and its light enough to carry.

There was a fork in the road with two alternative Camino routes and I helped a German man walking with his twelve-year-old son identify the main route using the Buen Camino app. I continued on uphill feeling pretty good until the town of Azqueta where I listened to my body to rest on a bench to eat my banana. Continued up to the high point with only a little discomfort (the empty pack helped). The walk down from Villamayor de Monjardín was lovely and I hit my stride.

The sun was shining enough for me to get out my sunhat and sunglasses for the first time this trip. While walking I met Lisa from the Netherlands. I stopped at Pilgrim Oasis food truck at the perfect time for a brief rest. I chatted with the volunteers and learned they were from Canada and the US and their church ran this food truck and a café called Pilgrim’s Oasis in Viana (where I’d be staying tomorrow night). I got orange juice and ate my pastry from earlier. While sitting under the trees, I met a couple of Irish guys and briefly saw Peter, Carolyn, Anna, Nigel, Bill & Sue.

The last 7kms to Los Arcos were very good and I walked the last 2kms with Shirley & Kyra (friends from Canada/Germany who met on Camino in 2011). I made it to Casa de la Abuela at 1:30pm feeling great! My backpack was waiting for me and I met a British girl around my age (Sally) who was happy to share laundry with me. After I got settled in on the third-floor bunkbed, I walked around the town and called home for the first time in the sunny Plaza de San María. I also saw Bill & Sue, Pam, Yolanda, etc. hanging out in one of the plaza restaurants. It was the perfect day to sit outside and relax.

I went back to Casa de la Abuela to research upcoming walking days and booked a hotel in Burgos so I could enjoy my own room and bathtub. While sitting in the lobby, I saw three brothers arrive who were all in their 80s and were walking in honor of their fourth brother who had recently passed. Absolutely incredible that they are walking the Camino at that age! At 6:45pm we ate a homemade communal dinner in the downstairs kitchen/lobby (salad, bean soup with sausage, bread, and ice cream).

After dinner, since it was Maundy Thursday, I went to an evening mass at the church a little after 7pm. The acoustics were lovely as we heard a choir singing hymns from the balcony. Back to hostel by 8:30 and getting ready for bed. I decided to send my bag forward again tomorrow.

Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 8

Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 7

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