September 26 Tricastela to Sarria (118km to go)

Given our long walk yesterday we decided to take the shorter route to Sarria (our destination), which was not to be. One thing we discovered was that a detail guide book is needed when taking alternate routes. Often we see yellow arrows pointing in different directions and unless there is signage we usually take the path with the more predominate markings. We had anticipated 20km today and instead we did 25km, but no regrets. We passed through the most awesome scenery – mountain streams and lush forests, and we came upon Samos with a beautifully preserved sixth century monastery and famous for its library, with a Latin motto on the door, “A cloister without a library is like a fort without and armory.” It's become routine for us to stop by mid-afternoon at a bar/cafe to have lunch, and we've often been lucky finding sunny and picturesque spots, along with other peregrinos in search of the same. See Pictures>>

September 25 Las Herrerias to Tricastela

Today's was not something we were looking forward to as we were about to make a 600m ascent with our final destination being O Cebreiro, which is perched at the top of the mountain. The walk up was spectacular, with lush vegetation, and watching the sun shine hit the distant mountain was very spectacular. We are in awe how our surroundings can be even more beautiful when sun shines upon them. Unfortunately as we went higher the air got colder and we could see the mist covering the peak. O Cebreiro is a beautiful town that overlooks the valley, with many bus tours stopping. The houses are all made of stone with shale stone roofs. All very beautiful, but the low cloud blocked all views and made the air very cold. We decided to press on and make our descent and look for a sunny village to stop at. Unfortunately this is a farming area and many of the villages had the special odor only a farmer could appreciate, hence we trekked on to Tricastela, which is at the base of the mountain. The total trek today was our toughest and longest (30km) and it was a relief to find accommodations so late in the day. Of special note was the running of the cows through the villages, which made Julie very uneasy. These were not the typical dairy cows – they were huge, but well managed by their owners and dogs who were controlling the herd. See Pictures>>

September 24 Villafranca to Las Herrerias

It's hard to believe that we have less than 200km to go to reach Santiago, and surprising how quickly the time has gone. We've met so many interesting people along the way. We continue to meet a few from the first week, but many peregrinos have slowed down, stopped or moved on ahead of us. Today we met a lady from Atlanta Georgia. She is 66 and had knee surgery three months ago. There are some remarkable people doing El Camino, and they are very inspirational. And it's hard to complain about sore feet knowing the challenges many of these people face.

Las Herrerias was our final stop for the day. It is not a big town – one albergue and three bars, but it is going through transformation with the restoration of old buildings and new sidewalks and streets. Historically Las Herrerias was known for its iron forge, which is evident at our albergue – with an iron designed door and an iron narrow table built into the concrete outside the albergue. Today many peregrinos continue past, but I suspect by next year it will become a trendy place to stop. See Pictures>>

September 23 Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo (185.5km to go)

This was a very interesting trek taking us through the vineyards, and it was harvest time with the fields full of pickers. The majority of grapes are red, and were they ever sweet and juicy! Grapes and wineries seem to be the main economic engine in this region, but what do people do in the off-season? I don't expect much, which is the reason many homes have been abandoned and others are for sale. I can't see young people sticking around, and instead are choosing to go to the bigger centers.

It was an easier walk today. Not easy, but given what is in-store for us in the next couple of days it will seem easy. Going through the vineyards was the highlight of the day and I (Mario) was wondering whether he would have had a vineyard had he remained in Italy.

Villafranca is a logical rest stop before ascending 600m. It is beautiful city, and in history it has been ravished by the plague and occupations by the French, British and French again. Today the historic scars are not visible and the highlight was the castle and church of Santigo. See Pictures>>

September 22 El Acebo to Ponferrada (202.5 km to go)

The mountain descent was not easy, with the majority of the path going through rocky areas. We had to constantly keep our eyes on the ground to avoid tripping. We arrived in Ponferrada in the early afternoon, with time to continue walking. However after a nice lunch in the plaza we didn't feel much like walking and went searching for accommodations. We met Jessica again, who we hadn't seen for a few days and met a peregrino from Quebec. Ponferrada is a large city with it's charm being the old town where the castle and museums are located. This was a great place to stop and enjoy the rest of the day. See Pictures>>

September 21 Rabanal to El Acebo

The Rabanal albergue was not a restful sleepover especially with the symphony of snorers in the room. We left at about 7:30 am, with some peregrinos leaving at 6am and some were still in their beds when we left. It was dark but we managed to find our way in the dark and the sun was rising when we started the mountain ascent. We stopped for coffee at a few small villages along the way, and I must say “small” with less than 20 living in a few of the villages. It appears from the information I've read, that some peregrinos love the camino so much they end up buying housing and living in these small villages – with the sole purpose of serving peregrinos. There was one stop in Manjarin and the owner(s) of the single house had farm animals, dogs and cats all living in an eclectic setting. El Acebo was not our planned stop, but the village had a certain charm. Thank goodness, because, as we discovered the following day, there was not much in the next couple of towns. The one highlight was Molinaseca, which is located on the river and, had we been willing to walk another 9km, would have been a perfect location to stay overnight. See Pictures>>

September 20 Astorga to Rabanal del Camino

The camino in the past two days has been much more interesting, going through many more villages and a more interesting mountainous terrain. It's more difficult to walk but, with the higher elevation the air is much cooler. A walker's dream. Rabanal is not a big town, but is a stop-over for many peregrinos before making the ascent into the mountain. And we met the most interesting couple, Pamela and Keith who are doing their second camino in two years on their bikes. They are from England and have spent their past 13 years bicycling across many countries with their two dogs. See Pictures>>

September 19 San Martin to Astorga

This was a spectacular day and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to the village of Villares de Orbigo that was hosting a special Sunday market and one of the resident was hosting a special breakfast for peregrinos. This was unexpected and delightful, with coffee tortillas, cheeses, cookies, etc. being served, and his house, which belonged to his grandfather was well preserved, with old relics of farm tools his grandfather made hanging on the wall. In the village there were vendors selling clothes, baked goods, fruit and vegetables. We bought a few vegetables and headed to our destination. Astorga is a larger town of 13,000 and is an archaeological dream, with well a preserved cathedral and many churches. And the town is crazy for chocolate and other candy products, with so many stores to choose from. See Pictures>>

September 18 Leon to San Martin del Camino

It took 45 minutes to get out of town this morning, and we passed one of Leon's most beautiful hotels that was once a monastery. Absolutely stunning, and we observed a few peregrinos leaving the magnificent hotel. The scenery was less than spectacular going out of town, but of note were the old root cellars, many of which have been abandoned. They are often built in a hillside or covered with dirt to ensure a constant temperature is maintained in the cellar. It is not surprising that they have been abandoned, since residents can buy almost any food product at a “super mercado”, and probably at a lesser price than maintaining a root cellar.

San Martin is a small town – three bars and one store, and is a rest-stop to a trek that will soon take us over a mountain. After today there is one day remaining of relatively flat terrain before we ascend 600m. See Pictures>>

September 17 Mansilla to Leon

The approach to Leon was not exceptionally interesting, as like all towns, passing the industrial and less desirable housing areas. But Leon, the old town, was absolutely a “must see”. It is a fantastic city with so much history – great walls, churches and cathedral. But there is so much more – with many open squares and cafe-crammed winding streets. After three days of a terrain that remained unchanged, it was such a relief to reach Leon. But it was more than that. It's cathedral and many other monuments are a masterpiece of the Gothic architecture, and the homes in the inner city are well maintained and many are covered with a beautiful array of flowers to make them look even more spectacular.

The evening was a special time to enjoy the company of two French ladies who we met four days prior when they shared their spaghetti with Mario. As before they bought too much and were giving us some of their bread and fruit. Afterward we went to a blessing for peregrinos given by the nuns, of which there were 22 nationalities present. This was all done in the beautiful setting of the church – a separate part of the cathedral. See Pictures>>

September 16 Bercianos to Mansilla

Today was a little too much like home – we had rain during the first half of the walk. But of course it was warm rain. It would not be so bad, but the next bar/restaurant was not until 20km, and there were no opportunities to stop along the way. Also, the terrain was very similar to that of the last few days. This is the mental stage of el camino to overcome – temporary boredom.

Julie commented on my blog writing – that it's sounding too much like a travel guide and suggested I put a little more creativity in my writing. So here goes. My underwear is wearing out. Yes that is true and I believe Julie's is as well. I could tell when I was doing the laundry. This is not surprising when we've walked over 400km, and that equates to over 400,000 steps. Can you imagine the amount of constant rubbing and friction. There is no fabric that could withstand that kind of punishment. I'll bet you'll never read this in a travel book!

September 15 Ledigos to Bercianos

Walking el camino allows one to reflect on our accomplishments. We've walked over 400km and 300km to go. Yet most peregrinos question the reason they are there, and whether they will sustain the drive to accomplish their goal of reaching Santiago. In the evening we socialized with two young peregrinos, with one doubting her ability to complete. She was walking alone and found her day very boring, not having books to read or things to do. This is not surprising in this stretch of el camino. The days are long and the landscape has not changed in two days. El Camino was described as being three states. The first being the physical state where one must cope with weight of the backpack, the constant bounding of the feet and the punishment on the body walking 6 hours a day. The second is the mental state, to overcome some of the many challenges, including the boredom of a landscape. And lastly the spiritual state that is needed to overcome the many physical and mental challenges. See Pictures>>

September 14 Carrion to Ledigos

Today I'd like to highlight the different modes of transportation used on el camino. Walking is the primary method of transportation and there is a variety of equipment used. The backpacks vary in style and size (I envy the smaller packs) and there are a significant number of peregrinos using a single or double walking poles. I prefer hands-free so I can carry water and camera, and there are many walkers who eventually attached the poles to their backpack to free up their hands. The footwear is usually boots or walking shoes, but there are the occasional sandal walkers. Bicycling is also very popular, with most zooming by on their very expensive bikes with their multi-gear system and disk breaks. But of interest were two cyclists with an unusual twist. One had a fold-up bike, with small wheels and no rack for saddle bags. Hence he was carrying a cute square backpack with the compostella on the pack. But the most interesting was the cyclist with an old fashion bike with fenders and no gears. He had no saddle bags, but instead a bright blue bread basket was strapped on with all his gear. The must unusual method of transportation was the man with the horse-drawn wagon who we met the day prior at the monastery. It was unusual because his wagon was a boat, with a cover. It looked too much like Noah's Ark. See Pictures>>

September 13 Formista to Carrion de los Condes

Today was probably the easiest walk, only 21km, and relatively flat, but the least interesting to-date. We discovered later that there was an alternative route we could have taken – a little longer, but much more interesting. Of interest today was the discussion along the way with different people. All with the goal of reaching Santiago, but time was less important. We all share the same end-goal, but we all have different reasons for being on el camino. And we all realize that very little is needed in the way of possessions to complete el camino, and many (including us) are carrying far too much of “non-essentials”. Our life to-date has been very basic and is following a rhythm – we get up, pack our bags, have a little breakfast and walk to the next destination, where we look for accommodations, eat and go to sleep. And by now walking 20km and repeating the cycle seems routine. The bonus is the interaction with fellow peregrinos, and we've met many interesting people. Some have quit their jobs and are thinking about their future; some are doing this for themselves to prove their independence; some have finished school and wish to complete el comino before starting their career; some have lost a loved one and are doing el camino in their memory; and some have retired and are completing el camino for self-discovery.

Carrion is one of the better towns we've visited so far – lots of shops, bars, restaurants and churches.

In the late afternoon we strolled to the Royal Monastery of Saint Zoilo and it was incredible! In the early years (5^th century) the monastery was linked to the importance of the town – a distinguished religious and political centre. However from the 13^th century on the monastery slumped economically and spiritually. It has gone through resoration and parts of less interest were sold to a hotel that has kept the monastery style. See Pictures>>

September 12 Castrojeriz to Formista

What a change in terrain again, going to a plush farmland with rivers and canals bringing water to the fields. I know I'm repeating myself, but this is truly spectacular. We wake up and leave before sunrise and have the opportunity to also see the sun set each day. We often leave by flashlight in the morning making our way through the village, and after an hour we get to experience the skies waking up to a new day. Today was extra special because our trek went over old bridges and roads developed during the Roman era. Some my not see this as exciting, but it is to us. To have walked on the same paths hundreds and thousands of years old is a wonderful experience. We meet many of the same peregrinos each morning and wishing each other a “buon camino”, and as we discovered that ”buon camina” is appropriate when greeting women. We are all optimistic about the day and look forward to meeting again in the evening. The only down-side of the day was the wind, which never let up all day, hence the evening was cool and spent mainly indoors. Being this was Sunday many stores don't open and those that do open close by 2pm. Hence there was not much to buy, and restaurant did not serve their peregrino menu until 8pm. This is far too late to a group of walkers that are in bed by 9pm. The peregrino schedule is complete off from the normal Spanish schedule were people get up later, have a siesta in the afternoon and don't start dinner until after 9pm. But I am reminded, that going without is part of the camino experience. See Pictures>>

September 11 Hornillos to Castrojeriz

It's truly amazing how each day can be so different. Seeing different landscapes and monuments, and meeting different people. It is truly and exciting adventure. What was noticeable today were the number of windmills on various hilltops, which is not surprising, given the lack of rivers to build dams. And the monument, Convento de San Anton was amazing, and it's possible to stay in the albergue built in the ruins. Castrojeriz is beautiful town with beautiful churches and a castle high above the town on the hilltop. We were fortunate to experience Saturday night in a small village, which consisted of a parade of children led by street entertainers that ended at the church were the bells rang for a long time calling the village people. There were many people dressed in fine close making there way to the festival.

It is interesting note how Julie has adjusted to el camino, and often taking the lead and far ahead of Mario during most of the day. Mario is always complaining of sore feet...what a whus! See Pictures>>

September 10 Hornillos del Camino

Happy birthday Julie! How exciting is that, spending your birthday walking 20km? The trek today was through wheat and sunflower fields, and what a spectacular vista. We came across a rest stop built for peregrinos to fill up on water and rest under the shade trees. The water was obtained by operating an old fashion hand pump. It was interesting to watch many of the young walkers struggling to figure out how to get water from the pump. We arrived in Hornillos and the albergue was full and peregrinos were taken to the local gym. This was fine with us. Given this was Julie's birthday we decided to treat ourselves and take a room at a small hotel. We met up with fellow walkers in the evening and talked about today's pains, and celebrated our achievement to-date. We've traveled 250km and have 480km to reach Santiago. Many of us are feeling optimistic and feel that we will complete the journey.

Tonight we had a special dinner at the only restaurant in town and it was quite an experience. The food was great but it was a challenge trying to get our order correct. We were at a table with seven other people. We all wanted the special menu for peregrinos except for Julie. It was rather chaotic since the waitress spoke no English and the table was filled with people from Canada, Holland, Ireland and Tibet, all speaking little Spanish. It all eventually worked out and I gave the waitress a Canada pin to show my appreciation for her efforts. She was very appreciative, and eventually her frown turned into a smile. This was a special evening for Julie and we all sang happy birthday. See Pictures>>

September 9 Burgos

The trek to Burgos was not very interesting as we were required to walk around the airport and industrial area. However Burgos (centre) was exciting, but came as a shock after the mellow, timeless feel of the camino so far. The city is over 170,000 population with traffic jams, nightlife and noise, but it is the old part of town that is fascinating. The massive Gothic cathedral is the centre of attention for all tourists. This is a must-see monument both outside and inside. Our albergue is located close to the cathedral in a newly renovated building. We met an old women on the street and she was disgusted how the old buildings have been modernized and made much taller.

Life in the albergue requires that you be in bed by 10pm (lights out) and this evening the street party started at 10pm and went on until 3am. We could hear the talking and laughing from our room and in the morning the street cleaners were clearing all the empty bottles and plastic glasses from the streets. This was a Thursday night and we wondered what Friday night would be like. See Pictures>>

September 8 Atapuerca

The sound of the church bells got Mario up at 4am and getting back to sleep was virtually impossible, especially with the bells going off every 15 minutes. Well at least Julie was sleeping through all the noise, and eventually Mario will get used to the bells. We were off by 7:30am, along with a wave of peregrinos exiting Belorado. However, this morning was especially difficult finding a bar that was serving breakfast. We went through two small villages, but could not find an open bar. The third village we were lucky, and there must have been already 20+ hikers occupying every table and chair in the bar. Everyone is desperate for that first cup of coffee in the morning. The terrain changed again, going from a relatively flat farmland to more mountainous landscape. The views in the distance were spectacular. Today was the longest walk to-date (30km), taking its toll on Mario's feet. We came into San Juan de Ortega, however the report from many walkers was poor maintenance of the albergue, hence we continued onto Atapuerca – a much smaller village, but with three albergues to choose from. Atapuerca is known for its archaeological digs, and I'm sure the albergue we are in is from the medieval era. We were fortunate to get a single room on the top floor. This was a most interesting room, with century-old beams exposed on the ceiling. This was definitely a medieval experience! See Pictures>>

September 7 Belorado

We were warned about the rain by some fellow walkers the day prior, and sure enough it came true. We put on jackets and backpack covers and ventured out at about 7:30am holding our umbrellas. It was about an hour later that the rain stopped, but then we encountered strong winds. Had they been westerly winds it would have been to our advantage, but instead the winds were blowing against us, hence creating a more difficult trek. The terrain was relatively flat but the wind made it feel like we were climbing up hill. We traveled through four small villages today. They were all the traditional 1-street town, with a church, yet they all had their own characteristics. The one town that stood out was Redecilla del Camino where the church contains a massive baptismal font, apparently the most impressive of the whole camino. A point to note is by this point many peregrinos have started to discard some of their belongings. The days are long and some walkers are not coping well with the weight on their backs. Some are sending packages back home, but the most popular method is to send the package to the Santiago post office where it will be held for 30 days. We're not at that point yet. The backpack weight is reasonable, however Mario's feet are not holding up well to 5-6 hours of walking. See Pictures>>

September 6 Santo Domingo del la Calzada

Today we saw a big change in the terrain, going from the wine region into the farming region (wheat, hay, potatoes and beans). There were no trees on the route and no shelters to get away from the hot sun. This was a long day, with the walking from Najera to Santo Domingo taking 6 hours. And what a beautiful sight to see Santo Domingo from afar, as we knew the walk would soon end for the day and we would be treated with cold beer and wine. The story of Santo Domingo is very interesting and worthy of mention. He was a poor shepherd who wished to be a monk, but he did so poorly with his studies he was rejected from the monasteries. Santo Domingo chose to still follow his religious goals and spent his life helping pilgrims and building bridges and clearing paths. There are many parallels to life today, where rejection does not end a dream but creates a new path to achieving our goals.

The town of Santo Domingo has a grand cathedral and a grand hotel Parador. Originally built by Santo Domingo to house traveling pilgrims, in 1965 the town took over the building, which was converted to a beautiful medieval style hotel. The lobby was spectacular! This is an amazing town filled with interesting folklore. See Pictures>>

September 5 Najera

We left the albergue in the dark and we were presented with the most beautiful sun rise. There were two girls walking ahead of us and the each had laundry pinned to their backpack. Walkers are going west, and with the sun at our backs, wet clothes dry quickly. Today and the last few days we've walked through the wine region. So many grapes, and no wonder wine is so inexpensive – much less than buying bottled water. Najera is very different than other towns we've seen to-date. The town is set between the river and the red cliffs behind it, with caves visible from the town. Also on all church towers are stork nests. What an amazing sight to see the storks. See Pictures>>

September 4 Navarrete

After about an hour walk we came upon a house on the outskirts of Logrono that was greeting peregrinos. A nice old lady had set up a little business in her home providing coffee and biscuits by donation. It was a popular stop for all the walkers. Logrono is a large city that we passed through quickly. Taking a few photos along the way of some interesting monuments. This was tough climb to Navarrete and the heat of the sun was exhausting, and we consumed a few liters of water over 5 hours. We came across a beautiful lake, which was a welcomed relief seeing water. The albergue we booked this evening was probably the most basic we've encountered. The dorms were the same as other albergues but this time the bathing area was shared with men and women. We waited until most people had showered before using the facilities. See Pictures>>

September 3 Viana

We had a late start and slept in until 7:30am. Most other peregrinos had left and the staff were starting the cleaning of rooms and getting ready for the next wave of walkers. It does seem like a wave, since we all come in about the same take, take our bunk, shower and wash clothes. There is a strong social aspect with El Camino, and in the evening some walkers get a little too comfortable – walking around in their underwear going from their dorm room to the bathroom. I guess that is an accepted way in Europe. The walk was great today. We are finally getting accustomed to our backpacks and the 21km was more comfortable. Close to Viana we met up with an entrepreneur selling cold drinks to hikers. We were running out of water and a cold coke sold 3x its value was worth every penny. Viana is a fantastic medieval village and our albergue was in an old monastery with dorm rooms of 12 with bunk beds 3-high. Thank goodness we got there early enough to avoid the top bunk. We watched three young men enjoying their dinner after they arrived. It is truly amazing how simple dinner of bread cheese, sausages and water can taste so good. This trip does put things in perspective -- that the simple things in life provide comfort to our body and soul. See Pictures>>

September 2 Los Arcos

Looking at the skies in the morning we could tell it was not going to be a good day, and we were proven correct, with showers stopping our trek after 12km. With luck we came upon an albergue with a private room, and Internet connection. Keeping the blog updated has been a challenge since many little villages have no Internet access. This was also a special day as there was a mass at the church for all pilgrims, and was the church ever amazing! A village of 1300 and suddenly you were dazzled by all the gold when the lights were turned on the alter. At the end of the mass the priest asked all pilgrims to come to the front where he gave a special blessing. See Pictures>>

September 1 Villamayor de Monjardin

Today was a little tougher, with mostly uphill climbing, but the highlight was reaching Ayegui where there is the Fuente del Vino (wine fountain). There is a tap of free wine provided for thirsty pilgrims, and it can all be seen on a webcam (www.irache.com). We arrived to the village of Villamayor de Monjardin a bit early but we were not prepared to walk another 12km to the next town. Instead we got our first experience in an albergue, sharing a room with six Aussies who are on a world tour, having just come from China and India. The albergue is owned by a Dutch couple who employee volunteers to operate the albergue. And we met Monica who was on her first day of two weeks of volunteering. For her it was for spiritual purposes. We met two men, one from Germany and one from Austria. The German started the trek from N. Germany and expects to complete the 3000km trek in 100 days, and the Austrian started the trek in central France. Many of the pilgrims are recovering from a long day of walking and some healing from blistered feet. This was a good day! No blisters, enough food and drinks, and many people to meet. See Pictures>>

August 31 Estella

We left Cirauqui at 7am, one hour earlier than usual. It was a different experience, as we were on el camino at dawn. The air was chilly and we could barely see the path markers. The other walkers (el peregrinos) were having their jolt of coffee as we passed by and greeted them with “buon camino”. There were a few peregrinos who passed us after a few kilometers, who were going double our distance. We met an interesting person from Holland who has been teaching English in Spain and is know studying English Teaching at a post secondary institute in Holland. Having already been to California, Mississippi, Italy, Ireland and Spain, she plans to continue her travels after completed her teaching program. Today we stopped in Estella, which is built along-side the river Ega. What is it with this town? Nine churches is a bit much! As we entered town we were greeted by a day-walker who lives in Estella and proceeded to engage in a conversation. He spoke no English, which allowed me to practice my Spanish, but he did manage to steer us in the right direction. See Pictures>>

August 30 Cirauqui

The trek today was less rigorous than the day before, but still difficult. We passed today through a most interesting town, Puente la Reina, were we refilled our packs with fruit and vegetables. These towns are typical of the ones we visit and there is so much history. One monument in particular is the bridge dating back to the 11^th century. Prior to the bridge, the only means to cross the river was to pay an exorbitant fee. And apparently the queen commissioned the construction of the bridge that put this greedy person out of a job. There must be some moral to this story. The bridge is still being used today and is essential for the locals and the many walkers on El Camino. We arrived in Chirauqui, too exhausted to go any further. The town is built on a hill-top and with the Albergue Maraltox next to the church, whose bells go off 24-7. In the evening we went to church to pray and reflect back in our lives – our lost parents and sisters. It was such a beautiful church to have the spiritual experience. Back at the albergue we met up with Manfred. He and his wife are from Germany, this being the fourth trek and the first for his wife. In our conversation we talked about the weight of our backpacks, and how much we really need. His first trip he carried 12 kilos and this trip 8 kilos. We related this too our lives, and how we have so many useless things, and the question one must ask is how much we really need in life? See Pictures>>

August 29 Uterga

The trek on our first day was painful, which I had anticipated and wanted to get it over-with asap. We left Pamplona making our way through the quaint town of Cizur Menor. Being Sunday morning, there were many walkers and joggers on the street, with many locals wishing us a “buon camino”, which was also the greeting of many hikers we met along the way. The distance we needed to cover seemed endless and we could see the windmills at the top of distant hills which was the ascent to the summit of the mountain. The total ascent was approximately 400m, which was extremely difficult, especially this being the first day with packs on our backs. The views from the summit was spectacular as we could see both city of Pamplona and our next destination, the village of Utegra. The ascent was painful, but the descent was equally painful, but on different parts of the legs (the knees). We could go no further and found a wonderful Albergue Camino del Perdon where we met some wonderful walkers. Tiggy from England who injured her knee on the first day. She is young and trying to break into fashion design. Yana is from Switzerland, but originally from Czech Republic; Richard from Ireland but living in Japan and Paul from Belgium who is trying to complete the trek in record time. See Pictures>>

August 28 Pamplona

We ventured out of Madrid to start our trek across N. Spain. We were only carrying our backpacks a short distance to the Metro and bus station, so we were feeling comfortable about the weight. Our starting point was the city of Pamplona. This is where the running of the bulls takes place in early July, where local men and male tourists race through the narrow streets pursued by drugged bulls. The streets in the old part of town where we stayed are filled with tapas bars, and in the evening they are full and noisy. When we arrived we were greeted by Victor who lives in the outskirts of town but comes and stays in the hotel so it`s not so far going from the bar to the bed. A very practical approach to safe drinking. See pictures>>

August 26-28 Madrid

A lot has changed since our last trip to Spain 27 years ago, but a lot has also stayed the same. Madrid is a much more modern city, with a much improved transportation system and the price of food and accommodations is more in line with the rest of Europe and N. America. However, the old traditions remain. The tapas bars are packed with locals and tourists, enjoying the wine, beer and friendship, and in the evening the squares are filled with grandparents, parents and children all dressed nicely, and enjoying the coolness of evening. One doesn't think about going to bed early, because at 9pm the city comes alive and sleeping is difficult because of the noise in the streets. The monuments and buildings are amazing, and to think all were built with low tech methods and a lot of hard work. With many cathedrals taking centuries to complete.

Enough of the niceties..it was frig'n hot when we arrived, 37C at 2pm and 36C by 7pm. Those monuments and buildings are made of stone, and stone is a great material for storing energy, hence by midnight the the temperature dropped to 25C. It's no wonder an afternoon nap is essential to survive the heat. We drank a lot of water, beer and wine to keep hydrated and happy. Also, this country has not imposed a smoking ban. People smoke everywhere – bars, restaurants, hotels, buildings, etc. The only place to be free of smoke is a church. Therefore, there are not many in church. See pictures>>