Category: Camino de Santiago 5/2023 Page 2 of 9

At 1:00am on June 10, 2022 I was able to score tickets to see Bruce Springsteen in Barcelona. That was the defining moment that solidified that I would be coming to Spain and hiking the Camino de Santiago! The reality hit hard and the excitement of the adventure to come was incomprehensible. I was only able to get tickets in the second pit (orange section) which is the farthest from the stage that I have ever been but I wasn’t going to complain! There isn’t much better than seeing Bruce in Barcelona.

Fast forward to yesterday, the day of the concert was finally here. Brais met me at the hotel in the morning. We had a quick discussion about the weather and at the last minute I decided to bring my poncho…just in case! We walked the 30 minutes to the Olympic Stadium (think 1992 Summer Olympics) up a steep hill and many stairs!!

For those who have never been to a Bruce Springsteen concert, his philosophy on concert tickets must be explained. The entire floor section is General Admission but there is a process to get close to the stage. For my section, we had to get there early and line up. The first person arrived at 8:00am (yes I asked her). We got there at 11:00am and we’re about 100th in line. By 1:00pm there were easily 1000.

It was really warm but we were all very cautious not to drink too much water or cerveza because a) you didn’t want to lose your place in line to use the restroom and b) the port-a-potty situation wasn’t nice! (For the record I lasted 14 hours without using the restroom!) We started to become friends with the people around us in line. The 6 of us started looking out for each other (and hold our places in line) if we needed to stretch our legs or get food/water.
Around 4pm they moved us into the Olympic Stadium. After 30 years (since the Olympics) the facility was starting to fall apart but one could easily imagine the beauty of the complex when it was newly built.

They ushered 2 groups of people towards the concert venue. I was barely in the second group. Everyone else had to wait further away on the opposite side of the Olympic Stadium. This is a picture of my group:

The best part of the group is that there were people there from all over Europe. I was the only American. I was also the only English speaking person. My new friends also barely spoke English (except for Brais) but always made sure I understood what was going on and trust me when I say there was so much going on!
The group behind us had to wait at the other side of the Olympic Stadium.
Note: Notice how blue he skies are!!

This next picture was taken 20 minutes later.

And then…the heavens opened up!

Thank goodness I had my poncho. Many people didn’t and there were tons of people shivering. I think it was the first time in my life I have been prepared for something like that!

There was so much integrity for the line to get into the show (based on arrival time). People were very calm about it! As we moved from the initial line to the Olympic stadium to the ticket takers (in the pouring rain) – nobody was running, everyone saw the funny side of the weather and heaven forbid anyone try to cut in line because the crowd wasn’t having it!
That said, it was a free for all once you moved into the concert venue. We actually entered into the back of concert venue at 6:30pm and it was a mad rush to get to your spot. Everyone was in a full sprint despite being told to quit running by security! And, it was still pouring rain! The group was briefly separated but we quickly found each other and we’re be able to be together for the show. We were able to get front row seats of the second section which made the day of waiting worth it. The great thing is that there was a 5 foot walkway between the two sections so we really didn’t have anyone in front of us. One of the security guards actually told us not to hold onto the front railing because it was thundering and lightning and he didn’t want us to get electrocuted! God help us!

As luck would have it, a rainbow came out and the rain stopped 30 minutes before the show was about to start. It was an awesome performance. The crowd was electric, the band was on fire and Bruce put 120% into his performance. He played the full 3 hours and I have to say it was the best Bruce show I have been to.

Tom Hanks and his wife were also there and only a few feet away from us!

Despite the long day, ranging from being hot and getting sunburned to freezing in a torrential rainstorm, I have to say this was my best Bruce concert. The crowd makes the show because they are on fire, it obviously energizes Bruce and the E Street Band which makes the band better performers which excites the crowd and it just keeps going. Bruce’s lyrics are able to paint a vivid picture, he can shape deep emotions in just a few words. He has a distinct voice and is just a great performer. The ironic thing about the Barcelona concerts is that 90% of the people don’t speak English yet know every word and meaning for every single song.
So I leave Barcelona with some amazing Bruce memories, several Bruce friends and a heart that is full. Now I’m ready for phase 2 of this adventure!
And Fyi there was so much going on I didn’t even think about my blister. It is still there but much smaller! I think it will be fine!

Woke up this morning, packed and walked 4 miles to the train station. It was early so the Barcelona streets hadn’t really woken up yet. There were a shopkeepers sweeping up the cigarette butts from the night before, people walking their dogs and a few homeless people still asleep from the night prior but really it was quiet and peaceful. I passed some beautiful statues and landmarks and got to the train station early.
I had to switch trains once and would make it to Pamplona in 4.5 hours.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve taken a train and had a mini panic attack when I didn’t see my 11:00am train to Pamplona on the board. I knew I had to switch trains but the connecting location wasn’t there either. Because the website was in Spanish, I immediately assumed I had made a mistake booking it. I realized my train’s ultimate destination was Madrid and that the train number matched mine and I calmed down a bit.

I got to my alburgue and was so happy! Gite Beilari Hostal was such a cute and quaint place to stay for my first night. It was clean and cute and Joseph the host was very friendly and welcoming!

The best part of the night was that I got to meet Nikki. We have been corresponding for the past 3-4 months and had an instant connection. We are very similar in our sense of humor, age and family situation. It felt like we have been friends for a long time! I have no doubt we will stay connected after this hike!

We had a tasty communal dinner on the patio and got to know everyone who was staying there. Dinner consisted of soup, salad, a dish similar to shepherds pie but with mushrooms, tiramisu and wine. It was a perfect evening and I appreciate the friends that I have made so far!

My room was named Ura and I shared it with 2 other ladies. Stacy is a cow farmer from New Zealand and Savina was a dietician from Canada/Wisconsin.

For those curious about my sleeping arrangements, I will include pictures. They gave us paper sheets for the bed and pillows but I’m so glad I have the pillowcase that Caitlyn made me. It is my most treasured item I have with me. It’s nice to know I have a piece of her with me and paper pillowcases just aren’t appealing!

Lights went out at 10:30 and we all went to sleep, excitedly waiting for our next morning’s adventure to start.

Miles: 8.97/Steps: 19,666

Today was the first real day of my Camino. The hostel played beautiful music that sounded like angels singing at 6:30am to wake us up. I asked the name from Joseph and it was MIRACLES OF SANTIAGO , ANONYMOUS 4 and was a brilliant way to be woken up. There was a great breakfast of boiled eggs, fruit, cereal and toast. We packed up and were on our way by 8:00am.

My first stop was the Camino Office to pick up my credential. (Think of it as a passport to get stamped each day to prove you actually completed the stages of the Camino.) I was helped by a lovely lady from Germany who was volunteering for the week. She gave me tons of advice and information and was the perfect ambassador for the Camino. I also got my Camino scallop shell. The shell is a metaphor in that its lines represent the different routes traveled by pilgrims from around the world to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
 The Scallop Shell is also on the milestone markers on the Camino, guiding pilgrims in the right direction.

From there, I walked to the Gate of St James which is the official beginning of the Camino de Santiago Frances and then I was on my way. The walk out of SJPDP was beautiful. The cobbled stone roads and historic buildings are unlike anything we have in the US and such a treat to look at.

The walk out of town was steep from the beginning. The views and animals made things more bearable but it was tough. Pretty early on I met Viv and Brett. They are the loveliest people. Both are international ping pong players and have lived very adventurous lives. We walked the same speed and I really enjoyed their company. We also needed “catch your breath” breaks at the same rate so they felt like the perfect walking partners!

Words can’t express how happy I was to see the hostel beyond this bend! The climb was hard but we did get there before earlier than I thought I would. I stayed at Le Refuge Orrison my first night. It had a gorgeous deck with amazing views.

First we had a drink and some lunch. (How much do these guys look like Matthew Perry from Friends and Kurtwood Smith (the dad from That 70’s Show?!) Then I checked in, took a shower, did some laundry and started going through my pack to see what I could get rid of. If you guessed rocks, you are 100% correct! 😊 in all I think I probably dropped at least 2 pounds with the things I got rid of.
Below are some pictures of the hostel:

We had a communal dinner again and I got to know some really interesting people. I have mostly met Australians, Koreans, Germans and Americans but there are people here from all over the world!
It’s 9:30pm and time for bed. Tomorrow is another hard day but should get much better afterwards…

Miles: 15.77/ Steps: 34,575

I didn’t sleep very well last night. My bladder knew how hard it was to get up and down from the bunk bed and decided to make me get up twice in the night to use the restroom. It was hard to get down in the daytime, so you can imagine the challenge of doing it in the dark. That, combined with a snoring roommate and a paper sheet that kept coming off the bed and I will admit there wasn’t much sleep happening last night. I couldn’t be grumpy for long because the sunrise was gorgeous and it was a new day! Breakfast was bread and jam and coffee but they didn’t provide cups and wanted you to drink the coffee out of bowls.

Someone recommended that I take a selfie each morning to see if there are any changes over the entirety of the Camino so here is todays!

I started at 7:30 this morning with an immediate incline today and it made me really nervous for the inclines that were to come. Viv and Brett stayed at Borda which was a km away (I wish I had too!) and I was excited to meet them so we could walk together. Sadly, I completely missed the sign for their hostel and just kept on walking past it. I didn’t realize I missed it for another mile and was so sad. The reason I missed them was because it was so so windy and honestly I had to put my head down to push thru it and never actually saw the sign for their hostel. To give an example of how windy it was….I kept hearing a high pitched whistling sound and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from until I realized the pack had a whistle and the wind was making it sing!

It was nice to turn the corner and see the food truck. Since breakfast was just bread with butter and jam, I was excited to be able to get a boiled egg and have some protein. It was here that I met Brian, a 69 year old retiree who had a big life decision to make while walking the Camino. It’s interesting to be an outsider and hear the entirety of someones situation. The decision I would choose if I were in his shoes felt so easy to decide but it wasn’t my weight to carry nor my place to tell him what I thought he should do. So, I listened and asked him questions to make him think of different perspectives. I hope to keep in touch to see what he decides.

I feel like I am in the Marriott compared to last night. The lady who checked me in was lovely and we really hit it off. Of course I had a rock for her. When I was being directed to the room, the hostess commented on how good these beds were. As I got to the room, we joked that it was the penthouse because every other floor had bunk beds. Showers and bathroom were great. You only got 30 second spurts of water but you could have as many as you wanted so I was good with that! The paper sheet fit the bed well too! It didn’t come off in the middle of the night a single time!

They don’t allow you to wear your shoes in the bedrooms so they are all stored near the entrance. I hope mine are there when I go down in the morning because so many people have the same shoe.

Savina has been my roommate every single night of the Camino so far. (Not planned) We are walking on a similar schedule so I think I will be seeing a lot of her during the walk. We went to the bar and ordered what we thought was cider and French fries. Instead we got fried potatoes with sauce which tasted great….something got lost in translation. Viv and Brett also met up at the bar as well. I was glad to see them because they were walking shorter distances and won’t be on the same trajectory anymore.

We stopped in the church as well. I think it’s impressive that the church’s technology is so advanced. 1 euro for 8 minutes of light in the church and a machine for debit card donations. I’m surprised all churches haven’t done this.

I shared dinner with these lovely sisters from England. We had a lovely meal and drink afterwards. We said our goodbyes and it was bedtime.

Foot update: big toe blister gone. I got a small blister under my pinky toe but am hoping it will be gone by morning. Aside from that all is good!

Miles: 16.94/ Steps: 37,097

Todays Selfie

The lights were turned on at 6:00am and there was no choice but to get up then. I packed up and was on the road a bit after 7:00am. This Camino is 800lm/500 miles and this is where I was at this morning: 755km to walk or 790 if you were driving.

It was such a beautiful morning. There was a chill in the air, the birds were singing and it started out FLAT!!!

I ran into Savina in the first bakery I came across and we dined on chocolate croissants and cafe con leche. As we walked a bit further we ran into Cindy, our roommate from Orisson and we decided to walk together.

We are starting to see the same people while walking. We ran into Sharon from Georgia and we loved that we had the same shoes! They call it your Camino Family and I do agree that we are starting to look out for each other.

In many blog posts, people had talked about how rocky and steep the descent was for this section. We didn’t really hit the rocks until the last 4 hours and then it became very rocky with random rock formations that were a challenge to navigate.
Ironically, the Camino office gave us this breakdown for todays hike:

But when we arrived to the hostel today we were shown the true breakdown:

I was expecting a day of complete down hill and couldn’t understand all of the hills we encountered until I saw this. It wasn’t a horrible day at all but the last 3 miles seemed to last forever and we were DONE by the time we reached Zuburi. Our muscles are sore and our feet felt like blocks of cement. We collapsed for a bit when we arrived at the hostel. Although standing up and moving was initially painful things definitely get better when we walked into town. We put our feet in the river and that really helped!

This hostel (Suseia) is the best I have stayed at! The hostess was super friendly, it has the cutest living spaces and the food was to die for!

Our bunk beds are sturdy, they have cloth sheets and privacy curtains and it is really clean! I shared the room with 5 other people and yes Savina was my roommate again.

We had a communal meal and enjoyed the food and company so much. Honestly it was the best dinner experience I have had so far.

Foot update: my pinkie toe blister is huge. I am going to give it until tomorrow to see how it is before I pop it. I have 2 other small blisters on my right foot. I went to the pharmacist today and she had good advice on what to do. Any opinions on popping blisters or not?
Well, it’s 10:30 and time for bed. Hasta manana!!

Miles: 16.94/ Steps: 37,097

Todays selfie

The first few steps out of bed were a bit electrifying because I was so sore but things worked themselves out soon enough. Savina and I were out the door before 7am this morning so we thought we were doing good. Most of todays walk was along the river and relatively flat so it was a good day! We decided we would stop at the first bakery for breakfast and didn’t get anything from the hostel. The path today had several small towns along the way so we figured it wouldn’t be too far. We started walking….

…and then we met up with Lou. I had sat next to her and her daughter at dinner in Orisson and it was good to see her again. (Doesn’t she look like Catherine Zeta Jones). We were hoping this abbey would be open because it was being renovated the last time Lou did the Camino and she wanted to see the progress. She had to wait for her daughter and promised that there was a café that wasn’t far ahead … so we kept walking….

…and walking

And walking…

And there was no bakery or restaurant open! Finally after 6.5 miles we came across La Parada de Zurian and this café was lovely! I ordered fresh squeezed Oj, café con leche, and a mushroom tortilla (think omelet/quiche with mushrooms) and everything was delicious.

We got back on the trail and headed to Pamplona. It was so beautiful.

And then we came to the fork in the road. We were told that the left turn was 4km longer but flat and in the shade and that the right turn had lots of hills and was in the sun. I had convinced Sabina to go left because I definitely preferred shade and river views and so we went. It was fun to sit back and watch everyone debate their choice.

We had a beautiful walk along the water and enjoyed some beautiful scenery. About .5 miles we came to another fork in the road. It was signposted to go right but I was almost positive I was supposed to go left again. We followed the instructions of a Spanish lady even though I clarified with her that we wanted the river path and she directed us to the right. We climbed a super steep hill and talked about turning around but by the point we realized it wasn’t the river path, we had already invested some substantial distance. So instead of shaded peaceful river views, we got hot and sunny climbs and descents! I really need to learn to listen to my gut.

We finally got to Pamplona city limits and it was fun to see big city life again. We had about 3.5 miles to get to the hotel from this point.

The path is marked by yellow arrows or shells. Below are typical markers. See if you can find them.

I did love how the walkway was lined with trees that were connected with its counterpart on the other side of the walkway. Although I could probably make an educated guess, I really have no idea how they made that happen.

We only had 30 minutes to go but felt we needed to stop for some ice cream to help get us over the finish line. We had a nice break in the park and couldn’t have been happier!

The walk to the hotel had some fun statues and interesting signs.

Pamplona doesn’t tolerate sexual harassment

I met up with Nikki and we shared a proper hotel room for the night. So exciting to have a shower that didn’t turn off every 30 seconds and to have a bed with real sheets and no other bunk below or above us.

After cleaning up, we went to Cafe Iruna, a bar that Earnest Hemingway used to frequent, checked out the town entrance, walked around the old town area and the had pinchos (appetizers) for dinner. Such a fun night!!

Foot update: pinky toe blister burst today on its own. I popped one of the blisters on my big toe and the other went away. No new issues. I think I should be good tomorrow. Fingers crossed.