Vinsman

Today I walked down the mountain to Zubiri. When I left Roncesvalles there was a light rain, so I had all of my rain gear on. I don’t love rain gear but it is better than getting rained on. It was also dark so I had my headlamp going as well. By the time I got to my first coffee in Burgette the rain had cleared and off came the gear and out came the sun. I walked with a very interesting girl today. Her name is Angie. When I first met her at our second stop for food and coffee, I asked where she was from and she told me Hawaii. I told her that my daughter-in-law was from Hawaii and we introduced ourselves. After a bit of walking it turns out that Angie is actually from Maryland and has only lived in Hawaii for a few years. Prior to that she lived in Japan where she interned to become a Sushi chef. After two years she got a job in Hawaii working in a very high end Sushi restaurant. She is now in construction on her own restaurant in Oahu. A hand roll restaurant. It was fascinating to talk to her. Turns out she is also Korean and speaks Korean.

My day was short I arrived in Zubiri by 12:45 pm and am getting ready to go have lunch. Tomorrow Pamplona.

Today was simply a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the temperature was warm. I started for Orisson at about 7 am. The walk was everything that I remember it being, but I am in much better shape and carrying substantially less weight, not my backpack of course it is as heavy as always but on my body. I made it by 9:30 most of my friends were going forward to Roncesvalles but, I had reservations for Orisson. I could not figure out what the heck I was going to do for the rest of the day, so I made the decision to go forward to Roncesvalles and chance that I would get a bed. Of course that complicated things a bit as I had reservations for the next several days that needed to be changed. I contacted the albergue in Zubiri that I had a reservation in and asked to change it to tomorrow. Maria the Hospitalera told me that she was completo for tomorrow but then offered to find me a bed. That was really over and above, my first Camino angel experience of this walk, I was so grateful. Within 10 minutes she sent me a WhatsApp with my bed at albergue Avellano. I had stayed there before so that was great. I was able to change my other reservations as well. The camino is very full. Zubiri is completo for tomorrow so I was very lucky.

The walk from Orisson to Roncesvalles was hard and Long but not as bad as in years before. The last time I walked all the way was my first Camino and I found it very diffficult.

Roncesvalles is full of pilgrims, they say that they are only filling half the beds but all of the beds on my floor were full.

Tonight I went to Mass, received a pilgrims blessing and said a few prayers of my own. I especially asked God’s blessing and healing hands for my sister-in-law Sarah who is in the hospital right now.

I arrived about 4:15 today by bus from Pamplona. It was an easy ride in a full bus. As we drive past Roncesvalles I was amazed at just how many pilgrims there were mulling around. From what I can see so far the Camino is full. Fortunately, I have reservation fro the next 5 days through Puente La Reina.

Today I am staying at Beilari which is technically a Gite but we call it an albergue. It is almost directly across from the pilgrims office. There are two beds available which is surprising. I think I will be the only English speaker. The balance of the guests are French. My roommate has just today finished the Le Puy route actually walking all the way to Roncesvalles today. He speaks a little English fortunately. He loved the Le puy.

St Jean Pied-pied-du-port is also full. I have met one other American but I do not hear much English being spoken. Mostly French and Spanish which is great with me.