Tonight’s meal – what a choice!

I just had to let vegetarians know this as it is the oldest joke in the world but I’d never seen it on a menu.

Outside the door it states 3 choices for us peregrinos.

Carne – yo meat boys

Pescado – that’s me smelly as my fish

Vegetarian – thatks neither of us but I do like quiche or a spanish omelette.

So the carne choice turns out to be
Salad, pasta in homemade tomato sauce, chicken leg and baked potato

Fish is

Salad, pasta in homemade tomato sauce, oven baked sea fish and baked potato

And drum roll …. The vegetarian option is

Salad, pasta in homemade tomato sauce and baked potato!

In other words take chicken or fish and gie it to yer pal! Priceless – only in the region of Navarre where the bulls run free until the vet slips them a mickey.

There’s a thing – why do the bulls not get drug tested first they’d surely choose not to compete.

Enough of that. Thank you all very kindly again from Leeds to Glasgow via London, Exeter, Aberdeen and Edinburgh

Mucho Gracias

Al

High 5 all round

Whooopla baby – we’re here! We’ve also been on the beer in the afternoon sun!

We’re athletes, our bodies can cope!

You got it – 2 san miguels and I’m ready to hit “Bar STOP” or the irunita nite club – but the dorms shut at 9 so its adios amigos time for some shut eye.

Before we do we have some ground breaking news – as predicted before we left – if we’re doing well we’ll find a way to screw it up so we’re going to los arcos tomorrow and if the legs are quick enough and the feet fine we’ll motor over there by 11.30 and then carry on another 8km to torres del rio.

We’ll be leaving here early as its city walking for 20 mins so we can do that in the dark. Eyes bigger than our belly – you better believe it – and that means very big!

We’ve bought our fruit and now its off for the peregrinos cheap’n'cheerful scran. Another 8 euro another 3 courser but will there be vin, tinto – do we need it.

There’s a nice square here in estella and a lot of roman architecture. Man o man after killing jesus christ they didn’t have try to make amends.

I guess that’s how the catholic guilt thing started. Four brilliant churches and a few other monuments to the durability of sandstone and the stupidity of people thinking a wee gift’ll make it ok. If God’s anything like Jackie – it’ll take more thqan a wee trinket like a cathedral to make up for disappearing for 6 weeks.

 Oops slipped off message there, I blame the drink which of course I’m not having nor enjoying even if I did have it which I haven’t really.

To be honest I was dragged away from my siesta to walk to pubs so that Si could say – “good there’s one there we can come back to”.

Only after passing 12 and bumping into both Eileen (who was jumping a bus to los arcos – she didn’t have 6 weeks like us)and the 3 Irish girls we’d met in Zubiri, who were heading home after one had sprung a blister (and were only here a week anyhow) – did he finally cop the idea that all this walking had already taken place and now we should be sitting resting in the shade with a lemonade.

Having walked me the equivalent of george street to the castle via lothian road just to say he liked the TSB best was vaguely inviting abuse – but I’ll save my invective for tomorrow when he’s 100m ahead going up villamayor.

Today’s word

Amigo – friend

Mi amigo – my friend

No mi amigo – Simon/al* delete as appropriate!

Cheers

Al

A Trial Seperation

It had been coming for a while now. Every morning I woke up and thought – what will we argue over today.

There were so many subjects to choose from – can you be a true Scotland supporter if you’re snoring when the goal goes in being just one. The answer of course is no, but we could debate it for 10km at least.

Our fellow pilgrims have thought we were joined at the hip which I thought was a bit rich – we’re fat – but he’s like 50m ahead of me – we’re not that fat. I walk slower because I’ve not started smoking again and still bear the scar tissue or stretch marks to show it.

With each day however it becomes clearer the big fella aint horsing it up the hills as fast as once he did, and I just need him to smoke mid-stage so I can pass him.

Let’s face it, its not a race to Santiago – that doesn’t start until we’re 50m away and I suggest he has a fag to give me a head start.

But enough of that what of today’s stage. We made good time out of the Albergue although the altitude loss was a mental issue.

Last night we walked through Puente la Reina to the Albergue at the end of town. What it doesn’t tell you is its 350m up a hill, outside of town, but by the time you’re there going back is no option.

Before I started slapping him senseless for such a long needless walk up boat brae – agaiin – I ran out of strength and merely mumbled.

Lucky for me as this was the best yet. I’d give it 4 stars as there was a swimming pool too, but we did that yesterday.

This morning – for the first time we showered – and what a difference it makes. People smiled back at us instead of the usual scowls.

The muscles being warmed up we left on schedule at 7.20 up and down like the proverbial lift in the Tour Eiffel until we reached Maneru where I dropped the shoulder dodged the big fella and made it to the Fountain.

It was a thirsty gig that 5km. We only climbed 200m but it seemed to be up 300m down 250m up 300m down 250m etc. Also the gravel, give us the tarmac any day.

After that we had a lovely stroll through the trails between vine groves to the village of Cirauqui. A cracking wee place, traditional hill top town. Winding streets not to dissimilar from our own as we head from the grassmarket or cowgate to the castle. The biggest difference being the smell.

The streets were being hosed and water rushed past our feet all the way up – I suggested to Si he could wait to fill his bottle – but his legendary patience won out. As I say the smell got stronger the closer we got to the top of the town. Yep, I think it was an outdoor toilet being hosed down after the carnival the day before. Very effective though all the rubbish just gathhered at the outskirts of the town!

As we tottered our way down to the bottom of the other side of town we were met by a strange sound indeed. “…and they sang Shang a Lang as they ran with the gang singing…..” All these school kids wearing kilts. What’s going on we thought, but more of that later.

The next few kms were beautiful – as we sauntered along skinny riverbank fields full of big healthy looking peppers – we knew they were destined for the Spanish markets – no chance Sainsburys or Tesco were laying their hands on them – no poly tunnels just 7 lines about 600m long.

We broke off from this to head under the motorway – their sign said 70 to logrono – ours 76 – crows fly, cars drive and Pilgrims piss a lot oops sorry Pilgrims meander – such is the way of the camino!

We followed the motorway for a bit then double backed on ourself to head on up about 200m to a town called Lorca. It was jumping. There were 6 pilgrims sitting in the shade of the church and getting cocky I tried to remember which were French for “bonjour”, which were Spanish for the “hola” and of course good morning for the Americans.

A bit further on in the town was the fountain. Gathered here were some Spanish Pilgrims – peregrinos – and a cycling one. The biking peregrinos are tricky wee shits. Everyone else behind you has a click click of the stick but these assasins steal up on you then ring their bell and make your muscles ache as you jump out the road too slowly.

I decided to fill my bottle and change my shirt which was soaking – fat boys sweat more. The fountain offered me the chance to rinse the smelly one and use Simon’s string to make a head band for the now clean and soaking shirt to hide my reddening neck and face.

As we wandered out of Lorca you reach the Albergue and the street hustlers – free internet 8 euro – double rooms single room – but we were on a mission and we still had 10 km to go.

Through the vineyards we went to villatuerta. We passed three germans just short of town – I’d already started summising that they were Amercians – - mean you don’t get to that size eating Apple Strudel do you. Well how wrong you are Al, how wrong you are. Fools rush in – and your hardly a site for sore eyes from the rear yourself!

You enter the town through the new estates that have been built and greet a few pilgrims in the plaza – whilst filling your bottle at the fountain you kick one of their dogs by mistake – well not really – we’re not that brave!

As you trawl on round there’s a lovely church with a St James statue outside. ” There are 15th century frescoes inside” I mentioned to Si. “Aye, and so has the next one, come on our lunch is getting warm!”

And on and on we went. Along trails again that have been battered hard and fast by centuries of peregrinos, that or the cement they make up at Zubiri.

We finally enter Estella – one close call as Si set of down stairs to nowhere. These waymarks can be very misleading but the rules are basically follow your nose and don’t leave the path your on unless its a big sign! The signs are arrows or red and white marks and if put at a jaunty angle – as one would wear a trilby – they can be open to misinterpretation. But we followed our nose and now we are here. 114 beds in dorms of 12. Mixed showers are a laugh though. To be honest you don’t care because your hot and sweaty and you just want a shower. Now I’m clean I can see the sense in making them all female for 15 mins then all male but such is the way of the camino!

But we followed our nose and now we are here. 114 beds in dorms of 12. Mixed showers are a laugh though. To be honest you don’t care because your hot and sweaty and you just want a shower.

Now I’m clean I can see the sense in making them all female for 15 mins then all male but such is the way of the camino!

Cheers

Al

day 5 – Peurta la Reina to Estella

Before I start, a few answers to questions.

the string is for tying Al up with when he gets out of hand and the pins to do a bit of torture with.

Jackie has explained what compeed is. All I know is that Al has got enough of it to start his own business!

We are now over an eighth of the way there. Approx 115km.

Photos – Er.. will try your suggestion Robin but dont hold your breathe……I will however contine to number days as its the only way i know to keep track of the time. As I have only shaved once since being here I have forgotten what day it actually is.

Last night was relatively incident free as we chose bunks far enough away from anyone else to avoid any night time rumblings.

Todays walk was pretty easy by previous days. Bit of a climb first thing. but after that no real terrors. There were lots of lovely blackberry bushes along the way which i kept picking from in order to maintain my 10000 calorie a day intake.

Because the weather gets really hot by 2pm we have now got into the routine of getting to where we need to be by then. Also the shops shut between 2-5 so if you aint got any food before then you´re buggered til 5.

Reached Estella by 1pm. 5 1/2 hours walking for the 23km. It may sound as though we are going slowly but this route does have the habit of making you go the long way to anywhere, or so it seems. The actual main road to Estella from Peurta is only 18km.

Got booked in to Refuge and now chillin´.

If any one is looking for tips or general advice on walking we are now experts as you can tell! ha!

Finally well done Dave (Chris) – Senor Intermediaries!

This is the way of the Camino.

Just giving .. or Grovelling

Robin, The Blog Master, is doing the Pedal for Scotland – or “Escape from Glasgow” 51 mile cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh, on Sunday.  Ok not as hard as a 500 mile slog through the Pyrenees, but it’s all in one day.  So an invite to all to sponsor him too! www.justgiving.com/heyholetsgo

Its not over till Fat Al Eats

You heard it here first. Pamplona is a wonderful place to watch the tartan army coming round the hill. There are no words to describe the elation I felt when I woke Simon to tell him we’d scored, oh and the small matter of a quid or two on Scotland at half time – using the hotel’s internet cafe!

Did I tell you about the hotel. It got better all night until about 3am. We decided to reinact Blazing Saddles famous beanscene and we’re not talking about the coffee house.

I let off quietly – as I’m now disposed to do – what we would normally say didn’t register on either noise or smelly richter scales. Simon retorted immediately – as if a human condition brought on through sharing dorms had taught him he could only fart when farted at – with a noise and venom that shook the fifth floor and had the aalarms going in the hotel.

Needless to say the lifts don’t work or are busy as we were evacuated. Don’t know why I used the royal we there, anyway, Lord Simon was duly grassed to the hospitalero as the man whose actions speak, sound and smell louder than words.

All f which meant that at 7am breakfast was a remarkably solitary activity. Our table was in the middle of the foyer – we know not why – but it was handy for a quick exit – except the joker forgot his stick and had to run up 5 flights of stairs to get it.

I meanwhile, had to contend with a busload of Spanish tourist asking me about the camino – I think.

I replied ” mucho gracias, bueno camino, mi amigo est tardes – no it was tarmacadam – por favor, ole!” and they duly put 1 euro in my hat – which I duly left full of coins when si returned clutching his stick and out we stroded or is that strideded or just walked.

I wore my trainers for a change – stupid that as my bag weighed more. We had 4kg of water and boots on top of the piece of string, which he still hadn’t cut so he could take his share.

I asked him to buy a screwdriver so he could unscrew the scissors and then he could carry half the pair – or one scissor. I did realise after to balance up the screwdriver – we’d need another, o well.

Physically fit as you like. I now run down hills – no pressure on the knees at all. When I say run down – I jest – I don’t do run – I run on spot and gravity takes me downhill.

Peunte la Reina is braw. The auberge is superb – it has an outdoor 20m pool into which I had dived before touching the water. Aha ha ha – it was cold – I did 8 lengths in 2 mins I was out – phew!

Usual grub – 47 courses two shekkels. A strange one on the beer and the wine. You order beer it comes in a tin with a wee wine glass – you order wine it comes in an old fashioned pint mug – the type with the handle and the dimples that Tartan Special made famous.

Well Marienne fae strasborg was making it famous tonight. She rose – or was it – rosy’d to her feet very slowly at the end of the meal.

Having said that she had been sitting opposite the new fangled Al eats slowly and properly and took 42 minutes tonight to eat one scoop of ice cream!.