My impressions as of Jan 4:
Masses in general are at 7 or 7:30pm(so after your walk for the day) if you stay in a pilgrim-friendly town. Listen for the church bells going crazy. Usually, at the half or quarter hour, you will hear one ring. At the full hour you will often hear the # of strikes = to the hour it is (ie 10 strikes for 10am) 5, 15 or 30 min before mass, the bells will just ring crazily in a seemingly haphazard fashion.
Doors to churches generally remain locked until 30 min or 1 hr before mass, depending on the church, especially in the winter, even the ones that say they are open all day.
Destination is just a figment of the way distant future that I cannot sense. I am taking it one km at a time, mostly looking down at the paths, noticing the different pavement and colors of the rocks and earth. There is seemingly always sheep dung scattered about the paths, but only once yesterday have I seen the sheep. They were following the shepherd as he was leading them away from the grapevines, which are apparently illegal for them to eat, to some more legal food.
Once in awhile I see the last of the roses and wildflowers, which makes me happy. Blackberry vines are everywhere, but all the fruit has withered away. When I am hungry, I eye the olives and grapes hanging on their branches so close to the Camino, but I don't want to tress pass. Professor tells me since harvest is over, I can now take them since they will just be pruned and thrown/composted. We shall see.
My favorite part has still been the leg from sjpp to roncesvalles. Many people recommend the Camino from Roncesvalles to Logrono, which is nice, but hasn't greatly impressed me as much as the pyrenees. If I walk the camino again, I may want to Walk the le puy and norte routes.
There are way too many people to greet when I am in a city, so I get tired and just look around at the surroundings. When I encounter less people, I am trying to make a concentrated effort to greet them happily. Fyi, greeting with "Feliz ano" or "feliz navidad" really gives passerbys and others the fuzzies. According to my experiment, they tend to say more Buena suerte and buen Camino to you.
My bag is fairly heavy but I don't really notice the weight anywhere besides the feet. Feet are still good.
Cloudy. <p>Faith, hope and charity. Mud=lodo or barro. This area I walk through is like Napa. It's a microclimate where I can still see the grapes, almonds and pomegranates on their branches. The economics professor from Madrid pointed out the granadas to me (I was too busy looking at the ground and people ahead of me to notice.) And shared half of the fruit with me. <p>
More than once I've been given a smaller portion of food than others:(, I don't know why... maybe because I'm shorter or look like I don't need as much? However at la Juderia in najera, great portions and the food was amazing! Best I've had yet. Yummy Nata dessert.
<p>logrono: good thing we entered at night. Getting out and into cities with development around is the worst part of the Camino. All the non-nature sucks away my energy and I walk more slowly. Hate hate walking on asphalt. Its like true penance and maybe makes for more effective prayers since sacrifice is involved? My heels and bottoms of feet hurt. I much prefer a soft dirt trail. Wish I could fly like those great big birds flying in the sky.
Several km back yesterday I saw two sprightly looking gals walking not towards navarette. It was strange if they were peregrinas. Think they may have been the two tomas said had arrived by taxi at 9pm, so had turned away. Peregrinos carry their own backpacks and walk unless they're in really bad condition. There have been 2 guys so far who I've seen fall sick during the Camino, prob from pushing themselves too much. They still walked.
Think it is time for baby bird to leave mama bird. Sadly no albergues in azofra nor ciruena are open right now.
Clear clear day. Cold front coming and you can really feel it in the evening.
Bought a round of breakfast churros con chocolate for peeps. Said goodbye to most other peregrinos in Logrono since they are either going back home or to other places by bus ie Burgos or Najera. Thought we had said goodbye to Judit and Ramon in Estella but judit saw us through a cafe window and ran outside as we passed the street next to the logrono cathedral. There are some beautiful statues of Our Lady here and a painting of the crucifixion by michel buonarotti.
I think my body is a little tired today, so taking it easy and staying in navarette. The Ventosa albergue is closed. Mass 7:30pm at baroque church of the Assumption, which is quite beautiful and adorned with gilded grapevines. In terms of interior, I think it's one of my favorites so far since the church size itself is comfortable and I like the proportions. Sang Schubert's Ave maria in there while no one was around at 6:40
Meditating on the importance of names, sacrifice, and the importance of rest and taking that opportunity when it presents itself. You have to just follow the signs. Sometimes you don't go as fast as you want for a reason. All in good time.
