Day 5 May 13, 2016 Estella to Los Arcos

 Los Arcos, Spain

May 14, 2016
Los Arcos
Fuente Casa de Austria
14.31 miles, 35868 steps, 31 flights 5:44hr

 

It was a good day on the Camino!

My apologies if this entry got sent before... The blog site was shut down for a bit and I am not sure what postings got out.

I made a decision. I have a limited span of time to make the hike... 29 days to be exact, but most Camino guides break it up into 34 stages, and then add a few rest days. The guidebooks recommend an open ended approach; but I don't have that luxury. I had found an online itinerary for a "fast Camino" that would get it all done in 30 days, but I have discovered that these days are really long, and completely focused on forward progress, as opposed to seeing the sights, and meeting the other hikers and having another cafe con leche. Because the days are long, I have been arriving late, to face full accommodations, a woofed down meal and bed.... not a good cycle. So, I have concluded I will take my time and enjoy. I may need to make up some time with a bus, but that's okay.

Today the path approached Rioja, Spain's famous wine country with the Feunte del Vino (fountain of wine). One of the wineries has a Camino-side spigot which dispenses free wine to the passing pilgrims. The inscription says "Pilgrim, if you want to arrive in Santiago full of strength and vitality, have a drink of this great wine and make a toast to happiness". There is also a tap for water...which do you think I filled my bottles from?

 

Pilgrim if you want to arrive in Santiago with vitality and health, drink this wine and toast to happiness.

I have been surprised that the trail is often lonesome. The Camino pilgrims' office in St Jean says that 400 pilgrims start each day for Roncesvalles. The first day, you see lots of people. But after the first day, on some stretches, I have barely seen any other hikers. On one day coming up to Pamplona, I even resorted to downloading an audible book (The Sun Also Rises). I chose this book because some of the action takes place in Pamplona. I simply could not get into it... Sorry Travis, but even after all these years, I still find Hemingway and his characters insufferable. But the running of the bulls discussed in the book was actually interesting foreshadowing.

Anyway, today there were more folks to contend with. I felt them before I saw them... The odd percussive feel in the road, followed by the click, click, click, clatter-clatter-CLATTER. Then they appear, a gaggle of French women, all wearing identical tights, all with their hiking poles, each uncapped walking pole emphatically planted on the road with each step. As I passed them, they were all chattering and clucking incessantly... But then I speak some French, what could they possibly be talking about? As I listen, I conclude that they were really just making noises, no real conversation, like a giant metallic babbling centipede crawling across the Spanish plain. I picked up my pace to get ahead, but only to run into more babbling, clattering centipedes. There must have been a mass migration. An enterprising man would set up a yoga clothing and walking pole store directly on the Camino.

I have safely arrived in Los Arcos. My feet are again covered in blisters; so I am stopping for the day. I seem to have checked into a hostel catering exclusively to loud Germans. Even now they are drinking away and telling jokes. I think there is going to be some snoring in store for this evening... I will try my new super-duper ear plugs.

Tomorrow, I get to La Rioja and true wine country!