I’m pleased to say this is the last you will hear from me regarding our Camino! I talked about having a smile for everyone and how much it can mean to someone …

Now look what popped up on my FB feed earlier ….one of my absolute favourite musicians and a really good and decent human being …

How true is this though..,.tomorrow isn’t guaranteed for any of us , so live your best day today ! Well, I did my best today, Dear Reader, I took the DB to Marks and Spencer’s ( other retailers are available 😉) to purchase a white shirt . Simple you might say, however to get to the men’s department, we had to pass through the ladies underwear department and as I needed some underwear …I took the opportunity to make a purchase ….never again. The Ladies Underwear Department is mind boggling for me ….I mean, they were selling knickers I had never heard of 🥴🥴 to find what you want is like following an orienteering course ! What are you looking for … full briefs, half briefs, Brazilian , low rise thongs ( forget them 🥴🥴, high rise thongs , high rise shorts, low rise shorts, high leg , low leg ….🙈🙈🙈 Can you imagine the poor DB ? No I thought not …just let me say, if I need to return at any time , I will be going solo 😉😉

Anyway I digress …. today has been a good day … but maybe not the best day . I am my own worst enemy ..I know .., and could certainly benefit from “ walking at a pace I’m not used to …slow down” well today I’ve been walking a pace Im very used to … in fact would almost say “ running “!! Personal note to self… must try harder!!!

Now you know the saying “ some folk’s glasses are half full, others are half empty”

Well…….

Kathleen and I are both “ glasses half full people – and always willing to have them filled , particularly on the Camino with rather delicious white wine!!!

However, whilst on the Camino, we met people whose glasses were half empty and really you want to shake them ..,.for example when were walking ( quite extensively I have to say ) through pine forests one lady said “ I just wish it was a bit more open” … crazy really, because the next stage of the Camino is over the Meseta, where you’re lucky to find one tree. The same lady moaned about the food they had eaten … “it wasn’t good” she said ! Well apart from our disaster in Belorado with the chicken burger that had certainly never clucked or seen corn in its life , we ate really well . You have to appreciate the different regions of Spain have developed their own gastronomies. Whereas during the war in the UK there was rationing, during the Spanish Civil war there was nothing …and depending whereabouts in Spain they were at the time, they ate whatever they could grow or harvest from the sea . Paella that most recognised of Spanish dishes is derived from poverty …. rice was always a staple commodity so add what you can to it to make it healthy …hence snails and eel! No, I don’t choose to it either , but along with pig snout and trotters, I understand why they are still eaten. When you are starving, you waste nothing.

No, we didn’t eat any of this things and when the DB and I are in Spain we make our own version ov Valencian paella

My point here is, why can’t you just enjoy what you have at the time? Certainly a lesson Kathleen and I learnt ….appreciate everything surrounding you at the time you see it !

We also became very aware of our expectations of others … the DB is always saying to me ( and Alistair used to say yo Kathleen ) “Don’t judge others by your own expectations”…fortunately, we both have very similar views and therefore expectations of others . Not everyone has the same views and standards as we do …so we realise we have to work at being more tolerant!

With that Dear Reader , I am going to sign over and out … we ( the DB and I ) are going away back to Spain ( another part!!) shortly…however on our return we hope to welcome a new family member ( 😳😳 eek no Dear Reader, rather than the patter of tiny feet we’re looking for the patter of big paws)

They are not delicate dogs ( to say the least !) but they are in our view “ Simply the Best” … and certainly make our world a better place …

One more thing I want every one to remember please is this…

“ Growing old is a priveldge denied to many , for all sorts of reasons, so don’t complain about it, make the most of it ..please 🙏”

And with that, I say thank you for following this blog . and good night 😴

I am pleased to report that Kathleen and I are now both now safely ensconced in our own homes after our Camino.

I would like to say that we had an uneventful journey home …but that would mean me being economic with the truth , and you wouldn’t like that, would you ?😉😉

The start of our journey home went smoothly- Ruben , our taxi driver, picked us up on time and whisked us on our way to Bilbao airport. He lives in Burgos, and has walked the Camino once and cycled it once ( apparently he and some friends decided that if Spain won the World Cup they would celebrate by cycling the Camino! This has to be done in 11 days to qualify as an achievement 🥴🥴🥴) Unfortunately for Ruben, who is not an avid cyclist, whilst his friends were🙈🙈🙈, Spain won!! Anyway, as usual, I digress… but our journey was full of chatter!

We arrived at the airport, checked in and headed through security . In Manchester, on our way out, whilst we had all our liquids in the appropriate bags and electricals at the ready to be revealed, no need, everything can now stay in your hand luggage🙄🙄 . However, despite this, we were prepared for it not to be so in Bilbao, and indeed it wasn’t!🙄🙄

First, I go through the machine …and set it off. A fierce female security officer looked me up and down, then pointed to my Pandora bracelet demanded I go back through the machine without it – in fact, physically pushed me back through ( I’d go as far as to say it was an assault), grabbed the bracelet from round the side of the machine and demanded I walk back through. At this point I spoke to her in Spanish …… well, the change in her was unbelievable…. “Oh you’re Spanish….I thought you were German”…and then preceded to explain in none other than a “please be my friend” tone , that those bracelets always set the machines off so it’s always best to remove them first ! Now I know the Germans bombed Guernica in Northern Spain in 1937 but surely after nearly 100 years we have to move on ……

Then it was Kathleen’s turn …she also set the machines off so same woman ….body search, metal detector…..and when nothing was found they were still not satisfied and she was sent to the next officer who insisted on seeing all her hand luggage and testing it and her, for ( we suspect) drugs. You couldn’t make it up …..needless to say, the test was negative , but Bilbao Airport Security gets low marks from us ….whats that you say? Why didn’t we complain? …Have you seen the Civil Guard who lurk around the security border in Spain, Dear Reader? They carry guns …and aren’t afraid to use them …best to just put up and shut up 😉😉

Then we arrive in Manchester …. does anyone else find the new border e – gates a nightmare? Remove your hat …well of course ! Sunglasses,obviously ! Then your glasses …what? Remove my glasses and I can’t see a thing …how am I supposed to read the instructions? So I insert my passport …but then I’m still standing there clearly after my passport had been read because I can’t see the instructions …never mind the open gate 🤣🤣

Then out through the airport to meet the DB who had come to meet us in Express Pick Up ….one word describes this place “ Chaos” ….there was nothing Express about it ! The parking attendants ( in fluoresce jackets carrying blue umbrellas) had coned off all the entry ways into the parking bays ….where is the sense in that?

So we’ll just say we met the DB in Pick up …and then we were on our way back to our “ normal “ lives !

Now it is time for reflection ….and the title of today’s blog is a very good place to start

You remember I told you that on our second day , we walked with Joanne. Well she had been talking to a pilgrim who had told her “Walk at a pace you are not used to …slow down” How true that is – not just on the Camino but also in life …

I found this quote in our Camino guide book for our first day of walking out of Logroño

Certainly we met many “ pilgrims” ( and I use that word loosely …maybe participants in a race would be more appropriate 🥴🥴) ….well I say met, but really we just briefly caught sight of them today Buen Camino, as they whizzed by on the way to their next destination.

One of the problems seems to be an increase in the number of “ pilgrims” on the Camino Frances ( our Camino) with no increase in accommodation facilities. So whereas at one time, you could walk as far as you wanted and be sure to find a bed on arrival, that is now not so, and it seems to be a continual race to get to the next Albergue in order to secure a bed.

Oh don’t worry Dear Reader, Kathleen and I are not affected by a lack of accommodation …we have our hotels booked well in advance. They may be 1* and 2* but they are always clean with comfortable beds and the people friendly …we don’t want or need anything more.

There is no problem with walking at a fast pace of course…but for me there is a problem if you fail to take in your surroundings . After all what are they doing the Camino for ? To complete the entire thing in 32 days ?

We watched people rush past things and places, like horses in the Grand National with blinkers on . No time to listen to or speak with others …how refreshing is it to actually have time to listen to another human being?

On the whole we all live busy lives …and whilst we all have concern for our fellow countrymen ( of course women as well 🙄🙄..please don’t insist I say country people 🙈🙈) …when we are in the middle of a trip to the supermarket, and we meet someone we know and say “Hi! How are you?” …whilst we mean what we say, we really don’t want to hear that they are not okay and the list of issues causing the reason for that …after all we have to be somewhere else in twenty minutes…we just want them to say “ Fine thanks…and you?” Likewise we reply “ Good thanks! See you!”

How good it feels to have the time to really listen to someone ..Joanne was a classic example for us ..and both Kathleen and I know, that her day walking with us. helped her on her journey through the grief of the loss of her daughter.

Now, I have a question for you …..can you tell me what the people in the following photos do for a living? Or where they are from? How much money they have? Or their religion? Or sexuality if you must!

The answer is no …well okay some of you may be able to recognise one of the pilgrims 😉😉…and that is the beauty of the Camino. It is a leveller ..we all wear a uniform in a way …and that is walking gear! In fact, allegedly, one of the European royal families have walked the Camino as a normal family and unrecognised.

It really is a freeing feeling to be able to talk to anyone …and make a decision on whether you want to spend time walking with them on who they are, not who you perceive them to be . We are all guilty of judging people before we even say one word to them …and indeed both Kathleen and I had deemed one person a “ know it all” and one to be avoided …until we got to spend time with them . We discovered they really did know a lot about the history of Spain and what they were talking about …and they were a lovely person to boot!

So the lesson is?

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”

If you do, you are likely to miss out on something precious.

Now I had planned to say over and out at this point … but there is too much more that we have learnt so there will be another instalment ….but before I say ‘ Hasta luego’ I want to share something personal with you..do you remember the barmaid I met in Santo Domingo, her of maximum grumpiness…and the napkin I wished I could give her….don’t get excited she hasn’t turned up in Barnsley with a Cheshire Cat grin. The inscription on the napkin said “Sonrie cada día” .. or “Smile each day” and this photo touched my heart.

What I wanted to share with you was a response I received to one of the blog posts ..from some very special friends

Please remember folks …a smile costs nothing, but can mean the world to someone 😘

Now I say goodnight and see you again tomorrow …..

Before I write I just want to say it will be a fairly concise ( well as concise as I can be 🥴🥴) blog this evening . Tomorrow, you will have a more comprehensive and reflective toge

This morning we were both awake early ( and I mean early, 04.30 ish. We stayed in a Casa Rural last night and breakfast would be served in the bar across the road from 09.30 ! Too late for us early starters, so the bar gave us a picnic to either eat before we left or on the way!

However another bar opened at 0600 so we had our coffee, orange juice and toast etcthere, choosing to carry our picnic with us for later.

Breakfasted, suited and booted we were ready to leave at 0700 ! However, there was a problem…it was still pitch black outside! Some pilgrims set off looking like miners, with head torches … but even so they give minimal assistance I suspect. …and as we didn’t have a head torch about our person…we stayed put until we could at least see the road/path infront of us

Mind you, I say sun rise… there was low cloud and a chill in the air.. and for sure the sun had a lie in this morning!!!!!

I know … that person looks like me first thing in the morning…well now you understand why !!!!

Apparently the remains of our earliest ancestors were discovered in the prehistoric caves of Atapuerca and they are the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe!

This is really for information and help in understanding what we’re doing. Whilst the Camino Frances ( and just in case you’re slightly befuddled by all this ) is probably the most well known Camino.. there are, in fact plenty more!!!!

Anyway, shortly after this sign , guess what ?

We started to climb ..,If you look at the topography map I posted yesterday, you will see we had one hill to climb today and this was it !!

If you remember,there was a ❗️on the descent from the “hill peak “…I suggest that the ❗️should come into play long before the obvious descent….

Anyway, on our way to the top we heard a series of loud bangs …”fireworks” says I “in Spain, any excuse for a celebration…wedding, birthday,village fiesta”

“At 09.30 in the morning?”says Kathleen

“Oh yes” says I!

Anyway, we didn’t think too much about it …at the time anyway 🥴and looking behind us we could see ( or not, as the case may be) … very little!

However as we continued to climb up, could understand the potential ❗️awaiting us on our descent!

By the time we reached here we felt we were under a barrage of army barrels… though clearly safe as we were protected by series of barbed wire rolls! We spotted an army jeep not far away , obviously involved in army manoeuvres..

“ Do you think I could take a photo?” says I

“ No , keep your head down and keep walking“ says Kathleen “ and let’s get out ov here!

Anyway , reluctantly I agreed … continuing to the Cross …

As we descend through ‼️territory.. the sun tries to make an appearance.. and Burgos is in sight….

As we walked along , we came across this ancient tree in Orbaneja …the owner came out and took our photo with the tree….but how old could it really be ???xx

Eventually the path took us around the airport and to Casteñares where we eventually rested in a bar ( no alcohol consumed!)

The paths adjacent to the river are magnificent …

However , eventually we arrive at the bridge that we need to cross…

Today we have covered slightly more than we had planned … but hey!!!In truth we found the last 4 miles hard … but we made it!

These are the stats …think of them as you may…

Sometimes it is really hard to persevere with what we are doing ….for example, I am determined to get this blog out to you ( I was about to say tonight, but ineffective it is coming to you the following day!!!!! So please forgive any misdemeanours and remember….

If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

Martin Luther

Keep going, Dear Reader, keep going!

Today I’m going to confuse you all …and not start at the beginning but at the end 🙄🙄

Just look at those calories…all added to the bag …and I’m guessing Easy Jet will want to charge us to bring them all home because it will exceed our weight allowance 🙄🙄🤣🤣

I am sure there will be people who say “77.4 miles in 6 days” …that’s nothing ! Let me tell you , it is not only something, it can be very tough walking …going over difficult terrain.

Now, none of you noticed on the topography map that I posted, there was a red …!….and no wonder !

And tomorrow we have another red …!…

We think tomorrow, though long , should be reasonable … but you never know !

So how did we get here …

As always we set off from our hotel at about 07.40 after a hearty breakfast …and started to put one foot in front of the other ….

We stopped here in Villambistia for a water stop …too soon for coffee !!! However, after walking 5 miles,we allowed ourselves a coffee break in Espinosa del Camino!

That’s some distance left to travel not sure that would encourage me 🥴🥴🥴 …

I think you get a good idea of the sort of countryside we were walking through !

Then we see Villafranca Montes de Oca in the distance

Like everywhere we see in the distance , there are still some miles to reach it !!!!We were stopping here for a soft drink before we took on the uphill climbing , and 12.2 km of walking without any place of refreshment . Some of our fellow pilgrims already at the bar, started on the strong stuff at this point 🥴🥴🥴! No good for us though, we need every one of our faculties working 100%!!!!

What you have to understand Dear Reader, is that sometimes the anticipation of an event , is worse than the event itself but regardless we were well prepared ( 6 P’s and all!!!)

Off we set …direction upwards!….

Finally it seemed we had reached the summit …always debatable because somehow they sneak in another cheeky hill when you are hoping to goodness you are at the top!!!

So we stopped to take in our surroundings …beautiful pine forests with mountains in the background….and ….silence …..

This is heartbreaking and a tragic symbol of Spain’s unhealed memories of the Civil War. It is not just a memorial; it marks the shallow graves of those who were summarily executed.

We stopped not far from there for a rest and a “ picnic”

After this we tackled the red ! …as you’ve seen above , but just to remind you …

However once we reached the top on the other side we walked for several miles along wide open Sandy paths surrounded by pine forests .

You know I said earlier that the anticipation of the event can be worse than the event itself… all I can say now is that we hadn’t over-egged the anticipation! It’s been a tough day!

San Juan founded an Augustine Monastery here in 1150 and the chapel is dedicated to San Nicolas de Bari ( who allegedly saved San Juan from drowning on his way back from a pilgrimage.. 🤔🤔)

Clever stuff …present day human beings think they are superior to our predecessor this earth …I question that …

Anyway Dear Reader, I told you I was working back to front . So we should confess that despite feeling exhausted yesterday evening, we went out into the town and, yes you’ve guessed it… had our customary G&T!!

We were in good company … there were 8 octogenarians on the next table …all Spritely!

Now you will notice in the top photo we were wearing our sunglasses.. because you do when it is sunny ! However by chance we met up with the lady I told you about earlier , Joanne, and one of her fellow pilgrims and by the time we left them to go to our hotel, it was dark! Now we may or may not have had a glass of wine (well they were almost giving it away at 1€20 a glass) or two but when I went to clean my teeth ready for bed … yes, we were back in our room by then !!!…..

Back to the here and now ! We are prepared for tomorrow although after a slight incline, the rest as they say, is all downhill to Burgos!!! We have been surprised this time at the number of people catching buses or taxis for part of the journey and walking a short way to cut out the difficult sections , many of them with injuries sustained by tackling the first sections like bulls in China shops (never a good idea🥴🥴🥴) or blisters because they have totally inappropriate footwear ! Our friends from the USA who we met in Logroño on our first night, whilst now enjoying meeting different people and seeing different places, are very definitely not enjoying the “ walking” part! Clearly in the USA this pilgrimage ( because that is what it is) is just a walk. These two ladies had no idea what was involved …. this Camino could never be described as “ just a walk”

Yet Kathleen and I have embraced this section as we have always done …..as in life when things get hard, you don’t just hop on a bus to avoid them, you tackle them head on . We have never had to take our boots off to let our feet breathe mid walk ..and yes , I have two blisters but they are neither troublesome nor caused by inappropriate footwear ( don’t tell anyone but I have brought along my own personal podiatry expert 😉so all is good!!) and they certainly don’t affect my ability to walk . So tomorrow is our last day and we will absolutely make the most of it 😘😘😘

This quote says it all …

“When life gets hard, remember that challenges strengthen you and that tough times never last, but tough people do”

Just saying 😉😉😉

First though, and before I explain, I need to tell you some shocking news ! Last evening, we missed our Gin and Tonic 🙈🙈🙈…can you believe it ? No I know it’s hard to believe , but we did !!! We had decided to eat in the hostel ( boutique please remember 😉) at 7 pm and by the time we’d rested and I’d written to you Dear Reader, it was too late!!! Ah ..there we go …so I blame you …🤣🤣🤣…anyway we haven’t shrivelled up or turned a funny shade of pale so please don’t worry about us !

We did make an effort and dress for dinner though

Anyway we set off on today’s section early (07.40) in order to (hopefully) avoid the hottest part of the day .u We walked past the cathedral …

We had wanted to go inside yesterday, but at 5€ each for a short visit, we declined… but apparently amongst the many beautiful statues live a cockerel and a hen. Regardless, we wouldn’t be seeing them 🤣🤣

Then we left Santo Domingo de la Calzada over the Puente de Santo….

We continue on our way , leaving behind what we now know is an area famous for potato growing . We had left before full sunrise and the scenery was spectacular…

I know these photos don’t do the surroundings justice, but if they give you a tiny inkling of what we are witnessing , that is good enough for me !

As we approached the first village on our way , by the smell in the air, there were quite a few pigs around . How do I know you ask… because I took my grandchildren to Cannon Hall Farm before I started this stretch of the Camino, and the smell of pig is unmistakable!!!!

As we walked through the village , we passed the Church …beautiful inside and a haven of peace and quiet…..

Then we spied a stain glass window showing every pilgrim the way ….

On leaving the village, again the surrounding countryside was vast and beautiful…

It is just past this photo that we “crossed the line” so to speak ! We left La Rioja and crossed into Castilla y Leon! No passport required you’ll be pleased to know …in fact, the crossing passed by more or less unnoticed.

However, because I know you like to know as many facts as possible for the pub quiz …. let me tell you that Castilla y Leon is the largest autonomous region in Spain with an area of 95,000 square kilometres! It is 11 times the size of the region of Madrid yet has a population of only 2.5 million which is less than half that of Madrid !!! Certainly we witnessed an area today that was very sparsely populated!

We stopped here for coffee, having by this point walked for three hours!!!

Then we set off again , stopping at the church in Castildelgado…

We passed through Viliria de la Rioja …a tiny village with a population of approximately 90…allegedly the birthplace of Saint Dominic . The village was born/built in 1019 and it is clear they had great celebrations in 2019 . The Church is beautiful outside as you can see ….

Finally we arrived in Belorado…and at our hotel which is where “ zombie longed frolics” come in . Of course that is our location on the “ my three words” grid for those of you who thought I was completely losing it!!!!

We went for lunch but will skip the detail …the white wine was delicious, and at 1€ 20 for a 175 ml glass , excellent value . The chicken burger on the other hand was disgusting …anyway, don’t worry, we won’t starve 😉😉😉

This Church is built up against the surrounding limestone cliffs and the ancient cave dwellings are still visible behind the Church!

Now today , despite being very hot, has been an easier ( if at times tedious) hiking day ! I certainly feel better at the end of today’s walk than I did at the end of yesterday’s . However, this is what we have to contend with tomorrow….

This is our route ….

Today I’m going to leave you with something Kathleen saw on a road sign.. it took us a couple of seconds to get it , but it’s good advice ..

“ Lose your anger, ……and don’t go to Lost Property’

Until tomorrow Dear Reader …..

Today has been a good day !

So the majority of today’s blog will be a photographic description of our day!

after another late G&T night of course !

Look carefully and you’ll see what dirty stop outs , we’ve become !!! This photo was taken on our way home to bed 🙄🙄😴😴

Look what lies ahead for us 🙄🙄🙄another hill , cheeky or not, 🙈🙈🙈

Then at the top we can look back !!!

However, we think the inhabitants must be of small stature…look how low the bench is …no photos of me getting up for obvious reasons 🥴🥴…but at least I knew when I leaned on the back for a lever, the whole thing wouldn’t tip up 😉😉

This rollo or tall stone column functioned believe it or not ( and it says so in the guide book so must be true ) as a judicial and administrative marker…and where executions were held!!! Yikes best move on me thinks 🤔🤔

Bread and wine in a day’s hike …well more like wheat and grapes, but you get the picture!! Onwards we go …..

Don’t be fooled, turns out we were still over a mile away!!

At this point we were joined by a guy who I will call Adam .. to protect his identity, you understand 😉…turns out he was British but had lived in Holland since he was 24 years old ( hazarding a guess here but I’d say for 35 years . Anyway, we got chatting and his parents came from Sunderland…so the North East connection again . He, though grew up in Leeds …an avid Leeds United supported ( the DB will be pleased 😉) and went to Allerton Comprehensive School . A certain Marco Pierre White was in the same year, and Adam and he were in the same home economics class . Now, I don’t know why or how it happened but MPW broke Adam’s nose 👃- and his comment to us was the Home Economics teacher didn’t see a genius in the class .., just a thug 🥴🥴🙈🙈

Of course, we’re sat at a table next to two men ….transpires they were doing Brittany Ferries Rioja Tour on their motor bikes !!! Where were they from? Whitley Bay of course … in the North east !!! So a happy half hour passed swapping tales of the Camino and the bike trip !

Then back to our hostel ( boutique you remember 😉😉) to do our stretching routine . Let me tell you Dear Reader, I will return from this Camino just like Morph …able to bend any which way ! Joking apart …after 4 nights of a 15 minute stretch programme..I can already feel the difference !!

So tomorrow is going to be hot .. we have been blessed with good walking weather so far … but with temperatures of 30° forecast by 13.00 hours … we will be up and off as early as we can in the morning !

With that , I bid you goodnight ….

Today’s blog is quite hard to write because I’ve always wanted to keep it light hearted and funny …. this will of course have some humour because look who is writing it 🙄🙄🙄- but some days you meet the spirit of the Camino head on, and today has been one of those days 😘😘

Yesterday, when we were able to collect our room key, we met a petite American lady also staying in our hotel who was arranging a massage …she needed some help with translation/ where to go etc , and we were able to help her.

I’m giving you all a mascara warning now ….fortunately Kathleen and I don’t wear make up whilst walking so we just had wet faces .

When we were eating our breakfast the same lady appeared , and we started chatting . Well her first question to us was “ What have you eaten?” Quite right to ask, because all that was on offer was a banana, natural yoghurt, and toast ( well, a chunk of bread equivalent to 3 Mother’s Pride slices) butter and jam…plus coffee and orange juice all for the princely sum of 8€ !!

Whilst we continued chatting we discovered why she was walking . Let me be clear, the majority of people walking the Camino, have a reason to do so, but some are more heart breaking and hard to hear than others.

This lady, Joanne is 71 years old, and is walking the entire length of the Camino to Santiago de Compostela on her own. She is a married mother of four children and grandmother to thirteen grandchildren and had wanted to walk the Camino for the past forty years but with work and family commitments she wasn’t able to.

One of her grandchildren has had heart problems all her life and finally was admitted to hospital requiring a heart transplant. Joanne spent every third night with her in the hospital ( Mum and Dad doing the other two nights) One night when she was with her granddaughter, her oldest child, and only daughter, had a heart attack and died aged 46 years old .

At this point , you may imagine, the three of us were in tears. After this , Joanne’s husband told her “ This is your time to walk the Camino” So she is doing .. but she then told us , her granddaughter who had been waiting for a long time for a heart , received one the same day her Aunt died! There were no words … just tears and a strong bond of compassion and care 😘

It was a natural progression for us to walk with Joanne . She is an amazing lady …very brave to do this on her own…but as she said, she doesn’t feel alone and in reality she isn’t. We walked comfortably together from Navarette to Najera with her …10.9 miles….and the time seemed to fly by . Plenty of tears ….but it is the start of her healing 😘

Still too early to think about that 😉 and in case you’re questioning that, yes it is !!!

So as we walked further, two girls came up from behind us …and Joanne recognised one, a girl called Amy, from her “ coffee break” stop at Orisson ( first cafe half way up the Pyrenees ) We were introduced as the girls from England …and it transpires that Amy from Chicago, spent a year in Durham on a student exchange in 1985 . Well of course, that is Kathleen’s stomping ground …so they reminisced, and Amy proved she could still speak with a Jordy accent !!!!

As we got nearer to Najera, we came across this very strange stone hut ….

Then we came across the Pilgrim’s Poem ….”Pilgrim who calls you ?” It is basically grafitti on a wall but the local people have made a feature of it , and either side of the poem they have painted a library of books that pilgrims can write on . Sod’s Law we only had a biro ….perhaps normal pilgrims carry, as routine, a felt tip pen about their person for such an occasion 🥴🥴🥴 whoever knew !!!

On arrival in Najera itself we had our coffee stop where I found this napkin..,

…and then walked on to find our hotel. Once we were settled in our room, we went out for the customary beer …yes, it was way past the yard arm!!! ….where I wish I’d brought that napkin because believe you me the waitress needed it . Grumpy doesn’t even come close 😂😂

Before I close this blog , thank you to everyone who reads it and if they can, comments, ….it really is my pleasure to write it . However , I was originally quite concerned as to who was reading it …as I could see names/addresses that bore no resemblance to anyone I knew ( or so I thought!) …and when I share them with you, I am sure you will understand my concerns – here are but a few ( well 3 !!)

Now I know who is enchantingly creative now 😘 but you can perhaps understand why I was slightly concerned. In truth I have no idea how this all works …because some comments come from named friends . So can I ask that if you can and do comment, you write your name …and if you happen to have been given a unique coded name , I will be sure to let you know !

Tomorrow we are off to Santo Domingo de la Calzada .. 13.9 miles away …

So hasta mañana Dear Reader …here are a few things to remember…

…and to finish to give you ( well, on reflection, maybe some of you 😉) a chuckle …

Good morning !! I bet you’re thinking I’ve finally lost it ….well, maybe I have a bit, but the title of this blog is to prove a point about signs ! Before I get on my high horse though ..let me keep you up to speed with where we are now !

We left Logroño in good time this morning …

The route out of the city was stunning .. beautiful well maintained parks …constantly watered so all grass and foliage was green ( the irony was not lost on me that in the UK , an island surrounded by water, we are all under a hosepipe ban …yet Spain prone to severe droughts seems to manage it’s water supplies a little better 🙈🙈)

Now let me introduce you to the wildlife we met along the way ..,

We arrived at our first stop in very good time ….10.30 am …

However, those of you who’ve followed us before, will know that each day of walking, after about 2-3 hours we have a coffee and a snack. Alas today the first bar we came across was on our arrival here 🥴🥴

Then you will remember we allow ourselves a cold beer when we are within 30 minutes of our destination! Well that went to pot🙄🙄 …and neither of us felt we could have a beer at 11 am …. why you ask ? Look, it could have been a long afternoon so we needed to pace ourselves !. However, as I write, I see it is nearly midday …. hooray bring on the 🍻🍻

Cheers one and all …..and the plant next to us ???Rosemary or Romero of course 😘

The hotel we are staying in is built around the original Camino path….

This just gives you an idea of what the “ path” looks like in places!!!

Okay, now back to the beginning ….so what is the title of this blog all about ? Yesterday do you remember I left you with a conundrum ….

What do these signs mean ?

Excuse me …but what is there in that “picture” ( and I call it a picture loosely uou understand ) that tells you it is a man’s toilet …answers on a post card please . I mean it doesn’t even resemble the male anatomy ….or should I have gone to Specsavers??? ( for those of you not familiar with Specsavers , they are a well known chain of opticians ) …so what is it about that sign that says “ Men, enter here”

I watched one bloke walking from this door to the other door completely befuddled…after three attempts to work it out he resorted to asking the waitress …and in case you’re wondering how I knew it was the men’s toilets, it’s because I watched him being directed there!!!!

What can I say …what have we here …..again what on earth is it about this picture that says “ Ladies Toilet”?We have an upside down man in the first diagram ( and I may be many things but an inverted man I am not !!!) and I’d have said a cat at the end …I daren’t hazards a guess at what is in the middle 🥴🥴🥴

Why can we not have universally recognisable male and female pictures on doors ? It would be so much more helpful …and don’t start with “ what about transgender toilets” because surely whatever your gender, you would use the relevant toilet? 🤔 Just saying !

The DB had an unfortunate incident with a toilet relating to signage, in Brighton several years ago . Let me set the scene…it wasn’t long after Covid restrictions were lifted…and the bar we went to on the sea front had one way in and one way out . So the DB went in to order and pay for 2 gin and tonics ( 😂 back to that theme again 😉) …well, he didn’t reappear straight away . In fact the drinks appeared before he did .

So when he finally got back he looked a little flustered …”where have you been?” I asked

“Well, I went to the loo.”

“And what took you so long?“ said I ( slightly cautiously at this point🥴🥴)

“ I asked the man behind the bar where the men’s loo was, and he said it was up the stairs and along the corridor at the end… but it wasn’t. So I had to go all the way back down and ask again”

“ Crikey …where was it ?”

“ Up the stairs and along the corridor at the end!”

No wonder he couldn’t find it …I mean at least the first diagram suggests a women , but as he said at the time what is the second diagram meant to mean ? As for the third …a friend of ours suggested it was where you did the washing up 🙄🙄🤣🤣

So what I am saying is …signs really need to say what they mean . Now the Camino Frances, which is the Camino we are walking, is well signed . We left our hotel this morning and followed these signs out of Logroño…

Perfectly clear signage …giving us perfectly clear instructions to follow …some folk could learn a lesson or two from these me thinks 😉😉

Now comes a cautionary tale…ok another one 🙄🙄 but this story bothered both Kathleen and I . Last evening, when we were sipping (😉😉) our small gin and tonics , two American ladies ( obviously walking the Camino) sat down at the table behind us . One of the ladies couldn’t speak and looked completely traumatised…and the other hid her trauma well . It transpires that they had left the USA to “ Walk the Camino Frances” 7 days ago and had given themselves until 21 st October to complete it . However, it became clear they had done very little research on what it was like …thinking mistakenly it wasn’t a hike of trek, rather a walk 🙈🙈🙈. On arrival in St Jean Pied de Port where the Camino commences, they visited the Pilgrim Office and were given the following sheet of paper…

They followed it to the T …and as they were staying in Hostels ( which fill up very quickly with the Speedy Gonzales’ we see whizz past us every day) … on several occasions they had had to extend the already long day’s walk to find somewhere to stay as everywhere was fully booked! No wondering they weren’t enjoying the experience …and were completely deflated in spirit .

Fortunately help and advice were at hand ….you’ve guessed it !!!….from ours truly …and we told them to pace themselves …use the Pilgrim Office and” map” as a guide not an instruction ..and I’m delighted to say, we met up with them earlier, and Debbie who had looked shell- shocked last evening was unrecognisable and Julie totally relaxed . They are staying here in Navarette tonight thank goodness!

The moral of this tale is that if you are going to take on a “walk” that takes a minimum of 5 weeks to complete and you are doing it unsupported ( unlike Kathleen and I who are doing it supported by a company called Walk the Camino) …please do your research .. They completely ignored the 6 P’s …Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!!!!

And so to the end of the day …..of course that involves a customary ( and rather large) gin and tonic in the town square ! On our way home we called in to the very imposing church…

It was built in the 16 th Century … of all the sections of Camino we have walked the alter has to have been the most amazing ( obviously excluding the cathedral in Santiago de Compostella 🙄🙄) I mean, look at this for ornate …..

This is a church in a small town …2,900 inhabitants…..the statues amongst the gold work were life size . It speaks volumes about religion and its history in Spain!

Then it’s back to the hotel for an early night ( and a speedy prayer that the church bells don’t chime throughout the night 🙏🙏Tomorrow we walk 10.9 miles to Najera and it seems we start off with a very cheeky little hill!

With that Dear Reader, I bid you Good Night but leave you with this for a chuckle …

So Dear Reader we’re off again! Leaving the surrounds of the Yorkshire countryside far behind us ….

Last night Kathleen and I had our usual pre- Camino celebration…

At least we have fresh raring-to-go legs …unlike these ….the boots don’t look so good either .. but I suppose after walking over 100. miles ( including climbing the Pyrenees 🙄🙄) which we did last year, they could have looked at lot worse!

Like our legs, the boots are spruced and ready to go again …

After an early start , we got to the airport …. where to my dismay you have to do self- check in for luggage . It was always so easy, queuing up to then place your bag on the scales/ conveyer belt next to the check in assistant . Not anymore ! However I am pleased to report that the machine replacements cater for people like me with instructions for dummies …even I managed it ! So bag checked in, off we go through security ….having pre- prepared by putting all liquids in the clear plastic bag, no need ! All liquids and electricals are now to remain in the hand luggage !!!

Apart from my boots raising suspicion or maybe it was my feet 🥴🥴 ….all sorted by placing each foot individually on an X-ray plate ….for the first time ever we passed through almost uneventfully!

The flight was over almost as soon as it had begun …1 hour and 40 minutes…however that didn’t stop the group in front of us imbibing in a considerable amount of alcohol! At least two bottles of wine each …and one of them had two bottles ( ok individual ones) of vodka and two of gin…and ended up mixing the whole lot together with two tonics 🙄

I mean Kathleen and I are not averse to a drop or two of the good stuff as you know 😉😉😉….but even we couldn’t have considered half of what each of them drank …particularly at 8.30 am !!!

Our travels to Bilbao on the local bus, went according to plan, and we caught the Metro to the main train station successfully😉

After a three course meal …one glass of wine included for 15.50€ each, we thought we had time to peruse the goods on offer in Primarni….until I got a text from the travel company telling me our train was leaving in 12 minutes 😱😱😱 Mad panic and a rush to the train station ensued … only to find the train line from Bilbao to Logroño is cut ( and has been for two weeks🥴🥴) and we were being put on a bus !

Actually the bus was quicker than the train would have been, so all was and is well!

Arriving at our room …

Only one thing for it

So Dear Reader it is time for me to turn in … but not before I show you our route tomorrow …

I suspect it is shorter as the crow flies …but then neither Kathleen or I are crows …and possibly shorter by main road …. but have you seen how the Spanish drive??? Our aim is to return to the UK in one piece … well two pieces, she and I !!!! So we will just take the hills and inclines that are thrown at us !!

Good night Dear Reader ….I leave you with a conundrum! Any idea what these signs mean on toilet doors …..

Answers tomorrow …fortunately we understand Greek hieroglyphics…and managed not to make a terrible mistake !!!

Hasta mañana !!

Hello …..is anyone still there? Just checking!!It has been far too long since I last put pen to paper ( well you know what I mean …finger tip to keyboard 🥴🥴…) at least I can still put pen to paper , I have to say I do fear for the future of humble pen ….

Anyway, I hope Dear Reader you haven’t forgotten me …I am still here . My last blog was dedicated to our Golden Retriever, Millie…and I confess her loss affected me far more than I had expected it would . However, time is a wonderful healer and despite her memory being very much alive, hopefully by the end of the year we will have her successor in our lives …watch this space !!!

Well what a Summer we have had ! I was treated to the Abba Voyage experience for my birthday with the DB ( come on now, you can’t have forgotten him…the Dearly Beloved or present Mr Harding !) and our eldest, Emma . What a fabulous show ! Even though you know they are holograms, it is really hard to believe they aren’t the real deal…very clever!!

Then followed a string of visits from and trips out with our UK grandchildren ..culminating in a two week visit from the Spanish contingent …..interspersed with training walks with Kathleen my Camino Buddy and her trusty Labrador, Bert !

Of course two of the days we had earmarked to do long walks, turned out to be the hottest of the Summer 🙄🙄 Anyway undeterred, on day 1 we managed a walk incorporating mostly shade and plenty of river play !

As an aside you may realise my technology skills are not top of the range – to put it mildly! I wanted to post the video of Bert here, but try as I might , I failed 🙈 Then I had a brainwave…take a snapshot of him in the water …success … but now I can’t get rid of the video but at the bottom 🙈🙈🙈🥴🥴🥴

This is me ……

The second day wasn’t forecast to be so warm so we set off , again with Bert’s safety in mind ( the two of us may well have to walk in the heat and will manage it ourselves appropriately.. but Bert doesn’t )

We came across a triple trough with lovely clear water …and Bert was straight in !

So by now you will understand the title of the blog …we leave tomorrow for the fourth leg of our Camino Frances from Logroño where we finished last year, to Burgos!

In my last epistle, I seem to remember regaling you with the DB’s and my attempts at garage clearance – particularly difficult as the DB does not like throwing anything away ! It might come in useful you see!! I told you about the antiquated mole traps I found …and had decided to give them to someone we knew who could make good use of them . Within hours of me mentioning donating said traps , an entire family of moles made their home under our front lawn 🙈🙈🙈 Needless to say the DB had his “ I told you they’d come in useful look” on his face , pleased as punch to show me the evidence !

This brought back to mind an episode with a barbecue many years ago …. we, like many others had purchased a gas barbecue … to be honest I’m not sure why we bothered because in truth, the DB and barbecues go together like chalk and cheese ….but anyway as usual I digress !

So one Summer’s evening I decided we would have a barbecue and asked the DB to get the by now, slightly rusty one from the garage …for some reason he was adamant he was going to use a disposable one that we had lurking in the garage . He would not budge on using the gas machine so the foil tray effort it was. He placed it on the soil in one of our planters ( made of wood as it happens 🙄) and cooked whatever we had . All windows were shut to avoid smoke pollution in the house whilst cooking, and after we’d eaten he sprinkled water over the coals and left them to cool down .

Sometime between midnight and dawn , I got up to use the loo and was struck by the smell of barbecue . I remember thinking “Crikey, he’s right , the smell of smoke gets everywhere”, went back to bed and thought no more of it . An hour or so later I got up thinking the smell of smoke was increasing not decreasing ..looked out of the bedroom to see to my horror, the planter in flames 🔥 Without consideration of my attire 🙈🙈🙈 ( the DB says I was scantily clad 😂😂) I ran down the stairs , out of the house to get the hosepipe to douse the flames …fortunately I succeeded and the fire service was not required!

However, the next day … you may imagine I was a little miffed … clearly we no longer had need for the gas affair so as I was doing a trip to the tip , it accompanied me! Now the DB wasn’t at all bothered about the barbecue but asked me what I had done with the tube and gas cylinder fitting !! Whoops ..that had gone with it !!! No matter, without hesitation , the DB got straight in the car, drove to the tip and retrieved said tube and fitting 🙈I can only imagine what the staff at the tip thought !!!

I found this on Facebook ..,,,

Back to the here and now …as I said we have both been training (together and separately) for this next leg of our Camino, though recently with visitors I have been slacking . I feel sure nothing we face will be as hard as our climb over the Pyrenees on Day 1 of our last Camino, however there are certainly some cheeky hills to look forward too 🥴🥴🥴 We learnt the hard way if you remember, on our second Camino from Santiago to the coast, and Kathleen’s words still ring in my ears …” Jane, where did you get the idea it was flat and we’d be doing 10 miles a day?”

Answer “ I have no idea, but clearly someone has put a mountain range in the way since I said that!”

I was out yesterday morning with two friends and came across someone I’ve met before ..the Owlman of Stocksbridge. I first met him about two years ago when I was walking Millie around a local reservoir ..he was walking his two black labradors and to my astonishment had a barn owl ( Lola) in tow . I remember he was picking up dog poo at the time (or trying too!) and I offered to hold the dogs to make it easier. We then got into a long conversation about owls etc and I have followed him (not literally you understand!) ever since .

Anyway, yesterday we met him as we were walking home …still two labradors but this time he had Bobow with him !

Before I knew what was happening he had given me the glove, and the picture tells the story!! I have to say after we’d said goodbye he once again had to get the poo bags out – my comment was that if he can pick up after his dogs whilst holding both dogs and an owl, no dog owner has an excuse for not clearing up after their dog!

I’ll leave you now …phew I hear you say …but those of you who know me know I like to leave you with a little chuckle so ….

Until tomorrow Dear Reader ….