Larco to Los Arcos: September 7, 2014 Day 8
I am writing this on the night of the 8th because I was too tired once I got to the room, Our walk out of Lorco was cool because of overcast skies. This made walking easier in the morning. We stopped for coffee and a crescent in Puente Reina, sitting outside on the water in the old city.
We walked on to a church that was built in 970 just outside of town. It is no longer in use. Kathy and Ron from Georgia arrived about the same time. While it was wonderful to see the church we were all disappointed be the amount of litter surrounding it. You rarely find garbage cans or porta -potties. It is a little disheartening.
Continuing on we came to the old city of Estella. It is lovely with a huge cathedral that is very welcoming to pilgrims. To get to the doors you climb about 70 steps. Inside are old Romanesque paintings. A cloister on the side is peaceful and beautiful.
Leaving town we begin climbing up again. The sun is hot and the land dry, similar to the Nampa area. After a time we came to a winery that is well known on the Camino. They provide free water or wine to pilgrims at a fountain. It comes out very slowly so you don't take much. It was fun. We took a bit of wine in our water bottle to have later as it was too hot outside and we had far to go.
Continuing to climb uphill which seems to be the pilgrim way, always up, we came to a small town and stopped for a soda. This was the first place we have been to that served soda with ice! What a treat.
We me up then with a couple of women from Sweden who were very exuberant and planning on walking another 14 Kilometers even though it was nearly 3 in the afternoon and 95 degrees. The older lady was taking off her shirt, cranking up her music and began dancing down the trail. We were wondering if she had heat stroke!
When we arrived at out destination there was not a single room in the village. We caught a taxi with 2 other Americans and went 8 Kilometers down the road to a town that was bigger. Again no beds. One of the hospitaliera found us a hotel for $60. It was noisy, shared bath and the worst beds!
Happily though for dinner we went to the town square where about 100 pilgrims were eating dinner in the outdoor cafés. Two women from Ireland joined us for dinner because there were not enough tables and it is the pilgrim way to share what you have and enjoy each other's company. We learned that one of the women is walking the camino on the 10th anniversary of her husbands death for the second time. The Camino has taught her that she is strong and that she can carry on.
I am writing this on the night of the 8th because I was too tired once I got to the room, Our walk out of Lorco was cool because of overcast skies. This made walking easier in the morning. We stopped for coffee and a crescent in Puente Reina, sitting outside on the water in the old city.
We walked on to a church that was built in 970 just outside of town. It is no longer in use. Kathy and Ron from Georgia arrived about the same time. While it was wonderful to see the church we were all disappointed be the amount of litter surrounding it. You rarely find garbage cans or porta -potties. It is a little disheartening.
Continuing on we came to the old city of Estella. It is lovely with a huge cathedral that is very welcoming to pilgrims. To get to the doors you climb about 70 steps. Inside are old Romanesque paintings. A cloister on the side is peaceful and beautiful.
Leaving town we begin climbing up again. The sun is hot and the land dry, similar to the Nampa area. After a time we came to a winery that is well known on the Camino. They provide free water or wine to pilgrims at a fountain. It comes out very slowly so you don't take much. It was fun. We took a bit of wine in our water bottle to have later as it was too hot outside and we had far to go.
Continuing to climb uphill which seems to be the pilgrim way, always up, we came to a small town and stopped for a soda. This was the first place we have been to that served soda with ice! What a treat.
We me up then with a couple of women from Sweden who were very exuberant and planning on walking another 14 Kilometers even though it was nearly 3 in the afternoon and 95 degrees. The older lady was taking off her shirt, cranking up her music and began dancing down the trail. We were wondering if she had heat stroke!
When we arrived at out destination there was not a single room in the village. We caught a taxi with 2 other Americans and went 8 Kilometers down the road to a town that was bigger. Again no beds. One of the hospitaliera found us a hotel for $60. It was noisy, shared bath and the worst beds!
Happily though for dinner we went to the town square where about 100 pilgrims were eating dinner in the outdoor cafés. Two women from Ireland joined us for dinner because there were not enough tables and it is the pilgrim way to share what you have and enjoy each other's company. We learned that one of the women is walking the camino on the 10th anniversary of her husbands death for the second time. The Camino has taught her that she is strong and that she can carry on.
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