Day 3 Roncesvalles to Bizkarreta

There is no moment of delight in any Pilgrimage like the beginning of it. 

For 8 months we planned this, well for more than 8 years Roz had planned it. Since January we had exchanged emails, taken a trial run, packed and repacked (or piled in my case as I didn't pack until 3 days before), bought tickets and planned our first week out and where we were going  to stay. And let's be real. Roz asked my opinion and I agreed. And here we are at Roncesvalles having just walked over the tough part of the Napoleon Route. So called because it was the route that Napoleon used to cross into Spain during the Napoleonic Wars. Along an old Roman route that even Charlemagne used. Our two toughest days were behind us. Ha!


Now you have to be out of Roncesvalles by 8. At 6 am the lights come on and Gregorian Chants start getting louder and louder. Someone said in their building they had headsmashing music. We woke up to lovely monks chanting. Roncesvalles is very efficient. You leave your poles and shoes down stairs. Your backpack goes to your bed then you can't go for breakfast or outside the building without all your stuff. We thought we could get breakfast then get our backpacks but the yard police ran across and said you have to leave with your belongings. 
Little church just outside the monastery dedicated to St James.
Roncesvalles. Beautiful busy place.
We have already done 24km.
Witches Forest.
This is the Cruz de Blanco - the White Cross erected to keep Witches out of Burgette.
First stop Burguete where we discovered Aquarius. Kind of like gatorade but way better. Our tummy's still weren't feeling well so we tried it.
Flat walking. Check out their water collection system.
Lovely church.
The way.
Cows. Didn't I say there was lots of cows.
Oh yeah. Our new favourite. Great for the tummy. Spanish tortilla. Onions, potatoes and eggs. Yummy. Interesting it is always served with a chunk of baguette.
Interesting wall art in Espiñol where we tried tortilla.
Then it started to rain. We were expecting about 1mm. Us island girls said pfftt that's mist. We'll never trust a Spanish forecast we discovered. Deluge was more like it 

River crossing.
Nancy,  Carol and Monica. Quite the trio in the rain.
Our Albergue. We walked into the lobby squelching in our shoes, covered in mud, cold and wet. We went up to our room and opened the door and I went "real beds, real towels and a bathtub". I had died and gone to heaven. After an amazing meal, no veggies of course, we stuffed our shoes with newspapers and contemplated tomorrow. We knew there was a treacherous down hill coming into Zubiri and one of our table companions was getting pictures of people falling and covered in mud. Bus anyone?










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