The albergue became a hive of activities before sunrise. Breakfast was simple and as soon as we were packed we continued our trek up the slope, the peak just over 2 km away. The whoosh of wind turbines became louder as we approached the top and the famous steel statues dedicated to pilgrims over the ages came into view. As the sun rose from behind the ridge, we had a breathtaking view of the valley below and Pamplona not that far away.
After the obligatory photos, we began our descent, which was more challenging than the climb. The loose gravel and steep gradient slowed us down but soon the path became more manageable. The undulating plains of harvested wheatfields, vineyards and market gardens provided a constantly changing landscape. We kept telling ourselves that we would not be enjoying the views if we were hurrying through it by driving. We stopped at a small village of Uterga for coffee and continued on to Puerta la Reina for the next stop. It was another easy day, but this second day we did a respectable 13 km !
Language continues to be a challenge; the Spaniards are determined to engage us in long sentences even when we showed no signs of comprehension. Alas, we should have put more effort in learning the language before we left Australia.
Fortunately for us, the weather has been great apart from the first day at Barcelona. Forecast said that there would be a few more days of good weather.
After the obligatory photos, we began our descent, which was more challenging than the climb. The loose gravel and steep gradient slowed us down but soon the path became more manageable. The undulating plains of harvested wheatfields, vineyards and market gardens provided a constantly changing landscape. We kept telling ourselves that we would not be enjoying the views if we were hurrying through it by driving. We stopped at a small village of Uterga for coffee and continued on to Puerta la Reina for the next stop. It was another easy day, but this second day we did a respectable 13 km !
Language continues to be a challenge; the Spaniards are determined to engage us in long sentences even when we showed no signs of comprehension. Alas, we should have put more effort in learning the language before we left Australia.
Fortunately for us, the weather has been great apart from the first day at Barcelona. Forecast said that there would be a few more days of good weather.
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