The Aragones Route - Arres to Ruesta

On the morning of October 14, I left at dawn.

Looking back over my shoulder at the village of Arres

was like looking back through time with the old stone buildings

sitting like jewels on the top of the hill.

Photo by Journeyman13

One of my favorite times to walk is dawn. 

Watching the sun rise over the mountains in the still of the morning is healing to me.  

I stopped off at the bar on my way out of town. 

They were open for coffee, and I bought a bocadillo de tortilla for the road.

The night before I asked Felix, the hospitalero at Arres,

how far it was to Artieda.

He told me it was 18 kilometers. 

My guidebook said 15 kilometers. 

I would bet money that Felix was right!  

The guidebooks often fail.

So this day I simply put one foot in front of the other, 

followed the yellow arrows, 

and eventually I knew I would arrive in Artieda.

 

Artieda sits at the top of a hill where in the 12th century 

there stood a castle. 

The road goes up an around, up and around 

and it is quite a hard climb. 

The road in Artieda is beautiful, and all done in stone.

Photo by jemonbe

Following the arrows to the very top, 

I found the albergue and restaurant.

The lady in charge was not very friendly as she showed me my bed. 

(although her son was friendly)

She roughly barked at me not to put my backpack on a chair. 

She gestured and pointed!

She wanted it on the floor. 

I'm sure this is because of the bedbug problem,

and I wouldn't think of putting my mochila on the bed, 

but I'm also not going to put it on the floor. 

I told her I'd keep it with me

and kept in on my shoulders. 

She wasn't happy. 

The charge for staying was 10 Euros.

The rooms were dark, and didn't really look clean.

I saw no sign of other pilgrims here.

 I was hungry and they were serving food in the restaurant. 

The Menu del Dia was $9 and it smelled pretty good, 

so I asked to be seated. 

Instead of seating me in the main dining room with other patrons,

she put me in a corner back in a dark room 

and handed me the same menu the others were reading. 

I thought, "ok, she's treating me like a pilgrim, 

and I AM a pilgrim, so I will be thankful." 

Soon, another weary pilgrim came to the door.

He asked if he could fill his water bottles.

Her son started to take the man's water bottles,

but the woman screamed at him, and refused.

She literally chased him off! 

WHAT?

That was enough for me!  

What a shame this shrew-like woman

could ruin the ambiance of such an ethereal place!

I had no desire to spend any more of my money here. 

I paid my bill, picked up my mochila, 

and walked out.

She glared at me as I literally shook the dust from my feet, 

as the Good Book instructed the apostles.

As weary as I was, I continued my walking 

down, down, back down the hill and on to Ruesta,

hopefully to find more friendly digs.

All along the path I kept seeing signs saying, "Yesa, No!"

I thought, "What the heck does this mean?"

 

In Ruesta, I discovered the answer.

A note to those traveling this path:

As you approach Ruesta,

you find yourself following the trail through a sort of tunnel of vegetation. 

After an hour of fighting the mosquitoes in the tunnel,

I decided to break out

and was thrilled to find a road running parallel 

to the left of the pilgrim path

OUTSIDE the buggy tunnel. 

I followed this dirt farming road all the way to Ruesta, 

happy and bug-free!

There I met a nice hospitalero 

and drank beers with a biker dude named Antonio. 

He was a real character. 

He wore a denim vest, one earring, and some of his teeth were missing. 

Reminded me of the Hell's Angels of my childhood.

But he was a sweet and friendly guy.

He was also the local Bard, and knew a lot about the history of Ruesta. 

A Bit of History:

Ruesta is situated in the province of Zaragoza, in the high part of the Cinco Villas region, at the gates to the Pyrenees in Huesca and Navarra.

From the year 850, the kings of Navarra, to control and defend the territory annexed, had to build a castle in this central and strategic position. Between 905-925 Ruesta appears in historical documents as a Royal Headquarters,  defending the zone between Yesa and Arrés. Although a lot of authors attribute a Muslim origin (911) to the construction of the castle of Ruesta, they have confused Ruesta with the castle of Cercastiello (known like Rueita or Royta) of similar name.

The castle was destroyed by Almanzor in the bitter campaign of 999. Between the years 1016 and 1018, the monarch Sancho III reconstructed the castle of Ruesta. In his will (1035), it appears as one of the four main defensive enclaves of Aragon (beside Samitier, Petilla and Loarre), conceded to his successor to the throne. In 1056 the King of Navarra conceded Ruesta to Ramiro I. It is documented as headquarters of royal possession between the years 1024 and 1190.

Between the 11th-13th centuries, Ruesta became a city-market, endowed with an important Christian and Hebrew community devoted to regional and border trade. Ruesta had four churches and two hospitals for pilgrims, founded all by the Navarro and Aragonese monarchs.

In 1098, the King appointed to the the Jews of Ruesta a special tribute, called the Lezda de los Judios. Before 1249, the Hebrew community was concentrated in the neighborhood of the castle, with the obligation to keep the fortress in good condition. In 1294, they guarded and administered the castle and the oven, earning their incomes from those oven, and soon created a monopoly. In 1381, their positions were taken away and given to Spanish people. The Jewish community was extinguished  in 1492, by means of expulsion or forced conversion.

This forced conversion was interesting to me, 

as it is a well-known fact that the Jews who converted to Catholicism in Iberia 

were given "tree" names. 

My last name, Carvalho, means "oak." 

If my last remaining paternal uncle were willing,

I suspect we'd find Jewish roots in our DNA.

The village of Ruesta fell victim to the numerous and destructive invasions 

that affected all of Spain in the 12th-15th centuries, 

and in1381 the king Pedro IV sold Ruesta to Pedro Jordán of Urriés 

(Lord of Ayerbe and of Sigüés) 

along with the castles and places of Artieda, Pintano and Osia. 

This sale was revoked (temporarily) in 1385. 

In 1412-1416, the last known warden of the castle was Sancho Escudero, 

who earned his income by baking in the common oven.

In the 19^th century, Ruesta boasted 100 houses of families 

who farmed the fertile land along the river below the village. 

There is at least one historical medieval hospice known to have been here,

associated with the Iglesia San Jacabo. 

Beyond the bridge at the exit of Ruesta was a fountain called the Fuente de Santiago.   

 The Romanesque rural paintings that were once in the church here,

are now held in the museum at Jaca. 

Walls of the military castle still stand 

and you can see the arrow slits along the sides.

You can also see Coats of Arms 

on what remains of the mansions belonging to 5^th – 19^th Century Nobility.

In 1959, the village was abandoned 

when the construction of the Yesa reservoir caused the flooding 

of the agricultural land on which the local people depended for their livelihood. 

It was a terrible hardship for many families

who still remember the move with anger.

From the Tourism website:

In June 1988 the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro (The Ebro Waterways Confederation) gave the Confederación General del Trabajo de Aragón (General Work Confederation of Aragón) permission to use Ruesta. This agreement formed part of the CHE’s policy for the recuperation of villages that were abandoned following the construction of reservoirs. 

In November 1992 the agreement was extended for a further 50 years. Apart from the urban centre, the agreement includes several hundred hectares of land around the village.

The CGT in collaboration with The Aragonese College of Architects carried out a rehabilitation programme in various stages. In August 1993 the first phase was concluded in the centre with the recuperation of a building, the old Casa Valentín, which was to be used as a hostel. In 1995 a second hostel was opened in Casa Alfonso. Both hostels form part of the Camino de Santiago network.

In the year 2000 the centre for the study of the Camino de Santiago was opened. Amongst other things, you can see a study of the flora and fauna of the area. A cultural centre was also opened in the same year. There are meetings room, rooms for audiovisual presentations and a library. 

On the banks of the river there is a camp site with 16,000 square metres and a capacity of 200 people. It is completely covered by trees and surrounded by vegetation. The camp site is crossed by an old Camino de Santiago route and you can see the remains of stone cobbles and a bridge over the river. The village also has a bar, a shop and terraces where you can enjoy wonderful views. 

The proximity of the Yesa reservoir and the possibilities to go on excursions in the surrounding area and nearby valleys make Ruesta a good base from which to explore nearby places of historical interest such as Sos del Rey Católico and Uncastillo. You can take a short trip on foot or by bicycle to the nearby hermitage of Santiago de Ruesta, the hermitage of San Sebastián, or  the viewpoint at Vidiella. 

Throughout the year and especially at weekends there are many courses and leisure activities ranging from short courses on percussion and African dance to magic and juggling. Likewise, holiday camps are organised with different educational programmes and guided trips for groups and associations. 

Antonio didn't feel so positive about these changes!

He said it was the YESA dam's fault

that the people of this valley had lost their livelihood to begin

with and now "they" wanted to extend it again. 

People who had been uprooted when he and I were 7 years old

were now going to be uprooted again in their old age.

That's why all the "NO YESA!" signs I saw along the road. 

I'm not sure how this will turn out,

If you speak Spanish, there is a website with current information 

at www.yesano.com

The village is in ruins,

but it is easy to imagine how beautiful it once was.

I can only hope walking this route of the Camino

will serve to stimulate interest in this incredible hilltop village

and cause people to want to restore the buildings

as has happened in many other Camino Frances villages.

Here are some photos of Ruesta taken from the internet:

Approaching Ruesta

Ruined walls

An old footpath

Through the window

Ruesta under clear skies

As the biker story teller finished his tale, 

so I also finished my beer, paid for my bed

(9 Euros including dinner), 

and was directed to the albergue portion of the ruins.

The room where I slept had been recently refinished 

and was very clean. 

It was filled with metal bunkbeds, 

and the sheets were clean.

There, much to my surprise, 

who did I see but my French friends from St. Celia!

We hugged and hello'd and had a nice visit.

I enjoyed a nice hot shower and did my wash,

then went exploring in the ruins.

Dinner was very good, 

and right before bedtime, 

Andrew, a young American man, appeared.

It was great to meet another American on the Camino,

I see so few!

We all shared a bottle of wine,

thanks to the generosity of Michelle and Michael,

and laughed as we shared our stories

of the mean hospitalera in the village before.

Apparently, she had also chased off Andrew

when he stopped to ask for water!

The French couple had spent the night there,

and wished they'd traveled on.

So, stay in Artieda at your own risk.

Perhaps the lady was just having a bad day.

The wine hit the spot,

and we all had a very good sleep

in the ruins of this special ancient village.

Except for Andrew's snoring in the room next door,

the night was dark and silent.

Photo by Martin Zalba/Internet

See my AnnieWalkersCamino website at 

Anniewalkers Camino

for more information about

Guided Walks on the Camino Santiago 

and on other Pilgrimage Trails of Europe

Dinner on the Camino Santiago - Eastern Spain

I thought I'd digress from my Aragones trek for a day or two

and talk to you about what you might expect in the way of dinner options

while walking the Camino Santiago in Eastern Spain. 

For us walking the Camino Frances, that is mostly Navarra. 

But the foods of Cataluña and Aragón can also be seen at the beginning of the Camino.

Probably because of my Portuguese ancestry, 

the cuisine of Spain is one of my favorites. 

The food just feels familiar to me 

and I´m comforted by the aromas and flavors.

Each region has its very own specialties 

and a Menú del Dia or a Pilgrim's Plate might carry any number of variations.

Because we are used to eating dinner 

between 5 pm and 7 pm in the United States, 

it is often a challenge for pilgrims to get into the habit 

of the late dinner hours in Spain. 

So I suggest that you always have a little food in your pack, 

for those times you just can´t wait 

until the restaurant opens 

or for those days you can´t seem to find a place to eat 

on the section your are walking.

As I discussed in the blog on lunch,

you have many wonderful options for a picnic lunch!

Photo by marcp_dmoz

The food of Eastern Spain, which includes Catalonia, Aragón, 

Valencia and Murcia 

has been greatly influenced by both the Romans and the Moors. 

Spices you wouldn´t think of using 

show up in the most interesting combinations of sweet and savory. 

For instance, it is not uncommon to recognize the flavor of cinnamon 

in a meat dish combined with garlic , tomatoes and roasted peppers.  

Below are a few foods you might find at the beginning of your Camino.

Paella!  

I mention this first because I´m in love with it!

Besides being tasty it is beautiful to look at 

and one of my favorite memories is of a hospitalero 

setting a giant pan of paella in front of us for dinner.  

Paella is made from spanish rice,  flavored and colored by saffron, 

giving it a lovely yellow color. 

Any variety of meat is added, but it is generally seafood 

such as clams, mussels, and shrimp, 

along with chicken and sometimes rabbit. 

Tomatoes and herbs give it even more flavor.

It is traditionally cooked over an open fire in a special pan.

Here is a photo of paella being cooked at a fiesta 

we found ourselves a part of in Azofra in 2006:

It is common for the Spanish to take their paella pan with them 

on a picnic or camping trip and cook dinner outdoors.

If you love paella, and want to take something home,

consider purchasing a ´real´ paella pan while in Spain

and having it shipped to your doorstep.

Spanish saffron also makes a wonderful gift

for your favorite family chef.

It is inexpensive, and very lightweight to ship home.

Shop around. You´ll find the same quality saffron 

for much less money in the local stores 

instead of tourist locations.

It often can be found in pretty little tins and boxes,

perfect for gift giving.

Here are photos of some paella varieties I found online. I will show you several, so when you order the paella, you aren't surprised!

This Paella has shrimp, mussels, and peas

This Paella has Catalonian Sausage, mushrooms, and other vegetables

This is a beautiful Paella with mussels, chicken, sausage, and peas

This Paella has mussels, shrimp, and asparagus and is served with lemon

This paella has chicken, tomatoes, and peas

So, as you can see, paella can be made in a variety of ways, 

usually depending on what is fresh at the market that day.  

A pan of paella, a few slices of bread, 

and a glass of wine is all a person needs to make them happy!

Eastern Spain is famous for its sausages. 

There are are several different types you might see.

Chorizo is the most common.

It is nothing like Mexican chorizo. 

It is a smoked, scarlet colored sausage, red with paprika. 

It can be sliced and eaten without cooking.

It does have chunks of fat in it, but they're lovely and savory! 

Try it!

Arroz con pollo y chorizo (rice with chicken and chorizo)

Another famous Cataluña sausage is the butifarra blanca.  

This sausage is white and the skin is full of pork, tripe, and pine nuts,

giving it a very sweet flavor.

It sometimes contains truffles. 

You can eat it at room temperature, fried, or grilled, 

and it is often added to rice or bean dishes.

Butifarra Blanca (White Sausage)

Las judias con butifarra blanca. 

(White beans boiled and drained in a dish and then served with butifarra blanca.)

An assortment of butifarra; white, black, and the yellow one is made with eggs and pork.

Butifarra cooked on the barbecue with lamb. YUM!

Butifarra negra is usually made of pork belly, the pork blood, and spices.

Butifarra negra can be used in any way the other sausages are used,

in rice, in soup, in paella,

or simply grilled with tomatoes and onions 

and served with bread and a glass of wine.

Something you might have the opportunity to try while in Eastern Spain are Calçots. 

These are a variety of green onion that look to me like what I call scallions. 

I'm not sure if they are the same or not.

The most traditional way of eating calçots 

is in a calçotada (plural: calçotades). 

This is a great family and friend affair,

held between the end of winter and March or April (Carnival) 

where calçots are consumed in great quantities. 

They are pulled up, barbecued, then dipped in sauces. 

Pieces of meat and bread slices are roasted in the charcoal 

after cooking the calçots.

Roasting the calçots

Roasted, ready to dip and eat

Fuet is a long, slender all-pork sausage. 

The Pyrenees mountain towns of Osuna and Vic

are especially known for excellent examples of these sausages.

Unlike the Butifarra, another in the family of Catalan sausages, 

fuet is dry cured, like salami.

It is a wonderful ingredient for a bocadillo sandwich on a crusty roll,

but it can also be served grilled or as an ingredient in soup. 

You will often seeing hanging in tiendas.

Fuet

 Pollo al ajillo is what we would call Garlic Chicken.

A sauce made from the drippings accompanies

it but is not added until the very last minute, 

in order to keep the chicken skin crispy.

That crispy skin is, for me, the secret to a perfect pollo al ajillo. 

This just makes my mouth water!

 Sometimes when you order it, it comes in smaller pieces in the sauce. 

It is still great!

Parrillada de mariscos is any assortment of grilled shellfish. 

It is served with a garlic flavored mayonnaise called allioli.

Photo by Juannypg

Cochifrito is a dish prepared from lamb 

fried with lemon, garlic, and paprika.

It is absolutely delicious!  

If you think you don´t like lamb, be adventurous and try this! 

Here is a recipe I found online:

This cochifrito is served with potatoes

 Cochifrito (Lamb with lemon and garlic)

Ingredients

• 875g lean boneless lamb, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon mild paprika (pimenton dulce)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish
• 100ml vegetable or chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• finely grated lemon rind, to garnish

Method

Season the lamb to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the lamb and cook, turning frequently, 

for 6-8 minutes until browned all over. 

Transfer to a heavy-based flameproof casserole

and add the garlic, onions, pimenton, lemon juice, parsley and stock. 

Cover tightly and simmer gently over a low heat for 1 1/2 hours 

or until the lamb is tender. 

Serve immediately, garnished with finely chopped parsley and grated lemon rind.

Seafood is often married with chicken 

for a typical dish such as Llagosta i pollastre. 

Llagosta i pollaster is is lobster and chicken. 

Shrimp or any seafood can be used.

This particular dish is cooked in a hazelnut and tomato sauce 

and is unbelievably tasty!

Are you hungry yet?

Suquet is one of the famous fish and shellfish stews of Catalonia.

It is shellfish, combined with saffron, wine, tomatoes and potatoes.  

Suquet is the diminutive form of suc, or juice, in Catalan, 

which means that this wonderfully flavored dish is more correctly called 

juicy fish stew.

Suquet de pescado (fish soup)

This is a dish you can prepare if you are staying in an albergue with a kitchen. 

But beware!

Your fellow pilgrims will show up in droves, following the aroma!  

To prepare, first sauté the tomatoes which have been split in half.  

Add garlic and minced parsley small. 

When the garlic is clear (but not browned) ,

put in the fish and some water. 

Cook on low until the fish flakes, 

turning carefully so that it does not crumble. 

When it is almost ready, add the Saffron.  

Salt to taste.

Fideus a la cassola. 

The fideus is a home made noodle like spaghetti, only short. 

When combined with pork chops, beef, fish or sausage, 

it is called a cassola.  

There can be  many variations. 

The last Eastern Spanish dish I'll show you is Pastel de carne. 

This is basically a meat pie.

It was brought to Spain by the Moors and is now claimed as a Murcian delicacy.

It has minced meat, chopped boiled eggs, 

and sometimes has vegetables inside.

It is encased in a nice puff pastry crust.

It might come as a slice from a larger pie, or as an individual serving. 

You can often find these cold in pastry shops 

and they are wonderful to carry in your backpack for picnic lunch.

Some have meat, some have fish, so you must ask if you care.

Individual servings

Cut from a large pie

For your postre, or dessert, you might try fresh fruit, 

which is almost alwaysoffered. 

It will be whatever fruit is in season.

The Spanish oranges are so sweet.

There are many pastries to choose from and we'll talk about those later,

in their very own blog. 

One of the best desserts I can suggest is Crema Catalana. 

This is much like crème brulée.

It is very rich, has a layer of caramelized sugar on top, 

and is served cold. 

They traditionally use a very hot iron to burn the top of the sugar. 

Oh my gosh! Are we there yet?

My stomach is grumbling!

Two treats top off the menu of Eastern Spain. 

Those are sweets made from almonds.

One is like an almond brittle and is called turron guirlache.

Turron can also be a softer almond candy.

This variety is white and very chewy.

Another wonderful almond dessert is called alemendras garrapiñadas. 

These are almonds roasted in a pan with sugar and butter and spices. 

The sugar caramelizes and makes a luscious crunchy coating.

 These are a special treat during Christmas 

but you can find them anytime if you look.

Here is a recipe so you can make your own:

Ingredients:
-1 cup of sugar
-1 cup of water
-1 small lemon
-1 cup of almonds without skins
Preparation:  

Combine the water, lemon juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and boil five or six minutes over low heat.

Add the almonds and stir slowly with a wooden spoon without stopping. The sugar will gradually be toasted. The fire should be slow so you do not burn the almonds.
Keep stirring until the sugar crystallizes on the almonds.
Grease a surface and when almonds are well crystallized, pour them out to cool.

Ok.. that's it.

I'm going to find dinner!

Next time I'll continue on our search for cena.

Bon provecho!

Annie

See my AnnieWalkersCamino website at 

Anniewalkers Camino

for more information about

Guided Walks on the Camino Santiago 

and on other Pilgrimage Trails of Europe