To Molinaseca

2009 - Autumn

Joe in Foncebaddon at a Pazo

This pazo has emblems of the zodiac all around,
and that grabbed Joe's attention,
as he is a student of astrology.

Joe at Monjarin

We stayed at Monjarin in 2009.
After participating in a blessing of the pilgrims by Tomas,
we decided to sleep here.

There was no running water and no electricity
and we loved it!
During our family style dinner,
a young man showed up,
barefoot and dirty.
When we would not speak,
there was a concerned hush among those of us at dinner.
We didn't understand.
Tomas immediately recognized him as a pilgrim,
who had taken a vow of silence.
Tomas gently took his pack,
and gave him a seat at the table.

Altar at Monjarin

We slept in the attic,
on well-worn mattresses of questionable cleanliness.
We didn't care.
The hospitality calmed any concerns we might have had.

Joe woke up in the middle of the night
to a light as bright as day.
It was a full moon,
lighting up the attic through a skylight over his bed.

The rule was that nobody could come down from the attic
until the music played.
One of our roommates challenged the rule
and was shoo'd up before he got halfway down the stairs.

Where we slept

Next morning,
we were fed a nice big breakfast,
and sent on our way.

Kitchen

Annie and Tomas the Templar

Walking from Acebo to Molinaseca

On the way down from Acebo to Molinaseca,
it was over 90 degrees F;
we ran into the barefoot boy,
soaking his hot blistered feet in a mud puddle.

In Molinaseca,
I found bedbugs in the albergue,
and so we gratefully took a bunk outside on the porch.

We slept outside at Molinaseca

Here is where pilgrims wash their clothes in cold water

2012 - Autumn

Joe with Marcos, the barkeep at Foncebadon

It was a cold, wet, blustery walk

The trail down to Acebo

The rainbows helped life spirits

Lunch at Acebo

Acebo is a great place to stop for lunch.

Grab a bocadillo and a cold drink

and watch the exhausted pilgrims go by

on their race for a bed.

Everyone seems happy to have made it to Molinaseca

I always have to pay special attention to where we bed down each night.

I cannot tolerate fragrances, 

and cleaning chemicals,

and so I always email ahead and ask the manager to please not use

fragranced products in my room.

Over the years, I've learned which places are safe for me

There have been times when I have had to sleep outdoors

in my tent.

I always ask my pilgrims to please not use or bring 

fragranced products with them, as well.

This way, I can enjoy time with the group.

April and an Italian pilgrim who also stayed at the Casa Reloj

The next morning,
we had a cook-it-yourself breakfast
provide by our Casa Rural.


Fresh farm eggs are provide by our host.

2013

Monjarin

The mountains were so pretty this year!

See the beetle?

Nice track

2014 - Spring/Summer

Looking out my bedroom window - daytime - I caught a stork on a nearby roof

Looking out my bedroom window - nighttime - I caught a shooting star!

Our pilgrims enjoying breakfast

On our way out of town,
we passed the municipal albergue where we stayed in 2009.
There was this Japanese artist,
caring a beautiful Buddha
in the bark of a tree there.
I hope it doesn't hurt the tree,
but it sure was pretty!




2015 - Autumn

We left Rabanal right at daybreak.

The sky was sunny and blue and walking was good.

At Cruz de Ferro, 

we stopped to leave our rocks 

and to soak up the atmosphere.

Peregrinas at Cruz de Ferro

Continuing on to Manjarin,

we noticed an official looking car

traveling on the roads adjacent to the Camino.

Then, as we walked on the trail above the Valley of Silence,

and came into Manjarin,

we saw the same official vehicle.

Inside Tomas' hut, we found the man in the orange uniform,

who we learned was a forest ranger patrolling the area

for the safety of the pilgrims,

another version of a modern-day Templar!

The man in orange is a forest ranger.

As we continued on our way to Acebo and Molinaseca,

we saw many times either the forest ranger's vehicle,

Guardia Civil, or local police

patrolling because of the missing pilgrim, Denise Thiem.

It made us feel safe.

Heather

Leaving Foncebadón, the heather was in bloom and beautiful.

Even when taking extra care, 

the descent into El Acebo can be tricky,

as we saw one pilgrim who took a tumble on the loose rocks.

Later the pilgrim was heard to say,

"Two sticks are definitely better than one!"

Walking from Riego de Ambros to Molinaseca

is one of the most beautiful wild stretches

along the Camino.

A beautiful hike!

When you come off the trail and access the highway,

it's a short stroll to the river,

which is often filled with swimmers and sunbathers.

A welcome sight to see for a sweaty, dirty wanderer!

To Eunate and Ciraqui

2006

On September 4, 2006 we walked to Eunate 

through gorgeous fields of sunflowers, asparagus, and grapes.

Eunate is a small octagonal church which is one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Navarra. 

The name is Basque and means 

"house of 100 doors."

The church is commonly associated with the Knights Templar,

mostly because of its octogonal shape. 

Graves with scallp shells, 

presumably from pilgrims,

have been found around the church.

There is some talk the church may have been built

as a burial chapel by a locally prominant family 

in the late 1500's.

It's definitely worth the detour

to see, if you have the stamina 

and desire.

At one point in the not too distant past, 

there was an albergue here,

but it has closed,

due to local politics, 

and nobody seems to know for sure

if it will reopen.

From Eunate, we walked on to Obanos, where we stopped for a coffee.

Obanos is at the junction of the 2 main routes to Santiago, and this town, in the Middle Ages, controlled several churches and hospices. Obanos is also famous for its mystery play dedicated to Saints Gullermo and Felicia, performed since 1965 on the Sunday following Corpus Cristi each year.

The church of San JuanBautista contains Guillermo's skull, encased in silver. When his tomb was opened, a Santiago medal was found among his bones. 

On the day we arrived, 

a young girl about 10 years old was giving out sellos.

We took a shady rest,

then continued on.

In Puente la Reina we used the Internet (locaturia) 

and stocked up on Compeed.

Then in the heat, we kept walking...

Iglesia del Crucifijo

About 1 kilometer out of town, Joe realized he had left his glasses.

I stayed with the packs under a shaded overpass while he walked back to retrieve them.

From there, we continued on through vineyards and dusty road
 to Ciraqui 

where we stayed at Albergue Maralotx.

This was a very nice albergue where they served us

 the best dinner we'd had to date 

in the cool bodega-like cellar below the albergue.

2012

September

Wonderful standing stones

2013

May/June

The wildflowers in Spring are crazy bright!

Almost to Ciraqui

This year, instead of walking all the way through Ciraqui, I took the option to turn right and walk the road. This took me to a sweet little restaurant Los Calzadores.  Here, I had breakfast, then continued on the road until it met up with the Camino.

Right after this Restaurant is a park with picnic tables. This would be a great place to pitch a tent if you were camping. There was literally no traffic on the road when I walked.

2015 - Autumn
Gretchen and Sharon walking roman road outside Ciraqui




Click here for a post I wrote about the history of Ciraqui:About Ciraqui