Larrasoaña, España
To walk in the darkness can bring light to your life. It may be difficult, but at the end you will find yourself in a great spot in life.
This morning my light nights started to fail. I needed to charge them. I was a little concerned, because it was very dark. Miguel, from Barcelona, was leaving at the same time. He was a little disoriented, but he has new lights. I have never walked with some one, but today it was very important to have a partnership. I was a little concerned, I am not a fast walker, but good with with direction. I started fast, and Miguel followed me for three kilometers 20 meters behind.
Arriving to Burguete, I stopped at the ATM machine for cash. Miguel arrived after me, and we talk about where was a place for breakfast or a bakery. No in Spain. In France, the bakeries will open at 6am for the walkers.
From there we walk together and we chatted about our careers. The only place opened was Cafe Juan in Viscarret. Paquita, the attendant, had cooked a great Tortilla Española without onion. She just looked like my mom, but she was a cold lady. Miguel and me sat outside to eat, and other pelegrinos arrived after us. There was a long ascension in Linzoain. I just did it without difficulties. Miguel could not keep with me. After it there was a long descending. I run it as normal. I forgot to tell Miguel that I run going down the hill. I felt so bad. I waited for him at the bottom of the hill, and I explained to him. He did not have a problem with that. he understood that everyone has a walking style in the Camino.
Arriving to Zabiri at 10:30am, we had walked 22km. They had finished the town fest, and the stage still standing at the entrance of town passing El Puente de la Rabia. We decided to go 5.3 km more to Larrasoaña. Miguel stayed behind at Illaratz. I was the first to arrive at the town albergue, but it was closed. After asking some street workers the country code of Spain, I called e number at the door. The lady on be phone told me that it will be opened at 1pm.
An Italian man with a horse company arrived, and Pedro and Fabio. Miguel was the fourth to arrive.
A couple minutes later Camino crosses the street to talk with us. She was the old mayor’s sister. She was so proud of her brother. mayor Santiago was the founder of the shelter were I was going to sleep tonight. He is 85 years old, and has Elzheimer. She was a lovely lady. Now it is important to know, Camino in Spanish means The Way, and Santiago is St. James. It was unbelievable. After getting accommodated at the shelter, we went to a local restaurant as a group. The owners were not the most friendly people. There were young, and lacked of business skills. After couple drinks, one the young women of the group paid her bills, and told the table that the owner said that some of us has not paid our bills. Pedro who paid my beer told me, Itvis not you padre, you paid the first, and I paid you the second. Well I went in, and tell the owner what the young woman had said. She told me that I had not paid my first drink. I knew I did, but I just put 10 euros on the bar, and I said: it is for the drinks that I will not drink here! The group of 10 of us left the place and went to the grocery store. I was going to cook for all of us. The owner of the grocery store was a character. He was an eccentric man, and after you pay for the groceries, he will offer you a glass of wine. He is very popular in town for the visitors, but not locals. The place was pack. All the pelegrinos love to go there to chat and eat.
I started cooking at 6:30pm. By 7pm we were all eating. I cooked for 10 of us, and around 20 ate. It was so fun. All the cats of the village formed a improvised choir at the fence celebrating the good smell of the “mar y Tierra pasta.”
I was so tired, that I just went to bed, and started typing this blog to go to bed. There were so others stories outside on the street that deserve to be here, but I am just tired to type more. Like why the police outside taking pictures. The Id’s request at the registration, the mayor and sister for ice cream, and others.
Love you all!