Day 1 Arrival: St Jean Pied a Port !
Day 1 (!) | Thursday September 9 | 800km to go
Well, I arrived in Pamplona last night at around 2130 ( almost missing the only train from Barcelona ) with having no idea where I was going to be sleeping for the night, I simply decided go with the flow and was determined to find El Centro -old town. I had already canceled the allerbergue by the Cathedral that I was going to stay at for 13 € because they don’t staff recepcion after 8 PM . After consolidating my day travel pack for (airplane) ‘carry-on’ into my backpack (monchila) now that I am in Espana - in the dark - in a park - off the side of a busy road, I slang it onto my back and went up a very large hill - winging it- near the humoungous old fort and, lo and behold, over the hill I was in El Centro.
Beautiful!
The first three hostels I inquired availability we’re all full, complete - completo! Full ! OK, whatever, I’ll look for a cheap hotel. My first try was 140 € a night -that was not going to happen. But after 4 laps in the tourist district Hotel Yoldi came through at 50 € and I gladly accepted no matter what the room was going to be like. It was good! And this morning‘s complimentary desayuno buffet was outstandingly - European yummy. Front desk recommended go to the bus estaction asap and get a ticket in hand for France as there is only ONE bus per day to St Jean Pied a Port….and I had no way of knowing if it was leaving in minutes or hours! Whew!
Bus ticket in hand to Saint John Pied a Port in France I have two hours within which I can explore the historical sites in Pamplona including the museum and the cathedral from the 12th century. With two Café con Leche‘s under my belt I’m off.
Explorare ! Pamplona hoy y ahora!
Despues, the autobus to St Jean Pied a Porte and my start, with ostentatious step numero uno.
Thought on drive to SJPP - these ain’t hills, not mountains, but really big! And very, very steep. An Oofdah uphill 2.5 hour hike pending? (Actually, more… close to 4 hours, 4 sweaty hours.
I obtained my compostela (Pilgrim passport) at ‘the starting point office (address 39 ) and got my first stamp! Along with encouragement from the volunteer who checked me in.
A big yay!
Stamp #2 will be obtained at Albergue Borda -my first nights stay.
A late start just before 5 p.m. And long walk to Albergue Borda ahead ! Emotional start, excitement, and a little bit of a ‘now what do I do feeling’
Suprisingly, I was the only one leaving SJPP (very touristy) and saw no one on the road to my albergue for the nite. An utterly silent walk. Uphill. Steep. Silence only once broken by cow bells. Wasn’t running of the bulls but I was almost gored ( no room to pass / move out of the way ). Beautifully contemplative!
I arrived (late) just in time for a communal dinner. Gourmet & 5 courses! Lauren our host worked in hospitality and is a gourmet chef! Moving stories by all on “So, why are you on Camino” -many tears. Ages 23 to over 70. Wonderful people; Nederlands, France, Deutschland, US. This was Camino number four for the French couple I pegged to be around 74! - their idea of retirement and their marriage is to see the world on foot
A wow first day ! I am very deeply moved.
Destination: Albergue Borda ****
Where the ^>{+~£;&# am I ? Is this for real ? Kind of an ‘OBE’ feeling
Which Way - follow the (barely visible) symbols
The road not so less traveled. This image is very important for me as it represented the reality of this adventure really beginning…. The real deal. I’m doing this! I love this picture ! I want to return to this exact spot one day feeling
Yeah, same to you right back
Pilgrims dinner. It turned out to be one of my favorite moments. One I’ll never forget, kindness, humanity, friendship, bonding, community, common purpose. I would ‘bump’ into some of them intermittently later on my Camino. Instant connectivity and camaraderie
While dinner was served (over a couple of hours) we took turns with introductions and reasons for ‘doing’ the Camino. Many heartfelt tears and emotions. Very moving first dinner. In fact my favorite albergue of all and a most memorable evening. I was the last one to arrive at 8:30 pm
Map of autonomous regions of northern Espana, Elevation changes on my camino, Multiple Camino’s shown feeding into the Frances, Common ‘stages’ all the way to Finsterre.
“Walking causes a repetitive, spontaneous poetry to rise naturally to the lips, words as simple as the sound of footsteps on the road. There also seems to be an echo of walking in the practice of two choruses singing a psalm in alternate verses, each on a single note, a practice that makes it possible to chant and listen by turns. Its main effect is one of repetition and alternation that St Ambrose compared to the sound of the sea: when a gentle surf is breaking quietly on the shore the regularity of the sound doesn’t break the silence, but structures it and renders it audible. Psalmody in the same way, in the to-and-fro of alternating responses, produces (Ambrose said) a happy tranquillity in the soul. The echoing chants, the ebb and flow of waves recall the alternating movement of walking legs: not to shatter but to make the world’s presence palpable and keep time with it.”
- Frederic Gros ( A philosophy of walking )
I will endeavor to have a quote a day reflecting on what I am thinking and feeling through someone else’s words which still inspire me
