Camino Frances Day 2

 Day 2 started @6am with piped in music, the singing Monks🤣. I guess since I was staying at a monastery, then the singing Monks it is, or they just wanted everybody to getup the heck out. 

This was the first time I have ever slept in a monastery. Let me tell you these people run a tight ship. If you don’t have your registration verification and your pilgrim QR code, you are not getting in. They have an out building for people who don’t have the right credentials. Luckily I had all my ducks in a row. They have three floors with what I would say 50 plus beds. The beds are in cubicles, two beds per cubicle. I had Ricardo from Italy, Roll that R when you say his name, as my bunk mate. 

After I did my daily chores, shower, got my bed all together and my cloths laid out for tomorrow I headed straight for the Cafe/Bar. Had a wonderful 12 inch ham & cheese sandwich with two of my favorite cold beverages. Then back to the monastery to wait for our evening pilgrim dinner. Dinner consisted of a big plate of risotto pasta, and the main entrée was a choice between trout ( my choice) or pork loin with scalloped potatoes. The meal also came with unlimited bread and unlimited red wine. That was a perfect way to end day one.

Now back to day 2, after the singing monks I got all packed up and was out the monastery door at 6:50 am. Heard thunder in the distance over the mountains that I just came down the day before. I walked 2 miles before my first break at a little café along the route I had an egg and chorizo sandwich, a chocolate muffin and my morning cappuccino. The thunder I heard in the distance had stopped by now, and it was looking to be a nice day. The morning clouds started to burn off as the sun was starting to come through. Just a side-note, I did see John, said hi. He was walking with his new buddy.

I did walk, for a couple of hrs, up with a nice Danish kid from the Copenhagen. He was 20 yrs old, doing his first Camino. He had a lot of questions and I tried my best to answer them. He is kind of winging it so I was just giving him some advice about how to do things and book rooms and etc. Today’s terrain was moderate. Going up and down rolling hills, but nothing too strenuous. We were in the forest canopy a lot of the time, I also learned that the trees are European Beech. They look somewhat like Aspen trees to me. I also experienced a couple of the iconic things that I have seen on YouTube videos first being the Santiago de Santiago 790km distance sign. The second being the stone pillars, that go over a stream, that you have to use to get over the stream, unless you want to just walk through the water. It’s cool to see those things that I’ve seen on YouTube videos now I am actually seeing them and doing it.

I took a couple of rest breaks, mainly to grab a snack, refill my water bottle & take my shoes off to let those dogs breath. I was surprised that I hit 14 miles by 1pm. With only 3 miles to go I said goodbye to Michael, my new Danish friend. Popped in my earbuds, and marched on to my Albergue. For those who don’t know what an Albergue is, they places for pilgrims to say. Some are private others are municipal. Think of it as a motel, that each room has 4-6 beds with a shared bathroom. This particular Albergue is really nice. They offer a pilgrim dinner, washer/dryer, vending machines and a real nice outdoor patio, where I am sitting now as I write this. You also have to leave your shoes and hiking poles outside. I picked this Albergue because of its close distance to Pamplona. I am going back through Pamplona because the Camino goes through it and I didn’t have enough time to explore the city last time I was there, 3 days ago. 

Made it to my Albergue @ 2:45pm. Got checked in, paid for my pilgrim dinner and paid 5eu’s for a breakfast meal package that the prepare for me to take on the road tomorrow. Then settled into the Camino life, showered, made my bed for the night, grabbed a Coke Zero and faced time w/Maryann. Chatted w/ other pilgrims about there day, the aches and pains we all have and where they are heading tomorrow.. The Camino Life!!

Stats: Roncesvalles —>Larasonna Stage 2

Miles- 17.2

Time- 6hrs 3min

Elevation- 1,867 ft.

Food- 2 liters H20, 1 cappuccino, 1 OJ, 1 banana & apple, egg and chorizo sandwich, chocolate muffin, 1 Snickers bar and 1oat bar. 

Sorry, still trying to figure out why no pics are being allowed to post with each blog😡😡

Until tomorrow, thanks for reading