Day 2

Passing the Pirinéus wasn’t that dificult after the 1st day. Reaching the top is like reaching the sky. Wonderful! And the weather was perfect for it. Going down, before reaching Roncesvalles by Ibaneta, is like walking in a magic place. In the wood, with small rivers (there’s a word in english but i don’t remember it) everywhere, seeing the monastery between the trees…

At Roncesvalles  the girl at the Albergue was so “nice” that made me go a little further so i went to Espinal. There a group of 9 was formed, 3 from Switzerland, 3 from Belgium, 1 Dutch, 1 from Germany and me.

Day 1

Leaving Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is something unique. When you cross the bridge the view is awesome.

After the bridge had began the worst 10 Km of my entire life. 600 meters up in few kms. When i saw the sign of 1 km to Orisson i couldn’t believe it was almost ending the 1st stage. But still climbing until, hidden by a curve, the Alberge de Orisson appears. It was quite a view and a big relief.

I was afraid what could happen the next day because i still had to climb another 700 meters.

There i stayed in a tent with a canadian guy named Ara and it was the place where i’ve met the people i would be with in the next days.

Starting moving

29th of May 2009

The trip from Lisbon to Irun wasn’t very nice. It was to hot in he train and the ventilation wasn’t working. The interesting part of it was sharing a cabin with a canadian and a dutch. Those were the first people iv’e met in this adventure.

30th of May 2009

Arriving at Irun/Hendaye was odd, i was in France and i didn’t talk french, so to buy the ticket to Bayonne was really funny.

From Bayone to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, by train, it is a wonderful trip. The train goes along a river and all the landscape is beautiful. This was the last chapter of the preparation for the Camiño de Santiago.

Point of no return

I’ve reached my point of no return, i’ve bought the train ticket! That was my mental frontier: the ticket.

Now that i have it i’m going to do the Camino de Santiago for sure.

I’m leaving Lisboa next friday in the Sud-Express train. I’ll get out at Hendaya to take a train to Bayonne and then to Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port to start the journey.

Stages

31st May – Saint Jean – Roncesvalles

1st June – Roncesvalles – Zubiri

2               - Zubiri – Zizur Menor

3               – Zizur Menor – Puente la Reina

4               – Puente la Reina – Estella

5               – Estella – Torres del Rio

6               - Torres del Rio – Navarrete

7               – Navarrete – Sto Domingo de la Calzada

8               – Sto Domingo de la Calzada – Tosantos

9               – Tosantos – San Juan de Ortega

10             – San Juan de Ortega – Burgos

11              – Burgos – Hontana

12              – Hontana – Frómista

13              – Frómista – Calzadilla de la Cueva

14              – Calzadilla de la Cueva – Bercianos del Real Camino

15              – Bercianos del Real Camino – Mansilla de las Mulas

16              - Mansilla de las Mulas – Leon

17              – Leon – Hospital del Órbigo

18              – Hospital del Órbigo – Rabanal del Camino

19              – Rabanal del Camino – Ponferrada

20             - Ponferrada – Villa Franca del Bierzo

21              – Villa Franca del Bierzo – Cebrero

22              – Cebrero – Samos

23              – Samos – Puerto Marin

24              – Puerto Marin – Pallas del Rey

25              – Pallas del Rey – Arzua

26              – Arzua – Pedrouzo

27              - Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela

 

P.S. This is only a guide for the stages, they are not mandatory.

Expectations

It’s hard to be ready and having to wait for the starting day.

The planing is done, with all the stages and stops. All the equipment gathered and….. 1 more week to go.

I’ll post the schedule before i leave just in case anyone want to catch me in the way.

This blog is going to be writen in english because some of the probable readers don’t know portuguese. I hope my english is good enough to be understood. I don’t care about errors i will do for sure because i don’t intend to be an english teacher.