20 August - Day 2

As I walk, as I walk
The universe is walking with me
In beauty it walks before me
In beauty it walks behind me
In beauty it walks below me
In beauty it walks above me
Beauty is on every side
As I walk, I walk with Beauty.

--- Traditional Navajo Prayer

People had already left by the time I woke up. The only 1 I heard was the German guy above me. With his crinkly bags. Someone else took his boots by accident, which looke identical to his, but now he has a smaller pair. Poor guy! He put them on... his feet will suffer. The taxi man yesterday was funny. He talked the whole way, had done the Camino also, mentioned how his hemorrhoids were hurting today from a bike ride he did yesterday. LOL. Back to today. So I leave and it´s sprinkling, then more so I put on my rain jacket,went to a boulangerie and bought a warm quiche (it´s cold outside) and trekked out. Already breathing hard. Worst is yet to come. As I ascend, I am awed at the beauty of what lies below me. Tranquil green pastures, sheep grazing, perfect backdrop is the mountain range.


The road is narrow, cars occasionally zip by. Many squashed tiny snakes, medium sized frogs and snails. The cows in the road unnerved me, especially the second group which had 1 watching me hard. Her eyes would not leave me. I stopped, not sure what to do. Looked at the precipice thinking I would jump if she charged. And saw cows down there also and realized she knew how to walk down this drop. Then her back leg starts strumming the ground. OH SHIT!! Just like you see the bulls in the ring do. I told myself it´s ok, walked slowly, took a deep breath and walked between them all. I could reach out and touch one on either side of me (if I had wanted), that´s how close they were to me. As I passed I would look side to side, watching for them. I could not go any faster since I was already out of breath, not just from the hill but also the little anxiety I had just felt. I told them I was a really nice person and that we would be just fine. I listened for their bells and none got any louder! I sat on a rock and took off my right shoe and socks. I felt a hot spot on my second toe and sure enough a flattened blister. I wrapped the toe and moved on. The ascent was getting to me. I saw the sign 4 km to Orisson and kept telling myself I can do it! In French, je peut...in Spanish, yo puedo... in English, I can... This was my mantra for a while. I had to stop every 20 to 30 steps to catch my breath. I came around a hairpin curve and had an incredible sight below me. I teared up when I saw a sign stating, "Those that walk these mountains can touch heaven"



Several pilgrims approached and we sat on some rocks to snack. I lost my water bottle and map somehow and the French man (in his 70s), pulled out my map. Awhile back my other water bottle rolled down the road but was stopped by a wet cow paddy. EWWWWWWWWW! I probably lost it in one of those put on/take off stops,depending if drizzling or if the sun came out. I lost so much sweat. I arrived at the Orisson auberge, paid my 30€ and was taken to my bunk. There was a rainbow outside.


I put my stuff down, wrapped the blanket around me and slept within 1 to 2 minutes. Tired from the climb, tired from not sleeping these last few days, and tired from the jet lag time. I have 2 women as roomies for now. 1 French, Nadine and 1 from Montreal, Elise. They have walked 1 week from a French trail. They will stop in Leon and do the rest next year. The couple yesterday, Marta and Jaime are here for 2 weeks. They walked all the way across the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles today. NO WAY! I still have more uphill to go! I forgot to get my credencial stamped last night, but got one today. A while later 3 from London arrived. Sara, her husband David and her brother Richard. The hospitalera prepared a wonderful meal. First course, an excellent bean soup. Second course, beef with red peppers in sauce. Of course plenty of bread and wine. Flan for dessert.


Seems pretty common here and in Spain to do 2 courses in the meal... different inthe states where it is all 1 course together. I then played shithead with the Brits. At our table we had 6 from Italy, 3 English, 2 Germans, 3 French, 1 Canadian, and 1 USA, me. 3 from Portugal came in late. They had bicycled ahead and turned back when the rain got to be too much and Roncesvalles was still far away. We went to bed just after 9 pm. Woke up once during the night and had a hard time falling back asleep.