That would be Jesus (Hayzoos) from Southern Navarra… LOL. I didn’t find God yet 😉

A friend of mine reminded me to look for miracles everyday on the Camino. One of the miracles of the Camino is the people you meet along The Way. So we met Jesus. Who speaks no English – but still we managed to walk together and somehow make sense of what the other was saying. And my Spanish is improving every day. Anyways Jesus is walking all the way to Santiago. It’s his first Camino. He is a kind soul. Another of our Camino family is Matt from Brisbane (below) who I first spotted reading “What Railways Did For Us” – I have another friend who is a railway enthusiast so of course I had to find out more. When I last left Matt in Zubiri, he had not got to the end of the book, but promised me he would enlighten me once he had finished.

Our walk from Roncesvalles to Larrasoana (with Jesus and Matt to Zubiri) was easy and comfortable, even though it actually was our longest day yet (around 29km). We passed some lovely little hamlets along the way – Burguette, Espinal, Bizkaretta – sleepy and full of character.

We encountered our first rain – a couple of hours in a thunderstorm and I got to try out my poncho, a gift from my daughter. It was not a fashion statement, but I was warm and dry.

After stopping for a cerveza with Jesus and Matt in Zubiri we walked on to a small town called Larrasoana and checked into Albergue San Nicolás, and would definitely recommend. The Pilgrims dinner that night was cooked by the owner and I have never tasted vegetable soup so delicious.

But I should backtrack to how we spent the afternoon in Larrasoana as this was another ‘miracle’ on the Camino. There is a small tienda (shop) near to San Nicolás and we needed to stock up on some supplies (it was a miracle I made it to the 9 day mark without washing my hair…). Angelo, the shop owner, welcomed us warmly with a glass of Rioja. Leonard Cohen was playing on a record (vinyl). Leonard Cohen. In the middle of Navarra. It was a bright and warm afternoon so we decided to sit and enjoy the music and vino in Angelo’s ‘beer garden’. There we met Alfonso. A local. He spoke no English, but Spanish (of course) and a little French. We had the most wonderful afternoon listening to his stories about his childhood and the pilgrims his parents would take in. He invited us to stay at his house – a big house with lots of room and hot showers! – and was very disappointed when we said we had already organised our shelter for the night. Cervezas and vino tinto flowed freely all afternoon. It was the best day so far on the Camino.

Other miracles (in no particular order)

• I actually manage to get my sleeping bag to fit into its tiny little carry bag every morning. I don’t know how it happens. 
• The wifi works occasionally
• Listening to music actually makes me walk faster and easier
• I can post on my Australians on the Camino de Santiago forum and ask for recommendations about where to stay and the Camino community responds!
• It doesn’t matter how sore I am after a day of walking- I am still able to walk without much pain the next day.

There will be more and I will report them. But for now…adios.