Yesterday (Saturday), I set off with a couple of friends, Lauren and Juanjo, on another leg of the Camino: this time from the town of Estella to the village of Los Arcos, both in Navarra and some 22km apart. The walk was beautiful – rolling hills with many different shades of green, many vineyards, wonderful views of mountains and charming villages. The only hitch – and something every pilgrim has to contend with – was bad weather. We had a couple of big downpours, which saw the three of us huddling under an umbrella as we waited for the storms to pass.  On reflection, the weather made the walk more interesting, with dramatic cloud formations sweeping across the sky, thunder and lightning, sudden bursts of sunlight, and then a downpour.

On this leg of the Camino, just beyond Estella, pilgrims can treat themselves to a free glass of wine which is on tap (literally) at Bodegas de Irache, a winery. We had to wait a while for one pilgrim to take full advantage of this (it was just 10 in the morning!) before we could help ourselves to the wine. Merrily, we continued on our journey to the Monasterio de Irache. Perched on a hill above Estella, it was cloaked by a veil of mist, making it look especially mysterious and imposing. The church that belonged to the monastery was minimalist, with none of the gaudy decoration that is found in so many of the churches – just simple white stone…and somehow warmer and more inviting.

Onwards we went, passing vineyards and through rolling fields, taking photos as we went and admiring the views. We came across some other pilgrims along the way, determined not to let the elements impede their progress to the next stop.

For lunch, we sheltered under a bridge, while the rain lashed down. I saw the film The Way recently, and I don’t remember the weather featuring very highly in it, which is surprising, considering it’s such a big factor in walking the Camino. It’s really impossible to keep on going in torrents of rain, without getting completely drenched. I can imagine soaring heat would be just as difficult and uncomfortable.

Onwards we went to the little village of Villamayor de Monjardin, where got out little pilgrim books stamped by a very accommodating Spanish man. He led us inside a little church, which was pitch black inside expect for the glow of a few candles. It turned out we had to put a few coins in a box, for the lights to come on. This we did, and after stampng our books the man started telling about the church. It dated back to the 12th Century, had recently been renovated, and had excellent acoustics. Many people sang in here apparently. That was about as much as I could pick up (due to my lack of Spanish) but it was to meet him, and listen to him. He wished us ‘Bien Camino’ as we went on our way.

From here we began our descent down the hillside to Los Arcos, with our boots beginning to squelch, and a general feeling of relief that we edged closer to our destination. At last, in sight was Los Arcos. Relief. A feeling every pilgrim must have when the destination comes into view.

Loc Arcos, it seemed, was mostly inhabited by German pilgrims, who were taking refuge from the rain in a couple of bars in the village. Aside from this we bumped into some Koreans too. All were very eager to chat and make friends. We had intended to stay overnight at Los Arcos in a pilgrim’s hostel and continue the next day to Logrono, but it seemed things were against us. Juanjo’s hip was starting to hurt, Lauren was sneezing, and drizzle was forecast for the next day. So we left our fellow pilgrims behind and hopped on a bus back to Pamplona, in the hope of continuing the journey another day.

Cute dog… I wanted to take him home!

During my stay I met up with a Spanish photographer friend, Jordi. I first met Jordi while backpacking around Eastern Europe. Jordi gave up his job as an astrophysicist a number of years ago to become a full time photographer, and has since travelled widely with his work, particularly in Latin America. His most recent trip saw him spend three months travelling up the Amazon, from its mouth to its source in the Peruvian Andes.

We went on a walk around Barcelona and I picked up some tips in street photography. Here are some of the shots he took, which I think nicely capture different aspects of this colourful city…

Iglesia de Santa Maria de Eunate sits along in a field on the Camino de Santiago route, providing shelter and rest for pilgrims as well as being a place of worship.

As the sun set, the shadows of the arches fell across the walls and the stone ground. The three of us spent a long while walking around the church, which is octagonal in shape, taking photos and basking in the warm glow of the sun and the serenity of the place.

I can imagine how it must feel for a pilgrim, having walked for days, to come across this little church in the middle of nowhere, and to find sanctuary and refuge here before continuing the journey.

Leaving the Pyrenees behind us, we passed through gorgeous villages such as Obanos and Lorca, where we got out little Camino books stamped, a differently designed stamp for each place. We picked fruit and herbs too – rosehip, almonds, berries and rosemary. The weather was lovely both days – clear and crisp, with bright autumnal colours all along the way.

On the Sunday evening we stayed overnight in Puente la Reine, in a small hostel that was once a convent. It was just 4 Euro…proof that a pilgrim doesn’t need to spend too much on the Camino. It was basic accommodation, but sufficient.

There we met a young Korean girl, who had given herself 50 days to walk the ‘Camino Frances’ route from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago. It was her first time in Spain. She said she decided take time out of work and walk the Camino because she needed time to think. I really admired her – it must take a lot of courage to set off on a journey like that alone, in a foreign country, with very little English or Spanish.

After the first day I felt as though I was getting into a rhythm with the walking. I can see how doing this pilgrimage in one go must make a deep impression on someone. The hours of walking, the thinking, the weight of the bag on your back…but also the friends made along the way, the satisfaction of reaching each destination, and walking a route that so many pilgrims have trod over the centuries. Just after two days I felt very inspired.

Trinidad de Arre

The longer I’m here in Pamplona here the more excited – and privileged – I feel to eliving on the Camino de Santiago trail. Every time I see a pilgrim walking through Pamplona, with back pack, and walking pole, I feel really envious.

So last Sunday afternoon I decided to walk a short section of it from Pamplona with my flatmate Ivett. Heading out from the city, following the shell signs that mark the Camino, we went in the direction of a village called Villava, on the outskirts of the Pamplona. By mistake we went in the direction of France, not Santiago, so against the flow of pilgrims!

Headed out through the city walls, we passed alongside allotments, farmland and a run-down gypsy area, before arriving in Villava, also known as the Trinidad de Arre.  In the village we came to a lovely medieval bridge and an old pilgrims’ hostel, once a hospital for pilgrims. Crossing the old bridge we passed a few pilgrims who were probably stopping off at the hostel for the night.

From here we looped to Pamplona… a perfect way to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, and gentle introduction to the pilgrimage.

The weather here in Spain has been amazing lately. It’s supposed to be a lot cooler at this time of year in northern Spain, but lately it’s been in the mid 20′s, and sunny skies everyday. To make the most of it I visited San Sebastian recently, an hour away on the bus from Pamplona. The bus ride itself was amazing - sweeping views of mountains on all sides (the region is on the edge of the Pyrenees), and then the coast (the Atlantic) opening up as we arrived in San Sebastain. The city has a rather glamourous feel to it. The old town is stunning, with quaint churches and lovely piazzas, and there is a lovely large beach here too. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

After a rather strenuous first week of teaching Spanish kids, I went on a mini road trip today with a few other teachers to a semi-desert area about an hours’ drive south of Pamplona.

Compared to the lushness of Pamplona, the landscape of the area, called the Parque Natural de las Bardenas Reales was quite a contrast. It stretches for miles, as far as the eye can see, and has these odd looking plateaus and gullies dotted over the dusty, windswept terrain. It was a bit like something from a Star Wars movie. So we spent some time scrambling up the odd hill and taking in the panoramic views from the top.

On the way back we stopped off at the city of Tudela, a rather attractive city that has been home to Arabs, Christians and Jews for 400 hundred years. With these different religious influences, it’s an interesting city to wander around. There is also a big statue of Christ on a hilltop nearby, looking down over the city.

Pamplona has hills on all sides, which is a lovely change from living in a big, sprawling city. The weather can be pretty temperamental. It was 30 degrees when I arrived and now it’s down to 16! I think it’s due to be near the Atlantic and having mountains (the Pyrenees) nearby too.

The city is prettier than I thought it would be, and bigger. The old town is a colourful maze of cobbled streets, and the new town is smart with lots of big shops, food markets, fountains and parks. The streets are really clean and the standard of living seems generally very high here.

My room that has a balcony overlooking the cobbled streets below – the streets that bulls run down every July during the San Fermin festival. Unfortunately the building opposite is being renovated, so I can hear building works most days. I have no idea when it all started, or when it could end…as it seems they’re renovating every balcony in the building!

Building works aside, it’s lovely to have a balcony. I can people watch, spy on people eating their tapas. I can also see pilgrims with their big rucksacks passing through the city en route to Santiago.

I know a few things about Pamplona, but not a great deal. It’s a fairly small city, with a population of around 200,000; has a world famous annual bull running festival – las festia de San Fermin, and has the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route passing through. I believe it’s the first city that pilgrims arrive at from France, so I might be encountering the odd pilgrim here and there during my stay! It’s also fairly near the coast, the nearest coastal town being San Sebastian, and has the Pyrenees pretty much on its door step – so hopefully there’ll be plenty of opportunity for hiking / climbing.

Although Spain isn’t exactly far away, it seems a big step to be uprooting, even if just for nine months. It’s only now that I’m leaving, with all the packing up and the goodbye’s, that I realise how rooted in London life I’ve become during the past eight years. I’m appreciating everything around me more than ever, now the various props of my life here are gradually being removed. It feels like a hard step but a necessary one, and I’m looking forward to seeing what new things lie ahead.