The Zubiri Hustle

Yesterday on the Camino de Santiago we walked from Roncesvalles to Zubiri. A 21.9km (37,779 steps) easy jaunt really when compared to the day prior!

Our day started at about 530am when a number of the pilgrims in our 200 person dorm had their phone alarms go off. Most heard it and turned them off, some perhaps could not hear their alarm over the cacophony of snoring and other sleep noises being made. No matter how early we were up though, Lana and I didn’t have breaky booked till 730 so I laid in bed and listened to my audio book and journaled some. Hard life, right!

At 7am when our bunk mates (a couple from Spain) in the other bunk bed of our 2 bunk bed pod departed, I rolled outta bed. Took my time repacking my pack, getting ready, basically being lazy but was ready to roll for 725. Lana was not too far behind and we made our way down to the first floor (stairs first thing in the morning is always a good pilgrim’s body check) and over to the cafe serving breakfast.

On our way I took a couple early morning pics of our hostel that is part of the massive monastery that is basically the whole of Roncesvalles. A tourist info office and a couple cafes were added to the place or make it a village and to support us pilgrims.

Breakfast is not really an apt description actually – it was one piece of dry toast, butter, peach jam, fake orange juice and a partial coffee with milk. I might need to start carrying around eggs for some protein! I was hoping for those yummy cheese and egg omelette the Spanish traditional breaky calls for! Maybe the next albergue (hostel)?

Following breakfast we hit the path and had an awesome first couple of hours weather wise. Stopped in the next town and got some snacks and apples for our packs and continue on our sunshine way!

We loved the little villages we walked through in the morning and were snapping photos like crazy tourists not pilgrims! Soon though at least for me my camera (aka my iPhone) had to be put away as a massive thunder and lightning storm was rolling in fast!

Not too long after this photo the wind picked up, it got super dark and the rain came down hard. We were tucked into our shell jackets and had our rain covers on our packs and kept strolling. Both of us have green covers for our packs so I feel we look liked a couple Ninja Turtles really both for our agility (haha) and our speed (no jokes). It was pretty awesome to walk head down against the rain and see the sky light up from your peripheral vision and then a huge crack of lighting right after. We stayed close to a lady walking with an umbrella – insurance really that the lighting would hit her not us. Very pilgrim of us!

About an hour later we hit another village and decided a cafe con leche (coffee with milk) was in order in this weather. No kidding by the time I came out of the cafe with the coffees Lana was siting outside in pure sunshine drying out her stuff. The change in weather again was awesome. We both draped our shells and rain covers on chairs, took off a couple layers and relaxed. Best sunshine coffee ever! Now up and on our way again!

A bunch of sunshine walking complete with up hill slogging and treacherous down hill treading and finally some wrangling on perfect paths with awesome conversation we arrived in Zubiri. Our final destination of the day and Hazel Sticks albergue.

After some much needed foot care for Lana and a freshen up, we made our way to the cafe next door and enjoyed a couple of Estella Galicia local delicious beer and some fritas patatas (French fries) served well what must be a local style with ketchup and mayo! Mmm