2017-10-07 Ostabat - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (25/800 km)

Finally I have reached Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I'm gathering power to walk up the hills tomorrow. They have promised good weather so I think it will spectacular.

The pastoral Basque landscape in morning mist

Well fist of all something about yesterday night. I was out having dinner at a small restaurant in Ostabat together with a french guy that I had met off and on the last week. He is an architect. But the interesting thin is that also "the illustrated girls" participated in that meal. It proved that they too came from Quebec in Canada. One of them spoke a little English. But their french accent is very special.

The pilgrims office where you get your credentials

The river Nive that goes straight through town

Inside the church

Mr Walker himself in the Le Puy T-shirt

Pilgrim street straight to the old town

The walking today was rather undramatic. A very hilly landscape but the "Chemin" did not go up on those hills but kept reasonably near the main highway through a number of small Basque villages.

There was not much service until we reached Saint-Jean-le-Vieux where we the french architect and I had a beer together. It is said that this village was the original entry point for walking across the Pyrenees during the medieval ages and earlier.

But we continued to today's Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port. Also there the old town is situated inside fortress walls. An the pilgrim street with lots and lots of tourists goes straight through. A lot of albergues the pilgrims office and of course a number of souvenir shops. Walking through from the port of St Jean de Compostelle to Port d'Espange. I was out a while to see the city and met many of my friends from the last weeks. Among others the American-Norwegian triple. And of course I was for the occasion dressed in the Le Puy T-shirt that I got from my German friends with whom I walked to Le Puy during spring. Mission accomplished! Here reported! For the photo on the Nive bridge I have to thank one of my french friends that I kidnapped there for this.

But for present friends and acquaintances - here in this town our ways split. Some will walk over the Pyrenees to Roncevalles and one take the GR10 to connect to the Northern Camino. Some others will go home and yet others will make a tour by bus along the northern coast of Spain. On the other hand the city ifs full of new pilgrims from everywhere so I'll not be alone tomorrow.

El día final. El día de Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port. Con un poco niebla en la mañana en este paisaje vasco fantástico. Y St Jean lleno de peregrinos, albergues y la oficina peregrino oficial. Pero también turistas, turistas, turistas. Saint Jean como un punto de separación de todos que he encontrado durante las últimas semanas. Los caminos conducen a direcciones diferentes, a casa, a Santiago…

2017-10-06 Aroue - Ostabat (28/775 km)

A small basque village

The pelota wall - so typical

It was a good gite that I was staying in Aroue. And mysterious lady and her friend were there. They came from Montreal i Canada and consequently spoke fluent French but also good English. They had walked from Le Puy, but I don't really know how much. Around the table were also a teacher from Coventry England. He was a language teacher and spoke fluently French, German and Spanish. In addition a lady from Seoul, Korea and a french couple. We had a good night together. It started with the mysterious lady accused me for stealing hear T-shirt after washing and drying. And I had. So I handed it back ceremoniously. She maintained that it was too small for me.

Being a bit sleepy in the morning I followed a road for too long. I discovered that on my GPS and had to turn back - and pass all the others in an uphill. I also met the couple from Navarrenx, that are actually staying at the gite in Ostabat where I'm staying tonight. The recommended me to pick some chestnuts, there are plenty of them on the ground here. Then boil them for about 20 - 30 minutes. According to them they would be delicious after that.

Passed a number of small basque village. All looking fine as usual in the basque countries, but really small and no service in them.

The Gibraltar stone where ways meet

Santiago in the chapel at the hills

Soon Ostabat 

Passed the stone of Gibraltar the marks the point where three of the four Santiago roads merges to one - Camino Frances as it is called in Spain. The fourth goes through the pass of Somport and join Camino Frances in Puente la Reina in Spain. After that the GR65 in a broad stony track goes up over some fine hills. On one of those is the chapel d'Harambeltz with Our Lady (well locked in and difficult to see) and Santiago watching me while I had lunch - tuna. There was no service in today's villages before Ostabat. At the end of the meal "the illustrated girls" showed up. Seemingly, possibly, tattooed all over. The fine view towards the Pyrenees disappeared in the rain.

Then not far from Ostabat. Located a gite in the small village and many of those that I have met are here. Was out buying some batteries to my camera, to which I had borrowed some of my GPS batteries during the day. Waiting for the dinner at 7 pm.

Tomorrow Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Just some 23 km away.

En la noche pasado estaba relevada, la mujer misteriosa. Ella y su amiga llegaban de Montreal, Canadá. Habían comenzado en Le Puy y – naturalmente – hablaban tanto francés como inglés. Hoy, otro día con lluvia. Pero funciona muy bien entre las colinas vascas. 

2017-10-05 Navarrenx - Aroue (23/747 km)

I thought it was a deer - but it was a goat (near Navarrenx)

A day like just most other days, with the difference that I should only walk a little more that 20 km to Aroue. Happily no rain and a lot of forest.

It was in Aroue it happened. I stood at the crossing and wondered if I should stay or continue. I came to the conclusion that it probably was to long to walk via St Palace to stay there overnight so I decided to stay and first check the public gite. It is situated in the village itself a bit of the GR65. It was open but no food possibility close to it. So I went back to the gite that I had seen on the way in. And it was open and I could eat and have my things washed. (They are actually being washed at the other end of the room where I'm sitting right now.) So I took that.

To my surprise the mystical lady and her friend showed up. It's like she is following me. But I don't really think that this is the case. It is just that we are planning in a similar way. And I probably have to change my idea about her friend. She seems to be walking too. At least today.

Have some problem with my normal camera. The batteries are out and I have no possibility to buy any right here in the middle of nowhere in the Basque country, far away from the nearest city.

Consequently - no photos today. Well one photo. There was obviously some life in the present batteries.

Un día con una caminata corto, solo 23 km para adaptase a los días que viene. Descubrí un malentendido en el cruce de Aroue. Allí no tenía una tienda no tenía un bar. Por esto volvía un poco y escogí u albergue que vi cuando pasaba un poco antes. Es bueno. 

2017-10-04 Artez-de-Béan - Navarrenx (33/724 km)

The river "Gave de Pau"

A chair for the tired pilgrim at the wayside

A nice house along the way

The abbey in Sauverlade

 Wise from the earlier food problems I stated the day by visiting a bread shop and then moved on until I crossed the river "Gave de Pau". At the other side a bit I had the morning coffee in a small shop in Maslacq. A guy that I had seen several times showed me the way. Unfortunately he only spoke french. But he popped up later after I has passed a number valleys and hill ridges. The I found him at the coffe shop and bar at the abbey in Sauverlade. And not only him als the mysterious lady with earrings, light backpack and matching colors sat there and spoke to my may pilgrim - in french. I had passed and met her several times. But seemingly she spoke only french or at least did not want to talk to anyone in another language. A somewhat mysterious lady - she seemed to have a female partner that supported her to and fro from a car. May be she is a famous artist that is walking the way. I noted that she attended her blistered feet when she believed that no one saw. The last time I saw her was when we passed the city fortress walls of the Navarrenx inner city. Then she saw the two men from Sauverlade outside a pilgrim bar. And she went to them. I wonder who she is.

Far away in the clouds - the Pyrenees

There was a good water source at the side

Otherwise, after the morning mist and sometimes light rain it cleared up a bit in the afternoon and got for me uncomfortably very warm and humid. Nevertheless you could see the Pyrenees among the clouds. Finally

At some places you as a pilgrim could rest. And sometimes you were give a good quote as in this case reminding about the importance of water, Well, I needed to clean up old dirty cloths and a number of other thing, so tonight I'm staying in a hotel. There they are having problems with water in the room. The warm water leaks into the cold so when flushing the toilette the tank became hot and the water in the tap is not drinkable. The importance of water. Hmmm...

I went out a while to see the town. Then Birgitta phoned. I had to dig up the phone from my bag and remove it from its case. Birgitta had not been home when I tried to phone her earlier. After the call I continued and admired a hot air balloon and the fine old fortress walls of the inne city. But walking down from the walls I realized that I was missing the case for my mobile phone. So I went searching. And to my happy surprise, there it was, at the middle of the sidewalk seemingly untouched. And the best of all, my hearing aids inside were fully OK. I felt so happy and grateful when I went to eat.

Este era en bueno día. Vi los Pirineos por la primera vez. Trové sitios para comer. Solo unas gotas de lluvia. Pero este día estaba el día de la mujer misteriosa. Encontré ella durante algunos días. Pendientes doradas en sus orejas, mochila ligero y ropas de buenos colores. Vi también como otra mujer que, creo, suportaba ella usando un coche. Creo que ella solo hable francés. ¿Sea una artista famosa que desea caminar este camino?

2017-10-03 Arzacq-Arraziguet - Artez-de-Béan (32/691 km)

Memories in a tree

Today's theme - memories and rest. Sometimes the chemin, the way, is there to remind you if and why you are here. You are walking the Via Podiensis as a pilgrim towards the remote "Santiago de Compostella" or as the French say "Chemin de Compostelle". You see reminders of that everywhere, like the things in the tree for example or the resting ground where I had lunch. Not to forget all the chapels, churches, cathedrals and crucifixes around the road. 
















The pilgrim shell is everywhere. On markings, on back-packs, on doors, on way-marks, In short you'll find it all over. It is difficult to see through, but people are visiting churches and chapels as they go along. May be to see the interior, maybe to pray, maybe to attend a mass. The motives are are so individual. And not only Christian as you would suspect. You find quotes from many religions and spiritual circumstances. Many atheists walk also. In sort the Camino is a way for everyone, regardless of religion or motive. That's makes it so fascinating.  

Thoughts a a resting place

Today was like the days before with drizzle and mist in the morning and rain showers after lunch. 

Was a a bit difficult to find the way out of Arzacq in the morning, but I found it eventually. The landscape was like yesterday. I was trying to get lunch in Larreule but failed again. The had only a vending machine. But this time I was prepared so I had what I needed in my back-pack. It was like that in the other villages on the way, nothing to eat unless you went to a gite to stay. Eventually I ended up in Athes-de-Béarn and got a place at the gite here. I was alone for the first hours, then a  young french couple that I had met two days ago, arrived. 



The local restaurant proved to be closed, besides Mondays, also at Tuesdays so I had to buy a pizza at the square and a small bottle of wine in a shop. That was fully OK. The french couple cooked their own food. They are on a small budget and also carries a tent that they use some nights. Young french people learn English at school. Good to hear, since french people my age or a bit younger don't speak English. 

Este día pensaba sobre nuestros motivos, de porque caminar. Algunos de motivos religiosos, cristianos, pero también otras religiones. Y creo la mayoridad sin motives expresadas. Pero este camino es aquí y ahora. Y en algunos sitios tenemos puntos para reflexionar. Además, este día estuve lleno con tiendas y restaurantes cerrados.

2017-10-02 Aire-sur-l'Adour -> Arzacq-Arraziguet (36/659 km)

The lake just outside Aire

<As usual - click photos to enlarge>

Met a confused pilgrim trying to find his way out of the city. The GPS knew the way, so I could help him.

The city had built a fairly big lake at the edge of town. Gave me a nice walk before passing under the motorway.

Straight roads through corn fields

Otherwise this day as the days before was dominated by farmland. Flat at the beginning of the day with straight roads trough the fields. A a couple of places cattle farms and geese farms in between the fields. "Foie gras" is a specialty.

Cattle farm

"Foie gras" - alive

Had expected to eat in Miramont-Sensacq. But no, the only pizzeria was closed on Mondays. And there was nothing else. So it became an orange soda and a bread from a bread shop. Not much of a lunch for a 36 km walk. I was extremely tired when I arrived at Arzacq, but recovered after a while.

Last departement in France - Pyrénées-Atlantiques

The landscape got hillier. And had it not been another day with drizzle and mist I could have seen the Pyrenees. But not today. Instead saw a number of the people from earlier days. But my French is too bad for more that a few word and their English is equally bad. Result - not much communication.

 Eventually I passed a small river and finally I have reached "Pyrénées-Atlantiques" the last departement in France before passing the Pyrenees into Spain. This is now or soon Basque land. I wonder what the basque says when they hear that Cataluña has voted for independence yesterday.

Sweden in Arzacq = door to a room in gite

Well the sign of independence I saw in Arazaq is that they have a room with the name of Suede (Sweden). Interesting I got to sleep not in that, but in Angleterre (England). Maybe I should have written this blog in Swedish instead.

After have done the usual mandatory things I went out shopping. I bit more food for days without a restaurant and an envelope for the key card I had forgotten to return this morning. Again, hmmmm...

Dinner was interesting. We were only 5 there. I sat with a Canadian couple from the west coast. They had walked the Camino Frances from St-Jean three years ago and now wanted to continue. A well traveled couple. We discussed Vancouver and Island and Norway.

Este día como los antes. Lluvia en la mañana. Paisaje con agricultura, especialidad maíz. Algunos pueblos, no tan grande. Ahora pernocto en un albergue público en Arzacq. Cuando comía allí encontré una pareja de Canada. Discutimos viajes en varios partes del mundo, como Vancouver, Islandia y Noruega.

2017-10-01 Nogaro - Aire-sur-l'Adour (28/623 km)

A live hen greeting me on the way

Had a good night yesterday. Close to my table sat a three people at the end of the meal one of the stepped over ans asked me who I was. That was the start of a good conversation. The man - and the two other persons - were Americans but Americans of Norwegian parents. So he knew a few words Norwegian. He and his wife and a friend had walked the Camino Frances two years ago and now they were back and walked from Le Puy. He was of my age and a cattle farmer in Montana(!!!) Intresting meeting one night.

...and a dead frog, not saying so much

Early start as usual. Breakfast at the gite as usual and then out of Nogaro. But not without forgetting that there was a bunch of bullfighter fans in the gite also. They have bullfights without damaging the bull in Nogaro. A good variety.

A walking day as usual grey with sometimes a light rain. No one of the more fantastic days. Also a day without a major stopping point. I had a coffee at Lelin-Lapujolle in a small improvised coffee-shop, but that was the only stop. There is a flat area before Aire-sur-l'Adour, probably a river-plain. There you went along an old railway. I passed the gang of ladies from yesterday.

... and another rest on the way into Barcelonne

Pilgrims rest along the railway to Aire

A greeting from home - Husqvarna garden equipment on sale

I had hoped to find an open restaurant in Barcelonne a suburb of Aire. But none! Marching in to Aire I saw a hotel to the left and I got a room in that. Washing, resting and ordering a ticket back home. It was not the easiest with non-functioning credit cards and a number of other problem. But now it is fixed - hopefully. My idea is to walk to Pamplona and take the bus to Biarritz-Bayonne airport and then fly home from there.

Now I see that it is time for dinner this day without too much food. Let's see if we can change that. - I did.

Otro día con lluvia. Un día como ayer. Pero el más interesante pasó la noche antes. En el restaurante donde comía encontré tres personas de EE. UU. Con raíces de Noruega, pero vivían en Montana. Era la segunda vez que ellos caminaban los caminos de Santiago. Caminaron el Camino Frances desde Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port hace dos años. Uno de estos era un propietario de un rancho de ganado. Un encuentro extraño.