On to Villamayor de Monjardin

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Sunday 25th September

We decided on the easy option today. It was either 18 km to Villamayor de Monjardin or 30 km to Los Arcos - no albergues in between.

After a breakfast with us all together (who were having breakfast at the albergue) I decide tonplaybit safe and leave with David an older gentleman who so far has just happened to pop up every time I've rejoined the path after going off it. Nicole and Youlath went without breakfast and Belgian Jean went straight after.

My blog will be brief today as I'm getting out of synch due to poor WiFi connections. As I said in my last blog I had lost a day as well as I thought I'd started walking Tuesday when in fact my first day walking was Weds. End result, I was convinced it was Friday on Saturday.

However, I have to tell you how, as we approached Irache the landscape became more golden and the earth turned reddish. Over the fields the green shrub stubbled white stone stretched out across the skyline like a break of white Stilton encrusted with herbs. (Top photo)

We stopped at the famous wine fountain just before entering Irache where one side of the fountain dispenses water for the pilgrim, the other wine. We had a sip of wine and moved on.

Later we plucked figs and ate them fresh from the tree at the side of the road.

As we emerged from Irache and carried along the path we stopped to put sun cream on and drink water when who should turnnup but Nicole. The minimum amount of tangerines she could buy were 10 so she gave us 2 each to eat having shared the rest and not wanting to waste them nor carry the extra weight. And what a refreshing and tasty treat they were.

The 3 of us continued to our destination arriving st about 1.30 in the burning heat of the day. (Bottom photo is view from albergue) As we are shown to our room who should turn up, amongst the others of course, but one of the Irish contingent I had shared a room with two days ago and who I last saw in Pamplona.

Dinner is at 6.30 tonight and there is a Jesus meditation that Nicole and I are going to give a go although neither of us are deeply religious.

Tomorrow I'll most likely do 18km again, to Torres del Rio, the alternative being to go past there to Viana, a further 8 km or Lograno which at 30km altogether is too far. The terrain is tough underfoot and the heat searing for someone like me so I am tailoring the days until there is somewhere nice and I fancy a rest day.

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