How to comment

Hi folks, 

several people still can't seem to comment (though several of you have managed to figured it out) so here's the trick: select "Reply as" and choose "Anonymous" (unless you have a google account or one of the other accounts). THEN write your comment, and be sure to include your name at the end so we know who wrote it. Muchas gracias amigos! Bruce y Hailey

Living quarters and meals

Here we are at Villa Mayor de Monjardin having a communal meal:

These ladies prayed over my right knee:

and it was fine the next day, except for the last 2 kilometres,when I overdid it.

Prayer works, but you have to also use your common sense - like not walking 20 kilometres the next day! Here I am limping into the next village:

We are now in the big city of Logrono and the annual wine festival is on. Should be cool. We are staying in a parish Refugio where they don't turn any pilgrims away. They house and feed them even if they don't have a dime to donate. But the facilities are very basic. Here are our sleeping quarters:

Quirks and beauty of Spain

 Here are two definite quirks IN Spain

Here's a lovely quirk: San Miguel beer is the same price as water (or cheaper)!

FRESH FIGS EVERYWHERE!!

Free Wine fountain. I repeat: FREE WINE FOUNTAIN!!!!!

Images of hell 

Very organized recycling everywhere 

Fire hydrants??

Dog signs 

Etc...

BEAUTY

Mountains everywhere!

View from our Albergue in Villa Mayor de Monjardin

Limping Along

The Camino is brutal as usual but we are having some great conversations.

I never had knee problems, but now like a lot of peregrinos (pilgrims) I am wearing a knee brace. Walking sharply downhill for 4 kms on jagged slippery rocks did it to me. Hailey's calves hurt constantly from walking 20 kms per day so far.

But this is just our bodies adapting to the Camino. Theoretically, the second week will be easier. Either that or I will need a walker!

Doing this on not enough sleep makes it even more challenging. But as soon as you take your earplugs out, the snoring and farting orchestra begins from the other 20 pilgrims sleeping in the same room.

On the positive side, I feel like we have been lead by God on many occasions, so please keep the prayers, thoughts, and energy coming. We need them and send you ours! Here are some pics from today:

Photos from along the way

Run over by bulls

We are now in Pamplona where they run the Bulls . We both feel like we have been run over by bulls. 21 km yesterday and 16 today. The Camino is starting to wear us down. Very sore.  

Hailey on one of many steep climbs, and me in my dreams: Bruce, the Ironman of the Camino!

Pain and posts

Hola amigos,

Posts: First, a quick note to say we changed the settings on our blog so everyone should now be able to leave comments - in case you tried in the past and it didn't work. It would be great if you tested it out and left us some comments :) Gracias!

Pain!! My calves and my dad's knee are so sore we are limping around the town we arrived (just outside Pamplona) at like two old fogies. Apparently the first week is always tough until your body gets used to what you're putting it through. Ascents hurt, but descents are pure pain! Until the Camino I haven't regularly been using muscles to help me descend, so suddenly I'm calling on them to perform and they're like "WTF?!?!! NOOO!" Which makes me just lie in my bunk instead of going out exploring the city :(