Back on the road

Hello All

Really not sure where to start –I know I’ve only been on the road for 5 days but St J seems weeks ago. Will try and condense it but maybe tea/wine time again.

Adrian survived the trip over the Pyrenees, Betsy was her usual star but there was a distinct smell of something burning when we stopped at the top for a look- luckily it was downhill from then.

 Roncesvalles was an odd place- very historic- goes back to Charlemagne, site of a big battle that turned the war (dont ask me – its all in Spanish!!) Huge pilgrim hostel, a couple of restaurants and that’s it- and I realised that’s what made it feel odd- no-one lived there – everyone was just passing through. As did I, following the camino as closely as I could which meant I was doing my favourite thing- pottering along back roads seeing the real Spain and what sights I have seen- too many to mention but a few favourites – stunning scenery – alternating between massive hills, huge plains – some barren, some cultivated and green, flocks of buzzards, mountain rivers, ochre coloured towns tumbling down hill sides always with a church in the centre and empty roads that go on for ever – and always the pilgrims- on foot, on bikes – plodding along to the next stopping place where they congregate and share stories.

One morning I stopped to pick up a pair of hitchhikers, originally from Spain- Eva could speak English very well which was a huge bonus, Franco and I just smiled at each other a lot. She had developed tendonitis on the shin, a common complaint – evidently something to with the stresses climbing over the mountains – anyway, we had lots of laughs and spent  very happy day together. We visited a monastery, next door was a bodega which had taps providing wine and water for the pelegrinos so we stocked up.

Have been doing quite a bit of sightseeing along the way – most of you know that I am a bit of a fan for Gothic cathedrals so i am really in the right place – must say that all of the ones I have seen so far the one in Leon takes the biscuit- I have never seen stained glass like it either in quality or quantity – even beats Chartres, if you discount the Rose window- the other thing I loved about Leon was discovering that the word for senior ( as in concession) is Jubilados! Isnt that fab? Any political party that include that in their manifesto would have my vote. Only thing I wasn’t too jubilados about was that he didn’t question whether it applied – ah well.