Food and drink along the away

VWe've taken a few days off to rest my foot- staying with Robs brother near San Sebastián in the prettiest Basque town of Hondarribia- the sun is shining, the sea is sparkling and we are thinking about buying bikes to ride to Santiago.  Bursitis doesn't seem to heal quickly but if I'm off my feet I am sure I can ride the 300 Kilometres from Leon.  Rob may also get a bike ( rather than walk) and we will leave the bikes with a message for someone who needs them to use them - it's cheaper to buy rather than hire...

Pintxos rather than Tapas is the speciality in this area -  Delicious range of Basque small snacks/ portions.  Lunch starts around 2pm and one would have a couple and/or then in the evenings with a drink.

We eat about 4 or 5  Pintxos each when we can..!!

You walk into any bar and the pintos are on the counter.

Fresh artichokes...

Coiled bacon wraps .. 

Prawn and cottage cheese on panne..

Chorizo ...

Piementoes ..

And chocolate...

The bread is to live for...

Tapas in Pamplona.. Tapas are also snacks but bigger portions ...

And vino tinto is served with every meal..

More tapas...

Breakfast is usually tortilla - Spanish omelette with onion and potatoe... Delicious ..served with a slice of panne.. And if course coffee con leche - coffee with milk..

Archie also enjoys vino tinto...

Day 14 2 June from santo dDomingo to Granon via monastery of Canas

Rob gets a donkey badge award ...from me...

He carries my backpack to the bus station ... I catch the bus to the little village of Granon and he walks the 7 Kilometres.

This is what I see from the bus...peregrinos walking.. As we whizz by..

The flash of a field of flowers ...

This is what Rob sees as he walks...

And that is the reason that we walk... So that we slow down and see ... The wonderful details of life.. And talk to people..

Time to stop and stare.. And smell..

This cross marks the spot where a local from Granon and a local from Santo Domingo fought to the death over 43,000 bits of land.... The guy from Granon won!  

Wonderful rich red soil.. Famous in this area

The way is always marked..

Entering the little village of Granon..

The auberge adjoining the church... 

We are the first to arrive....it's not a promising entrance.. And even though I have read that this auberge is one of the top 12 most popular voted by all peregrinos, I am wondering if this is a big mistake...

A few hours later...

This is where we sleep.. Mats on the floor

The registry where we sign in... Check where people come from.. Have only met one South African...

The church garden so valued for its serenity ..

Peregrinos relaxing in the  little church garden ...

This couple have walked from Holland... 1500 km already...!! He turned 63 a couple of weeks ago.

Isn't this amazing? The accommodation is by donation, and here is the donation box... 

Give what you can or take what you need...

Everybody mucks in to help make supper.. Huge bowls of ensulata - salad- and lentil stew with panne

Communal supper for 30...

After supper we go through a private door into the back of the church, upstairs - maybe one village sat here separated from the rest because of feuding? we are asked why we are walking.. It's fascinating to hear each persons brief story..

Day 13 1 June from Najera to Santa Domingo de la Calzada

Eeeek... Rob insists that I go to a clinc/hospital and when we get there a young nurse can speak broken English.  She translates to the doctor who looks at my feet and asks where I am from.  Shaking her head they go the computer and translate from Spanish to English- one of  peregrinos dreaded problems, BURSITIS- She says " no more walking" and I wail, so she changes her diagnosis to some days of rest and new shoes... I get an injection, bandage and anti- inflammatories.

Lucklily we find a sports shop open on Sunday and I buy Keen Trekkers...very stylish!!! But at this stage I dont care, I want to finish the Camino, and these give my feet more room to walk in..

We take a taxi to a monastery called Santa Maria de Canas which is famous for Gregorian chanting and St Francis of Assissi visiting on his Camino journey - beautiful roses..

Noda comes with us..  She is an amazing healer, and has many stories - the one I love the most is when she was in Peru, and she is "told" to go and work with a Peruvian Shaman, to go into the lounge where she is staying and get someone to take her about 2 hours away.  She calls out, " does anyone speak English? " David steps forward, and says he knows he has to take her - when she gets to the Shaman he asks, "what took you so long? The owl told us you were coming.  You have a vision for me."  She goes into trance and tells him he has to build a retreat further up the Amazon ( which he does do)..

The church is amazing, the light pours in through natural original alabaster windows..

Our taxi driver Ignatious  joins us for mass where lay people sit.. Separated from the nuns .  The mass is in a small side chapel.

Noda is there too..

And Rob and I and a few other locals..most of the service is sung, and even though I don't understand more than two words, both Rob and I love the service , the simplicity and deep prayer singing take our breath away..

We go into the museum after ..

Walking into the church, sooo much gold ..

In the museum are some of the skulls (!!!) of the 11,000 virgins.. Don't know this story yet..

And some relics, original bones of martyrs..

Beautifully crafted crosses.. And masses of other art and emblems..

Back for Lunch at a local bar in Santo Domingo de la Calzada..pizza! With San Miguel local beer- delicious!

So many of the cafés/bars have place mats with the Camino route on them..

The church in Santo Domingo is famous for the Miracle of the cock - a cock and hen are kept in the cathedral to remind of the miracle. The legend goes that A pilgrim couple and their son stopped at an inn here on their way to Santiago.the pretty innkeepers daughter hid a silver goblet in the sons backpack whe he refused her advances. He was hanged, and the parents on their way back from Santiago found him hanging from the gallows but alive- they rushed to the sheriffs house and told him.  He was about to tuck into his roast chicken.  Upon hearing the news, he said that the son was no more alive than the cock he was about to eat.  Whereupon the fowl stood up and crowed.  The sheriff rushed to the gallows and cut the son down.  The miracle and many others was attributed to Santo Domingo.

An afternoon slow stroll though the streets in my new shoes..

Blue skies! But not for long...

We have supper with Muriel who has walked 1000 km ! From France.