Cirauqui → Villamayor de Monjardín
Distance: 14.73 miles / 23.7km
Elevation: +1958ft, -1479ft
I got out of bed at 6:20am today and got ready for the day. I was definitely tired this morning but managed to be out the door walking by 7am. The town I stayed in, Cirauqui, is built on quite an incline, so it was a workout right off the bat. There was also a good amount of downhill getting out of town, which helped a bit.
I started off walking on my own for a few miles. Once I was a decent distance from town, I came across a cat that was super friendly. It was written on a bench nearby, “a cat lives here, feed it if you can." There wasn’t anyone around as far as I could see. I wasn’t sure if anyone took care of the cat as it was quite skinny, but super affectionate and looked pretty clean and well kept. I fed the cat some crackers and it ate it up. It reminded me a lot of Tovin and my cat, Pippin.
I kept walking and ended up with a familiar face, Mark from upstate NY, and we walked together for a while. Eventually, we separated and I walked on my own for a few more miles. About 6 miles in, I stopped at a cafe to get a coffee (espresso with milk), and to use the bathroom. I continued on through Estella which was a small city and then it really started to get hot and sunny. Today’s route really didn’t have much shade, so around 11am, I started to slow down a lot more from heat and fatigue.
Just when I needed it most, I came across one of the sights I had been most eager to experience on the Camino! In Irache, right next to a winery, there’s a famous fountain that flows with wine instead of water. Pilgrims can stop and fill a cup just as they would at any public water fountain, only this time with red wine. I took a break there and enjoyed about two glasses, which was exactly what I needed at that point in the day. Not long after, the trail turned into a tough uphill climb, but the pause at the fountain gave me the energy and lift I needed to push through.
In the last few miles of the day, there was quite a bit of uphill into the town I’m staying in tonight, Villamayor de Monjardín. There were signs for a food truck right outside of town that served patatas bravas and paella and I was so excited for it. However, the food truck wasn’t there when I got there and it was so disappointing, as I’d only had coffee and a handful of crackers.
Thankfully, it was only another 15 minutes to get to the hostel. I arrived around 1:50pm and got settled into my bed. I took a shower, did laundry, and then went down to the hostel’s terrace to sit and meet some of the others.
The place I’m staying at tonight, Albergue Oasis Trails, is part of a Christian community that also lives together in Villamayor de Monjardín. Their goal is to give pilgrims a place of peace and rest on the Camino, and the albergue itself is a rustic old Spanish house overlooking the valley. It’s run by volunteers, called hospitaleros, who come from around the world. I met two, one from Alabama and one from Perth, Australia. The volunteers even prepared foot baths for free to anyone who wanted one! After a long day of walking, a cold foot bath with epsom salts felt so good!
I spent a few hours sitting and chatting with the volunteers who run the place and the other pilgrims staying there. I did some stretching, then went back to my room around 6pm to have a snack before dinner. Although dinner was only an hour later, I had only had a coffee, some crackers, and some blackberries and grapes I picked along the way.
The amount of fruit I’ve come across has been a surprise but an absolutely welcome one. There are blackberry bushes growing along the trail and although they’re much smaller than US blackberries, they’re so sweet and juicy. It’s a very nice snack for when you’re tired and needing a treat. The last 2 days, we’ve also been passing through grape vineyards so i’ve snuck a few grapes here and there which have also been delicious.
At 7pm, we had a community dinner at the hostel. Most hostels/albergues that offer meals serve pilgrim meals that have a similar format: bread and wine, a first course (typically salad or soup), an entree, and dessert. Tonight was salad, pasta bolognese, and chocolate pudding for dessert.
After dinner, they offered both a guided "Jesus Meditation" or personal quiet reflection time - I chose the latter, sitting up on the terrace of the building which had an absolutely beautiful view. After some time to meditate on the day, I called Tovin on the phone and we chatted for a bit about planning for his visit in October. After that, it was already 9:30pm and time to get ready for bed. I brushed my teeth and wrote my journal for a bit, then got into bed and ready to sleep.
The past few days of walking 10-20 miles has started to catch up with my body. My ankles and calves have reached a state of almost perpetual soreness, but I’ve been prioritizing stretching every day and after stretching it doesn’t bother me too much. My knee still hurts a bit but has been getting better since yesterday.
Most people i’ve talked to have been experiencing some sort of pain whether it’s in the knee or ankle or wherever. However, the great thing about the Camino is that you can take it at your own pace and there’s truly so many ways to approach it. Some people ship their packs ahead every day, some people spend 2 nights in a town to get a recovery day, some people are speed demons and walk 20 mile days consistently. I love how much of the Camino is tailorable to fit your needs and what you want to do.
I’ve started getting a bit homesick, missing the cats and my bed at home. It’s a strange feeling sleeping in a different bed and in a room full of new strangers each night. I’m thankful tonight that I don’t have the top bunk. It’s the worst when you’re sore and tired, and then have to climb up to set up your sleeping bag and your disposable sheets on the top bunk.
Tomorrow I have a shorter day planned (only about 12 miles) but it’s going to be a very hot day and the route has no shade for the majority of it. My sunscreen and hat will definitely come in handy. I’ve been feeling very good about the Camino so far and can’t believe it’s only been a week! It feels like I’ve been at it so much longer. I’m really trying to enjoy every moment as much as I can.
