Day two ... Roncesvalles to Akerreta a walk of 18 miles ... Say Hello to Putin.

Before I tell you about Putin I'll first finish yesterday. I arrived at the Hotel La Posada at 5:00 which means the day's walk took about seven and a half hours. I check in and go to my room and begin the process of getting the laundry taken care of using my Tide packets. I know that statement is really an interesting visual for most of the people I know. I think we should all be required to do a week's laundry in a sink at least once every five years so that we don't completely lose touch with how many less fortunate people have to deal with what we all take for granted. Maybe just one day every five years.

Okay laundry done and hanging everywhere with a 50-50 chance of drying before I leave in the morning. Doesn't really matter, everything was wet before I washed them so at least if they don't dry they will be clean when I pack them.

I head down to the Pilgrim dinner which is at 7:00. You must sign up in advance because it will be sold out. The Pilgrim's dinner is three courses and includes wine all for ten Euro. When I get downstairs there are a large group of people waiting for the door to the dining room to open. Each of us has a coupon for entry. No coupon, no dinner. People are being checked in and when I reach the door the guy who checked me in when I first arrived tells another guy who will seat me that I speak English. He takes me to a table for eight where there is one empty chair ... Mine.

I begin to sit and simply say Hola to everyone and they in kind do the same. It turns out that all seven of my dinner companions are from Canada so language won't be an issue. Everyone is eager to know where I'm from and when I tell them California there is a chorus of approval. They all seem to think highly of California. I'm sitting next to a really nice couple from Vancover. Married, three daughters, four grandchildren, all boys.

Dinner is served.  First there is one large bowl of pasta brought to the table and there is plenty for everyone and it's good. The two bottles of wine on the table are passed around and the conversation turns to the level of difficulty of the first day's walk. Someone makes a statement about how much harder it would be if you had to carry your things in a backpack like some people do. It gets quite and then it dawns on me that they are all using the Donkey service. So I decide why not and I ask Bob if he is using the Donkey service? He smiles and says yes. His wife Sharon picks up on it and asks if I carried my bag. After I said yes I did go out of my way honestly to say that it does not matter how you walk The Camino there is no right or wrong way. 

The main course is brought out and yes it's my favorite. A small salad and a whole trout! I eat the salad and offer my trout to the women on the other side of me and she quickly says yes. She asks if I'm a vegetarian. I tell her no I just don't like trout. Dinner is fairly brief, everyone is tired and I'm in bed working on the blog by 8:30.

Now for the second days walk. I leave the Hotel and stop outside the front door to take a picture of the Santiago sign which says there are 790 KM's to Santiago. I want the picture it so I can lay it side by side with my original taken two years ago in the snow. There are four Italian women doing the same so I volunteer to take the picture so they can all be in the photo. They are greatful and ask if they can take mine which they do. 

Today the journey to Akerreta is 18 very tough miles. Most of the guide books will tell you that this day is also among the three most difficult of all of the Camino stages. I will not argue with that. The last time I was here this was the stage where it snowed and rained all day. Very hard. Today I went past Zubiri where I walked to the first time because there were no rooms available. That added nearly four miles. 

The first two miles was very flat and both the trail and the weather were very good. This brings you to the first of four long up hill climbs which are covered in rocks. From that point on its down hill completely covered in rocks, large and small, loose and deeply imbedded. I made many stops along the way most to just pause and lean on my poles to catch my breath. I am completely drenched again with more than half of the day's walk ahead of me.

Unlike yesterday today the Camino almost seems crowed. I pass many pilgrims several who are having problems. Siting on the side of a hill dealing with blisters and or just worn out it appears that many are finding that they are carring far to much weight. Walking downhill will really remind you of the backpack, the weight distribution is very different and it's not easier.

There is one guy who I pass several times and he passes me just as often. He is a big guy, fairly young. I'm guessing in his thirty's. He's wearing all black including shorts. If you walk behind him you get to see his tattoo 's including those on his calf muscles. His right calf has a large black tattoo of a pair of brass knuckles. A bit disturbing. His left calf has a tattoo which has only six large, black letters. The letters on the top are KGB. The three letters directly below are BBS. I don't know what they mean but I have named him Putin. I would bet that I will see him again unless he needs to leave to invade Poland. I will do my best to get a picture of the tattoos the next time he walks in front of me. If I go missing call Interpol and tell them about the tattoos!

Speaking of having others walking in front of you I might as well share this special moment. I am on a rare part of the trail which is flat and I have folded my poles making them easier to carry. It also means are not making much noise because the poles aren't clicking with each step I take. My pace is pretty good and I am quickly closing the gap between me and a couple walking ahead of me. As I get to about four feet from them the guy closest to me he fires off a volley of you know what. Apparently wherever he had his pilgrim meal last night included beans! I quickly step left and speed past him as quickly as I can. I don't look back, I don't need to. I will remember  his blue backpack and make certain that I don't find myself downwind of this guy again. Timing is everything.

The final four or five miles past Zubiri is nearly all up hill. There are very few pilgrims on this last stretch to Akerreta as it appears that many have stopped in Zubiri. I would have but there were no rooms available. The good news is that while today was much longer than I would have preferred it means that tomorrow my walk back to Pamplona will now be only about 12 miles providing a much needed easier day.

The Hotel Akerreta is the only hotel in the villiage with just seven rooms. Very comfortable even if my room is on the third floor. The Pilgrim dinner was good and I sat with three other people who are also on their second Camino's. Two from Canada and one women from Dublin who walked her first Camino one week after mine. All agreed that as hard as yesterday was today was more strenuous. 

I am sore from head to toe and the passengers are really feeling the effects of today's rock parade. I am confident that I will sleep well tonight. Tomorrow back to Pamplona. 

Buen Camnio.

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