Some random thoughts...take them or leave them, cuz everyone's Camino is different, and the best laid plans of pilgrims and men change once your feet actually hit the trail. And remember that flexibility of mind and openness of heart are your two biggest assets on the Way...
IanBerr21 said:
I wish I'd done that. What was I thinking when I walked from Arre to Cizur Menor with only a few pauses here and there? Not staying in Pamplona is probably my biggest Camino regret. But then again, who can say? If I'd stayed, I wouldn't have met the great people I met. But then again again, I probably would've met others. Man, I need a drink... :wink:
IanBerr21 said:
If you want to meet one of the gems of the Camino, stay in the Roncal albergue. If you're lucky, Maribel may even add maxipads to your boot inserts after draining your blisters.
No Cirauqui? I was introduced to the Pilgrim's Little Helper at the albergue -
orujo de hierbas (excellent communal albergue meal & neat hilltop town, by the way). If you can still say the name after drinking it, then you haven't had enough.
IanBerr21 said:
Glad I did that - the
Planeta Agua outdoor store helped get me into a good pair of boots, a nice pair of Coolmax socks, and a spare Nalgene water bottle (they style themselves as specialists in Camino outfitting), and the cute gal behind the counter gave me a small gourd (that I later lost), and suggested the two best streets in town to grab some eats.
IanBerr21 said:
It has a Pizza Hut...(hehe). I almost cried with joy when I got my Personal Pan Pizza after a couple weeks of pilgrim menus...indeed, it was almost a religious experience. Too bad they didn't serve vino in the restaurant, though - that would've been transcendent.
IanBerr21 said:
I really like Leon. Nice city - got a friend that lives there. If you get a chance to eat in the underground restaurant outside of town, take it. If not, do some bar/cafe crawling, and have some of the soggy potato-chip stuff as a snack. And don't miss the cathedral.
IanBerr21 said:
You may want to stay in the superlative Confraternity of St. James albergue (provided you get in), and then consider doing a 2-night retreat in the monastery right next door (2 nights is minimum). It's donativo, and will give you plenty of time to meditate. The food is good (you'll help cook it, and clean up afterwards), the beds are soft, they have a small library, you'll meet interesting people, and they'll even do your laundry for you - in machines, no less...
IanBerr21 said:
Yeah, baby! Time to party! :lol: Toss aside the pilgrim menu and eat the local dishes, especially seafood and white wine (yeah, sometimes you gotta drink outside the box). Salud! :arrow:
IanBerr21 said:
What's the general wisdom on walking less each day vs. having rest days?
I walked less
and had rest days, so I guess I pulled a
Kobayashi Maru. I was forced to do that because I brought too much and had funky boots. Not training AT ALL before I left probably contributed to my pain as well (although I was in good shape from boxing, yoga, and martial arts). But at least the vino, orujo, ibuprofen, and analgesic gel got me through the rough spots. Not to mention getting rid of lots of stuff, and mailing unneeded items ahead to Santiago from Najera... Well, whatever you do or find on the Way, I wish you a Buen Camino! :arrow: