LIVE from the Camino Najara

[frmikeminn]

Jess and I have made it to Najara and all is well. The refugio is full and had to turn people away. two groups of very young people are with us tonight. it should be interesting as all 100 of us will be in one room!

the camino is full of many people from Spain and from Germany as well as all of the other places in the world. Language is interesting. My english has suffered and I find myself speaking broken english and that is my native language.

the internet in most of the refugio works well but costs 1 euro for 20 minutes and you have to watch the time of it will run out while you are typing!

time is running out.

blessings

michael

 

[MermaidLilli]

A refugio with 100 beds is full in April....hmmmm....

 

[ksam]

WOW....the summer will be very interesting!!! Makes me feel better still, for now that we've decided to do the Camino Portuguese this time!

Wishing all there a good nights rest!! and Buen Camino in the morning!!

 

[amancio]

That is quite a lot of people!

As a reference, I was in that area just about one week ago, I did not stay in Najera, but the number of people was nowhere near that, I gave Najera a miss.

This time of the year, it is relevant, at least in early stages, whether you start in Roncesvalles on a weekend or on a week-day, it is kind of a wave, and every 5-6 days you will find a peak.

in any case, buen camino, you are lucky you seem to be getting better weather than I did!

enjoy, enjoy every step for us... and do not skip the Monasterio de Santa María la Real and the Church of San Prudencio, both worth the visit :wink:

 

[Deirdre]

It is also of note that this time of year, many Spanish people do "weekend" sections of the Camino. So the weekends can be quite busier than the remainder of the week. Certain places get a good reputation in terms of Pilgrims and facilities and many people choose to go there.

I passed up Nájera for Azofra and was rewarded with a swimming pool, private, double rooms and a fantastic kitchen - and the albergue sold bottles of wonderful wine for 3€! Now that's an albergue!!!

Buen Camino,

 

[sillydoll]

We also stayed in the 'new' albergue in Azofra - in two-bed (not bunks) cubicles. It was bright and clean, a large refrectory, the kitchen was huge, the ablutions were good - but, I must say that it was a bit like a Campus complex. Compared with our next night - at Grañon - it really lacked atmosphere.
Does anyone remember the legend about the vultures and the caves around there? I recall reading about it but have forgotten the story.

 

[amancio]

you are absolutely right in your description of the Azofra hostel!

Whether that is a great place for you or not, it depends on your personal circumstances, but the place itself is fabulous, and hospitalero Felix is undoubtedly something else.

Azofra is definitely a special place...

 

[Deirdre]

For me one of the many, many "charms" of the Camino was the variety.

After a long and very hot day of walking through the gorgeous vineyards, arrival at the small town of Azófra was a welcome sight. Being able to "play" for a day, splashing water, sharing wine, cooling off, shopping and then cooking dinner - (a memorable one since that dinner was where I broke my front tooth off!) made Azófra special to me. My Jesuit background calls me to find God in all things. The sharing and comraderie of that day could also be construed as a spiritual experience.

Grañon is the same but completely different! We also shared a meal there... in a totally different way. The prayer service was moving, unique and memorable. For me, comparing the albergues at Azofra and Grañon is like trying to compare apples and oranges...virtually the only thing they have in common is the name albergue. And yet, to me one was as important as the other in terms of my experience on the Camino.

I guess it is like comparing the sun, heat and flatness of the meseta to the mountains, mist and coolness of Galicia. Both are part of the Camino... just completely different parts!

Buen Camino

 

[frmikeminn]

stayed in Granon and it was very good even if a bit full, some 45, 50 fifty persons. All was well and we did enjoy the bell tower, the good conversation, the community meal, life is good. The Camino provides what you need. Buen Camino.

 

[sillydoll]

There is definitely something gospel-like about a group of pilgrims relaxing together at an albergue at the end of the day - sharing stories, blister plasters, bread and wine.
In places like Tosantos - climbing up into the attic where there is a simple chapel for pilgrim prayers: Grañon's bell tower - where you can poke your head through a small door and look down into the church far below: Hospital San Nicolas - eating at a long table by lamplight and the monks washing your feet: Manjarin - with its ramshackle structures, sleeping in a barn with no electiricty and Tomas ringing the bell when a new pilgrim arrives - you get a sense of what it might have been like for pererginos in the 'olden days'. This is someting you miss if you only stay in hotels or 'smart' albergues.