Becky 59
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF 2018, 2021, 2023; CI 2019; CP 2022, 2023
I thought I was going to have to cancel my Camino when Air France cancelled my Sept 11 flight, but it was rescheduled and rerouted at the last minute and I flew into France (Vaccination card photo on my phone and a fresh Covid test in hand), got another Covid test the following day (Sunday, walked in to a pharmacie, results to my phone in 30 minutes, since my US Covid test was too old) so I could take the train south to Bayonne the following day. I did try to get the Passe Sanitaire through the French website, no luck; I also tried to get my Vaccine card digitized at a Covid Vaccination center but they referred me to a website which didn't work...so every 3 day Covid tests at 30 euros a pop while I was in France. Spain is laxer.
But the fresh Covid test gave me entrance to restaurants and bars and a Basque costume display at the Bayonne cathedral....
The albergue I stayed at in SJPP (Beilari) supplied disposable bottom sheet and pillow case and a blanket; I was in a 3 person room with 2 other women who agreed to keep the window wide open! There was a communal dinner that night, unmasked, and a candlelight breakfast in the morning (sunrise not until 7:45 currently!) Restaurants and bars in town wouldn't serve you unless you had a vaccine card or a Covid result.
Hiked up to Orisson, which was full (I had a reservation). They also had disposable sheets and a blanket, although many pilgrims used their own blankets. We had to be masked to check in, and had to show a vaccine card, but no masks during the communal dinner.
Bag transfer yesterday and today was 8 euros each day, much more expensive than I remember in the past, I hope the rates go down once we're out of the mountains!
Tonight I'm at Roncesvalles. The 4-person cubicles are now allowed to house 3 people, and despite that increase the place is full tonight, other pilgrims were turned away by phone yesterday and had to book in Burguete 3 km down the road.
Pilgrims are currently a mix: fair number of Americans, Brits, Irish, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, lots of French, one or two Italians only, and just starting to see lots more Spaniards. No one is masking on trails outside towns, lots of masks in towns, and lots of masks being worn on elbows when not on faces.
It rained alot today, I walked right past the statue of the Virgin and never saw her! Lots of rain coming this week too, I hear, but it doesn't seem to be dampening anyone's spirits.
Ultreia!
But the fresh Covid test gave me entrance to restaurants and bars and a Basque costume display at the Bayonne cathedral....
The albergue I stayed at in SJPP (Beilari) supplied disposable bottom sheet and pillow case and a blanket; I was in a 3 person room with 2 other women who agreed to keep the window wide open! There was a communal dinner that night, unmasked, and a candlelight breakfast in the morning (sunrise not until 7:45 currently!) Restaurants and bars in town wouldn't serve you unless you had a vaccine card or a Covid result.
Hiked up to Orisson, which was full (I had a reservation). They also had disposable sheets and a blanket, although many pilgrims used their own blankets. We had to be masked to check in, and had to show a vaccine card, but no masks during the communal dinner.
Bag transfer yesterday and today was 8 euros each day, much more expensive than I remember in the past, I hope the rates go down once we're out of the mountains!
Tonight I'm at Roncesvalles. The 4-person cubicles are now allowed to house 3 people, and despite that increase the place is full tonight, other pilgrims were turned away by phone yesterday and had to book in Burguete 3 km down the road.
Pilgrims are currently a mix: fair number of Americans, Brits, Irish, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, lots of French, one or two Italians only, and just starting to see lots more Spaniards. No one is masking on trails outside towns, lots of masks in towns, and lots of masks being worn on elbows when not on faces.
It rained alot today, I walked right past the statue of the Virgin and never saw her! Lots of rain coming this week too, I hear, but it doesn't seem to be dampening anyone's spirits.
Ultreia!