All quiet except the sound of Phil checking mattress and pillows and finishing up his part of the cleaning. Birds chirping in the background. We have a lot of swallows, probably due to the abundant fly population.
It rained quite hard last night again. Partly cloudy and cool this morning so perfect for walking. Our last pilgrim in last night spoke to me earnestly this morning. He came to us from Ena on the Camino Catalon. He saw only 3 pilgrims until he reached us and one he had begun to walk with and consider a friend. This other pilgrim had an injury and considered leaving the Camino so bade Jose-Luis goodbye and they parted ways.
Our pilgrim JL heard from his friend last night. He had continued and was a day and a half behind. JL was considering going back to Santa Cillia and then he and his companion could continue tomorrow to Artieda together. Or he wondered if he should just go on to Ruesta alone. He has no particular timeline. JL is in construction/remodeling and out of work until he goes back home later this summer or fall. I told him whatever decision he made it would likely be the right one for him. I am turning into the Yoda of hospitaleras, like my partner Phil...
One other thing, its about soap. Before we left home, I bought 2 shampoo bars from the place where we get our hair cut. We started using one on a long camping trip in the spring, but since we didn't shower a lot on that trip, we still had 1+ bars left. We have decided we don't really feel clean and my hair is like straw...could be the hard water, but yesterday we bought the 3 bar pack of ubiquitous Spanish soap. (Yellow package, green soap). I will find some regular shampoo in a small bottle somewhere. We will leave 2 soap bars here. I still have a chunk of laundry bar from last year so should be ok for the next 3 weeks was or so till we go home.
Out for a boondoggle this morning to see Berdun and maybe drive to Ruesta and back just to see it.
Whatever the dickens a boondoogle is, let me pick up on soap. You won't have much time in Pamplona for many things, Janet and Phil. Such a pity. The pintxos on offer in the old town are worth a fortune!
Eroski. Eroski, one of the supermarkets. Others will also have it.
Jabon chimbo. I promise you - it will become a necessity to have and to hold, and to gift! I made the mistake of checking under the sink and I have enough to gift again this year, pretending I have brought them back.
So now, I don't need to look for mare bars!
My friends wait for that, and proper dried parsley, Chiquilini biscuits!
No items that need to be used up by a certain date.
Luggage weight now determines a very limited range of return items.
Chimbo is a brand name, by the way, there are other variations, It is called jabón de toda la vida, by my friends in Pamplona.
Once, a Ugandan friend nearly died of excitement upon seeing a bar of it in our kitchen. It is just wonderful. Of course, at home, I use it only for cleaning clothes - a superb way of dealing with stains of any kind.
On the CF, and subsequently we used it for ourselves and our clothes.
The shower gel I like is Magno. Smells nice. Can't bring it back anymore as I do not put luggage into the hold.
I think I have bored you by now... hope your boondoogle is refreshing!
