Wine spring (to Los Arcos)

Trip Start Aug 25, 2008
1
7
24
Trip End Oct 02, 2008


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Where I stayed
Casa de Austria
(Los Arcos hotels)

Flag of Spain and Canary Islands  , Navarra,
Monday, September 1, 2008

My left knee is getting worse and my right hip has joined the chorus. My back hurts too but it's bearable. Again, José-María ended up finishing today's stage with me. I'm really glad for him, because he is faster than me, but stays with me because "you can't just leave a pilgrim who has got problems." People are generally very nice. The three Spanish chicas with the moras (haven't told you about them, have I?) helped me out today with some painkiller spray. I seem to be one of the guys with the bigger problems.

Actually, I'm glad that I made it to Los Arcos. I already had problems when I left around 6:30 and it only got worse from there on. Pat the mad Irishman drugged himself so he could walk; he overtook me with an incredible speed after the Bodegas de Irache shouting something about painkillers and adrenaline. I haven't yet tried taking to drugs; I want to evade them as much as possible. Bodegas de Irache
Bodegas de Irache
 Walking on drugs isn't a very good idea anyway.

Let me tell you about the Bodegas. Well, for every pilgrim there has to be something to look forward to. For some, the Bodegas may be such a place along the Camino. You see, the famous Bodegas de Irache offer a free glass of wine to the thirsty pilgrim. Or maybe two. Or three. Or as many as you can handle. Actually, they made their wine pipeline accessible to pilgrims, and everybody who passes by can stop and operate the handle as often as he wishes. Gratis. For free. Sadly, I don't drink alcohol, so the Bodegas offered a mere scene of bewilderment to me but little else. Carrying on, I met a Swiss guy named Joe who was running around with the camera of some English girl. She actually gave it to him because Joe's camera got broken and she thought she wouldn't need it. Well, that's actually some trust you have to place in a total stranger! People are generally very generous on the Camino, because giving away something means you don't have to carry it around in your backpack anymore. And my backpack is definitely too heavy! Tomorrow I'm going to do some reduction and throw out all the things I don't really need, starting with my toiletries. I don't know why I brought two bottles of contact lens cleaner with me (600ml). Shaving foam is 200ml + capsule, suntan lotion even more... you can comfortably buy all this stuff along the Camino and you don't have to bring supplies for two month along Follow the yellow markers
Follow the yellow markers
 . Seems like my toiletries alone weigh around 2 kg! I have no idea how people bring down their backpack's weight to around 8kg, I seem to be stuck around 14 or 15. Too much, anyway.

The afternoon sun is hot like hell, I'm tired because lack of sleep, everything hurts. Tomorrow I'm going to take a day off. I hope that resting one day will help my limbs recover.

Best thing about the refuge today: it's called Casa de Austria, operated by Austrian hospitaleros and they promised real Austrian dark bread for tomorrow's breakfast. So looking forward to that!
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