Believe you can and you are halfway there
- my fortune, on a bit of purple paper at Eremita de San Miguel de Villatuerta
Our policy of stopping overnight in a small village in between the classic towns where people end the stages of the Camino Frances seems to be working, so far. We set off early from Mañeru, which is five kilometres farther on from the usual stopping point, Puente la Reina, and we hardly saw any pilgrims all day, up to our next overnight stop in Villamayor de Monjardin, ten kilometres after another classic stopping-point, Estella.
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| Coming up to Cirauqui in the early morning |
After the village of Cirauqui we walked along a stretch of Roman road and over a Roman bridge.
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| Roman road vs. modern road |
In an olive grove, someone had set up a rest area for pilgrims including a stand with fruit and cold drinks (by donation), a book exchange and even a clothing exchange.
In the village of Lorca we stopped at a bar for a delicious slice of tortilla, by which the Spanish mean what we call frittata in Italy: an open-faced omelette, here made with potatoes, very thick and soft in the middle, served with a chunk of baguette. This and a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice made the perfect second breakfast, or early lunch, after cereal and instant coffee in the hostel in the early morning!
The pretty little town of Villatuerta featured clean public toilets and vending machines offering an unusual variety of items!
Right outside the town is the medieval hermitage of San Miguel, all that remains of a former monastery complex.
It was in Villatuerta that we first began to see signs that we were coming up to the fountain of wine in Irache, a well-known landmark on the Camino.
But first we passed through Estella, a larger town and classic stopping-place with several albergues for pilgrims, where quite by chance we ran into two of our companions from the Camino Aragones, Rolande and Eliane! Rolande has finished walking and will be heading home from here, while Eliane sets out again in the morning, so we may well meet her again along the Way.
The pretty little town of Villatuerta featured clean public toilets and vending machines offering an unusual variety of items!
Right outside the town is the medieval hermitage of San Miguel, all that remains of a former monastery complex.
It was in Villatuerta that we first began to see signs that we were coming up to the fountain of wine in Irache, a well-known landmark on the Camino.
But first we passed through Estella, a larger town and classic stopping-place with several albergues for pilgrims, where quite by chance we ran into two of our companions from the Camino Aragones, Rolande and Eliane! Rolande has finished walking and will be heading home from here, while Eliane sets out again in the morning, so we may well meet her again along the Way.
We visited the church in Estella before continuing on our way.
After Estella it is only a short way to the Bodegas Irache wine fountain, where the winery offers pilgrims a free sample, on tap!
But we had to partake sparingly as we still had a long, hot climb in the sun to our destination for the day, Villamayor de Monjardin.
The hostel here is small and rather crowded, but there's a bar where pilgrims gather for a cold beer in the sunshine and a small grocery shop selling everything you might need to put together a simple meal, in single portions, though at premium prices!
And thus ends Day 25 on the Camino!
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| Good old Saint Jacques is with us all the way |
After Estella it is only a short way to the Bodegas Irache wine fountain, where the winery offers pilgrims a free sample, on tap!
But we had to partake sparingly as we still had a long, hot climb in the sun to our destination for the day, Villamayor de Monjardin.
The hostel here is small and rather crowded, but there's a bar where pilgrims gather for a cold beer in the sunshine and a small grocery shop selling everything you might need to put together a simple meal, in single portions, though at premium prices!
And thus ends Day 25 on the Camino!
You are much more than halfway, Joanne, so clearly you believe! Following your journey every day. Stay strong!!
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