Onward and Upward

Everyone in our room was up by 6:30 am. We all did our morning routines and managed not to trample each other while we packed up. The pilgrim breakfast was served at 7:30 AM and as usual consisted of fresh french bread, butter and jam along with bowls of coffee or tea. Savanna likes drinking coffee from the bowls. After breakfast we filled up our water bottles at the fountain and set off up the mountain.

Today is a another tough day of climbing to the top of the summit to get over the Pyrenees Mountains. We will climb for about 12 miles before reaching the summit. The rain held off again today and it was great weather for the climb. The views were amazing along the way.

We kept climbing higher and higher one step at a time. Sometimes the climb was very steep but we did fine with regular rest breaks.

Along the way we passed old markers and rock cairns built as memorials by previous pilgrims.

We finally made it to the top of the pass and started down the other side. There were herds of sheep grazing at the top of the pass and we were walking above the clouds.

As we descended the other side of the mountains, we crossed the border between France and Spain. In the picture below, Savanna has her right leg in France and her left leg in Spain. 

The path down the mountain led us through misty forests. Once we entered the tree line we did not break out of it until we entered the village of Roncesvalles, Spain.

The first thing you see when you come out of the forest is the old monastery that is now an alberque with 242 beds. 

Savanna and I decided to keep hiking to the next village with our fellow pilgrim Penny and find a place there. About 2 kilometers further we came to the village of Burguette where we decided to take a room at a small hotel in the village. It is a beautiful little town with old buildings and church. Our new friend Penny led the way down the street in search of the hotel.

We passed a very old church with the most unique trees in front of it I have ever seen. The trees are trimmed off and the branches are trained into arcs from one to the other.

As we were walking around and checking out the old church, the sun popped out of the clouds and shined on us and the old church.

We headed back to the hotel for our pilgrim's meal and now it is time to lay our tired bones down for a rest. We walked about 14 miles today. Tomorrow we are off again down the Camino. The local greeting for pilgrims from people you meet is Buen Camino or Good Walk or Way. So until tomorrow, Buen Camino!