Day: September 17, 2014

Charlie: We charged our phones on the Madrid airport and left behind the adapter. It is so easy to do, the plugs are recessed and you pull out the USB charger like you always do. We did the exact same thing last trip, in the first place we charged, and replaced it in Pamplona like last trip.

Charlie: Our last Camino was in the spring and everything was green. Now the fields are yellow and brown. Walking the same paths today we discovered they were lined with blackberry bushes with close-to-ripe berries, popular with pilgrims but still basically a prickly invasive weed.

Charlie: Slowpoke Camino couple Wynette and Charlie set out this morning intending to stop at a bar for coffee. Nearing the business district they encountered a friendly Spanish gentleman on a bicycle carrying pampas grass and wildflowers. “Camino de Santiago?” he inquired. He insisted he knew a better way and the polite couple followed, wanting to be open to new Camino experiences. He gave them flowers and they found out that you tug someone’s ear when they turn 70.

He asked where they started the morning and where they were stopping tonight. On hearing “Uterga” he assumed the worst of their Spanish pronunciation and said “Estella?” or surely “Puenta la Reina”. On hearing it was really Uterga he was dumbfounded. He held out his hands and moved them together indicating a fish far below the legal limit and counted on his fingers to emphasize the small number of kilometers involved.

He led them over to a shortcut guaranteed to avoid any establishments that might serve coffee. It was shorter though and they had fried eggs and excellent coffee just three miles down the way. All’s well that ends well. The distance- challenged couple can be reached at their albergue in Uterga, which they reached just after noon (after walking 8.36 miles total) and where they spent a relaxing afternoon.