Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - A Year After...

It's been a year.

Last April 5th marked the day that it has been a year since I reached Santiago de Compostela after almost 3 weeks on the road with my bicycle. I spent almost the whole day reminiscing the days I spent on the camino.

What has changed since then?

Nothing much. Except that I am no longer inclined to buy stuff I want but do not really need. After coming back from that pilgrimage, I realized I have so many stuff that are not exactly practical. Unworn new shoes that have now collected dust, still sealed DVDs of movies I've seen and thought of watching again but never did, extra coffee maker still in the box, shelves bought to put these unneeded stuff on, I even have some clothes kept in years with their tags still attached.

Slowly I am trying to get rid of these extra things in my life. Although it coincided, it's not because of the global recession this world is going through. Actually, this recession reconfirmed that I don't need much to live my life to the fullest. After all, I survived 3 weeks on my bicycle with only the basic necessities most of the time. I thought before that by having all the things you want around you, you would be happier and more free to do things around.

Now I think it's the opposite. It's by having less around you that you would be more free to move around and be happier. It's funny how a simple paradox is found in real life. It brings me to a little laugh.

It also brings me to a smile thinking that it was the start of the Holy Week when I began my pilgrimage last year and finished the journey on April 5. Now that a year has passed, the day that marked the end of my pilgrimage is now the start of the Holy Week.

Happy Easter everyone!
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -20

Day 20 Santiago de Compostela --> Home


Time to go.


Early in the morning I visited the cathedral which was a few steps away from the hostel to say a little prayer, give my thanks and bid goodbye. At the cathedral front ground, I took some more pictures for the last time. Then I walked around to buy some souvenir items. But when I was in the store, I was staring at the items for sale and yet I felt no urge to buy anything. Not for my friends, not for my family, not even for me. I thought I was here not for a vacation. This was a journey, not a trip. The memory was far more than enough.


I wished I could attend the noon mass but my flight was at 1:00pm that I had to get to the airport before 12:00 noon. I was supposed to stay here for two full days. I was thinking, what if I continued the last leg of my itinerary as scheduled? But then again, there was no point thinking about what I could have done and then feel sorry about it.


So there I was, standing in front of the hostel waiting for a taxi. I looked at my luggage, my packaged bicycle, and I looked around. I was suddenly saddened by the notion of leaving. I thought, did an episode of my life just end? Was there something I missed? Was there anything I learned? It felt unfortunate that I could have had one more day here if I didn't get sick a couple of days ago. I felt like I didn't want to leave. I was about to feel really down when the taxi came. My luggage was hurled into the trunk and I slipped into the passenger seat. I was sure I'm going to miss this place.


As we drove away from Santiago de Compostela to the airport, it felt so comfortable. It was a sunny morning. I saw the bright road signs and remembered, just until yesterday, how much I depended on them on my way to Santiago de Compostela. I thought that although it felt comfortable in that running taxi, it was traversing the very same road where I experienced so many hardships on my bicycle. I got teary again. It would have been embarrassing had the driver noticed. But in case he'd have the curiosity or the audacity to ask, I've already made up an excuse that it was just the sun hurting my eyes.


I had my breakfast at the airport before boarding the plane. When the plane was taxiing, I saw the end tip of the runway. I know that beyond that runway, just right beneath those big runway guide lights, was the path peregrinos take to get to Santiago de Compostela. I bade my last farewell as the plane lifted off.


I'm going home.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -19

Day 19 Arzua --> Santiago de Compostela


I felt somehow invigorated this morning after a full night's rest. My stomach was still upset though.


I left the hostel as early as I could after eating a sandwich with hot tea for breakfast at the bar below. Even though I was pedaling in a hurry, from the corner of my eyes, I still managed to find a fruit stand off the road. So at last I bought my dream banana and ate two pieces at once. Surely enough, soon after, my stomach started to settle down.


There was no fog this morning so the sun got hot early after a couple of hours and it immediately slowed me down. I took the walk path today and it was tough for a bicycle. I thought that it would have taken me more time than the additional three hours I calculated yesterday had I decided to complete it as I originally scheduled. Now I realized it would have been too dark to see the path. But on the bright side, today I was able to see not only the way but also the surrounding beautiful sights in broad daylight.


It was no doubt Santiago de Compostela was getting nearer. I encountered the most pilgrims today. Having spent long days on the road, it had become easy for me to spot a pilgrim by just looking at their backpacks and the way they walked. I could also somehow estimate how far they have walked for their pilgrimage.


I reached the city of Santiago de Compostela. I was hoping to catch the 12noon mass for the pilgrims but I didn't arrive on time. As I entered the cathedral grounds, I began to slow down. Not because I got tired, but because I realized I had reached my goal and I was trying to take it all in. I stooped down from my bicycle and I walked, pushing the bicycle, towards the main facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I was thinking that a couple of weeks ago I was in Lourdes, France, worrying if I'd make this journey. Now, I made it. I stood there with my bicycle in front of the cathedral for a while, speechless, savoring every moment that I could. There were actually many other pilgrims and tourists around but it seemed it was only me, my bicycle and the towering cathedral that existed at that moment.


I went to the nearby pilgrim's office to claim my Compostela, the certificate that shows you completed a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Inside, I saw some pretentious pilgrim high school students. I may sound rude but the girls were wearing make up and the guys wore the latest brand sneakers sparkling clean. Almost all of them with headphones in their ears probably listening from their mp3 players. I saw some of them earlier today on my way, with their cute stylish backpacks. I couldn't see in their eyes any hint of sacrifice they have done or hardship encountered if ever they took the real Camino. Again, I reminded myself that I was there for my pilgrimage, my own Camino de Santiago.


I showed my credencial to the lady at the counter. The credencial served as evidence that you passed by a certain route covering at least a hundred kilometers walking, or two hundred kilometers by bicycle, horse or pony. I was asked some questions like where I started. After a while, I was given my Compostela with my name written in Latin. I thought I was being cool and composed. I thought I won't be emotional but as soon as I got hold of the Compostela, tears started welling up. I had to pretend looking for something around the office in order to hide my emotions. I almost cried. The hardships I encountered along the way suddenly flashed before my eyes. The aching knee from pushing too hard at the beginning of my journey, the aching ankle that followed, getting sick just before the end of the road, the snow and freezing cold mountains, the strong winds that kept pushing me back, the rain that left me and my bicycle covered in mud, the scorching heat that almost knocked me down. All these against my faith and determination.


I went back to the cathedral. I tried to pray inside but my mind felt nothing. I couldn't think of anything. My mind was in repose. I guess it was emotional fatigue or maybe I was experiencing a true and real emotional and spiritual serenity. There I was, just sitting...


After what felt like a moment of eternity, I left the church. I went out to look for something to eat. With my stomach back to normal now, I suddenly felt so starved. So I had a very fulfilling seafood lunch at 2:30 in the afternoon. After that, I walked around the old, maze-like narrow streets of Santiago de Compostela.


I went back to the cathedral in time for the opening of the doors that went up behind the altar where the statue of St. James was. I visited first the burial place of the apostle under the altar. Then, in line, I went up to touch the back of the shoulder of the statue of St. James. I have prepared a list of prayer, more like a speech actually, for this very moment since the beginning of my journey. Now that the moment's actually here, “thanks” was all I could whisper.

Now I could finally go to the hostel. I stayed at Casa Felisa, which was hard to find. The signage was small, which was understandable in order not to ruin the historical atmosphere of the place. But the building numbers were the same for every block and there were no street names. I checked in and I was given a room on the 4th floor. Narrow stairs, no elevator.

I carried my bicycle up and cleaned it in the communal shower room leaving grease marks all over the place. I cleaned it after to the best that I could but there were still some grease left behind. I felt sorry but there was no other place to wash down my bicycle. The hostel's backyard was a restaurant, a lively restaurant actually.

I took a nap after drying off my bicycle. I woke up in time to attend the 7:30pm mass. It was still bright outside. During the mass, even though there was no impressive gigantic incense swinging like in the 12noon mass, there was still the incense burning like it would be in a mass celebration of special occasions. The mass was in Spanish and I heard the priest say "peregrinos" so I assumed that the mass was also intended for the pilgrims.

It was almost dark when the mass ended. I couldn't go around the city anymore. It's okay, I thought. I felt too exhausted anyway. Back in the hostel, I began to disassemble my bicycle and had it ready for transport. I went to sleep without eating dinner.

Sometime in the middle of the night I heard voices outside saying the illuminated view of the cathedral was awesome. I smiled and continued my sleep.

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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -18

Day 18 Sarria --> Arzua


With one day spent for rest and no more days to spare with my Schengen visa, I was determined to go up to Santiago de Compostela today. It's foggy outside but it promised a sunny day. I left the hotel early but as soon as I started to climb uphill, my sweat just won't stop dripping all over my face. Since the first day of my cycling I wore scarf on my head before wearing a helmet to catch the sweat. Today, not only was my forehead sweating, I could feel it coming from the top of my head and it's literally pouring all over my face. I was convinced I was still sick.


But I should go on. Up until noon everything was going as planned. At around 2pm however, the heat has gone up to a scorching degree that I felt I had used up all my energy and I couldn't pedal anymore…on a flat road!


I consumed all my drink because of the heat. Fortunately I saw a bar. I stopped and ordered myself a cold beverage. I rested for about 15 minutes and then I continued on my way. I kept my focus to reach my destination today. Pedal, pedal, pedal... I kept on and on.


When I looked at my watch, it was already past 7pm but the sun was still so high and so was the heat. I had to stop every 10m, not minutes but meters, to cool off.


I felt not progressing as I had hoped. For the first time, I gave up. I didn't reach my day's goal, which would require at least 3 more hours at my current pace. So I got in to the nearest hostel in the humble town of Arzua. My stomach was still empty. I ate dinner at the bar downstairs but I still couldn't take down food well and was feeling a little dizzy. I did my best to get sleep despite my growling upset stomach. Lying down, I thought I was being delirious and was out of my mind. I kept thinking and dreaming of eating banana as this has been my custom to naturally fix my upset stomach.


I was dreaming of eating bananas.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -17

Day 17


Still in Sarria.


With an empty stomach and deprived of sleep, I felt so physically weak. My stomach also weakened. I felt so weak that my breakfast was limited to a couple of sliced fruits and a cup of tea. My plan was to have a long ride today and the weather looked good. But having no extra energy at all, I decided to take a rest. I went back to my room and called the front desk to extend my stay for one more night. I said, "mas una noche por favor" to the best of my Spanish language ability without even knowing if it was actually correct. But the front desk said okay so maybe I was right.


I spent the whole day sleeping. But when the night came and I got worried. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and tomorrow's a long day. I ordered some room service. The food certainly looked and smelled delicious. Unfortunately though, I still got no appetite. Even after forcing myself, I only managed to eat very little and slept with a growling stomach. I fell asleep thinking how a banana could become so helpful in this desperate situation yet not actually available in real desperate times.


Lesson: It is unwise to eat food with lots of vinegar and drink soda.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -16

Day 16 Villafranca --> Sarria


Great weather today.


But then I remembered, it's April Fool's day. I thought I shouldn't be fooled by the fine looking weather.


Daylight savings time was being implemented so I couldn't leave until 8am because it was still dark. I had a long mountainous climb up until past noon. I was cycling until the early afternoon but it was still rather cold.


But after having a break and eating my lunch, the temperature rose. It became so hot that my inner shirt was soaked with sweat. Up there in the open road I changed to a simple T-shirt and it felt so refreshing. The view from O'Cebreiro at an altitude of more than a thousand meters was magnificent.


After a few more minutes, my descent began and it was a long way down. I wasn't sure if it was the good weather but the views were so stunning that I thought I was merely floating. Even with the wind blowing in my ears, I could still hear the birds singing. The scene that I could hardly describe in words are still so vivid in my mind. It's like an unforgettable dream. Only that it was real.


So smooth the ride that I arrived earlier than scheduled in Sarria. I was happy and contented. Thankful that I did not encounter any difficulty in today's leg. I searched for an albergue with a private room, or a room with 2 person maximum occupancy but there was none or was already occupied. So I checked myself in a business hotel.


Since the sun was still high, I walked around and did some food shopping to eat on the road for the next days ahead. While browsing for food, my eyes fixated on the yummy looking deep fried pork cracklings. I bought 2 packs, together with the smallest bottle of vinegar available, which was actually a big 500ml, to dip in the fried bits. I knew I was up for a food fiesta tonight.


When I got back to the hotel, I turned the TV on and watched while eating the fried pork bits. I looked at what I bought and found out that I forgot to buy some drinks. Good thing they had coca-cola in the hotel fridge. The yummy pork cracklings and the soda I nursed with it immediately made me feel full and sleepy.


Then around midnight, I felt like throwing up. Without opening my eyes, I tried to raise my pillows thinking that maybe I had eaten too much. But an hour later, I felt really sick and when I went to the bathroom I threw up. A lot.


Relieved and still sleepy, I went back to bed. A few minutes passed, however, I felt sick again. I got to the bathroom and threw up again. And again. And again. I was throwing up all night.


I didn't get away with April Fool's after all.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -15

Day 15 Astorga --> Villafranca

From Astorga, I chose to take the route close to the classic path- LE142 up to Ponferrada. I could say it's a mountainous route.

The day started out sunny but as the road ascended, the sky turned cloudy and there was snow on top of the mountain. Of course, it's cold. After consecutive days of mostly flat roads with warm weather, now I got the chance to use the snowboarding gloves I bought in Burgos. I never imagined how comforting it was to put on gloves that could keep your hands warm.

I stopped by the famed Cruz de Ferro on top of the mountain. The area surrounding this high post topped with a crucifix was covered with snow. I saw no pilgrims in the nearby rest area. Well, with the snow and cold weather, who would be sitting up here?

As I went downhill, the weather also improved. By the time I was in Ponferrada, it has turned into a sunny day. I went to the information center for a stamp. I asked what time it was because I was confused. Apparently, sometime during the weekend while I was in Leon, the daylight savings time went into effect and the time now is 1 hour advanced. So the truth was, there is no time zone change as I first thought.

Ponferrada was a rather big city. I was just passing by to get into my final destination for the day but getting out of it was difficult. The road names or route numbers tend to change or simply disappear. I found myself suddenly unsure of where I was until I saw the Camino road shell signs reassuring me that I was heading to the right direction. Well, the good thing with being on a bicycle is that it is easier to go back and retrace the path. Although I seldom did that. In fact, I only did that once in Logroño. That was because it was obvious I was on the wrong direction.

When I finally reached Villafranca a few hours later, I was given a room numbered 104 again for the third time in this journey. Hmmm...

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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -14

Day 14 Leon --> Astorga

The shortest segment of my travel.

Early along the way, I stopped at a church in La Virgen del Camino which was said to be a miraculous site. The church was unique and probably the most modern church I saw in my entire pilgrimage. I got inside and spent a few minutes. After getting a stamp on my credencial at the souvenir shop, I went on.

But, with the strong wind, it took me longer to reach Astorga than I had planned. So I took time, I was not in a hurry. Besides, my left ankle has not fully recovered yet. I thought I met a lot of walking pilgrims today. Maybe because my pace was not that faster than walking. If my ankle was not hurt, maybe I tried walking my route today.

I arrived in Astorga around noontime. It was a small but beautiful town with historic buildings. Even the town hall looked like an old Gothic cathedral. After checking in my stuff at the first albergue I saw, I was immediately back on my bicycle and took a general view of the town before eating my lunch.

I went to the cathedral after my late lunch but it's already closed. I thought I still have about an hour before the closing time so I checked with the person at the ticket office but he confirmed that it was indeed closed. I looked my watch and thought that this region must be 1-hour advance than eastern Spain.

So anyway, I walked around the town, taking pictures here and there, and then stumbled on a little church. I went in and took a picture of the altar. On my way out, I saw that the back of the church was a wall of bars. Behind the bars were praying nuns. I realized it was a church run by those nuns. I was probably blocking them pray while I stood taking pictures in the middle of the isle. When I exited the little but beautiful church, I made sure I did not show my face to the nuns.

It was getting late and a little cold although the sun still has a few more minutes to set. I went back to the albergue and spent the rest of my day there. The albergue was on top of the hill and the view from my room was great. While enjoying the view, I immersed myself to the rays of the setting sun coming in through the window.

I took a shower in the communal room before retiring to bed.

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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -13

Day 13


I woke up today with a swollen left ankle.


Before sunrise, I went to see the Cathedral open. I was hoping there would be an early morning mass. Unfortunately, there was none. But with the plaza empty of tourists, it was a peaceful sight to take photos of. Before I left the plaza, there was a lady playing with her flute. She was also a pilgrim. The soft melody she was playing echoed throughout the plaza grounds. But the sweet sound it made added beauty to the glory of the magnificent Leon Cathedral.


Leaving the church grounds with that memorable scene, I walked back to the hotel for breakfast.


After some more sleep, I made a city round to see what the city had to offer at daylight, and to warm up my tired feet. It's already 1pm anyway. I saw that there was a wedding at the cathedral. The newlyweds were coming out. I tried to sneak in and learned that the cathedral was under renovation, so it's not open to the public. The city has a lot to offer so I went to visit other churches, and other equally historical buildings.


Then I returned to the hotel for an early night sleep. I planned to sleep a lot because of my swollen ankle. But the people above my room kept me awake until 3:30 am. It's an old building with wooden floor. So with every movement, the floor squeaked.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -12

Day 12 Carrion --> Leon


I started off early today, at 7:45. Yes, that was early because it was still a little dim outside. It's a bit foggy on my way out of the town but I thought the weather was perfect. About 12 kilometers away from Carrion, I met a farmer who seemed to be having a problem with his truck. He asked me how far the nearest town was, at least that's how I understood him. But I couldn't help much. I could only say that I was 12 kilometers away from Carrion at that point. A car appeared nearby and the man ran after it, trying to catch the driver's attention. I could have helped go after the car but it was going uphill on a road in a private property. Based on my expertise, that's one of those things I could not do-- pedal up a rocky hill.


So I peacefully went on my way. An hour later, it's the strong wind again. This will be the longest segment of my journey, 110 kilometers. With the strong wind, I was worried if I'd reach Leon on time. By that I mean it's not dark yet. So I decided to take the asphalt road to be sure. I kept pedaling the whole day. It was a fair, sunny day but really windy. It was already past 4 in the afternoon and I was still far from reaching Leon. My perseverance was again tested. I thought I would give in and cut my trip.


From the rocky walk path to the peaceful asphalt road to the busy highway, after 10 hours of exhausting cycling, I finally arrived in Leon just as it was about to get dark. The hotel I chose was great. It was not a five star hotel but its historical ambiance made me think it was classy. It was also a few steps to the cathedral. The problem was, my ankle was hurting so bad that I couldn't walk up. It's a little embarrassing to use the what seemed to be like a manually operated elevator because my room was only above the lobby. Putting on my okay face and smile, I took the stairs so slowly that I imagined my self getting old and having knee arthritis. Maybe that's how it would feel.

I took my time, making one small step up at a time until I reached the door of my assigned room. When I pushed the door open, I was instantly satisfied. My room was great. The window was actually above the main entrance. After changing into a more decent garb, I bought pain reliever tablets from a nearby pharmacy and with my novice medical assessment ability, I decided to take a rest day in this city.


Even with a hurt ankle, I couldn't resist to venture the city. I took a walk around the cathedral that night, ate at a McDonald's and bought some food from the supermarket. It was almost midnight when I got back to the hotel. But the neighborhood was still so alive. Anyway, I massaged my legs and feet before going to bed.


The view from my room was good but the noise was not. Some young people were having fun just outside my hotel room. Maybe I also wanted to savor the city's energy because I had my windows open overnight, letting those vibrant voices fill my room.


I fell asleep, smiling.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -11

Day 11 Burgos --> Carrion


I wasn't feeling guilty for taking the big road yesterday because it wasn't an easy road. So I took the same N-120 route today. To my amazement, unlike yesterday, there were almost no vehicles passing through. It was quiet and I thought it was great.


But of course, it wasn't meant to be easy. After a couple of hours, the wind was no longer cooperative. It kept pushing me back, or sideways, throughout the day. After a climb up, I had to pedal down against the blowing wind. That's all I did for the rest of the day-- battle against the wind.


I reached Carrion as scheduled but as I was about to cross a very wide road curve to exit N-120 and get into the town, the bicycle chain got tangled up. I had to lift up my bicycle and pull over to the shoulder. It took me a while to rearrange it. Maybe I was too excited to get into town that I couldn't concentrate on doing the job right.


The albergue in this town was closed at this time of the year so before it got dark, I checked in at a hostel which happened to be a few steps away from the albergue I just checked. My left ankle started to ache. But I still walked around to find a stamp for my credencial. The only place I knew where to get the stamp was the albergue which was closed.


It was already dark and I couldn't find another place to get a stamp. I decided to have dinner at a local bar. They were offering peregrino dinner. A full dinner course from appetizer to dessert for EU8, available to the pilgrims. After eating dinner, I asked around if there's a place to get a stamp at this hour. It turned out the bar provided stamps. Lucky.


I had a room with a great view facing the church. But even then I slept as early as I could. I was tired.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -10

Day 10 Sto. Domingo --> Burgos


I took the big road today, route N-120. Although it was a sunny morning with no rain threat, I was still tempted to get on the asphalt. It was peaceful. The serene road going out of Sto. Domingo was one interesting road. My head was actually not into my direction ahead. I kept on glancing sideways.


However, after a couple more of kilometers later, the path turned into a busy road. Many big trucks going to Burgos were taking the same route. I realized big roads do not mean easy roads after all. These trucks kept pushing me off the road. On the way up to the mountains, I had to get a hard grip on the handle because if not, I'd be pushed and plunged down the ravine.


It started to rain and as the road went up, the rain turned into snow. I encountered a road truck a couple of times sprinkling the road with what looked like large grains of salt. I resisted the temptation of tasting it. My expectation was right, it was cold up the mountain. Although the area was not covered in snow, it was still cold. My cycling gloves were not enough to keep my hands from frostbite.


I didn't do much thinking during the trip. No reciting of poems, no singing, and no composing songs or making up of lyrics either. I was busy keeping my balance. I reached Burgos safely though, but my bicycle and I were very dirty from being sprayed down by passing trucks that ran over the large grains of salt. If those were salt grains, that is. I thought it was cloudy the whole time. When I took off my sunglasses, it's a very fair, sunny afternoon. And I saw my sunglasses covered with small particles of dried dust.


I checked in at the first hostel I saw because I wanted to fix myself asap and tour the city. The hostel looked more like a 3-star hotel and so I had to ask first if I could keep the bicycle around. They took care of it. I found out later that they kept my muddy bicycle in the conference room.


I wandered around the city. The cathedral was great, no doubt about it. But it wasn't a solemn place to pray. No need to argue about it. Loud tourists! I also went to buy some food from a delicious looking bread shop. I wanted to try the empanada. The seller explained to me what was inside the delectable bread. I wondered how I understood what was just said in Spanish yet I could only manage to say, "Si, gracias" in return. I also bought a pair of snowboarding gloves. Just in case, I really couldn't stand more frostbites any longer.


Back at the hostel, they leased laptop PC's for a cheap price. I was able to check my email after a long time. I know I shouldn't but somehow I knew that I had to. I simply had nothing to do tonight so I surfed the Internet while eating tuna and tomato empanada.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 9

Day 9 Los Arcos --> Sto. Domingo


I left the hostel without seeing anyone at the restaurant. The sun was just about to rise. As I was leaving, I turned my head back and saw the great view of the town. I thought a snap shot wouldn't jeopardize my schedule. As I pedaled away, I also felt that the wind was becoming stronger. Again, it was pushing me back.


The road to Logroño was hilly and a bit tough. Once I entered the city, I stopped at a cafeteria for breakfast—hot breakfast with hot coffee. Then I went to find the church. I found it but I didn't get in. I think it was closed. I didn't have time to get inside anyway.


I proceeded to the information center that was listed in my pilgrim guide. I've circled the block twice but I could not locate it. Bad omen. So instead, I went to the general tourist information center. I asked for directions because the road in my map was leading me to a freeway and I didn't want the cops coming after me again.


So following the instructions given to me, there I went, trying my best not to go into the freeway. In so doing, I noticed that I was headed to the wrong direction. I know I was supposed to go west but I was heading south. I carefully checked my map again and my hunch was right. I turned around and found myself again in this dilemma of not finding the right route. My map seemed outdated. I stopped on the island in the middle of the road and a guy doing some road garden maintenance gave me directions, in Spanish. With the noises from the passing vehicles, I understood that I only had to go straight. What confused me was that the name of the road was freeway coded. I went straight ahead anyway.


After a while I spotted a gas station. I stopped to buy water and wanted to confirm from the cashier if I was on the right track. Unfortunately, there was a little misunderstanding. I was saying that the road seemed to be a freeway where bicycles were not allowed, but the guy thought that I was asking for the direction back to the freeway, in the opposite direction. It took me a while to leave that area because no matter which road I took, I kept getting back to the freeway. I was able to leave Logroño after two hours which should have been like 30min tops. Oh, the omen. I decided to take the freeway, thinking I could just ask a cop for information and assistance should I find one, or if they come after me. Whichever comes first.


It turns out it was the right road. It was being converted into a freeway and it was being extended. And it's the same road stated in my map and bicycles were still allowed. From this time on, whenever I get lost, I'd trust my gut or simply follow route N-120, the asphalted road leading to Santiago de Compostela.


The rest of the road was mostly flat. I reached Santo Domingo de la Calzada in the afternoon when the sun has already set but it's not dark yet. I passed by the church but there was a funeral ceremony going on so I didn't get in. Nearby to the church was a nice looking parador. I thought paradors were accommodation catering the pilgrims. Well, they cater pilgrims, but they were not cheap. I went to the information center to look for a cheap room. I was led to an albergue run by nuns. I checked myself in. The first floor was under renovation but the rooms above were like hotel rooms. Well, rooms for one anyway. More like a fancy dorm room. I thought it looked like my dorm room back when I was in college.


I went out again to have my bicycle checked because it created some noise when I was pedaling that day. I wouldn't be surprised if it needed some chain fixing considering the amount of snow, rain and mud it collected. After a couple of hours I went back to the shop and I was told that the bicycle just needed greasing. But it's shocking that I had to pay more than twice of what I paid for the tire aligning I had in St. Jean Pied de Port. My bad, I should have taken the leftover grease with me. I could have used it later. And I already paid for it anyway.


I went back to my dorm room with a shawarma take out for the night.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 8

Day 8 Pamplona --> Los Arcos


Left over snow.


Going out of Pamplona was a great view. The bleakness of a cloudy morning turned into a sunny noon. Just as I remembered that I had to stop by the Ermita de Santa Maria de Eunate, there it was. On my left side. It's like it appeared so sudden while I was pedaling that I almost missed it. I spent a few minutes in the church before continuing on.


I also passed by the beautiful town of Puente la Reina but had no time to fully stop and appreciate. I took a snap shot of the bridge though. Two other cyclists passed me by and I noticed that although they were obviously cycling pilgrims, they only carried a small bag, not bigger than a folded sleeping bag, on their bicycles with them. We greeted each other. They were much faster and trained, so by the time I took a curve, they were already little tiny figures in the horizon.


I also stopped by the Bodegas Irache. The only water fountain along the camino that also served wine for free. I thought I would be able to fill my 500ml empty bottle with red wine. Of course that's wishful thinking. I only got about a glass serving. I took a sip and saved it for the night.


I only took a sip of wine and I inadvertently got on a freeway with big trucks passing endlessly. To make it worse, it also started to rain. So there I was, like a bum on a bicycle, covered with a raincoat that looks like Superman's flowing cape when trucks pass me by. A couple of hours later, just as I was about to take the nearest exit I found, the cops pulled me over. They were kind, and they led me to the right direction. They followed me to make sure that I get off the freeway, or maybe to make sure that I don't get back on the freeway.


In the afternoon, the sky cleared but the wind started to blow hard. Most of the road was uphill so I walked a lot. I decided that to prevent further injury, I should just walk if I come across an uphill road. But with strong winds, I couldn't ride down that fast either. Then the same cyclists I met this morning overtook me again, 5 hours later. They were probably wondering how I managed to get ahead of them. Well, so was I. Maybe, it's the freeway.


I thought this morning that I'd reach Logroño with much more time to spare to wander around. But with the strong winds, I decided to give it a break at 4pm. The sun was still high but the strong winds wouldn't stop. I checked in at a hostel restaurant in Los Arcos, as scheduled anyway.


I took a walk in this old town looking for a place to get a stamp. The information center was closed. I got the stamp at an albergue, another cheap accommodation for the pilgrims. I thought that I could have checked this out before deciding on that hostel restaurant. Anyway, while I was leaving the albergue and crossing a small bridge, I heard a loud bang beside me. Then, appearing in front of me suddenly like magic, was a disoriented duck walking like drunk in the middle of the bridge. I looked down at the river and saw that there were many ducks playing around. Probably this duck attempted to fly away but the strong wind slammed it to the bridge. Poor duck. Well, it only reminded me how strong the wind was that day.


I tried to look for an Internet café albeit unsuccessfully. It's a very small town and the buildings were old. The church was big but it was closed so I didn't get a look inside. I thought of eating a proper dinner. But I know, the local time for supper was too late. I bought some bread and sausages instead.


I washed my muddy stuff before I slept. I rearranged the position of the bed because I didn't want my head to be directly under the blowing heater. I enjoyed the wine I got from Irache.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 7

Day 7 Saint Jean Pied de Port -> Pamplona


Happy Easter!


Cloudy day with showers. Showers with snow.


So, as I have decided yesterday, rain or shine I've got to go. I passed by the church before leaving the town. I reached the mountains in a couple of hours. A cycling pilgrim passed me by. I actually this same guy yesterday when he arrived in Saint Jean Pied de Port. But then a second glance confirmed that he was clinging to a slow running car so he wasn't pedaling at all. I was jealous. I had to remind myself that I was on my own pilgrimage.


With snow droplets, the sight around as I went up was beautiful. But after a while I realized it's the Pyrenees mountains as it was now really snowing. To actually cross the snowy mountain was no joke. The road kept going up and the snow kept piling up. I had to walk my bicycle with its icy tires. Sometimes the snowfall was so hard that I could not see the road. I was afraid that I might head to a ravine. I tried to stick in the middle of the road. I switched on my bicycle's LED headlight on a blinking mode so I would be noticed by drivers of oncoming vehicles. Or so I hoped.


I could not walk up at a normal pace because I kept slipping down. My hands were beginning to ache from too much cold. I was wearing cycling gloves but these were not enough to keep my hands from frostbites. All of a sudden I encountered a barking dog. I thought it was the aggressive type so I immediately took out my camera tripod, extended one of the legs, held it like a sword and I posed like a knight ready to fight. But then I noticed that the dog stopped barking and was looking at me like with a big question mark on its face. The dog then continued and kept barking while moving away. I noticed though that it was not going back towards its owner's house, but was pointing me to the snow covered road markings. The dog was trying to show me the way! Not completely convinced, I tried to shoo it away. Instead, the dog kept going farther, showing me the rest of the way. It was as if the dog knows that I could not find the road buried in deep snow. A big help.


After hours and hours of walking alone up the snowy mountains, I finally reached the highest point to my relief. The snow on the road down was cleared off. I rode my bicycle with extra care because I know I could simply slip off course on this icy road. I stopped by at Roncesvalles to get a stamp and rest in a heated room. I even tried to put my frozen gloves on the heater. I spent some time in the church hoping for the snowfall to subside. The snow outside was knee-deep.


When I left the small town, the sky began to clear and the sun to shine but it was still so cold. My now wet gloves started to freeze again from the cold wind and I couldn't feel my hands. I could only hope that I don't use the bicycle breaks to stop because I couldn't move my fingers.


Hours of chilling snow and wind passed by before I finally found a fair weather. I arrived at Pamplona on a sunny afternoon as if the thick snow was only a dream. However, I arrived late in the city that I got no time to stroll around and take some pictures. It was getting dark outside.


I slept in a Refugio. It looked like a hospital but was, way, way well-equipped. Refugios provide the bed but not the beddings. I used my sleeping bag for the first time. Next to my bed is this German guy who wanted to have a conversation with me but he didn't speak English, only German and Russian. I, on the other hand, could only understand English, Filipino, Japanese and maybe some Spanish. He was a cyclist too. But with our limited hand gestures and mutually understood words, the conversation didn't last long. Well, I didn't mind. We don't have the same pace so I was pretty sure we won't meet again.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 6

Day 6


It's dark outside and it's raining. It's a bit cold. Yesterday was almost like summer. I could see that the mountains were covered with clouds. The landlady insisted that I stay for another day. Before noon, the sky cleared and she showed me the mountains capped with snow. That clearing didn't last long. Soon it was covered again with clouds.


Although it's still raining, I went out and walked around. That walk made me realize that my shoes were not suitable for wet weather. Reluctantly, I bought the cheapest waterproof shoes I could find. But for EU57 a pair, they were not cheap for me at all.


Since it was raining, I spent a lot of time in the church today, thinking about nothing. The locals were busy preparing the church for Easter Sunday services. I remembered my high school days. Being a parish choir member, I was quite active in our local church activities in those days.


I found a local, traditional looking French restaurant. After having a very nice dinner, I went back to the B&B. I decided that no matter what weather tomorrow brings, I would continue my trip. I am 2 days behind my itinerary. I was given a visa with only the exact number of days to complete the Compostela, not another leasure day to spare.
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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 5

Day 5

I woke up and remembered it's Good Friday.

I went downstairs to eat breakfast at 8 and found out I was the only one left. All the other pilgrims staying in the B&B have already left to start their walk. The old landlady told me that breakfast is supposed to be at 7. I wondered, she didn't tell me that the day before. Or maybe she did, I just didn't get it. I thought I should have practiced a little French.

I went out after that simple breakfast, toasted French bread with jam and café au lait. I brought my bicycle to a repair shop. I also bought some water and food for tomorrow. I went for lunch. The sunny weather brought me to crave for fish, but paella with shrimps and shellfish was the best that I got. Actually that was more than I craved for. I realized though that I was spending too much on food. My lunch cost me EU18.70.

Most of the shops were closed at this time so I went back to the B&B and took a nap until 3pm. When I woke up, I was thinking of something to do. Looking at my stuff, I trimmed it down to my most basic needs. A few kilos have been a burden, including the cute little bottles filled with spring water from Lourdes. So I was off to the post office to send my extra stuff to a hostel in Santiago de Compostela and I shed a hefty EU47.50 for postage. I headed back to the bicycle shop. My bicycle was fixed for a surprisingly cheap EU13. The sky has gone cloudy but I still rode around to take some pictures. I also went to the citadel, the town’s historical pride, and then stopped by the local church.

I was hoping to witness some Christian tradition to happen in the church for this Good Friday. Unfortunately, there was none. Or maybe I kept missing the right timing. So I got back to the B&B when it got dark and the landlady greeted me with, I assumed, something about the circuit breaker. I did not understand French but she was showing me her washing machine, the switch, the electrical wiring and the heater in my room and she would say something like "bang". I could sense that she was blaming me for something that happened while I was gone. Again I wondered, how could that be my fault when I am gone at the time it happened? Now I'm sure I should have studied French.

I was in bed by 7pm. I was ready for tomorrow's leg.

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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 4

Day 4 Oloron Ste Marie -> St. Jean Pied de Port

I learned an important lesson from yesterday-- it's not wise to start cycling in the dark. So I had my breakfast at 7 and left the place just as the sun was about to rise-- at 8am. After riding for about a kilometer, I noticed that the rear wheel of my bicycle was wiggling. I hoped I would get to my destination without breaking my bicycle. So this time, I took the bigger roads, which were mostly flat. The route I chose was longer but I thought it's a safe choice, better than the shorter but mountainous road. It would be safer for my bicycle.

It's a sunny morning but there was coldness in the air. But it's a nice ride. At midpoint of my journey, I stopped in a local town. It's midday so I looked for a place to eat but could not find an open one. I was convinced; it's not in the French tradition to eat lunch at noon. So I ate the leftovers I brought along with me from Lourdes.

Moving on, I enjoyed the long peaceful ride chasing the afternoon sun, until I reached an uphill road with a long gradual ascent. It's still a few kilometers to my destination. It took me a while to decide but I chose to ride my bicycle up. I thought that walking my bicycle would take much more time. When I reached the peak of the hill, there was a guy who seemed to have been watching me climb up. He cheered me up in French. I wasn't sure though if he said that I was almost there or if he said that I would be enjoying the road ahead. Whatever it was, I found out that awaiting me was a long, smooth and effortless ride down. It felt like a reward for that hard uphill climb.

I reached St. Jean Pied de Port at about 4:30pm, the sun still high. I asked for a cheap accommodation at the tourist center. When I showed my credencial, I was instead directed to the pilgrims' information center. The old guy I met in the pilgrims' information center was very helpful. He was surprised to learn that I started all the way from Lourdes and took a long route to reach St Jean Pied de Port. He mentioned that the Refugio, the common cheap accommodation for pilgrims, was already full. After stamping on my credencial, he gave me a shell. This shell meant that the wearer is a pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela.

But the old guy did not leave me without shelter that night. I was referred to a pilgrims' B&B next door. The landlady spoke French only but it's okay because I was given a room with two beds. The room was big enough to accommodate a couple or even more. But this B&B was old. My room, although it's big, was a little uncomfortable. I can see the wooden floor sunken in the middle. I kept sliding down to the center of the room unless I took off my socks and walked barefoot.

While strolling around for food later, I met two ladies--Miriam from Ireland and Meredith from Hungary. They were also at the pilgrims' information center earlier. I thought they were in the same group with all the others who arrived earlier than me in the center. Having recognized each other, we ended up eating together in the same restaurant. It turns out that we were also in the same B&B. They were going to walk the camino.

I decided to spend 2 nights here. I needed a day to have my bicycle fixed and that's a chance to have a rest day as well.

I thought the room was creepy.

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