Now I have entered the 2nd phase of my journey,  leaving the glories of Greece and Crete behind and embarking on the ancient pilgrim path,  the Camino de Santiago.  I traveled all day Wednesday – Thursday (literally car, boat, plane, train and bus) from Crete, arriving   St. Jean Pied de Port,  France as the evening waned.  St. Jean is the traditional starting point of the Camino and this small medieval  town was buzzing with Pilgrims preparing for their journey.

First stop the Pilgrim office in St. Jean where this wonderful woman named Marie sat down with me and registered me for the journey.  She  gave me my passport (Credencial) and scallop shell (which identifies your pilgrim status) and asked me why I was making this journey.    My simple answer, was that I was  hitting  the reset button in 2018 and I was embarking on the Pilgrimage as a path of exploration and self discovery.

After registration,  I wandered the cobblestones of St. Jean,  searching for the Albergue Kaserna,  my bed for the night.  Fortunately I had called ahead and reserved – as everything was booked by the time of my late arrival.  The Kaserna was a catholic-run hostel, and these two lovely sisters, Monique (in red) and Henriette were my hosts for the night.   Monique was literally waiting for me in the street,  and she took my hand, led me into the Kaserna and sat me down to dinner with 13 other welcoming Pilgrims.   Dinner was vegetable soup, macaroni, pork, French bread, desert and endless red wine – not bad for 20 Euros inclusive!

The next morning I grabbed a few last minute essentials at the Boutique du Pelerin and took the first steps in my 750 km journey.    First stop for night Albergue Orrison in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Orrison was a classy set-up, with a mountain chalet feel exuding warmth and frosty cool beverages on tap.  That’s a photo of me and the owner Jean Luc outside the entrance and our dinner table later in the evening.  To my right two Austrians,  to my left a Brazilian gentleman, across from him an Argentine couple and to their left two American women.

The next morning our grueling climb over the Pyrenees commenced.  Two weeks of hiking in Greece and Crete aided my stamina and I overtook many fellow pilgrims crossing the passes.  That’s Suk from LA above,  and this woman was definitely carrying too much weight!

This German guy with his dog was a camping pilgrim, hauling their gear on a handtruck. His Camino was not going so well as a ripping windstorm overnight uprooted his tent and literally blew it off the mountain.  I don’t think he had any idea what plan B was.

This Argentinian couple were walking the Camino in celebration of their 45th wedding anniversary.  You could see they were completely dialed into each other and bond of marriage was beauty to behold.  What a gorgeous couple!

“Vierge de Orrison” at Orrison Peak.   Catholic symbology is always waiting for you as you walk This 1200 year old path to the cathedral in Santiago.

That’s Jo from South Korea right at the point we hit snow at the highest elevations.  Jo was walking with his buddy  – two former South Korean soldiers in tennis shoes and slight packs powering up the mountains like goats. I held their pace and eventually passed them as they both had a weakness for Marlboros!

After 18 KMs and a final descent through a rain and hailstorm I pulled into the historic monastery at Roncevalles in Spain,  my Refugio for the night.   There was a blessing mass for all the pilgrims in the 12th century cathedral, which included an ornate gold-inlaid Madonna and Child over the alter and a Pilgrim Shrine in the transcept.  Scan close and you can see the scallop shell on his cap, and gourd affixed to his staff.

Next a descent into the Basque Country of Spain, with Pamplona calling on the horizon. Buon Camino!