I will begin catching up Day 3 (Camino Day 2) by admitting to being disabled in bed, at the moment. I will be okay, but I am not now okay. My knee is bigger than it should be, and walking without crutches is impossible. Bursitis. Who’d have thought? Anyway, I needed a couple days to figure out WordPress and my handwritten notes about the past  few Camino days.

Day 3: Orisson to Roncesvalles

Clothes do not dry when the overnight temperatures are cool and the air is damp. Not news, but the reality meant carrying a very heavy backpack filled with soaked clothing and travel towel. Someone said there were dryers at Orisson. News to the several pilgrims in my room.

I began the rest of the climb up and then over the Pyrenees in cloudy, cool weather. The rest of the day was a coats off, coats on, coats off again experience. I’m lazy and Canadian. Coat off. Too much work to remove the backpack and put it back on each time the sun disappeared. The cold wasn’t really bothersome, either. Felt like a crisp spring St. Catharines day.

Now for the reader interactive part. Am I stupid or just incapable of reading basic maps? From St. Jean to Orisson…about 8-9 kms including distance walking out of St. Jean. Distance from Orisson to top of Pyrenees (Col de Lepoeder) another 10 kms. Remember how long I said it took me to climb to Orisson?

I became a child. A scared child. Can I reach the top of this mountain? Around every corner, another hill. I couldn’t look up, but regularly did. The scenery gave me a great reason to stop. Horses close enough to touch. Ewes everywhere. At one point, we blessedly had to stop for an army of sheep crossing before us. I begged them to linger, but that was just me being tired and baaaaad. Sorry.)

The many sounds of the Pyrenees blend into one beautiful hymn. Horses whinny, sheep baa, birds sing, roosters call time,, the wind blows, and shepherds shout. Pilgrims climb. Higher and higher. I couldn’t take another step, and my Camino family left me behind. Lihi from Jerusalem waited with me as if being with me was the only thing for her.

Of course, I felt like added weight. We needed to make it to Roncesvalles AND find a room. There were so many people starting out from St. Jean Pied de Port in September this year. Doesn’t anyone work anymore? 🙂 “Why don’t you trust me?” Lihi asked. I couldn’t believe anyone would want to keep pace with a snail. Even the snails ditched me.

Before we reached the French-Spanish border, a few of us took a wicked piss. Yup, Zoe. Dropped trow outdoors near the sheep and watered the earth. Funny thing about sheep. They will watch. Pilgrims, on the other hand, discretely look away.

The French-Spanish border was a three-beam affair with streamers hanging from the top. As I stood beneath the beam, the wind whipped away the streamers, so I don’t look like much. But neither does it! In fact, Lihi refused to believe it was THE border. Apparently border crossings are very different in Israel. She took my picture just in case I was right.

As I was about to wonder again if “we were there yet?” we rounded a corner and…I won’t describe the splendour. I cannot.

What I did see were people sprawled on the top of the mountain breathing in the landscape, the air, the sounds. They prayed, gave thanks, rejoiced, called or texted loved ones, and sang. Some danced. Some stayed silent. Nobody immediately began the ascent.

I took 6h 25m to climb the Pyrenees. I discovered Heaven and Hell. So many others more or less breezed over. How I envied them.

The Descent: 2h 20m. Almost took a wrong turn. Made an executive decision amongst a team of one Polish girl, one Israeli, and one Canadian. Took five steps and saw the sign we’d all missed. Well, we had made the right decision.

The Lesson: The sign is always there when you need it. Quit talking.   Be aware.

Roncesvalles wrapped its monastery arms around me, did my laundry, offered me a bed, a small locker, and a pilgrim menu of fish, fries, soup, cafe con leche, and two carafes of wine.

Like a woman’s labour, all was forgotten. Again, I think I was forgiven all my bad thoughts on the way up and occasionally on the (easier) way down.

Ultreia!