September 12
Day 3: Roncevalles to Zubiri
Our MAGICAL MOMENT came early today – we slept at the monastery in Roncevalles. And at 5:55 am, we awoke to the sound of Gregorian Chants, continuing for about 40 minutes. It was beautiful.
Today was another challenging day. At 7:15am we started out through the woods – it was dawn and the sun had not risen yet. The first few hours were level and easy, then we stopped for breakfast in a small village. We love stopping at the outdoor cafes, visiting with our fellow pilgrims and enjoying coffee/tea and the local Tortilla Potata, an egg and potato quiche-like breakfast food. The other staple is a ham and cheese sandwich on a baguette. Or, just a baguette. A full baguette might cost € 1,00 – and always fresh. We also really enjoy the fresh squeezed orange juice!
Later the path climbed again. We welcomed rest stops at two other roadside food trucks. The last 6k (3+ miles) were very difficult, steep downhills with lots of rocks. Evan’s left knee began complaining about downhill walks.
In Zubiri (pronounced “thoo-BEE-ree”) We stayed at Gite D’etat Susei – what a delightful place. Our young hostess, also named Sara, greeted us with cold beer and lemonade. She even did our laundry. She prepared and served a beautiful five course meal using locally sourced ingredients to make dishes local to the area – and of course there was plenty of red wine.
We spent a of time talking with other Pilgrims – from Reunion Island, Australia, Ireland, USA, England. At many places, as at Orrison, Roncevalles, and Zubiri, the stay includes a communal dinner, served family style. We really enjoy meeting other pilgrims, hearing their stories, building our “Camino Family.”
On this night we shared a room with two others, Tom and Gerry.
