from Puente la Reina

Hi again

I always feel that I will keep things short and then go on and on. But really , tonight I think I will keep it short. I cannot believe that I am here. In my book it says that I have walked 900 kilometers. That is 540 some miles. We have taken public transportation for about 25 miles, so 515 miles. It has been so beautiful. Since we crossed over into Spain the terrain has changed dramatically. On the French side of th Pyrenees it was lush and green with pines and oak etc. Right over the summit it changed to white sandstone and little bushes about as tall as I am. The walk up was in forest, the walk down on rocks in gulleys. It doesn´t sound good, but it was fun and beautiful. On the way up I could hear cow bells, or maybe sheep bells mixed in with the wind and the river down below us. On the Spanish side it is open with with rock and blue skies and few animals. Today we walked on the side of a mountain. Down below us was a huge highway with semis. In the afternoon we turned into rolling countryside and a few villages. This town is ancient. There is a bridge that was built in the 1200´s for the pilgrims who were walking to Santiago. It is so moving to realize that this tradition has been going on for so long.

I am still walking with Dominique and Dominico has joined us. He is the Italian speaker. Can you believe how lucky I am? I was really ready to leave Dominique because we were not able to talk at all. I never could figure out what he was planning or doing. Now, Dominique and Dominico speak French together, Domenico and I speak Italian and Dominique and I speak English. Dominique can´t speek Italian, Dominico can´t speak English and as you know I can´t speak French. If we have problems we turn to the other person for a second translation. It is realy fun and my Italian no doubt will be good in 4 more weeks. I know things change all the time here, but I hope we stay together till the end.

The weather has been amazing. Three days we have missed a terrible rain storm and hail by getting to the albergue (just like the gites in France) just before it starts. We are all showered and happy and poor wet people come struggling in, freezing. The temperature has been in the 70´s during the day. Yesterday I wore a jacket all day. Today not. The evenings are cool. The biggest challenge now is to get my clothes dry. Everyday I wash what I was wearing and before bed, I take it down from the clothes line and pin what is wet to my backpack. Then during the day , if it doesn´t rain, it dries to wear in the evening. Because we have had only two days of walking in the rain in the 37 I have walked, it´s all worked out.
The D´s are expert gatherers. We will be walking and all of the sudden they run up to a tree and fruit starts flying. I just stand back and receive gifts of figs and almonds and sometimes now, grapes. It feels so primitive and wonderful. They laugh and compete and are so proud of what they get. And the fruit tastes fabulous.
That´s about all for now. We are staying in a huge albergue ( 5 euros tonight) and I bet there are 100 people here. I don´t expect too much sleep. I have become a great fan of earplugs.
OK. I better get into my bed. I´m in a room of about twenty bunks.
Bye for now.
Love,
Mom Mary