On the road to Zubiri

September 14
The path starts off gently on a shady path through woods.  The Cruz Blanca (the White Cross) is a lovely example of a Basque cross.

As we enter a rural village I spot two Land Rovers across the street from each other--a black Range Rover and this white Discovery.  Just a bit later, I see a beat-up Defender.

Our path has us crossing several smaller rivers as we travel through a lot of farm country. 

The Basque ponies look like sturdy little things.

We pass through several very small villages and one place that could qualify as a town.  All of them are quaint, clean, and so picturesque that Jerri remarks they look Disney made.

In the town of Burguete, we pass the public library, housed in a lovely building. 

My coworkers will love this: we couldn't visit the library because it doesn't open until 3:30. 

Also in Burguete is one of the Camino fountains of potable water.

This flower on signs is the symbol of the state of Navarro.

Jerri crosses one of the several bridges of the day.  Yours truly decided to just walk across--it's only two inches of water--and almost slips onto her butt.  She has to “skate" across.  When Jerri crossed, she told me the warning tape, which was down and floating in the water, read that humans were not supposed to cross there.  Of course, being in Spanish, even if I saw it, I wouldn't have understood it.

Our beds in the municipal (read “cheap") albergue (a converted grammar school) are basic.  So are the “amenities."  Our room of 14 beds shares one shower and one toilet.  We can also use the segregated communal showers housed on the ground floor; however, our room is less crowded and cooler.

For dinner, we have a wonderful pilgrim's dinner at a nearby bar: three courses with a couple of choices each.  I have puréed vegetable soup, fish with green sauce, and chocolate mousse.
On a short tour of the town, I come across this Defender.

Oh, and hon, my eagle eye is still sharp.  I found two cents euro partially covered by dirt on the trail.  ;-)