Day 2: September 2, Valcarlos to Roncesvalles

The terrain for days 1 and 2

The hike to Roncesvalles almost made me cry.　It was only about 14 kilometers but about 80% of it was uphill. I definitely did not feel prepared for that. There were times during the walk that I just wanted to sit in that muddy forest and cry. Whatever I expected, that was not it. It seemed to me that every time we cleared a hill or a peak, there was yet another one that was even higher. I knew in my mind that it was not going to be easy, but knowing something and experiencing it are totally different. If this was a preview of the rest of the camino, I am in big trouble! When we finally saw the sign that it was only about 2 kilometers away, I was so relieved. It made me feel even better when I saw that the remaining trail was downhill then flat. Finally!

When we got to the municipal albergue, I could barely stay upright but we had to queue up for about an hour to get a bed and a stamp on our credentials. When they offered dinner and breakfast, we took it knowing that we won't have the energy to walk the 1 or 2 kilometers needed to get to town and look for a restaurant. All the pilgrims had to leave their boots downstairs before going upstairs to the dorms. In the lower section of the albergue was a small reading room, a small kitchen and an Internet room. Just outside the Internet room was a rectangular table with a jumble of objects. Directly above it is a sign that says you can take what you need and leave what you don’t. It was a depository of sorts. Pilgrims can leave their possessions that they feel they won’t be using during their camino and they can take what think might be useful to them. I loved the spirit behind the concept of that table. As it turns out, it won’t be an uncommon thing throughout the walk.

After showering, we headed to the basement to do our laundry. Thank goodness they had a washer and dryer. We walked around the grounds thinking that the laundry would be done by the time we got back, but it was not to be. I don't know where she found the energy, but Anj signed up for a tour of the old church. I decided to stay in the dorms and rest. We agreed to meet at the dining room, but of course she was late since the tour ran long.



After the pilgrim's dinner, we attended the pilgrim's mass which was wonderful. The mass was mostly in Spanish, but some of the readings were done in English and French. At the end of the mass, the pilgrims were asked to come closer to the altar for a special blessing. The lights were switched off and we were led to sing Salve Regina before being given the final blessing. It was a beautiful celebration and I feel blessed to have been a part of it.