San Domingo de la Calzada

Water was restored last night at 9pm, so a shower before bed! But not early enough to wash clothes...

Set off after breakfast and fairly soon overtiook Mary (from Florida) and Bernadette (Texas), who are on one of the schemes that take your main pack from place to place and you just do the walking.

I stopped for an orange juice at Azofra - which was the 200km mark! - and Mary came past, and from just after that point we walked and talked together all day. The weather has been lovely, and the landscapes are beautiful and empty.

Arrived at Santo Domingo, and Denise came to say hello - last I'd heard she was staying at Nàjera again tonight so that was a surprise. And we seem to be building quite a group for a meal this evening; I'm losing track but I think we're up to eight or so....

Santo Domingo de la Calzada has a number of tales about its eponymous Saint, one of which leads to there being two cockerels in the cathedral! The Albergue where I'm staying has what seems to be the reserve supply. I think we'll be woken early in the morning!

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My Camino

Starting in late August 2025, I'm going to be walking the Camino Francés from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain - a total of around about 480 miles. This is a simple blog really just to let people know that I'm still here and where I'm up to, but I may add some thoughts and reactions as I go along. I'll aim to update at last the location daily, but of course it depends on having a connection!

At St-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Up betimes, to quote Pepys, and an early breakfast before a flight at 7:45. Landed in Biarritz where there was heavy rain but it stopped while I was waiting for the bus to the station. Here I met t wo Canadian ladies, both heading for the Camino, though they had started in different parts of Canada and only met in the airport in Paris. We got the train together, and I arrrived at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port 24 hours after leaving home, more or less to the minute. Which was too early to book in to my accommodation, so I went to the Pilgrim Park office and am now equipped with my Pilgrim Passport and a shell. Lunch at one of the many small eating places - where a German pilgrim joined me for a chat and a beer - then booked in. There's dinner for those staying here later. Now I'll go and get some Euros, and explore the village a little.

First steps

So, I'm on my way - even if not all that excitingly yet! The first overnight stop is in the delights of a Stansted Airport hotel, since my flight is rather early tomorrow morning. I'd add a picture, but there's not much to see; I'm on the wrong side of the hotel for aircraft! But I have walked today, albeit only from home to the station. There was something significant about starting out on foot, carrying the pack, even when it was in the familiar streets around where I live; past the Church where I attended Mass earlier this morning; past the tram stop and the pub... And the pack was heavier than it will be - I'm wearing conventional clothing rather than walking gear for travelling to France, and a change of clothing for when I reach Santiago and want to feel more civilised again. I'm going to entrust all that lot to the 'Donkey Express' which will take stuff from one end of the Camino to the other. Perhaps there's something significant in tha...

David's Camino

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