September 10, 2008, Espinal to Villava, 19 miles
900 feet ascent, 1,200 feet descent.
Hike from 8 am to 4 pm.
*Mostly in shaded forsts and trails bordered with
holm oak, maples, holly, Scot pine, walnut trees.
*Pure pleasure of walking all day.
*Early morning mist as I walked down into the valley.
*Bought salami, cheese, bread, a straw sun hat with rhinestones and turquoise beads to replace the one blown away yesterday. Shopped in a tiny store in Burguete, where the older woman at the counter wrote down the prices on a piece of paper, added the total in her head, and gave it to me for a receipt.
*Staying in a monestery doromitory for pilgrims built hundreds of years ago.
*Walk to center of the plaza for the Pilgrim Menu dinner. Four Australian women invited me to join them, and later to come visit in Australia to play golf.