Day 8: Estella to Los Arcos, 21 km
(June 6, 2023)
After being absent from the Camino for three days, it felt incredible to be back on the trail, walking once again. The city of Bilbao was filled with so much noise that it made me realize how much I missed the tranquility of the Camino.
This morning, as early as 6:30 am, all my roommates had left. I found myself alone in the room. I did some catch up on my journaling, before embarking on another interesting and eventful day.
As soon as I stepped out of Estella and into the countryside, we passed by an art shop along the way, and I couldn't resist stopping for a look.
Continuing my walk, the fields greeted us pilgrims with vibrant wildflowers. There were quite a few fellow travelers sharing the route. Soon, we arrived at a wine fountain that generously provided pilgrims with free wine year-round. Two Chinese women from Taiwan came prepared, filling up their empty water bottles. Unfortunately, I didn't have a spare bottle for wine, but they suggested I empty my water and fill it with wine. While I appreciated the idea, I decided to taste the wine with my hand and continued my walk, as I didn't want to drink while walking.
It was a busy day with many walkers and bikers, and at one scenic spot, I shared the view with a couple of Spanish bikers.
During a coffee break in one of the villages, I met a group of women from South America. One of the young women, traveling with her mother, asked me how it felt to walk the Camino alone. I replied that I enjoyed it very much and that I never truly felt alone. I always encountered people along the way and engaged in interesting conversations. She then inquired about my shoes, and I expressed my love for them. She mentioned that they were all wearing HOKA trail runners, which happened to be the same brand and model I had. She said she noticed my shoes right the way because she almost bought the same color as mine but thought it was too vibrant. I chuckled and said, "I like colorful shoes. They make me happy when I walk." I noticed then that all the ladies in her group were also wearing HOKA shoes.
Later on, as one of the women from the group walked by, I complimented the wildflower she had in her hair. To my surprise, she immediately took it off and insisted I wear it. From that day forward, I started picking wildflowers to wear on my hair each day on the Camino. You'll see many selfies of me with wildflowers in my hair. It made me feel beautiful.
During the same coffee stop, I also met a French couple whom I would encounter almost every day afterwards. They are looking for a table and I asked them to share mine. So, they did. Since they didn't speak English and I didn't speak French, we simply exchanged smiles, waves, and the words "Buen Camino."
At another scenic point, I crossed paths with Nancy and April, two women from Taiwan. We walked together for a while, and both of them had a passion for photography. We took turns capturing fun photos of each other and selfies. They brought so much joy and laughter to the journey. At one point, Nancy noticed that my bag was loose, so she showed me how to adjust it to distribute the weight better. Immediately, I felt the difference, and my bag seemed much lighter!
It was a day with higher temperatures compared to the previous days, and shade was scarce. However, a gentle breeze somehow managed to keep us cool as we made our way to Los Arcos within a reasonable timeframe.
Finally, I arrived in Los Arcos and checked into the La Fuente Casa de Austria Hostel (a small hostel), ready to rest and prepare for the adventures that awaited me on the following day.
As I am browsing through the photos taken that day, I am enchanted by one of the most captivating scenes on this Camino. The expanse of open fields, adorned with beautiful grape vines and wineries we passed; the winding roads are gracefully adorned with abundant wildflowers, while the white clouds dance against a backdrop of endless blue sky. Each photo I come across feels like a perfectly crafted postcard, capturing the essence of this picturesque journey.
*Following direction on the Camino:
Pay attention to the photos I posted today:
Signs for walkers to follow on the Camino: the metal posts adorned with the iconic shell on the metal posts on the sidewalk at the beginning of the path out of town; the painted shell on the side of a building, the yellow arrows that are painted on the ground as well as on walls and wooden boards. Along the roadside, observe the concrete posts displaying a yellow arrow and shell on a blue background; the blue plates featuring a walker symbol and a white arrow with the shell on the top. These are the indicators guiding us along the Camino. By faithfully following these signs, they lead us safely to our destination. If it becomes necessary, ask the locals. They helped me at times when I could not find my yellow arrows.
**To see my travel photos to San Sebastain and Bilbao, follow my blog at the following address:
See the World through my Travel Photos (seetheworldannieseye.blogspot.com)
