28-04-19
My Camino begins in the quaint village of St. Jean Pied de Port (population 1500), the traditional starting point of the 800k/ 500 mile Camino Frances. First stop, the efficient Pilgrim office. Kind volunteers will set you up with aubergue contact information, elevation maps & provide your new best friend, your credential! They even have a big scale if you want to see how good you were at whittling down the weight of your pack. We must look like school children on our first day of class- jittery, nervous smiles & tons of questions.
My lovely aubergue, Beilari, included a get-to-know-you session at the communal dinner- a perfect opportunity to make new friends. There are those nervous moments at night when you check the weather for the umpteenth time & give your pack a final once-over to be sure you haven't overlooked anything. Then, a feeble attempt at sleep until we were awaken by soft choir music. After a Sunday Basque mass, our "Camino Family" began our hike.
I elected to stop overnight in Orisson, about halfway up the Pyrenees to break up the arduous first day. A smart choice as weather was crisp & clear so views from the Orisson deck were spectacular & cried out for a celebratory beverage. Still an aubergue newbie, I met my new seven bunkmates for the evening. I had heard that bottom bunks are often offered to the older or injured pilgrims. I was glad to be assigned to the top bunk- ha! After a bit of work to get a too-tiny single-use sheet onto a mattress, I settled into my bunk with all the gear I may need overnight, headphones in place to cover snores from those lower bunks. Next day- do it all again, except we tackle the Pyrenees climb to Roncesvalles on Day 2.
My lovely aubergue, Beilari, included a get-to-know-you session at the communal dinner- a perfect opportunity to make new friends. There are those nervous moments at night when you check the weather for the umpteenth time & give your pack a final once-over to be sure you haven't overlooked anything. Then, a feeble attempt at sleep until we were awaken by soft choir music. After a Sunday Basque mass, our "Camino Family" began our hike.
I elected to stop overnight in Orisson, about halfway up the Pyrenees to break up the arduous first day. A smart choice as weather was crisp & clear so views from the Orisson deck were spectacular & cried out for a celebratory beverage. Still an aubergue newbie, I met my new seven bunkmates for the evening. I had heard that bottom bunks are often offered to the older or injured pilgrims. I was glad to be assigned to the top bunk- ha! After a bit of work to get a too-tiny single-use sheet onto a mattress, I settled into my bunk with all the gear I may need overnight, headphones in place to cover snores from those lower bunks. Next day- do it all again, except we tackle the Pyrenees climb to Roncesvalles on Day 2.
8k to Orisson
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| My own special Camino shell |
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| The welcome at Beilari, my first home on the Camino |
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| Views from the Orisson deck |
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