Early up, but I feel so much better. I slept hard, and even with the folks coming in around midnight, I am well rested.Today, up at 6 and heading for the train to take me to Pamplona. To get to the Barcelona Sants Estacion, I had to get on the subway again, but it was just 4 stops, then a short walk to the station. It is clean and crowded. I had to go through security just like at the airport. It has the feeling of being very safe.
I am riding a high speed train, the Alvia. I have a great seat all by myself next to the window. Clean and comfortable. My “home” for the next 3 hours.I am in total heaven, because the standard sandwich is toasted ham and cheese. If you know me, you know that I consider a toasted ham and cheese to be the King of all sandwiches. The train made a great one, and the cafe con leche was to die for.I was hoping to get into Pamplona by 11:15 to get the 12:00 train to Saint Jean Pied du Port. Well, that didnt happen. We were delayed out in the middle of nowhere for about 30 minutes.
We got into Pamplona just before 12. I needed to get to the bus station, which is some distance away, so I got on a bus and asked the driver if he could tell me where to get off. So we go…and go…and go. Finally a lady in the back comes up and says that we are at the stop for the bus. I ask the driver, but he doesn’t hear me and takes off. So we go… and go… and wind up back at the train station! I approached the driver and repeated estacion de autobus. He completely forgot about me. He said sorry over and over. I told him I got a tour of the city.
I finally got to the bus station and purchased my ticket for Saint Jean for the 2:30 bus. Had another ham and cheese sandwich, and waited for the bus. I heard an American talking, and approached her to say hello. She was a pilgrim too, but oh my, you would have thought I did something disgusting. She looked down her nose at me and turned the other way. Wow!I met a sweet girl from NY. She is s music education major, just like me. She gave me a motion sickness pill and said hang on. Boy was she right. The road was so twisty and turny. Beautiful scenery. In two days I’ll be back there after I have crossed the Pyrenees.Made into SJPP safely and looked for my hostel. It’s a lovely old home. One floor for the boys and one for the girls. There are 8 beds. After I checked in, I went to the pilgrim office and got another credential. Got it stamped.Then I went out in search of food. Absolutely no luck. I didn’t want a meal, just a snack. Nothing was open, which seems really weird.What I did do was go to mass. It is a beautiful old church, very plain but gorgeous in its simplicity. At the end of mass, the priest called all the pilgrims forward. There was about 20 of us. He gave us a special blessing. It brought me to tears. Just beautiful.I have now gone back to my hostel, had a shower, washed out some clothes, and I’m getting ready for bed. It is supposed to be 105 tomorrow, so I will try to leave by 630. This hostel gives us breakfast, so that will be good. Time to sleep, even though its 830 and the sun is still out.
My Grieving Widow's Tour 