Mud! Mud! and more Mud!

Charis it was so special to get your note just now, just wonderful! I wrote a response to it, but, can´t seem to publish it. It is so beautiful that you and Andrew will have to come some day and do it for yourself ... we are quite sure you will. :) Our pictures just can´t reveal all that this countryside and culture is like ... truly amazing.


We completed 33 km yesterday, I would like to say it was a 'piece of cake', but, true to form, Dad says "it was more like a mud pie!" and he is so right ... we traversed trails most of the way that were like streams with thick mud, which had us zig-zagging the entire way. All I can say is thank goodness for hiking poles! They were truly a blessing for so many reasons, mostly for stability, but, also because the terrain was steep going up and down.

Martin, on one of the first, of several, ancient bridges we would eventually cross over.

Another bridge ... me, a little bit wet!

The sun came out for lunch break, we were blissfully unaware that the roughest part of the day's trek was yet ahead!

Fellow pilgrim, Paul from Korea (Earlier in the day Martin's good backpack cover fell off a bridge and into the river below.) :

Beautiful front facade on home, decorated with the Camino scallop shell motif.

We stayed last night in an albergue with a South African, British, Canadian, Korean, American, German, Greek, and we all had supper together. Quite something!


The day before yesterday we walked through a forest that was well-known for having witch´s covens in the dark. So they errected a large white stone white cross to protect and drive out the witches. Something like the one below.

We stayed last night in a great albergue that is within an ancient cathedral which has been welcoming pilgrims since the 11th Century. Can you imagine this! 


We are staying tonight just outside of Pamplona and tomorrow will begin our walk by going up a mountain once again and looking back to see the city of Pamplona in the distance before we head down the other side. We have been told that the way can be difficult. So we will hopefully sleep well and be well rested for the task that is before us. I have only one tiny blister thus far, which has happened from the muddy water oozing into my shoes. Martin wants to make sure that I put down that he has none! We both are sporting tight calves today, but, wouldn´t expect it to be any different considering what the terrain has been.

This walk has given us many opportunities to see how God has blessed us time and time again, even in small things we have noticed how we have been spared from an injury and been given a great sleep, hospitality, good meals, etc. It is blessing upon blessing!


It is Mother´s Day here and so we want to wish all those who are Mother´s back home a very Happy Mother´s Day (especially our beautiful daughter who is an incredible mom to Jesse and Jonas "A Very Happy Mother´s Day!¨"