Total distamce today was 25.1 km. We climbed 1450m to the top of Col de Lepoder. Following the route de Napoleon. Boy did we climb. I though this day would never end. The scenery was breath taking, the climb was also breath taking and I can feel my bronchial tubes hot from all the huffing and puffing. We then decended about 5km into Roncevelles which was in some parts very steep and technical. Some parts of the decent were very nice as the decent was all in a forest. The shade was a welcome relief from the heat of the day where there was no where to hide from the sun at all. I have some bruised toe nails from the decent even with well fitting boots. I have a large lump the size of a half boiled egg on each collar bone from my back pack which is heavier than the 10kg I was planning to carry and I have decided that some of the 'essential' items I brought along are not so essential after all and will be jetisened forthwith. The pack sits on my hips as it is supposed to but as it was just too heavy. I adjusted it so many times as I walked to try to make it more comfortable that I altered how it should sit.
We are staying in The hotel Posada is a lovely old building built in 1625. The walls are 1.5m thick. There is also a Posada which is a Refugio which has 100 beds squeezed into a long dormitory. I booked our hotel in advance as I didn't think I would feel like sharing with all those other people after such a big day. This was a very good choice but the princess will be gone tomorrow as it is Refugios for us from now on.
We had the Pilgrims menu last night for 10euro. It was good. We sat at a table of 8 people who were all French. One lady spoke English and we had a lovely conversation with her. We ate pasta which was nice enough followed but a whole small trout that has been deep fried skin on no batter or crumbs served with chips. I don't eat fish but was hungry enough to give it ago. The flavour was quite nice and I was actually enjoying it until I came across a bone. I got my head around that though. The courses were very salty and that was just what we needed after such a hot and sweaty day Desert was a creme caramel in a plastic tub super market style and I loved it. There were two bottles of wine for the 8 of us to share as well. Quite good value we thought. Fuzz also bought a wine and a beer for 4 euro and was amazed at how cheap that was. It was almost a shame that we were in no condition for drinking because at that price and in this hotel it would have been nice. We were barely able to finish dinner with our eyes open before falling into bed and being asleep in seconds. I am still jet lagged so have been wide awake since 4am. Hence the lenghy discription about yesterday. There are no tea and coffee facilites so I am just having water an a couple of savoury biscuits. I would love a cuppa right now.
Breakfast is served at 8 here so nothing starts early. I would have liked to get an early start as it gets hotter in the afternoons. I am looking forward to being able to sleep in though when the jet lag goes. Fuzz doesn't seem to have been botherd with jet lag and is sleeping like a baby. He wasn't too phased buy yesterdays events and is handling the walking and carrying the pack really well.
Todays walk is mostly down hill with some climbs and one very steep decent.
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