Got to the albergue at Roncesvalles at 13:00. It seems to be affiliated to a monastery.
Dinner at the restaurant Casa Sabine at 19:00 after the Mass.
Went to bed at 20:00.

It is rather difficult to follow the way because of unvague indications. Took a wrong road and so overwalked 2.5 km.
The albergue here in Larrasoana is just for stay.
Found the flags of all nations with Korean without Japanese one. It made me feel there are many Korean pilgrims. Besides, few Japanese.
Dinner at a nearby restaurant. There are brothers from the US, a talkative guy from Austria and women from Slovakia walked together on the way. They talk a lot, different from the quiet dinner yesterday. I joined not knowing, lured by their cheerful talk.
Thanks to the wine during chatting, I had a good sleep

There are many scallop signs on the streets downtown, which are with an arrow sign and buried under the road.

Lunch near the castle wall just after the Magdalena bridge. I am in the town Pamplona, famous for Bull-Running Festival.
Thirsty. Drank a small mug of cerveza (beer) at a bar in Cizuru.
Really hot on the road along wheat fields. The sunglasses are helpful.

It was getting lighter gradually during going down the pass.

Walking while eating bread, I was already in Puente la Reina, certainly an old town. Bought a picture postcard and sent it after having a hard time to find the post office.
Ate sandwich at the Princess Bridge seen in the picture postcard which is also the town's name, and restarted the walk in the wheat fields.

Flowers by the wayside were beautiful, though I didn't take pictures of each flower. It must be their season.

In the park downtown, too many balls of dust from branches of large trees! They cover the roadside, floating before my eyes. (I noticed afterward the tree was populus nigra.)

Lorca was my today's destination, but it was 13:00 yet. I decided to go further to Villatuerta.
Though other pilgrims were going to the city Estella, I found an albergue here, a very nice private one. (12 euro)
Not a bunk bed, a good shower facility like a hostel.
I am now writing a diary sitting at a porch viewing down a stream.

Dinner at 19:30. The table was with 2 gentlemen. We drank wine considerably in a friendly way, but I could not follow their talk to my regret.

Walking in Losarcos, I found people were spreading flower petals before the Maria bronze statue of a church. Some festival today?

In addtion, I noticed a cathedral was in the midst of Mass, where Father was preaching against the golden altar. Hymns were wonderful.

Unexpectedly, there are many cycling pilgrims. The mountain pass is parted by walking and cycling lanes.

Decided to stay at an albergue with a bar in Navarrete.
Walk in the rain for dinner at a nearby restaurant at 7:00 pm.
A French gentleman and a Mexican lady with a daughter are at the same table. They talk to each other in English.

Got up at 5:10 for the toilet.

Breakfast of tortilla with potatoes at a cafeteria on the way.

Walked up and down along wheat fields and vineyards. This long way tired me, and it was Najera just after the bridge.

Lunch at a square in Azofra. Then again, bored with up-and-down roads through Cruena and Calzada.

Though planned to stay in Ciruena, I passed it and finally got to Santo Domingo de la Calzada at 14:30.
Found a new and large albergue with the accomodations for 210 people. 7 euro. But the top bunk bed unfortunately.

Dinner at a restaurant nearby. Salad and poke dish with vinotinto. 11 euro.
Into bed at 21:00.

Started at 6:00.
Dim, is that why I lost my way along the fields?

A senior gentleman, getting out of a car, advised me with big gestures. I thanked him very much.
Breakfast just before Belorado. Bread with ham and cheese.

After checking in at an albergue, entered a nearby bar to drink beer. "You are a Korean, right?" Someone asked me. In fact the signs in the Hangul alphabet seen in most of albergues. Many more Korean pilgrims than the Japanese because of many Christians in Korea?

After taking a nap, bought water and sponge cake for tomorrow at a supermarket opened at 17:30.
Dinner at a restaurant at 19:30. TV was broadcasting the movie "Rio Bravo" starred by John Wayne.

- - - - -
Contrary to my worry of 40 km a day, I could walk without any trouble, but the last 6 km after entering Brugos was hard to me, because of the difficulty to find the albergue. I had to ask if I passed it to local people a couple of times. "Donde esta aqui?"

To my happiness, the albergue is very near Cathedral de Brugos, one of the 3 Grand Cathedrals with the ones at Toledo and Sevilla. Now I have visited all of them.

(Lucky!, the bed today is bottom.)

Dinner at a restaurant of "9 euro". But not inexpensive. Meat ball was poor with no bread, and extra wine and agua cost me a considerably additional charge.

Got to the town Tardajos at 8:30. I already walked for 11 km at a time.
Breakfast at a bar. A sunny-side up egg, bread with bacon on top.

Tried to withdraw some money at ATM, but could not succeed.

Got to Hornillos del Camino at 11:30. It means I walked 21 km in total now.

After a plateau, finally got to Hontanas on a basin and found a muni albergue.
After choosing a bed by the window, took a shower and washed clothes as usual, then took a nap.
Woke up at 16:30, and found no pants here washed just a while ago! Stolen?

I followed the other pilgrims to a restaurant, and found they are from France, UK, Italy, US, and Korea. Pleasant dinner meeting.

Got up at 5:00 and started at 6:00.
Passed a ruin of a church and noticed the ruin of a castle in Castrojeris.

It is one of the highlight views this time. I took several photos on the way as a matter of fact. After passing the ruin, on the Mostelares Pass I asked someone to take my figure looking back. I am happy it's the same figure in the guidebook. (Why? No such picture in my camera.)

Entered the first bar at Itero del la Vega. Ordered con leche and a donut, and then toilet. This has become my usual morning pattern.

Walk and walk along the road surrounded by wheat fields.
In Boadilla del Camino entered a bar to satisfy the thirst, then someone called me saying "Are you a Japanese?" in Japanese. He was Mr. Moriyama from Nara Prefecture (aged 68).
His dish looked delicious, so I ordered the same, saying "Naranja" to a waiter. But he brought a different and expensive one.

On the road to Fromista along a river I felt refreshing. But on the contrary, hundreds of cyclists began to run in a full speed. Dangerous! Any cycling race? Not that kind.
They were busy talking freely and actively in the park just before the town.

Arrived at an albergue at 13:30. Earlier than usual. Following people came one after another including Mr. Moriyama. Two of us promised to get together at a bar right away and drank a large mug of beer with a pizza.

He found the ATM for me at the street corner, and I could withdraw 300 euro very easily this time. Happy.
It began raining.

Kept walking on the road with fine scallop signs until Carrion de los Condes.
I found a grocery store and could buy water at last. 0.6 euro.
It is hard to walk along a straight way under the scorching sun. No front-runners. Cycling group is passing me. In the shade of a tree I bit a cookie which almost choked me.
Slacking a little and slow pace of walking. Sleepy road.
Go, go, to Santiago!

Finally found a muni albergue somewhere around Cueza.
Yes, I am in Calzadilla de la Cueza.
Shower, washing clothes, and then beer.

Dinner at a bar next door. Pasta and a plate of meat ball + vino tinto. 7.5 euro.