Second verse, Same as the First

Today was an easier day.  The scheduled start time was 7am, and we had a shorter day; 13.6 miles, compared to nearly 16 yesterday, and with less terrain, although there was still lots of up and down.

It turns out that 7am was wishful thinking on multiple counts.  True to the albergue experience, there was a mass exodus of French and Italian middle-aged pilgrims, not quietly, at 5:30.  The lights came on at 6, our Hospitalera, an older dutch woman named Janine (who I think had a bit of a crush on one of the students, Houston "Goose" Wilson, "lights out is at 10, and if you are not quiet I vill visit you!") came through with an actual cowbell at 6:15 saying, "Gut morning".  I'm sorry, but if there's a cowbell involved, it's not a good morning.  At 6:30 the Gregorian chant started up, so we were all pretty much awake except for Callaghan, who either has really good earplugs, or could sleep through the Rapture.

Unlike my last time in the albergue in Roncesvalles, which was noisy and not restful to say the least.  This time around people were either more well behaved or I was more exhausted because I had no trouble sleeping like the dead all night.

We are not yet into our routine, so it took everyone a while to get ready, thus we left a bit after 7.  It was another beautiful day of walking, we stopped at a grocery store, stocked up and continued on our way.  Apparently, I am slow, as I spent bringing up the rear of the herd with Ty.  We got to chat with some cool people, Tim and his girlfriend (whose name I can't remember.  I blame Sangria.), who are remarkably normal sounding for Canadians, and Sara, who is French, and got mad at her parents, so she decided to walk the Camino.

This is the first night that the students have been "on their own" for lodging.  I cheated a bit, since I have a Spanish cellphone and called ahead to reserve an albergue that I had stayed in the last time.  I really don't like reserving ahead, because it seems against the spirit of the Camino, but at the same time, it sure does relieve the stress of finding a place.  I just really hate talking to Spaniards on the phone.  Actually, I hate talking to anyone on the phone.  I should probably get over that.

Nonetheless, the students did well, and nine of them are lodged in our albergue.  We are having a worship session at 8pm tonight, and a shorter day again tomorrow.  We are staying in Pamplona, and in the interest of not having students scattered all over God's half-acre in albergues, I have reserved a hotel.  I'm looking forward to a real bed and room, even though we've only been in an albergue for two nights.

The walking has been good.  I have not yet solved any of the worlds problems, or even my own but I have given some of them some thought.  I'd like to be a bit more connected to the kids, but it is still early in the trip, so hopefully that will happen as it may.  And finally, I present to you, "Mr. Europe 1965".