July 9, 2014 -- Puente la Reina, Spain

Well, only 433 miles left to walk. I left Zariquiegui at about 7 am and arrived here at Puente la Reina (Queen's Bridge) a bit after noon following an 8.5-mile leisurely stroll. This place is called Queen's Bridge, supposedly because the queen doña Mayor, wife of King Sancho III, had the bridge constructed so pilgrims could cross the Arga river with dry feet instead of fording it. That's one legend, and I've chosen to believe it, but I've learned that there are other stories about its construction. However the bridge got built, it's still there, and I will cross it tomorrow on my way out of town. Here's what it looks like.

When I started off this morning, it was drizzling rain and cold. The first 2.5 kilometers were uphill to the top of a ridge that is lined with wind turbines. Those things are noisier than I had imagined. From there on, the path was mostly downhill with a few short climbs. I walked through several villages, all of which looked as if they had been buolt hundreds of years ago, and they probably were. Here is a photo of the plaza of one of the villages. Yes, the Camino leads through that arch.

Compared with some of the other people I have met on the Camino, I have been very lucky to have no medical problems. One Canadian woman who has ended up in the same refuge as I for the past several nights, was bit on the ankle  by a tick, and now that ankle is swollen. She saw a doctor after we arrived here today and was given several injunctions, and the doctor also put braces on both of her knees. A couple from Seattle, whom I saw every evening until today, was unable to start this morning. She is in an ankle brace, and he has what seems to b a case of food poisoning. Others are limping and sporting bandages on their legs and feet. However, I imagine that others with whom I started are miles ahead of me.

The question I get asked over and over is "how old are you?"  People find it incredible that someone in his 70s is doing the Camino.