on the way to Pamplona and in earnest Puente La Reina

The joy of ripe rosehips.

Where today? Heaven not hell

Manufacturing in the valley

Sore mill no excuse

As an arrow, young, points ahead

I ask if I don't move will it cease?

Or walk-on not knowing

And non-stop

Pushed and pulled; apart

Argued, not agreed

Divided inside and outside

When there is only within.

***

Day three begins in earnest, after a proper scrambled egg, ham, cheese, yogurt, croissant, OJ and coffee(€6) with one bottle Vichy Catalan(€2): bliss! Leaving Pamplona which I don't recall from 2013 at all. But what day is it? It's now. But could also be considered Friday in Pamplona - which should be avoided as though the plague is sweeping the land and the four horsemen have full saddlebags.

Nearing Puente La Reina and I recall nothing of passing here in 2013 and I probably wasn't here although my body, and a very heavy sack, was. Where my mind was is anyone's guess.

A wee lassie from England said I would drink that water as I scooped to try a trickle from a fuente... what had it to do with her... 

A wee laddie from Pais Vasco sells limonada going up the hill into Obanos and I am travelling back to 1987, PASCAL and writing the code to the lemonade stall on those very old computers in Information Technology at Craigie Senior High(pulled down). Everything hurts so that juice was a sweet solution on this parched path.

...

Finally I recall. I bought a pendant coming into Puente La Reina and a lad took a knackered bicycle up to the turbines, as you go up but to come back down, and I obviously recall the Albergue, which was €6 and is now €9.

...

But that was an extremely stupidly long day, hot and exhausting day ... I've spotted at least two peregrinos who haven't walked the complete way? I may be wrong? Perhaps there was a shortcut from the hilltop to Puente La Reina... a taxi, the modern equivalent of hoping on a cart heading this way. It's difficult for some I guess(and only they will know and me as they look at me then guiltily away - something I could also do if I wasn't walking for charity!!!

As the canaries whistle and trill above Bar Aloa I am enjoying a well deserved vino blanco. Day three is done!

Donations gratefully received!