Day 2: Roncesvalles - Villava
Ivan Blanco
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My second day of the St. James Way started a bit earlier than the day before, after wishing the best to the amazing Vicente (see Day 1 Part 2) my initial plan was to at least reach Pamplona or nearby.
Departing Roncesvalles with a tree full path, I really started to enjoy the beauty of nature without the steepness of the day before. My new first encounter was in Bizkarreta, where I met Jose and he recommended me a great place to eat in Zubiri.
I managed to reach this town around lunch time and I found Jose and his son Carlos who were actually from Sabadell and touring the region to sell trousers for chasing. It was a nice experience to meet people outside the Camino and the food was awesome.
Bumpy downhills of Zubiri
Unfortunately, that was also when in realised that I lost my French phone, it could have been lost anywhere between Roncesvalles and Zubiri, a 26 km path with many bumpy downhills. Therefore the Camino had already taken something from me on the second day.
Third recommendation for the Camino: buckle up your important gear thoroughly.
I almost wanted to stay in Zubiri, but the day was still long and I wasn't expecting to find my phone in the wilderness (it didn't give any tone when calling).
Alfred and I
Forgetting my loss, I went down to Villava through one of the most beautiful and funniest paths of my Camino. I had chosen this town to avoid the crowd in Pamplona and meet people easier. That's where I met Alfred, my dorm neighbour with whom I quickly started to connect with stories and places we've visited. We had a great basque dinner and beers and I continued my photo project with him.
It actually was more like meeting an old friend again and I'm glad of every moment we've spent together: Ich wünsche dir ein tollen Camino Alfred!