Los Arcos

Sorry for the delay in posting new info, but as I mentioned earlier, sometimes I'm just too tired. Plus there is a fair bit to get organized at night.
There is always hand wash to do as you don't have many clothing items. For example 3 pairs of underwear and 3 pairs of socks were the recommended quantity.
I have managed to lose one pair of underwear, my hairbrush, and one of my water bottles. The reason for this is not my encroaching senility as I'm sure some of you are thinking, but rather it is due to the fact that in the morning, you sometimes have to pack everything in the dark if people are still sleeping. Everyone is usually kicked out by 8:00, but I like to leave early.
I may have to break down and buy a new brush, but everything is super expensive (euro), so I have tried to limit expenditures. The ones I have made have been expensive disasters.
For instance I realized I couldn't do any more going down hills without knee wraps, so I stopped at a pharmacy on the outskirts of Pamplona and bought a pair of knee wraps/supports at 26 euro for each one - that´s about $90 - I think I saw the same ones in the dollar store before I left home. I also managed to spend 10 euro on what I thought were blister bandages, but one of the Spanish women pointed out that they were for removing callouses.
My feet are actually not as painful as they were. but there is lots of doctoring at night, and all kinds of padding and bandaging in the morning. I'm not the only one - everyone does foot care at night.
So, evenings consist of taking a shower (first thing), then washing your clothes (there are little clothes lines in front of the balconies), writing in your journal (everyone seems to keep one) and repacking and organizing your backpack for the morning so you can make an early start - then going out for a meal with a group.
All stops on the Camino have places with a pilgrim menu - I think I may have mentioned that before. They are 3 courses, an appetizer of soup, spaghetti or salad, a main course of beef, chicken or fish - always with fries - no vegetable, and desert is yogurt or fruit or sometimes flan (creme caramel - sort-of) and wine and bread.
Sometimes if the Albergues have a kitchen, you can buy something and cook it. I haven't done that yet, but I will from time to time.
You also need to try and scout out a little store for supplies for the next day as you have to supply your own lunch or breakfast. And you don't usually find places on the road; plus you want to limit how long you stop.
It's hard to find the right stuff to take each day, unless you always want to eat bread and cheese. I try and rest every 2 hours for 10 minute and eat something, whether I feel like it or not.
Today was yogurt in the morning, some crackers with jam, more yogurt at my first stop, a can of sardines and some bread for lunch - with a little tomato. And for the third day in a row, all the fresh figs I could eat from trees by the road side - Yum!!
I was hoping to find raw almonds to snack on, as they are a great energy snack, but although they grow here, the ones in the supermarket are all heavily salted.
You can only buy food for one day at a time as it is crucial that you don't add any excess weight to your backpack.
Today I lunched under a tree with Jackie from Quebec, and Aude from Belgium. It was very hot today - about 23 C -and no shade.
I had very bad day earlier in the week (probably why you didn't hear from me).
It was raining slightly, which made the rough stony road so slippery. There was a lot of down hill over very rough stones, and my knees and toes were just screaming. It was so painful and scary as well, as the inclines were so steep. I fell 3 times. Fortunately I fell backwards in all cases, due to the weight of my pack, and it also cushioned my fall.
I'm trying very hard to just live in the moment on these long walks, enjoy the wonderful scenery, and quit saying to myself, "Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet? ..." (very inappropriate pilgrim behaviour.)
I've even quit hoping that I get a lower bunk at night, because you just can't ask to change (pilgrims must be grateful for everything they get). I found this out when I was assigned a top bunk and asked if I could change to a lower.
Last night in the dorm, someone was snoring so loudly that a few people went out in the hall and slept on the floor. I have ear plugs for this, but for some strange reason, I feel like I can't breathe when I have them in (Yes, OK, I do know the difference between my nose and my ears.).
Today I am posting this from a place called Los Arcos.
I got in early enough today (2:00) that my laundry may have a hope of drying. Normally it doesn't dry overnight, so many people leave the inn in the morning with socks and underwear and T-shirts pinned to the back of their back packs so that that they can dry in the sun.
I have to go now and think about tomorrow's route. It can be either 30 k or 20 k.
I'll probably let my feet make the decision. Today was fairly easy walking, given that even when the guide book says it is flat, there is no such thing.
So far, so good!