Puente la Reina>Estella 

Alternate title: Where’s a legume when I need one!

Up and out early, it was a great walk today! Rolling hills, 90% wheat, 10% olive and grape. Met a pilgrim waking with 10 dogs! (He was walking to promote a leash law issue in Spain, he also had a support van meeting him every couple hours to help keep dogs hydrated) Got to pet a very cool yellow lab for a few minutes. I also met a Korean pilgrim walking barefoot! He walked with a huge walking stick, more like a walking log, and was moving incredibly slow. He said he has to stop and rest a lot. It was humbling to see what he was doing! I got in the mood for some music and plugged in my headphones for a while. The 13 miles went by fast, my feet are still sore, but feeling stronger each day. It was high 80s and no shade on the trail. A lot like Ohio summer. I know that well! I never pass up a font and probably had 4L of water by the end of the day. I grazed through the morning having a couple bananas an apple and a quarter loaf of bread. Most pilgrims have a baguette protruding from their pack somewhere. I was almost surprised when I walked into Estella, I was expecting a longer walk. €25 got me pension with a private bath and a balcony overlooking Plaza de Santiago! I showered and washed my clothes for tomorrow and went looking for sustenance. At restaurant San Juan I ordered the €12 pilgrim menu and was served at least 5 cups of paella with chicken and whole shrimp, a head on pan fried trout, an amazingly salty (and awesome) pork chop, French fries, bread, a jug of water, a glass of wine, and flan for dessert. I ate everything but the French fries and half the flan. I didn’t know the literal translation of “pilgrims menu” is “stuff to point of explosion”. It was awesome, it was worth it. I waddled back to the pension for a nap. I got up and did a little sightseeing, I stopped at a spa catering to peregrinos for a €5 foot soak. My feet have been mush since I started the Camino, they are feeling a lot better now! The people is Estella are very kind and taking great care of me!