Estella

I lie and doze off on the side of an old stone bridge. It takes a while before I realise that the black dots at the periphery of my vision are not imagination but flies, small black flies. The bridge crosses Rio Saldo, and was built during the Middle Ages for the pilgrims. Today is a slow day. The walking feels tougher and I am a little tired. The trail goes along old Roman roads through the Navarran wine country. The old bridge is a natural resting place, lots of pilgrims stay for a while, I leave in company of Christof, Barbara and Philip (reservations for the spelling) whom I walk with towards Estella. Philip is actually one of the people who's table I joined for my first pilgrim meal in Roncesvalles.

Today is the first day that I have noteworthy problems with my feet. There are still the slight irritations from the sandals, but worse is that my right foot started to hurt somewhere after the bridge like as if I'd sprained it. I wrapped it with elastic bandage and hope it will get better tomorrow.

A slow evening stroll lets us experience Estella. Beginning with a well appreciated coffee break we continue with a visit to the not as local as we would have hoped supermercado, then through an antique market in the streets and the evening is rounded of just sitting on a bench on the town square for a while. It is relaxing to watch the people at the square. It is full of hustle and bustle but no one seems to rush, no hurry. Both yesterday and today, we have found nice places to dine, yesterday there where hotel buffet on the pilgrim menu and today it was a tasty and plentiful meal, with cerveza for a change.

It has grown dark and the fourth day of the hike draws to a close.

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