A Special Year Celebrating Ngaire's 60th
Following on from our 310 km Leon to Santiago de Compostela 'introduction to the Camino Frances' in 2018, it was and has been a long held wish for Ngaire to walk the full length of the Camino Frances (refer to the 2018 blog archive). Having established our capability to embark on this adventure, it was only fitting to plan it to coincide with a milestone for Ngaire and none more fitting than the year of her 60th birthday.
It is not my intention here to re-hash our 'whats app' record of the day to day challenges and highlights but to present a more 'geographical' perspective based on the 4 provinces the Camino Frances traverses. I hope to best do this over 4 blogs with a photographic expose' to highlight the variations of the countryside we were privileged to experience.
Navarra - 9 days from Saint Jean Pied de Port (France) to Logrono. Basque Country
The fiercely independent indigenous Basque's go way back before the Spanish and French nations were established. Their national boundary includes the mountainous border regions of both countries and extends into North Eastern Spain. The Basques who inhabit Spain speak Spanish and Basque, one of the oldest European languages, with their French counterparts speaking their 2 languages. This is the only difference between the two. The Basque national language, cultural practices, social norms and community structures are one and the same along with the a unwavering determination to keep it that way. There is no border for the Basques.
A very small example of this was my encounter with a father and son who I asked to confirm our correct way heading to the Spanish named Basque village of Valcarlos on our first day. The son, amusingly, indicated we were heading in the right direction with his father muttering to correct me using the Basque name of Luzaide.
The Navarra Province, with the predominance of the Pyrenees mountain range, is obviously extremely mountainous. What was surprising to us was how extensive this prevailed through the whole of the province. In fact this applies to most of the Northern region of Spain with the exception of the Maseta (photos will define) once having climbed the plateau that it traverses.
