Carlos at the Hostal Volante convinced us to use the "Jacotrans" service to carry our backpacks from the hostal to the Hotel Monaco in Los Arcos. He said we would enjoy the walk more. We had heard of the service in Puente La Reina's albergue and a Dutch woman with a bad back who was using a cart, decided to send her luggage that way so that she could go on the regular Camino rather than the highways.
It cost 7 euros per mochila and we were afraid that it might not work, but we were willing to try anything that would make the Camino easier. So we left Estella with our purses and the top fanny pack from my backpack and packed up the backpacks in their duffle bags, labeled them "Hotel Monaco, Los Arcos" attached 15 Euros in a plastic bag and began the Camino.
We first went across the street to a panaderia "PAN" for our normal croissant and cafe con leche. Then we started out, walking for quite some time before we actually left the city. The Camino goes up into the foothills where there are many new houses as well as a brand new albergue. A good place to stay but far from the city center.
Next, we made a short detour to Irache to visit the famous Irache fuente that gives both water and wine. it is attached to the Bodegas irache and we mixed a bottle with water. Very welcome and a stop I wouldn't have missed for the world!
Then were were off on the real Camino, seeing few other peregrinos. We had left Estella at 8:15am (so much for the early start) so all the power walkers were 3 hours into the Camino. The walk today was the best yet because it was flat and hardly mudy at all. One of the first (of very few) towns along the route was Arqueta where we were accosted by the famous Pablito Sanz who said that there was no bar with cafe but that there should be one in two months. He then said he could stamp or credenciales in his house, which he did, and then he showed us a stone marker in his back yard which was supposed to be 800 years old. He took us into his shed so that Fernando could get a scallop shell (I already had one) and he also gave him a "calabaza" or bottle gourd for water. A very nice interesting feature of the road. When we finally got off again, after 20 minutes, Fernando looked even more like El Peregrino than he did before!!
The walk continued up and down, windy with threatening clouds and partial sun. We went to Monjardin and got another stamp on our credencial from the Dutch albergue there. If every walk was like today, there would be no problem with the Camino. Unfortunately there were no towns after Monjardin and I like the small villages.
We arrived in Los Arcos at about 2:20 pm and the streets are narrow with old buildings. We found our Hotel Monaco and WERE NOT IMPRESSED. All because of a very unwelcoming desk manager. She wasn't there to begin with and she did not smile but proceeded to tell us that the last guest had broken the "tapa" del bano (which we later learned was the seat of the toilet) and that they couldn't fix it because today was Saturday but would give us a discuento. Although it is a 3 star hotel it doesn't have phones in the room, doesn't have a 24 hour desk clerk (only 9 am to 8 pm). Si I see no difference between it and a hostal. Supposedly it has a restaurant but when we asked t eat there, she said it was "completo" or full even though there were tables vacant. Obviously it will get a very bad writeup from us in TripAdvisor. The security is also not good since anyone can enter from the street when the reception area is closed.
I went to take a shower and there was only lukewarm water. Fernando complained and the desk lady said you have to wait for the water to travel up to the third floor. She was right. It got hot after you ran it for a time.
There were lots of bars in the town but we had trouble finding a restaurant to eat in. Finally we found La Gargantua which specializes in paella, pizza, and pasta. Fernando naturally ordered the paella and I the menu del dia with an ensalada mixta (lettuce with tomatoes, hardboiled eggs and tuna) piquillos rellenos (red peppers stuffed with meat) and flan for dessert. It was quite good. Naturall we had the house red wine with gaseosa - which is a slightly sweetened seltzer water with lemon flavoring.
After la comida, we came back and took a nap. Then we showered and went to the 8 o'clock mass at the church. The priest was very welcoming (he made up for the hotel) and gave us each a pilgrim blessing and asked where we were from. There are very few Americans. And we got our credencial stamped at the church because I doubt that the Hotel Monaco has even heard of the Camino!!
Now Fernando is washing out his calabaza...
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