Leaving the Pyrenees behind

Yesterday was the day of the patron saint of Jaca, Santa Orosia. We arrived just as the procession was ending, which meant we arrived just as the drinking was starting. It was a festive afternoon. We ate lunch in a vegetarian restaurant, then spent some time washing clothes, etc, and finally took a walk around in early evening.  We knew there would be outdoor concerts all night and fireworks at midnight, so when we went to bed we had to choose between fresh air and more noise or closed window and less noise. We took the latter choice, and I slept all night. Lee slept less well. 

By 6:30 today (Friday) we were on the road again. We had a 25 km day to the tiny town of Arres, where there is a donativo albergue. This means that it is staffed by a volunteer hospitalero, who cleans and makes us dinner and breakfast. We leave a "donativo", the amount that we choose to give. That concept throws a lot of Americans for a loop, but I now get it, I think. Just pay it forward.  Last night's peregrinos left money to pay for your stay, so you do the same for tomorrow's. 

The walk more or less paralleled the national highway, but they did a great job of keeping us off road. We were either on a path along the river (on the right side of the highway) 

or on a path along the hillside (on the left side of the highway). 

And the towns were very well placed, since we had a coffee break town about 15 kms from our starting point. 

The last three kms were up a hill through scrub oak, always with view in the distance of the disappearing Pyrenees. The town is very pretty. 

We are now in town, perched on a ledge in town sipping a cold beer, icing my shins, and gazing out at the fields and mountains below.