Day 6, yesterday, was cold and blustery. It was overcast all day and we got sprinkles a few times. We stayed in a combination Alberque in Uterga. It had the dorm and rooms and dinner. The room we got was very nice. We had a great dinner too. Soup and Paella for a starter and choice of meat for main course. I got octopus cooked Basque style, in it´s ink. It was good. Rob had a breaded pork, ham, cheese and lots of garlic cutlet. We´re not losing weight on this trip, love the food!

We thought we would make a short day of it but the walk to Puenta la Reina was short. There are a few places to see there but as normal, most were closed. We did see the church of St. James. It had tall guilded wall pieces, a kind of backboard that had statues beautifully done behind the alter and in the 2 naves. We crossed the famous bridge and continued toward Cirauqui where we hoped to find a hotel and spend the day. The town is build on roman ruins and in a old circular fashion that culminates at the top with the church. The off season has begun so we were not lucky enough to find lodging there.

We met a group of 3 in the town before. A Spaniard and the Swiss guy Wolfgang were traveling together. Rosemary, from Australia, was walking with them for a while. She is a very fast walker. They had already done 35 km for the day. The men were trying to convince Rosemary to continue to Estella but she was done at Lorca. We made that our stop as well and were very happy to find it.

I have not spent any time describing the landscape. It has changed. There are still hills with ups and downs that challange but it is the gardens and the trees and plants that have been interesting. Dill grows wild everywhere. We are back into the grape vines. They went missing for a while but now food seems more abundant. Olive trees and fig and fruit trees in small orchards. Blackberries line the path but they have long since dried on the vines. The gardens are full of cool weather things like lettuce but still the tomatoes are hanging on, some falling to the ground all red and in need of eating but nobody around to ask so we left them lay.

We stayed in another albergue like yesterday with dorm and rooms but no dinner. We were told to go up the road to the sausage makers house and buy some for dinner. There was some pasta and stuff in the kitchen so we made do with that. Rosemary and I walked to the shop and managed to get a few tomatoes and onion and garlic as well as sausage. We made a sauce of sorts with that and the half a sweet pepper Rosemary had. By the time dinner was done more pilgims arrived so there was 6 for dinner. There was plenty for all, thanks to the perigrino that left the package and a half of spaghettie.

Yesterday was not so bad. It was longer then the day before but not so hard of a walk as the other days. We are getting stronger. We will walk to Estella today and probably spend the night there. It is 9 km from where we are now. There is supposed to be a lot of things to see. I have waved off everyone in the albergue this morning, wishing them all Buen Camino. Rob is up sounding like he has caught a cold, coughing every now and then. I must go pack so that we can get up the road. See you!