Blessed by 99 year old Priest

Today our destination is Estella. We decided to treat ourselves to a B & B with A/C! We got there early enough to drop off our bags and walk around town with a lighter load.

As we were walking towards the Camino Route with our light packs and sticks an older man sitting in a car, said ‘Buen Camino’ to us. We walked closer to him, and he shared a bit of his story with us;
He first walked the Camino in May of 1952, 64 years ago. We told him that was the year we were born. Then he told us he is 99 years old now, and how much the Camino has changed over the years. He said he is a Catholic Priest and lives in an apartment by the fountain in the ‘old district’ on the Camino. He watches Pilgrims pass by daily and prays for them as they pass by. I asked him if he would give us a blessing before we left. I think that made his day- it certainly was special for us! We don’t think many people actually stop to talk to him. He was very happy to bless us and have his picture taken with me.

The sights we saw in Estella- the Church of San Pedro de la Rua, the Palicio de los Reyes de Navarra- (the Medieval Royal Palace), the fountain in the old city square, and we walked to the very famous Fuente de Vino and the Monastery by the Bodegas Irache winery. At the wine font, you can fill your water bottle with either wine or water. We tasted the wine and filled with water. There is a sign there that translated says:
Pilgrim, if you want to arrive in Santiago with strength and vitality drink a mouthful of this great wine and overflow with happiness!

Tomorrow on to Navarrete!