After a wonderful weekend in Barcelona (more about that in a separate post), we are currently on a 4 hour train ride from Barcelona to Pamplona.  From Pamplona, we will take a taxi to Roncesvalles to begin the walk.   Ironically, we will be walking back toward Pamplona and are planning to stay there on Tuesday night.  Funny to think that a 45 minute taxi ride (about 30 miles) will take almost 2 full day of walking!

Probably because we are on a train, I can't help but think about Springsteen's song "Land of Hope and Dreams."  In 1999 when we lived in Barcelona, we attended Springsteen's first concert with the E Street Band since breaking up the band in 1988.  At that concert, he debuted "Land of Hope and Dreams" as his closing song.  For those of you not familiar with this song, the lyrics include:

Grab your ticket and your suitcase, thunder's rolling down this track
Well, you don't know where you're going now, but you know you won't be back
Well, darling, if you're weary, lay your head upon my chest
We'll take what we can carry, yeah, and we'll leave the rest

Well, big wheels roll through the fields where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

I will provide for you and I'll stand by your side
You'll need a good companion now for this part of the ride
Yeah, leave behind your sorrows, let this day be the last
Well, tomorrow there'll be sunshine and all this darkness past

Well, big wheels roll through fields where sunlight streams
Oh, meet me in a land of hope and dreams

Well, this train carries saints and sinners
This train carries losers and winners
This train carries whores and gamblers
This train carries lost souls

I said, this train, dreams will not be thwarted
This train, faith will be rewarded
This train, hear the steel wheels singing
This train, bells of freedom ringing

Yes, this train carries saints and sinners
This train carries losers and winners
This train carries whores and gamblers
This train carries lost souls

I said, this train carries broken-hearted
This train, thieves and sweet souls departed
This train carries fools and kings thrown
This train, all aboard

I said, now this train, dreams will not be thwarted
This train, faith will be rewarded
This train, the steel wheels singing
This train, bells of freedom ringing

From what I have read, you could probably substitute the Camino for Springsteen's train.  Our friends Dewey and MJ hiked the Camino last year.  One of Dewey's favorite parts of the hike was the cast of characters that he met along the way.  I'm quite sure we will be meeting saints, sinners, losers, winners,  fools, kings, thieves, lost souls and perhaps even some whores and gamblers (?!) on this trip!