Camino del Norte part 2

This week we continue with part 2 of my series on the Camino del Norte. However, before we get to that I present the usual weekly logic puzzle.

Logic Puzzle
 

There is a jewel in exactly one of three boxes. Each has a statement inscribed on the outside of the box. At most, one box has a true statement.

Red: The jewel is in this box.
Yellow: The jewel is not in this box.
Green: The jewel is not in the red box.

Which box has the jewel?

Camino del Norte part 2

At the end of part 1 I spent the night in Pobeña, a very small town on the coast. I forgot to mention last week that when I crossed the Barbadun river, between Playa de Arena and Pobeña, I left the Basque country and entered the province of Cantabria.

 

Day 2 of the Camino del Norte was March 19, 2026. The first six kilometers along the Camino were magnificent. At first, I walked above a cliff alongside the coast. Then I descended and walked on a sandy beach for a while.

 

 

Around noon I came to city of Castro Urdiales. I didn’t know this at the time, but in parts of northern Spain, this particular Sunday was Saint Joseph Day, honoring Joseph, the father (although not in a biological sense I guess) to Jesus. As I understand it, Saint Joseph day is also celebrated as father’s day in Spain.

 

 

This may explain why Castro Urdiales, a pleasant beach city, was especially crowded, especially the restaurants. Even on a good day, it can take a while to get through a meal in Spain where you often have to nag the staff for attention. I’m sure they don’t mean for this to be seen as bad service. Rather, they probably think that service in American restaurants is hurried and pushy. In general, Spain is a chill country where people are not in a rush.

 

 

Getting back to my lunch that day, I found an empty table after checking a few places. A waiter seemed to identify me as a pilgrim, as evidenced by my backpack, and provided more American-style service where he asked what I wanted and delivered the
food to me. That was nice of him. Meanwhile, the locals stood in what could only loosely be called a line to order at the counter.

After lunch, I resumed walking. Like the previous day, I couldn’t find any open albergues so had to get a hotel room. This time it was at a roadside hotel that seemed to cater to highway travelers by car and truck. The hotel restaurant didn’t open for dinner until 9PM, which is not unusual for Spain, where people eat very late compared to Americans. I was too tired to stay up that late so had to settle for toast (what they call tostadas in Spain) in the bar.

The number of pilgrims seen on the Camino my second day was zero. I might remind you I saw only one my first day and wasn’t even sure he was a pilgrim.

In part 3 I will continue my journey to one of my favorite cities on the Camino del Norte – Laredo.

 

 

Logic Puzzle Answer

 

The yellow box contains the jewel.

 

Logic Puzzle Solution

Let’s assume the jewel is in each box, one at a time, and see which statements would be true.

If the jewel were in the red box, then then here is the truthfulness of each inscription.

Red: The jewel is in this box. -- True
Yellow: The jewel is not in this box. -- True
Green: The jewel is not in the red box. -- True

If the jewel were in the yellow box, then then here is the truthfulness of each inscription.

Red: The jewel is in this box. -- False
Yellow: The jewel is not in this box. -- False
Green: The jewel is not in the red box. -- True

If the jewel were in the green box, then then here is the truthfulness of each inscription.

Red: The jewel is in this box. -- False
Yellow: The jewel is not in this box. -- True
Green: The jewel is not in the red box. -- True

We are told at most one statement is true. The only scenario where that is the case is if the jewel was in the yellow box, in which case only the green box has a true statement.