Tag: pamplona

Pamplona is definitely a city. All day and all night you hear the sounds of horns and sirens and people. I’m looking forward to the day here, but I’m also looking forward to getting back into the country and the quieter places.

This morning’s alarm clock was brought to you by the guy walking down the street yelling at the top of his lungs. That’s OK. It was almost time to get up.

I made a quick coffee and I had a few cookies before heading off for mass. There were not many people out this early. The air was cool. I found the church pretty quick, so I stopped in and had a café con Leche and a pastry. Then I made my way back up to the church.

from the plaque out front: CATEDRAL DE SANTA MARÍA LA REAL — Pamplona Cathedral was built during the 14th and 15th centuries over the remains of a Romanesque church. The neoclassical façade from 1799 is by Ventura Rodríguez and the interior is French Gothic.

It was a full sung, Latin mass. I didn’t understand a word but the bells helped. The sermon lasted about five minutes, and even though I couldn’t understand it, the dean of the cathedral seemed quite passionate.

Located in the center of the cathedral is The Royal Mausoleum with the death statues of Carlos III el Noble and his wife Leonor de Trastamara, Monarchs of Navarre. This sculpture is a unique work of European XVth century sculpture and was carried out between 1413 and 1419 by Jehan Lome de Tournai and his craftsmen.

For those back home in Oklahoma, I found the four Evangelist and identified our favorite.

Coming out of the church, and to the south a bit, you arrive at the Townhall of Pamplona. You can follow this link to read all about the symbolism in the work.

After all that, I was ready for another café con Leche. I found a beautiful little café where I also ordered a baked scallop. I can highly recommend this tasty little treat.

I have less than 3 miles on my feet this morning, but they are already asking to be put back up again, so I headed back to the hotel to find a place to do some laundry. I started to do it myself when the gentleman cleaning the rooms interrupted me and said I could not do that because they were washing the sheets and all of that for the hotel. He said for 5€ he would do it for me and have it to my room by 10 o’clock tonight. I took him up on that offer. I’ll go back out later today, but for now I’m just going to enjoy the quiet.

I made it back out today and just wandered around a bit. I came across a beautiful garden. I had a glass of wine and some tasty little treat that I have no idea what was. If I see something that I’ve never tried before, I’ll give it a day in court. I have not been disappointed yet.

Afterward, I walked until I found a church that was open and stopped to pray my rosary. I timed it so that I would be praying while my church in Oklahoma was celebrating the mass. I think it worked out.

Tomorrow will be my longest walking day yet. Almost 15 miles. I’m going to rest my toes for a bit now and then try and get a good night’s sleep. The weather is supposed to be much cooler tomorrow and probably raining. In my opinion, that makes for good walking weather.

5.2 miles/10,023 steps. I’m not a step closer to Santiago than I was at this time yesterday. The beautiful thing, this is not a race.

Santiago: 438.74 miles to go.

I think it’s from all the downhill walking yesterday, but it feels like someone has inserted hot coals into each of my calves. Stretch. Stretch. Stretch. All shall be well. 

I made it to the top of the most recent hill. There are plenty of them here. As I started my way down I came across all these purple flowers. It struck me that Santiago is still over 450 miles away and that it’s OK to stop and smell the flowers for just a moment. It will not delay my arrival at all.

I have a new found taste for Coca-Cola. After putting in 10 miles it is the most delicious thing on the planet. As I sat there, drinking my ice cold Coca-Cola and visiting with a girl from Canada, who has a love of hockey, I looked over and there was a lady who is walking the Camino with her baby. The girl from Canada and I both felt rather ashamed at being tired. The baby was no more than three or four months old, and the momma was carrying the baby all along the way. I got nothing.

I just saw a sign that said Pamplona is about 8.3 km/5 miles. I said to myself, “Self, that is less than three times around Crosslin Park.” I’ve got to keep moving.

I don’t know how well this will come out, but it is the valley before Pamplona. It is a panoramic shot. Go ahead and say it, “Gorgeous!”

Soon afterward, I came to the church where I said my rosary for today. It was so nice and cool inside. Probably no more than about 40 people could have fit. I’m not quite sure how I got this shot but I thought it came out beautiful.

I have arrived at my hotel in Pamplona. It is the Aloha Hostel. I’m not sure that Aloha is a Spanish word. And, yes, if you thought of the movie, Hostel, when you read the name… So did I!

Now, please do not judge me. I was hungry, I was tired, and I did not want to figure out anything else. It’s also right next-door to my hotel. I had a Pepsi to go with it only because they did not serve Coca-Cola. I ordered the Alabama. When I said, “Alabama,” the girl behind the counter, looked at me and wondered what language I was speaking. I wanted to teach her how to say it properly, maybe the way Boudreaux would have said it, but I just kept my mouth shut and sat down and drank my Pepsi. The next time you’re in Pamplona I can recommend this pizza. I thought all those little yellow things were slices of garlic, but it turns out it was corn. Never had corn on a pizza before. I don’t think that’s American. 🤪

I am now in my room with my shoes and socks off and my pajamas on. It’s only 5:45 PM but I have no intentions of going anywhere else today. I’ve got my window open so I can hear the city below and they can have a beautiful Saturday night, and I will sit here and listen to them enjoying it. Tomorrow I plan on exploring the city. I’ve seen the top of the church here in town and it is amazing. I hope to go to mass there sometime tomorrow morning. That is if I wake up tomorrow morning.

16.5 miles/31,604 steps. Right now the bathroom is about four steps away and that seems like a pretty fair distance.

Santiago: 438.74 miles to go.