Pamplona/Iruña

I decided to take a rest day in Pamplona, and I'm so glad I did! Thunderstorms with lightning were predicted all day, and that's what we had.

I spent a leisurely morning planning out my next few days, which was a relief. Then I set out to explore.

I walked through the Citadel and headed for the spire of the Cathedral de Santa Maria la Real. There were so many stunning side chapels, each with an elaborate gold mantel screen reaching to the soaring stained glass windows. And so much exquisite sculpture! The silver encrusted statue of Mary was placed when the Gothic Cathedral was built, but the baby Jesus in he lap was added much late and is stylistically very different.

After a little more exploring, a downpour came, so I ducked into a bar for lunch. I had a sandwich with lettuce, thinly shaved tomato, shredded carrots, corn, and sliced hard-boiled egg. Different and delicious.

I did some more exploring, including some of Hemingway's favorite haunts. When the rain came again, I sat in a nearby bar to enjoy a delicious lemon soda.rena.
Every day at 6;00 they offer free tours of Iglesia San Saturnino, so I met up with Terry and Vanessa and an Australian mother and son, Priscilla and Sean, for that. San Saturnino used to baptize Christians in a well near where the church was later built, This so enraged the Roman authorities that they put him to death by tying him to the tail of a bull who dragged him all around the arena. Ouch! The church has a statue of Mary with a fun store, too. It belonged to a man from another town. But every time he took it home, it would reappear in the church. Eventually he gifted it to them.

After the tour, our guide led us across the street to a small chapel. A choir of 60 or so gathered to sing just for pilgrims. Their voices filled the small, live room with song. They sang us the Irish blessing May the Road Rise to Meet You. Next was a haunting som
Ng in Spanish and finally Leonard Coen's Alleluia.I was in tears thinking that all these people had given part of their Friday night to bless us!

Next was the Pilgrims' Mass and blessing.Then the five of us went to a funky little place for dinner. There were shops and a produce market, a play area for kids while their parents chatted over drinks, and a wonderful restaurant, We shared cheese croquettes with spinach and walnuts, a stunning cheese plate, leeks with pesto and tomato sauce, and eggplant with goat cheese and walnuts,

I barely made it back to the Albergue Jesus y Maria before they shut the doors at 10. It's in an old church. I'm sleeping in the balcony under the domed ceiling in a cubicle with three others, but I finally got a bottom bunk! I can hear the whispering and snoring of the 120 others staying here, but I'm so tired I know I'll sleep.

Steps: 16,980
Distance: 7.07 milesRead more