Spain
Pamplona

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    • Day 5–6

      Day 4 - Pamplona, Spain

      September 22 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

      451 miles to Santiago

      It’s fiesta day in Pamplona- crowds of loud, happy people strolling along the streets. We followed the music to a small square where neighbors gathered. The two energetic singers started a ‘national pride’ song, and many locals jumped up and started dancing and laughing together. Parades with dancers and bands marched by. Our little room is above a town square- we’ll see how the night goes.
      To stay in ‘pilgrim housing’ along the way, we need to have a stamp book. We need one or two stamps each day to show we walked the entire Camino, and then will receive a certificate in Santiago. Pilgrim housing is less expensive and often includes bunk rooms. We have found many hostels have a private room, which we book. We can enjoy the dinner and an evening together with other pilgrims, but have our own room.
      We’re in the Old City of Pamplona, where Bill stayed and worked many days. I’ve included a picture of the old walls surrounding the present day city.
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    • Day 19

      In Pamploma, another muddy day!

      April 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

      We are in Pamplona, a walk of 22 kms, but it was quite an effort. Today it wasn’t the slithery downhill, but the constant mud after 4 days of wetness…you just have to be so careful and slow. Yesterday we didn’t get to Zubiri till about 4.30-5, and today we arrived in Pamplona at about 3.30 having started at 8.30….long days, and we are both quite weary and happy to have a non walking day tomorrow.

      We are having fun, but I hope the promised sunny weather starts tomorrow…it was supposed to clear up this afternoon, but it was still drizzling when we came back from eating just now. Anyway, the day started well and fairly easily, track ok and quite easy…but soon the narrow muddy paths became prevalent. We stopped for a break at about 11 and had a Spanish tortilla (sort of frittata, not Mexican tortilla) . At a chapel along the way a man was telling us of a better route into Pamplona where you deviated from the Camino and on to a wide concrete path along the river instead of going up the hills along yet another muddy path…sounded good, and we looked out for where to find it…Amr was a little nervous of going off the True Path and getting lost, but I was adamant that we should try, and we found it and were so happy! But sadly I think we left it a bit early - there was a camino looking sign that pointed to Santiago and we took that and found ourselves in some outer suburbs and boring industrial area…we persisted and finally Amr turned on Google maps to direct us…we knew there must be another 5 kms or so to go and there was. Funnily we ran into an English couple we had chatted to earlier and they had taken the conventional path and we found it had joined up with us. They said they had seen us from the high muddy path and were jealous and wondered how we got there!! Walked with them till they went into a shop for provisions, and Google took us another way, direct to the hotel, and we entered Pamplona a completely non camino way…we got to the walls - so high and daunting for our weary legs, and saw there was a glass lift to the top!! So we took that and found ourselves quite close to the bull ring which is not far at all from the hotel..so all was well and we have settled into this very comfy room, Amr took all our clothes to the laundromat, we have cleaned off the worst of the mud on our boots discreetly in the bath tub, but they still look dirty!

      Then we ventured out, had a wine and pintxos, and more and a huge salad at another place where we have been before - everyone out on a Saturday night but I think we are hitting the sack. Not a lot of photos today, too busy watching our step, but the countryside is still so lovely, and we are seeing our crops of wheat about 6 inches tall and lovely green fields…just what we hoped to see on a spring camino!
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    • Day 20

      Sunday in Pamploma

      April 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      Got up leisurely today, had breakfast at about 9 in our very perfect Hotel Europa. In the evening the dining room is a Michelin star restaurant. Then we went out wandering rather than walking! Found the Camino, and where to walk out tomorrow - always a bit tricky exiting at city, then walked to the cathedral, tried to find where we should have walked in yesterday, and generally enjoyed the ambience and the good weather.

      It finally is fine, with a few clouds, but there is a breeze which feels it is coming from the snow on the mountain tops. It was about 7° and we needed all our layers. We hadn’t counted on quite so much cold, (though not complaining!) and need to wear all we have! I think I am the only person in Pamplona wearing sandals with socks - the only alternative to my walking shoes which are drying from being washed…(though still look filthy!). And my feet are so comfy…We had a coffee and ColaCao at the Hemingway cafe in the plaza.

      So we walked round the walls - each time we come here we discover new things…we found a path just outside the walls which are so huge and still intact…a medieval army would have had trouble penetrating this city! Very pretty with the leaves budding, and we finally found the entrance we should have taken yesterday when entering as pilgrims, via the Puerta Magdalena, and over a drawbridge. We bought 2 jamon and cheese half baguettes, one to share for lunch, and one is wrapped up and in our room fridge for lunch on the walk tomorrow.

      In the afternoon I sat in the plaza - there are so many seats for people to sit and watch the world go by… families with children playing, dogs, and cafes around the edge. I read my kindly while Amr had a bit of a walk - thought he may go to the museum of Navarra, but it closed at 2…so while we were sitting in the plaza we heard a band and lots of noise, and a procession of a jazz band came in surrounded with people waving tinsel-decorated umbrellas and dancing - attracting even more people, and they stopped by the rotunda and played and the crowd started dancing, and more joined them…a very happy scene. (In 2013 we saw spontaneous dancing in the plaza too, but this was different!). Then the band marched on and stopped in another plaza - we followed them and watched - the musicians were dressed in suits - but then after the next round of music they were all given a beer from the nearby bar…a fun Sunday afternoon experience! Amr has made a 10 second video which may show the ambience.

      Now just back from dinner. Before we ate we had another walk through the park, which looked over the “moat” where they have deer, peacocks, geese, chooks all wandering round…and we walked around another section of these massive walls and into the citadel area, which is now a park. Just beautiful! We found a great eatery where you could just choose dishes, not have the menu del dia, which entails 3 courses. Highlight was an octopus dish. Now back, clean and sorted for the morning’s departure. It will be about 23 kms I think, but it should be fine weather and we are ready for it!
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    • Day 5

      Zubiri to Pamplona

      May 8, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

      Slept pretty well considering I had a fuckin church bell chiming 3 times an hour right next to me. Brekkie at 7, started walking at 8. Weather ideal again,.overcast with bits of sunshine. Took the river route into Pamplona which took longer but was great. Hotel really good. Heading out to meet the others at Cafe Iruña on the main square which is really close. It'll be the last night we're all together as we'll all be staying in different places.Read more

    • Day 10

      Day 6: Pamplona rest day

      May 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

      A little break from the Camino today partly to rest up for tomorrow’s long day up and down a mountain. I was happy to get some extra sleep and see some of the sights.

      1. I had to rely on Google a bit more here - this part of the city definitely isn’t built on a grid. More more interesting visually, though!
      2. A few Art Nouveau touches here and there. Be sure to zoom in on the interior of this pharmacy.
      3. and 4. From the Museo del Navarre
      5. The bust of Hemingway outside of the Plaza de Toros. I was surprised to see that it isn’t a full statue complete with muscular thighs. Machismo to spare here!
      6. 7. 8. 9. Details from around the city. 6. Is a type of knocker I’ve seen a lot here but this is an especially nice one. (Insert joke here.)
      10. I suck at selfies but look who I found! I’m very happy to have my friend Angela as a companion for the next couple of weeks. We have already started doing our part to support the dairy industry of Spain.
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    • Day 7

      Walking under the stars

      August 19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      Started early today, out on the street by 6:00.
      Stopped and appreciated the Spanish stars! Much better day today with the early start, I got my 18km under my belt by 10:40 and have just wandered around Pamplona until I can check in.Read more

    • Day 7

      Walk to Pamplona

      September 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

      A little bit of everything today, including wooded paths along the river, inclines out in the open, cafes for pilgrims, and of course the streets of Pamplona, beginning with the ancient Puenta de Magdalena.

      All the right parts of us were either full or empty when we started out (😉), which helped us make good time. Got a little cocky thinking we had shaved an hour off the walk and then realized we had only arrived at essentially a suburb of Pamplona and had another hour to go. Still, we got to the city in time for the back end of the lunch scene. I resisted getting yet another jamon y queso, opting for other pintxos (tapas, in Basque) instead.

      It's hard to want to walk around a hilly city when you've spent 13 mi on your feet to get there but we saw a few key sites, got our pilgrim stamp and enjoyed *una copa de vino tinto, por favor* at Ernest Hemingway's hang. Apparently, our tiny hotel room overlooks the street where the bulls run, so we're glad to see it but not be here when that happens!
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    • Day 14

      Rest day in Pamplona

      September 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      It was wonderful this morning to wake up knowing we could have a lie in and rest our slightly tired legs even though they have a long way to go!
      We had a late breakfast , pastries cafe con leche and a freshly squeezed orange juice which they do beautifully over here. Then it was find a laundromat and let the men set to work. Lee took over the laundry duties where he was making new friends in the laundromat as you do.
      Jane Brian and I walked the old walls and city of Pamplona , visited a slightly strange art exhibition and enjoyed a quiet Sunday morning strolling through the parks and streets .
      We all then went to a famous Pamplona cafe Iruna where Earnest Hemmingway wrote his books and its a totally beautiful cafe. We decided to splurge out on a $50.00 per person 3 course meal with 2 bottles of Spanish wine. So after a long lunch enjoying the food wine and ambience it was decided we had to find an Irish bar to watch the Aus Fiji game. After walking for 30 minutes we finally found the bar to discover that they would not be playing the rugby! Big sighs all round but managed to get back to the hotel to find a bar just along and where Brian persuaded the bar men to change the channel from Football to rugby!
      What a game and in the end most of the bar were watching it with us!
      Now it's early bed with a 25 km walk tomorrow and quite a climb ahead. All in happy spirits. Buen camino
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    • Day 7

      King in the castle ooh la la

      March 29 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

      I've felt strange not walking today, which is an example of how worryingly quickly we adapt to situations.

      I was in two minds about staying an extra night, but discovering an unexpected bath on check in pulled me right out of that.

      As a result of the LIES I have a bunch of provisions I don't want to carry tomorrow so I've been diligently working my way through, from the bathtub and the bed. It's hard work but it's honest, you know?
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    • Day 8

      Pamblona rest day!!! ❤️

      April 18 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

      Nice, but long day. There are four bridges from Mideaval times and we walked across one of them. Entrance into the inner city is across a draw bridge. We stayed in a hotel near the Cathedral and took a rest day as well. We had dinner with a Laine, spent time in the beautiful Cathedral. We had a beautiful rest day. We also went to Mass, saw the Bull Ring. It would be great to be back for running of the bulls. Thankful for the rest day.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Pamplona, بنبلونة, Горад Памплона, Памплона, Iruñea, Pamplono, Iruña, پامپلونا, Pampelune, פמפלונה, Պամպլոնա, PNA, パンプローナ, პამპლონა, 팜플로나, Pompaelo, पाम्पलोना, Pampalona, Памплонæ, Pampeluna, 31001, இருனியா, ปัมโปลนา, Lungsod ng Iruñea, 潘普洛納

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