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Published: November 1st 2010
Javier and I hopped off the train in the Pamplona station to be greeted by sweet, sweet Paulina. This woman has never met me in my life and knew I was a very distant relative, yet she greeted me with the warmest hug I could have asked for! Right away she linked arms with me and began asking me a question a minute about the train ride, my family, California, Granada, ect. (all in Spanish, mind you!) We walked outside to find adorable Paco waiting in the car with his cute plaid golfer hat. Paulina is my great, great grandmother’s cousin and Paco is her husband.
I felt at home sitting in the backseat with Paulina. She is such a sweetheart! It seemed as if I was riding with my grandparents, or at least relatives a little closer in relation. It was wonderful.
We left the city, as Paulina and Paco have a house in the town of “Bizkarretta” which is about 30 minutes outside of Pamplona. The sun was setting, but I could see the wonderful fall colors that covered each green hillside. I couldn’t wait for daylight when I could really see the true colors of Navarra
Paulina & I
My great, great grandmother's cousin :) Sweetest woman (the province).
Our family name is Erro, and to my surprise, Erro is EVERYWHERE! We were in the Vallley of Erro (valle de Erro), and we passed by the river of Erro (río Erro), the peak of the mountain Erro (Puerto de Erro) and went through the Town of Erro!! Our family must be a big deal in this part of Spain, huh?! Pretty darn cool.
We arrived to Paulina and Paco’s old 1840’s house that they renovated about 30 years ago. It looks like an old French estate! White cement walls and huge wooden plants throughout the house along with nice, old wooden floors—just magical. They have a huge plot of land as well with a lovely garden and nice green field. The house is huge—three stories. They told me that when it was build, the animals lived on the bottom floor, the people lived on the second floor, and the food and grains were stored on the top floor. As you can imagine, it’s massive! The hallways are a bit chilly, but each room that is being used is nice and toasty! Paco had already made a nice hot fire in the fireplace and my bedroom
The house!
Paulina and Paco have kept it up very well--it's beautiful inside and out! was already heated up for my arrival. The life of a princess in a French-style mansion in Bizkarretta!
We sat and talked and talked along side the fireplace until our stomachs rumbled. At about 10pm Paulina prepared a meal for us—I had home-made paella that she had prepared for lunch which was amazing! We also had a nice traditional Spanish soup and fish. I was a bit throw off when Paulina explained they didn’t have much for dessert and then brought out a bowl full of cheese. We munched on our dessert cheese before looking at the Erro Family Tree that Maria (Paulina & Paco’s daughter) had made years ago. The tree is huge! We are a very, very large family and continuously growing! There were pen and pencil marks for the latest generation (my generation!). I’m at the very tippy-top of the tree in blue pen along with all of the MonPere cousins ☺ Now we REALLY are part of the Erro family if we’ve made it on to the tree!
It was getting quite late, around midnight, and Paulina insisted on heating my bed for me. Heating my bed? What does that even mean!? Well, the
Photo 14
View from the font yard! house is FULL of antiques, I mean from corner to corner everything in the house is an antique. So naturally Paulina had this old Brass tool with a handle that is suppose to be filled with hot coals and then used to heat cold sheets! (see the pictures, they’re great!) Paulina went right over to the fireplace and filled the brass thing with red hot coals, carried it up to my room and put it under my covers as I went to prepare for bed. Once I arrived back my sheets were nice and toasty!!
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