Blogs from Pamplona, Navarre, Spain, Europe - page 2

The problem is where to start! There are so many cool things happening here. it's hard to figure out at what point to start describing what I have been experiencing. I suppose the most interesting part is the variety of people .. Thousands come out and walk the streets between 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock.mostly young men and woman but also couples , families and the elderly. The restaurants aren't open until 8 o'clock though :( . The Plaza de Castillo has many cafes that are outside with tables under umbrellas which is crowded by 5 o'clock with people drinking talking , people watching other people and having a good time. I suppose the cafes are there as a warm up until the resturants open ? If so very clever . My hostal is one street ... read more

Aujourd'hui nous prenons la route pour repasser la frontière franco-espagnole. Mais nous ne restons pas sur notre faim en nous arrêtant à Puente de la Reina, où une petite ruelle semble pleine de monde. Il doit se passer quelque chose dans ce village. Nous nous trouvons donc un parking et nous dirigeons vers cette petite rue : plus un chat ! quelques mètres plus loin nous découvrons pourquoi : l'église se trouve dans cette rue et en y entrant nous constatons que se célébrent les premières communions. Après quoi nous continuons à longer la rue pour arriver au pont des pèlerins... En effet, nous retrouvons pas mal de pèlerins dans ce coin également. Pampelune : toute une aventure... mais nous sommes arrivés à trouver à un bon quart d'heure du centre une place pour nous garer ... read more

Saturday and it is time to move on from France saying ‘Au Revoir’ for now ,because we will be back four more times before the BBA V3 comes to an end, and into Spain where we express a welcome of ‘Hola’. As predicted the day has dawned fine and sunny and already at breakfast the outside temperature is 18C quite remarkable considering this time yesterday it was in mid single digits. Just what has made the temperature turn around so dramatically is unclear as we haven’t been able to see a weather situation chart for a day or two but we guess the wind has turned more southerly and that was having the warming effect. It was time now to bring out the security chains and padlocks as we have read that unsavoury characters in Spain ... read more

25 August 2015, Tuesday Exploring Pamplona and picking up the Camino through the city that we had bypassed to get to our Apartment with Inigo and Ines. Inigo and Ines stayed in the apartment so Harlan is up early and starts breakfast for everyone: peppers, cucumbers, poached eggs, toast, fried onions and ham. Inigo has taken the next two days off work so we can do things with them. The first item after breakfast is to pickup the backpack from the repair shop. The repair is beautifully done and the backpack will now last the entire camino, I am sure. Next on the agenda is the SIM card for my phone so I can make local calls in Spain. I go to the first MOVISTAR cell phone shop across from the restaurant Bodegon Sarria and wait ... read more

Sunday, August 23. Akerreta to Pomplona - GPS 12.5 miles, 4 hour 30 minutes walking time. Duration 7 hours. Plaza de Castillo Fitbit. Miles 12.14. 27,782 steps Stairs 58 floors I open the shutters to a beautiful day. Across the camino path, in front of another lodging, pilgrims are being led in exercises before their group starts out. Actually it is a very basic and thorough stretch class and I participate from our room. As we leave the hotel several groups of pilgrims (Peregrinos) are walking by as they have stayed in Zubiri or Larasoana. We take a photo of the patio area where the scene from The Way of the four main characters coming together is filmed. Just down the path a Basque farmer - perhaps the father of the family that operates the hotel ... read more