Another spectacular day on the Camino. The terrain was easier today, less mountainous. I didn’t say no hills and valleys, just fewer! We walked through acres and acres of wheat fields. We now know where they get the flour for all this great bread we’re eating.
Dark clouds threatening all day. No rain…of course, because we now own two backpack rain covers. The wild and domestic flowers are everywhere and it seems everyone has a healthy garden. Jeff picked his first cherry from a tree—it was hanging over the road. Is that still technically stealing?? He ate the evidence so I think he’s safe. Saw the cutest herd of spotted Shetland ponies. Several colts too.
We came upon these steps adjacent to a county picnic area near Irotz. They go on, and on, and on around the corner outside the photo…
This is Daniel below. He provides refreshments in exchange for donations to a local children’s charity. I asked him if he lived nearby and he quickly and clearly told me “No! I’m from the Basque Country.” That is part of Spain… but not if you’re Basque! Interestingly, Daniel lives in Gooding, Idaho during much of the year. A small town, coincidently, where my Mother was born. He told us he worked for the Forest Service for years in Utah, as well.
We crossed a river into the small town of Villava, founded in 1184. We stopped just up the street at the outdoor Paradise Café for sodas and the most interesting sandwich(?) made of bread, eggs, potatoes, Italian salami, goat cheese, and roasted red peppers. The best food is always in these tiny cafes!
We came alongside this citadel wall and crossed the drawbridge into Old Town Pamplona. Can you see the tiny Jeff in the lower left corner? The walls were started in the 13th century and finished about 300 years later. Originally the area was a winter camp for the Roman Legions in 75 BC under General Pompey. Because of the strategic value of the area, Romans and later Spaniards built the walls.
Our hotel is just inside the walls and on the Running of the Bulls route. Jeff is nervous, but we haven’t seen a single bull in town tonight—they won’t show up until early July and then they generally only run about 15 mph…
This Pamplona Cathedral in the images below was built in 1124 and is the cornerstone of one of the city squares.
