Day 7 (Camino II): Puente la Reina to Estella

It is a relief to see Ian and Liz having a leisurely breakfast only a block away as we leave Puente la Reina. We have been worried that they might slip on wet rocks on the way down here yesterday. As it is the last day of their mini Camino this time, we bid goodbye and promise to look them up when we visit Ireland. By the way, where is the darn bridge if the town is named Bridge of the Queen (wife of Sancho III)? Well, it is at the far end of the town, and most pilgrims, if they know about it at all, would see it the first time as they leave.  I keep looking back to admire the 12th century bridge.




Puente la Reina: Leaving through Calle Mayor. One of the gates used during a bull run on right. 

Puente la Reina: medieval pilgrim bridge and its namesake town

We have all the elements of a beautiful morning - a pleasant weather, interesting and varied scenery,  charming towns, and good company, most notably a Korean lady doing the Camino by herself. She is one of those young people taking an extensive time off work to come here, and now has met two other single women from her country, so they are now walking together.

White cliffs? Dover? What country am I in? What planet am I on?

What a waste. Figs on the pavement, just outside Maneru.

Cirauqui: Stunning as it comes into view. Reminiscent of Toledo.

Cirauqui: deserves another shot. Vines and olive trees in front.

Cirauqui: Surrounding countryside

Cirauqui: a house facade

The scenery and towns in the afternoon are somewhat monotonous but there is still enough interesting stuff, as there always is on the Camino. We stop for a late lunch at an albergue in Lorca and unexpectedly find a Korean proprietor who is married to a local man. Koreans are definitely an increasing presence on the Camino, but this must be a rarity. Chisoon is doing well enough to not share a taxi ride at this point while a French-Canadian lady who's been struggling is thinking about it.

An old Roman road as we exit Cirauqui

A world map seen after Cirauqui looks pretty accurate. No doubt they don't want any pilgrims upset about their countries being left out.

A large heap of hay seen after Lorca.

A local man tossing to us ripe figs from his tree.

As we go over the bridge into Villatuerta, I hear Vivaldi. It's a man playing the guitar on the river bank. 

Entering Estella, I am struck by how much bigger it is than I imagined.  Brierley even states that it may be a good place to stay an extra day. It means we have to hurry a bit to visit at least San Pedro Plaza and San Martin Church.

Entreing Estella: Impressive façade of 14th Century Church of Holy Sepulchre

Estella

Stairs to San Martin Church

Estella: Cloisters behind San Martin Church. Only two sides have survived. The Spanish word is "Claustro" - perhaps two sides were destroyed so people won't "go claustro" on us, like some MRI patients.

Finally some dinner at Plaza de los Fueros with San Juan Batista Church in the background.

Day 6 (Camino II): Pamplona to Puente la Reina

This Pamplona hotel is quite chic but many of the guests are dressed and act like perergrinos. Its name Maisonnave sounded familiar and the hotel staff confirm that it is indeed the same as the French name in the Maisonneuve fracture. Well, maybe we should thank the hotel for the well wishes, "break a leg." Speaking of which, Chisoon's feet have held up quite well so far.  Her dedicated primary care physician did a great job back home, even employing liquid nitrogen and duct tape treatments. But today she will give her feet some rest and the plan is for her to take a taxi and meet up with me midway at Zariquiegui. First time on this trip that I am walking by myself.

An overcast gloomy day. Just outside Cizur Menor, the first town from Pamplona.

Heaps of hay resemble castle ruins seen from a distance. This is the old battlefield where Charlemagne scored victories against the Moors.



On the way to Zariquiegui

Zariquiegui coming into view

The rendezvous is a total success. I get there earlier than I thought and we arrive almost simultaneously.  The taxi driver is the same guy who drove us from Pamplona to SJPdP! What are the chances when the Pamplona hotel calls a random taxi and it happens to be him? From Zariquiegui, we climb 45 minutes to the top of Alto del Perdon, the highest point on today's route.

Steady climb up to Alto del Perdon

Poppies - an unexpected sighting

 Alto del Perdon - Hill of Forgiveness. Monumento Peregrino - Pilgrim's Monument. A fine vista. This is a great place to take it all in. It makes you want to forgive. Well, I am not a saint... Looking toward the west, like these pilgrims, a series of towns we will be going through are seen.

Alto del Perdon: Pilgrims' Monument

And throw a modern one in.

From Alto del Person, looking west: not the best visibility today but the rest of the towns we cover today are seen

While having lunch at an albergue in Uterga, the rain starts to come down seriously. We wait it out a bit, but to no avail. "I sent the umbrellas and ponchos with the luggage. The one day I did not bring the raingear with me because I believed the weather forecast, it rains." "That is so unlike you, the queen of over-preparation." Fortunately we spot ponchos for sale at the albergue. At 4 Euros each, they are simple but functional. At the next town, Muruzubal, we decide not to take a detour to Eunate to see a 12th century Romanesque church, one of the landmarks on the Camino. At this point saving an extra 3km feels huge. At Obanos, the square is dominated by San Juan Bautista Church. It contains the skull of St. Guillen, whose legend spawned "the Mystery of Obanos."

Approaching Uterga



Muruzabal: not much to see here except there is a detour to Eunate with a 12th century church. We give it a miss on this rainy day. The 4-Euro poncho comes with a designer shell symbol.

Obanos coming in view

Obanos: San Juan Bautista Church

The next Nadal, don't you think?

We walk the last few km with two 20 something's who are on an "open-ended" journey to figure out what to do with their lives. They check into a busy albergue at the edge of Puente la Reina. We had reserved the hotel portion of this albergue but changed it subsequently to a place more centrally located. Although it is not a very large town, I am glad I made the change, as I walk down long Calle Mayor. Central and tranquil beat peripheral and bustling.

Puente la Reina, our destination today, is long and narrow. So is its Calle Mayor.

 

Puente la Reina: view outside our hotel room

Puente la Reina: Santiago Church dating back to 12th Century

Puente la Reina: inside Santiago Church

 

Day 5 (Camino II): Akerreta to Pamplona

Upon getting up, I go out on the hotel balcony in Akerreta and look down. And there it is! The courtyard where the fictitious owner acting out his fantasy of being a toreador in "The Way." Call it what you want, but today will be a mini-pilgrimage within a pilgrimage to movie locations. The person who told us that he was ready to call the police last night when we did not arrive on time turns out to be the actual owner. Upon noticing my morbid curiosity, he describes the scenes filmed here, which of course I immediately recognize. He also proudly shows us the photos taken during the restoration of this Basque house which turned into an excellent accommodation.

Hotel Akerreta: the spot from "The Way" where the owner fantasizes being a bullfighter

Another movie spot at Hotel Akerreta, where Martin Sheen encounters boisterous Europeans eating together

One of the 5 oldest Basque kitchens with a huge chimney, now preserved as a lounge at Hotel Akerreta

Pilgrims are streaming by, most of whom probably started a couple of hours ago in Zubiri. It is overcast but fortunately not raining, as we leave this hilltop town behind. This will be one of the shortest walks amounting to only 14 km.

 

Skies threaten but thankfully no rainfalls today

Commotion while crossing the bridge into Zuriain: one of the two dogs walking with this lady just killed a chicken.

Not as elaborate a contraption as that of the German who we saw last year, but this Frenchman seems happy and sings all the way

Locals not being bothered by a throng of pilgrims and enjoying their Sunday morning

A climb up to Monte Miravalles. White and Red Basque colors on the Camino marker.

As we entered the suburbs of Pamplona, the Camino is well marked, which is not always the cases in a large city. Upon climbing up toward the walls of Old City, I easily find the restaurant featured in the movie, where we have lunch. The winding streets of Old City are a bit disorienting but after a moment of confusion (which I seem to have often these days), we finally locate our ultra modern hotel.

A little further up, it says "This is not Spain." But further up from there it says, "Somos Una Nacion." Better not get into politics here.

Upon entering Old Town Pamplona, we have lunch at Meson del Caballo Blanco. Another movie spot: this is where Martin Sheen argues with a big Dutch guy about Pintxos vs Tapas.

Hemingway put Pamplona on the map by describing the running of the bulls in "The Sun Also Rises," but this city is much more than that. It's a key Basque center as the historical capital of Navarre, a growing university town, and an important point on the Camino. Most sights are in a compact area and by the time we run into our Ian and Liz again, by pure chance or luck of the Irish, I am an expert navigator and lead them to their hotel. Even though I am tempted by a Michelin-starred restaurant at their hotel off Plaza del Castillo, we go to a pintxos bar, instead which is entirely appropriate when in Pamplona.



Hemingway's statue on Paseo Ernest Hemingway, appropriately in front of a bullring. This is least Pamplona can do for him, who contributed to their global fame.

Pamplona: Calle Estafeta, where bulls run during San Fermin Festival in July.

Self-explanatory

Pamplona: Plaza del Castillo

Pamplona: bar on Calle San Nicolas

 

Entrepreneurialism on Camino: this pilgrim designed a scarf with a route map, perfect for those with presbyoptic tendencies.

Pamplona: running into a parade in Plaza San Francisco. The statue of the saint is on left.

Pamplona Cathedral: Closed on Sundays, imagine that.

Pamplona: The spot of the well where San Saturnino baptized first Christians here including San Fermin.

Pamplona: pintxos at Bar Gaucho