02/05/19
After leaving the tiny church in Zabaldika, I traveled through the largest city on my Camino, Pamplona, with a population of 200,000. After bucolic countryside, the city seemed harried & hurried, albeit beautiful, with its historic walled city, Cathedral Santa Maria el Real, gardens, many plazas & cafes, & the allure of treading the path used for running of the bulls in the annual Fiesta de San Fermin (the event draws over 1 million folks annually.) Spanish cities & towns are cleaned each night & sparkle in the empty early hours. It's a magical time to be quietly plodding through a medieval town. With a reservation confirmed I had ample time to sit with a cafe con leche in a Hemingway haunt on the lively Plaza Mayor. As a little sweet goodbye, I enjoyed considerable time in a wonderful city park & garden on the outskirts of Pamplona.
I continued ahead to Cizor Menor to get a jump on the crowds for tomorrow's big day to Alto del Perdon. It was a nice treat to have a full but same sex room- promising less snoring & better hygiene. I walked alone into the only restaurant in town & was immediately adopted by two adventurous couples who turned out to be some of my favorite people along the trail.
14K to Cizor Menor (population 2200) + 10K in Pamplona
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| A view from historic Cafe Iruna in Plaza Mayor, Pamplona |
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| Pamplona in a quiet moment |
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An ode to the running of the bulls |
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