Camino: Puenta la Reina to Estella

04/05/19

The bridge out of Puenta la Reina is quite special & makes for a nice way to start the day. It was a day of wide green expanses dotted with bright red poppies. I could see the quaint medieval town of Cirauqui (Basque for "nest of vipers"- yikes) far off in the distance for what seemed like hours. 
Estella is a bit larger with pilgrim services & an abundance of restaurants & shops.It is known for its hilltop monastery & its ethnic enclaves (the owner of my B&B was a staunch Basque separatist)

24k to Estella (population 14,000)

Carter's kids taking turns helping him enjoy his 80th birthday Camino

Camino: Cizor Menor to Puenta la Reina

03/05/19
By jumping ahead to Cizor Menor, my hope was to beat the Pamplona crowds up the steep ascent to iconic Alto del Perdon with its famous windmills and pilgrim monument. It was careful footing on a rainy day up to the top with views of windswept green hills on the way to the top. I didn't know it but the statue depicting a band of medieval pilgrims walking forward against the wind was erected by an energy company. The inscription translates to, "Where the way of the wind meets the way of the stars." Pretty poetic for an energy company.

I took an hour-long detour out to the unique octagonal church of Eunate, tucked way out in the countryside. The lovely day was capped by an overnight stay in scenic Puenta la Reina (the queen's bridge.)

Tonight was laundry night- a glamour life, I know. Once home folding the warm items, I realized I was missing a sock. Normally, this isn't a cause for alarm, but on the Camino, this is serious business. I retraced my steps to the laundromat & was able to find & retrieve the runaway item. Bad sock! Stay!
20k to PLR (population 2800)

A typical backpack lineup at a cafe