A fun part of walking the Camino is the people you meet: the French ladies who gathered morels along the trail, or the local Basque fisherman proud to show the trout he caught, or the nun in the convent of Zabaldika who let us climb the tower and ring the oldest bell in Navarra. We walked the Arga river trail to the 15th century walls of Pamplona (Iruna in Basque), and climbed up through the gate into an old city lively with modern people and ancient monuments. In the evening children kick a ball down the street and through a tapas bar. Everyone's welcome, though they have to argue about which are the best pintxos to share with us. We seem to be only Americans around -- many signs are only in Basque. We found a room high above the central Plaza del Castillo, and slept well, though below in the streets the party continued 'til just before the pre-dawn bird song and cathedral bells.
Tomorrow we climb the Alto de Perdon, sad to leave Pamplona but looking forward to whatever adventure comes next.
Tomorrow we climb the Alto de Perdon, sad to leave Pamplona but looking forward to whatever adventure comes next.
