Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

4th June 2016 – Pamplona to Puenta de la Reina

Km’s walked – 27, 3; steps – 39461; flights – 89Pamplona proved to be striking and so worthwhile staying an extra night for.

Once we had packed Babar and company, we were up and out of our hotel by 8h30. Babar is getting heavier and heavier and I’m not sure why as I am not adding stuff. Anyway, Great Hotel, great location (Hotel Eslava). It seemed it was family owned and everyone friendly and helpful. It was a beautiful morning, not too hot, and the Hotel was right on the Camino route, so no searching for the arrows.  The first few Km’s was through a beautiful green belt that passed by the University of Pamplona. The sky was a little overcast and just perfect for walking. The views over Pamplona as we climbed made me wish I had a real camera so I could capture them for all to see.

Jacqui and I kept smiling at one another because again the route was so spectacular. Wild flowers everywhere, fields and fields of poppies, golden wheat, green cereals of sorts and a whole mixture of all of it. It looked like a tapestry everywhere we looked. Again, I think, Camino Angels were keeping us focused on the beauty instead of the heaviness of our day packs. Tinkerbell too seems to be taking on a life of her own. I really need to get rid of something in there.
We were a little quiet walking as we were both aware that it was out last day together, besides it was also quite a tough walk.  It began getting a little warmer as the day progressed and we were both feeling it. As we were walking we could see the giant Windmills in the distance and as we climbed and climbed I knew we were getting closer to the El Perdon sculpture of the Pilgrims (let me apologize now for my spelling and particularly for my lack of accents on my words, as I cannot seem to figure out how to do them). A tough climb. Suddenly there it was , and I just started tearing up.  I had seen photos of that very sculpture for years (a significant symbol of the Camino), and it was just so lovely to be standing there in front of it. It was somewhat surreal I have to say. 

We stopped for a gourmet picnic at some stage before the sculpture and feasted on delicious goat’s cheese, Zubiri ham, tomatoes, apples and Bread (Jacks). A few Pilgrims  passed us and happily took our photo.

As we left the sculpture we started the decent.  And was it steep.  I think it took us two hours to do 3,5 Km’s. We got to the bottom and we were passing through Uterga, when we stumbled on an Alburgue and Bar, and although it was late and we still had a long way to go we stopped for a drink. I had a glass of wine and it was a life saver. There was a sign saying 69 Km’s to Roncesvalles. Thankfully we knew that was by highway, else we would have felt somewhat cheated. Then we walked, and walked and walked. It seemed like forever.  We were rewarded for our hard work with views that took our breath away constantly and with the kindness of an old man who walked us back onto the route in Obano as we had strayed by a street or two. 

It felt like we were never going to get there, as beautiful as it was. We finally arrived at about 19h00, exhausted and starving. Our hotel was Hotel Bidean, a really lovely old hotel right on the route. We ate dinner, drank superb Crianza wine and packed to be up at 6h30. Jacqui had an early taxi to the airport. I fell asleep dreaming of fields of gold, red, green…..

Puenta de la Reina is a charming little village. The Romanesque ridge has six arches and spans the Arga River. The bridge was built for medieval pilgrim.

Camino gifts today: the kindness of a random stranger, the absolute beauty of the tapestry of green, gold, and red, a lift in the hotel  so we didn’t t have to carry Babar and co two flights, seeing that Pilgrim sculpture for the first time.

 (Sadly I seem unable to upload many photos, it will have to be done another day)