Passing through Pamplona, no bull (Sun 8 Sep 13)

Day started out really wet, but we have lots of experience with rain, so it was no problem setting out in it.  It lasted a few hours, just enough to made the trail muddy and slick.  We stopped twice to help peregrinos (Spanish for pilgrims) wrestling with ponchos that were flapping about in the wind.

Trail turned to mud.  You can see tracks from the occasional cycling group doing the Camino:

Rolling hills

Very few towns between Zubiri and Pamplona, but one tiny hamlet has an amazing outdoor cafe, with covered areas, an espresso machine, and a wood fired oven for heating up any of the pastries you order.  Very popular stop on the Camino, especially on a rainy morning:

Streets of Pamplona quiet on a Sunday morning, until ...

We came upon a festival that packed the streets.  A bit tricky working our way through the crowds, looking for the Camino markers to get through to the next town.  But what a fun atmosphere!

I asked at an info desk what was going on and it was a celebration of a treaty signed in the 15th century  that unified the city:

Performers waiting their turn:

Kids area -- fascinating array of wooden games:

We decided to push through Pamplona (don't yet feel the need for time in a city) to a family run Albergue, Roncal, that we'd heard was very good in a suburb of Pamplona called Cizur Minor.  It was a long day, about 26 kms and we were so happy that they had beds left when we arrived.  It was a great place:

What made it extra special was the woman who runs it.  She's a nurse and she greets people, tells them where to find the 2 restaurants and 2 markets in town.  Then, after most people are settled in, she sets up a foot care station.  She's been treating pilgrims feet for 26 years and is an expert in all things painful: blisters especially.  The nurse is the woman in the cap with her head down.  Leif from Denmark is getting treated.  And on the right is Alex from England.

Saga of ordering from a Spanish menu continues...  I have learned the word for liver (higado) so knew that Chuleta de Cordero was lamb, but not liver.  Thought it might be cutlets and it was!  We had a great meal in the afternoon and we picked up some snacks at the market for later.

Another great day on the Camino, rain and all.