Day Four Zubiri to Pamplona

Miles Traveled: 13.0

Miles to go: 454.5

We had dinner at the albergue the night before with Chris who we first met in Orisson Chris had walked with Anna from Dublin the day before and we agreed that when we got to Pamplona we would meet for dinner. I mentioned I had scheduled Saterday as a rest day and I want to see some the famous city and Anna had booked us all into the same hotel.

The walk was wet and muddy from the rain the day before. The mud is very sticky and feels like it adds 5 lbs to your feet so you are constantly trying to avoid it or scrape it off you shoes. We stoped of snacks at 10K and then visited a very beautiful little church built around 1200 CE. The weather cleared some and the views of Pamplona in the distance were very nice and kept us motivated to reach our destination.

In another example of the Camino providing for us, when we were in the city that Saturday night we could could not find a good place for dinner, it was because we wanted to eat early (7) in a country that eats late (9-10) and it was a Saturday night so what was open was full. In desperation we stepped into a pizza shop to see if they had a descent menu and we chatted up the bartender telling him we wanted a nice meal, someone said ‘meat’. Next we knew he was making a phone call and then with us in tow left his place, with customers standing around the bar. He said to follow him down this side street where in the middle of the road he had a back and forth conversation with this guy all in black, beard and blue gloves (see my Facebook post). Long story short we were ushered into a beautiful restaurant, by our selves, and he starts cooking us a 5 course meal and hour before he opens. Cost? $47 euros each 5 courses, 3 bottles of wine and an aperitif. Amazing meal and experience.