My Journey to Santiago de Compostela Part III
After a short ride to Zubiri the previous day, going to Pamplona was quite challenging with its share of rough climbings. It was the day we made new acquaintances, Donovan from Indiana, Carine and Pascale from “la Côte d’Azur”,Jose and his brother from Barcelona, a nice couple from Ireland and others at the different bars and cafeterias where we stopped for coffee, sandwiches and beer.
The scenery changed a bit from views from the top of mountains to valleys and rivers, beautiful small towns and churches. Before entering Pamplona, we went through the town of Villava, founded in 1184, when pilgrims were already walking the Camino Frances. We crossed a bridge built by the Romans which must have been even older. Villava is a jewel of the Camino!
Pamplona was the first major city on the way since we started our journey from Saint Jean Pied de Port. Even though we had already been there a few days earlier, entering Pamplona walking the Camino was quite a different experience. And a fun one as well! After going by the medieval walls that surround the city, we went through the Drawbridge (“Puente Levadizo”), we got into Pamplona where a cheering crowd was having a party to welcome us, arriving pilgrims (just kidding, they were just having fun and drinking).
After a shower and early dinner in a nearby restaurant in Zizur Mayor, a suburb of Pamplona, we went straight to bed, exhausted.
