Exploring Pamplona

Monday 2 May 2016 - Day 5

Pamplona

What an amazing feeling to wake up in a comfy room and not have to pack up and go somewhere. I indulged myself and lolled about reading mail and Facebook. Eventually I faced the day and wandered up and down the streets of the old town, mainly looking for something to eat... slow starters, the Spanish .

I spent a bit of time in Plaza del Castillo, the main square. It is enormous and open, yet surrounded by the traditional 5 or 6 storey blocks all butted up against each other. I imagined what it would be like to live in one of these buildings. My pension is in a similar building but down a narrow side street. I could almost reach out and touch the people in the rooms across the lane.

I had a really positive and productive morning. I visited the Caminoteca shop, an outdoor gear/ pilgrim support place, which I loved. Spent some time chatting with Paul, who listened to me prattle on about blisters and shoes, and then offered advice. Also encountered great kindness from a customer at the pharmacy, who insisted she stay and translate for me. Got some good blister advice and products there.

I then walk down the main drag to the Vodaphone shop where a customer saw my startled gazelle face and mimed how to get a ticket from the machine... like we have at Medicare, at home. I spoke with a nice young man who had quite good English and he was able to put my mind at rest about, amongst other things, the millions of Spanish text messages that I was receiving on my phone and having to translate to understand, and the shouty Spanish that I heard every time I tried to use my phone.

Soon after that I was delighted to catch up with Elvira again after her stay with the nuns at Zabaldika. We met up in front of the cathedral and it was like a reunion of old friends. We sat in a café for a while and then we went off to my pension as I offered her the spare bed in my room. It was so nice to have her company again.

Elvira and I took off on a sightseeing walk which included Caminoteca, which she loved. She was excited to buy a new water bottle that she could attach to her pack strap, sort of like mine. We walked the route of the bull run backwards, starting at Plaza del Toro. I love the crossing signals here, as the little green man actually has a walking motion. There's a countdown which lets you know if you can get across the road or not and how long you've got until the lights change. Fantastic idea!

Neil, who drove me in to Pamplona yesterday, told me to go into the Café Iruna in the main plaza. Way in the back is a door that leads through to the bar that Ernest Hemingway used to frequent. Of course I had to get my picture taken with the man himself. There was a lot of beautiful old photos and memorabilia on the walls of this tiny little bar. Many people wouldn't know of its existence.

After dressing my blisters, my next job was to locate a friend of Kay's whom she was meant to be meeting here in Pamplona. Don is from the Brisbane Camino Pilgrims Group and I was to meet him in the main plaza at about 5pm. I didn't realise he was running late, having sent a message which I hadn't received. I spent about half an hour wandering around asking pilgrims did they know Don, from Australia. No luck, until I found Herman, a 73 year old pilgrim from Mexico City. He was a great talker and we ended up chatting for about half an hour until another message came through from Don, and I was able to catch up with him.

Had a great night, in company, eating Pinchos. Elvira and I joined Don and his Swedish walking mates, Henning and Suzanne, along with Lindsay a 20 year old solo female pilgrim, from Canada. It was great fun learning how to actually order the food...lots of pointing and never being sure what you'd get. So good to catch up with somebody from home.

Enjoyed today and felt that I got to know Pamplona a bit. Keen to get going, but blisters need more time... might see doctor tomorrow to check for infection. Will stay another day, but will leave my pension. I have booked into an albergue for tomorrow.