2023 Sep 18 Zubiri - Pamplona
PAMPLONA - NO BULL
The Way of Saint James to Pamplona continues from Zubiri back at the point where you cross the bridge into town. The pleasant park-like stroll after first resuming gives you a brief and picturesque view of the town from above and across the river. Towns like this fill your heart. After that there is a small heavy-industrial complex or power grid zone before entering the forests again.
SLUGGING IT OUT
MORE RIVERS, MORE BRIDGES, MORE DREAMS
There is something special to see, hear, feel, and even smell the different varying-sized riverways. Walking alongside them or being near them can be both nurturing as well as making you wary of their challenges. Crossing them on the wooden, stone, or natural bridges accent and amplify the sense of travel. They represent a marking point in time or a hurdle crossed as the scenery is transposed from one view to the next. There is a cumulative sense of achievement as you feel progress towards the final goal. If you listen carefully, they resonate with the footsteps, the voices, and the dreams of pilgrims past.
ZURIAIN
We ventured across the bridge into the riverside restaurant rest spot entering Zuriain. After a quick meal, the next steps were to de-shoeify the feet and head down to the river. There's an automatic appeal when the chance arises. After spotting a small slithering snake at the first spot, I decided to go to the only other spot I could detect. There! My feet were in. Wait, this is downstream from that small snake. Where are the parents? Next question, how big are the parents? Yikes! Hurry up, get out, and re-shoeify now! For those interested, shoeify is a term I hereby invented. Permission granted for use.
ROLA ROLA
We left Zurain and ended up on alongside a busy highway. There was a large open grass field with several hundred sheep grazing. There were no barriers preventing the sheep from going onto the highway. A lone shepherd and his dog tended the flock. Given the number and speed of the cars, the chances for a bad accident were high. The large flock got closer and closer and closer to the highway. The shepherd gave a quick signal to his sheepdog. His dog immediately ran down the path and yelled at the sheep, "Hey, get back you dummies!" Not true! Actually Rola Rola, whose name we had come to know, gracefully mozied over to the sheep who were first approaching danger and expertly leaned his face and nose towards them as he passed. No barking, no panic, no aggression. Just a friendly air-nudge and the big ball of sheep scampered en masse back to safety. Being city folk, WE LOVED IT!
Click the video above to watch the dear Mr. Rola.
SHOW ME A SIGN
Even with the best of intentions and highest of motivations, there were moments on this day when the smallest doubt would grow into a sizable mental burden. The constant climbing, the mysterious tunnels, the rocky aggravations, and the unrelenting physical strain of carrying extra weight would align forces to make you think, "So, what exactly am I doing here? Am I doing the right thing? Will we make it? Does it have to be this hard? Can I just see a sign? Any sign, something to just settle my mind." And just when the doubt was about to conquer my will and emotions, there it was, formed by water in a dark concrete tunnel. Oh my GOD! A true moment of grace.
A MAJESTIC KNIGHTLY CROSSING
We reached the bridge that takes you into the first urban area of Pamplona. It is notable in its construction, size, and location. Once again the echoes of pilgrims past and their yearning for reaching Santiago de Compostela filled my mind. This time though, the bridge was large enough to accommodate a legion of mounted knights of the Order of Santiago. They carried flag-bearing poles on their way across the bridge around me. The steady clip clop of the horses hooves beside my walking sticks rose above the sounds of the river below. The knights' shields shone, their silver swords glistened, and the sunlight danced upon their helmets. Everything seemed majestic and I, a tired pilgrim, was in a place of the highest privilege and honor. Onward! For those wondering, no I wasn't delirious. That was my true life experience. Just saying.
Meanwhile, Martha was not having any of it. So she forged ahead and found a spot for us to rest right at the foot of the bridge. We plopped down. I looked around. We were right next to a medieval albergue in operation since those yesteryears. What happened to my knights? Gone. Wait, there they go... After doing some foot care, I decided to go back across the bridge walking barefoot so I could feel the cobbled medieval stones as many before me had done. Surely I would relive the past with more authenticity and come back even more honorable than the first time I crossed. And so I went. This time there were no knights, just sore feet yearning for Pamplona. Note: Authenticity hurts.
We stopped again in Villava. This time we had a quick bite and a cerveza at a sidewalk cafe off of the Calle Mayor. Continuing, we refilled our water bottles behind the statue of Rey Sancho VI El Sabio (the Wise), an illustrious king of Navarra. In the lead-up to the monument, it is fitting that the symbols of the region's historic religions were displayed - an insistent cry to the powerful possibility of unity. I have to say everything seemed real pretty and the Camino markings were plentiful until... they weren't. We asked for directions and were pointed in the general direction of the next Romaneque bridge - the one leading into the Casco Historico, or historic center.
PASSING INTO A TIME PORTAL
Puerta de Francia
Catedral Santa María de la Asunción
Above are the inescapable highlights we encountered near the end of our day. That said, when you meander your way into Pamplona center using your last reserves of energy after four days of the Pyrenees, you. just. want. to. get. there. The feet and the legs are on automatic and the scenery slips by without being able to fully appreciate the stunning glory of it all. All of this day's magnificent wonders, and going back three days to Day One, are all whittled down to fulfilling that one pronounced longing to finish the day and take a very good break in Pamplona.
And that my dear friends is No Bull. - Sorry :) :) :), couldn't resist.
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