Los Arcos to Viana- (18kms)

From Estella to Los Arcos- (21kms)

So the famous wine fountain is on the way from Estella to Los Arcos. No really, it does exist and it does dispense rather good red wine. It was one of the things I had heard about and I had really been looking forward to seeing it. Did I drink from that fountain, you ask? Hmmmfff...I'm not going to justify that question.

From Puente la Reina to Estella- (about 22kms)

 Leaving Puente la Reina.

From Pamplona to Puente la Reina- (about 25kms)

There was a climb after Pamplona that culminates in this fantastic view all around and a monument to the Peregrinos (which are the Pilgrims walking the Camino) at the top of this area called Sierra del Perdon. Its quite something to stand there after you've been climbing up this rocky terrain for a few hours, feeling hot and winded and generally uncomfortable. There is a sense of relief that now the climb is over but then you also get this inspired feeling of movement from the iron sculpture of the Pilgrims on their way.


Leaving the city of Pamplona in the early hours, streetlights are still on...

Original construction of this portal was 1666

The sun is just coming up.

Many times along the way, you will see small messages of encouragement like this one written on a rock from other walkers, referred to as 'Peregrinos' in Spain or Pilgrims.

 This is the monument to the Peregrinos. A rest at this time is in order after the climb preceding this plateau.

Given the rough terrain and the sometimes very narrow and very rocky trail, it was amazing to see some of these cyclists pedal past us.

Most every sign I saw up to this point and a bit beyond was in both Spanish (Castellano) and Euskera (Basque). In some cases, the Basque was the sole language, as is the case here where the author is letting you know you are in the state of (Navarra), Nafarroa.

From Zubiri to Pamplona- (about 21kms)

I did not take many pics on the walk from Zubiri to Pamplona. It was a particularly nice day and it was hard to detach myself from the moment to remember to take a picture.
Arriving in Pamplona I felt myself just settle in. It is a fabulous place from my perspective with a wonderful, Basque ghetto that I felt very much at home in. In fact, a shopkeeper there was inquiring about my backround as he was convinced I was from that area. I told him I wasn't but my paternal ancestors way back were (east of Pamplona).

There were many other walkers along the way who walked with me at one time or another....and local musicians like this one who wanted to stand still.

 A Basque snack in Pamplona.

In the Basque ghetto with two locals...

Of course I was going to take this pic.

Roncevalles to Zubiri (about 22km)

The walk from Roncevalles to Zubiri started before dawn- my first opportunity to use my headlamp! Even so, there were many other pilgrims already on the Camino who mumbled ("Buen Camino" or "Buenos Dias") when you walked past them. Some of us (those of us who felt lucky to arrive in one piece and had celebrated being alive) had had too much wine the night before and we preferred not speaking at all because our heads hurt. Just a few kilometers into the morning, a large group of us stopped at the first village market we came across for breakfast. I had water and saltines and as soon as I got up to the cash register the shop owner took one look at me and told me, "I have exactly what you need"- he rummaged in his desk drawer and gave me (from his own personal supply) an 800mg tablet of naproxen (which is an NSAID people, good for hangovers!), "This is what I use on mornings like this." he winked at me.
The magic of the Camino had already begun, the day before when another pilgrim saved me from walking too close to a precipitous cliff, when a white van with hot coffee appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the Pyrenees' fog saving me from hypothermia, and now, gifts of naproxen.
I decided then and there to accept everything coming my way.....