Day 3 (22 April) Return To Pamplona — 14 Miles

Nine AM seems to be time that I get started so far. Down the block, right turn, and over the Romanesque bridge for the walk out of town.

Not every moment on the Camino is idyllic. Almost immediately I pass a factory whose purpose is to grind up earth most likely for cement. Close by were two very large open pits. The truck in the photo is the size of earth movers that you see on the highway.

But right around the next hill were two mares with their foals lying on the ground. The contrast could not have been more stark.

After ups and more downs on the trail, I took a welcome break for some cafe con leche. Others had the same idea in mind. I met up with some pilgrims who shared this morning’s breakfast with me. Josh turned up soon afterwards and told me that Racquel was taking the taxi to Pamplona because she was not feeling well.

We hiked the last 8 miles to Pamplona together. We crossed a Romanesque bridge built in the 11th C when we entered Trinidad de Arre, a suburb of Pamplona. We passed an example of a Spanish free lending library. Large Camino signs guided us through the streets until we reached the Pamplona’s city gate that hugged enormous city walls as high as 30 feet. Storm this walls? I had retuned!

Within a few hours, dinner time (8:30) required a 25 minute walk to the south outside the old centro to El Merca’o which Michelin designated with Bib icon as an establishment with excellent food at good prices. How about a delicious three course meal for 34 Euros that included bottled water, the wines for each course, bread, and coffee? I added one of its award winning pintxos (representing a crab composed of a shrimp spread layered with potatoes) and a glass of vermouth from Narvarra to start. BTW – Spain has hundreds of vermouth to taste.

My first course was garlic sautéed string beans followed by fideua (paella but with angel hair pasta instead of rice – I prefer the rice version) ending with Goxua, a Navarran take on crème brûlée but with whipped cream as base. The Goxua thankfully came in a small jar. I enjoyed a citrus tinged white wine on the acidic side with my string beans and fideua, A good complement.

Dinner ended at 10:30, a reasonable time in Spain. The streets were quiet except locals hurrying home. A very light rain dotted my puffy jacket as I made my way back to my hotel.

I have received some emails asking about my boots that arrived last October after a two and a half year wait. The boots took about 250 miles to break in. A day before traveling to Spain. I gave them a light coat of bear grease. They still looked new. After three days, they lost their virginity,

Hotel Alda: 2