Pamplona – Sept 25, 2016

Amazingly enough, the pouring rain predicted for today did not materialize, and we had to walk in nice weather. Tough.  I was SO keen to walk in the rain.

We spent last evening bantering with a couple groups of Irishmen, and continued to cross paths with them today. Many other Irish voices were overheard. Hello? Is there anybody still left in Ireland?

One of the highlights of today was a visit to The Abbey – actually the church of Santa Lucia in Ezkirotz (q.v.). This is an old church now owned by a South African couple. They started by trying to rent the adjacent house and ended by buying a church. Apparently buying a church from The Church in Spain is not easy. The local priest refused to sign the deconsecration papers, even though it had been abandoned for years. Eventually the archbishop declared the place a ruin, which automatically deconsecrates it. However it is not a ruin if it still has a roof, so somebody somewhere along the line told an untruth.  It was considered a 16th century church, built on the structure of an older fortified building. A few years ago somebody stole the 16th century altar, revealing a much older (13th century) altar that was strange in many ways, possibly with pagan influences. There are other indications of Moors buried under the floors, and possibly Templar influences in the structure. He has had a number of art historians look at the place and they all have opinions.  Different opinions.  Anyway he is trying to stabilize the structure and do the archaeology, largely on donations from passing pilgrims. Really all very interesting.

He also pointed us to another church further down the road, interesting because all of the pictures of the saints are female, and in the traditional Madonna portrait it is Joseph who holds the Child. To top it all off, the current caretaker is a nun. We did not see it since it was up a long hill, and that was just not ‘on’ at that point.

So we arrived in Pamplona, footsore and weary, to find they are holding a festival this weekend in our honour.  Actually the festival is for San Fermin, but still, a festival is a festival. The streets are crowded with people, there are balloons and firecrackers, and the kids have wheelbarrow-like devices with a bull’s head on them, running into people. The San Fermin celebration that includes the famous running with the bulls now happens in June when the weather is more predicable.  Today is San Fermin’s actual feast day.  I imagine the kids are in place of the real bulls but hardly less dangerous in their own way.

We are installed in a rather posh hotel beside the cathedral, with washing hanging all over the room. We have just had a very fine dinner (I had Bull Stew – left over from the ring?) and that is today. Some 20 km.