Today was a much needed rest day in Pamplona. It has a lovely old city core, although it did not entirely seem that way when walking in yesterday afternoon. Coming into a city of any size is a bit of a shocking change from the Camino, as it usually entails walking through endless industrial areas or residential suburbs. Pamplona has done their best by bringing the Camino in through a chain of parks, but it is still CITY with all the congestion that entails. You no longer great everyone you meet with a friendly smile and Hola!. Everyone is in a hurry to go somewhere. There is constant noise.
The first time we were in Pamplona many years ago we were searching to replace a broken spark plug on our English van, eventually unsuccessful. Last time we were here the hotel did not have our reservation when we arrived late at night. This time the city treated us better and all seemed to go well.
The food is good – I am getting to like Bull Stew in its taste variations. The meals are still the Spanish “If you wanted vegetables you should have ordered them” concept. Two meals of Bull Stew have provided one cherry tomato, as decoration. This evening we discovered pintxos – pronounced pinchos. It is an up market version of tapas – small treats usually provided free with your drinks. Pintxos are sold individually, but are larger and more filling. Two or three constitute a meal. They usually seem to involve artful combinations of ham, cheese and bread, or egg pie variations. They are always impaled on a toothpick, which is the origin of the name.
Tomorrow is a very long hike, and it involves going up and over the very top of a large hill, and down again. It is going to be a trial.