Camino – Day 5 & 6

Day 5 , September 17, 2017
Zabaildca to Zariquiegul
I decided I should spend the morning in Pamplona. I took it easy and left the convent after 8am and walked the six miles into Pamplona. I started to look for place to have breakfast. Pamplona is famous for the ¨run of the bulls´ that is held in April each year. The city was hosting an inline roller blade race through the city. There must have been over a thousand bladers with some very serious competition. I´m trying to average 12 miles per day. City walking is not easy as the route is always changing through the city. I lost my trail a couple of time and had to back Track. After leaving the city limits around 11am, I put in another three miles to my next overnight stay at Zariquiegul. Zariquiegul is a good place to stop for the night, I have a big hile to climb tomorrow.

The gateway into Pamplona

Day 6 , September 18, 2017
Zariquiegul to Ciirauqui
I will be climbing a mountain today. There are a wall of mountains before us. As far as you can see, the distant ridge is decorated with regularly spaced, massive windmills. My only thought is the hope we be climbing one of the smaller peaks?
Before long I was heading into the mountains and gaining altitude….big time. After roughly two hours of pushing myself madly I was able to claim victory….I had managed to climb the top of this range, and receive our reward.
This is the location of the famed “Pilgrim Statues” made of solid plate steel. Alto del Perdon.  If you have seen the movie “The Way” you may remember seeing this sculpture when the principals were surprised to find people riding bicycles on the Camino. .
The temperature was now over 70 and the sun is relentless. I scaled down the side of this mountain over a loose rock path. This was nothing less than outright treacherous. I can only imagine this path when it is raining.
Finally I arrived at the small town and bought lunch from a grocery store, a can of tuna, cheese and half of fresh baked bagget. I then walked to the River bank, took my shoes off, made me a sandwich and enjoyed the moment.
The rest of the afternoon was walking through several small villages, each having the church as the center of the town. Today was the most enjoyable.