Day 24 - Villava to Zariquegui - August 8

Day 24 - Villava to Zariquegui - August 8

Well today was a blast. First blast was the alarm of a fellow peregrino that went off at 4:45 am.  She turned it off and went back to sleep. I didn't spend my time plotting revenge. There has been some growth. I stretched, read emails and Facebook and then at 6 am I started to get ready. There were two women in that area so I don't know which one had the alarm, I talked to them later and they were both very nice. 

 

I went to breakfast and met another nice Spanish group. There were two couples and three kids in the 16 to 20 age range. We say together and chatted in Spanish. They are from the same city the bed kerfuffal folks were from, Logroño. This is also the city where I spent five days icing my knee and watching the Olympics. We ran into to each other throughout the day. 

I left Villava and headed toward Pamplona. On the

way I encountered three older ladies out for a walk. We exchanged greetings and I noticed one of the ladies had a purple streak in her hair. So we discussed the similarities and I asked if I could take a picture. She said yes, though she hadn't fixed her hair that morning. 

It didn't take long to get to Pamplona. And to be at the foot of those huge walls. When you stand there looking up you get some understanding of how daunting that must have been. And outside the tall walls are shorter walls. So the invaders would climb over those some how only to be confronted with the massive wall and be stuck in between to be picked off by the guys on top. 

Pamplona is a pretty city and the part the Camino runs through is the old historic district and then parks and public landscaped walk ways. At one point I was so busy looking at all the loveliness that I was headed in the wrong direction. Some nice Spanish ladies, out for a walk called out to me corrected my direction. They were pointing and talking to make sure I got on the right road. Along the way so many people wished me a "Buen Camino," pilgrims and none pilgrims. 

As I was leaving Pamplona, I was passing the University of Navarra and I noticed a sign about receiving and stamping credential, so I went to investigate. I went to one building and the man I asked said this wasn't the building and walked outside with me to give me directions. Sure enough I found a brand spanking new building that looked like it might be a library or something. I asked the guy at the desk if I could get a credential stamped and he said I could. So he stamped my credential and even let me through the security turnstile to use the rest room. I was so excited. 

As I was walking back to the Camino I started talking to some guys sitting on the steps of the first building. It turns out they were professors. The one I spoke with most had just returned from teaching at Fordham University. We chatted a bit and then I returned to the Camino. 

I got to Cizor Menor and had some café. As Icwas leaving an Irish chap asked me where the Municipal Albergue was. I said I didn't know. Then he asked me where was the center of town, the old area. I said I think you are in it. He asked if this was Pamplona and I said no, it is down the road a short distance. He said he was returning to Saint Jean to meet his girl friend. Going backwards on the Camino must be difficult because the yellow arrows are positioned to be seen from the other direction.   

So I kept passing and getting passed by the Spanish group from breakfast we would exchange greetings. I saw them by a large field of sunflowers where I was going to stop to take pictures. There was another guy there with a professional camera taking pictures. He asked the Spanish group if he could take there picture for a website about the Camino. The Spanish group told me to come and get in the picture, so I did. Then I asked the guy if he would take a picture with my camera and he did. What fun. He gave us his card so we can check out the web site. 

Then I began the long trek uphill to Zariquegui. There was some very beautiful scenery beneath a stormy sky with angry black clouds. I arrived at the albergue in Zariqueguí to find my German room mates from Orisson whom Bruce and Darlene, now known as "the Canadians" have nick named "the Family German" inside I met two lovely German girls whom the Canadians had told me about nicknamed "the Blue Crew" because they were both wearing blue shirts. Their names are Julia and Tabea. Julia speaks English with an American accent. I commented on this and she explained her mother was American and she had an uncle who lived in San Diego. I think she is particularly lovely because she described in her journal as being in my mid fifties. Gotta love that! She is studying in Frankfurt to be a teacher. 

I found out in a conversation with them that the parents of the Family German are psychiatrists and the older daughter is in her second year of law school. She told me I had inspired them, that she and hero their were going to get tattoos that said "Buen Camino." lol the dad and I talked about alcoholism and it's treatment, the similarities between our countries and the differences 

Later I Juan, yet another John. :) he is about my age, retired. He has six grandchildren and since his children the parents of the grandchildren works he helps out with after school care. I told him I had a brother who helped out with his grandsons.  He is from Cataluña, about 30 km from Barceloña. 

At dinner we had people chatting in all different languages. The majority at this table was German, but there were two Italians, one French fellow, a guy from South Aftica, a Russian woman, a Spaniard and me the American. 

Well that was an exciting, and very international day. Now it is time for sleep.