Our longest day yet!

Hooray!! We walked from Pamplona to Puente La Reina, a total distance of 25k (15 mi) including a rather tough climb up and over a pass called Alto del Perdon (alt 790m).

Before the hardest part of the climb, we came into a lovely little town called Zariquigui and passed by the church. We decided to step in to light a candle for my folks. We walked right into the middle of Easter Sunday mass, so we figured it was a sign from my mom that she wanted us to attend mass. So we stayed - sweaty and bedraggled - but we figure we get bonus points in Heaven for that. It was such a beautiful little church, but I didn’t want to take a picture inside since we were probably already offending the locals with our appearance. After church, we stopped at the cafe up the street and had delicious fresh squeezed orange juice and sandwiches- fortification for the upcoming slog up the mountain. Slow and steady we went, taking breaks wherever we found a little patch of shade. Thankfully there was a nice breeze that kept us cool as the sun was full on by then.

At the top of the mountain is a famous wrought iron representation of pilgrims leaning into the wind with the inscription “Where the way of the wind crosses the way of the stars.” (The mountain range has several wind turbines along the ridge, as it is quite windy there.) I got goose bumps when I reached the top, less because of the victory of getting there, but because of this monument that I have seen in every movie and read about in every book about the Camino. I couldn’t believe I was standing there. And the view back toward Pamplona and the surrounding area was spectacular.

The descent from Alto del Perdon was, like the ascent, steep and difficult. Lots of loose rocks that could easily twist an ankle or knee, so we stepped slowly and carefully and took many breaks. But again, the sweeping views of the other side of the mountain looking toward the distant towns was beautiful. Much more agricultural rather than the pasturelands of the Pyrenees. (We saw only one horse, but no other livestock.) Instead, we were treated to vast expanses of alternating bright rye grass and vivid canola plants that looked like a giant green and yellow checkerboard. So many of the trees and plants were in bloom.

The weather has been so unexpectedly mild. Now that we are out of the mountains, we don’t need to bundle up in the morning. And by the afternoon, we were in short sleeves and sandals in 75 degrees. This means, of course, that we have to pack a change of clothes each day and try to anticipate the weather and the terrain.

Puente La Reina is, like many of the towns we passed through today, an interesting mix of the ancient and modern way of life. Coming into town, you pass by restaurants and shops and apartment building and schools, much like any other modern community - probably many who live there commute into Pamplona. But then suddenly, you cross a road and are transported back in time. The streets are narrow and cobblestone, the buildings tall with balconies and windows all facing each other, and churches anchor the town on either end. A throw back to when village life was insular and the center of town was the center of life. We are in a hotel that was built in medieval times, with winding hallways and low ceilings of exposed wooden beams. And of course, great wifi. Even in the dining room, the juxtaposition of the TV with a Spanish sitcom and a wine fridge, and on the opposite wall, an ancient tapestry beyond a brick archway leading to a spiral downward staircase. The duality of the modern and the ancient.