Zubiri to Pamplona

14.1 miles and 32,476 Steps.  Whew!

Here is my poor suitcase.  It just has to make it one more day.  Hopefully, in Pamplona, I will be able to buy a new one.

I love these murals of Santiago.

Sheep dot the landscape in the Basque Country. I got the biggest laugh out of the one next to the tree.  She would rub her body against the tree and then look to the sky wagging her little tail and then she would repeat the process.  I totally understand how good it feels to finally reach that itchy spot for some relief.  Yesterday, I took one of my hiking poles and scratched my back underneath my back pack. It felt absolutely marvelous!

Just outside Zubiri, I hear this woman shouting.  As it turned out, she was the shepherdess calling her sheep and they followed one by one.

Today, at a break, I ordered a mushroom tortilla.  This little bar had all flavors and  the one I had was really good.  Note to Dennis...bring hot sauce.

I sat outside this little bar with Sandy and Rowena, my trail friends from New Hampshire.  There was this little pregnant cat and of all the people sitting outside, she walks up to me...directly up to me  She kept swatting me with her paw and looking hopeful.  I actually got in my backpack and first fed her a slice of ham and then six slices of cheese.  What a little con artist.  

I was on the trail when Giles (from England) caught up with me and asked me if I missed anything.  At first I didn't understand. I patted my pockets and I had my gloves and my ipod and I couldn't figure out what I missed.  Then he showed me a photo on his camera.  I had walked right by a viper..A VIPER...the only poisonous snake in Spain.  It was about shoulder high in a bush.  This area of the trail was very narrow.  Talk about a close call.  Prayers of thanks followed.  Giles knew quite a bit about snakes and he said the viper was slow moving because of the chilly temperature.  Still...A VIPER!

The sign nearby said that this was from a neighborhood called "Irotz" and it had always been known as a watering hole for both humans and animals.  For centuries, the women never washed laundry nearby because they didn't want to contaminate the water.  Hmmm...too bad we didn't figure that out.

I saw many of these strings of worms, one after another after another.  Talk about team work.

Isn't this a beautiful location.

The Basque people are very proud people and many do not want to be a part of Spain.  Underneath the painted out part were some curse words...stating it more crudely.

This beautiful Roman bridge crossed into Villava.

Now this is what I call well marked.  These were at every corner in Villava.  After I made three wrong turns today, this was much appreciated.  None of my wrong turns coast me much in distance.

I saw this house and thought it was so interesting.  Those are inlaid shells.  Talk about a labor of love and patience.  It was beautiful.

OMGosh!  My first sighting of Pamplona.  Hallejuah!  I was so tired by this time.  The third day is always the hardest for me.  And this has been a difficult three days.  Usually, after the first rest day, I am raring to go.  By this time all of my muscles hurt.  Even my forearms were stiff and sore.  Not sure why that would be.  

Below is the Magdalena Bridge. The sign says that this is one of the most important bridges to cross the river Arga as it passes through Pamplona.  It was built in the 12th century. 

The view from the Magdelena Bridge.  Getting closer. I am like a horse to the barn at this point.

Almot there! Above is the Gate "Porta de Francia"  There is actually a draw bridge behind it.  There was a sign beside entitled "Words of a Pilgrim (12th Century)" and said "This is a barbarous people, different from all other people in customs and in race, malignant (...)"  The sign continued with; "The author, Aymeric Picaud, was a Frankish pilgrim.  He did not have a very good time in these parts." 

I am obviously at my hotel, and had a lovely bath so I am off to find a glass of Vino Blanco.  Adios!