Fourth Day On The Camino Friday, September 21, 2018

We all got up at around 6:00 AM at the alburgue in Zabaldika and had coffee, orange juice and toast for breakfast. Remember, this a parochial donativo alburgue, not the Hilton.

I was hungry when I left the alburgue at 6:45 AM and it was 11 kilometers to Pamplona. That is a long slog on an empty stomach. Shortly after leaving Zabaldika, I was passing a mammoth ancient stone barn when I saw that a guy had set up a food stall in the barn. I bought a couple of bananas and a couple of granola bars and wolfed them down while I sat in the barn talking to this guy as he was feeding a peacock. That was such a surprise treat and a perfect breakfast.

This is the trail map that covers the trail from Zalbadika to Pamplona.

As you get close to Pamplona the Camino branches off onto a 6 kilometer trail that runs through the city between two rivers, the Arga River and the Ultzama River.

Riverside trail.

At the end of this riverside trail there is an old stone bridge that you cross to get to old town Pamplona.

I walked over this bridge and up a long flight of stairs to get to the gate in the old city wall of the medieval city of Pamplona.

I walked through Pamplona and saw some of the sights but did not do an in depth tour of the City. I did see the old city hall as I was strolling through the city. Isn’t this an amazingly ornamental building?

Close to the Old City Hall I visited the Church of St. Fermin and lit a candle and said a prayer for Anna.

I was going to get a haircut at this shop but figured I could wait a couple more days. This is a display of the barber’s special haircuts.

After I walked through the old city I decided I was hungry and of course that meant pinchos, or tapas, for lunch. A guy on the street recommended a cafe and bar that he said had the best pinchos in Pamplona. He was absolutely correct. What a delicious lunch!

Scrambled eggs with cheese and mushrooms

Little chorizo sausages. Like those cocktail weenies in a can, only better.

After lunch I walked out of Pamplona and into the countryside to Zariquiegui. This is the map covering the trail from Pamplona to Zariquiegui.

This is the trail climbing up to the top of the ridge and my final destination, Zariquiegui, where I checked into the San Andres Alburgue.

This is the alburgue.

For 10 Euros I got the lower bed of a bunk bed in a room with four bunk beds. And the room is at best 20 feet by 20 feet. So far in this bedroom we have two people from France, a couple from Poland that stayed last night at the alburgue in Zabaldika, and Laslow, a guy from Hungary. It is a United Nations sleepover. I hope nobody snores, unless it is me, and then I don’t care.

I am heading out to the cafe and bar in town for a beer 🍻 or two and dinner.

The bar and cafe are owned by the same guy that owns the alburgue. I sat outside, in spite of the fact that the wind kicked up and it got a little chilly. I had meatballs and French fries and flan for desert for 8 Euros. I also had a few glasses of beer 🍻 to stay hydrated.

I hope everyone had a good day.

Goodnight from Zariquiegui, Spain 🇪🇸.