2012-09-11 Tuesday

2012-09-11 Tuesday

Pamplona / Puente la Reina

Camino Day 4. Nancy decided to take a day of rest. Must be really bad, because she is tough. After breakfast at the albergue , just coffee and toast, Paulo and Terry started walking shortly after 0700, and at 0745, Nancy and I walked to the bus station, about 10 city blocks away.

While waiting in line to buy the ticket, I saw that the electronic screen at the ticket office listed the departure time for Puente la Reina as 0915. When our turn came, the lady at the window told me that we should pay directly to the bus driver, I asked from which spot the bus departed and she said "anywhere from the bus stop #5 to #12 at 0900". I asked how would I know which one, and she said the bus would have a placard at the windshield. 

Nancy I took a seat at the waiting area and I set my cell phone alarm to ring at 0850. I assumed that 0900 was the boarding time for departure at 0915 as the electronic sign indicated. WRONG!

At 0859, according to the station clock, we were at the platform and there were no bus in stops 5-12. At 0915 no bus to Puente La Reina. Run back to the ticket window to ask about it and they said the bus left at 0900! I asked how about their electronic board that is still informing a 0915 departure? She just said "I told you it was 0900." I was furious, but what else I could do?

The next was only at 1400, so we decided to take a taxi. It cost us 30 euros, we were there in half an hour. 

I left N with the packs at a bench and went searching for hotels. It's a small town, a few blocks long along the highway and a couple of blocks deep. I found a nice hotel, the Jakue, with suites available for 60 Euros, quite reasonable, considering the quality. I was sure P would agree to pay 30 euros and I though that T was willing to spend 60 to spend their wedding Aniversary in a nice hotel. 

When I came back with N, the receptionist saw us with the packs and asked if we wanted to stay at the hotel or in their hostal/albergue next door, I asked what's the difference and she said that at the hostal/albergue there were rooms for two with private bath but no towels, bed sheets, etc, for 38 Euros, the hotel rooms were 60 Euros. N said that's what T would prefer, and that's what we booked. The rooms were going to be available only at noon, so N and I went to the bar to wait and to eat something, it was only 1030, and we were expecting P and T to arrive between 1330 and 1400. 

Since N & T are celebrating their wedding anniversary during this peregrination, Paulo and I kept calling them "honeymooners," and Paulo always make sure to request a room with a "matrimonial bed" for them when calling hotels to make reservations, saying that it is for the "honeymooners."

I ate a delicious Spanish tortilla that had dried tomatoes, spinach and chorizo. I left N at the bar icing her knee and watching our packs, and went for a look around town. Visited two churches, one small and  plain, build by the Knights Templar, the Church of the Cross and the other one a very large ornate and beautiful church, the Church of Santiago. 

Puente la Reyna

Puente la Reyna - Templar's Chapel

Puente la Reyna

Puente la Reyna

Puente la Reyna - drying pepers

I also found a physical therapy clinic and scheduled a massage do 1745, the chiropractor treating me back at home said I should have some at every opportunity. 

Back at the hotel at 1200 we checked in and got our room keys and settled down to rest and wait for P and T, they arrived at 1400.

We had a light lunch of sandwich and beer at a nearby bar/restaurant, the bartender, Clara, friendly and captivating. She talked very fast and was quick with jokes and repartees. 

N went with me when I went for my therapy, and was able to get a therapy session for herself. 

For dinner, we decided to go back to the same place we had lunch and ended up having their Peregrino's menu. Clara was still there serving. She knew a few words in English and tried to use them with Terry and Nancy, but when Terry asked about one item in the menu, "pechuga de pollo," (chicken breast) she was stumped and then tried to explain to him what it was by flapping her arms like a chicken followed by cupping her own full breasts. Paulo and I almost felt to the floor laughing, Terry and Nancy were looking at us puzzled, until we explained to them Clarita's attempt to translate "pechuga de pollo."  This "translation" became a source of fun through out the Camino, we all laughed whenever we remembered this incident, specially when Terry and Nancy were trying to decipher the Spanish menus. Paulo and I decided that now Terry could survive on the Camino on his own, he would not go hungry, he now knows how to gesticulate a request for chicken breasts. At the end of the dinner Terry asked to take a picture with Clarita, telling her that he would never forget her.

I had an excellent mixed salad, almost a full meal, then steak and fries, and fruit salad. In honor to N and T wedding anniversary, P and I treated them to a nice wine from Navarra, instead of the house wine that comes with the Peregrino's dinner. 

Our destination for tomorrow is Estella, 22 Km away. N decided to take another day  of rest and go by bus to Estella, to give her knee one more day to recuperate. She will go by herself this time, since she is going from one small town to the next, very little chance of something going wrong. We booked two rooms for us at the next destination, so she would have a place to rest and wait for us. 

 Puente la Reyna - Gate to the famous bridge

Puente la Reyna - that's the famous bridge

700Km to go.