5/8/19 (in Spain)
23:14 PDT / 10:14 CEST: On board flight to Pamplona.
11:17 CEST: Checked into my hotel here in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port after a somewhat hairy taxi ride from the little airport in Pamplona (which was a short 35 minute hop from Madrid).
11:18 CEST: I will be doing the reverse route on Days 1-3… hopefully with not too much time spent on the N-135 (D-933 in France). We did see some wet pilgrims from time to time–shades of the drive out of Santiago de Compostela that Stephen and I did so long ago!! Beautiful beech forests near here. Saw vultures but not sure if any were Griffin vultures.
20:22 CEST: Pilgrims’ office says it’ll be sunny from midday–then again, I had the French guide who was making a valiant effort to speak English!
20:24 CEST: Best meal of Tuesday–American Airlines fruit salad.
20:25 CEST: Domestic terminal in Madrid:
11:25 CEST: Amuse bouche at lunch. I thought it was the dessert course (see picture after)
20:28 CEST: Dinner was half a baguette with ham and cheese and a tangerine.
20:29 CEST: The River Nive in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
20:29 CEST: Porte de Notre Dame
20:30 CEST: The Citadel- now a school.
20:31 CEST: View from the Citadel walls.
20:31 CEST: Porte Saint-Jacques through which pilgrims from France entered the city.
20:32 CEST: Rue de la Citadelle.
20:32 CEST: Street that my hotel is on.
20:33 CEST: I didn’t want to be too obvious taking this picture. Group is actually a line of pilgrims extending down the street. People are trying to get their passports stamped– necessary for discounts and staying in the municipal albergues– and get route and weather and accommodation info.
20:34 CEST: Sun actually came out in the late afternoon. And now to bed!
