Day 3 - Larrasoaña to Pamplona (11 miles)

     Last night, we participated in the group dinner at the Hostel (where we had rented a private room).  We were at a table of 4, with a man from France and a woman from Lithuania, and all of us at similar age.  The food was pretty good - the conversation was much better.  Everyone goes on the Camino in their own way, with their own struggles...

     We continue to figure things out.  Jana booked rooms 3 days ahead - up until Los Arcos.  And (jumping ahead) based on recommendations, we bought waterproof covers for our backpacks (tomorrow is supposed to rain).  And if all goes well, our luggage for the cruise will be mailed tomorrow to Santiago to wait for us - that should also help us to avoid some strange looks.

    We left at 7:15 this morning, and stopped at the local market for a baguette and oranges for breakfast on the trail.  It was a cool morning with clear skies.  Fewer forests/mountains today.  More fields and prairies and riverside woods, and the last two miles through city as we entered Burlada and completed the approach to Pamplona.   

    We continue to enjoy the birdsongs.  20 bird species spotted today, 4 of which were new to us.

    We toured the Cathedral District of Pamplona prior to check-in at the hotel, enjoying watching the Sunday tourists in the square, visiting the church, and overlooking the fortress walls.  And we got a bit to eat, and visited a camping supply store for our backpack covers and more appropriate non-camino shoes (many hostels and hotels require Camino-walkers to leave their shoes at the entranceway).

      Today, the elevation changes were rough and it was warm; we were feeling fatigued upon arriving in Pamplona.  Tomorrow is going to be significantly more challenging (longer with some steep climbs), and our morning date at the post-office means that we will be having a late start.  And it is likely to rain.  Let's see how it all pans out.

    Some highlight pictures below:

     A European Goldfinch at daybreak as we left town

    A Corn Bunting chattering away.  Appropriately in a tree above a cornfield:

A European robin - quite a bit smaller than its American counterpart:

Some prairie views from the early portion of our walk.  The wildflowers are in full bloom:

    More wildflowers:

Again, much of the trail was single-file:

    Non-bird nature-photo of the day: a black slug (next to my shoe).  Definitely not the type you see in Oregon:

    The Villava-Atarrabia Church as we crossed the river into Burlada.  The church has historical significance with the route of the March of Charlemagne into Spain.

The walls of the fortress as we approached Pamplona, and the drawbridge entrance.

    Some sights as we walked through the Cathedral District:

    The Pamplona Cathedral:

    The square of the Town Hall originates from the Middle Ages, during the reign of Charles III.  To solve a dispute of three burgs, he united them into a single municipality.  The facade is from the original building that was the meeting point of the citizens of Pamplona from the three burgs.

    There is a bunch of symbolism here.  The trumpeter symbolizes the fame of Pamplona.  The two Hercules statues holding clubs represent strength.  At the lower part are statues of justice and prudence as a reminder to the city's rulers as they entered the building.