We’ve arrived at the albergue in Cizur Menor, some 5km beyond Pamplona. The walk through the town was a very vivid experience, thousands of people dressed in white with red kerchiefs. The noise was overwhelming, an extraordinary festive occasion, even the babies were in red and white. We grabbed a ham sandwich in the old quarter and ate as we walked.

The heat built as we left the town, 34° in the shade and we weren’t walking in the shade 😭.  There garden albergue is a beautiful old building with some 80 beds or so in six separarate rooms.

The garden is full of lovely mature fig, plum, bay, walnut and palm trees.

We’re currently sitting outside a small bar chatting to a young Korean lad who’s training to be a vet at university in Korea. He’s here on his own intending to walk to Santiago De Compostela. I’d guess that most pilgrims are on their own. They form little transient groups, two or three for perhaps an hour or so at a time. They walk, chat, perhaps have coffee together then head off on their own or in another little group. It’s a very communal experience which surprisingly I’m finding easier to deal with than mum.

There are pilgrims menus in all the local bars and restaurants so we’re spoilt for choice tonight.

Fingers crossed that Bob’s tumour is benign or at worst hasn’t metastasised. 🤒

Buen Camino