Day 8: Zubiri - Pamplona (4/08/14)

With rare exception, 

the Camino goes through different topography, 

on different types of path

every day.

The walk from Zubiri to Pamplona illustrates that reality perfectly...

No day, or moment for that matter, is exactly like the one that preceded it...

no matter how mundane or 'ordinary' it may seem

and

even when the path takes you by less than lovely things

if you just keep going,

there will always be beauty to be found before the journey is over.

One of the Camino lessons I don't want to forget!

Upon reaching Pamplona,

I checked into a hostel operated by a group of German Camino supporters.

As the hospitalero (or host) was carrying my backpack to my room,

(trust me - NOT a service generally provided)

he looked at me and asked,

"Woman, are you mad?"

He proceeded to inform me that my backpack was WAAYY too heavy

"for someone with your small frame"

(don't you just love him already?)

and he made me open my backpack and go through the contents right there and then,

under his supervision.

You all know how carefully I'd considered my packing list.

I thought I'd been very conservative...

Otto didn't agree.

He told me to get rid of:

the sleeping bag

(and just use a liner - 

and the blankets provided in every albergue),

the waterproof pants,

one wool base layer long sleeve shirt,

the checked shirt I'd intended to use as a light jacket in the evening -

(dismissed along with a "Honey, you won't be going to the Opera; 

you won't need 'evening wear'"),

2 pairs of wool socks,

lip gloss,

mascara and eye liner.

(Those items didn't even warrant a comment - 

beyond rolled eyes and "Really"??).

We marched down to the local post office 

and said items were packaged and mailed 

to a man in Santiago who, for a small fee,

would hold them for 60 days while I completed my Camino.

If I EVER again in my life think losing (or gaining) 5 lbs 

"won't make that much difference" -

I want to remember this Camino lesson as well.

It does - it's huge!

A quick look around Pamplona was all I needed -

I'm not much of a big city girl anymore -

and I didn't want the 'zen' I was finding as a pilgrim 

to be mixed up with 'tourist' mojo -

if that makes sense. 

I did get a laugh out of this sculpture 'honoring' the fools who run with the bulls!

 Really, haven't we all had days like this?

I was also amazed at one of the bridges outside the hostel -

can you imagine anything like this existing in the States?

No guard rails, no warning signs -

clearly a lawsuit waiting to happen!

First big city on the Camino - check.

Moving on...