Author: Thom

After crossing the Puente de la Magdelena, we come at last to the city walls of Pamplona. They are just massive. Although these particular walls were built in 1515 as a defense against France, Pamplona had city walls for more than 1500 years before then. From the time the city was founded by Pompey the Great in 74 BC, it was […]

Just before we approach the walls of the old city, the Camino comes to this beautiful riverside park. Then we pass over over the Río Arga on the Puente de la Magdelena (Magdelene Bridge). The bridge was built in the twelfth century, modified with Gothic elements in the fifteenth century, and extensively remodeled in the twentieth century. This bridge has […]

I just love places like this, where modern construction has been used to repair traditional stonework. For many buildings, especially churches and grand houses, this is of course a terrible idea. But for something like a barn or a stable or, as here, a wall, I think it’s a wonderful way to make modern use of older things while reminding […]

We saw these houses down a side street in the Pamplonan suburb of Burlada. Decorated with shells and stones, they display coats of arms and other decorative elements. Despite the attempt at representation here, due to the size of the stones used in the construction I found it impossible to tell if the arms depicted were meant to be the […]

You might think this is a castle, just sort of hanging out in the urban core surrounding Pamplona. It is, in fact, a restaurant. They even have a pilgrim menu, albeit an expensive one. At some point, I’m going to stop in for “un mojito en la terraza”. But for today, we felt the call of Pamplona. Onwards! Date: 03 […]

Ali stops a moment to admire the local fiber arts. I can’t remember if this shop was still there in 2016 when Francine and I passed through. I feel like if it was, we would have stopped in. Of course, given that it’s afternoon, it’s possible that it’s siesta time. Date: 03 April 2013Place: Villava? Burlada? (Navarra, Spain) Maps! On […]

This building certainly stands out! It’s the headquarters of Intia, a public company, attached and integrated into the Department of Rural Development, Environment and Local Administration in Navarra. They apparently provide assistance to the agricultural producers of the region. Their building sure is cool. Date: 03 April 2013Place: Villava? Burlada? (Navarra, Spain) Maps! On the way from Zubiri to Pamplona.

This is a view of some of the buildings along the Camino as we walk through Villava towards Pamplona. I’m always amazed at how the buildings, though constructed centuries apart, blend together into a more or less harmonious whole. They’re not identical in style, but they clearly belong together. Date: 03 April 2013Place: Villava (Navarra, Spain) Maps! On the way […]

The village of Trinidad de Arre blended seamlessly into the village of Villava. Perhaps they had been separate places once, but they had grown together. We would pass through three such “villages” that were now really just places on a map as we made our way down those last five kilometers to the great city of Pamplona. It was definitely […]