A Run with the Bulls & A Way of St. James Walk

Our first real cooler day since our arrival across the globe. Last night Luke had seen in the reception area a little book called walks in Pamplona. He knows me so well, because not only do I like souvenirs, I'm a bit of a pack rat, but I also loves books and paper. Don't ask me why, I have always been this way. Anyways, this book has 6 different 'routes to discover the most beautiful places in the city'. Sounds great! This was our guide for the day. 

Each walk is divided into a separate journey. Colour coded, and on its own map, as well as with information on certain sites along the way. It really is my kind of book. We did a mash up of pretty much all the different walks just in our own sorta of way. First we started off into the direction of the Citadel, which was apart of the walk of the fortified city. This walk included the many different walls and arch ways both old and new that makes the old fortified city what it is. It is apart of the Spanish Renaissance military architecture. Yesterday as we hiked from the train station to our hotel, we actually walked under the gateway into the city. The wall in the picture behind Luke that I posted yesterday, is the fortified wall of the city. Not to far from that picture and part of the wall is where they hold all of the Bulls that are involved in the Bull fights and in the Running of the Bulls. But I shall get to that later. 

We walked a good chunk of this wall around the city. Winding through more of the inner part of the city as well due to the fact that we wanted to see more of the monuments, churches and older streets. We also saw a number of green spaces. Garden type of places that were more in the style of parks. Beautiful greenery that they have with many flowers in these areas. 

Along the way of this walk we came across this symbol:

 

This is the symbol for the Camino de Santiago. Or the Way of St. James. They are every few feet giving the hikers of this an obvious trail of where they are to go. All of the people that are doing this also have a shell similar looking to the ones seen above. As we learned yesterday on the train to Pamplona, half of Pamplona is in Basque Country and half isn't. Iruna is the Basque name of Pamplona, and on one of emblems it has an R that I can only assume is signifying that. But I am not certain. We walked the whole of the Camino de Santiago, just not from start to finish. We went finish to start with going astray but then ending back where we started and continuing on our way. We also noticed that there was a good number of people that were actually biking this instead of hiking. 

 

This is one of their signs in old town. The yellow arrow is for the Camino de Santiago, and the red is for the Encierro, or the running of Bulls. When I translate that is says confinement. I believe that it is referring to the Plaza del Torros, which is where the running of the Bulls concludes in the stadium. 

The Running of the Bulls was next to do. Again we walked this whole path, from where the running stats to where it ends. But also going off the trails and eventually coming back onto it. Like I said we mushed all the walks into our own version seeing it all along the way. This whole event fascinates me. It is so big here, many of their souvenirs have something to do with it. Thousands of people partake in the running each day.

 

This is their city hall, during the running this is were they have opportunities to bail out if they so choose. The fence that Luke is standing beside is dedicated to all the people who have lost their lives in the running of the Bulls. It is also the type of fence that they have set up all around to keep both the people and the Bulls on track during the running. 

 

 

Again you can see the Encierro sign, they also bigger ones with more writing on it that are on buildings, this smaller one is actually on the route where they run. As is the picture of the bull chasing the two guys. On the street across from the Plaza del Torros, where they run out of they have a clock that counts down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds till the festival of the running starts.

 

 

Lunch. Remember the cider I referred a few days ago that I had in San Sebastián, well we have come to learn more about it today. It is actually a type of wine. It is also cheaper for a bottle then a glass. 2 euros as a matter of fact. It is interesting because they serve it to you in normal glasses but also in a wine bottle. Today we got the bottle and it has this spout on the top that you "pour it out of fountaining it into the glass for proper aeration" as Luke so eloquently put it. Pretty nifty!

 

This is the bull monument that they have obviously for the running of the Bulls. 

 

This was as we were out walking the outer part of the wall of the city that eventually winds its way around back to the Camino de Santiago, and up through the Gateway to France. Also, I would like to point out how awesome Luke's eyes sparkle in this picture. Love it ! He also winner all of his classes at school! He got his marks back and he finished strong! Proud wife of an Engineer :)

As I said, we had a cooler start to our day. It did turn around and heated up greatly we sat out at a cafe in the warmth of the sun just enjoying the plaza. It very quickly took a turn and got chilly and eventually started to rain. We got our first bout of rain. Although it didn't last long. Another great day exploring a unique town that has so many different things to offer. 

And so the adventure continues...