30 September slightly overcast and a good temp though a bit of humidity

Day started with an outstanding breakfast at the NH hotel. Fruit and more fruit. For two days in Pamplona I have been eating fruit and veggies, much more prevalent in this part of Spain then they were in France. That and roasted red peppers everywhere and in most dishes. And roasted green peppers. Like the roasted red ones in olive oil almost as much as I like the tomatoes with garlic to put on the toast. My kind of place.

The KB is gorging himself on tapas/pintxos. He sits at lunch and dinner surrounded by tiny plates of ham, sausage, sardines, cheese, etc., all soaked in oil and tomatoes. I watch them each disappear, and the plates stack up. He is very happy.

QB took a taxi from Pamplona to Uterga to avoid the tender mercies of El Perdon, a pointlessly high peak on the Camino. Toes are numb from the Pyrenees and the long schlep to Pamplona. Short but lovely and well waymarked hike to Puente la Reina. Aspect of the land is changing again.

Pimiento market in Puente la Reina today. More shapes and styles of peppers than I’ve ever seen. Guy had industrial drums with hoppers and cranks and were roasting peppers in bulk.

KB’s skills, all of them, at navigating were taxed today. Written instructions wrong from book and provided maps, roads ended in dead ends that required walking across fields to find a paved road and then asking directions from bikers who, like me, were lost. Finally found a “local” who gave us (a fellow cyclist from Venice who spoke less Spanish than I did) directions and rode with us a bit to make sure we got started ok.

GPS maps had to be used and supplemented with regional maps.

Above difficulties due to a new high speed motor way (no bikes allowed) built along the very high ridge that we needed to cross ( at 770 meters while were were at 400 meters) and the roads around it were either incomplete or in some cases, not even started, however, the road signs had been installed. Hence the dead ends!

After an 8% grade climb and a similar descent ( down more than up – I hate these fast descents as I am too cautious to gain any real speed ) arrived at the 12th century octagonal church in Eunate, probably built by the knights Templar before their demise. Small cloister surrounding it as well as a low wall. Very different and clearly Roman in style.

Two observations from discussions between the QB and the KB: the gothic period must have gotten to Spain much later (150 years?) than to Northern Europe; Roman design lasted over a thousand years, maybe 1200. We always read about how Aristotle’s science impeded new development for 1000 years and now we see perhaps it was also true for architecture.

Puenta la Reina is named after a Queen, of unknown name, who financed the bridge in 1140’s to foil the dishonest ferries up and down the river, and to get the city to grow. Nice old street remains with lower original houses with later additions built on top.