11 May - Pamplona to Puenta del Reina - 24 kilometers

What a great stay in Pamplona.   That was yesterday.  Today we depart on a very popular section of the Camino with beautiful scenic views as we climb out of the Pamplona valley over the Alto dei Perdon and then descend into the Arga River valley and the small towns along the way to Puenta la Reina.  It was cloudy this morning and threatening to rain, but by noon, the weather cleared and it was a beautiful trek into our lodging at El Clerco in  Puenta la Reina.

We took many pictures today.  Here are some that describe our day:

We start out at 9 am.   It is cloudy and cold, but the forecast is optimistic, as are we.

It is cold and we have our rain gear handy.

It is Saturday and the Camino is surprisingly crowded.   The gravel path is smooth and Lisa leading the way out of Pamplona.

It is a gradual climb leaving Pamplona.  Judi and Chris stop for a photo of the path ahead.

He is a colorful Camino marker snuggled in the Scotch Broom along the path.   Pilgrims frequently leave small rocks on top of the markers to note their presence here.

Here is a view of the mountains to the north as the sun begins to break through.

Lisa followed by many pilgrims today.

Jon Lynn, Judi, Mike and Lisa enjoying the view.

As we climb toward the summit of Alto dei Perdon, we see a clearing carefully decorated by passing pilgrims with rocks from the path.   Wind turbines in the distance.

As we get closer, we can hear the "whoosh, whoosh" of the wind turbines.  Spain has made a significant investment in wind and solar energy.




















At the summit are the wrought iron pilgrims frequently seen in photographs of the Way.   The statues are representations of medieval pilgrims, heads bent to the west wind, with the inscription "where the way of the wind crosses the way of the stars"

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Here we are at the center of the monument. This is one of the most photographed spots on the Camino!

Chris at the very top of Alto dei Perdon next to the way marker



Looking ahead are the villages we will pass through on the route westward.

As we begin the descent, we see a stone Circle put in place to honor the 92 people from nearby villages that were assassinated by the Francoist regime in 1936-37 the Spanish Civil War.  They we murdered fighting for their ideals of social justice and democracy.  

Chris standing in the stone circle with the headstone of the memorial just below the top wind turbine 

Judi and Jon Lynn begin the steep and rocky descent to the valley below.

The valley floor is lush with wheat and barley fields.

Chards of wheat with a poppy growing in the middle.

We stop at a statue honoring the Virgin Mary.

Finally we reach our village of Uterga.

We stop in Uterga for sandwiches (from breakfast) and coffee.

What a small world!   We meet old friends, Graham and Linda, from New Zealand that we travelled with on the Camino in 2017.  What a small world indeed!

We are a little slow moving in the afternoon sunshine.

Jon Lynn passing local church in the town of Obanas.   In just 2 km, .Jon Lynn and Lisa enter Puenta la Reina (Bridge of the Queen).   

It is "Festival for the Children" Day.  The streets are full of celebrants.

We check into our Hotel (El Clerco),  a nice 4 hotel in the center of town.   We then go for pre-dinner walk to the "queen's bridge" built in the 11th century in honor of Queen Dona Mayor,  the wife of Sancho III.   The bridge's six romanesque arches span the Arga River, now a much more powerful river larger than when we crossed it several days ago in Zubiri.

Here is the splendid Queen's bridge at Puente la Reina.   The Queen commissioned this bridge to support the safe river crossing of the many pilgrims and others that used this route in the 11th century.

Mike and Chris with a view of the Queen's Bridge.   What a beautiful day it turned out to be.

Chris Lisa and Judi are happy to be in Puerto la Reina.   Perhaps too much Rioja?

As we close tonight, we include the Mystical path and Reflections of the Pilgrim from our guidebook, both appropriate for the day.

The Mystical Path to Pamplona:   Will we notice the beehives?   Each home to thousands of bees that collect nectar from the almond blossom that grace this fertile plain in springtime.  In the winter all is laid bare and the hives lie dormant, waiting a time of renewal.   What is the season of our inner landscape?  Is it time to sow new seeds, a time of growth, of harvest or a time of reflection in the deep rich soil of the soul.   The seasons turn in an endless cycle of life.   After the dark of winter comes the light of summer and in between are the spring and autumn equinoxes when light and dark are perfectly balanced.   Have we got the balance right in our life between the busyness of the ego and the being-ness of spirit?

The Personal Reflection of a Pilgrim on today's path:  ...I saw her ahead on the road to Cizer Menor, a diminutive figure walking alone in the dusk.  She was a young mendicant carrying no money and accepting only whatever charity she received along the way.  She accepted a simple pilgrim meal at the bar but refused to take any emergency cash.   I was the one imprisoned by my fears - my wallet thick with euros.  She was free, fearless and with an unshakable belief in the goodness of her fellow human beings.   Her courage and trust leave me deeply humbled......