June 11, 2025 | Day 6: Pamplona to Puente la Reina
The weather forecast called for a scorcher, so we hit the trail by 6:30 AM—our earliest start yet. Outside a small café, over crisp morning air, fresh orange juice, and Spanish tortilla, we watched a curious local cat dart between the outdoor tables. It was serene, cool, and a gentle calm before the heat.

As the pavement gave way to true trail and my new hiking poles found their rhythm, the long, gradual climb toward Alto del Perdón began. Behind us, Pamplona shrank into the valley; ahead, massive wind turbines carved slow, steady arcs across the horizon. At the summit stood the iconic iron sculpture of historic pilgrims—shepherds, donkeys, and weary travelers bound by time. Etched nearby, a simple reminder:

“Where the way of the wind crosses that of the stars.”

After days of pre-dawn alarms and monastery bells, Day 5 brought nine glorious hours of sleep and a chance to slow down in Pamplona. From Hemingway’s favorite haunts and cathedral crypts to bull-running history and late-night pintxos, here is what happens when pilgrims take a well-deserved rest day to simply savor the journey.

And we’re back! It’s been more than four years since our last blog post, and although we have taken numerous trips and gone on several adventures over the years, the busyness of life and the stress at work kept us from maintaining the blog. But our recent major life event gave us a new motivation […]