June 9, 2025

From Quiet Villages to the Streets of Pamplona

The comfortable beds at the hostel proved hard to get out of. We slept in, exhausted from two days of intense hiking, and were the last ones to hit the trail. It’s true what they say—by day three, the accumulated tiredness of sleeping in different beds and tackling tough walks really catches up with you physically. I’m not sure how the others managed to get such an early start to the day.

We were once again fooled into not getting the (over priced) pre-arranged breakfast at the hostel, and there was nothing else around. Luckily two kind French ladies had left us some of their muesli. I poured milk over it and had that as my morning fuel. Sometimes the Camino provides in unexpected ways.

Today’s walk was full of little moments (such as a goat and a dog hanging out on a roof) and interesting discussions with so many peregrinos that made the day pass quickly. 

Once we started walking, we soon came across something completely unexpected: a phosphorus factory with large mounds of phosphorus piled up. This was the first time we’d seen a big industrial facility right next to the Camino—a jarring contrast to the medieval monasteries and ancient paths.

Shortly after, we encountered a horse right next to a Camino sign. What started as a photo opportunity for several pilgrims quickly turned comedic when the horse started chasing a fellow pilgrim. She got a little worried, so we had to use our walking sticks to shoo it off. It finally left us alone. I think all it wanted was some grass growing behind the Camino sign! Also, today there seemed to be more horse droppings right on the trail compared to yesterday. Just another charming detail of rural walking.

We passed through the 13th-century Abbey of Saint Lucia in Ilárraz, Navarra. Though no longer open, it stood as a beautiful testament to the region’s medieval past.

We caught up with Alina, the girl from Chicago, and walked a good distance together, talking about her plans for her twenties and beyond. She wants to go to law school and practice some kind of nonprofit law. Her idealism was refreshing.

Then we ran into Ivan and his wife Martina from Ireland who were taking only two weeks to walk from here to a couple of cities beyond Pamplona. We talked in great detail about their homeland. She offered some insider travel advice: most Americans only visit the south of Ireland, but they should really explore the north. She told us about golfing in Northern Ireland, where Irish people pay only €80 for a round of golf while Americans get charged €300—because, as the golf course owners say, Americans won’t think it’s a great course if they’re not paying that much!

The Irish couple had started their hike from St. Jean all the way to Roncesvalles on a Saturday and saw zero views. I was grateful we’d started a day early and witnessed those amazing vistas to Orisson.

She shared a poignant story about meeting an American from Montana whose 38-year-old son had been murdered last year. The mother was walking for 38 days—one for each year of his life. These stories of grief and healing—this is part of the Camino too.

Her husband was a lawyer with limited vacation time, which was why they were only taking two weeks to do part of the Camino, planning to complete it in sections over future years. She herself was a physical therapist.

 

We stopped at a café in Zuriain for a wonderful break: orange juice, café con leche, and tortilla. Everything was delicious and cost seven euros. We sat next to Kelly and Jackie, who talked about Scotland and their love of stopping at roadside attractions in the U.S. Their approach to walking the Camino was refreshingly relaxed: instead of trying to make it all the way, they were going as far as they could and would return in future years to continue. No pressure, no rigid timeline.

A fun fact: while we enjoyed our meals while listening to a fellow pilgrim playing his guitar by the river, we draped our socks on top of our backpacks, and in 30 minutes they were fully dry! It is extremely important to keep your socks dry to prevent blisters. 

Another fun fact: While I was in line to get food, two guys from Ireland asked where I was from. When I said Tampa, Florida, they immediately asked, “Is that where the Buccaneers play?” They were genuinely excited when I confirmed and mentioned that I’d seen one of the last games that Tom Brady played in his professional career.

When we reached the town of Zabaldika, we decided to take a small detour to visit the monastery on top of the hill. Steps led upward—steep and hot. When we reached the top, we were both drenched in sweat.

But the moment we put down our backpacks and entered the Church of St. Stephen, everything changed. It was the most surreal feeling—cool, quiet, sacred. We were given a pamphlet in English describing the statues in front and the paintings on either side. After several minutes in awe, we were pointed to a set of stone stairs. We climbed up to the 13th-century bell tower and were told to ring the bell once for each of us (but no more or the towns folk might think there is a fire). It was a peaceful, quiet, and deeply self-reflecting experience.

As we walked out, we were handed another pamphlet that stopped us in our tracks. Here is what is said:

“The Beatitudes of the Pilgrim from Zabaldika:

1. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that the road opens your eyes to the unseen.
2. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if what concerns you most is not getting there, but getting there with others.
3. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you contemplate the road and discover it full of names and dawns.
4. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if your backpack is empty of things and your heart does not know where to hang so many emotions.
5. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that one step back to help another is worth more than a hundred steps forward without looking at your side.
6. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you lack words to express your gratitude for all that surprises you at every turn of the road.
7. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you make your way a life and your life a journey, in search of the One who is the “Way, the Truth and the Life”.
8. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if on the way you meet yourself and give yourself time without haste so as not to neglect your heart.
9. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that the road has much to do with silence; and silence with prayer; and prayer with the encounter with the God of Love who awaits you.
10. Blessed are you, pilgrim, for you will discover that the true journey begins when it ends.”

These words felt like they’d been written specifically for this moment, for us, for everyone walking this ancient path.

From the monastery, we proceeded uphill and eventually reconnected with the main Camino path. In a shaded area, we found a man selling fruit. Even though we didn’t want any, he was curious where we were from and showed us his TikTok channel where he dances to music from Ecuador and Peru. He said that even though he is a Spaniard, he loves listening to music from Latin America. His friendliness and openness embodied the spirit we’d encountered all along the way.

It’s incredible how we keep running into the same people we first saw at St. Jean Pied de Port: the family from Hawaii and San Diego, Kelly and Jackie from Florida, Alina from Chicago. The Camino creates its own traveling community.

We crossed over a stone bridge, got a stamp at the Trinity Church, and entered the town of Arre. The trail today was especially fragrant—so many flowers in bloom, filling the air with sweet scents.

We ran into Pete and Jason from Connecticut, and Ivan and his wife Martina from Ireland. Along the way, an elderly gentleman outside a church handed us a sheet of proverbs from the Camino. A few of our favorites:

• The pilgrim does not only seek to arrive, but also to find himself.
• A pilgrim without a good mood is like a world without color.
• The pilgrim who sets out alone always finds companions on the way.
• On the pilgrim’s journey, each encounter is a gift and each farewell a learning experience.
• The pilgrim finds answers in silent footsteps.
• Help yourself and God will help you.

When we booked the Aloha Hostel, we thought that after eight hours of walking, an extra 10 minutes out of the way would be nothing. We were wrong. Now, that extra 10 minutes with the weight on our backs made a huge difference at the end of a long day. That being said, I would absolutely do it again though because having a private room felt heavenly. We had our own beds, nobody else to share the room with, and no snoring. The bathroom and shower were shared with only two other rooms—luxury!

After dropping our bags and having a quick rest, we ventured back out for dinner where we met up with Pete and Jason from New York, Belinda from Colorado, Ivan and Martina from Ireland. It wasn’t just a regular dinner either, we enjoyed wonderful pintxos and drinks at a local spot.

We tried foie gras, croqueta de chistorra, cojonudo, and huveo trufado and washed it all down with Kalimotxo (red wine mixed with Coca-Cola—don’t knock it till you try it!) and beer. Conversation ranged from SpaceX to how things were better back in the day without cell phones, meditation retreats, and travel adventures around the world.

We also ran into our South Korean train buddies who were delighted to see us as much as we were delighted to see them.

…And José and his wife from Barcelona. José was incredibly nice, telling us which traditional foods to order and where to get the best churros in town.

After dinner, we walked over to the street where the famous running of the bulls happens. Standing there, imagining the chaos and adrenaline of that annual tradition, felt surreal. Funny enough, the Pampalona bull race was less than a week away!

It was a wonderful evening full of good food, drinks, and company. But also bittersweet—Jason and his dad Pete were continuing their walk tomorrow, while Ivan and Martina hadn’t decided if they were spending an extra day in Pampalona. We might not see them again for a while.

Some interesting observations about Pampalona:

• Trash collection in Pamplona happens at 11 PM. Not exactly quiet!
• We never felt lost for a single moment today. Every turn either had a yellow arrow or the Camino logo guiding the way.

As I lay in bed that night in our private room, I thought about those beatitudes. The journey is changing us, step by step.

Distance: Approximately 20 kilometers
Walking time: 6-7 hours
Highlight: The Church of St. Stephen and the Beatitudes of the Pilgrim
Lesson learned: The true journey begins when it ends