We ate a nice buffet breakfast at the AC Hotel Zizur Mayor and made sandwiches for lunch. MT's Achilles tendon was a little better after taking the ibuprophen.
We departed Cizur Mayor at 8:15 am. We didn’t have to go back to Cizur Menor, but the hotel clerk told us just to go around town in Calle San Cristobal until we came to an open field, and there we saw signs for being on the Camino. Just out of Cizur Mayor, we saw large hay bales and fields of sunflowers.
We departed Cizur Mayor at 8:15 am. We didn’t have to go back to Cizur Menor, but the hotel clerk told us just to go around town in Calle San Cristobal until we came to an open field, and there we saw signs for being on the Camino. Just out of Cizur Mayor, we saw large hay bales and fields of sunflowers.
9:40 AM – Near Cizur Mayor: Don with big hay bale.
9:42 AM – Near Cizur Mayor: Don with sunflower field.
MT 9:44 AM – Near Cizur Mayor: MT with sunflower field.
MT 9:45 AM – Near Cizur Mayor: Don and MT with sunflower field.
On
a high point near Zariquiegui we came to a place with two benches and a memorial cross overlooking a cemetery.
A Belgian pilgrim named Frans Koks died here in 2004 as he was
heading for the fourth time to Santiago. His family erected this cross with his
name and photo and a Camino shell sign at the top and placed benches for
pilgrims to rest here. His son made the cross from materials found in his
father's workshop.
9:59 AM – Before Zariquiegui – MT resting on bench by memorial, with path leading off to cemetery and mountain in background (Zariquiegui in distance just to her right).
We went through Zariquiegui (aka Zarikiegi, pop 39), where MT asked at a bar where to get ibuprofen, since she had misplaced hers, and another pilgrim gave her some.
In Spain, as in many European countries, a bar is not just a drinking establishment. A bar usually has a bar or counter, which gives it its name, and it serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Sometimes, it is just a place where tapas, raciones (like tapas, but larger portions) or other snacks are offered to accompany drinks. Sometimes it offers a full menu. A bar differs from a cafetería or café in that the latter serves only food and non-alcoholic beverages, being banned from serving alcoholic beverages.
9:59 AM – Zariquiegui: Zariquiegui in distance.
10:15 AM – Zariquiegui: sign, street lamp, and fountain.
10:16 AM – Zariquiegui: San Andrés church from SE.
10:21 AM – Zariquiegui: San Andrés church from SW, near bar.
10:20 AM – Zariquiegui: cheap menu at bar where pilgrim gave MT ibuprofen.
After Zariquiegui, we came upon the first poppies we had seen this year, in a field of wheat stubble. (In May-July 2013, they had been a common sight along the Camino, but this year their season had passed.)
MT 10:54 AM – After Zariquiegui: MT in wheat stubble with small clump of poppies.
10:51 AM – After Zariquiegui: closeup of small clump of poppies in wheat stubble.
10:51 AM – After Zariquiegui: close-up (macro) of small clump of poppies in wheat stubble.
10:52 AM – After Zariquiegui: Don in wheat stubble with small clump of poppies.
After that, on the way up to the Alto del Perdón (hill of forgiveness), we met an out-of-work Scot traveling with a young Italian man. Atop the Alto del Perdón was a pilgrim monument with wrought iron silhouettes of pilgrims, mounted and on foot, with their heads bent to the west wind. As with many other high points (altos) we passed, this was also a good spot for a wind turbine farm.
11:04 AM – Scot, young lady, MT, and Italian boy on path approaching Alto del Perdón.
11:10 AM – Near Alto del Perdón: view back down path toward Pamplona.
11:13 AM - Alto del Perdón: view to north with orientation table of “Northern Panoramic View” in foreground – Camino route shown at far right, to northeast.
11:18 AM - Alto del Perdón: part of orientation table showing view to northeast: shows Camino route coming down from Pyrenees mountains into Pamplona-Iruna and through Cizur Menor (with Cizur Maior off to left) and then through Zariquiegui in right foreground.
11:14 AM - Alto del Perdón: view back to Cizur and Pamplona.
11:13 AM - Alto del Perdón: pilgrim silhouettes.
11:15 AM - Alto del Perdón: Don and MT with pilgrim silhouettes.
11:15 AM - Alto del Perdón: Don and MT with pilgrim silhouettes (close up).
MT 11:25 AM - Alto del Perdón: closeup of inscription on pilgrim’s mount: “Donde se cruza el camino del viento con el d[e] las estrellas” [Where the way of the wind crosses that of the stars].
11:26 AM - Alto del Perdón: close-up of pilgrims with cut-out shells.
11:27 AM - Alto del Perdón: part of wind turbine farm nearby.
11:27 AM - Alto del Perdón: young man reclining with view ahead, down toward Uterga, Muruzábal, and Óbanos (with larger city of Puente la Reina in distance at top right).
11:28 AM - Alto del Perdón: orientation table of same view to southwest, showing Camino route winding through Uterga, Muruzábal, and Óbanos to Puente la Reina.
11:28 AM - Alto del Perdón: path starting downward.
11:28 AM - Alto del Perdón: view toward Uterga, Muruzábal, and Óbanos (telephoto, 133 mm).
11:35 AM - near Alto del Perdón: MT on rocky path.
MT 11:38 AM - near Alto del Perdón: Don on rocky path (with wind turbines).
12:52 PM – Near Uterga: Uterga in distance.
12:52 PM – Near Uterga: MT and madonna.
MT 12:53 PM – Near Uterga: madonna.
12:57 PM – Next town (identified by church as Uterga per pueblos.espana.org) (telephoto, 260 mm).
Just before Uterga (pop 141), we stopped in the shade by a low-water bridge and ate our sandwiches and fruit from the hotel. We talked with the Scot and Italian about going to Eunate but, just after we took that turn at Muruzábal (pop 277). MT decided the extra hour walk was not good. So we continued on the main Camino route instead.
1:02 PM – [Uterga or Muruzábal?]: Don by old stone house with wood door.
1:11 PM – [Uterga or Muruzábal?]: Santiago 697 km sign [by whose count?].
So we went on directly to Óbanos (pop 900) and found Hostal Rural Mamerto, where the entrance was at Calle Lorenzo 13A, but we had to go around the corner and ring at 13A. A young lady showed us a (small) double room with bath for 45€. (The larger room with balcony we had last year was taken.) She offered to wash and dry our clothes for us and gave us a sello for our credentials.
3:35 PM – Óbanos: HR Mamerto – 13A where we had to ring for help.
3:36 PM – Óbanos: HR Mamerto – 13B where we entered for room.
5:10 PM – Óbanos: MT at door of HR Mamerto at c/ Lorenzo 13B.
2:34 PM – Óbanos: Hostal Rural Mamerto – our (small) room.
Don showered and we went looking for a restaurant for perhaps a menu del día for lunch, but the place we ate at last year (near the church) was closed then. We asked at the albergue where we could find WiFi and a menu del día. The man there sent MT across the street to use the WiFi of the Municipal Library; even though the library was closed, he said to just stand under a tree near it. Meanwhile, Don went to a bar at a “Comida” sign down the street (where we had eaten a pincho last year); they had a 10€ menu if we would come back around 7:15 pm.
Don
checked at Iglesia San Juan Bautista
for mass time, but a sign said only daily masses Monday-Friday at 10 am.
The Iglesia San Juan Bautista is much younger than it looks; it was
built in 1912 in neo-Gothic style with large arcades on the façade and south
side. However, it retains from the previously existing Gothic church the 14th-century
porticos, the tower and main vault (13th century), and the arches of
the portico. The church, on the Plaza de los Fueros, is near the medieval town
gate.
4:14 PM – Óbanos: gate and Iglesia San Juan Bautista on Plaza de los Fueros.
MT 4:14 PM – Óbanos: Iglesia San Juan Bautista and crucifix in center of Plaza de los Fueros.
3:30 PM – Óbanos: medieval gate.
Don went back and got MT, who was having trouble getting WiFi near the library, and she was able to use the WiFi at the bar for a while. Then we went back to Hostal Rural Mamerto until time to go back to the bar at 7:15.
We ate 10€ menu at bar (not further identified). We sat at a table with white paper tablecloth, where a mixed group of pilgrims from several countries was already seated. Clockwise from MT and Don were Antonella from Italy, Donat (man) from France, a man from Canada, and at our end of the table was a Polish man who was a permanent deacon in St. Gallen, Switzerland and his friend, and a retired military man from Holland. (Standing at the far end in the photos is an oriental man from the next table.) 1st course was pea soup and soup with (something like semolina?); 2nd course was linguada (sole) fish (MT) or lomo (roast stew in tomato gravy and fries) (Don); dessert was crème broulé (MT) or ice cream (Don).
3:42 PM – Óbanos: bar where we had ice cream and later dinner menu; the blue sign on that side said “Comidas” (food).
3:41 PM – Óbanos: that bar (from different angle); the only sign on that side merely said “Bar.”
7:55 PM – Óbanos: our table at bar for dinner.
7:56 PM – Óbanos: our table at bar for dinner (Don took).
9:17 PM – Óbanos: HR Mamerto – MT at half-door.
9:18 PM – Óbanos: HR Mamerto – MT inside half-door.
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