Day 4 - Friday, 25th April, 2014 - 16.4 km
[Bridge at Zubiri]
We set off from Zubiri the following day not too worse for wear. There was one incident in the night when I realised that there was someone going around our dormitory checking each of the beds. It was, you could say, mildly suspicious; I could just see a dark tall form lurking about. I had to fumble inside my anorak breast pocket for my iPhone. I, just by chance, happened to be wearing my anorak in bed, as the Municipal at Zubiri did not stretch to providing blankets and it was cold in just a sleeping bag liner! So as the shadowy figure seemed to be reaching at everyone, I held up my iPhone at him, not unlike you might try to ward off vampires in a Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing film. Magic, it seemed to work and the poor unsuspecting German pilgrim, who had erred into the wrong dormitory on his way back from the loo to his bed muttered some apologies and scuttled off back from whence he had come. I spotted him again when we were puting our boots on the following day and asked him whether he had got lost the previous night? He was very apologetic because he must of thought that I considered he needed to be put on a register somewhere!
[Bridge and Church hostel at Arre - outskirts of Pamplona]
So we set off to Pamplona, I was hoping that Eila might be interested in staying in a beautiful hostel behind the church and garden at Arre. I had considered it one of my favourite Camino experiences, but with shed loads of dirty wet clothes from the previous day, Eila seemed hell bent on a smarter establishment in Pamplona and maybe increasing our daily mileage. We had a good day and the weather brightened up making Arre seem a better destination and she was prepared to be manoeuvred that way. It was a great success as it had a free washing machine and we were able to deal with the whole lot of washing and enjoy sitting out in the sun in the garden there. Like the previous year we were able to team up with others and enjoy a meal together. The three Irish ladies from the Dublin and the South West of Ireland (Margaret, Aine and Christine) had also made for Arre as they only had a week on the Camino. We all went shopping and had fresh fish and plenty of salad and greens. I was just happy to be back at Arre, a converted cattle shed that had been looking after pilgrims since the Middle Ages, but the food was very good. The dormitory was built into the top of the old cattle shed with an airy feeling and exposed wooden beams. There was plenty of space between bunk beds and Eila did not seem too cheated out of a plusher Pamplona resting place!
Buen Camino.
[Bridge and waterfalls at Arre - outskirts of Pamplona]
[East German couple from Dresden (Mario and Michelle) relaxing in the hostel garden at Arre]
[Airey converted barn dormitory -Arre]
[ Eila, Margaret, Christine and Aine preparing supper - Arre]
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