The Aragones Route - Starting in Jaca

Saturday October 10, 2009

After making the decision to walk a portion of the Aragones Route, 

I took the train from Sahagun to Pamplona.

It was a Saturday.

I left Sahagun at 13:43 and arrived in Pamplona at 17:08

The cost was 31.10 Euros

I bought lunch at the grocery store by the train station.  

I paid 5.25 Euros for bread, cheese, yogurt, 

a banana, and a bottle of water. 

Spendy there, thought I.

I was able to get the last bed at Casa Paderborn in Pamplona.

I love that little albergue! 

Here are some photos from the web since I did not take my camera on this trek:

The front of Casa Paderborn

One of the bedrooms

I slept in this top bunk

The river behind Paderborn

A very nice dining area for breakfast. You can see the staircase through the doorway. It goes upstairs to the dorms.

Localidad: Pamplona

Dirección: C. Playa del Caparroso, 6

Año de apertura: 2007

Titularidad: Municipal

Gestión: Asociación Amigos del Camino de Paderborn (Alemania)

Exclusivo para peregrinos: Sí

Teléfono de contacto: 948-21-17-12

Admite reserva: No

Expide la credencial: No

Número de plazas: 26

Dormitorios: 5, entre 4 y 8 plazas

Disponibilidad (meses inclusives): De febrero a octubre

Hora de apertura: 12:00

Hora de cierre: 22:00

Precio: 5 euros (7 euros con desayuno)

Acondicionamiento: Bueno

Observaciones: La ciudad alemana de Paderborn está hermanada con Pamplona.

Web: (no tiene o desconocida)

I have stayed at Casa Paterborn several times.

It is always friendly, clean, and a good experience. 

They have nice newish washing machines and a clothes dryer, 

as well as a place for hand washing your clothes 

and hanging them up out in the back if that is your preference.

The showers are dorm style 

and have always been spotlessly clean and lusciously hot. 

The breakfast (desayuno) at 2 euros is very good; 

all the fresh bread with butter and jam you can eat, 

coffee, juice, tea, water.  

The rooms are very clean and I think the room I stayed in had 3 bunks.  

I much prefer this albergue to the municipal.  

And although the ads say they do not take reservations,

I have had them hold a bed for me in the past.

It probably depends on the hospitalera, 

so it's worth a try if you're getting in late.

I slept on the top bunk and there were 3 other pilgrims in the room. They enforce a quiet time, so it's nice that you actually can get some sleep.

Sunday morning I walked to 5 churches
trying to find Mass because my bus did not leave for Jaca
until 1700 hours.

I stopped for a coffee (1.20 euro) and pastry (1.70 euro).
My ticket to Jaca from Pamplona was 7.05 euros.
I had 113 euros left and that would hold me for 5 days
until I could find an ATM if I was careful.

I walked to the Museum of Navarre which is FREE on Sunday! 

 This is a very sweet little museum 

with some wonderful art and historical artifacts. 

From their website:

 

"Open since 1956, the Museum of Navarre was re-inaugurated in 1990 by Queen Doña Sofía. Its permanent collection comprises archaeological relics dating from prehistorical times, from the beginning of history and from the period when the Romans occupied Navarre.

Works of medieval, Renaissance and baroque art, secular as well as religious, and pieces by artists from Navarre of the 19th and 20th centuries make up the Museum's collections. Items of international importance that stand out amongst them include the Arqueta (ornamental chest of Leire), an exceptional piece of Spanish/Moslem art made out of ivory, the Roman capitals of the cloisters from the original Pamplona Cathedral and the portrait of the Marquis of San Adrián, signed by Goya in 1804."

Taking advantage of the free Sunday admission,

I spent several hours here. 

Afterwards, I had a very exciting walk to the bus station! 

The nearby Plaza de Castillo was jam-packed full of protesters.  

I stopped for a sandwich and soon I heard yelling and breaking glass.

As I walked the 5 blocks to the station, 

a huge crowd of people dressed in black were advancing toward me;

masked young people with baseball bats and pokers. 

They weren't actually chasing ME.  

I just happened to be ahead of the unruly crowd. 

They ran through town, 

screaming and breaking the windows of businesses and cars.  

I stood out like a sore hunchback in my bright blue ALTUS poncho. 

This was the one time I wished I was not wearing it!   

I didn't want to get caught up in their issue,

being a foreigner, so I began speed walking,

joining a businessman who was also seeking refuge.

We hit the door of the building at the same time, 

and he, a gentlemen, held the door and said, "Hurry!"  

We laughed as we ran together 

down the stairs into the basement. 

I was a little afraid the rioters might come into the station,

but for some reason, they bypassed us.  

It remained calm and I assume the "storm" passed over us above-ground. 

To this day, I have no idea what set them off, 

but I can say I did run in Pamplona with the crowds! 

The only thing missing were the bulls!

Speaking of the bull running, 

people in Pamplona are very passionate about their beliefs! 

They take their demonstrations seriously, 

as you can see by the photos of this PETA demonstration 

against bull running and fighting:

Anyway, my trip to the station was pretty wild, 

and I was happy to see my bus in place. 

The ride to Jaca was beautiful 

and it was nice to be able to see the spectacular countryside 

where I'd be walking for the next few days. 

I met Loretta, an Italian girl, on the bus 

and we each spoke enough Spanglish-Italian to become friends. 

We walked together to the albergue. 

The albergue in Jaca is very nice. 

They have little cubbies for each bed so you have a semblance of privacy. 

Here is a photo I found on the web by David Foster.

I think he and I slept in the same bed... 

on different nights, of course!

The showers were not exactly clean, 

but we did arrive late, and I was just thankful for hot water. 

The kitchen was ok. 

There was a microwave and fridge and not much else, 

but it was clean. 

The inside was bright and there were computers!  

HOORAY!

After we cleaned up, 

Loretta and I walked into town to find dinner. 

This sweet little town sits at the base of the Pyrenees 

and is really very pretty, especially at sunset. 

Photo by Gaudencio GaudiRamone

Loretta and I walked up and down the streets 

and finally found a place to buy some empanadas and fruit. 

We took our food back to the albergue and ate there.

Then, after checking for bedbugs,

we turned off the lights and got a good night's sleep.

Morning would come early, 

and I was anxious to get started.

See my AnnieWalkersCamino website at 

www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

for more information about

Guided Walks on the Camino Santiago 

and on other Pilgrimage Trails of Europe