Day 2

October 1, 2009
Day 2 on the Camino de Santiago and it feels like the 5th or 6th. The walking may not exhaust us but we do tire. We only walked 8.3 miles, but we feel it. It makes me wonder how I ever walked 18 miles a day in Japan, but I know how we did it; we just pushed our bodies to its limits.
Today we did a short walking tour of Pamplona, the city where they do the “running of the bulls” made famous by Hemmingway. As Nancy explained the event it made me laugh. I thought it was the dumbest thing to do, nothing practical like paddling class 5 rivers or walking ridge trails in Hawaii.
After our bus took us to Zariquiegui where we walked through empty wheat fields over the Sierra del Perdon and descended to the village of Uterga where we had a picnic lunch of red peppers, chorizo, sheep cheese, bread, tomato, mussels, frog skin melon, and two kinds of unknown drinks.
It was then time for another bus ride to Eunate, a mysterious eight-sided church from the 12th century. It is said that the Templar Knights were connected to the construction and Tom Hanks next movie is going to be filmed there (joke).
We then went to our hotel and did an optional walk later in the day. The setting sun gave the villages that we walked through a dramatic air that I hope looks well in film. Our last sight was a Roman road and bridge. I am so amazed that it dates back 2000 years.
Dinner was in a renovated bodega (cellar). Once again the meal was excellent. Spanish food has definitely found a place in my stomach.
Nancy, our guide, is so informative. I sometimes feel like I should be taking notes. We told her that under no way will we be tested for all the information that she has given us. We stood in front of a Romanesque door and she talked for 20 minutes about why this doorway was not a true Romanesque door. I could go on, but I won’t. Enough to say that it was greatly influenced by the Moors.
The church bell just rang. It must be time for bed. Then again, we were warned that it rings on the hour, every hour. Yikes!