Okay, I know it’s a six week journey and we have ourselves a day off after only 3 days on the trail. Still a great move. It highlighted it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Carla and I (more me) were pretty beat up after the first 2 days. Day 3 was fine but we were still feeling the effects of days 1 and 2 so this respite came at the perfect time. Today, instead of putting on the same clothes we’ve been wearing for many days and loading up our packs with food stolen from our breakfast buffets so we could trudge up and down through the mud, we stayed an extra day at a swanky hotel, got massages ( which were painfully awesome) and we are off to a Michelin starred restaurant for some fine dining- no Peregrino gruel for these Pilgrims. This after a wonderful meal last night with table side service where Carla and I shared a whole grilled sea bass. It was accompanied by white asparagus and a local mixed vegetable dish swimming in the most favorable broth. The manager paired the wines for us at each serving. The meal ended with a shot of local spirits. After the massage today we walked around Pamplona taking in the sights, see pictures below. This town loves Ernest Hemingway in the way the French love Jerry Lewis. Pictured below is Hotel Perla which in his novel The Sun also Rises Hemingway called Hotel Montoya. The cathedral pictures are of Santa Maria Cathedral built in the 15th century around a cathedral built in the 13th century (where we got our passports stamped). We could have spent two days there. We’ve gotten some good news from back home and it’s so wonderful to celebrate it on this journey- good news is good for the soul. You all are spared my battle with technology as there’s no video to post. The battle resumes tomorrow. By the way, Carla and I really appreciate your comments.

Hemingway spent many a night in this hotel and called it Hotel Montoya in The Sun also Rises

Sculpture of the running with the bulls of course

Bike art- yeah!

A gelato shot for Bryce, Kevin and the rest of the gang