Zubiri --> Pamplona

We woke up late and feeling rough in Zubiri after two days of very difficult hiking. Half falling out of the top bunk and skirting carefully around the terrifying bulge of crazy Angie in her sleep liner, I staggered out into the chilly courtyard to pack my pack and compeed my damaged feet. 

Lauren and I crunched apples as we hiked down from Zubiri through lovely forest paths along the Ebro River, and eventually accidentally kidnapped 14 year old Natalie who ran ahead of her mother to walk with us. A beautiful, decrepit abbey offered a stamp and short rest.

After an exhausting and useless walk through the empty (Sunday in Spain, go figure) town of Larrasoaña, Lauren began to have stabbing pain in her heel and my shins ached with each step. A switch from boots of chacos helped, but by the time we reunited with Natalie's mother Susan 10 km from start (at the adorable cafe at La Parada de Zuriain complete with River and kittens), Lauren and I were both a mess of pain and Fatigue. Since Natalie had been suffering for cracking in her heel and much of the rest of the day's path lay on the roadside, Susan decided to take us all in taxi the last 11 km to Pamplona. What a relief! 

The afternoon then was spent on the lovely, peaceful municipal albergue at San Maria Reales, right by the Pamplona cathedral. We showered, napped and rested while Susan (the true pilgrimage saint) did laundry for us. We reunited with many of our friends including Charles and Kathy and Henning for dinner and met new Swedish friends, 16 year old Alexander (who looked like Harry styles? And his mother. After dinner in the plaza and ice cream, we retired, looking forward to a rest day in Pamplona. The only downside was having to say farewell to our walking friends going on, knowing it was very unlikely we would catch up. And bilbo say somewhere behind. Goodbyes are the nature of pilgrimage!