Zubiri to Pamplona

We left Zubiri in the morning, walked about 1 hour to the next pueblo, Larrasoaña. Somehow we ended up in a tiny shop called Casa Elita, run by a sweet woman who showed us photos of her son with Emilio Estevez (apparently they spent some good times with the locals while filming The Way!). We got fruit and coffee, and also noticed a selection of gluten-free products. This is the place to go if you are craving some wheat-free pasta! She even asked if we were Celiac/allergic, and explained that she likes to reserve those products for the people who really need it. Nice!

celebrity sightings at casa etia

el horno de irotz

the inviting terrace at el horno de irotz

salad from el horno de irotz

pamplona outskirts ... lusting after all that lettuce

salad starter

paella starter

main dishes: veggie burgers and mushrooms & rice pilaf

dessert: chocolate flan! 

dahl yumminess

After a quick breakfast of fruit, coffee, and PB2 on bananas, we kept on our way.

Right around the time we started to get desperate for a lunch option, we stumbled across a restaurant in someone's back patio! Called El Horno de Irotz (in, you guessed it, Irotz).

The veggie option was an amazing salad with local tomatoes that tasted heavenly. The server said they were from an especially fertile plot of land nearby... Can't beat that!

One of the best perks of walking the Camino is getting to experience the different geographies and cultures of Spain. Here, on the way to Pamplona (or Iruña as it's known in the local Basque language), we saw signs of the distinct Basque pride of Navarra.

Finally, we made it to Pamplona!
Since Pamplona is the first city on the Camino, we decided it would be a good spot for a rest day. Our rest days included the indulgence in a private room (NO SNORING!) and usually a bath tub. Hotel Europa near the main plaza in Pamplona was great. We picked up a salad from a nearby supermarket, and even rented a scary movie on iTunes!

The second night we stayed in Hostel Hemingway. It was clean and cozy. The owner and staff were super friendly and helped us track down some veggie restaurants. 

We had lunch at Restaurante Sarasate. They offered a Pilgrim Menu (menu peregrino), a three-course meal at a discounted price of only 9 euros! The food was delicious and they were very accommodating to our dietary needs. 

Before supper we stopped at a local indoor market, Mercado II Ensanche Tafalla ( around the corner from the hostel), and picked up a few veggies. Then we cooked a tasty dahl (lentil curry) in the hostel.

Next door to Hostel Hemingway is a little herbolario, or natural foods store. We picked up a few essentials on our way out of town, including this corn-based baguette!