Madrid to Pamplona
Tuesday, March 21st, 2023
I slept 6.5 hours. It is now 0200 (2am) and I'm wide awake. Today are 1035 I'll ride the train to Pamplona. If all goes well, I hope to do a bit of sightseeing there.
Tomorrow my dream of walking the Camino de Santiago becomes reality. I've trained physically and mentally for it since June of 2019. I need to push myself not to give up, even if I am not feeling it after a tough day.
I feel I made a good start of pushing myself out of my comfort zone yesterday. I learned how to get codes and check myself into a hotel/hostel. This might not seem like much to some people, but in a foreign country, it is intimidating to me. I had watched YouTube videos to travel on the airport, trains, and buses. With my experience in the past few years of European travel with Mark, and last year's short Camino, I felt ready for this new adventure.
I didn't sleep much between 0200 and 0700. It was off to Atocha Train Station for breakfast and a look around at the garden area I missed last year. A cafe con leche and my first patata tortilla (this year) was consumed for breakfast. I then walked to the center part of the train station and located the beautiful garden area I had seen in numerous YouTube videos. The beautiful and lush green plants were all covered with construction dust! It seems there is some remodeling going on at the train station.
My train ride to Pamplona was very comfortable. I was even able to journal on the train. Yesterday, on the airplane over the pond, I wasn't able to write due to the dropdown tables were too small and no elbow room. Too bad I couldn't take the train over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Hotel Catedral (spelled correctly) in Pamplona is a beautiful hotel located in a prime location for the camino. My room was very comfortable and I had a wonderful view of the sunset from my window. I ate in the restaurant that had amazing stained-glass windows.
I walked around Pamplona for a little while after my late lunch/early dinner. I wanted to tour the cathedral, but it was closed. Maybe another time.
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| Atocha Train Station in Madrid |
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| All of these beautiful plants were covered in construction dust |
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| Pamplona Train Station |
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| Fuente! |
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| Hotel Catedral Restaurant |
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| Croquettes |
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| Pamplona Catedral Hotel |
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| Pamplona Cathedral |
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| Plaza Mayor |
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| Cafe Iruna (famous from Hemingway) |
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| My view of the lovely sunset |
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| These birdies were sleeping right outside the window |
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