Day 3: Playgrounds and Piazzas and Pilgrims

Day 3 of our pilgrimage began at 7:30am in Zubiri and ended after 20km (I think) at 3:45pm in Pamplona.  There are no bulls running around here her, but there are lots of kids, and they are hilarious.  My brother and I had dinner in a neighborhood piazza, filled with families.  By the end of the evening, we agreed that playgrounds and piazzas bring out the best in a neighborhood.  So I will start the playgrounds-for-piazzas movement in Rome next fall.  I have high hopes ;)

Today was a quieter day.  We walked through a variety of landscapes: 

Farm fields,

forests,

countrysides, 

followed a creek for awhile,

found a 13th century church dedicated to St. Stephen,

(we got to this church right around noon, the time that the angelus prayer is traditionally prayed, and we were even allowed to ring the bell, the oldest bell in the Navarra region--how perfect?! Thank you, Jesus and Mary!!)

and we even tamed wild beasts!

(If anyone knows me or my brother, you had to know a cat picture was coming eventually.)

Now, allow me to briefly introduce you to two awesome members of our pilgrim family:

On the left is Father Pascal, a French priest we've ended up finding everyday, since Day 1.  And this guy always beats is to wherever we're going everyday, and providentially we've always found him, and he always tells us where Mass is (somehow, despite the giant language barrier).  He is so cool!!! Pray for him, and thank Jesus for him.  

On the right is Brendan.  Brendan is from Scotland, but has lived in Australia for the last 40 years of his life.  He lost his wife to cancer in January, and now he is doing the Camino for her.  He is so tough, and he's got a really big heart.  He's simple and humble, and I am pretty sure he has made friends with all of the pilgrims.  I always look forward to either running into him along the trail, or seeing him in the town where we stop for the night.  

I think that's all for today.  We want to actually start at 7 tomorrow morning...we'll see how that goes.  

Also, what I said about maybe being able to survive without coffee--not possible.  Welcome back into my life, coffee.  I am sorry I ever let you go (for 2 days). 

+JMJ+