A Bike-Free Interlude -- to Pamplona!

October 7, 2024

The weather forecast is looking bleak for the next five days, so I'm going to switch modes of travel. I ask my hotel if I can leave my bicycle with them for up to a week, and they say yes. The idea will be to do a loop by bus or train. I pin a few places on my map after consulting the Alsa (bus) and Renfe (train) route maps: Logroño, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Burgos, Santander, and Bilbao. Wooh. Okay, let's figure out where to go. I settle on Pamplona -- 1.5h away by bus. And as a bonus, the ride will let me survey the roads and topography for when I bike that way in a week. After the stressful coastal ride from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to San Sebastian, I need some reassurance.

The next morning comes. I look at the sky. Bleakness confirmed. I leave my bike in the hotel's storage room, promising that I'll return in a few days. They agree to store my bike if I'll book my return night with them. I take only my fanny pack, and a small bag with toiletries and a water bottle.

I walk through downtown hoping to get another slice of cheesecake for breakfast, but alas, La Vina was not open yet. More pintxos it is.

By 12:15pm, I'm standing inside the Alsa terminal. I buy a ticket to Pamplona. The bus ride makes me incredibly motion sick, and I feel a huge sense of relief when I arrive two hours later. So far, the only Basque word I know is kaixo.

I love these wide streets, the angles from which you can appreciate the buildings and their windows and accoutrements -- the shutters, shutter latches, colour choices, and balcony dressings.

I have to say, travelling light has been liberating. I want to buy things, but since I can't carry luggage, I've realized that I can enjoy pretty things as they are, and just be happy to know that they exist in the world.

I spend a few hours wandering, picking up some dark chocolate covered orange peels (heavenly) and chocolate horaldjes. These horaldjes are DIVINE. I wash down the sugary snacks with a decaf coffee at Cafe Iruna, then scope out some dinner choices.

Time to indulge. I get an appetizer, two mains, and a glass of wine. Yeehaw.

After dinner, I read an article about La Rioja and how the food is supposed to be amazing there. Ideas, ideas.

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