Hola de Pamplona!

Hello blog fans.  Sorry for the delay in the update but it's not easy to set up internet in Spain so after exhausting all lines of inquiry and with the help of savvy friends we've sorted ourselves out with the Spanish version of the Orange Domino - brilliant! - so without further ado:

We've been in Pamplona for almost a week.  The trip here, naturally, wasn't without event: the French train was late into Barcelona meaning we missed our connection! With my best Spanish and the backup of 4 other travellers in the same boat I managed to negotiate a free transfer via Zaragoza to Pamplona which included a trip on the uber-fast Spanish AVE trains - nothing like travelling in style!

Waiting for our connection in Zaragoza

We did, though, arrive in Pamplona 3 hours later than planned but the lovely Isabel, from whom we've rented an apartment, was fine with that and met us at the station with her family.

Our apartment is fab.  Apartamento Berria is a 2-bedroom apartment with all mod cons in an old building - we just love la puerta (entrance).  It's in the Calle Nueva (New Street) in the Old City just a stone's throw from where all the action is and is ideally connected to travel a bit further afield by bus and train which is why we chose it.  Here's a couple of piccies:

Street entrance

Lounge/kitchen diner

Main bedroom

Doors off lounge

As I'm sure many of you know, Pamplona is famed internationally for the encierros (bull runs) where people run alongside the bulls in celebration of San Fermin week - some are seriously injured or killed - not for the feint hearted.  It has such a following that accommodation is virtually impossible without a year's notice and people even go as far as renting balconies for the week - only in Spain eh?  Sadly we've missed that crazy week in July but I've got a feeling it'll be on next year's agenda! 

Pamplona is a beautiful city which maintains much of its old charm with narrow streets, countless individual shops and pintxos (Basque for tapas) bars.  Yes, there's a very strong Basque influence here and it is proud of its heritage.  The pintxos are truly fantastic and for euro 10 you can buy a couple of glasses of wine each and 3-4 pintxos - divine!  Navarra is fast becoming a gastronomic centre of note, many winning several awards year after year.  There are about 14 pintxos bars on the Pamplona Pintxos Ruta and, to date, we've been in 7! 

Bodegon Sarria - fabulous jamon and regional wines

Just loved the bulls' heads in this place (not real)

Mo's bar - with pulpo en bano (octopus in a bath!)

Pamplona is the capital of the Navarra region (previously a kingdom) which is known for its wine - white, red and rose and, naturally, we've been savouring the tastes of the local grape!

So, we're happy and glad to be here for a month.  I'll do separate posts for each of our trips around the outskirts of Pamplona as there's lots to show you. xx