7/11/2018-Pamplona-Arriazu Hostal, drinks Cafe Iruna, sightseeing, dinner at Napargar

We have arrived in Spain!  A mix of old and new.  Traditional and modern.  I've researched/learned about the cathedrals, Muslim palaces, white hill towns, paella/sangraia/jamon, bullfighting, great art.  So much history and culture.  Moorish/Muslim, Christian, Jewish.  I knew the names of some cities-Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona-but I learned the names of the regions-Andalusia, Catalunya.......  I had brushed up on my Spanish and with fingers crossed hoped for the best.

Our flight has arrived Terminal 1.  I thought we were going to be arriving Terminal 4.  This means we have to collect our luggage, go through customs/immigration, find an ATM to get some Euros and get to Terminal 4 where I can catch a train to ATOCHA train station!   I have booked us train tickets from Madrid to Pamplona.  Leaving Madrid at 11:35 AM and arriving Pamplona at 2:40 PM.  www.loco2.com  Cost for the 2 of us senior passengers $44.04.  I printed out our tickets at home.  Per research I've done I can take a free shuttle from T1 to T4 at the airport.  Then at T4 I can get tickets renfe cercanias (at the gray/red ticket vending machines) which will take us to ATOCHA at no cost.

Train ticket Madrid to Pamplona

We breeze through customs/immigration.  At the end of the hall I find an ATM and withdraw €300/356.33 USD.  Catch the shuttle to T4.  With our renfre train tickets I find the machines to get the cercanias combo tickets.   C1 line to ATOCHA.  There's one that leaves 9:25 AM.  It's 9:00 AM now so maybe we can  make that one.  I had thought we'd catch the 9:55 AM or 10:25 AM one.  It takes 30 minutes to go from T4 to ATOCHA.  It takes a while but I figure it out.  All I need to do is enter the 5 digit code from the left upper corner of our train ticket.  It states on the ticket "CombinadoCercanias:  then the code.  The machine spits out our tickets!  We catch the earlier C1 and before we know it, we're at ATOCHA station.  Now we have to find the platform for our train to Pamplona.  There are platforms at a lower level and at the level where we are now.  Station is packed.  Lots of people here going to Barcelona.  We have to wait until the screen shows the platform.  Evidently that information goes up around 20-30 minutes before the train leaves.  We have a bit of a wait.  It's very hot, lots of people but we manage to find seats.  At 11:16 AM the platform for our journey to Pamplona is on the display screen.  Our train will be leaving from Platform 4 which is right where we are now.  We have assigned seats.

Our cercanias tickets

Train to ATOCHA station

Our train to Pamplona departs from platform 4

Boarding

Sleek looking trains

We have to find coach 3, seats 15C and 15D.  It's a long train with lots of coaches!  We locate ours, store our luggage (roomy overhead area) (larger 2 suitcases in an area at the end of the coach) and take our seats.  One is window, the other is aisle.  There are 4 seats each row, 2 on each side.  The seats are nicely cushioned with foot rests.  They are wide/roomy and there's plenty of leg room which my 6'2" long legs husband appreciates.  There's even a tray table that comes down.  Cool.  On the train the coach next to ours (either 2 or 4) is the food and drinks coach.  We see lots of folks dressed in red and white going to Pamplona.  For the running of the bulls/San Fermin I have read that you dress in white shirt, white bottom.  Red neck scarf and red sash around the waist.  Lots of guys in the food/drinks coach getting into the spirit of San Fermin!  I enjoy the scenery as the train whizzes by.  It goes quite fast!  It does make a few stops.  Letting people off and on. When we arrive some nice guys and a girlfriend of one that we have met on the train help us with our luggage getting off the train.  The guys will be doing the actual running with the bulls!!

 
Pamplona.    Capital of the province of Navarre.  Also known by the name "Iruna".  Basque.  Camino de Santiago-eastern part.  Hemingway.  Best known for the Running of the Bulls/Fiesta de San Fermin-July 6-14.   We're here!  Some young guys introduce themselves to us and help take our suitcases off the train.  How sweet.  Ricky, Paul, Victor. The train station is not very big so it's easy to get around.  Outside there are lots of taxis.  Waiting to take passengers into town.  We get a taxi, show him the name and address of our hotel.  He lets us off at the plaza/square explaining can't drive down the street.  He points the direction we need to go.  Cost for the taxi from the Iruna train station to town €8.  OMG!  There's so many people here.  We manage to walk a short ways down the street and see the name of our hotel.  The door is locked.  How do we get in?  A man shows us the buzzer/bell to press.  Girl opens the door for us.

Pamplona-Iruna train station

Lots of taxis

Buzzer on the left

Arriazu Hostal.  We will stay here 1 night, 7/11-7/12/18.  The location is why I picked this place.  Right on Comedias and near where our balcony is for the running of the bulls.  Cost for 1 night is $347.91.  During San Fermin prices sky rocket.  This place is triple the price you'd pay any other time.  We are shown room #207.  The room has 2 twin beds.  Bathroom has shower, hair dryer.  Flat screen TV.  A/C.  Closet has plenty of hangers.  There's also a small dresser for clothes.  Very simple, but very clean.  I'm pleasantly surprised that you can't hear the noise from the street.  It will suit us just fine for the 1 night.

Our hotel in Pamplona

Hotel reception 

Sitting area in reception

No elevator so glad we only have to go up 1 flight of stairs

Our room is on the 2nd floor

Comfy beds

A/C and flat screen TV

Bathroom

Shower-bathroom

View from our small balcony

I send a message via Facebook to my daughter Dorie to let her know we have arrived.  Richard and I freshen up, change clothes.  We will meet Dorie at Cafe Iruna.    It's where Ernest Hemingway used to hang out when he came to Pamplona.  I should mention I'm a HUGE fan of Hemingway and I am determined to see the places where Hemingway stayed, drank, ate, etc.  It's a short walk from our hotel to Cafe Iruna.  Walking we see lots of people and for the most part they are all wearing red and white.  The square-Plaza del Castillo-is large but you can't miss the Cafe Iruna.  It's packed.  We see Dorie!  Where's Blue and Ronan?   She says they're still at their hotel and will join us later.  We do manage to find a table and order drinks.  Sangria for Dorie and me.  My first sangria in Spain! Beer for Richard.  Soon Blue and Ronan join us.  They squeeze in.  The tables are very close together.  Dorie pays for the drinks and we are off to locate our balcony for the running of the bulls 7/12/18.  It's easy to locate and we agree to meet there tomorrow at 6:30 AM.

Plaza del Castillo

Cafe Iruna where Hemingway would spend time

Sangria and beer

Frequented by Hemingway

Happy couple

Cafe Iruna is packed and tables are close together

Our balcony to watch the bulls tomorrow is where these girls are standing

Now we're going to walk around soaking in the atmosphere.  Small world!  We run into our friends from the train.  Ricky, Paul, Victor, and Victor's girlfriend whose name I forgot.  The guys will be running tomorrow morning!  Victor's girlfriend will watch from a balcony like us.  Wait.  She's going to be at the same address as us but on the 1st level balcony while we are on the 2nd level balcony.  What are the chances this could happen??   We wish the guys well/a safe run for tomorrow.

Putting in the posts to get ready for the barricades for tomorrow

Crowded

Our friends from the train!

We decide to see some sights.  We find the bull ring.  Wish we could go in just to see what the inside looks like.  Tickets are being sold and people are going in but it's unclear what is happening.  Right by the bullring I find the statue of Hemingway.  He really put Pamplona on the map through his novel "The Sun Also Rises."  Someone has tied a red scarf around his neck.  He's dressed for San Fermin!  Oh, there's the running of the bulls monument.  It's large and very lifelike.  Lots getting their pictures taken by this monument.  This monument has 6 bulls, 2 steers and 10 runners.  The sculptor did a self portrait of himself.  He's the figure lying down, about to be gored.  We all get our picture taken by the monument along with many others!

On our way to the bull ring

Bust of Ernest Hemingway is next to the bull ring

Hemingway and Pamplona

Bull ring

Entrance to bull ring

Monument to the running of the bulls

Everyone trying to get their picture here and here we are with our grandson Ronan

Blue takes this picture

Fist bump!

It's a very large monument

Cute!

Wall to wall people.  A parade with music.  I need to find a red scarf or something to wear for tomorrow.  I do find my neck scarf-4€.   Richard has some white T shirts and I'll wear one of them.   I see Gran Hotel La Perla.  That's where Hemingway would stay.  Lots of places selling San Fermin clothes and other souvenirs.  Kukuxumusu T shirt shop.  City Hall where the festival begins and ends.  Navarre government building.  I buy a souvenir T shirt-5€.   Walk down Calle de Mercaderes.  Then Calle de la Estafeta.

A parade

Walking around

Scarf I bought to wear for tomorrow's running of the bulls

This tee shirt has an image of the 2018 San Fermin poster on it

I had the poster I bought for the San Fermin/running of the bulls in Pamplona framed

Palace of the government of Navarre

Poster for the San Fermin festival

Gran Hotel la Perla where Hemingway would stay

Crowds

Wall to wall people

Plaza del Castillo where there's a bandstand for entertainment later

City Hall where the festival begins and ends

Glimpse of a church

Trying to find a place to grab dinner but every place is packed.  Return to the Plaza del Castillo.  We manage to find a table at Napargar.    Richard orders a hamburger with potatoes and IPA on tap.  I go for patatas bravas which are potatoes with a spicy sauce.  Dorie and Blue will help me eat my potatoes.  Dorie and Blue get IPA on tap.  Ronan doesn't want anything. He's a very, very picky eater.  Dorie says they will pick up sandwiches on the way back to their hotel.  Cost €35.20 for drinks and food.

Dinner-Napargar

Menu

Coke and patatas bravas for me

Hamburger and potatoes and IPA on tap for Richard

€35.20 cost for our dinner

They head back to their hotel and we return to ours.  There's a band, singers, and dancers now performing at the bandstand-Plaza del Castillo.  We enjoy the entertainment for a bit but decide to head back to our hotel as we have an early day tomorrow.  We take showers.  Set the alarm for 5:30 AM.  Fun!!  In bed by 11:00 PM.  It's been a long, long day.

Band-singers and dancers

People enjoying the entertainment