Category: Liminal Space

As we walk down the narrow streets of Puente la Reina, with Calle de Crucifijo rapidly transitioning into Calle Major, the Camino passes the church of Santiago y San Pedro on the right. On the left, directly across from it, is a building that I suppose was once a parish office or monastery or rectory. What it is now, I […]

Our little Camino family finally gets underway, following the Camino through the town of Puente la Reina. The name means “bridge of the queen”, and while the bridge is easily identified – we’ll cross it in just a few minutes – the queen in question remains a subject of intense debate. But more on that another day. Apologies for the […]

The church of Santa María de Eunate is a wonder, no mistake. Leaving aside a moment its octagonal floorplan, one is struck by the surrounding colonnade of pillars and arches. These have no roof and seemingly no purpose at all. Those who have studied this church say they were almost certainly repurposed from an earlier cloister. Unfortunately for the theory, […]

You can see these kinds of door plates and knockers all over Navarra, a testament to the Catholic faith that runs deep through this land. Many, like this one, are old and worn as the countryside these villages inhabit. They speak to tradition and permanence. Others, however, still have their crisp edges and shine – a reminder that the faith […]

We saw several homes for sale in Uterga. They tended to be run down and probably simply abandoned due to the flight to the cities that happened over the last generation. Here, however, is a lovely little home on the Calle Major that exudes all of the homey charm of Navarran village life. I mean, I’d live there! Date: 04 […]

On the way out of Pamplona, the Camino passes the Portal de San Nicolás, a seventeenth century Baroque gate into the city. Just before reaching this point, I spent some time lost for the third and final time on our way out of Pamplona. It was only because some locals started waving at me and wildly gesticulating towards the proper […]

One of the things I love about Navarra is that the country is not shy about proclaiming the Catholic faith. Here in Pamplona, you see churches everywhere, of course, but also statues and other reminders of the historic faith of Navarra. This statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for example, is the decorative centerpiece of this beautiful Art Deco building. […]

The entrance to the bullring in Pamplona is stately, and the avenue leading to it is flanked with trees. It can hold nearly 20,000 people, a testament to the enduring cultural legacy and popularity of bull fighting. Date: 03 April 2013Place: Pamplona (Navarra, Spain)

The city of Pamplona is famous for its annual running of the bulls in July. Since it was April, no bulls were in evidence – except at the tourist shops. We saw dozens of shops like this with bull t-shirts, plushies, magnets, and other various geegaws. This one, with its cartoon bulls and runners, is one of my favourites. Date: […]

As I wandered through Pamplona that afternoon, I chanced upon la Basílica de San Ignacio de Loyola. This church was built on the spot where the saint was hit by a cannonball. Most of the entrances were locked up, but one open door led me to a chapel of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I sat there some time in prayer before […]