Pamplona por las mañanas

Recently, I've been making a conscious-although-sometimes-sleepy effort to get up earlier. It's very easy to think that, because I don't start "working" until four or five in the afternoon, I can stay out until whenever and wake up when my body allows.

False. I may only teach English 2 hours per day, but you gotta count the 1-2 additional hours per day that I work on lesson plans. Then add approximately 1-1.5 hours per day of travel (human-powered travel, that is). And finally, I've been doing some freelance translation lately which can occupy 2 or sometimes 3 hours of my day. Consequently, my day should start around 8 AM, not the 11 AM to which I've become accustomed. Otherwise, I'm sacrificing my nights and my weekends to work.

In addition to productivity benefits, getting up at an earlier hour has led me to see a new side of Pamplona. You see, I read that one of the best ways to wake up is to immediately go outside and do something active. So I've been hopping out of bed at the sound of my alarm and rushing out the door before my brain has a chance to say, "Wait, no, dude it's WARM IN THE BED." I wander around for 45 minutes or so and then return home refreshed and with a nice, hot baguette. Anyway, I take my camera with me. That's right, I'm waking up early and taking more photos -- killing two life-goals with one stone!

Parque Taconera: a great park near our place with pebble walkways, playgrounds, and animals. Very peaceful in the 
morning, even though it's situated in the city center.

Maybe you thought by animals I meant squirrels and birds. Nah, this park has chickens, ducks, swans, and deer. In Pennsylvania, this might look like a petting zoo; but since you can't pet them, it looks downright hillbilly. But so cultural gaps go!

As you can see, the deer above are hanging around the edge of this wall because one of them has been left behind and they're not sure how to recover her. I watched as they kept glancing down and she kept looking up.

All he's gotta do is climb this here stone ramp. I suppose it would be difficult to figure out...for a deer.

This duck and swan pond is also located in Parque Taconera. It's impressive that the noise from the streets close by doesn't really permeate the park.

A view from the edge of Parque Taconera of the neighborhood Rochapea. I teach a few classes in this area, located down the hill from the old part. It's also got some great parks and nice walkways alongside the river (Río Arga).

Upon seeing this from the park, I had my "Duh, that's where they keep the bulls when they're not in the ring or in the streets" moment.

I've seen this dilapidated abode close up from the riverside, but getting a bird's-eye view was something new.

Talk about local agriculture! So there's this secret place -- if you go down the hill from the bull ring on the right side, follow the diverging pathway down the hill, and then make a right following the Camino de Santiago -- where you'll find several greenhouses, gardens, ponies, and the rich smell of soil and shit.

So little and tubby! Although the animals along this walk were cute, they weren't very animated at this hour; thus I did not attempt to pet them.

Also stumbled upon this wacky bridge. It's a little difficult to see in the photo, but there are gaps in between the gray
slabs, which make me nervous when dogs cross the bridge because I can't help but imagine little paws slipping
through the cracks. Neato nonetheless!

The Ciudadela (see-you-duh-della) always makes for an epic walk, as a park that once was the fortress protecting Pamplona from outsiders and enemies.

As you can see, it's just a huge expanse of stone and grass. There are several little pathways that lead you in and out of the fortress; also many modern art pieces to gawk at, especially in the center. Elliot tells me he used to come out here to play ultimate frisbee with his ex-pat friends.

In the center of the Ciudadela is a quaint little courtyard where you'll often run into friends taking the same shortcut you are through the park.

Something I may have gone my whole Pamplonian life without seeing: the dude who sweeps and mops the stairwell of our building. Only in the morning!

So getting up early can have many perks, especially if you make an effort to do something with your extra time. To me, these walks are worth the 15 minutes of yawns and sleepy eyes after I wake up. I know I'll be glad to have these photos when I leave.