Guernica to Portugalete. .. via Bilbao ...

A 30 km day, with some ups and downs, so an early start ...first out into the pre-dawn at 7.15 and a well marked route through town and soon climbing into the woods ... the coming light prompting a look back and spontaneous laughter at the sheer gorgeousness of the thin clouds dressed in pinks and reds ... then three hours along, up and down without sight of rest stops ... the odd house and hamlet ... until Larrabetzu ... 16.5 km and more than halfway according to the map in the lovely square ... which also shows an alarming mountain in the way, just before Bilbao ... hmm let's see if we are going over or round it ...

... having planted that thought, having neglected research showing just how much further it is going round than over, having neglected the familiar yellow arrows urging me up and over ... and seduced instead by bus and tram routes to Bilbao ...it's flat and further ... through extensive industrial estates, past the airport ... dropped into the very big and beautiful city, known for amazing cultural offerings, this urbophobic philistine, hopelessly lost, rather tired and failing to find police, tourist info, yellow arrows or pilgrim albergue ... drawn to a metro map showing a station for Portugalete, out towards the coast and recognised immediately as tomorrow's destination ... so, escaping city energy, a day is skipped, Pierre, last seen in San Sebastian, found ... plus an Italian couple and Korean mother and daughter ... evidence of others, out and about ... a pleasant albergue, well set for tomorrow ... now for some food in this very good looking town, 20 km from the city, with an impressive transporter bridge, like the one in Middlesbrough, though the similarities seem to end there ...

Markina to Guernica

Last night's Menu del Dia was filling and convivial ... though the large dining room was empty at first ... Paul arriving soon after and choosing to eat, for the conversation more than the food ... first encountered in Deba, his abrupt manner having offended his compatriot, Oni, we connected briefly there ... this was a chance for more ... a doctor from Arizona via Detroit, at 50 decided to slow down, reduced working hours to 20 each week ... questioning the medical model of healthcare...learning to listen for more than the symptoms with which to construct a diagnosis ... compassion for self and patient more important ...interested also in matters philosophical, which continued when Brigitte arrived ...

An early, damp start, soon drying and by halfway, sunshine ... before that, the very impressive monastery where the others stayed. ..and lovely walks along forest tracks ... lots of walking infrastructure in evidence, paths dressed in stones, complementing earlier cobbled tracks, wooden staircase easing steep descent ... bridges ... and for the last few kilometres a welcome flat path alongside the road ... before that a three course lunch and longish rest from all the ups and downs ...

At the hostel, a contrast with yesterday's donativo pilgrim place ... this is commercial, albeit with bunks ... Adam mentioned yesterday the Hostelling International phenomenon in Australia and New Zealand and this looks the same ... pack 'em in ... open 24 hours ... hey ho, time to explore the town ...

Deba to Markina Xemein

Last night's supper was a gathering of Northern Europeans ... France, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Britain and no mention of EU politics at all ... refreshing ... good food and plenty of carb loading for the mountain walk ... delicious pastas bravas plus scrambled eggs and mushrooms, a shared bottle of red wine and a peaceful night ... early breakfast and off for 24 km of traffic free walking ... forest tracks ... plenty of ups and downs, though less steep than yesterday ... good altitude, high cloud, pre-dawn start and solo for a couple of hours ... Nadia walking back from the rural albergue, having left sandals and, critically, insulin, at the Getaria hostel ... as if the way was not already tough enough ... plenty of pilgrims on the road for passing hellos, then a walking companion for a while ... Joan from Barcelona, via Findhorn and wandering free, Portugal bound maybe, ... some philosophy then on alone uphill again ... a lunch stop and chat with Adam, from New Zealand ... also travelling free ... down to town together, a welcome distraction from the steep descent ... a coffee and tapa, gathering incoming pilgrims ... first, Kaori, from Japan, via Cambridge ... the Spanish group ... Jacobein, Paris who is English, living in Cadiz, Eva from Italy ... some continue 7 km to the next albergue ... the Convento one in town is fine for me ... though WiFi tricky to find, until the good old municipal library appears ...

Getaria to Deba

A short enough stage, but enough nevertheless ... tough ascents, testing lungs and legs, tougher descents testing joints and tendons ... the cause of ankle knacking last time and care required ... Nadia struggles uphill, lungs burnt by radio therapy ... skips down ... trusting the stones, her familiar work material ...

Between the ups and downs, wonderful wandering with glimpses of sea to the right, mountains to the left, through woods and fields ... time for early coffee at Zumai, another at a remote bar on the hill outside, a little politics with the young owner ... before Deba, tapas and cervesa (being coffeed out), with Nadia, who left early ... both enjoying the solo walking this morning ...

A beautiful leisurely drop into town ... a municipal albergue above the railway station ... tourist information issues a key, takes 5 euros ... closes for lunch from 2-5, which causes later arrivals difficulties ... lots of pilgrims ... including the two lovely English folks, Holly and Chris, heavily laden and diverting to the French route tomorrow ... the ups and downs being rather too steep ... a great connection to be cemented before they go. . .

The volunteer hospitalera, Oni, retired US military officer, logistics specialist, has her training put to the test when the tourist info folks stay closed for the day ...

No sign of Nadia, who maybe pushed on, but Jacobien and Roxanne arrive, having chosen the even steeper ups and downs of the coastal alternative ... tomorrow inland towards Guernica and Bilbao ...

San Sebastian to Getaria ...

...via Orio and Zarautz, perhaps a suitable quiz question ... both beautiful ... the walk too ... plenty of elevation, through woods, views of the sea ... company and profound conversation with Nadia, an orphan who turned her back on assorted carers ... went her own way early ... a sculptor who rejected Catholicism and Christianity. .. found divine love in a small hermitage. .. bathed in love, she said ... still a difficult path, not helped by diabetes and now the tumour ... she is walking many routes and enjoying every day ...

At Orio, Jacobien arrives for coffee and conversation ... Dutch and much travelled ... on to Zarautz and a long beach to treat the feet, before a seaside few kilometres to Getaria, a welcome Menu del Dia before 3 ... and up the hill to the albergue and the welcome hot shower ... and a box for the winter coat and spare trousers to save weight and volume in the rucksack ... lots of ups and downs on the coastal route ... excess baggage not required!

Irun to San Sebastian ...

A full house at the albergue, a top bunk, Saturday night fun on the street outside, a snorer in full flow ... a light night's sleep ... roused by Wem with classical music at 7 am ... breakfast provided and all donativo ... not free, but freely offered in the gift economy ....

A little train runs along the valley, road and motorway too ... a short trip ... the Camino offers a tougher challenge up the mountain, through forest on sandy, sometimes rocky tracks, the yellow arrow keeping us on the way ... a loaf from a passing baker with a bag full of baguettes ... Pia and Nadia as company for a while, then beautiful solitude ... Nadia, coughing on the steep uphill, shares her spur to walk the Ways ... a cancer in her lung .... Pia pushes on, Nadia drops behind ... three hours and a very steep descent later it is time for coffee by the ferry across to Donostia ... Basco for San Sebastian ... time to learn a few phrases in the language ... a city to cross, with city energy ... some clothes to lose ... an albergue to find on the other side

At the bar, Pia arrives, having found another, higher route ... finds also a tasty tapa with crab mayonnaise ... she earnt it ...

After the ferry, an amusing near sheer ascent on steps and track for quite a while ... then a beautiful cliffside path ...an intriguing sign inviting us to rest and drink mate`... a community named the 12 Tribes ... a request for information from David reveals the only true path, through Jesus ... recognising a closed mind and fixed belief, the urge to discuss things theological is resisted ...  down through woods until, finally, the beautiful bays of stunning San Sebastian ... a wander along the front ... on the western side of town, the Youth Hostel ... a challenging and uplifting stage ... glad of a shower and a rest, before exploring the city ... 

Bizarre Ritz to Irun in the rain ...

Rain arrived, as forecast, and a chance to test the waterproofness of the kit and the skin ... three hours with the pack was fine and the scenic path proposed by the Camino signs was abandoned for the brisker head down and plod approach alongside the road to St Jean de Luz ... the mind contentedly aware of the traffic, without engaging with it ... separate dimensions ...and wanting to get the pilgrim passport, ready for the trail, found the train at St Jean ... the TGV from Paris taking less than 15 minutes to Hendaye without breaking sweat ... it continued to Irun, but the idea was to walk across the border into Spain ... a river between but no sign of customs, police, army or flags ... on the ground the reality is that the Basque country straddles the political divide ...

Since the albergue opened at 4 pm, there was a chance for a chat with Pia, a German pilgrim ... soon joined by Nadia from France and Rilker from Brazil ... some lunch and coffee and Camino talk ... wonderful cameradarie ...

At the albergue, volunteer hospitaleros Jose-Manuel and Wem issue passports for those in need of them (some folks have been walking a while to reach Spain), offer the bed and breakfast for a donation, share information on the next few days' possibilities ... no wifi though, so a local bar provides your news and your blogger sacrifices the alcohol free life with a glass of local red, rather than more caffeine or chemical soda ... you're welcome ... content and feeling at home in the parallel universe of the Pilgrims ....