JULY 2015 : SPAIN : El Camino del Norte : Day 7 : Portugalete - Podena ( 11.8kms - 3 hours)

Distance walked so far : 141 kms

Distance to Santiago de Compostela : 671 kms

    

          

We met Julie and Bob in one of the plazas in the old part of Bilbao at 7.30am and fortunately there were a few cafes open for breakfast. The Cafe Bar Bilbao is an exquisitely tiled cafe - opened in1911.

       

        

    

         Delicious pastries, fresh orange juice and coffee to set us on our way.

The guidebook suggests catching a metro to Portugalete to eliminate 10.3kms walking along the river path. Good suggestion as it was 20o at 9am. Here is the bridge, which you can cross on foot or in suspended  carriage just above the river.

Portugalete is a port town at the river mouth and as its name suggests, has a Portuguese flavour to its architecture.

A welcome sight of moving walkways to carry us up from the port to the main part of town to connect us to the prescribed path.

   Scallop shells set in the path for us to follow.

Mainly road and pedestrian paths today, crossing over the main motorway.

It wasn't long before we could see the sea and our destination for the day.

Summer fruit ripening, including this passionfruit vine.

We arrived at Arena de la Playa, where Julie and Bob found an apartment for the night. We continued on the path for another kilometre to Pobena at the end of the beach to the albergue.

It is a purpose built structure in this small seaside town with one main bedroom, a kitchen and bathrooms. To cope with the increasing number of pilgrims for the summer, there are 2 tents sleeping another 20 walkers. Some latecomers are sleeping on the kitchen floor, too.

We were glad to settle in to the albergue, wash clothes and relax before the main heat of the day.

Pinxtos and drinks in the small square

View down the beach. 

Arena de la Playa, where we had dinner.

Hamburgesas - delicious!

Albergue packed to the rafters. All beds inside, in the marquis, in individual tents and on the kitchen floor taken and accounted for.

M&M

    

JULY 2015 : SPAIN : El Camino del Norte : Day 6 : Lezama - Bilbao ( 11 kms - 3 hours)

Distance walked so far : 129 kms

Distance to Santiago de Compostela : 683 kms

A misty morning becoming light showers. 23o.

Breakfast provided by a local cafe despite it being Sunday when most businesses are closed.

We walked along a direct route. First along the road and then wooded paths.

                                                       

   

                                     Some goats along the way with this character stuck up a tree.

         

                                    First views of Bilbao, albeit in fog and showers.

                                                   Prepared for any weather.

There were 2 albergues as we entered the town but we decided to stay closer in at the Pension De La Fuente (32 euros) in the old town.

                                        

                              View from the window of the Pension De La Fuente

                                   

                                                    Our pension is in the old town.

                                 

                                           We met Julie and Bob for lunch.

                                                        Ham or jamon a specialty.

                                   

                                             

                                         Large puppets used in basque and religious festivals

          

                                         Bilbao is very attractive city on the Rio Nervion.

       

    

                   Of course its main claim to fame is the spectacular Guggenheim Museum.

                                       

                                                  It is fabulous at any angle.

                                       

                             The famous 'Puppy' at the entrance of the Guggenheim Museum.

      

Evening drinks before heading home for an early night to prepare for another day's walking mañana.

123kms walked so far, and only 750kms to go!

M&M

JULY 2015 : SPAIN : El Camino del Norte : Day 5 : Gernika - Lezama (22kms - 7 hours with stops)

Distance walked so far : 118 kms

Distance to Santiago de Compostela : 694 kms

      

       

       

The perfect Camino day today. We both slept well, leaving the hotel at 7am with a cool breeze and 13o to start out. As there weren't any bars open in our immediate vicinity we had a coffee and pastry at the railway station.  

         

We walked out through the centre, to apartment blocks and then up a short rise into pine and eucalyptus forests. 

        

This is a sapling of an old oak tree that survived the bombing of Gernika. It is set in a park near the 

Casa de Juntas, the seat of the Viscayan Provincial General Assembly. We passed as we exited the town.

          

         

Many shaded paths, a few tricky bits but mainly straight, soft tracks in pastoral area.

                            

Confident local entertaining himself in the holidays. We thought this trick deserved one of our golden 

kangaroo pins.

                                             

                                                Many Basque issues on the political agenda.

                                  The attractive main square in Larrabetzu

We met up with some friendly pelegrinos, which helps to pass the time and distract you from the climbs. Quentin is a teacher at a Jesuit school in Alberqueque, New Mexico and Mick a professor at a Catholic university in San Francisco. Another very athletic girl we met is from Vienna, who had trouble finding single accommodation last night in Gernika. We have been chatting to a German couple, of about our age, who have had similar experiences on various Camino routes, enjoying the lifestyle and 

exercise.

 Mark opted to walk slowly, (disguised as Lawrence of Arabia with his doused handkerchief) and I came ahead to find the albergue in Lezama.

Close to the entrance of the town, the albergue sleeps 20. Washing machine (lavadora), cooking facilities, excellent wifi and close to a bar, small shop and restaurants.

                                     Two happy campers after another big day

   A local cafe provided a pilgrim menu for $8.50. 

M&M