Hated leaving that beautiful albergue, but knowing it would be a scenic walk near the ocean and ferry ride to Santander got me going. Several of us covered the 21 km (13 mi) in just over 5 hrs. and then had to wait several hours for the albergue to open (either at a cafe or in front, as you can see from the pictures). We found the Santender albergue extremely cramped--so much so that we couldn't bring our backpacks into the little 8-bunk rooms. They barely had room to turn around.

After we got settled, we toured the Cathedral and had time to visit the Santander Prehistoric Museum that was most interesting in that its focus was on the Cantabrian Region (that we're in).

The three of us who roomed together last night decided to leave at 8:00 AM so as to get breakfast at our place, but our place was still closed. Bob then hobbled to the bus stop, Susanne and I walked the few kilometers on the way into town for breakfast then put on our panchos for the light drizzle and parted ways because she had a much faster pace. The trek was a comfortable 17 km (8.8 mi) and ended at an amazing albuerge, arguably the best on the Camino! I include here the URL to the albuerge: http://www.alberguedeguemes.com/

When I arrived at a little after 1:00 PM, someone greeted me, told me to put my backpack down and showed me to my place at the dining table. I already knew most of the other 20 or so pilgrims from before. They were already serving food and wine. After the meal, they registered me and showed me to my bunk. It's an 11-bunk room (one of many) each bunk having lots of head space and, get this, its individual electrical plug for charging smartphones, etc. It's the amenities that are so outstanding: washer, dryer, clothes lines, everything!

A piece of artwork at the bottom of the stairs, included as the last picture, is captioned at the bottom: CAMINO UNIVERSIDAD DE VIDA (CAMINO UNIVETSITY OF LIFE). It seems so germane!

Left the albuerge at Liendo at about 8:00 AM for the 19 km (11.9 mi) trek to Noja via Laredo and the small ferry over to Santoña. Hate getting up while it's still dark, so I just delay until someone turns on the lights. Right from the start at the albuerge it was a steep climb which stressed out my tendinitis for the rest of the day.

Top two pictures were of the ferry and me riding it across the ocean inlet between Laredo and Santoña. Then I followed a bike path that skirted a huge penitentiary in Santoña. On arriving at the albuerge, Bob and Suzanne (from Denmark) were already there. I had made reservations the day before. A young fellow from Quebec joined us for a pilgrim's dinner menu.

Took one of two optional routes between these two towns and ended up picking the shorter of the two at 21.0 km (13.1 mi). Except for a few long climbs, this was one of nicest hiking days with some great views along the way.

I arrived at the albuerge at a little after one. The door was open and I was told that the hospitalero will come at 8:00 pm and stamp our credentials and collect the fees.

The first pic is in front of one of the rustic gates to keep the herd of sheep, goats, or cows in. The rocky path is not one of my favorites, but luckily it wasn't very long either. The pics of the sea are the essence of the Del Norte Camino--can't get enough of these kinds of views. The fourth pic is of the church at Liendo with the albuerge, the white two-story building, just down from it.

Some 40+ of us headed out this morning from the albuerge at Portugalete being treated by an escalator sidewalk to move us about 100 meter to the higher ground. Nice gesture! But we also knew that the albuerge here in Castro only had 18 beds. I didn't want to get into the usual Camino race and simply took my time walking the 21.9 km (13.7 mi). When I arrived, I headed to the tourist office and found an inexpensive hotel in the center (30 €)--soooo nice not to have to wait in line for check-in, shower, laundry, etc. I did my chores and then went a few hundred meters up the hill to the main attraction: the Gothic-style parish church of Santa María de la Asunción that looks more like a citadel than a church. I thought the arches across the nave were very different--one doesn't usually see that.

Much of the walk was on a dedicated bike/pedestrian path that later switched to a "Camino" path. And I actually walked on wooden boards across the beach--yes, this was the path. The temperature was at least 10 degrees less than yesterday--high 80s--still, it was a taxing walk with some healthy uphill segments.

My hotel is half a block from the square that the last two pictures portray, just coming to life at about 8:00 pm. While sightseeing at the church, I ran into three other pilgrims I had chummed around with, so we all went for a tapas dinner.

I could have sworn that I walked more than 11.5 km (7.2 mi)--crazy steep, very warm, but no problem finding water spigots. I barely came in an hour and a half before it hit 100 deg F. Had thoughts this morning of going another 10 km, but couldn't have made it. Basically skirted the estuary on the west side. The first picture shows a transporter bridge high above the water in the town of Portugalete to allow cars and people to cross (the transporting car is the white container on right just above the water) and yet boats to pass underneath. This bridge is a world heritage site!

The town is so steep for pedestrians that they installed moving sidewalks (see the pic).

Had a good walk of 20.7 km (12.9 mi), but when some of us arrived at Lezama we discovered that 20 had arrived before us so that we encountered the "no vacancy" sign. Two of us made a decision to catch the next bus to Bilbao, where we barely filled one of several rooms at one of the closest hostels and this is one of three hostels, probably best located. The pulse at Bilbao was over the top!

So many impressionable things I saw today: the Basque flag flying everywhere and statements about wanting their freedom; the fanciest Office of Tourisme at Bilbao that I've ever seen with marble floors and pillars, etc.; the Bilbao Museum we paid homage to (a Frank Gehry design); street celebrations with what seemed like thousands of people; and fireworks out of our hostel window (part of summer celebrations) to bring the day's celebrations to a close.

Another taxing day of 24.1 km (15 mi) of up and down with intense heat in the afternoon. And what's worse is that three of us missed a turn and ended up adding some 5 km to the distance--the receptionist tells me that most everyone does that. Many of the uphill segments I took sideways to spare my Achilles' tendon from overstretching. It all worked out in the end--last of the ugly hard sections for a while.

We were so grateful to find water sources at four strategic points to be able to rest, cool off with splashing water and rehydrate.

Guernika (Basque spelling is without the "u") is best known (according to Wikipedia) to those residing outside the Basque region as the scene of the April 26, 1937, Bombing of Guernica, one of the first aerial bombings by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe. It inspired the painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso.

A couple of high points: the secluded Hermitage we encountered on the way in Ziortza-Bolibar, which is or was a monastery and allows pilgrims to stay over; a steep down hill section was completely modernized with wooden steps and railings; and countless Basque farm houses with the red geraniums.

The hills just get steeper both up and down--we're talking better than 20% grades where you go up and down sideways! It was 26.8 km (16.8 mi) and many idyllic scenes. The path is more inland--no ocean views today, but the occasional cool breeze made the warm weather more tolerable.

Our albuerge filled up and offered only sleeping on the floor on your own mat. I had to take a picture of the crowds standing in the check-in line and the dozens of shoes lining the hallway. The spin dryer was a welcome gadget to spin extra water from your laundry so it dries faster--it seems to be standard equipment!

And above all, the international spirit of the Camino prevailed at our dinner table: USA, Belgium, Australia, and Denmark--and that's just seven of us.

Am on the north coast of Spain, today one of the best Camino days: 26 km (16.3 mi) of steep climbs and descents that created unforgettable views of the local landscape and ocean coast, with cool weather, great paths--some rocky, but no mud. At the end of the day I felt a genuine Camino accomplishment. Although I had a few moments of doubt, I feel I can make this route--I love it because it reminds me so much of California's Pacific Coast Route. The land kisses the sea and the sea hisses back in a continual, unpredictable motion with forces beyond one's imagination.

Deba has a long history of being a port town, but it already remade itself into a tourist attraction as early as the 19th century. It offers tourists and pilgrims alike a quaintness and resting place to enjoy. The view from the second story is from our albuerge as I lust after the beers folks are having below.

A 21.2 km (13.3 mi) day, much of it uphill, half in the rain, a fall in the mud that bent my walking stick left me with one of the warmest of memories and it's the only pic I'm attaching.

At about an hour out of Donostia-San Sebastián after much climbing, this man had a stand in front of his house with water and pictures and the possibility of a stamp. We started talking and he mentioned he had visited Orinda, CA as well as Yosemite, etc. I told him I was very familiar with Orinda. And in jest said where's the coffee? Well, he took me aside 10 steps down to his house and served me a big mug of coffee, a dozen cookies and homemade jam. After telling him about my four Caminos and this one starting in Poland, he opened up with having done 10 Caminos and he had visited over 1500 nursing homes in Spain to entertain with the folks with the guitar. We just hit it off and touched each other's soul then left with a big bear hug. I was so deeply touched by this man--unbelievably so. And so, I close with: que Dios te bendiga (May God bless you) and attach his picture in his honor:

Today I started out at sunrise and it was my Camino entrance exam: only 18 km (11.3 mi) but the climbs and descents taxed me most along with a rocky path for much of it. On a pass/fail basis, I think I passed.

Oh, there was also a patience part. When I called to make a reservation, the fellow told me they were full and I need to go to the Corazon de Maria and they will provide me with a bed. So I imagined this completely different place, Googled it, and went on a two-hour chase into the steepest parts of San Sebastián that was the wrong place! My energy and patience were nearly gone. It turned out, the place I called was the Corazon de Maria, and they didn't even take reservations! When I arrived there they were still closed, and I easily got a front-row bed--I'm facing a basketball court. The place is huge with rooms elsewhere, too. Right now they have 80+ pilgrims.

The views from the walk as well as my "extra sightseeing" were gorgeous. The hills on the other side are the Pyranese. The cathedral, the El Pastor Cathedral, while relatively new (1897) is one of San Sebastián's major icons.

As Seniora Socorro drove her husband to an appointment, she offered to drive me to the Chemin de St Jacques, their house being somewhat off the route. Well, that offer turned into a tour of the area that ended up taking me 33 km "down the road" to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. And from there I walked a short 14.4 km to Irun--yes short, but with some steep climbs that gave my tendinitis a good test. So far so good. Although I won't be crossing the Pyrenees mountain range, some of its rolling mountains were visible in the distance.

Biarritz was most interesting with its conspicuous wealth everywhere especially the Hôtel du Palais originally built for Emperor Napoleon III's wife Eugénie. Somehow, the Chemin de St Jacques is conspicuously not routed through Biarritz! At the town of Budart, one could see the Basque language and architecture everywhere.

Walked the 5.9 km (4 mi) to Bayonne when I decided to stop at the Office de Tourisme to see if they could get me lodging at Bidart, my planned goal for the day (17.8 km). The lady called her counterpart and the result was that nothing was available except very high-priced vacation hotels. She highly recommended to stay in Bayonne, the last French city to cater to pilgrims. I took her advice and she found a chambre d'hôte within a kilometer or so.

As luck would have it, I arrived at the Aguirre Family's place called "la Gayonette" and both speak fluent Spanish, he stemming from Bilbao and she from Colombia, South America. It's a perfect opportunity to train my ear for Spanish. I used the day to get some sightseeing in--Bayonne is part of Basque country and has a beautiful cathedral. The city was teeming with tourists. Its population proper is around 50,000 but the greater area has some 300,000 people.

They invited me both for lunch and dinner, and we played games late into the evening--one a scrabble-type game but with numbers. To lighten my load, I left my jacket and a pair of trousers. And Seniora Socorro was nice enough to do a load of laundry for me, with drier since rain was predicted for the night.

I still need to sort out my next move.

My timing isn't very good at arriving at the destination during their "open" hours. After a sandy ordeal for a few hours followed by an easy bike path part, all totaling 20.7 km (12.9 mi), I found the reception desk at a huge vacation resort (with a few places set aside for pilgrims) closed from 1:00 to 5:00 pm--so it's 2 1/2 hrs lying in the grass under the shade of a tree and blogging!

Aline, the hostess last night, was an angel--she tried to make my stay as comfortable and nice as possible. She even picked me up last night thinking I had gotten lost--fact is, my GPS took me some crazy sandy path the last kilometer! She primarily takes in pilgrims, and I felt guilty being fed so well--that's not what it's all about. The picture of the gourmet salad with cheese and prawns was just one of the courses Aline served. I posted a picture of her along with Mimi--a real trail angel. (Only 2 more nights in France and then it's back to raw basics.)

I took a rest at an unusually idyllic spot with bridge over a small streamin front of me--a passerby captured the moment including a rare reflection of the sun off my forehead.

Walked an easy 21.2 km (13+ mi) on paved bicycle paths, but I felt the heat coming on--91 at the hottest point. The town of Capbreton has a population of 8000 plus and is a popular holiday destination for sailors, surfers, and beach-goers. At some places along the walk, only a large sand dune separated me from the ocean.

I called for a reservation for tonight at the number listed for pilgrims and as I got closer into the neighborhood , a car stopped and the lady driver asked in French if I'm American. I then established that she got my message and will arrange something at her house. I'm in a nice comfy bedroom, all showered, and my few pieces of laundry hanging in the son.

These beach towns amaze me--not sure why, because we have the same up and down the California coast. I guess, as a pilgrim, I just didn't expect to deal with all the cycle traffic, the lunch places being full, and of course, lodging being scarce in some places (and costing 5 times what they should). The flip side is there are lots of places to rehydrate along the way. I've carried no more than a pint of water and a little overflow in the fold-up bottle (Douglas's).

Last night's place was on a lake and I saw a few beautiful views of it as I left this morning (one pic included). The path this morning soon turned ugly as it took me through some very powdery sand--like walking on a beach. I had to get to my destination by 5:00 pm, so I was stressing out--walking on sand is VERY slow. But at the 1/3 point I cut over to the paved road and the last half was on a dedicated paved bike path with hundreds of vacationing families cycling their little hearts out--I was the only walker! Pics included.

I'm staying in CBE (Compagnons des Belles Etapes, probably for people who travel along stages of an itinerary). The place is a huge two-story building with lots of 3 or 4 bunk rooms. I have one all to myself.

The town of Vieux Boucau les Bains decided to build an artificial lake to enhance their tourism. Its population swells from 1500 to 10 or 15 thousand. I went the kilometer into town and can attest to its swelling! Amazing tourism.

I walked the Chemin de Compostelle route to get close to the ocean. But rather than being an 11-km day, it turned into a 20 km day (12.5 mi). But well worth it to see the goings on: stores, restaurants, campgrounds, and kiddie rides. I just wanted to stay there and relax but realized I had another 10 km to go in the warm sun.

I'm now at the Le Col Vert campground on the deck of a beautiful mobile home quite the opposite of last night where I had no water or electricity.

When I arrived at the campground there were 40+ people in line at the reception. I wasn't worried about not getting my lodging because you need credentials to qualify for the 10€. Theirs was costing upwards of 60€.

Today is a very different day. Had to walk 31 km (19.4 mi) to find a refuge Jacquaire (albuerge) which was bad enough, but then the albuerge turned out to beat a camp ground in a trailer with no hook ups (water or electricity)--for water I go about 50 yards and thank goodness I have my external battery. The German neighbor in a camper invited me over for dinner, but I already ate. I did have a beer with him however. And a good aspect is that I get breakfast in the morning.

Just a few comments. While walking, I noticed the many campers, RVs and trailers loaded with canoes on the roads, truly a vacation land. And I still see so much sand everywhere but no ocean or bay has come into site. Lit et Mixe is a town of around 1500 people, but I'm sure it swells to several times that size with tourists. I've probably passed a dozen campgrounds during the last hour.

The picture is of my home for the night:

Crazy day, not one totally planned. I had a reservation at Saint Paul, but knew I couldn't make it walking there. I thought I would take a bus there. So the day started with a 18.8 km (11.8 mi) walk on a lot of sandy soil to reach Parentis. Pretty flowers along the way and all went well until an "ugly" thing happened. BTW, do you notice the very small waymarker on the tree in the middle of the road fork? I n I did a zig, as my electronic map showed, that put me onto another perpendicular dirt road which happened to be in maintenance mode. A scooper had created a 6-foot deep U-trench with soft sandy sides and had covered up the exact location of the zag. I found the zag, but then had trouble climbing down and up on the other side. After several attempts, I finally managed but was annoyed at this "ugly" encounter. It took me a while to get my composure back, realizing that it was all part of normal life where things don't always go your way. The Chemin/Camino, after all, is just a simplified microcosm.

Now, the only way to go on to do the 13.5 km (8.4 mi) portion was to take a cab to Saint Paul. I hadn't counted on that. But in the end it all worked out well. When I arrived at Saint-Paul-en-Born, the gîte already had one of the two bunks taken by a cyclist. Christian just seven years younger offered to take the upper bunk--I was very grateful! He also offered to cook for us and to use his bike to do the shopping--my contribution was to do the dishes.