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.
