After walking around a bit in the morning, I rented an e-bike with the intention of heading to Astigarraga, the home of the Cider houses. E-bikes are quite a nice thing as they pull some of the weight for you while you still get to bicycle. There are protected bike paths the whole 10km to the town. I ended up at a Cider museum which wasn’t much, but then had lunch at a ciderie. These places are like massive dinning halls. Apparently in the old days, they provided a place to cook and sold the cider, the fishermen brought their fresh catch and cooked it. Now it is clearly an industry with many hundreds showing up for lunch. Basque cider is dispensed from a keg at quite a distance, you hold your cup out and someone turns the tap on. Luckily I headed back and returned the e-bike before massive rain showers hit. A quick but interesting cocktail at the fancy Maria Cristina hotel and then some tapas for dinner.

Started the morning with a walk to the Magdalena Bridge, where pilgrims cross to enter Pamplona. Rainy morning, but eventually abated. Bus to San Sebastián, this one an express. Driver maintained high rate of speed in spite of fairly heavy rain. Arrived to the minute on time, and then taxi to hotel at the top end of the old town. 4 star hotel but I’m in tiny singe twin bed room. Out for a walk and the little train tour. Then Tapas around town. Lovely happening place with a big Long Beach. Met a nice couple from London who are motorcyclists and have a place in southern Spain.

Spent the day walking around Pamplona. Lovely city. It was a walled city and so I was able to walk a good part of it up on the city walls. The modern city has expanded way beyond the original footprint, but most tourist stay in the old town, as I am doing. This is quite nice because it is largely car free. I walked the walls and then retraced the Camino as it goes through the city. Managed a good lunch, although here lunch starts at 1:30pm. Had a small world moment when I noticed a group leaving the hotel this morning and enquired about their itinerary, turns out they were an Australian tour group doing select sections of the camino. Then it turned out that the lady I was talking to was from Hawaii and married to an Aussie, then it further turned out that we were classmates at Punahou! What are the chances! 15,500 steps.

Got quite the early start today as I wanted to leave the AirBnb in pristine condition. Although it was small, it was very well done and the Murphy bed with integrated couch worked well. Probably would have been a little tight with two of us, but for a solo traveler it was perfect and very economical. I drag my stuff down to the Halte Routiere, the bus stop and got on the Blabla bus to San Sebastián. Fortunately there was plenty of time to make the connection as we were a good 25 minutes late on a 40 minute trip. Switched to another bus and then about and hour and half to Pamplona through the most beautiful country of rolling hills. Looked almost like Vermont. Hopped a taxi out of the Bus station to my hotel. Let me say that I’m not really a 5 star hotel guy, but this one was on sale for a great price, was right on the main square and Hemingway used to stay here. I think the shower stall is almost as big as the apartment I was staying in last night. Anyway, room not ready, but they took my stuff and I immediately launched into a basic tapas crawl, eat a few things, drink a glass of red and then move on the next place. Spain is so much more relaxed around food and food culture than France. Pamplona has a wonderful feel of vibrancy, but is car free in the center. Spent most of the afternoon walking around and revisiting where I came into Pamplona for the first time through the French gate, on my camino in 2014. By some odd coincidence, Nancy Reynolds, who at the time ran an outfit called “Just Get Me Started” is here guiding a group. We had plans to Tapas crawl later, but she has too many moving parts, so will visit I tomorrow.

Had a slow start today but got some housekeeping done. The AirBnb I have is a small studio, but has a Murphy bed and washing machine. Actually works quite well for me and was very economical. After a breakfast of GF bread with ham and sheep’s cheese I headed down to the market. Luckily, Tuesday is a market day and the Market here is a really good one. After that, did a walk around the Harbor and then did a bit of progressive lunch, had a half dozen oysters in one spot and moved elsewhere for a salad and that did the job. I think this is the first day I haven’t changed locations in almost 2 weeks! Anyway, it was a nice feeling to not be packing and running out the door.

After a pleasant dinner last night with the group of 6 French people I’ve been walking with, it was time to call it an early night. Was woken up by an early text that told me my train from SJPP to Bayonne was canceled. After heading to the station a very helpful station master offered to call a taxi at SNCF expense. Went back got my stuff, and of course, that didn’t happen. So they did substitute a bus. But, the bus took about 20 minutes longer thereby missing my connection. Fortunately, another, local train was running an hour later, so ended up just buying a new ticket for that, about 4euros so not breaking the bank. Got to my AirBnB in Saint Jean de Luz and got installed. This is a small studio with a Murphy bed, but it does have a washer, something I definitely will be using! Did a little stroll around town and got some breakfast supplies, ran a load of wash. Found a good seafood place for dinner and had the variety shellfish tower for 25 euros. Bit of rain coming through so glad I wasn’t out walking today. The French group had a hard day as they were going over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles, which is a long day if you do it in one go.

A nice stay in Larcevau last night at hotel Espellet. Younger people taking over from parents and doing a nice job. Excellent dinner with the French group. And a nice clean comfortable room. Got a nice 8:00am start walking with Eric again whose pace suits me and who has enough blisters going on that he wants the distraction of walking with someone. Very pleasant, slightly moist and cloudy walk up a valley and after a few breaks, arriving in Saint Jean Pied de Port. This is the end of this particular Camino for me, but the starting point for people doing the Camino Frances. Checked into my hotel and when the appointed 3:30pm hour arrived was given an amazing corner room on the top floor with a balcony. So, over my four trips doing this, I have complete 750.8km to 466 miles! That’s a pretty good walk especially carrying a 20lb pack! For those interested in more detail on this particular Camino section: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Podiensis

Very pleasant evening at Hotel de La Paix in Saint Palais. A nice town with a central plaza. Good dinner, shared with Daniel, a physician who has been walking the same route and generally staying at the same places. Got an early start today as it was going to be hot. After about 45 minutes there was a gigantic hill that took most of an hour to climb. Another pilgrim, Eric, joined me for most of it and it was pleasant to have someone walking the same pace and some conversation. Turned out he was a McDonalds Franchisee and had 8 of them in France at one point. Anyway after a solid walk we arrived at our hotel shortly after noon, and tucked into a fairly solid lunch after that, our rooms were ready and by some luck the baggage had been delivered. Nothing like a shower and a nap on crisp white sheets to make for a nice afternoon! Tomorrow to Saint Jean Pied de Port, where most people would be starting the Camino Frances, where I will be ending this walk. 21,000 steps.

Well, the wedding at the gite last night was quite entertaining, and noise level they were able to maintain for hours was nothing short of amazing. Fortunately I was tired enough that I slept anyway. Since the official photographer left right after the ceremony, I took a number of candids and set them up for the bride in a shared album. Today’s walk is a bit of an estimate, the Gite was far enough off the trail that they dropped me at a place near with a short cut of a few Kms down to the trail. From there it was the usual rolling through some miles in beautiful rolling Basque Country. My hotel tonight is also in a town that is 5.1km off of the trail, at 4km/hr walking pace that is a bit of a ways. Today got quite hot, 83degrees, and wow, I don’t understand the people who decide to walk across Spain in July and August, that just seems like insanity to me. Much to my relief, Saint Palais is a “real” town, meaning a nice central plaza with multiple restaurants that will even serve you at 1:30pm. I stupidly put all my chargers accidentally in my transported luggage, but luckily had a battery pack and cord just in case. Suitcase didn’t get picked up till around 4:00pm, so, glad I had the essentials with me. Daniel, who I have run into several times, and is a physician from Croatia, is staying in the same hotel so we will have dinner together. He is moving to London and is an infectious disease specialist. While all of this is going on I am busy booking my unscheduled section between May 13-23. So far, St. Jean de Luz and Pamplona followed by San Sebastián are either planned or confirmed.

Cafe Gourmand.