Day 1: Sarria to Portomarin 23km
10 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Perhaps St Christopher, the patron Saint of travellers, is looking out for me as I felt better in the cool, misty morning air after a pretty good sleep. Left at 0640, having a banana and yogurt that IЧитать далее
Travel to Sarria and CDG
9 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Today, Beth is heading home via Paris and Nancy back north to Sarria to begin the Camino walk. The young man at the front desk of the hotel strongly recommended that Nancy take the metro to the trainЧитать далее
Galeria De Las Colecciones Real
8 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
This is a fantastic extremely modern and wonderfully air conditioned museum that opened up next to the Palacio de Real in 2023. No downsizing of one of a kind Royal treasures here! The downloadedЧитать далее
Palacio de Real Madrid
8 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
As we did not have time to go to Versailles, Europe's second largest palace (and still in active use) was the destination for our one day in Madrid. We found a café kitty corner to the palace andЧитать далее
Madrid
7–9 июн. 2025, Испания ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We decided to take the nearby tram to the Bilbao Bus Intramodal Station which was very smooth. We had a very comfortable ride on Alsa Supra class arriving at 4 pm. It was hot and extremely crowded atЧитать далее
A walk around the neighborhood
6 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
After the Guggenheim we sought some lunch and found it in the pedestrian mall behind our hotel. They had a table at Basko so we took it. Very pleasant although the last few days have been dampened byЧитать далее
Bilbao
6 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
The Guggenheim Museum of modern Art was built 1993-97 on site of an inactive factory in a ex prosperous city with 30% unemployment whose leaders envisioned a transformation. The GuggenheimЧитать далее
Sheep farm
5–7 июн. 2025, Испания ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Our guide reminded us that Spain’s the 3rd most mountainous country after Switzerland and sheep and cheese production has a strong heritage. We passed classic Etxhas. The laxta (latcha) sheep make aЧитать далее
Travel to Guernica
5 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
On leaving San Sebastian, we headed out to the fishing village of Getaria where the first person to circumnavigate the globe was born. In 1519-1522, Juan Elcano set out with Magellan in 5 ships.Читать далее
Day in San Sebastian
4–6 июн. 2025, Испания ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Modeled after Biarritz during the Belle Epoch era, the lamp posts are 1920s Art Deco. Queen Maria Christina took waters here for her skin and then helped develop it into a tourist, trade, andЧитать далее
Arrival San Sebastian/Donastia
3 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Helen explained we are going through the Sierra Alto mountains where we saw again more Etxcha, the traditional Basque home design. In families, the 4th Basque son would be sent to America, often toЧитать далее
On the Camino
3 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We left Pamplona to do a whole day on the Camino. First stop: El Alto del Perdon or Point of Forgiveness. This is a well photographed pilgrim viewpoint and the site of a Memorial to 92 Franco opposersЧитать далее
Bullfighting and a Special Lunch
2 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Our guide Francisco used to give a talk on the street about bullfighting; until the wife of a bullfighting enthusiast allowed him to bring the Rick Steves tour group in. He collected bullfightingЧитать далее
The Santa Maria de Real Cathedral
2 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
The next day, we met our local tour guide Francisco who was was both interesting and entertaining. The cathedral is quite unique. There is a small fee to enter and the Bishop here has attached anЧитать далее
Arrival Pamplona
1–3 июн. 2025, Испания ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
We descended through mountains of mixed forest and fir trees and gradually came into what appears to be a flatter dryer area and into Pamplona. Our guide told us this is a prosperous and modern cityЧитать далее
Over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles
1 июня 2025 г., Испания ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Our bus travelled through the Roncevaux Pass from Saint Pierre-du-Port to Roncesvalles. Helen told us about Operation Comet and how the Basques assisted the British airman escape Nazi occupied FranceЧитать далее
St Jean Pierre de Port
1 июня 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Our bus arrived at 9 am and it took about an hour to get to St. Jean Pierre de Porte which marks the start of the 748 km Camino Frances. Lovely views and town. Popped into the church. Walked to theЧитать далее
Bayonne afternoon
31 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We went to A La Bolee creperie recommended by Helen thinking we d split a crepe but it was a one seat one plate policy so we ended up with more food than we wanted. We joined Susan and Allan from theЧитать далее
A morning tour of Bayonne
31 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Our group was given a tour of Bayonne by a local named Claire. She explained that under Franco the Basque language and customs were forbidden. The boomer generation was not allowed to learn Basque butЧитать далее
Arrival Bayonne
30 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
The 1.4 Euro bus ride took 50 minutes to Bayonne and we found Hotel des Basses Pyrenees built into the ramparts of the old wall a 10 minute walk away from our stop at Saint Leon. As we walked intoЧитать далее
Biarritz
30 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Checked out at 11 am. and back at 2 pm. after a 5 km walk along the sea promenade, taking in the views. In 1660 King XIV, the Sun King, married a Spanish princess Maria Therese (who at age 21 wasЧитать далее
Gare Montparnasse / arrival Biarritz
29 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We left Hotel Eugenie at 0930 hrs via Bus 74 to Gare Montparnasse which is large with 28 tracks. Found our way to the proper level for our train starting here and terminating in Hendaye, and we areЧитать далее
Montmartre
28 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
We got off M12 at Pigalle Square and across the street was our lunch destination at Bouillon Pigalle. Opened in 2017, this brasserie recreates the atmosphere of the Parisian restaurants in the 19thЧитать далее
The Louvre Part 2
28 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We both agreed that we enjoyed the museum using the audio guide but were ready for lunch and a change of pace. So we headed to catch the bus for Montmartre. Finding bus stops at times proves elusiveЧитать далее
The Louvre
28 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
After our nice French breakfast at the hotel we were ready for a big morning at the world's most famous art gallery.
We had 0930h admission tickets to the Louvre and as expected we were notЧитать далее
Around the Eiffel Tower
27 мая 2025 г., Франция ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
After our views from the top of the tower, we walked over to the Trocadéro, took in a long range view and then, feeling some of the tourist end of day “feet are sore and out of steam,” we tookЧитать далее















































































































































































































































































































































































