Day 1: Sarria to Portomarin 23km
10 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 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 IBaca lagi
Travel to Sarria and CDG
9 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 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 trainBaca lagi
Galeria De Las Colecciones Real
8 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 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 downloadedBaca lagi
Palacio de Real Madrid
8 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We didn’t have time to go to Versailles, so 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 andBaca lagi
Madrid
7–9 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We decided to take the nearby tram to the bus Intramodal Station which was very smooth. Comfortable ride on Alsa Supra class arriving at 4 pm. Very crowded at the airport with long line ups for UberBaca lagi
A walk around the neighborhood
6 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 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 dampened by La GrippeBaca lagi
Bilbao
6 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 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 GuggenheimBaca lagi
Sheep farm
5–7 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Our guide reminded us that Spain’s the 3rd most mountainous country after Switzerland and . We passed classic Etxhas. The laxta (latcha) sheep make a special strong cheese only made in the BasqueBaca lagi
Travel to Guernica
5 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We headed out to the fishing village of Getaria where the first person to circumnavigate the globe was born. Juan Elkano set out with Magellan in 5 ships. Magellan died and only the Victoria with 35Baca lagi
Day in San Sebastian
4–6 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 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, andBaca lagi
Arrival San Sebastian/Donastia
3 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Helen explained we are going through the Sierra Alto mountains where we saw again more Etxcha, traditional Basque home design. Traditionally, the 4th Basque son would be sent to America often toBaca lagi
Camino walk
3 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We left Pamplona got our day on part of 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 FrancoBaca lagi
Bullfighting and a Special Lunch
2 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Our guide Francisco used to give a talk on the street about bullfighting; until the wife of a MD husband bullfighting enthusiast established a spot to the memorabilia. He was joined by otherBaca lagi
Pamploma santa Maria de Real Cathedral
2 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
This a unique cathedral. There is a small fee to enter and the Bishop here has attached an interpretive centre unique in that there is a representation on where we are in in history as to theBaca lagi
Pamplona
2 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
El Camino de Los peregrines. Pilgrims continue to enter through the old city walls at Portal de Francis, and Calle del Carmen leads to the towers of the cathedral. One of the first regions to convertBaca lagi
Arrival Pamplona
1–3 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 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 cityBaca lagi
Over the Pyrenees to Roncesville
1 Jun, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Helen told us about Operation Comet and how the Basques assisted the British airman from Nazi occupied France to neutral Spain. Also the song of Roland from Charlemagne's time: glamorizing the knightsBaca lagi
St Jean Pierre de Port
1 Jun, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Our bus arrived at 9 am and it took about an hour to get to St. Jean Pierre de Porte the start of the 748 km Camino Frances. Lovely views and town. Popped into the church. Walked to the Citadel whereBaca lagi
Bayonne afternoon
31 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We went with 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 fromBaca lagi
A Morning sightseeing in Bayonne
31 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 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. Our generation was not allowed to learn Basque but theBaca lagi
Arrival Bayonne
30 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We took the 1.40 E bus ride 50 minutes to Bayonne and 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 into townBaca lagi
Biarritz
30 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☀️ 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 wasBaca lagi
Gare Montparnasse / arrival Biarritz
29 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 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 areBaca lagi
On our way to Biarritz
29 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
See next footprint!
Montmartre
28 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 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 19thBaca lagi
The Louvre Part 2
28 Mei, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 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 elusiveBaca lagi

































































































































































































































































































































































