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Laurie Reynolds
Laurie Reynolds

Laurie Reynolds

traveled in 9 countries Read more
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  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Oviedo memories

    June 10, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Walking to the bus station I went past the Woody Allen statue and remembered being here with Joe and my parents. This picture is for you dad. 😍

    And now I'm at the bus station waiting for the bus to the airport and remembered when David got off the bus from Cangas here, and we had a grand time together. Love you guys.Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Getting ready to leave Oviedo

    June 10, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    How I love this beautiful city. But visiting here and living here are two different things. My camino friend Helena, who is from Lisboa, has married an Asturiano and has found it next to impossible to "break in" and be accepted. And if she can't do it, no one can! But as a city for tourism, it can't be beat. Obsessively clean public places, beautiful old core and a museum or two. The statuary in the streets is like no other city I've seen. A Botero, a Woody Allen look alike(he fell in love with Oviedo while filming Vicki Cristina Barcelona), and many others. The cathedral is going the way of many in Spain, now charging 6€ (4 for peregrinos) for entrance.

    Yesterday I noticed that the mesh on the top of my shoes was starting to rip open. But since this is Spain, where many people still repair things, no problem. The friendly zapatero down the street from my hotel came up with an ingenious solution. 3 hours and 9€ later, my boots were good to go.

    Heading to the bus station after a good cafe con leche and then onto the first flight of the day.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Oviedo

    June 9, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    This was a much-better-than-expected walk into a big city. Knowing that it was 26 or 27 km, and wanting to spend the afternoon in Oviedo and with my dear pal Helena, I got going at 7.

    With one coffee break and going at a pretty steady pace and off and on with two French walkers, I was in the hotel before 1.

    The route has changed since I last walked it, and it is much improved. Only the last couple kms are through commercial outskirts and there is s lot of off-road walking. That's unusual for stages going into cities. All pleasant enough, though of course it doesn't hold a candle to any of that amazing sea walking I was doing just a few days ago.

    Got here to see that the top of one of my shoes is ripping open. I took it to a zapatero who told me he was pretty sure he could fix it enough to get me into Santiago. Lucky I got here today because he is closed tomorrow.

    Now I have a five day break from walking. I am going to leave a lot of my stuff here in Oviedo and will stay in the same place when I return. My pal Paco from Madrid is flying up to walk for two days with me so that will be the 15 and 16. Lots to look forward to!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    In Vega de Sariego

    June 8, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Ok I am a wimp. I only walked 17 or 18 km today. I was whooped from the earlier days. Danagrina, you and I walked ten more kms and wound up in that hotel where the tv was showing a program about Michael Jackson and bees.

    I left the albergue around 7 am, knowing that the church at Valdedios only opened at 11. So I took my time and was glad to see that the route had been brought off the main road. I got to the church complex-- this is a 9C church with a 13C -17C monastery --at about 10 am. So I had an hour wait before I could visit the church. As I was sitting there, boots off, three nuns walked towards me with big bags for the garbage. I was surprised, because last time I had been here there were monks. Turns out the monks have left and the nuns have replaced them. The albergue is now spotless, clean sheets, etc. Just a coincidence maybe but I suspect it has to do with the change from monks to nuns.

    After the hour tour, which was great, I left at around noon. The steep 300 m ascent just about took it out of me, and when I arrived at the albergue inVega de Sariego, I decided to stay. Tomorrow will be 26 flat asphalt kms to Oviedo but I really appreciated the early stop today. And there is a bar with a great 10€ menu. I'm sharing a room in the albergue with a few other women, so let's hope there are no more men arriving.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Villaviciosa

    June 7, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Ok this was another very long day, almost 40. But it was beautiful and included a surprise visit inside another pre-Romanesque church.

    I left Ribadesella around 7 and a few hours later passed the donativo albergue in Vega. What a great spot, with a pretty beach down the road. It looked like a great place to stay, but I had only been walking for a couple of hours. Bad timing on my part. But I did have the good luck of meeting Sam and Barbara, a mother son pair from Austin, and we wound up walking together all day.

    No off-camino coastal alternatives today, but the camino took you along the coast a fair amount. More gorgeous sea views. In the town of Isla we turned inland, and after Colunga there were st least 10-12 up and down kms through the countryside. At some points there were mountains on your left and ocean on your right.

    After taking a boots off rest after Colunga and despairing of ever finding a bar to get something cold to drink, we walked into Priesca. In this tiny little hamlet, there was a stunning new albergue La Rectoral right across the way from the 10C pre-Romanesque church. The albergue had a soda machine and the church windows were making us wish we could get inside. But the Spanish woman nearby told us to go ask somewhere else for the keys. I think she heard Sam and me talking about the beautiful windows and how much we wished we could see the interior, and suddenly she found that she had a set of keys. Wow is all I can say. It was great.

    From there the 10 or so km to Villaviciosa were pretty much a slog, but we have made it, have walked around town and had dinner, and are headed to bed. I am sorry to say that Sam and Barbara will be heading in a different direction tomorrow because we had a lot of fun today!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Ribadesella

    June 6, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Another 35 km day. It's a little too long for my liking, those last few kilometers into town are really a slog. But the walk was really good, spectacular in many places. I took a little detour to get back to the coast, and that added another 4 km or so to my total. And of course it's a lot slower walking carefully over and around rocks than on a forest path or along the road. Not to mention all the time it takes to stop and gaze at the crashing waves or rocky coast and take yet another picture.

    Though these coastal paths are usually fairly obvious, they are not well marked, so I was very glad to have the GPS. A Spanish friend sent me all the tracks for the coastal detours on this Camino and I couldn't have done it without them.

    So by the time I washed clothes and showered it was after 4pm, so once again too late to eat lunch in a restaurant. That's a real negative aspect of arriving so late. You can't eat lunch, and you certainly don't want to wait up until they start serving dinner. So I'm having another store-bought dinner -- gazpacho in a box, two spinach and cheese empanadas from the pastry shop, a red pepper, and an orange. Not terribly exciting or gourmet, but it'll fill the belly! Oh yes and a local specialty sweet of some type.

    The red building is my hotel for the night. 30€ special for peregrinos! That's not bad but about 10€ more than going rates in other less touristy parts of Spain!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds
    1

    Llanes

    June 5, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Today I had expected to walk about 30-32 km. What I didn't factor in was the additional kms from taking the coastal options. And the time it would take me to do some careful stepping in some kind of precarious situations. At one point I walked over a natural rock bridge from headland to headland with the ocean below. That was a bit dicey. By the time I rolled into Llanes it was 4 pm. With a 7:15 am departure and just a couple of boots-off rests on the coast my GPS clocked 36.5 km. But I am so very glad to have taken the coastal option. I wouldn't have wanted to do it without a GPS though.

    Llanes is a pretty town on the coast. I had been planning to go to the albergue but as I wound my way through the old town, I came across the Posada del Rey. And wouldn't you know it, they had good pilgrim prices!! After showering and washing clothes, I took an hour or so walking around the historic core, buying food (I arrived as the lunch hour was nearly over, kitchens were closing, and nothing will open back up till 8:30 or 9, so it's dinner in the room).

    I was so happy to finally find real candles in the church (not electric ones) and lit five --my mom, Meara, Jamie, my family and all my camino friends who have shared parts of this with me. The church was quiet and peaceful and though I am not usually the contemplative type, I left feeling at peace.

    I have to be in Gijón on Friday, four more days walking. Looks very doable but you never know.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Serdio

    June 4, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    It was pretty obvious some rain was going to fall today, the only questions were when and how much. I left the albergue at around 7:15 and immediately saw the highway that took a straight shot 11 km to the town of Comillas, which is a touristy town with a Gaudí building , some nice old half timbered houses with tons of flower pots, a nice beach, etc. The camino would be a few km longer, but it has the advantage of going through little villages and not on busy roads. I did the first 9 winding around on the camino, even went down to a beach and up to the headlands again. But when the rain started and I crossed the highway where a sign said 4 km to Comillas, as opposed to 6 on another little winding back road, I took the main road.

    In Comillas I went to the bar I remembered where we had tortilla española, the Bar Filipinas. They weren't exactly ecstatic to see me come in dripping from head to toe but when I told them I had eaten great tortilla here 10 years ago, they softened. After a long rest trying to dry off a bit and wait out the rain, I started out in a little drizzle. The 10 km to San Vicente alternated with different degrees of raininess and I was thoroughly sopped as I got close to town. But the walk was frequently alongside the coast and I was glad to see that there were many people enjoying the weather way more than I. There were surfers everywhere, and I could hear shrieks of joy as the waves came crashing in. Finally, around 1pm, I dragged myself into San Vicente, and the rain stopped as I came across the long long bridge into town.

    I had already decided that I wasn't going to go to the town's albergue, where we had been so poorly treated. I knew there were a few pensiones and hoteles up the hill on the way out of town, and as I walked through what was increasingly better weather, I decided to keep on to the next town 7 km away, where there was both an albergue and a casa rural. Guess which I picked?! 28 €, bed, dinner, and breakfast. My boots were soaked, and the lure of a bed with sheets just proved too strong. I have walked out to see the Albergue, which is in the old schools and currently being painted, but truth be told I am glad to be where I am.

    This 32 km day was not the easiest I've ever walked but I am fine and hoping the weather will soon change.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    In Caborredondo

    June 3, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Today the GPS tells me I walked 32km. But I outsmarted the GPS by hopping on a train right outside the Albergue door. This is the spot at which pilgrims have three choices. Walk 9 extra km to cross the river legally; scamper across the train tracks and hope you don't get plastered by a train (this is what Dana, the German girls, and I did ten years ago) or be law-abiding and take the little train for a total of 2 minutes to cross the bridge. Since the train stop was literally outside the albergue door, and since there was one at 7:30, it seemed the prudent thing to do. By 7:35 we were walking by the little bar where one of our German friends got locked in the bathroom.

    This is not one of the Camino's shining stages. Almost all asphalt, winging your way around a huge bleach factory, following alongside two huge pipes that also deposit something inside the bleach factory. But then you arrive in Santillana Del Mar, and if you can see past the hoards of tourists and the trinkets shops, there is some lovely architecture and an amazing Romanesque cloister.

    I had decided to go 6 km beyond Santillana, to an albergue opened a few years ago by Alex(of Bodenaya fame to Primitivo veterans). One km outside of town, it started to rain, and I arrived soaking wet at the albergue. Now after a hot shower and wearing dry clothes, life is good in the restaurant next door where the menu del día offers lots of warming options. The rain might hang around for a few more days, but it's all in a day's walk. I will be going to San Vicente tomorrow, but you can be SURE I will not go to the Albergue where the hospitalero attacked us verbally and told us how we should be ashamed of our imperialist hegemony. Imagine what he would say now. Luckily the town is a tourist destination so I assume I will find something.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Boo de Piélagos

    June 2, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Well it was supposed to be a 30 km day. It turned out to be 36.5. But what a route! A guy who writes a guide to this Camino suggested an alternative to what would have been 12 awful kms on asphalt. So I guess I walked 24 extra kms to go off road. That may sound silly but it was probably the most beautiful coastal route I've ever walked.

    First go around Santander's harbor, past lovely houses on cliffs, then past three large city beaches, the Casino and even a golf course. Up and up to the lighthouse where things start getting amazing. And for all but the last 6 km (4 on pine needles, 2 on the road), you are never far from the ocean.

    It was cloudy and foggy, but even so it was incredibly beautiful. Mass tourism development was limited to two or three little spots and the rest was pretty pristine. I would love to repeat this in sunny weather!

    So taking this route meant that I entered the town of Boo from a different direction than the Camino. As I came into the albergue, two guys were sitting outside. A little later one of them came up and asked why I had come in from a different direction. When I told him I had walked the coast, he very disapprovingly told me that HE was walking the Camino. Ah yes, love those judgmental jerks. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat!!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Afternoon in Santander

    June 1, 2017, Bay of Biscay ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Getting ready for bed so that I'll be up and raring to go early tomorrow. But my afternoon had some great discoveries.

    First I took the requisite trip to the cathedral for my pilgrim stamp. Then I came across a little door in a big plaza that announced "medieval wall of Santander." I went in and down a flight and learned there would be a tour in about 15 minutes. Fascinating. Turns out all of old Santander burned to the ground in the early 1940s. A ship carrying war materiel exploded in the harbor and the whole city burned. Then about 12 years ago when they were doing some renovations on their replacement plaza, they found the 12-14C walls. Really nicely displayed.

    Then a few minutes away I saw a sign for the Prehistory Museum of Cantabria. With some time on my hands and and 2€ in my pocket, I thought it was a good way to spend an hour. Well worth a visit, with displays from the oldest human settlements in Cantabria (my mind can't keep track of how many tens of thousands of years ago that was) all the way up to visigothic. Not at all a bad way to spend some time in Santander. Off tomorrow to a town called Boo. :-)    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Santander

    June 1, 2017, Bay of Biscay ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    This is a day that has beautiful country views, followed by beautiful sea views, followed by a 4 km walk on the beach, ending with a 20 minute ferry into the very pretty city of Santander. Perfect weather, nice people along the way, a clean room in a 29€ pension and now the afternoon ahead of me to enjoy the city.

    I am going to take a roundabout route tomorrow to hug the coast again and hopefully avoid some asphalt. This is not a Camino route but I have the GPS tracks and others have told me it's quite nice. As long as I'm in Gijon by next Friday, I'll be fine.

    My visit with Helena yesterday was so much fun and totally unexpected. I'm still savoring it, it was very special.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Bareyo

    May 31, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    So yesterday after walking around town I got myself a haircut and paid the princely sum of 15€. A little hip and spiky for this old lady but it was fun.

    Today's walk was one I remembered well from last time. First, a 6 km walk along the beach to the end of the boardwalk. At about 9 am, the ferry starts up, taking pilgrims across the inlet and saving us a 12 km walk around.

    Then comes a walk through the town on the other side, where I had a good cup of coffee and some tortilla. Spanish coffee just isn't as good as it used to be, but sitting outside in the morning sun in a cafe right near the water is pretty special no matter how good the hot beverage.

    There was a short steep walk up to the headlands, followed by a short steep descent to the beach. I like the ascents and struggle with the descents. Thank goodness for my hiking poles.

    Then after Noja, the Camino turns inland and after about 8 km through green hills spotted with little hamlets, I came to the albergue where Helena is helping out for a week. Though she agreed with several people who think that the bites are fleas and not bed bugs, she insisted on washing and drying all my clothes, letting the pack sit in a big black garbage bag in the sun all day, and a few other camino tricks. Hopefully, that's the end of that.

    Tomorrow is another short day to Santander, a pretty city, and I may or may not splurge on another 30€ pension. TBD. I do remember that the albergue in Santander is not one of the best on the camino, but it is run by a very nice association of volunteers.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Laredo

    May 30, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I started at 7, which seems to be my norm these days. There were going to be decisions to make, like whether to stick to the side of the national highway instead of adding 7 or 8 km by following the arrows. And then later on, whether to add a few more in order to take the coastal path, which would of course involve ups and downs.

    The first ten km were nice, through small hamlets with nice views. Cloudy and cool, just perfect walking weather. But then just as the camino dipped down into the forest along the coast, I had a goat standoff. Not my first, as Dana will remember from our first Norte, when I was startled by a wild looking goat and took a lot of ribbing for a few days. But this time is was a whole bunch, several with big curly horns, blocking my way. I clacked my sticks, cajoled, yelled, and sang, but nothing worked. They just stood there looking at me and wouldn't move. Finally a tall Australian came through and just walked on confidently, with me cowering on the side. He did tell me that goats have been known to charge, but fortunately he only told me that after we had walked through.

    In Islares, the route goes on the side of the national highway. It's not as bad as it might sound since most of the cars now take the new "superhighway." But there was enough traffic to make it unpleasant. About two kms along, the arrows went off road. I knew that staying on the highway would be quicker by about 8 km, but I hate walking on asphalt.

    So I turned off, and for the first 5 or 6 km I was on asphalt. Grrrrr. Now not only was I on asphalt but I was walking 8 more km on asphalt! Finally, in the small hamlet of La Magdalena,I turned a corner, the road ended and up I went through a eucalyptus forest. For a couple of hours the surface was dirt and lovely on the feet. Then a steady drizzle started and I had to put on my rain poncho (well, actually it's Dana's -- thanks Danagrina!)

    From the top came a descent into a really pretty valley, and then the asphalt started again all the way into Liendo.

    In Liendo, there was another decision. Take the straight shot on the side of the highway or wind around and up and down along the coast. How could anyone pass up the coast??? It was quite pretty, probably not as spectacular as some of the other parts but far far superior to the side of a road.

    By 2 pm I was in my room at Hotel Ramona with a 29 € rate I had snagged on booking last night. But then came the bad news. Big red splotches and bites all over my arms. Looks like bedbugs again, though I'm not sure. As luck would have it, I was planning to take a short day tomorrow to the albergue in Meruelo, where my dear friend Helena is helping out. I called to explain my predicament and was told to buy a couple of things here in Laredo, and they would take care of me tomorrow. Bedbugs are a very common phenomenon on the Camino, wherever you stay or however clean the place may be. I am so lucky to be a day out of Meruelo and Helena's TLC.

    The town of Laredo has a nice old part, which I think we missed somehow last time, so I will make sure to explore after lunch.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Castro Urdiales

    May 29, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    It was raining when I woke up, and it started to rain about 15 minutes after I arrived in my small hotel. But in between, not one drop fell. That is a Camino miracle!

    This is a very pretty little town, it has a very nice historical core, with lots of new apartment buildings all around. But the walk was really quite good, except for a fair amount of asphalt. Great views of the ocean along the coast, and a lot of pilgrims walking! I've met several Spaniards, a couple from Santa Fe, and bunches of French. The route is well marked and very pretty. When I got here at around 12:30, I decided to get a room in a little place near the beach for €35, which won't break the bank. The albergue is about a km out of town and looks very cramped. This way, I have a couple of hours to visit the historic core this afternoon, which is really quite pretty. I hope the pictures show that.

    Tomorrow will be anywhere from 27-33, km but I think I will make a reservation in Laredo so I don't have to worry about space.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Portugalete

    May 28, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today was a great day. I had a long walk on a lot of asphalt but it was worth it. I was on the road by 7, spent a few km on the side of a quiet road and then up through a big pine forest, and I was in the beautiful city of Bilbao by 10 am. Getting through the city was of course all on asphalt and then another long 12 km along the canal/port, and I was very glad it was a Sunday with no trucks whizzing by on the narrow roads. Finally I got to Portugalete, where I got to ride on a mixture between a funicular, a train and a ferry across the river.

    Once settled in the albergue two of my friends (a father/son pair) from last year's camino came to pick me up for a long lunch, a long walk around town, and a lot of great memories.

    Time for bed because tomorrow will be another long day, on a lot of asphalt I am afraid.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Larrabetzu

    May 27, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    I left the albergue at 7 and was in Gernika at 10, just as the museum opened. Though its focus is more generally on peace and reconciliation, I only had time to visit the part dealing with the German bombardment. There's a little "reenactment" in a small room with a woman musing about the meaning of the church bells ringing (usually to call you to mass) and the factory whistles (usually to signal a change in work shift). And then you hear the planes. There's a very nicely displayed exhibit of Gernika during and after the war, and all of the floor is glass over debris from the bombing, broken china, charred wood, some pieces of toys, etc. After a quick walk around the important tree trunk with its importance as a symbol of Basque sovereignty, I had a boots-off rest and then another long 18 km. Lots of ups and downs, mainly through pine forests with a few scattered hamlets. Generally very pretty.

    I'm in the town of Larrabetzu (which used to be a real ETA stronghold) in an albergue that's one week old. Run by the Bilbao Camino Association, it has 20 beds and so far there are about 9 of us. This was a long 32 km day, but I wanted to get as close to Bilbao as I could because tomorrow I will have lunch with a father and son I met on last year's Camino.    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz

    May 26, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    This morning I woke up as a few people started to move about. I glanced at my watch and thought it said 6:15. So I got out of bed and went out of the dorm room to start packing up, make my coffee with the electric coil, etc. About fifteen minutes later I looked at my watch again and saw it was 5:30, not 6:30. No point in unpacking my sleeping bag, etc, so I just stayed up and left at 7.

    Today's walk was very nice, the first 20 kms through a pine forest with occasional views out over more pine forests across the hills. In the large but not very beautiful town of Markina, I had a Fanta de Limón (my daily picker-upper) and a long rest with a nice German couple who were not walking today because of illness.

    The second half of the walk was 12 hot kms with lots of ups and downs. First through the hometown of Simon Bolivar, then through the town with the Zernautza monastery where Dana and I slept years ago (Dana I thought about you on that steep slog up to the monastery). After a short rest there, I went on 4 more km to Munitibar, where there is a comfortable albergue.

    Tomorrow I will walk through Gernika and hope the peace museum is open. It also seems like the king is wandering around these parts, though I haven't yet seen him or his entourage. So it may be a fun day!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    ... in Ataun

    May 25, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This was a 25 km day that felt like a lot more. But I don't think there could be a more beautiful coastal walk. For whatever reason, the good people in charge of the Camino arrows do not follow the coastal path. I had read that there was a GR route that ends up in the same town of Deba but is much more beautiful. I had it on my GPS, and three others I knew from the albergue wanted to come also. There were three hard ups and downs, though I don't think the total elevation gain was more than 750 m.

    I could have stopped after 20 km in Deba (Dana, there is now a new albergue in the train station), but knew there was a private albergue about 4 km away (all uphill of course). At about 2:45 I dragged my weary body into the albergue. It is in an old family cow barn, with a view over the hills to the ocean. Separate rooms for male and female--hooray!!! 25€ for bed and dinner. No charge for the hour I've been sitting in the old cow pasture under a tree in a lounge chair. Life is good!!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Getaria

    May 24, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Today's walk was about 30 km again. Several big ups and downs, some gorgeous coastal scenery, and a bit of re-routing to get us across the superhighway/autovía/toll road. It's called the A-8, and it wasn't here the last time I walked through. We went through two coastal towns, Orio and Zarautz. I remember that in 1995 our family had spent a few nights in Zarautz-- it's a less expensive (and much less beautiful) place than San Sebastián. But the waves were great, I remember how our kids loved them. And they are still huge and crashing.

    The last 4 km into Getaria were alongside the coast, squished between the narrow road and the cliff over the water. Pavement is always hard on the feet but at least this was beautiful. I started talking with a very stylish French woman. She was either starved for company or delirious from the sun because she told me my French is excellent. She does the camino the fancy way --sag wagon, rooms in nice hotels, food waiting at designated rest stops. Lots of ways to do this thing.

    I'm at an albergue and so far we are about 12. Mostly men, though there is a Finnish woman and another American. The guys are French, Romanian, Italian and US. I expect this will be an ear plug night. No complaints and a lot of gratitude. Not a bad way to end the day!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Afternoon in San Sebastián

    May 23, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    How lucky am I. Went to the Pension Donostiarra where I have a room with balcony for 40€. That's a little high for pilgrims but this is an expensive city.

    After the Pilgrim routine of washing clothes and showering, there was still plenty of time for me to go eat lunch, since lunch in Spain goes till 4 PM. I found a little place with outdoor tables in a lovely pedestrian square, had a good meal, and soaked it all in. After lunch, I spent a few hours walking around town, up and down its two amazing beaches. I went through the old part, where I remember that Dana and I spent an awful noisy night many years ago. I'm glad to be out of that area for sleeping. Tomorrow I have a pretty long walk, but I'm feeling good and my feet are fine, nothing else matters.Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    San Sebastián

    May 23, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Wow, what a beautiful day of walking, and now an afternoon enjoying this beautiful city. I left Irun at about 7:15, and in the first 10 minutes I saw about 12 other pilgrims! Shocking! But once I got up to the sanctuary of Guadalupe, where the Camino splits into several options, I was virtually alone all the way into San Sebastián.

    This walk has several parts. Once you go up the mountain behind the sanctuary, you are walking along the ridge, with amazing views off to the ocean. It was a little cloudy for this part, but that's OK, because it is great walking weather and there was no shade up there. Would be very hot in morning sun. When you go down to the tiny village of Pasajes de San Juan, there's a little ferry boat to take you across the inlet.

    Then another ascent, and another beautiful coastal walk until finally the big San Sebastián beach is right below you and you walk into town. At one point about 5 km outside of the city, there was a split. The Camino went to the left, but there was a marker for the GR 121 to the right. Luckily, there was a man out walking his dogs along the coast, and I asked him if he knew both routes. He told me that the Camino path takes you up to an asphalt road for the descent to Pasajes. But the GR121 hugs the coast and stays off road. Guess which I took?! Maybe a km or two longer and a bit more up and down but just no comparison.

    Lesson number one on the Camino del Norte-- whenever there is a GR option, take it!

    I am in a pension again, but will probably start with the Albergue routine tomorrow. I've just finished a menu del día that was excellent. Mixed greens with pequillo peppers and tuna; some grilled fish from the sea that I didn't know (faneca); homemade cuajada (a yoghurt-like concoction but made of sheep milk, one of my favorites). All for 12 euros. The Spanish meal times work very well for me when I'm walking. I try to arrive at my destination no later than 2 or 230, shower and wash clothes, and go out to eat. Since they serve lunch till 4 PM, this works great. Time for a stroll to buy some new socks and walk along the beach. I am so lucky!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Iza

    May 22, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    I am on a bus! This morning I left by myself at 7, since that Spanish pilgrim staying in our Albergue told me that he hadn't been able to get a bus ticket for Valencia. Since I didn't have my bus ticket to get me from Pamplona back to Irún, and since I really have to start the Norte tomorrow, I decided to leave by myself and walk straight into Pamplona. It was a long 30 K day with some asphalt close to the city, but lots of it was very pretty.

    This route is also a local hiking trail, so they really do try to keep it away from the highway on earth paths. I went through several cute villages, saw an old medieval bridge or two, and then had many kilometers walking next to the river into Pamplona.

    In Pamplona, I went to the cathedral to get a stamp for my credencial and then headed straight to the bus station. Turns out I had missed the bus to Irún by about six minutes, but there was another one leaving in about 20 minutes that would take me to San Sebastián. That's where I am now. From San Sebastián it will be a short bus ride over to Irun, which was a lot more convenient than waiting till the next bus at 6 PM.

    Only thing is, this means I really didn't get to say goodbye to my four friends, who were still many kilometers away when I got on the bus. That also means I didn't get to thank them all with big hugs for all the wonderful times we had on this walk. It's not often that five strangers can come together and feel like old friends in a very short time. I'm hoping this won't be the last time we walk together!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Lantz

    May 21, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    So today was one of those five star walks. Nuala and I decided to take the longer and maybe a bit higher route. Not one step was on pavement. Through the beech woods and up to the ridge where there were gorgeous views. One of those days where you have to pinch yourself and just soak it all in.

    Somewhat unbelievably, just when we got to the point where the official route merged with our off-route alternative, we saw the other three.

    We are in an albergue in the town of Lantz, which is about 30 km outside of Pamplona. That is where this Camino ends, merging with the hoards on the Camino Frances.

    There we five will all say goodbye. Tomorrow after we walk, I am going back up to Irun to start the Norte. I have to get a bus or train from Pamplona. Just one more day on the beautiful Camino Baztan.

    L    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Beorreta

    May 20, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The phone is fixed! I can't believe it. This will be short, because there's just too much beauty all around, and we want to go for a little walk. Today's walk was just amazing, through the Basque valleys with lots of beautiful little towns. The town of Elizondo is particularly nice, and it figures prominently in a current best seller trilogy by Dolores Redondo (a prosecutor). I've read the first one, and though I'm not much of a murder mystery reader, it was very enjoyable and a great introduction to the area. Two more days to Pamplona, and tomorrow is supposedly the most beautiful stage. It's hard to believe that it gets any prettier than this.

    We are in a nice albergue, only one other person with us, and Vira has cooked us a very good pasta dinner. All in all, the Basque countryside is five star. So so beautiful!    Read more

  • Laurie Reynoldscamino 2017Laurie Reynolds

    Baztan

    May 20, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Well I woke up this morning to a phone that won't turn on. Sinking pit in the stomach.

    So if you don't hear anything from me, it's not because something has happened. I will just go ahead and buy a new phone in Pamplona but that's three days from here. My pals will let me use there phone till then so maybe I'll just post some of Nuala's pictures. This is by no means the worse thing that could happen and it has a solution, just an expensive one.Read more

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