Spain
Gernika-Lumo

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    • Day 12

      Day five: Monestary to dirt near Gernika

      August 2, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      I woke up early to the sound of some of my spanish friends (andrea and lidia) i met the night before getting ready. Probably around 5am. The left with another group and i watched the sunrise while i waited for the people i said i would walk with to wake up. Eight of us set out on our way. We had long discussions about all sorts of things like our personal lives, philosophies, and ethics. The people i met have really exceeded my expectations. As i am not walking the camino for any religous reasons i thought i might be a bit of an odd one but i have quickly realized that almost everyone here is just here for the experience itself and not specifically religous by any means. It was a lot of fun to walk with everyone although it was very slow and at time frustrating when our indecision became evident in towns. We sat under a very old bridge in a creek and soaked our feet, exchanging and listening to music. It felt like a dream. It was a particular level of peace that was amazing. As we walked into Markina we walked past a building where people were singing and dancing. Just a group of friends and when we looked in the quickly ushered us in and poured us wine and fed us meats. We continued on after lunch and buying some ingridients for supper. We walked about 7km past Gernika had some drama eith the hostel own and 4 of us ended up sleeping outside on a dirt road.Read more

    • Day 53

      Gernika

      April 6 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

      Kurzer Geschichtsunterricht in Gernika. Leider hatte das Museum für baskische Kultur geschlossen. Das hätte mich interessiert, denn dieses Volk ist genetisch und sprachlich mit keinem anderen verwandt

    • Basque Country

      June 4, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      No WiFi for a couple of days — sorry!

      We’ve been traveling in Basque Country these 6 days. It’s an autonomous part of Spain with very strong cultural ties. The Basque language isn’t related to any other linguistic group, so many of the signs here are in Basque and Spanish.

      It’s a mountainous region of cattle and sheep farms, pine forestry and eucalyptus forests. Our daily stages have been pretty tough, with lots of climbs and descents each day over a variety of surfaces — cobbles, clay, gravel, and soft forest paths. The houses are beautiful (see photos), with window boxes of geraniums and colorful yards — very prosperous.

      Fewer pilgrims than on the Camino Frances, but still a United Nations of folks: French, Dutch, Icelandic, Czech, German, American. Tonight there are 8 people we’ve met on the trail, all staying at this same hotel.

      Weather has been gorgeous, warmest day 82, mist days in the 60’s, a nice cool wind blowing. But looks like rain tomorrow.
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    • Day 10

      Gernika

      September 7, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      Yesterday was a slog day. Rain all day and lots of up and down. Good though, complete silence at some points, really nice. Last night's lodging was a bottom bunk in an old church, donation. I ate dinner with a young woman from Malaysia who grew up in Australia but is studying her masters in Lucerne. We each got a bottle of wine with our dinner, and I beat my record for consumption as we chatted.

      It is still really crowded and we had to sit on the street and wait for the Alberque to open in order to secure a bed. Lots and lots of people walking from all over the place. I have not made any reservations, leaving it to chance which is a big step out of my comfort zone. I walk alone but chat at the end of the day. I try to only speak Spanish, and I talk to townspeople and shop keepers.
      Time really has stood still in some villages. It is so nice. I donot know why those are big bells are around the necks of , cows, sheep and goats, but it is a lovely background sound.
      I went to the peace museum here today, because this village was obliterated by German bombers, at Francois request as he was taking over Spain and the Germans wanted to practice dropping bombs.
      That is why Picasso painted the big mural ", Gernika,"or" Guernica " in Spanish. It is in the museum in Madrid.

      I ate a fresh fig I picked from a tree. A French cyclist took one first and then between French Spanish and English and gestures, for sweet, soft etc. I was able to learn what it was. I also resumed the sour blackberry picking activity which was interrupted by the heavy rain yesterday.
      On to Bilbao tomorrow. I may be a tourist there for a day or two, Gugginheim (sp?) museum and whatever else is on offer.
      I like walking.
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    • Day 4

      53km - Hotel

      July 3, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      We couldn't find any other place that still had room. The albergue was closed until the 9th of July and therefore we stayed in another hotel. I still wanted to go further and maybe just sleep on the grass, but even though I was carrying my dad backpack he was too exhausted to go further.

      Today's distant traveled was a new personal record, 53km!!!
      The total distance we had traveled is now 126km!!

      We took a hot bath. That really felt good. All the muscles were finally relaxed!

      Even though I was so exhausted I did 25 push ups and afterwards my dad tried to do some exercise too... Mental exercise... By mentally imagining his legs moving up and down he also started doing 20 mental sit ups, but he still skipped 16. Therefore 16 virtual mental sit ups!!! This makes so much sense. We are definitely not crazy yet!!??

      Price: 42.5€ per person
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    • Day 6

      Gernika

      September 17, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      I really like Gernika, especially on a Sunday when the shops are closed and the town is full of families. We had a touristy day here. Damian went to the peace museum, I did our laundry in the lavanderia and we enjoyed tapas and wine in the square.

      One of the great things about a hotel night is the freedom to empty our packs and make a huge mess on the floor. It was good to sort out our stuff and repack it all. Simple Camino pleasures.

      We had fun in the evening with two Irish guys who arrived in town at around 5pm and were on a quest to find a pizza. Needless to say, nowhere was serving food at that time so we wandered around and did a cafe crawl until dinner time. No pizza, but very good burgers and snacks in a bar near the youth hostel.
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    • Day 11

      Unfreiwilliger day off in Gernika...

      July 18, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

      Nachdem wir den kompletten Vormittag in unseren Betten verbracht hatten bis wir um 12:00 von der Putzhilfe sanft hinaus befördert wurden, machten wir uns erstmal auf die Suche nach Spätstück... 🍩☕️

      Schnell fand sich eine tolle Bar/Restaurant in der Pablo Picasso Kalea wo wir nicht nur herzlich und überschwänglich bedient wurden, sondern uns auch die leckersten Pinchos ever gönnten. Mittlerweile war es 13:30 und 36 Grad im Schatten und nach mehreren Gesprächen mit Kellnern und Einheimischen, die uns dringend rieten entweder den Bus zu nehmen oder noch bis später zu warten, entschieden wir uns für letztere Version.

      Eigentlich wollten wir ins baskische (klimatisierte!) Museum, doch dann schafften wir es mal wieder, uns im Schatten unter den Arkaden gegenüber so fest zu quatschen, dass es ruckzuck 16:30 war... 😄

      Wir machten uns also auf dem Weg zur Stadtgrenze, vorbei an dem berühmtesten Baum Gernikas an dem früher das Parlament tagte (heute steht das Parlamentsgebäude gegenüber) und trafen dort einen netten älteren Herrn, der uns warnte, da es gleich ein Gewitter geben sollte. Wir liefer aber /noch/ mutig dennoch weiter. Nach einigen hundert Metern rief hinter uns jemand lautstark nach uns (worauf wir ja schonmal aus Prinzip nicht reagieren). Doch siehe da, es war der nette Herr von kurz vorher, der mit seinen Wanderstöcken über dem Kopf wedelnd hinter uns her lief. Dieses Bild werde ich wohl nie vergessen. Er hatte uns schon vorher geraten, dass Kerstin sich im Wald zwei Stöcke sucht, da die Strecke steil und beschwerlich bergauf gehen würde. Und nun schenkte er ihr seine Wanderstöcke. ❤️ Ich war zu Tränen gerührt...
      Wenige Meter später wurden wir jedoch von einem Betrunkenen Mitpilger, der vor einer Bar saß sehr unschön angesprochen. Ich kann hier gar nicht wiederholen was er sich anmaßte zu sagen aber es war mehr als unter der Gürtellinie. Und eklig war er auch ohne diese Äußerungen schon. Erst wollte ich das hier gar nicht erwähnen, aber er wird im nächsten Bericht (wir sind jetzt in Bilbao) noch eine Rolle spielen.

      Kurz vor dem Aufstieg in den Wald, kauften wir uns bei einem Bäcker noch Wegzehrung und auch die Bäckerin warnte uns wieder vor dem Wetter. Dennoch liefen wir abermals mutig weiter, bis wir auf einen Platz kamen und nun den bedrohlich dunklen Himmel über den Bergen vor uns in seinem ganzen Ausmaß realisierten. Zudem grollte schon der Donner und nur wenige Minuten später, kamen Blitz und Starkregen hinzu. Wir, immer noch hoch motiviert, hatten unsere Rucksäcke bereits wasserdicht angezogen, ebenso uns selbst. Bis ich die Eingebung hatte, doch mal meinen Vater (Förster & Waldmensch) zum Thema "Gewitter im Wald" zu befragen.

      Kurzum: Wir entschieden uns, zu bleiben. Ein Taxi später, landeten wir wieder in downtown Bilbao und checkten in der Jugendherberge ein, wo wir -wen auch sonst- die Belgier wieder trafen.

      Nach Dusche (eigene Dusche in einem 5er Zimmer, das nur wir bewohnten! 😍), ging es in die City. Nachdem wir eine nette Mitpilgerin, die uns auf ein Bier in die Kneipe um die Ecke eingeladen hatte, nicht fanden, entschieden wir uns für die Bar vom Mittag; eine weise Entscheidung. Die Besetzung war noch die gleiche und man lachte sich kaputt, dass wir noch da waren. Zahlreiche Pinchos und Kalimotxos später, gab es dann noch einen Heidelbeerschnaps aufs Haus und ein Foto mit einem der sympathischen durchweg älteren Kellner. Ein gelungener Tag, trotz Zwangspause. Das war wohl nötig.
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    • Day 15

      Dag 15: Getaria - Gernika Lumo

      October 22, 2016 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

      Afgelegde afstand: 75 km
      Totaal gefietst: 1063 km
      Afstand tot Santiago: 699 km
      Weer: zonnig genoeg om m'n hoofd te verbranden...
      Emotie: 😤

      Vandaag ben ik al weer twee weken hier. Tijd die voorbij gevlogen is. Ik zit nu al mijn eigen blog terug te lezen om te kijken waar ik wanneer met wie was, geen touw meer aan vast te knopen.
      Spanje is zo anders dan Frankrijk. Het landschap, het ritme, de mensen, de winkels, de energie. Het vraagt toch wat aanpassing, zo moet ik misschien iets meer plannen hier. Veel Albuerges zijn al dicht en hoewel je altijd wel ergens terecht komt moet ik misschien wat meer vooruit denken. Hetzelfde geldt voor de route, die prachtig was maar me helemaal stuk heeft laten trappen, wat een hoogtemeters weer. M'n gemiddelde ligt hier lager dan in Frankrijk. Wel heb ik vandaag meer dan 1000 km gefietst en daar ben ik toch wel een beetje trots op. De route was mooi maar niet de meest logische, en dus betrap ik mezelf erop meer met praktische zaken bezig te zijn dan genieten, al is het maar naar de volgende helling te kijken...
      Bilbao haal ik niet, ik kom uit in Gernika, zo'n 28 km voor Bilbao. Het is hier gezellig druk en avondeten deel ik met een Ierse broer en zus, ze hebben wijn...
      Vandaag op de helft. Over hopelijk een week kom ik aan in Santiago, maar dat is makkelijker gezegd dan gedaan...
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    • Day 8

      Gernika

      May 15, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

      Gernika, the town bombed by German and Italian fighter jets in 1937, in support of General Franco. It's a modern city today, with a very moving Peace Museum.

      My original plan was to stop here for a couple of hours and continue walking to the next place. However, after visiting the museum I decided to check into a hotel and have a long siesta. It's a really hot day and my feet are quite sore. Plus, I'd like to see a little more of this place.

      I enjoyed wandering around the city in the evening - it was full of families enjoying the sunshine and older people out for a walk. This is one of the many things that I love about the towns and cities in Northern Spain - evening strolls seem to be the norm for all ages.
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    • Day 5

      Camino Del Norte - Day 5

      June 13, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

      Camino Del Norte - Day 5

      Markina Xemein - Gernika

      Distance 25km (7hours)

      Total ascent 440m Descent 515m

      WiFi is limited with some locations. Today, I set off at 6.45am with the fellow Irishman and an American guy I have hooked up with. A fast pace was set even over some steep hills.
      The weather was ideal. It was cool and overcast. We stopped for a short time at a medieval monastery called Monasterio De Zenarruza. It was a stunning location. We sat in the porch way listening to the monks chanting prayers at mass. It was wonderful. A lot of Pergrinos joined us eating their breakfast and just smiling at the amazing chants.
      We carried on to a village called Munitibar where we stopped for morning coffee. I also had a leek cake which consisted of egg, garlic and leek. It was amazing. Photo attached.
      En route, we also saw a stage for holding competitions where a horse or ox drags a huge stone weight across a distance.
      The day warmed up and we hit a few very steep hills before descending into Gernika.
      The hospilardo in the youth hostel gave us a fantastic welcome. There are very strict hygiene rules here.
      A quick wash, I was out the door to visit Gerika museum which was dedicated to peace. It was a moving moving account of Franco destroying the town and the murder of innocents during the Spanish Civil war.
      A rushed tea followed and early to bed as I will leave at 6am tomorrow morning for Bilbao. Unfortunately, it is 35.5km away so it will be a LONG day.

      Thank you all for your generous donations to B.I.R.D
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    Gernika-Lumo, 48300

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