Spain
Mendilaueta

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    • Day 4

      Amalfi coast?

      May 10, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

      Every step is spectacular. It's a blessing that we have the opportunity to walk here.
      But it also comes with its challenges.. what do you do when every hostel, boarding house or hotel is full? You just continue to the next place in the hope you are lucky there.Read more

    • Day 2

      San Sebastian to Zarautz, Spain

      September 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 68 °F

      Well the weather app nailed it. We had breakfast at the Hostal and put our ponchos and gaiters on and hit the road at about 8:30. Only 21km today. We can handle anything for 5ish hours right? We are strong women, we have the kit to get us through. What’s a little rain? It’s just water.
      We hiked up, up, and up out of San Sebastián in the pouring rain, like really pouring. Thunder, lightning, and water rushing down the trail like a creek. After a couple hours we are completely soaked. It was coming down so hard we ducked under someone’s house overhang and thought we’d wait for it to lighten up. No such luck. Soaked shoes and socks are a great recipe for blisters. The longer I stood there the harder it was coming down. I looked at the girls and said ‘I’m out’. I didn’t want to slip on the rocks/mud and mess my knee up again. From that point on it was 16km with no towns. No way to get help if hurt. I felt like a loser for a minute, but then felt like I was making a smart call. We decided to knock on the door of the house we were huddled under to call a taxi. Holly has the best Spanish, so she went and knocked on the door. No answer. Nathalie said she was going to keep going, even though the thunder and crackling lightning was really intimidating her. Holly said she was with me. No need to get hurt and stranded for this. We went to find the bus stop we passed. Didn’t know the schedule or anything. Just as we were walking away, a man came out on the balcony. Elated, we asked if he could call us a cab. He agreed but came back out a few minutes later saying no one was answering, taxis are busy in the rain. He said he’d drive us to the bus stop. He opened his trunk, we threw our packs in and hopped in. I got good vibes from him. Nice man, middle aged, and so helpful. He said this rain was way too much for pilgrims and not safe. He ended up driving us all the way to Zarautz to our hostel. Bless him. I tried to give him €50 and I got the impression he was offended as he adamantly refused. Holly, on her way out of his car, left €10 in the middle console, something, but not so much to offend him. He SAVED us. So kind. It’s Saturday, raining, and I think that’s the only reason he was home. We get to the hostal and of course it’s too early to check in so we changed into dry clothes, put our sandals on and went next door for coffee. It’s a lovely place, they even had almond milk for Holly to have a hot chocolate. We felt so blessed. God is good.
      Then I broke down. I hate that our first official day went like this. The Camino presents challenges and we work through them, we don’t get a ride to the next town. I was disappointed in myself. Also, I had a really vivid dream of my Dad, who passed away last year, it was so real. He was sitting on my couch, he cried, shook his head, and said “I’m sorry, Tammy.” He looked like I’ve never seen him. My dad doesn’t cry. My dad was an unapologetic man who justified his actions/decisions, or just plain didn’t acknowledge his shortcomings. What was this dream all about? I don’t need an apology, I don’t need tears from him. But it’s messing my emotions up today especially with the rain. Shit day. We all have them. I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. My deep emotions usually start surfacing after a couple weeks on the trail, I was totally caught off guard and have been crying off and on for hours. It’ll pass, and Holly is so nice. As I was sniffling and crying like a baby, I muttered a “sorry” to her that she was witnessing my weak moment, she said “no more sorry’s for tears, they are going to come for me too”. What a doll, I’m with the right person here. Again, blessed.

      The weather looks much much better going forward the next 10 days from what I can tell, so we will get after it tomorrow morning.

      Ultreia.
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    • Day 6

      Zarautz, Spain

      September 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 70 °F

      Letting our gear our dry out and ‘ licking our wounds’. after another disappointment at great place a half a block from our nice Hostel.
      Thankful we weren’t in the tight steep ravine what the clouds opened up. All I could think of in between heavy breathes was- please no flash floods!!!
      Then we stood under the garage over hang. Natalie who is unstoppable carried on. Tammy and I got a lift from someone who must be the best hubby ever! Communication was difficult as he was speaking Basque Spanish, I was using really poor Mexican Spanish. ‘Best hubby’ had the patience to translate/make communication possible.
      Tammy has mentioned that it is considered a very good deed to help a Pilgrim on the Camino.
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    • Day 3

      Heute Ruhetag

      October 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

      Haben heute den Tag genossen. Ich habe eine kleine Radtour gemacht, Heinke hat es ruhig angehen lassen. Wir wollen nun zügig in die Algarve, da ist das Wetter schön. Lilly hat Streß, alles voller wilder Katzen auf dem Platz, die aufreizend langsam an Lilly vorbei flanieren. Unser Terrier klingt fast aus. Ansonsten geht es uns sehr gut.Read more

    • Day 6

      Zarautz und zurück über die Treppe

      May 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

      Es hat die Nacht viel geregnet, aber der CP ist absolut ruhig. Morgens war es noch bewölkt. Wir frühstücken in aller Ruhe und machen uns dann bereit für den Abstieg nach Zarautz. Offiziell ist der Weg gesperrt. Wir lassen uns von 2 Absperrgittern nicht abhalten, zumal einige Surfer auf dem Weg hinunter sind und sicher auch zum Strand wollen. Man kommt auch nicht direkt zum Strand da die Brücke über den kleinen Fluß erneuert wird und dort gerade betoniert wurde. Wir gehen im Schatten den Weg am Fluß entlang in die Stadt.
      Die Sonne scheint und der Strand ist fast komplett leer, wir laufen ein Stück auf dem Strand und setzen uns dann in eine Cafeteria (wo es leider nur Kaffee und keine Törtchen gibt). Neben uns setzt sich ein Ehepaar mit auch 2 Dackeln. Nach einem Rundweg durch die Stadt ist Fiete soweit erschöpft, dass er sich ohne Gemurre in den Rucksack setzen lässt. Der Weg hinauf ist anstrengend, die letzten Meter beeilen wir uns weil wir befürchten doch noch einen Schauer abzubekommen.
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    • Day 30

      Full Tide - Zarautz

      September 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      Zarautz beach shows itself to be an interesting mix of chilled indifference and sheer danger. This afternoon at full tide the breakers were at least 3 metres. Possibly more, I won’t exaggerate. Only a few handful of surfers along the entire 2.5km. This bloke was wise. The Eddies were getting some short crunching rides before their wave closed out completely (such is the break).Read more

    • Day 4

      Zarautz

      May 11, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      I'm enjoying these seaside places. I stopped for lunch today at the famous Karlos Aguinano restaurant. Thankfully they had outside tables - I would have looked very out of place in the dining room! After this little stop, I walked along the beach and then rejoined the path to Getaria. So much nicer than walking through the town.

      On the approach to Zarrautz, I looked back and saw a natural trail leading down to the coast. I think it probably started somewhere near the campsite. This would have been a better alternative to the asphalt road into the town. Next time!
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    • Day 4

      Why is everything so heavy?

      July 16, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      ...also zumindest der Rucksack bzw. der Inhalt des Rucksacks. Heute hab ich 21 km zurückgelegt und bin jetzt endlich an der Herberge. Meine Füße stoßen Jubelrufe aus, seit ich mich der wanderschuhe entledigt habe und meine Schultern stimmen ein, weil ihnen für heute der Rucksack abgenommen wurde.
      Außerdem war sehr viel durchhaltevermögen nötig um einen der heiß begehrten Plätze in der Jugendherberge zu ergattern. 😊🤗
      Aber trotz allem war der Weg sehr schön, die Aussicht toll und wir haben jetzt immer noch Zeit an den Strand zu gehen. 🏝🙏🏻
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    • Day 17

      Der schönste Strand von allen

      August 14, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Den heutigen Nachmittag habe ich in Zarautz verbracht, ungefähr 20 Minuten von San Sebastián entfernt. Hier findet man den längsten Sandstrand an der baskische Küste und ich finde auch einen der schönsten...
      Das Wasser ist so unglaublich klar und der Sand echt schön. Nur die Strömung ist zum Schwimmen nicht ideal - Dafür macht das Spielen mit den Wellen umso mehr Spaß :)
      Über einen Holzweg kann man auch entlang der Dünen spazieren, was ich gleich für eine kleine Fototour genutzt habe. Am Rückweg konnte man dann gut beobachten wie viel Platz die Flut einnimmt: knapp ein Meter vom Sandstrand war noch übrig!
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Mendilaueta, Mendilauta

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