LIVE from the Camino Norte blog

[aerdna]

Not quite on the Camino, yet. A few hours til my train to Irun. Already travel adventures! I did start a blog and will update when I can. If you would like to check out what I have so far, the address is: andreaonthecamino.wordpress.com

So far it's about prepping and travel. Hopefully I'll have good insights and information for future pilgrims!

 

[peregrina2000]

Buen camino aerdna. This is great for the camino junkies on the forum. Just as OzAnnie gets close to the end of her Camino del Norte, another peregrina gets ready to set out for Irún. Will be looking forward to your blog. Hope it´s a wonderful camino, Laurie

 

[OzAnnie]

Buen camino aerdna. This is great for the camino junkies on the forum. Just as OzAnnie gets close to the end of her Camino del Norte, another peregrina gets ready to set out for Irún. Will be looking forward to your blog. Hope it´s a wonderful camino, Laurie

Buen Camino aerdna
It will be fantastic. Just look after yourself. Are you starting alone or with others ?
Annie.

 

[shefollowsshells]

So excited to get my Camino fix thru your travels!
Buen Camino, you are in a wonderful experience

 

[jumpingin2014]

thanks for sharing Aerdna I will enjoy following your pilgrimage Buen Camino!

 

[aerdna]

I actually ran in to tashgonewalkabout in the Madrid train station, so we rode the train together and wandered around Irun for a bit. She had prebooked a pension in town and I was planning on going to the albergue shefollowsseashells had recommended. We ran into an Irish chap and then I set off with him and Tash headed back towards her lodging.

We ended up making it here and found a French lady and 2 older Irish gentlemen. We were afraid we had passed it so we asked a man walking where it was and he not only walked with us the rest of the way (turns out we hadn't gone far enough and there were lots of excellent signs) but turned out to be the mayor of Irun!

17 including breakfast. 10 extra for dinner. Greatful for a warm, filling meal, but felt it was a bit pricey for what we got. For future reference, there is a common area w microwave, free WiFi, and sometimes access to washer/dryer.

So, first full meal in days, first shower in days, and now off to hopefully my first full night's sleep in days!

 

[aerdna]

2nd night pension in San Sebastian. 3rd night at Gran Camping Zarautz. Last night albergue in Deba. Tonight Pension Augusto in Markina. Any tips on Gernika? Looks quite pricey.

 

[shefollowsshells]

I loved

2nd night pension in San Sebastian. 3rd night at Gran Camping Zarautz. Last night albergue in Deba. Tonight Pension Augusto in Markina. Any tips on Gernika? Looks quite pricey.

I LOVE Auguste!!!!
That was my hardest day pulling into Markina....I rang his bell and when I pushed open the door I will never forgot him looking down at me from the large staircase. I must have looked half dead....he simple smile with a smile, " beer?". I was alone that night, starved that night but really got to exhale there.

We stayed at Hotel Gernika if not mistaken, two of us split a room at a pilgrims rate. i forgot the price but it was not bad. It was connected to a restaurant that was good. This is where I met Gerr from our board...great night!

 

[aerdna]

I loved

I LOVE Auguste!!!!
That was my hardest day pulling into Markina....I rang his bell and when I pushed open the door I will never forgot him looking down at me from the large staircase. I must have looked half dead....he simple smile with a smile, " beer?". I was alone that night, starved that night but really got to exhale there.

We stayed at Hotel Gernika if not mistaken, two of us split a room at a pilgrims rate. i forgot the price but it was not bad. It was connected to a restaurant that was good. This is where I met Gerr from our board...great night!

Thanks! My walking my partner (tash, from these boards as well), might camp out if we can't find something reasonable.

I enjoyed this section quite a lot. Coming into Zarautz I was done for! But today was good.

When did you stay here? I really don't want to be the one to tell you this, but Augusto passed away in July. Heart attack. It is now Augusto and daughter. Daughter is keeping his presence and hospitality. No beer, but we were walking and passed the bar behind the hostel just as she was coming out and she pulled us in and bought us drinks! Plus, someone put newspapers in our shoes to help dry them out. And, daughter saw me fixing blisters and said to use her waxy stuff tomorrow to help my feet. So kind. Only 4 here, so also nice and spread out.

 

[aerdna]

Also, just updating the blog

Andreaonthecamino.WordPress.com

New pictures, more details

 

[shefollowsshells]

Thanks! My walking my partner (trash, from these boards as well), might camp out if we can't find something reasonable.

I enjoyed this section quite a lot. Coming into Zarautz I was done for! But today was good.

When did you stay here? I really don't want to be the one to tell you this, but Augusto passed away in July. Heart attack. It is now Augusto and daughter. Daughter is keeping his presence and hospitality. No beer, but we were walking and passed the bar behind the hostel just as she was coming out and she pulled us in and bought us drinks! Plus, someone put newspapers in our shoes to help dry them out. And, daughter saw me fixing blisters and said to use her waxy stuff tomorrow to help my feet. So kind. Only 4 here, so also nice and spread out.

WOW...such sad news, though no one could be surprised by this news. He was a gentle giant of sorts.
I was there in April...and about three weeks later was walking with a pilgrim and I think we spoke of Augusto for atleast an hour on how much warmth he gave to our Caminos. He had met him a year or so before, my memory was fresh. I am so happy that his daughter has taken over in the same spirit.
I am enjoying your blog, thank you for sharing!

 

[aerdna]

Made it to Bilbao. Such a long walk from Gernika. Trying to plan what to do next - rest day or late start. Many are in the same boat. Will post sometime when I have wifi (on computer at Granbara Hostel - lovely place), but stages 1-5 are up!

 

[shefollowsshells]

Made it to Bilbao. Such a long walk from Gernika. Trying to plan what to do next - rest day or late start. Many are in the same boat. Will post sometime when I have wifi (on computer at Granbara Hostel - lovely place), but stages 1-5 are up!

I stayed...and never regretted it!
I never thought of staying but while sitting in Granbara it hit me like a ton of bricks that I needed to. How fortunate to get to meet up with Mendi while in Bilbao and he walked with me the next morning.
In my case I really needed that rest day and found Bilbao and it's tapas bars the best place to do it.

 

[aerdna]

Left at 12 and walked a short day to Portugalete ~ stayed at La Gran Vita or something like that. 2 German guys we see all the time told us about it. 16 per person double room. Altogether, 6 stayed there. Great bar across the way with super cheap and really good food.

Municipal albergue in Castro-Urdiales ~ 5 Euro. Almost full and would have been had the hospitalero been there when a few more people showed up. They decided to continue walking.

Tonight in Santoño, this side of the
ferry so we don't have to worry in the morning. Cuts a bit off the stage to Guemes, too, so will take it easy tomorrow. Down to 3 peregrinos. Hopefully run into the others tomorrow. Newish albergue here. Great location. 10€ includes breakfast.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Castro U was one of my favorite spots
GREAT Italian restaurant on that second beach near the albergue area.
Your bites...can you tell what they are from...mesquito (?)...just wondering as i will be reNorten it this time next year and wondering if I need to worry about mesquitos? I did not in April.

 

[aerdna]

Castro U was one of my favorite spots
GREAT Italian restaurant on that second beach near the albergue area.
Your bites...can you tell what they are from...mesquito (?)...just wondering as i will be reNorten it this time next year and wondering if I need to worry about mesquitos? I did not in April.

Just a couple of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, we believe also bedbugs. 4 of us were itchy after Augosto (we left a note) and the French guys with us saw some bugs on the pillow. We thought they were not bedbugs at first, but then I used my sleeping bag again in Gernika and got more. All over the exposed skin. Everything got washed and dried in Bilbao including sleeping bag and no new bites since then.

A couple look like mosquitoes, but the others are different. Never had bedbugs before, but others said that's what t uhh eyes were. Healing well, finally. I got some gel from the pharmacy.

 

[aerdna]

Santoño to Güemes was wonderful. Stayed at recommended albergue. Great food, great people.

Next to Santander. Municipal albergue by cathedral. Nice place, great lunch in town. Lady in charge cut the lights and WiFi at exactly 10:01, so needing to upload more to the blog today.

Santander to Santillana del Mar. Didn't want to go that far, but the place outside of town was on vacation. Municipal albergue 6€. We rather liked it. Cute town. Pricey, though.

Santillana to San Vicente de la Barquera. Sure, in the German book it is one stage, but we meant to stop in Comillas. That one is closed to be disinfected. Would have been nice to know that before, but didn't know how to contact them. San Vicente quite nice people. Good breakfast. Hospitalero recommended Buelna as he received word from Pendueles that the albergue there is closed due to vacation of the owners. Very nice to know. Quite a clean place, they are adding on, too. A number of people here, but hospitalero is good about not making us all be crowded in one room. Got in early, done w laundry, catching up on WiFi, dinner soon. Dinner, bed, breakfast 15€.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Not quite on the Camino, yet. A few hours til my train to Irun. Already travel adventures! I did start a blog and will update when I can. If you would like to check out what I have so far, the address is: andreaonthecamino.wordpress.com

So far it's about prepping and travel. Hopefully I'll have good insights and information for future pilgrims!

loving your blog, loving your pictures...feel like I am back!
What a flood of memories ...

 

[angulero]

Bonitas fotos.
En la sexta foto de la etapa 16, las montañas que se ven al fondo son los Picos de Europa, más concretamente uno de sus tres macizos. Las otras montañas que se ven en esa foto y en las demás, pertenecen en su mayoría a la Sierra de Cuera.

Nice pictures.
In the sixth photo of the stage 16, the mountains you see in the background are the Picos de Europa more specifically one of its three massifs. The other mountains you see in that picture and in the others, mostly belong to Sierra de Cuera.