STAGE SIX: Gernika to Bilbao

Gerr and I had a great walk into Bilbao...poor guy I felt like I had four days worth of conversation built up in me and have no doubt I talked his ear off. Gerr and I met on a Camino forum and realized that we were both going to be doing the Camino Norte about the same time. He would be arriving into Bilbao about five days into my trip, and by coincidence , if at a very good pace, I would be walking into Bilbao the day he landed. I over estimated what I could do out here on the Norte so I was actually shy of my arrival into Bilbao by one day. I ran the scenerio by Gerr, for we had chatted for about four weeks before departure via emails, and concluded that if we were to meet he would have to backtrack awhole stage to Gernica, meet me there and then we would walk to Bilbao together. He had never done the Frances and the whole time we chatted via emails I felt like I should encorage him to do it over the Norte for the pilgrim framework and socialization was something I thought everyone should experience. He had shared that he really wanted to experience the Basque country and its people ( which is good that he backtracked I think). At the time I only had the Frances to compare it to and was not convinced that he would get this Basque local resident experience that he was wishing for, I happily was incorrect with this, I have found the Norte and many of my connections to be with the local Spanish people as opposed to the Frances where my strong connections were with fellow pilgrims from around the World. Both experiences excellent !!!! Just very different in my eyes.

I think I mentioned that Gerr was supposed to meet me at the famous Picasso in Gernica, it was while waiting for me a couple told him that the hostel was full and directed him to the pension we ended up staying at.... Out of this large town it ends up this couple were my friends....the engaged couple from New Zealand and England.  he told them he was meeting a friend here and I shared with them I was meeting a friend here but it does not appear a connection was made....I would never see them again as they were ending in Bilbao!

I felt really good in my walk today, Gerr did great for his day out and his day walking with his pack...he was a real trooper! We stopped and ate a fabulous lunch, I have a picture of the proud owner/chef with his wife , I will have to recollect where this restaurant might be. 

We got a little lost today, not really certain why but I do remember stopping to take a picture of a church and looking up and just kind of following Gerr instead of sniffing out the true trail of the Camin, which is yellow arrows formthe most part vs the scallop shells of the Frances. For future pilgrims make note as I could see others making this mistake. In our guide book leaving Zamudio it says, " turn left at the end of town, proceeding uphill". Unless I am mistaken this left turn is at the church that I took the picture of and in my humble opinion was clearly not the end of town. it might have been the end of the quaint part of town but the town clearly went on into more of an industrial working class section. We walked during rush hour thru this part before feeling like something was wrong. I stopped and asked two men working on cars who pointed us in the right direction....I think we had gone about a mike out of our way which instantly exhausted us. Getting lost can put a huge hamper on spirits. This made us tired, anxious and nervous we woukd not make it into Bilbao before night fall, we had no secured place to stay for the evening and the threat of rain was strong. With Bilbao in our sight it started to sprinkle, light enough where we might have been able to not "suit up", but it was best to take the time to do so. this involves securing your backpack and of course yourself with waterproof covering.

We entered Bilbao and while we were both pooped I was clearly less pooped than I had been on this whole trip. Gerr was just wanting to find a place to settle for the night while I was willing to sniff out the best place. We would directions to go own a large group of stairs, which hurt with each step...a sign pointed us to a hostel and we each had a gut instinct as to where to go when there was a fork in the road, had I gone with his we would have been checked in a good twenty minutes sooner. My instinct did lead us incorrectly , but I got a nice sample of the Moroccan shops and have to say I did enjoy the stroll, or brisk walk down it. Future pilgrims make note....I loved the hostel we stayed at, it is called Ganbara, super open, clean ...kitchen nice crows heart of city...pilgrim rate is less than my book mentions and is actually 14 euros.

It is important for meet to meet a fellow forum member who lives her in Bilbao...we have been intouch to mett and from the user name I honestly did not know if I would be meeting a man or a woman, but this pilgrim was a big encouragment to me when I decided to the Norte route instead of returning to the Frances that I loved so much. I would never forget their advice, " don't let anyone change yiur mind". It is forever scribbled into the front pages of my guide book with notes of encouragment from others as well.

Tonight I felt restless...I have not had a chance to blog, or to catch up with family, I felt this same way last year when I hit Eunate. I could not post to my blog, I've had choppy wifi...and one of my kengthy post disappeared and another appeared to be cut in half.  Itwas in the shower I decided as if a note handed to me from above that I needed a " rest day", a day of not walking a stage, a day to relax, a day to exhale...and where on Earth would it better than in Bilbao? I originally all along planned a test day here BUT when I got behind on my plans I put that plan put the window.

Once I decided I was going to do this alot of stress cameoff my shoulders, I approached Gerr to say this was my plan knowing he might chose to go on...he agreed to an extra day in Bilbao BUT it was obvious he was going to have to plan to skip ahead to make the full Camino to Santiago to recieve his Compestela the skipping ahead would have to take place sooner rather than later as the only commitment to get the Compestela ( the diploma of sorts) is to complete the last 100 km.

When it was time to go out this evening I was honestly just to plain tired to do so...I was happy I'd have another day to get to see and explore Bilbao, I emailed my forum connection, a wise pilgrim whomshares wonderful advice, Mendi, and we hoped to all three get together for coffee in the morning and finally meet.