We got a late start today....
Hendaye is in France a bridge separates it from Irun, the official start of the Norte. I have walked the Camino Norte before, three years ago, and fell in love with it! The scenery, the animals, the Basque country...it is a special place almost as if I have lived here in another life. I knew I wanted to bring my family here one day and was thrilled when we decided we could entertain the Le Puy route and the Norte!
Michel came by to send us off! Words can not be enough to thank him or to even describe his generosity.
We got a late start out of Hendaye, setting off from a private residence that has been put into our hands to solely use put us at a leisure that we haven't gotten to experience much. We might have been a little too lazy to start. I started my Norte from Hendaye as well, slight bragging rights getting to say one started in France vs Spain maybe. It took us awhile to get traction and many people were curious about us and stopped us to talk. We also found a great spot to collect sea glass:)
There is an elevator that takes you to the bridge to get to Irun but it was broken leaving us to walk about 20 minutes further and having to stop a police car moving slowly as to exactly where was the bridge. I will never forget the officer in the passengers seat. He looked us up and down and asked, " are you doing the Camino to Santiago?" We answered, "Yes" and he looked at us paused and said, "God bless you!" It was more than a comment, maybe he too was a pilgrim but I am not certain I felt such a genuine remark before.
We stopped at the cathedral where it is a custom to ask Mother Mary to bless our journey.
My future designer, we have had many discussions about Bronwyn's desires to be a dress designer on this trip. She speaks so confidently about her future and desires to design dresses.
We were out of a busy town and up on the cliffs within an hour.
These scenes are beautiful. How lucky we are ...gorgeous mountain views one day and spectacular ocean views another...
The kids making fun of me as three years ago I climbed over this fence/gate while one second later locals arrived and opened the gate and walked on through...
Lunch...
Saving slugs from the path all day long...
The summit chant...
There is a special auberge for pilgrims in Pasajes San Juan, it was closed the time I came through, I suspected it might be now too as we are walking in the off season. Lucky for us tomorrow it is last day of the year!
It started to rain before we got there and we were greeted by a nice volunteer who spoke no English and another who gave massages free of charge to pilgrims. There was only one other pilgrim here tonight, a retired German doctor who was only walking a week I think.
We were wet, and cold and happy to have a roof over our head this evening!
We made dinner and got a good sleep.
In the morning the two volunteers gave me a special key chain that I put on my pack. It is of a plant that the Basque put on their door to keep evil spirits away, I love it and plan to keep it on my pack forever!
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