Rest day in Bilbao

I woke up and didn't want to budge...I felt the same on my last Norte and stayed an extra day. I think it is a combination of being in a big city like Bilbao and the comfort of such a hostel. I asked the kids if they'd be fine with staying and everyone was happy, so the decision was made.

I sent a quick email to Mendi who was already on his way to get us, if he minded he hid it well. We said bye to William and Lisa who we hope to see again but this decision will put them a day ahead of us.

The kids and I enjoyed Bilbao, went grocery shopping, continued to make use of the kitchen and I tried my hardest to catch up on my blog. It appears my recent Apple update on my iphone has deleted my ability to blog on blogger. I can use my iPad which is not really on my radar, as it is hidden in my pack and I hope this doesn't demotivate me some as it was already really difficult to blog without wifi.  Also my pictures are on my phone, so now I will have a few steps to put in an entry.

We got to know Tessa better today, though she is leaving tonight to catch a bus she invited the kids to New Zealand where she is really active in a surf community. What a neat thought as she discussed ways for them to possibly attend a surf school there. A contact for their future. We saw her off as she is traveling with a large pack and her surf board!

In the morning Mendi will meet us to walk to Pobena, I passed Pobena last year but am looking forward to stopping in thus surfer town where we hope to sleep on the porch of the church on a hill in town.

Tomorrow we depart with the Mendi walking with us to Pobena, a smaller walk than usual so we will depart at eleven and enjoy the breakfast feast this hostel has to offer. Great rest day, super people surround us and as I see and listen to these young kids around me I hope I am raising World travelers with big visions. 

This picture was taken last night by Mendi he joined us for a tour of the town and we lucked out to get his wisdom of the town.

We are missing hubby and daddy and Loftin!!!!!

Having a kitchen is a huge luxury, today we made a ramen noodle soup altered with all kinds of goodies!

We so wished we had Tessa staying one extra night, we saw her off...

Day 54 Chapel at Meakaur turn off to Bilbao

We all had a great nights sleep outside of the property to this chapel.   Different than most chapels, we have slept at this one had some great land behind it that was obviously known as a place one could camp, even the locals while we walked seemed to recommend it. William and Lisa stayed up till 1:00 am they said cooking pumpkin and eggplant for their meals for the next few days. I don't pry, nor does it matter to me, but they clearly do this in a budget with very very little expense.

They approached us with a gift this morning, a bag of pumpkin that was not cooked. They were aware that I was going to get a youth hostel for the kids and me, complete with a kitchen, in Bilboa. I stayed here three years ago and loved it. The name is Ganbara and it is a wonderful place. It's actually a hostel vs. a youth hostel and attracts people from around the world and breakfast is included.

I have heard Bilbao   now has a pilgrims' auberge, but was happy to call this place home for the night. Accepting their gift was great for the kids who loved their pumpkin. They also gifted us their bag on stinging nettles with directions how to cook it up.  They didn't have time to make it and I was dying to try it, as it appeared to be like a spinach when made. To take  the gift had the slight burden of having to carry it, which the boys gladly took on. Reichen, Karsh, Tristan, Bronwyn and Aynsleigh always seem to find room in their packs to accommodate food. Their backpacks are awesome and accommodate food easier than mine. My backpack has no room for anything else, so I am of little help in this area.

The kitchen here was bustling with people making dinner, we met many wonderful people. William, Lisa and the kids made a nice variety of food for dinner all of it was picked from nature except some rice which  was given to them by someone who had extra. I came out of the shower to an impressive table set up with tons of food. I think the other people staying at the hostel were surprised to see us taking up a whole table with so much food.

One young lady who I really liked is from New Zealand, her name is Tessa and she is traveling all over Europe with no agenda. A wonderful ray of sunshine! I keep joking she's my future daughter in law though she is six years older than my oldest child. Tessa purged her belongings tonight and approached Bronwyn with a beautiful embroidered purse - that is so Bronwyn. Tessa if you are reading this it has not left Bronwyn's shoulder she loves it!

On my Camino forum there is an active member on the board who lives in Bilbao and has offered to walk with pilgrims when they come through. I call him Mendi, which means mountain and is apart of his forum name. He generously walked with me three years ago for about four hours. We are planning to meet him and walk in the morning.

How we woke up, Reichen has found away to put three hammocks side by side so the girls and I can sleep side by side, I love this !

Day 53 Monasterio de Zenarruza to Chapel at Meakaur turn off

I had typed up a blog entry for this day and drafted it till I could add pictures, I'm at my first chance to do it and the entry has disappeared:(....

So quick recap as days have gone by. We left the monastery with plans to meet William and Lisa at a church outside of Gernika.  We had to go on as it was going through a renovation. We went on over an hour to a great spot and made a fire...

Cooking with William and Lisa, the kids LOVE sleeping out under the stars and doing so with a campfire is their favorite!

Aynsleigh beating us all to bed....

Dog on the blog...

This cute puppy!!!

Day 52 Deba to Monasterio de Zenarruza

Three years ago this was my most difficult day. The ocean views are few and the walk is up hill and down with mud. I arrived to Markina exhausted and had hoped to make it almost two more hours to a monastery I had wanted to stay at. You'd have to read the entry from that day but I was welcomed that day by Augusto, his only pilgrim that night. He has since died, but I was happy to see signs that his daughter carries on his auberge in his name!

Today we pressed on and made it to the monastery...

It was raining, the locals cheered us on while picking walnuts and figs and a simple dinner of pasta soup was eaten around the table.

We were so excited to see William and Lisa here!!!! They are the couple we camped with in the zen garden and outside of the church when Bronwyn had her stalking frog:)

Pictures of our hammocks hung at this old chapel outside of Deba last night.

Two very young kittens meowed all night around us...

Elevators into Deba...

Wild life...

I moved this beauty with hesitation, glad I did as a car came by seconds later right where he was...

These slugs are huge but when we move then they shrivel up like this...

Lunch...

A church built around these two megalithes...

Monestary and pilgrims blessing...

Dog on the blog is a super special dog, three years ago I walked by this beautiful home and videod a dog that reminded me of Sandy and Buoy...I mentioned that dog to the kids today as we approached the home and here she was, a little more aged and gray but then again so am I.

Day 51 Getaria to Deba

Woke up in Getaria!!!!

A highlight for me!!!

Festive and beautiful, their tourist office is awesome and they have an exhibit to explorers as many famous explorer boats were made in the North of Spain.

We slept well, hearing the waves crash. 

I fel in love with Getaria when I walked through three years ago on a weekend of busy social life during lunch. Eating outside of cafes and fish grilling in the street...

We took the most amazing variant that I am not convinced I took last time though my notes in my guidebook insist that I should. It was more strenuous but the views were possibly my favorite Norte ocean views to date!

The path at times...

Surfers were down there, rained off and on...

Look in the background, a surfer coming out of the water...

Waves on one side, sheep on the other...

This is the plant hung on doors to keep bad spirits away...

We arrived about 1/4 kilometer outside of Deba and slept on the porch of a chapel that I don't think is used any longer. I'm pretty certain I didn't take this variant before as I specifically remember approaching Deba to the left of the elevator that brings you down into town and in the morning we would approach to its right.

You read that correctly an elevator brings you into town!!!!