Memories of Getting to Deba

I finally got to a computer after reaching the del Norte but not until Deba, day 4 and 8 days away from home.  I left Toronto and flew to Barcelona which was amazing to the end.  I spent most of the last day at the Picasso Museum.  What a great display.  There was, just by chance, a special collection on view of his works from Paris and a few private collections.  The show was about his years in Paris starting in 1900.  He was young and learning from the artists of the day.  The main gallery shows his works from the 30s on.  He appears to be quite a character. 


I left Barcelona by train at 7:30 in the morning and got to Irun by 1in the afternoon.  It was sunny when I got to Irun, had a hard time finding the Albergue only to discover it didn't open until 4.  The next day it was raining like crazy.  (No real raincoat, remember my last post!)

It has rained since Irun,  through San Sebastian and through to Zarautz the next day.   But the sun came out in Deba.  I am walking with a woman from Ireland who is really a lot of fun with the Irish humour etc.  This is her 3rd Camino too so we have a lot to talk about.  My god the hills on the Del Norte so far are amazing.  No gradual climbs,  - straight up and straight down and many of them.  I am so greatful that I am fit. 
As ususal our average walk is 20 to 22K.  We usually are at our destination by 1.30 but  we didn´t get to Deba until 3.  The hills were steep but also many muddy trails that were slippery.  I couldn´t wait to get my boots off.  Yesterday and today are beach towns and the water is beautiful.  I got into the ocean for a swim yesterday and today our day was so long that I had to take up the time getting a bed, finding food and writing to catch up with everyone. 
Deba  is an very interesting town.  It has elevators!  Right in the middle of the town, there are elevators to move people up the various levels that the town is built on.  Why I didn't take a photo I don't know.  Anyway the presence of eleators in a small town like Deba might give you some sense of the steepness of the hills around there.

Photos are, Irun, Leaving Irun in the Rain by Boat, Zararutz beach where we swam and the Picasso posted in Barcelona. So much for now.  Stay tuned.

I hope I haven't lost you

I have been absent from my blog for far too long.  I hope to make it up to you, dear readers, by getting back into the swing of writing.  There is so much that I have not written about Del Norte or about my reactions to walking there.
I will try not to let my ego get out front, but I have to say that in many ways the Del Norte was harder than either the Frances or the Portuguese and I made it!  What made it difficult?
First, the 10 days of rain through the mountains was tough.  I was so confident from my previous Caminos that it never rained hard enough for a serious rain coat, that I didn't take anything but a disposable!
Well that changed by day two and a half and lucky for me Donostia-San Sabastiaan had a few great out-door shops.  I bought a rain coat that I had been looking for in Canada.  Yes, the exact one that was not available at MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) and for the same price they were selling it for.  Wow, I was ready now.
I stepped out of the store in my newly aquired red, red, red zipperd coat with additional closers in case I didn't want to zip up and with a properly fitting hood and last but not least an expandable pouch in the back that fitted over my pack without exposing the back of my knees to the weather!  Wow, it was great to be dry.
 So let that be my first lesson on the Del Norte.  Don't take Mother Nature for granted ever.  Be alert! Be ready!
Stay tuned for another entry to this blog any day now.

After Portugalete

So now the route levels out, thank St James.  In addition the sun is breaking though more often as we have left the Basque country.  Now into Cantabria we are dealing with asphalt, every step of the way.  Oh that is a big shock to my bad knees.  I am greatful that my boots are good to my feet at least.  Still no blisters.

So on through to Pobena and Cobaron.