We woke early, with anticipation, and made our way to the aptly named Cathedral de Santiago where there was a fuente (fountain) to fill our water bottles. We stopped for cafe con leche at the Mercado, central marketplace of Bilbao, and purchased rations of cheese and meat for the day.
The main road led us through the urban center of Bilbao, where we spotted a sign for the Camino to head up several hundred steps to a park. At the top we were greated by a friendly dog whom we learned was named Fox, a Spanish Pointer, an ancient breed as seen in Velasquez paintings. His master, Rafael, told us a "better" way to the next town and accompanied us back down the steps. We enjoyed Rafael´s company, but we also learned that it is best to stick to the path described in our guidebook. We were soon already lost for the first time. Unsure if we were headed the right way, we were passed by groups of Beavises and Buttheads in black metal band t-shirts flocking to the rockfest.
Follow the yellow arrows!
After much struggling with direction and asking several people for help, we finally found the way to Baracaldo, and luckily had not diverged greatly from the path which then followed the stinky brown Ria Castaña. It is bikini season in Baracaldo! More than two dozen men, with huge drum like bellies, outfitted with canes, shorts, and no shirts, were basking in the sun on park benches like sea lions. From the river we climbed a very long, steep road, which reminded us of Earl Street in Silverlake, but it went on and on, cresting in the town of Sestao. We checked the watch and it was indeed Beer:30!
This amazing derelict-looking building was our landmark to turn up the steep hill to Sestao. People live here!
The rest of the way to Portugalete was fairly easy, but when we arrived, all of the hostals were full and we had to continue two more kilometers to the next town, Santurzi, where we went to the pension recommended by our guide, a bleak place with bare lightbulbs and filthy bathroom - but with a bathroom nonetheless. We showered and got out of there. We were starving, and Döner kebap was the answer. Perfect pilgim food. Our eyes would not stay open so we had to return to our dingy room for siesta.
Revived by showers and sleep, we found a bar in which to watch the Euro cup game and eat dinner.We made fast friends with the owners, Mis and Gauden, who spoiled us a little with good wine and murcilla sausage, chorizo cooked in cider, and the classic ensalada mixta. Gauden has done the Camino three times, once on horseback!
Carlos enjoys some Basque wine. Check out the name of the bar.
Industrial Santurzi
1 comment:
A "little" good wine? Yeah, right...
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