Day 3
I slept like the dead last night. My room had a window which opened up fully to the wonderful sound of the Arga River below and provided a cool cross breeze.
I was up and out before dawn to try to beat the heat and, I kid you not, as I was getting ready, a little white butterfly came in thru the open window. ‘Time to head out!’
My guidebook says this day is ‘easy’ – and I would agree it’s not as difficult as the previous two. Basque Country is beautiful and the terrain was relatively tame.
What the guidebook failed to mention was there’s not a single open cafe the whole way. I had an energy bar for breakfast. Miguel, my walking buddy today from Logrono, and I were both pining for coffee. He was good company and after a while the lack of cafes was just comical.
There was, however, a resourceful entrepreneur selling fresh orange juice at the top of a particularly difficult, hot hill. We sat in the shade of his umbrella and left feeling somewhat human again.
Made it to the city about 1:00 and I had an open face sandwich and a coffee at the first place I saw.
Picked up a SIM card but the young lady who set it up for me didn’t set it up as the primary service – so I was getting pinged by my US carrier with warnings to at I don’t have roaming service. So, back to airplane mode until I can get someone else to fix it for me.
Got the obligatory photo of the famous town hall.
Found my alburge – Hostal Jesus y Maria… thought it’d be a safe bet. It’s got 114 beds (all bunk) and I am grateful to have been given a bottom bunk. Very clean. Free use of the washing machine. Dryer is only 1€. It appears to be in an old church that’s been renovated. Just as I arrived, the clouds broke into a downpour. Great siesta weather.
I’d been wondering if I might have packed too much and that question was apparently answered for me by the laundry service yesterday. Realized when I got here that I’m missing one of my favorite black shirts. If I have the energy I might try to find another – or perhaps wait until Logrono. But, if I can go 3 days without my third shirt – do I really need it?
Dinner tonight and an early night.
More later….
https://www.charitywater.org/marilyn-peterson/marilyn-s-camino-for-water