Middle-earth Dragonstone
Oasis
I found a proper oasis yesterday. All the grass and bushes were perfectly taken care of. A flute was playing to the left, a guitar further on the right. I first thought it was a restaurant, but it turned out to be a religious community that also houses travellers. The service was so good I think I will not have better on this trip. They had all kinds of businesses as well: A store in San Sebastian, an artisan bakery, an industrial bakery, they even grow their own olive oil. Sounded like religious nature hippies to me. There were some aspects that were sort of grooming: We have so much fun in the community, there are festival each new moon, etc...
There were a lot of other travellers as well. Walkers from France, USA, Holland. The French had walked already 800 km to get here, but most had started from Irún.
After having some conversations with the community members, now after the fact I can't say which was free conversation and which was recruitment. Like for example, I asked if there are any dangerous animals around here and someone said no, except for people and wild dogs. One of the wild dogs recently got into to sheep pen and killed a sheep. Rather biblical themes... And in the end they asked me if I want to join them, in their way of life, and stay here. A seascape is opening here. I am walking through a rainforestlike bush into an open and can see the ocean. What nice pines they have here...
Shop and go
That's enough of San Sebastian. I was here for three hours. Had a coffee and bought hiking poles. I don't know if they are the best. They didn't have very long ones. Apparently there's a rather high climb ahead. You could get a a cable car up, but I came here to walk...
I'm eight kilometers from a town called Orio. Going up and down on pavement all the time. Landscape is such that there is the sea on the right, maybe at half a kilometer. The coast is full of farms. The poles are not too good on the pavement. They jump off it as they don't have the rubbers in the ends. They were sold separately.
Came up on a respectable looking fountain. Refilled my water bottles from it. The next town is quite close. With the poles I feel like I'm going faster on the dirt path than on the pavement without them. I passed one of the enterprices of the religious community. A restaurant and a bunch of sheep. The paths here are like straight from the Shire.
A different family vacation
Just passed a German family. Five little children, mother and father. The father has a backpack and a carriage he pulls behind. Mother has a baby stroller and a backpack. They are going down a 30 degree hill made of slippery rocks. On the left there's some tens of meters down to the canyon. I don't know what they were thinking coming here, but they seemed to be in relatively good mood. I, myself, am having enough difficulties getting down this track...
Orio
I slept the night in an albergue (a hostel for pilgrims) in a traditional looking building on a hilltop with a nice view. Orio was surprisingly lively compared to many other villages. On the map it seemed like there's nothing here. The German family ended up in the same place for the night. The oldest of the kids was out of control. All the time on the go. At least they were quiet during the night. Probably the kids are bored after nothing but walking for the whole day...
Today it's been mostly sunny. Just walking through an area with cows. It's strange there are no horseflies or other bugs, even though there are so many cows, horses and donkeys. Or maybe the flies are just focused on the animals, so they don't have time for people? I had a break in Zarautz, in a restaurant that was supposed to be good according to the host of the albergue. The coffee was not better than any random bar in any street corner, but it was more expensive. After Zarautz there was a long pedestrian section next to the ocean. All the locals seemed to be walking the stretch. It is Sunday, afterall. Some Camino friends passed by. Today I have to pay attention to where I will spend the night since there are fewer hostels to choose from. Next town, Zumaia.
I had a decent-sized lunch in Zumaia. I went around Zumaia to find a beach on the backside of the town. They had quite a fine Dragonstone there (officially known as flysch). Took a swim and continued on the shore, following an unofficial path that went on the edge of the Dragonstone. Maybe I got a bit sunburn today. Can't help it now, have to get to Deba. I hope there's room in the hostel.
