Alternative paths
I was on my way to Mutriku when I noticed that I could jump from rock to rock and pass to Mutriku right next to the sea. I was thinking about getting a tent, since the hostels are more expensive here where there is no Camino. Yesterday as I was going around asking prices, a two star hotel is around 50 to 80 euros. I did manage to find a bunk bed hostel that was only 25€. It's getting more difficult to find them. This was the last option in the town. I am in Lekeitio now. They have an island with a bridge that is submerged during high tide.
In few kilometers there's a beach with a path to a place called Ea. It seems too small a town to spend the night, but maybe I could eat there. I had a breakfast at the hostel. I thought I would save some time not finding a place to eat. It might take a while to get to Ea. I don't know how hard these random paths are. The gear is a bit wet. The shoes didn't dry overnight. I just remembered there's a trick, I should have put talcum powder into them. Unfortunately I didn't remember that last night. Maybe I will just cover my socks in the powder. It was raining the whole day yesterday. Nothing in the backpack got wet, but I myself did. It is warm though.
Own path, an unknown path
The paths are not as well marked here. I circled an industrial area and some logging machines. I found a path that is larger compared to the other ones. It has to lead somewhere. You can't really go astray since you can just walk away from the sun and keep looking for the ocean on the right. I have walked this way for an hour and a half. A local lady told me that I need to find another village first. A lot of up and down. It's partly even a bit chilly in the shadows. In the morning the host told me that it's about 7 km to Ea. But I have walked for one and a half hours, and it should take another half an hour to the next village, and the lady said that after that it is still some five kilometers to Ea... I had the inkling that this will not be as fast as it sounded like... There would be good camping grounds here all the time. If I had a tent I could just walk late at night and stop at nightfall.
I thought I am walking local paths, but I just came to a sign that said this is the E9, one of the walking routes through Europe. I think they don't have so many of them in Finland. 1,5 km to Ispaster. The path is now so big you could drive a car through here. So, no worries.
Have to say that the breakfast was a waste of money, even though it was only five euros. The cafe con leche was the worst so far. Then there was a funny butter bun with some goo inside it. That was nice. But other than that the breakfast didn't have anything that wouldn't have been better at the corner bar. Note to self, next time no breakfast.
The ocean is getting closer now. I hope I can walk on the shore. I have no energy for climbing. And I have too many band aids on my feet. It pays to tighten the shoelaces properly when going downhill. Otherwise the feet slide to the front of the shoe. Then you get blisters to the very tips of the toes. And the toes are pushed together so you get blisters between the toes.
Alright, hmm. I think I missed the town that was supposed to be here. I ended up walking next to a canyon to a beach. The beach wasn't good for having a dip. It was too tricky. I climbed up a shard of a dragonstone, then I got lost on a goat path, climbed a tunnel inside a thorny bush. Now I found something that looks like a proper path. I am sure it will get me to the top of the next hill to see what's in front of me. The beach is not good for walking. There's only a hundred meter drop to the rocks.
Finally I found a beach where I could take a dip. Had a break and ate some. Then climbed another steep hill next to the ledge. Found some sheep and a fence. As I got over the fence, it said there's a dangerous dog here. Meaning the direction I had just come through. I don't know where I was supposed to go. I started noticing habitation, and then the road to Bilbao. 52 km to Bilbao. It's good news since I've had enough of paths for today. I don't know if I am in Ea. There are no restaurants or nothing, just the countryside view.
A path ends, another one begins
Okay. The road to Bilbao just ended. So the sign meant that to the other direction it is 52 km. Whew, I need a drink.
Well I found a path that is marked so I suppose I'll go there. White and a yellow mark. The same path as that E9 that I left behind many, many hours ago. It's about four in the afternoon. It's been enough walking. I probably started at ten. I don't know if I have passed Ea, or am I in Ea now? There's only a few houses here. The host told me it's a small village of about 1200 inhabitants. But if they are spread this wide, does it have a center? But why did he have say it is muy bonito? Maybe he likes it sparse... But you would think they at least have a church here. Have to keep my ears open at four, if I can hear the bells.
Found a road sign with two names I had not heard before. Bedarrona and Bix. I am walking towards Bix now as it seemed to be in the right direction. At least the path is very well marked now. Not like last time when it just disappeared. It's only a kilometer to Bix. I hope they have a restaurant.
A bush, a temple and a pintxo
Yeah, finally in Ea. First there was a temple that I thought I could get some water from, but no luck. Then the path opened into a small, comfy village. I had a few pintxos, a pint of beer and many bottles of water. Now I am staying on the pavement towards Bilbao. It's seven o'clock. It's been a day of walking. I don't know if the next villages have any services. They are summer apartment villages.
The kilometers are just flying by on the pavement! As I left Ea there was a sign that said Lekeitia is 10 km by road. I don't know what the distance was through the paths, but it took the whole day.
