Day 6. Push to Bilbao

I hope many of you had a chance to watch The Way, Emilio Estevez’ film starring his dad Martin which takes place along the Camino Francés. It was re-released Tuesday for a one day run. It gives a good feel for both the camaraderie and the inner reflection and self-discovery which can occur on the Camino. Of course, there is only one way to experience anything in life and that is to do it, whether it is rafting down the Colorado River or taking the kids to a dude ranch in Wyoming.

I have learned something on the Camino del Norte. It is so much different than the Francés! Naturally, there are many similarities, like hiking for miles a day, enjoying the great beauty of the countryside and suffering from sore feet. And to be sure, this is my second time around so I don’t get all the newbie surprises. Even so, this experience is very different. My mental and physical response to the season, the weather, the scenery, the terrain and the topography combine to make this Camino a totally new experience. And which one is better? It is like your children: they are different but you love them all!

From Gernika, Peter and I had planned to walk to Lezama but could not secure accommodation. We thought we would walk to Lezama and then grab a bus or train into Bilbao. We walked past Lezama and had lunch in Zamudio. Refreshed, we decided to continue on to Bilbao. It turned into a 21-mile trek. Since we arrived a day earlier than planned, we will take a break day tomorrow and visit the city. It will be nice to walk around without carrying a horse on my shoulders.

The trail took us through more hilly countryside but the sun was out most of the day. I have noticed a lot of trees being cut down and replaced with eucalyptus. My quest for next few days is to find out why. I did not capture a lot of photos today -I was too busy catching my breath! But here are few to enjoy.