Bizkaret to Akerreta - this was a very long day covering rocky trails and steep descent. We had plans to cover 27 km and meet up with Marylou and Marie at Zabaldika, a convent run by Sacred Heart nuns. Marylou and Marie are fast walkers and start earlier than us. We agreed to meet at the convent which runs an 18 bed hostel. They were to reserve our beds. As it was, we started from Bizkaret late and it took us longer than we thought. Dick talks to every pilgrim that walks by us and I stop at every photo opt to take pictures. That combination makes for a slow hike!
One of the Alburge on the way was Larrasona. Because of bed bug infestion it was closed. Thus all the nearby hostels were booked including Zabaldica where I had sent my backpack. Since it was still 6 km. from where Dick and I were, Marylou called to let us know the hostel was booked. They could not reserve for us. We decided to book the only available vacancy in the next town which turned out to be the Hotel Akerreta, the hotel where the movie The Way was filmed with Martin Sheen.
It was a very nice hotel that is in a 300 old building with beautiful oak beams inside. Since I did not have my backpack, I Borrowed Dick's shirt and his shower slippers to wear to our nice, fancy dinner at the hotel.
We are eating a lot of Pilgrims menu, a 3 course meal with a bottle of wine. They are delicious.
We are meeting so many interesting people on the walk, a Spanish girl with a sign saying she is a silent pilgrim. She communicates by writing if you ask her a question. We missed our trail exit and asked her for directions. She wrote all her answers. She was going to be silent for 10 days.
A woman walking the trail with a teddy bear on her backpack. The teddy bear is from her young son to keep an eye on her mom. This lady has a bad back so she walks as far as she can. Her husband picks her up when she is done and brings her back to where she stopped the next day. She is fromTurks and Caicos and renting a house in Pamplona. They will move to another house as she walks the camino further up. A friend accompanies her from the Barbados.
We met an Israeli dad with his teenage kids and a 10 year old. They are walking us far as Pamplona and returning home to Israel. The dad wants his children to experience travelling and the outdoors.
So far we have met people from over 22 countries!
The scenery continues to be amazing. From the panoramic heights of the Pyrenees, to forested trails, to quaint little villages every day the sights are beautiful.
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