Stage 2 – San Sebastian to Zarautz

Well, I’ll either come back completely fit, or completely broken. Right now, it could go either way!  I knew it would be tough, and I would be sore, but I am sore in unexpected places.  And some parts I thought would be sore, feel fine.  If the absence of sore is fine, that is.  I got my first blister yesterday, on the top of my right baby toe.  I also have this amazing bruise on my left thigh.  Perfectly round, very dark purple.  And I have no idea where it came from!  At least it doesn’t hurt.

I don’t think I have any new blisters today, but I am definitely sore and was very ready to call it a day when we found out that the campground outside Zarautz has bunk beds in a room above their garage and we can stay for 5 euros!  I’ve now already had a shower and since the room was so cheap, I splurged on using a washing machine washed all of my clothes and things that haven’t been all the way dry since they were hand washed over the past few days.

But it hasn’t been all negative.  The guidebook said today was a letdown after yesterday, but I rather enjoyed today.  Except for the rocky bits.  Imagine cobblestones, but bigger.  And more uneven. After 10+ miles of walking already.  Until then, though, we hit some really pretty parts.  There was one section in particular where I was alone because I had left my walking companions to have a pint with the intention of them catching up to me at a spring we had heard about.  I walked through rolling green farmlands an could hear the ocean crashing below. Then came a little forested bit and a section along the ridge.  I worried that I had missed the spring because I am no good at judging distance and felt I had walked fairly far.  My worry increased when I passed a stagnant pond that had benches around it.  I decided to walk a little further and if that ended up being the spring, then I was going to write to the guidebook writers because they made it sound really appealing!

No need for angry letter-writing, however, because I began to hear running water as I reached a small descent.  I entered a small wooded part of the trail and then I saw it.  And, full disclosure here, it was the first thing on the Camino that kind of made me cry.  Not real tears, but misty-eyed.  There will be a picture of it.  On a rock right in front of the stream was written in many languages that it was good water, and it certainly was!  I took my shoes off and stood-ankle deep in the run-off for a few minutes before I filled my bottle from the hose someone had rigged up.  Then I unpacked my lunch and laid on the ground with my feet on the rock and read and ate and rested until the others caught up again.  It was a brilliant lunch break!

And then we walked

and walked

and walked some more

Into a town called Orio.  Which had at its entrance a very steep hill. That you couldn’t quite see until you emerged from a tunnel and turned.  We decided if there were a recording of the thoughts people had as they walked the Camino, that moment would contain the most curse words.

We also noticed big loudspeakers spaced out on the side of the road.  We discussed the possibility of air raid sirens and T joked that it would be fun if music were playing through them to accompany our walk. We passed a large grassy area that looked to be getting set up for a festival, and then thee music started!  Sure enough, there was music coming from the speakers.  We listened to the same song on repeat until we  reached the city center.  It was quite a fun song and helped put pep in our step.  There might be a video if I can upload it.

After a coffee and shopping break (olives, cheese and bread for dinner, yum!), we headed towards Zarautz.  We hit wine country and another lovely hill.  The Divine Mercy chaplet got me through that one.  Closer to a chaplet and a half, probably because I was holding on to my trekking poles and got distracted a few times.  After emerging from between the last vineyards, we hit a campground (Gran Camping Zarautz) that we knew catered somewhat to pilgrims. T was going to camp at this place anyway, and I had decided I was as well, because I was d.o.n.e. and to our surprise, they had actual beds as well.

Which I am looking forward to climbing into very soon!

Today’s distance: just under 18 miles
Today’s costs: food (grocery stores) – 6e, bed – 5e, laundry – 5e, total:16e – cheapest day yet!

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