Bilbao to St Jean

Bilbao & St Jean Pied a Porte

 We enjoyed Bilbao! Two visits to Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim, filled with David Hockney stage settings for Yorkshire seasons. Lin & Rod arrived to our tiny B7 B above the busiest cross roads in old Bilbao. Everyone out for paseo between 6 & 8 pm, kids playing, lovers parading entwined, old people chatting, new babies being shown off – everything you would want. Wonderful tapas and wines dangerously easy to drink. The Guggenheim has rejuvenated the city by replacing dead docks and shipyards in the mid 90’s with a great tourist draw-card. New buildings have sprung up and the largest Basque city has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Spain.

Traveled with Diego, our guide for the next fortnight and Ivan, both from Galicia through San Sebastian. These northern rivers break out of their mountains into deep estuaries with safe anchorages and room to grow fish and shellfish. At the end of summer, the vegetables are fresh and juicy. There is plenty of jamon and other tasty tidbits to staple to a piece of bread with a toothpick to make a pinxos. Two or three with a beer and coffee make an adequate snack to last until the earliest dinners at 8.30 pm.

St Jean Pied de Porte is the last French town on the route Napoleon that leads over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles. A Roman road led over the pass, used extensively by medieval pilgrims and most recently for smuggling in the Spanish civil war and WW2. Now huge numbers of walkers set off up the steep slope to Spain. Obtained our credenciales to collect our way-stamps on the Camino and followed up with a magnificent dinner served by a waiter with a great sense of humour.