Santiago Train Station: June 21, 2014, 24C: Bordeaux, France June 22nd 26C humid

The Peregrino...

becomes a traveller. As you can see by the date above, yesterday while sitting on the train from Santiago to Urun I wrote a long, interesting, and if I do say so myself, witty blog entry. It was great. At about midnight while sitting in the oddest bar in Irun I added photos and tried to post because my really, really nice hotel was too cheap to have wifi....actually i stayed in a rather seedy, but clean hotel last night... close to my next departure point, Hendaye, France. I'm sitting on the train waiting to depart for Bordeaux as I write this. 

So when I went to post I lost the whole thing. Such is life, that was yesterday, this is today. I won't repeat everything, but will post a few photos from my last day on the coast and in Santiago, plus a few from the train. First the sunrise, my last sunrise from Santiago...

My day off in Fiesterre was pretty much spent in or on my bed writing, reflecting and sleeping. I guess having made the decision to stop walking for a time provided my body with the message that it could click into neutral, which it did. I left my room for breakfast, and to take a walk before a late lunch of seafood, but otherwise I just hung out in my room decompressing and then recharging.

Ah, we are on our way...French high speed trains! Smooth as glass and fast...when not on strike. I just have to get myself to Bordeaux today and hope to get to Paris tomorrow. There is a major train strike happening which has caused quite a mess here. To top it off, the air traffic controllers are striking this week as I try to depart for home, but it's ok I like Paris:) just have to get there first. At least this train is much more comfortable than the slow 11 hour ride I had yesterday, but I like train rides, so it was ok.

Looking out the window it's easy to see how much difference there is between the two countries...France so much wealthier, and expensive, than Spain. Spain has my heart, but I do like France! Annemarie as usual has found me a private apartment in Paris and we have had fun connecting with the owner, but that is complete and it will be interesting to see what it looks like...could be a great find just a couple of blocks from the Louve and half the price of hotels. We shall see what €85 per night provides.

I took the slow bus in to Santiago and it was odd to retrace some of the ground I had walked ...and to see other peregrinos working hard to complete. Back in Santiago I was pleased to find an email waiting for me from Ela inviting me to join her and Deb for the evening...they had just arrived and responded to my email wondering where they were. And I thought I was going to be alone this time...so fortunate. We were three of four who started together so long ago in Sevilla and I thought I wouldn't see them again having left their company many weeks ago and arriving a week before them. Birgit departed for Germany in Salamanca, but I was fortunate to say goodbye to her a week before that. It was a very pleasant evening with much reminiscing and laughter, and yes Ken we went to...

 with out a doubt, the best tapas bar in Santiago...certainly the best I experienced on this journey.

After dinner we wandered to the Plaza to listen to the street performers...it was pretty wonderful, I would say perhaps even magical. Remember the guys who win ribbons for romance and play their guitars travelling through Europe? They were there in force and together played some beautiful music, but I'm still a bit confused why this nun was presenting them with ribbons?

Being with people who one has become close to on a journey of this type is a very fitting way to finish in Santiago, and I have been most fortunate to experience this on three separate evenings this Camino.  I thought perhaps I'd be alone and a bit down on arrival...how fortunate I've been:)

We have arrived in Biarritz, so that means Bayonne very soon, where Annemarie and I had a brilliant beginning to our Camino...remember the cassoulet? We will return to have that again I think. I'm joined by a man who has previously walked from Le Puy to Santiago, and to my great relief we can carefully communicate in French...those lessons and kidding with Didier have paid off. He tells me the Le Puy route is much more beautiful...that remains to be seen. Oh, we are now in Bayonne! Yes a familiar train station with peregrinos preparing to train to St. Jean...hard to sit here and not join them...it would be so easy to just jump off...but how would I explain that to Annemarie who has been so patient? "A funny thing happened on the way to Bordeaux...you won't believe it! I got on the wrong train..." I may as well not return home again!

Yesterday the train took me back in time as it retraced many of the Camino Frances stops. I had no idea of the route, only that it would eventually get me to Irun on the French frontier, which of course is no longer a frontier, but just a short walk over a bridge. 

Then the northern Meseta...I now know the differences between the two ends of the Meseta...so very different, but both beautiful. I liked the south for its simple trails and minimal gravel road walking, and the north for it's sweeping vistas. It's all good.

Bye bye Bayonne...I stayed on course...1 hour, 40 to Bordeaux. Here are photos of the bridge to France and looking back at one of the first flecha for the Camino Norte. Those mountains in the distance are the first climb of several on Stage 1 to San Sebastián. Note the rain clouds! We had the lightning storm of storms last night for many hours...it was dazzling!

Perhaps one day I'll get some really good water proof boots and give it a go, but I have other drier destinations in mind for a while. Having only experienced a couple of hours of rain the past weeks has been a revelation and confirmation that I like to walk dry and on sunny days. Such a wuss!

This afternoon a simple walk through Bordeaux to scout it out for a future return. I'm in search of an area to centre in for an extended period, so a good opportunity to have a look around. We still talk of living a year in France and moving to different areas for 2-3 months at a time. Perhaps we will be looking closely at this possibility in the next few years as something to do in our mid 60's. First I need a train ticket to Paris.

Trains will run tomorrow, or so I am told. I will be in Paris by noon! So time to walk into Bordeaux and find a good plate de jour and some good regional wine! Bien!