Stage 5: Markina-Xemein - Gernika; 27 kms, Rain, Cloud, a touch of sun, 16

A Better Day?

I wanted to repeat yesterday’s title, Part ll, but thought better of it. I think this photo says it all. This was after I cleaned them on the grass. Some of the mud is so deep it closes over the front of the boot and there’s a big sucking sound as you take your next step. Perfect.

While yesterday was a bit of a grind and my partner was not enjoying it quite so much, I think that in spite of it all that we both enjoyed the crossing today complete with a couple of really nice climbs. 

At dinner last night there were 12 of us in the albergue and we joined together for a very nice communal meal. Much talk about many things from politics to Caminos we have all walked and even to grandchildren. We sat with two very nice couples, one from Germany and the other from the UK. It made for a very nice evening and one that will be remembered for a while. We all joined up together for an early breakfast before finding our way out into the rain which had replaced the earlier spots of blue. Our albergue last night.

We had been staying just out of town and after walking through the town we connected with our new collection of Camino buddies. This being stage 5 people have quickly become quite friendly as is the custom on these wonderful walks. We intially found a mudless road, knowing that this wasn’t to last. It was a beautiful moment nonetheless. Just let the legs warm up and run for a while. Love it! 

I found these for Caitlin to enjoy. Thought of you as I took this photo. A very different looking Christmas cactus type, with a similar flower.

After a slip and a slide through the mud we found this very old stone path that led us up to the Monasterio de Zenarruza. I’m always a bit awed by the work that it must have taken to build a walk way of this type and for the length it runs. An amazing achievement which has stood the test of time. 

A simple, but in its own way quite elegant interior.

Shockingly, be still my heart, the sun made a few brief appearances. It’s been 5 days and I was beginning to wonder if the sun ever showed itself on the north coast.



With the signs around it’s easy to see that some in the Basque Region don't consider themselves a part of Spain. A reminder that history and emotions run deep here. Their own flag, language and food. 

Sometimes things looked pretty positive. Other times a large cell would pass overhead and dump lots of precipitation. 

And of course the trail then turns into this.

It really is quite beautiful here. My Camino friend John has told me that he loved every minte of this walk. I’m really liking it too, but I’d like a bit more sun. Maybe tomorrow?



We are relaxing in a local bar eating a bit and enjoying a beer or two. Annemarie took a bit of a tumble at the end of the stage having caught her toe on a small pile of dirt. And after all the slippery slopes we’ve successfully navigated on the local mountains, this had to happen at the end of the day in a very innocent way. I’ve patched her all up, but she will have a few marks on her arm and maybe a bruise or two as well. As usual, she’s taking it in stride. Another cervesa please!

Addendum:

We have been out to see the town. The name Gernika was niggling at the back of my mind, and when we went to the TI for information they explained what I should have remembered. This town was mostly destroyed during the Spanish civil war in the 1930’s. Franco’s army with air power provided by the Nazi and Italian leadership were very cruel to the people in this area and the market and town was bombed in April 1936 with a significant loss of life. Mostly just women and children were here at the time. Picasso painted his most famous work in 1937 from Paris as a protest to the Nationalists and the war. Erin I’m sure you’ve probably studied this. 

Then there is the famous Tree of Gernika. This is st the heart of Basque culture and politicals. There has been a tree for centuries which the Assembly has met around during that time. This is the current generation of a series of trees.

The assembly.

The massive ceiling.

Including the tree.