Irun (Spain) | Hola Peregrinos! (Pilgrims) - Day 86

I took several photos of Irun, Spain. This is one of my favorites. This mural is spectacular, and was it not for the grey sky behind the building, it would be difficult to know it was not real.

I get up early, wish Sophie une Bonne Journée (Good day), and head to Plage Miramar. In the 18th century, clergymen swore that the ocean had healing powers to draw people to Biarritz. I laughed when I read this and wondered if perhaps clergymen were the biggest snake oil salesmen ever. Nevertheless, I have not jumped in the ocean to date, and I am looking forward to it this morning.

After getting in, I tell myself I ought to have done this long ago! The water is cool and refreshing but not cold. It is around 25 C (77 F). I am so glad I did this and head back just as the rain starts to pack my things. Today, I'm headed to Irun, Spain, via Hendaye, France. (huhn dye). As I leave Biarritz, I'm a bit sad. I really love this little town and would enjoy more time here. However, I am focused on the Camino. Staying more days here would only delay my start. So, I board the train at 1140 am. Something tells me to push on further rather than take the first seat I see. I follow my gut, put my pack down in the last seat in the row and notice that someone had forgotten their phone.

As I am rehearsing scenarios for what to do with the phone, when I get to Hendaye, the phone rings, then hangs up. Immediately it rings again. The phone reads Camille. I can see the name flashing across the display. This time I answer. Did you lose your phone? "Not me. My friend's phone. I am calling for her," the friendly voice says. After some back and forth, we agree that since I am on my way to Spain, I would leave the phone at the ticket office at La Gare (Train Station). I step off the train, deliver the phone, then make my way to the Spanish Train Station next door. The ticket to Irun, Spain, costs me 1.85 euros. "Train leave in 3 minutes," the attendant says. I arrived in Irun 10 minutes later.

Camino is Spanish for Walk, and as I previously mentioned, Santiago de Compostela roughly translates to the place where St. James is buried. So, the Camino de Santiago de Compostela means the walk to where St. James is buried or the Way of St. James in English. The Del Norte Route, i.e., Northern Route, follows the north coast of Spain and is the longest route by about 20 km (32 mi). It is the most scenic and considered one of the more challenging routes. The northern way is 840 km (522 mi) long and eventually joins up with the French Route before arriving at Santiago de Compostela. The French way begins in St.-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port and is the next longest and the most popular route. This site provides more information as well as the number of pilgrims that arrived by month to Santiago in 2019. Updated 2022 statistics can be found here. However, remember that most pilgrims only walk the last 100 km, the minimum required to complete the Camino.

Pilgrims typically stay at Albergues, i.e., pilgrim hostels, and various options exist. Some are run by volunteers and operate solely from donations. Others cost under 40 euros, and private Albergues can cost much more. In addition, many of the restaurants offer special Peregrino meals. 

My Albergue does not open till 4 pm, two hours from now, so I stop when I see this sign from K2 with free WiFi. I laugh as I order my Peregrino meal at something Mark said when we parted a few days ago, "Remember, the wine is cheaper than water." My first Peregrino meal includes a mixed salad, chicken breast, fries, an apple, and a 1/2 liter of wine for 11.90 euros. That hardly pays for the wine!

Sitting at the bar having a coffee is another fellow Canadian pilgrim from Montréal. Karen is retired and here by herself. She flew into Bordeaux two days ago just for the Camino, which she had been planning for a long time. It feels good to speak French with another person from Québéc. French from France is just different, and Karen's speech patterns are familiar to me, so we get along pretty well. Karen heads off to wander while I enjoy my meal as I settle in. 

Around a quarter to 4 pm, I head to the Albergue with Karen, just around the corner from K2. When I arrive at the Albergue, I notice this sign pointing the way to Santiago, 840 km (522 mi). So all I need to do is follow the yellow arrows, just like the one on the sign above, for the next 35-40 days. Sounds simple right?

A long queue is already forming as the volunteers start checking in Peregrinos. The Next thing I know, I am surrounded by Canadians. The gal behind me, Laura Lee, is also from Ontario. She has been planning her Camino for 10 years, but only seriously for the last two years. She plans to do the Primitivo route, which breaks off from the Del Norte around Bilbao, Spain.

After showing my Canadian Passport and Pilgrim Passport, they show me to my room and bed. I am assigned bed number 23 in the Hostel that houses 60 pilgrims.

This is my pilgrim passport. My document proves I am officially making the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Along the Camino, I will collect stamps from Albergues, pilgrim offices, and businesses. I am required to collect at least one stamp per day to complete my pilgrimage. Pilgrims that do only the last 100 km must collect two daily stamps. This is my first stamp!

There is a buzz in the room, and I can feel the excitement building. Pilgrims from all over the world are here. I meet a couple from northern France and another from the Netherlands. Several women and men, like me, make their pilgrimage alone. A big part of the Camino is making friends during the walk. In the room, pilgrims introduce themselves, share Camino tips, discuss their plans, and prepare for tomorrow. For example, the couple from the Netherlands is only doing the first 100 km, about 5 or 6 days. They have half a dozen long-distance pilgrimages that they make annually. Walking only a portion of each. This approach is quite common. Most people find it challenging to dedicate 40 days to a thru-hike. So they do a part of the trail every year.

As everyone heads out for dinner, I am not feeling well. My stomach is upset, and I am feeling a bit nauseous. Maybe it was something I ate? Or perhaps drank. Or perhaps just the jitters. The first day tomorrow is around 18 miles. It is a bit longer and with more elevation changes than I would have liked; however, there are no options to stop early. Also, there are no hostels between Irun and San Sebastian. So, I just need to take my time tomorrow.

To hedge, I head to the pharmacy searching for a Pepto-Bismol medication called Losec. The pharmacist hands me a product, not Losec, but she tells me it will work the same. I then head to the grocery store to buy bananas, kombucha with probiotics, and granola bars. When I get back, I look up the medication before taking it. Good thing. She gave me a heartburn drug, similar to Prilosec, which has a side effect of diarrhea. I laugh! I am trying to cure Montezuma's Revenge, not make it worse! So, I leave it at the Pilgrim Hostel, in this bin, for someone else to use in the future. I decide to roll the dice that I will ok tomorrow.

Let's revisit the grocery store for a minute. I already shared my love of grocery stores when I travel. I believe it is a great way to understand the culture. Spanish-Basque grocery stores are fantastic! The store has a variety of cured meats and cheeses. In addition, this one has an enormous selection of fresh fish. Of course, I see the usual common fish, like salmon, whole fish, red seabream and monkfish, and a few others I don't recognize. The fishmonger behind the display is filleting a fish for this little old lady.

Before people start filtering back, I take a moment to text my little sister back in Idaho. I wish her a happy birthday! We exchange several texts and I feel good knowing things are well with her family. She tells me she has fallen behind on reading my blog. "You are much braver than I am, but I still really enjoy following along," she texts me. This makes me smile, I am definitely the adventurous one in the family. I tried growing roots and found that I am much happier when I embrace my wandering side.

After dinner, the Albergue is again buzzing with activity. Around 930 pm, people start settling in. This Albergue has a strict lights-out policy at 10 pm. As I get settled, I wonder how many people will struggle to sleep tonight because it is their first night in a hostel. I also expect the morning to be hectic, as the Albergue alarm goes off at 6 am and check out is by 8 am. The weather tomorrow is supposed to be cool and cloudy. Let's see what tomorrow brings.