Zumaia a Deba - August 27, 2011

This was a comparatively short day with beautiful views and the chance to get in early enough to download photos and for Sergio to write his more extensive descriptions of the first couple of days. I am including a couple of photos from the previous evening in Zumaia since they were not available at that time. We were able to see an incredible sunset on the other side of the small peninsula.











Deba itself is this town built on multiple levels with a central outdoor glass elevator that one takes to get from the heights down to the town center. There was some question as to whether there would be sufficient beds for all of the pilgrims & Sergio took responsibility for going to the Tourist Center to get a key to the rather stark albergue (seemed to have been a school in an earlier life) as (per usual), he had arrived earlier than I.  As we were sitting having lunch, he totally convinced me that there was not a bed to be had anywere: not at the albergue nor in any of the small hotels, and we were simply going to have to sleep on the beach.  So convinced was I that I spent time getting storekeepers to telephone various lodges to find us a room rather than sleep on the beach as he proposed. Fortunately, this was just his idea of fun. It was a relaxed and enjoyable day to be followed by the most difficult one (see next entry).

El requisito indispensable para hace uso de los albergues es presentar la credencial, que da crédito a tu estatus de peregrino. Debes seguir unas normas. A las diez de la noche cierran los albergues, algunos son un poco mas flexibles pero no es lo habitual, es lógico que después de un duro día caminando quieras descansar, ya que otra de las normas es abandonar el albergue a las ocho de la mañana.

La noche transcurre entre ronquidos y sonidos difíciles de identificar, creo que a veces no son humanos. En una habitación con mas de veinte almas sorprende de lo que somos capaces de interpretar sin haber estudiado solfeo.
Amanece sobre las siete y con la luz que se filtra entre las ventanas del convento de San José empezamos a desperezarnos a pesar de que nuestros cuerpo suplican un poco mas de descanso.

Salimos dirección a Itziar entre subidas y bajadas por pastos y pequeños caseríos como el de Elorriaga con su hermosa y pequeña y con su tejado atestado de gatos. Tras una pequeña subida comienza el descenso hasta Deba.

Es la segunda vez que estoy en Deba, hace casi treinta años que estuve aquí corriendo toros por las calles de este pueblo.

Las flechas amarillas del camino nos llevan hasta un ascensor... buscamos el albergue y visito la iglesia de Santa Maria la Real.

La estancia en el albergue es como siempre breve... Mañana tendremos uno de los días mas duros de este Camino.

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