Our First Day!

Susanna arrived last night at about 10:30.  We went to get her something to eat, were giddy about our walk, and then went to bed.  Jet lag is not too bad.  Got up at 6:30, used our electric coils to make tea and fancy Starbucks instant coffee (THANKS, Katy), and were on our way in a little more than an hour.

It was a LONG day with a lot of asphalt, 37.5 km according to Susanna´s GPS.  My GPS told me I walked 4,986 km because it had started me from home.  So I am not very proficient with this, which probably surprises no one.  The walk was very pretty, usually alongside a nice cool river, through a few towns, and then into the nice little town of Balmaseda.

We walked through one town with its weekly market, and a very nice guy cut us two big slices of sweet juicy melon.  Delicious.  Saw a few protests about the coronation of the new king, nothing too fierce, though.

We´re sitting in an official Basque Cultural Center and Susanna is fixing our gps devices, all of which apparently need new tracks.  She is in communication with our pal Gunnar from Belgium who is orchestrating all of this from behind the big curtain.  I am of no use whatsover except to translate what the screen tells Susanna.

Off to the grocery store, then dinner at 8:30.  We have a very short day tomorrow.  13 km to the next town, drop off our packs in the hotel and take a 10 km stroll out along another river to visit some very pretty (at least that´s how they seem from the pictures I´ve seen) romanesque churches.

It´s been kind of hot for walking, probably over 80, but cooling is on the horizon.  Buen camino everyone, love you.