5th of June 2013 saw me walk from Merkina through to Gernika.It was such a good day to walk.

I am certainly thinking a lot of the people I met, the conversations I had and the time I had to unwind. By now I was into my walking rythmn and was able to speed up or slow down with people as needed.

Today was the last day that was able to walk with ??? a yound guy from Germany - I missed his company after today - he stopped in a little village we passed through to rest his feet.

Medieval road that we followed.

Inside the monastry

Great rocks on the enrty to the village

The village square where I had lunch, watching the kids
from the school playing while the staff were at the bar.

My diary from a year ago said...

Breakfast in Markina. Got 2 coffees again..bother. sitting at a cafe called Kai. Hmm...maybe the basque descended from maori.

What to do today. There a monastery 8km away..1000 yrs of hosting pilgrims. But I want to visit some caves after Bilboa (2 days away) which will take a whole day. I can't afford to take 2 days out of my camino this early...one easier day per week is what I have planned for distance wise.

I have just had a thought about the coffee...maybe I don't need to add the con leche...americano coffee is already half milk...ok next time I'll do better!

Breakfast finished..time to walk...

Food is a bit of an issue, not in a bad way but I am careful to carry about 3 meals in my pack.

Breakfast. ...

There are a couple of options.  If I am lucky I get breakfast free with my nights accommodation.  This morning was like this. Cornflakes..coffee. .orange juice...bread sticks. I manage to eat well and take a bread piece with me. The bread stick holds together very well in the pack to munch later on.

Lunch

These are on the route  from my pack...see below.

Dinner

This is trickier than it seems.  Usually this is at a small bar or restaurant.  The trouble is working around the funny work times. You can't buy anything during the sieta in the places we have been to. But to complicate things...after siesta from 4 until 7 or 730 or even 8..you can't order meals...just drinks and barfood..tapas.
Add to this a group of people all wanting differ ent things-it can be fun....not. I now look at the bar and restaurant boards as I arrive in a town looking for the 'menu peregrino' for €8 to €11 you can get a 3 course meal with bread and wine. You always have a choice of 4 or 5 things for each course. ..its great.
The first couple of nights a group of us would wander around ooking for the best deal and then discuss...it was hard for me...I just wanted to eat! By the time I have checked in I know where I am going and this has worked well...no fuss from me if people join me or not but it saves another 2km of shopping around!
I also ask the bar owner on my way in when we can eat and this info helps too. The smaller the place the less waiting for meals to be served. The last 3 nights most of the group I am walking with turn up where I am (if they haven't walked down with me). Very stress less.
Last night was typical at Gernika..french italian american english kiwi around the table and our host could talk to all of us.

After the days walk there isn't a lot of spare time before 2200 lights out ...this has been everywhere so far... so I appreciate ding the dinner research on my way in.

The other dinner option is kebabs or pizza..the bigger places have at least one...and you eat there anytime. .no waiting until 730. That's what I did this evening..a great lamb kebab..the restaurants are still only open for drinks at the moment.

Eating from my pack

When I'm walking I try not to stop too long. The long distances need a determined effort and so for me I try to make sure my breaks are 10ins tops. That way the rythmn doesn't stop and the kms click by quickly.
So I graze from my pack. At each small stop I pop the next section's food into my guidebook bag that I carry off my pack belt. So into that might go moro bars, apples, bread. That way I eat when I want. This keeps me going very well indeed and lets me do 5kms per hour..

Supermarket

Finding these is tricky in the places we have been through. ..they usually have a small sign and a small road frontage. Apart from Eroski I have seen no other chains...mainly small locally owned shops.
I cruise the shelf for easy to eat and easy to handle food and try to buy something different each time. Successful foods include fish and salad meals for one in a tuff plastic container and lid with fork included.  4 flavours and all great cold.
Kiwifruit is easy to locate...thanks Zespri...and these cope well in the pack.
Bananas and apples are good if you are eating them  within tbe hour because they bruise too easily.
A small cheese was great..slices cut and cheese re wrapped.  Orange juice in foil sachets are very strong..4 days in the pack with no leaks.
You can buy small containers of fish..olives..nuts etc but they aren't appealing to me.