Day 48 – San Sebastián (3/3)
Today’s task list included: (Always exercising my inner project manager)
- Checkout of 60€/day Txingurri pension in Astigarraga
- Check in to 35€/day hostel in San Sebastián
- Research the Camino from San Sebastián to Irun.
- Find the head of the Camino in San Sebastián (contingent on 3 above)
- Continue exploring San Sebastián
1,2,and 3 were done by noon. The tourist info office was amazingly helpful and had maps with street names and a yellow dotted line. Excellent!
The Camino tends to be a footpath with cement markers at least where ever there is a decision to be made. In the city it’s just yellow arrows spray painted on curbs and sides of buildings along key sidewalks.
In San Sebastián there is a gravel path starting at the top of a 200m hill accessed by lots of stone steps. The arrows were not obvious when walking it backwards (I’m walking to the beginning of the Camino Del Norte in Irun, not to the end in Santiago).
Fortunately, I ran into a couple of very tired looking pilgrims just arriving from Irun. They pointed me in the right direction and I began to see some yellow arrows until I found the gravelly path.
When I saw this sign I knew I could find my way to Irun from there.
The only problem left is that it is supposed to be in the high 80Fs again tomorrow.
After completing step 3, I found some respite by approaching Mount Urgull from the east side (step 4, project complete) which was exposed to cooler sea breezes and some shade.
This post is wrapped in images of street art I stumbled across along the way. Not all graffiti in Spain is artistic. In this area a lot of it is Basque politics. But there is also a serious “art for arts sake” element. After viewing so many carefully curated pieces in staid museums, it’s refreshing to see the other end of the spectrum. No less creative, just off of the formal art circuit. (and free to the public)
Buen Camino,
– jgp
