24/09/12: Irun

This was it! Today I'm going to arrive in Spain :0)

I did sleep very well. Late the previous evening, after I'd got back from eating, the wind had picked up and rain began lashing down. The landlady said it was a storm "bad news for you, I'm afraid" she said, as she confirmed that it was going to last all week.

In the morning in the dark, when I awoke at what is now coming to seem like the normal hour of 06:00 I heard terrible, threatening noises outside. Wind and rain howling. Oh dear. This was going to be a different experience. I sat and read my book, aware that I had a short walk today and there was no need to be leaving at first light. And besides, it might stop raining.

I read until I saw it get light and then finally packed my things and took a peak outside. I then realised that the "terrible noises" were the wind rattling the palms. There was no rain. In fact it was broken cloud and not particularly threatening any precipitation.

I set off at a good pace, for once my walking poles packed away. This was flat walking on footpaths. First light and there weren't many people about. Here's the beach, part of the old town and the fishing port:

What I will say is that the waymarking here is basically rubbish. And it's not only that but the total and utter lack of any mention of St Jacques (one tends to see it crop up all along the route) or pilgrims, or any mention of St Jean being on the camino meant that overall it felt as if St Jean didn't really enter into the "camino experience" but had simply found itself by default on the route.

I read my guidebook (I had kept this one, glad I did) and finally found my way out. I passed more of the Basque style houses but was struck by how immense was this townhouse:

Minimal waymarking leads me to say that this is one part of the route that it would be difficult or impossible to walk effectively without some sort of guide. Mind you, it was hard to miss this - the sole remains of the original Hôpital St Jacques that was founded in the middle ages:

I was soon out of town, passing through suburbs and then past an ancient chateau that, fortunately, was on my path, so I got some photos of it. It's the Château Urtubie, listed (on the sign) as 14th and 17th century:

The balisage had now improved. At least one could start to find small yellow arrows fixed to lamp posts and other street furniture, but they're rather small and sometimes difficult to spot.

My route took me through Urrugne, with its church dominating the skyline, and its attractive Town Hall. Although there was no label of any kind, I felt that the relic placed outside the church belonged to the original structure that stood at the site:

I wound along country roads for a while, passing another old existing building that had a plaque on the side to indicate its former use as a hospital for St Jacques:

After a couple of hours I finally found myself on a country road when the marking appeared to send me to my left. I took the path indicated and soon discovered that there was no further marking of any sort. Never mind - I'd seen Hendaye in the distance and suddenty realised that as long as I got to Irun, it really didn't matter that much how.

My first views of the sea - Spain is approaching!

I was happy wandering about and since I now know that the "chemin St Jacques" is in a state of constant development, it didn't matter to me whether I was strictly on a pre-ordained path.
Once in Hendaye it was simple. A pretty town when seen from the waterfront.

 I took a quick rest and then set off again, following the path around the waterfront. A very short time later I passed into Irun. Not surprisingly there was no border, but I photographed what I took to be the old border control - looking suspiciously like something built during the Franco era.

Spain felt totally different the moment I entered. One moment and I'm in a sleepy French fishing village and the next, I'm passing bars and souvenir shops and smart looking restaurants, and everywhere people are passing or talking or sipping beer. Lively was the word that described it. How nice to be back in Spain :0)

I quickly found the Albergue (gite, inn, whatever you wish to call it) but being Spain and being voluntarily run it didn't open until 16:00. Feeling fresh from my walk I wandered back into town. About 50 metres into this foray I walked past a bar that offered "bocadillos" and realised how much I missed these wonderful creations. So, a tortilla sandwich and a beer later and I wandered back into the main streets, ostensibly to find a place to read my book.

I saw other pilgrims sitting outside the train station. I wandered over to a bench in the shade and noticed two further pilgrims sitting there - tow Swiss women who had walked through Switzerland and then taken the train here to Irun.

I moved into the sun a while later and enjoyed the 25 degrees warming my back as I read.
I'm now installed in the albergue and, of all things, just met André - the chap who cooked us spaghetti carbonara in Bidarray. He seemed happy to see me and immediately enquired after my provisioning, suggesting that we share the omlette he would prepare, along with the pasta and eggs he's already prepared for tomorrow's lunch. How nice. So I find that after having splashed out on a hotel last night, I'm now in a 'voluntary' gite (meaning there is no fixed charge) and have been offered supper! The spirit of the camino has reappeared :0)

Off out later to buy frozen chips to eat with the omlette, and maybe some fine Spanish wine if I can find anyone to share it with. Or maybe not - maybe it's better to not drink wine.
I like Irun that's for sure, and I think I'm going to enjoy the camino in Spain. The albergue here is now completely full, including Jaki and Saskia who I met earlier, and a group of impossibly attractive Italian girls.

Life is truly hard! :0)