It's a one hour ride. Then an overnight and perhaps we'll actually ride tomorrow!
Many tours around here are culinary. We met a group at our Hotel Parma this morning.
As we were packing the bikes at the bus station this morning, John Lennon's Imagine was being played over the town speakers. That's a good omen, si?
Hopefully the next group of photos will show us actually riding and not schlepping.
It's now 10:30 PM and we are cozily situated in our matrimonial style bed on the fourth floor of an old building in Pension Santa Maria. We share 3 bathrooms with 12 people and so far it's not a problem. Cost: 35 Euros
Today we got our rhythm back. As Craig said, we remembered our "do it yourself " kind of travel. We rode our bikes through the streets to this pension in the old town. A woman speaking perfect English helped us with directions. She'd lives in Indiana for a year.
Settled in our pension, we set out for some food. Craig had beef stew and I had a fish stew. Then we found the tourist office easily. Got a pile of info on how to ride the Camino through this province - Basque. Got directions to a bike shop because my gears are messed up, tires need air. Back to the pension (lots of stair stepping today.) A nice siesta ensued. 5 Pm and the bicycle shop re- opened so off we went. They fixed everything and charged nothing. Oh yes. Before that, a stop at the cathedral to pick up our credential for this trip.
We spent considerable time sipping and eating tapas in a square, watching the generations mingle. Children playing, adults on the sidelines chatting, people sipping and chatting. Always chatting. And smoking I'm sorry to say. For 6 Euros we had 2 glasses of wine and a plate of olives. Yes, wine is cheaper than water. No wonder Jesus turned water into wine.
Safety safety safety - a sense of it here in public spaces. What a price we pay for "freedom".
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