We set off on foot to Deba this morning, with one mission in mind: breakfast. A quick stop at the grocery store turned into a feast of yogurt, nuts, banana, and of course—something sweet, because hiking without sugar is just walking. Amen for chocolate donuts!
At the tourism bureau, we got the scoop on catching a train to Bilbao to make up some time. Naturally, I couldn’t resist booking Guggenheim tickets, because let’s be honest, you can’t go to Bilbao and skip that museum.
Once we rolled into town, we headed toward the museum, conveniently located on a Camino variant and a very short walk. Perfect—art and pilgrimage, all in one route.
But …… we stopped for one of those lemon flavored beers first.
Not too far from the museum we stumbled upon a stunning sculpture: four women tugging a rope with fierce determination. The artist, Doro Salazar, comes from the Basque region—a nice local touch.
Outside the museum, our backpacks gave us away. A friendly German couple stopped us, Camino radar fully activated. The man had walked part of the Norte trail and felt the instant bond that only pilgrims understand. He even tossed in a mini history lesson—turns out the Guggenheim opened in the mid-90s. Art, history, and Camino camaraderie—Bilbao’s already delivering.
We’re only in Bilbao for one night, then it’s an early farewell in the wee hours of the morning… assuming we can peel our sore, tired, and buns of steel (in the making), out of bed. Not sure.
Xoxo, Kate
