40 Years of Shadows

Did I tell you about my 60km day?

I've been pretty busy since then. I finished the Camino Primativo on Wednesday night and our "40 years of shadows" celebration began with Dave's arrival on Friday morning. Bob got to Madrid on Sunday and when Frank landed on Tuesday morning we hopped in our renta-car and headed north to Pamplona for lunch. We ate at Cafe Iruna - one of Hemingways favorite places. After lunch we drove the last hour & a half to San Sebastián. Hats off to Frank. Granted he was able to sleep on the plane but he put in a full day and night. He was losing steam until we walked past a bar on the way home that A) served bourbon and B) had a bartender who looked like Bernie Sanders. Somehow that combo revitalized him.

The next morning we took a cab to Irun and walked the 26km back to San Seb. I was in great walking shape and I'm pleased to report that the other shadows handled that walk - which was one of the more challenging of all the camino days I've experience - with no problem. Bob did it wearing jeans. He regretted that. It was muggy!

We had a stand-up steak dinner with tomatoes and peppers at Bar Nestor that night and the next day we drove to Castro Urdiales & stayed at another AirBnb.

We had a very good but very expensive lobster paella for lunch. The fact that it was almost 300€ didn't bother us as much as the fact that we didn't know it would be anywhere near that.

Anyway, we walked back to the apartment and hung out at a local bar called 'Donde Fran'. We had some fun with that!

To me, the highlight of the trip was the next day when we drove to Somo beach, took a cab about 15km back east and walked back to Somo via the coast. I was pretty thrilled to take my three best friends on my two favorite days of Camino walking.

Somo is totally beachy. It could be on the cape. But from there it's about a half hour ferry ride to the heart of Santander. We lucked out and scored four €50 rooms at a phenomenal hotel right on the harbor that usually go for €200 each.

We made it home by about 3pm the next day, had lunch at Asturian, down the street on Menorca and then, thanks to Jill, enjoyed the other highlight of the trip. Real Madrid played Atletico Madrid for the European championships in Milan. Jill reserved the bar area at Stefanos and invited a surprise guest - Rosa!  Real won on penalty kicks after 30 minutes of overtime so we got a full experience!

That was it. The next morning the other shadows left for home. I think we all agree that the 40 Years of Shadows trip was a big success!