Day 7: Bilbao to Pobeña

14.4km (177.3 km)
Monday June 12 2017

I was hopping foot to foot this morning willing the sports shop to open, when finally it did it did not have insoles in my size, so began a Bilbao wide search for size five insoles. I finally, after another hour or so, ended back where I started and made do with some very flimsy looking, 6€ insoles, I will probably have to replace them again in the not too distant future. I then, with a heavy heart, took the lovely new metro to Portugalete so that I could complete the day as normal and not use up my one, and only, rest day so early on. I emerged from the metro station straight back onto the Camino and tagged onto a group of passing pilgrims who were none the wiser that I’d just emerged from the metro station 😱. Today’s walk I think is best described as forgettable, mostly bleak and in a grey drizzle with too many roads and plenty of graffiti. Towards the end of the walk the route follows an impressive bicycle track; it looks like it must have been a road for motor vehicles at some point but it’s now an extensive and safe haven for cyclists. The track finishes back on the coast, it was a relief to finally arrive at Playa de la Arena and see the sea again and then a kilometre down the road arrive at the Albergue in Pobeña. We arrived at 1:30 and the Albergue didn’t open until three. I had been walking with a lovely German lady, Marianne, and she made sure we had our bags in the line before we went off for coffee. It’s odd how everyone communicates without a common language, mostly people just talk their own language and one guesses what they are talking about, or makes up what they’re talking about. This helped pass the hour or so that we had in line waiting for the Albergue to open. No internet, as it usual for Albergues so no photos for the time being.