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Published: October 16th 2006
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Basque Kiwi
Kiwi hanging with the Locals out front of the Guggenheim. Bilbao
Well if the last few days are anything to go by my travelling mojo has well and truly run out and my Epic Camino Cycle Experimental Adventure is looking more and more Robert Falcoñ Scott then Ed Hillary.
On arrival into Bilbao I hauled myself and my Bike Bag (containing my bike of course) into town. I was able to leave said bike bag at a bar whilst i went off looking for a place to stay for the night. The abundance of "Completo" signs was a little disturbing. But i perservered in my search, 1 Star Pensions - Completo, 2 Star Hostals - Completo, 3 Star Hotels - Completo. It wasnt looking good. I was given a list of all the accommadtion in Bilbao and went back to the bar to see what i sort out. Thanks heaps to the young fulla behind the bar, he spent a good hour calling everyone in the accomation listing. Completo, Competo, Completo.
My fate for the night was set it seemed. Ordinarly if i had been faced with a similar situation id just leave my pack somewhere and go party for the night. But no. I had my bike with me. So
My Alley
The Street i slept in. out on the street in front of the bar i went to start assembling said bicyle.
Round closing time a middle age man broke off from his group of friends to come and have a chat. Cant blame him really, I mean its 230am and someones out the front of a bar in downtown Bilbao putting their bike together. If I was drunk and i London I´d definatly be wanting to have a chat! He was quite shocked that i was of my my camino and was adament that i wouldnt make it. Thanks.
Anyway, off i went with my Bike and gear to find a nice quite spot to freeze my arse off for the night. A convenient dead end street presented itself. Quiet, well lit and with apartments i figured it was better then anything else i was going to find. Sorry Wal, they frown on people sleeping in Train stations in Europe, they are also far more dodgy.
My Night in a Bike Bag in an Alley in Bilbao
Well it was all pretty quiet really. I got woken up my some clubbers parking up for the evening. Then again later on by someone leaving the
Apartment building in front of me. Odd women actually, she headed off down the street in not much more then slippers, a coat and bed hair. She woke me again a hour or so later when she returned. Then she went out twice more between 3 and 6. Not too mention the fact that she kept opening her shutters and moving things in her apartment. A few people tried their hand at early morning drunken Parcor on the benchs at the start of the street and that was about it really. I almost wish there had been a drunken brawl, or the cops had rocked up. Nothing. I packed up and left when the first Grandma came out of her house to walk her dog
Guggenheim
Had coffee at the cafe that the guggenheim builders all hung out out. Hung out in the sun down by the river till 10am (opening time) then went and had a look at Gherys Bilbao Masterpiece. When i had come in on the bus the night before it had looked like a huge explosion of silver ribbon. Wont waffle too much, but it is definatly a fantastic building, love the titanium and all
Dodgy Tourist shoes
How to feel like a tourist the organic interior lines. Cool. Jeff Koons Puppy was in Bloom too. The way the sprinkler system is on it though it looks like its got s permanent drool thing happening.
Pamplona
Have to pass through Pamps to get to Ronscavalles and the start of The Camino De Santiago! The San Fermin festival is long gone but the town still throws a good party. Wedding Season and all. Me, I was absolutly shattered from my previous nights sleep and in serious need of a sleep. So had a few beers and was out like a light.
Sunday was sooooooo the lazyiest day ever. It didnt help that when i did finally leave my Pension to go forth in search of food my Jandel broke. Great, given that the only other footwear i have on this trip are my cycle shoes which arent the best for walking in i ended up on a big jandel mission. Given that it was Sunday and its coming into winter this was a rather fruitless mission. So i ended up getting these horrible white canas jobs (even cheaper constuction the th Ol Mans Barter bullets!) with red ribbon things on them. Now, just so you can appreciate the whole effect and full fashion disaster ill let you know what else i was wearing - keep in mind that i am on a Cycle trip and therefore dont have much room for luggage. For starters i was sporting the fastest haircut in the world (given to me in Villa Giovanni, Italia. See previous blog), A short sleeved black thermal top (pure kiwi class that), my blue hawain print shorts, vaguely tanned legs in need of a shave and then the san fermin shoes. I kept havig to remind myself that "no one knows you here fran". Poor iconic Fashionista i was.
Never mind, Monday sees me sporting a brand new pair of merrells and a new daypack in which to cary them whilst i cylce. Ive also seen a number of Pilgrams pass through Pamps so its all good. Not enough pilgrams to cause me concern about accommation, but enough to have a beer with further down the road. Still i have also seen the weather report and thunderstorms feature promenatly. Hmmmmmmm Heres hoping i can find a good cycle buddy too as my gears have all gone funny and i am terrable at trying to tune them.
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Ol Man
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correction
Actually my shoes are Dunlop Volleys, not Barter Bullets!