Food for the soul, food for the stomach .... Part 2

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The monastery was beautiful, serene and tranquil. We needed the rest, and the place was amazingly peaceful. The singing, accompanied by the church organ, was haunting. 

However the grumpiness of the French people, and the tactiturn nature of the monks, not to mention the fact that they didn't bring anything for breakfast, left a slightly sour taste. This was not the normal experience that we have had on the Camino, either this or the previous walk. 

After about 5 km or so, of beautiful walking, we knocked on a cafe door to buy a coffee - the owner gave us coffee, muffins, croissants, and apples straight from his garden. He completely restored our faith in human nature, and the kindness of strangers. Being guided to the albergue this afternoon, by an older gentlemen, to make sure that we got there safely, just reaffirmed our faith in human nature. 

Today's walk was lovely, wooded paths and farmland, shady and cool. 

We are now in Gernika, a medium sized town with a horrific history - it was a Basque stronghold, and resisted Franco during the civil war. So he arranged with Hitler that the Luftwaffe would use Gernika as a practise run for their bombing runs, they destroyed the city and killed hundreds of inhabitants, in 1937. It's the background and reason for Picasso's amazing painting, Gernika. 

To lighten the mood, we've just had pizza and beer in a grubby bar, watching an old Heath Ledgar movie ( Knight's Tale, great vintage Heath ), and are now debating Venuzuelan politics with a guy from, guess where, Venezuela. So coherency may be a little lacking ...