Del Norte day 4 Deba to Markina-Xemein -15 miles

We hiked uphill for two hours to start our day. When we got to the little town (1 church and 2 buildings) of Olatz, we approached a fork in the road, and a dog was coming straight toward us. (Dogs have not been overly friendly along the way. Barb has tried to pet many but has only been successful with one, at a bar in San Sabastian.) We came to a standstill and faced off, each of us unsure of the other. We stepped aside to give him room in case we were in his normal path. He walked forward a few steps, and Barb bent over and started talking to him.

His ears laid back and he wiggled up for some lovin…not sure

who enjoyed the encounter more!

We walked an additional 3 miles to find a hotel room. This tiny town of Etxebarria has one restaurant. No menu. Everyone gets served the same thing. To start, pasta with bacon, soup, a bottle of wine, and water if you want it, then a chicken fried steak with blistered peppers followed by an ice cream bar or vanilla pudding.

One of the saddest things over here is that we come across many very old and interesting churches, but all but two have been locked up. Today we came across these three rocks that support each other and form a small chapel. The Hermitage of San Miguel de Arretxinaga draws many visitors during the year. It is described as a geological phenomenon that took place 40 million years ago, and locals say that St. Michael has claimed the site. It was first mentioned in writing in 1451 as being present for as long as anyone remembers. Local lore is that a man who wants to be married within a year must walk through the chapel three times.