Markina-Iruzubieta-Bolibar-Monasteriode Zenarruza-Munitibar-Gernika   Walk Day 4

21 miles, 2,100 feet elevation

“You are the wipers of other men’s bottoms!”   Vic will remember this from the trip we took to Poland. When one of our Aunts or Uncles or Cousins would rattle away at one of us in Polish, pinching our cheeks or what not, one of us would say this.

As I finally waddled into Gernika, I pulled out a map to find my hotel. A dapperly dressed elderly gentleman grabbed my arm and check out the hotel address. He spoke to me passionately in Spanish for what seemed like a couple of minutes, apparently giving me directions, waving the cane he carried in his left hand and gesturing rapidly with his right. I said “Si” twice and of course he thought I understood perfectly.  I didn’t have the heart to tell him, and I was so fucking tired all I could think of is that he was telling me that I, in fact, was the wiper of other men’s bottoms. I nearly broke out in delerious laughter. I bit my lip.

I took my first fall today. I still bounce pretty well.  I followed a river most of the way from Markina. I saw a half dozen deer, flocks of sheep, cattle and more horse ranches. The sheep, some cow, and a few horses carry these enormous bells around their necks and one hears the constant bell ringing throughout the hills.

Gernika is a larger town than either Deba or Markina. Franco employed Hitler and Mussolini’s air forces to twice saturation bomb Gernika during the Spanish Civil War. Picasso did a famous painting, which shares the town’s name, illustrating the destructive nature of modern technology and the savegery of fascist militaries. I hope to see it tomorrow. The original is in a museum in Madrid…the one here a mural copy. Here are a few picks from the walk today.