THIS IS WHY I COME TO SPAIN!

So, things were not going as planned, but it wasn't so bad. I was glad of the chance to stretch my legs and get the feel of the pack. I had no idea where I would stay when I arrived, but I was sure I would find somewhere to stay, since Hondarribia is set up for tourists, and advertised as a lovely fishing village. The entire 4 km was on sidewalks and there were no hills except the one the town was built on. I soon discovered that Hondarribia is actually a walled medieval town, with ornate gates, cobbled streets, a huge parish church and in the plaza at the top of the hill, a fortified palace, which is now a parador. I walked to the wide open end of the plaza, on a bluff overlooking the sea, and a flock of white sailboats over on the French side, and thought "THIS is why I come to Spain!". The view, the air, the ambience were glorious. The rest of the town was just as picturesque. There was a street of nineteenth century hotels, and a labyrinth of older streets. I was wandering down one of them when I came to the little hotel which I had fallen in love with on the internet, and decided to try my luck at the Hotel Palacete. To my great joy and relief, there was a room available. It was a tiny, expensive room, full of a double bed and a television. It had its own bath, with pocket doors to save space, and it looked out on a small cobbled lane and the Plaza de las Cadenas--which, true to its name was bound with huge chains, probably from ships, I thought. I didn't mind that it was small and expensive, because to get to it, I had to climb an ancient, spiral stone staircase. How exceptionally cool is that! I found some food and some sunscreen in the lower town, and did my laundry in the sink like a good and prudent pilgrim. I fell asleep to the sounds of the children playing soccer in the plaza.