Pyrenees Day 5: Basking in Benasque

We packed our tent (legally erected well above the altitude minimum of 1,800 meters) early and continued down a relaxing gravel path for the next several hours to reach the town of Benasque, turning down several offers to hitch a ride from day-hikers who passed us in their cars. The weather was windy, cold and sunny like before, and the smooth descent provided a nice contrast to the boulder-hopping and climbing of the last days.

We arrived in Benasque at 1:30 pm, only to learn that all the stores closed at 2, and would not open in the afternoon because it was Sunday. Hurriedly, we rushed into the first grocery store and grabbed whatever looked suitable as hiking food. Had we arrived 20 minutes later, it would have been a real problem, since we, especially Mark, were depending on this stop to replenish our food supplies.

We rented a hotel room, dropped our packs there, and went to explore this ancient town, now full of chic shops and newly-constructed condos to accomodate the skiing crowd. The laundromat was closed, so we had to do a minimum of emergency laundry in the sink. However, I found an open internet cafe, where I am typing these words. However, it is already past 11, I am the only person at the cafe, and the owner wants to close. So, I have to say goodbye, probably for a whole week, since I don´t believe I will be able to find another internet access point along my route.