Day 33: Portomarín --> San Xulián (28.3 km)...
This was a difficult day of walking: not physically, but mentally. From Sarria the camino begins to get crowded because Sarria is the easiest place to get to by bus that is just within the requirement that the pilgrim office demands in order for a pilgrim to obtain a compostela, the certificate of proof that you have walked the camino. A pilgrim must walk 100 km ...or bike (or go by horse) for 200km... to Santiago de Compostela to qualify for the compostela. As a result, there is a large influx of new arrivals to the camino in Sarria, largely school-age kids who often walk at the end of their school year. Being the end of June, this is exactly what happened and there was noticeably a lot more people on the road, mostly kids... and they talk a lot, goof around and play music on the way. Not that there is anything wrong with that...they are just doing what comes naturally to teenagers of all countries...but I did spend a large part of the day trying to get away from the sounds of their voices and music, either by slowing down, speeding up or taking breaks. Mostly I was unsuccessful in my attempts but that just gave me new opportunities to be patient and tolerant. (sigh!) However, while I may want to walk the camino quietly and with reflection, that is not everyone´s way, and the camino is for all. Besides which, as pilgrims, we must always remember that this is their country and we are guests in Spain. Still, it was a challenging day. Happily, this was the worst day in that respect... the next two were not as bad... and I was able to ameliorate the situation by starting earlier than usual. After all, teenagers are not known for being early risers. :-)
The day´s end, according to most of the guidebooks, should have been in the town of Palas do Rei, however it was not a very friendly or attractive town and most of those I have met decided, as did I, to continue a little further. I was very glad I did because as a result I stayed in a small hamlet called San Xulián which had a population of 12 people and six cows, some chickens and a few cats. The albergue was charming and the hospitalleros were very nice and welcoming. They also cooked dinner for us, which was delicious. Their hospitality was uplifting, and it was a very good end to a long and trying day.
Day 34: San Xulián --> Arzúa (25.4 km)...
Another nice walking day, in part because of the lovely eucalyptus forest through which we needed to walk. The light through the trees was delightful! Arzúa itself is a rather haphazard town, with no discernible main square and little to recommend it in terms of architecture. We had a fun time though as the semi-finals of soccer were playing this night (Germany vs. Italy) and we were in the company of some of the German pilgrims we have met along the way. Unfortunately for them, Germany lost the match. However that will make our pilgrim friend Alberto very happy! I sent an email to Alberto and to Gary (mentioned earlier as the fellow who needed an electrical adaptor in Moratinos a few weeks ago) and asked them to meet us in Santiago on Saturday which they both replied that they are able to do. On Sunday it will be the final championship game of the Eurpoean cup and it will be Spain vs. Italy playing for the cup...sorry Alberto, but we feel obliged to root for Spain!
Day 35: Arzúa --> Arco do Pino (19.0 km)...
Not much to report on today. It was a nice walk...not long (only 19 km!)...and through eucalyptus forest again. The most memorable thing to report on today is that this is the last day before we reach our arrival in Santiago. I had planned to arrive there today but changed my plans to wait in Sarria for Mike, Nari & Emily to catch up with me. I will be going out with my camino friends shortly and, as promised, I will raise a glass of wine (and ask my friends to do likewise) to toast my cousin Yvonne whose birthday it is today. Happy birthday Yvonne!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
In the home stretch now
Day 30: Fonfría --> Sarria (27.7 km)...
Today was fiesta day in Spain ...like when is it not?...but it was Saint-John-the-Baptist´s Day, which is a big deal. I got to Sarria fairly early and hung around the town. There was not much to do because of the fiesta day, but I made my own kind of fun. I walked down to the riverside where there were a lot of sidewalk cafés and ordered myself a pizza. It was very good...thin crust, cooked well done, and spicy (and the food I have had in Spain has really not been very spicy) ...just as I like it. I ordered some red wine to go with that. The waitress asked if I wanted a glass or a bottle and I told her that I thought a bottle was too much for just me alone. But as soon as she went inside I ran into the restaurant and told her I had changed my mind and would have the bottle! :-) That was a good decision! I ate most of the pizza but not all of it...and I did drink the whole bottle of wine! I enjoyed my meal but it wasn´t so much fun to sit on my own all night. While I sat there and watched the world pass by, I decided that I would stay an extra day in Sarria so that my friends could catch up with me. I figured it didn´t matter if I had extra days after I got to Santiago or before, but it was a good idea to wait for them and I could have some simpatico people to sit around in the evenings and with whom I could enjoy life. After eating, I went to mass. I figured if the guy at the front was going to have some wine, there was no reason why I should deprive myself. It was a pilgrim mass, i.e. they have a special blessing for pilgrims at the end of the service. Then I got my pilgrim passport stamped and said goodbye to my Texan friends who were also attending the mass. Back to the albergue I went and went to bed early. At 11:30pm the fireworks started and man-oh-man I swear they sounded like they were happening right in my room!!! Boom! Boom! Boom!!! Thankfully that lasted only half an hour and I could go back to sleep after that.
Day 31: Sarria
Sat around waiting for my friends to arrive, which they did a little after lunchtime. They were really glad to see me and I, to see them. After settling into a new albergue, Mike, Nari & I went down by the riverside and ate lunch of patatas bravas, hamburgers (what a taste of home!) and sangría. Then it was time for an afternoon nap. After the nap we met with Claude, a fellow Canadian, and had a few drinks. Nari didn´t feel that well though so she went back to rest and the three of us men had a dinner which was not memorable except it was one of the most mediocre meals I have had here. Oh well, they can´t all be good. We went to bed early and thankfully there were no more fireworks to spoil our sleep.
Day 32: Sarria --> Portomarín (22.4 km) ...
I left the albergue about an hour after Mike and Nari and slowly made my way down the path. After about two hours, one of our other camino friends came by and asked if I had seen Nari. I hadn´t. Then a few minutes later Mike came by in the other direction with no backpack and asked the same thing. It seemed she had disappeared.
Nari is not as fast a walker as Mike and he had walked on ahead for a little bit, but after awhile, she never showed up. The next thing we knew there was a search and rescue party underway. We ended up walking back about an extra 45 minutes each...and to make a long story short, she somehow did manage to walk ahead and pass Mike without him seeing.
Well...all was well in the end and nobody was actually lost...but Mike and Nari decided that in the future they would bring cell phones for emergencies. :-) I actually have a Spanish cell phone for just such things, but nobody else could call me. lol So the rest of the day we walked on to our final destination, Portomarín, and it has been very hot day (about 35 degress Celsius). All is well that ends well...and now we ware going out for dinner to celebrate a safe arrival by all. Hey... at least it was a little drama outside of the ordinary!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Galicia
First two corrections from my last post:
Galicia
The day´s walk today was not as bad as it looked in the guidebooks. There was a long climb at the start, but it wasn´t too bad. When you reach the top, you arrive in the village of O Cebreiro which is like a time warp with small round, stone huts topped by thatched roofs. Most of these are housing tourist shops but I guess the locals need to make money wherever they can.
Typical dwelling in O Cebreiro (obviously not taken by me as there is no snow here at the moment):
Here in Fonfría the albergue is quite large (about 75 beds all in one room) but it is clean and the people are friendly. This is great, because there is nothing else here of interest, just a few houses, the albergue and a tiny bar. I walked to the edge of town and got back in about 5 minutes. :-)
- Many of the trees and plants are the same, but this place doesn´t look like any part of Canada I know. But that is only because of the big rolling hills always in the distance. Otherwise, yes, it has a similar look to it.
- I have not entered into another province by crossing from Castilla y León into Galicia. Galicia is not a province but is a nation (for lack of a better word), which itself has four provinces. The best correlation I can think of is the UK, as the United Kingdom is the name of the country which is comprised of several nations within it (e.g. England & Scotland), which are then divided into counties (e.g. Cornwall) which correspond to the provinces here.
Galicia
Galicia is in the northwest corner of Spain and is the first place that the clouds find land after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, it is very green here and it rains a lot. It has a history of Celtic settlers living here and the local music does in fact include bagpipes. The country is reminiscent of other Celtic lands such as the west coast of Ireland, with small fields and pastures where grazing cattles, sheep and pigs can find a home. There are other similarities,such as that the countryside is poor and many of the young men leave here to find work elsewhere. According to the Brierly guidebook, there is a strong Catholic faith which is overlaid by elements of an earthy spirituality.
Day 29: Ruitelán --> Fonfría (21.7 km)...
Day 29: Ruitelán --> Fonfría (21.7 km)...
The day´s walk today was not as bad as it looked in the guidebooks. There was a long climb at the start, but it wasn´t too bad. When you reach the top, you arrive in the village of O Cebreiro which is like a time warp with small round, stone huts topped by thatched roofs. Most of these are housing tourist shops but I guess the locals need to make money wherever they can.
Typical dwelling in O Cebreiro (obviously not taken by me as there is no snow here at the moment):
Here in Fonfría the albergue is quite large (about 75 beds all in one room) but it is clean and the people are friendly. This is great, because there is nothing else here of interest, just a few houses, the albergue and a tiny bar. I walked to the edge of town and got back in about 5 minutes. :-)
Friday, June 22, 2012
On the edge of Castilla y Léon, heading into Galicia
Day 26: Foncebadón --> Ponferrada (28.2 km)...
In the first hour of the day I came to Cruz de Ferro. As I wrote last time, this is an important stop along the way, where pilgrims bring a stone from their hometown and place it on the pile as a symbolic gesture that we are leaving our burdens behind and continuing on the journey. I brought my stone and found enough quiet time between the endless stream of other pilgrims to get some meaningful time here at this mystical place. I left my stone. I felt the magic. Thank you, universe.
Cruz de Ferro:
In the first hour of the day I came to Cruz de Ferro. As I wrote last time, this is an important stop along the way, where pilgrims bring a stone from their hometown and place it on the pile as a symbolic gesture that we are leaving our burdens behind and continuing on the journey. I brought my stone and found enough quiet time between the endless stream of other pilgrims to get some meaningful time here at this mystical place. I left my stone. I felt the magic. Thank you, universe.
Cruz de Ferro:
The rest of the day was a long and tiring one but I made it to Ponferrada. Here there is a very interesting castle built partly by the Knights Templar and I got to visit for free because it was Wednesday. Perhaps that makes up for my missing out on the museum/palace I wanted to visit on Monday but could not because it was closed? I treated myself to a room in a hotel, had a bath and an early night. I slept in until 8:00am and had a nice breakfast buffet before starting my next day. It was a well deserved rest.
Day 27: Ponferrada --> Cacabelos (16.9 km)...
I had a much shorter walking day today as I encountered Emily again after about a week without having seen her. She seemed a little blue (or more likely she was just tired!) and so I asked her if she wished to walk together which she did. [Note: Emily later confirmed that she was just tired at that moment.] This was the first day that I really sought to walk with anyone else and it was good for me too. When we got to Cacabelos, where she planned to stay, she asked if I was going to continue on as planned or if I would stay there with her. I decided to act on the feeling and stayed in this town, and we had a nice day together. We ate paella, drank some of the local wine and walked about town a bit. We walked back to the albergue where she wanted to lie down a little, but then I went to the grocery store and bought another bottle of wine and knocked on her cubicle. She was up for it and we drank that before heading out to dinner with some other pilgims we had arranged earlier to meet. I have had a lot of alone time and I think it was a good to break out of that routine.
Day 28: Cacabelos --> Ruitelán (30.2 km)...
Today will be my last day in the province of Castilla y León. It is a very big province, but fairly sparsely populated. Tomorrow I will enter into the next and last province of the camino: Galicia. The vegetation is changing yet again and it is much more green, the trees are bigger and I think this was the first time I noticed ferns along the way. In many ways it reminds me of Canada. The day´s walking today was very difficult for the spirit as the last, several long kilometres were along the bust highway. At more than one time I thought "are they kidding me, am I still on the right road?" but I was, fortunately!
Here in Ruitelán I am staying at an albergue that I had read about previously to good report. So far all the recommendations have been spot on. This is a lovely place, run by a delightful man named Carlos. He made a meal for all of us: carrot soup, salad, spaghetti carbonara and pudding for dessert...with the usual wine, water and bread of course. Tomorrow, he told us, the music will start at 6:00 am (I already know it will be Ave Maria, but I am not sure which version) and we have strict instructions that nobody is to get up before then. I wish more places had rules like that because I sure had had more than a few mornings´sleep disturbed by early risers. We are all starting to feel a little tired of walking. Go figure! This time next week I will be in Santiago and I will have completed my pilgrimage. Looking back at the places I have been... Roncesvalles, Pamplona, Logoño, Burgos, León, Ponferrada (to name only the largest)...well it just seems like lifetimes ago. I feel like I have lived a thousand lives these last four weeks and I am starting to look forward to coming back to the one I know and love the best.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The scenery has changed again...
Day 24: Villar de Mazarife --> Astorga (31.2 km)...
This was a lovely day for walking and the scenery is changing now from the more-or-less flatness of the meseta to more hilly ground. In fact, the next couple days will see the biggest elevations I will have to climb along the route, even including the walk over the Pyrenées. I got to Astorga in the early afternoon but was a little disappointed to learn that all the interesting sites are closed on Mondays. And Astorga has a few interesting sites, such as the cathedral, the chocolate museum, and the Episcopal Palace.
The Episcopal Palace was designed by Antonio Gaudí, the Catalan architect of whom I have previously written. Finished in 1915, it was not actually completed by Gaudí because he had fallen out of favour with the local bishop before the building was completed, but it still looks very much like one of his buildings. In fact, the building itself is a little misnamed because it never was the home of the bishop. During the civil war it was used as barracks for the nationist government.
The Episcopal Palace:
I had dinner in the Plaza Mayor with some other pilgrims. It was very loud (but fum) because the Spanish were playing soccer an it was being televised on televisions facing the main square. Everyone was out to watch the game. Not caring for soccer particularly I sat with my back to the TV so that my other pilgrim friends could watch the match. I enjoyed myself but then went back to the albergue immediately after eating. That was a good thing because it was getting dark and my laundry was still hanging outside. :-)
Day 25: Astorga --> Foncebadón (27.2 km)...
This was a great walk again today and I am now in the tiny pueblo of Foncebadón. In 1990, the last person left this village and it was abandoned... but this ancient place now has a population of about 40 people, thanks entirely to the recent popularity of the camino. It is a magical place overlooking the mountains, and it looks like a village straight out of an Asterix and Obelisk comic book.
Tomorrow will be one of the most meaningful of all the days I expect.. my first stop out of this village is to the Cruz de Ferro, where by tradition pilgrims bring a stone from their hometown as a symbol of the burdens they wish to leave behind. I too have brought my stone which came from a special beach in Victoria where we scattered my mom's ashes. I think of her every day, and no more so than here. Yet, although I miss her all the time, she is everywhere around me: in the plants and trees, in the rocks and fields, in the birds that sing and the lizards that scurry out of my path. (She would have appreciated the lizard comment as that was her preferred computer user name...Lizzzard! lol )
I love the comments that some of you are posting, and the emails you have sent. I am able to access my usual email address and my travel email from my phone. It is a little hit and miss depending on where I am and if there is wifi, but I do get your messages and appreciate hearing news from home. I have walked over 500km so far and am now in the home stretch. I should reach Santiago a week from Friday. From there I will be going to Finisterre and then I will be spending a few days by the beach before heading home. I look forward to seeing everyone and sharing some vino tinto with you all! Take care!
This was a lovely day for walking and the scenery is changing now from the more-or-less flatness of the meseta to more hilly ground. In fact, the next couple days will see the biggest elevations I will have to climb along the route, even including the walk over the Pyrenées. I got to Astorga in the early afternoon but was a little disappointed to learn that all the interesting sites are closed on Mondays. And Astorga has a few interesting sites, such as the cathedral, the chocolate museum, and the Episcopal Palace.
The Episcopal Palace was designed by Antonio Gaudí, the Catalan architect of whom I have previously written. Finished in 1915, it was not actually completed by Gaudí because he had fallen out of favour with the local bishop before the building was completed, but it still looks very much like one of his buildings. In fact, the building itself is a little misnamed because it never was the home of the bishop. During the civil war it was used as barracks for the nationist government.
The Episcopal Palace:
Day 25: Astorga --> Foncebadón (27.2 km)...
This was a great walk again today and I am now in the tiny pueblo of Foncebadón. In 1990, the last person left this village and it was abandoned... but this ancient place now has a population of about 40 people, thanks entirely to the recent popularity of the camino. It is a magical place overlooking the mountains, and it looks like a village straight out of an Asterix and Obelisk comic book.
Tomorrow will be one of the most meaningful of all the days I expect.. my first stop out of this village is to the Cruz de Ferro, where by tradition pilgrims bring a stone from their hometown as a symbol of the burdens they wish to leave behind. I too have brought my stone which came from a special beach in Victoria where we scattered my mom's ashes. I think of her every day, and no more so than here. Yet, although I miss her all the time, she is everywhere around me: in the plants and trees, in the rocks and fields, in the birds that sing and the lizards that scurry out of my path. (She would have appreciated the lizard comment as that was her preferred computer user name...Lizzzard! lol )
I love the comments that some of you are posting, and the emails you have sent. I am able to access my usual email address and my travel email from my phone. It is a little hit and miss depending on where I am and if there is wifi, but I do get your messages and appreciate hearing news from home. I have walked over 500km so far and am now in the home stretch. I should reach Santiago a week from Friday. From there I will be going to Finisterre and then I will be spending a few days by the beach before heading home. I look forward to seeing everyone and sharing some vino tinto with you all! Take care!
Map of the Route
Below is a map of the route I have been taking. There are several different routes which all end in Santiago de Compostela. The route I have taken is known as the Camino Francés (the French Way) as it is the road from France. This is the most popular of the caminos and as a result there are more amenities for pilgrims along this way.
Some call this the "real" Camino, but that is not really true. For most of its history, the pilgrims who walked the camino started from their hometown and wherever they would find a road to Santiago could be considered the real camino. For sure, pilgrims of the past didn´t fly to Europe and take the train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to start walking!
Some call this the "real" Camino, but that is not really true. For most of its history, the pilgrims who walked the camino started from their hometown and wherever they would find a road to Santiago could be considered the real camino. For sure, pilgrims of the past didn´t fly to Europe and take the train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to start walking!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Week Three
Day 17: Castrojeriz --> Frómista (25.2 km) ...
Arrived in Frómista just before the rain and decided to splurge and have the hospitellaro wash my laundry for 4 euros. By the time the wash was done the sun was back out again and so my clothes were put out on the line to dry. Yay!
Frómista has a very lovely Romanesque church built in 1066. The church has now been deconsecrated and with my pilgrim´s passport the reduced entry fee was all of one euro. The interior is quite plain without much ornament except that there are dozens of columns in the church, each with a different capital: faces, leaves, fruit, animals, gargoyles, and decorative scrolls top each column. Despite its lack of gold leaf and ostentatious ornamentation -- or maybe because of it -- this was one of the nicest churches I have visited in Spain so far.
After visiting the church I met up with Emily (from Colorado) and Falcon (from Germany) and we went out to dinner. Every town has several places that offer a pilgrim´s menu which always includes several courses: a primero (usually I choose the salad but yesterday, for example, I chose the pasta starter), then a segundo (again there is always a choice of perhaps fish, chicken, pork or beef...rarely beef actually), bread and wine (always!) and a dessert (which is sometimes a flan (crème caramel) or ice cream. It is very good value for usually between €9-11. Usually that is the most expensive part of my day!
Day 18: Frómista --> Carrión de los Condes (20.5 km) ...
This day´s walk was not very interesting but at least for the last several hours I walked along a natural path which followed a river into the town. I stayed in a hostal instead of one of the pilgrim albergues and was in a room with three others. My three roommates were very funny, good-natured Spanish fellows who were walking the camino in three parts. Last year they biked from Roncesvalles to Burgos and will bike again from León to Santiago next year. For this year, they were walking for the week between Burgos and León. They laughed a lot and actually had giggle fits which is sort of humorous in men of 50-plus. I don´t know what they were giggling about but I enjoyed their light-hearted attitude. (I saw them again last night when I was in León and so I got to wish them good luck for the future as their camino was over for this year).
Of the people I started my camino with back in Orisson, there is only one couple left whom I still see on the road...Mike and Nari. I believe I must have mentioned them already because it seems that they are stalking me...or perhaps I am stalking them! Anyway, it doesn´t matter because we have really enjoyed spending time together and I have had dinner with them on many of the nights along the way. I thought I had left them in Burgos because they had decided to stay an extra day there. In Carrión however, I sent them an email from the hostal to say that I missed them, then went out for a walk and ran into Frank. Sitting there, watching the world pass by...guess who turned the corner? I said "O-M-G"! It was Mike and Nari again. That day it seemed they were stalking me because they had walked quite far the day before and caught up with me...even staying in the same hostal I had chosen. Such is the way of the camino! The day passed by and later we agreed to meet up for dinner. They brought a fellow named Gary with them, who is from California, and we would also continue to meet up along the way in the days to come...sometimes in the most unexpected of places.
Day 19: Carrión de los Condes --> Moratinos (30.0 km)...
Today´s walk was long and the landscape really did not vary at all. I am in the area of Spain called the meseta, where there is little variance from the rolling hills of wheat and oats. I walked past the town of Terradillos de los Templarios, which marks the half-way point between Roncesvalles and Santiago de Compostella. The reason I passed this half-way point was to stay in a very small village called Moratinos. In Moratinos I had friends! Yes, friends!
For about five or six months before I left home for this journey, I had been reading about the camino on an online forum and I knew that in the town of Moratinos lives someone who participates on the forum where I learned so much information in doing my research. I found their house by asking someone in the village and then knocked on their door. I was invited me into their little sanctuary in the wild. They call it the "Peacable Kingdom", named after the place mentioned in the bible. It was true to its name as there, living in harmony, were Reb and Paddy, four dogs, a cat, a little kitten (poor thing was recently saved from the river where his litter-mates had been drowned) and a clutch of chickens. I really enjoyed their company and can now truly call them friends. A room of my own, good company, home-made quiche for dinner with wine and bread, and fresh eggs from their flock for breakfast. This was truly a little piece of heaven on earth. They gave me an open invitation to visit any time and I hope to be able to accept their offer someday.
A funny thing happened after dinner (at least it would be funny if it wasn´t the camino where the unusual seems to happen every day)...after dinner I asked Reb if she would show me her bodega. These are little wine cellars built into the hill outside the village with tiny, little doors that make them look like the Hobbits live there. The bodega was interesting but it was what happened after that which was neat...when walking back to their home I saw Gary (whom I had just met for dinner the day before in Carrión). He was wandering around this very tiny village, looking for something. He had brought a camera, a phone and an ipad but had left his electrical adaptor somewhere and they were now all out of battery power. Of course there was nowhere at all he could have bought a adaptor in that little village but somehow the camino provided for him, because he saw me and I was able to lend him mine, which he happily borrowed and left on the doorstep of the Peacable Kingdom on his way out of town the next morning. He was astonished to see me and have that little need answered, but I have become a little less surprised by the "coincidences" that seem to occur out here on the Camino.
Day 20: Moratinos --> El Burgo Ranero (27.7 km)...
Not much to say about El Burgo Ranero. This sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere has several albergues and naturally it was here that Mike & Nari; Gary; and myself all found ourselves having dinner together again.
Day 21: El Burgo Ranero --> León (37.4 km)...
This was a very long day of walking. I decided to skip the usual stop along the way and walked all the way to León this day. The last few kilometers were very slow going and my feet were very tired upon arrival, but still no blisters! I decided that I would reward myself and checked into a hotel in the city centre for two nights. I had a very early night. The next day was a Saturday and would be the first day in three weeks that I took a rest day from walking. It was worth it! And I deserved it after 10 hours walking.
Day 22: León...
León is a beautiful city of about 150,000 people. I woke up on my rest day and it felt very strange to be a tourist instead of a pilgrim. But what does a pilgrim do on their day off? Walk around town of course! My hotel included breakfast so I had a lovely morning meal, then headed out to walk about the city.
There are many beautiful buildings including one interesting building by Gaudí, the Catalan architect. Did he ever create anything that wasn´t intersting? (The answer to that is no!) I walked over to the Parador San Marcos which, if you have seen the movie "The Way" was where they stopped and had a luxurious rest. There was a demonstration happening in from of the parador when I got there but this was not the first I have seen - nor I expect the last - of the demonstrations that are happening all the time all over this country right now.
I sat in the square by the cathedral to have a glass of wine because I wanted to see if Mike and Nari would show. Because I had walked two stages to get to León I had left them behind...but they didn´t disappoint because in about 15 minutes, there they were! We had some lunch then went our own separate ways. I made a visit to the cathedral and went to mass again which is becoming a little bit of a habit. I don´t take communion and I don´t think God minds my being there in his church because I don´t think God is catholic either! :-) The cathedral in León is the most spectacular Gothic cathedral I have ever seen, including those of Burgos and Notre Dame de Paris. I bought the DVD of the church and will be pleased to have someone to share it with when I return, if you are interested.
We all decided to meet up for dinner...Mike and Nari, Frank, Veronica (whom I lost along the way about two weeks ago), and some others. Sitting in the street patio, the entire city seemed to pass by. León must be a popular place for weddings because we saw no less than five bridal couples parading the street and at least as many hen parties. There was even a party of bachelors out for one last hurrah, all dressed as pirates. What a hoot! Because we are pilgrims and have to get up early to walk, we tend to eat very early, at least by Spanish standards. At one point two old Spanish señoras, all in black of course, looked at us and made some comment about how strange it was that we eat so early. This was about 9:00 pm! But, like the pilgrims we are, we all went our own ways about half an hour later to get some sleep. Imagine going to bed at 9:30 in Canada! :-)
Day 23: León --> Villar de Mazarife (22.2 km)...
Not much to report about today. I am in a nice albergue in a room with only three others. My clothes are hanging on the line, drying in the last of the afternoon sun. After having a day off in León yesterday, it is good to be back on the road again and walking the camino. It is funny how a 22km walk seems like an easy day! Today is Father´s Day and I gave my dad a call. I have been spending a lot of my days walking alone, thinking about my family and my life. I am grateful for all of you who contribute to the wonderful life I have. And life really is wonderful! Bless you all and hope you sleep well. One thing I know for sure is that I will be up again before some of you have gone to bed yet! :-)
Arrived in Frómista just before the rain and decided to splurge and have the hospitellaro wash my laundry for 4 euros. By the time the wash was done the sun was back out again and so my clothes were put out on the line to dry. Yay!
Frómista has a very lovely Romanesque church built in 1066. The church has now been deconsecrated and with my pilgrim´s passport the reduced entry fee was all of one euro. The interior is quite plain without much ornament except that there are dozens of columns in the church, each with a different capital: faces, leaves, fruit, animals, gargoyles, and decorative scrolls top each column. Despite its lack of gold leaf and ostentatious ornamentation -- or maybe because of it -- this was one of the nicest churches I have visited in Spain so far.
After visiting the church I met up with Emily (from Colorado) and Falcon (from Germany) and we went out to dinner. Every town has several places that offer a pilgrim´s menu which always includes several courses: a primero (usually I choose the salad but yesterday, for example, I chose the pasta starter), then a segundo (again there is always a choice of perhaps fish, chicken, pork or beef...rarely beef actually), bread and wine (always!) and a dessert (which is sometimes a flan (crème caramel) or ice cream. It is very good value for usually between €9-11. Usually that is the most expensive part of my day!
Day 18: Frómista --> Carrión de los Condes (20.5 km) ...
This day´s walk was not very interesting but at least for the last several hours I walked along a natural path which followed a river into the town. I stayed in a hostal instead of one of the pilgrim albergues and was in a room with three others. My three roommates were very funny, good-natured Spanish fellows who were walking the camino in three parts. Last year they biked from Roncesvalles to Burgos and will bike again from León to Santiago next year. For this year, they were walking for the week between Burgos and León. They laughed a lot and actually had giggle fits which is sort of humorous in men of 50-plus. I don´t know what they were giggling about but I enjoyed their light-hearted attitude. (I saw them again last night when I was in León and so I got to wish them good luck for the future as their camino was over for this year).
Of the people I started my camino with back in Orisson, there is only one couple left whom I still see on the road...Mike and Nari. I believe I must have mentioned them already because it seems that they are stalking me...or perhaps I am stalking them! Anyway, it doesn´t matter because we have really enjoyed spending time together and I have had dinner with them on many of the nights along the way. I thought I had left them in Burgos because they had decided to stay an extra day there. In Carrión however, I sent them an email from the hostal to say that I missed them, then went out for a walk and ran into Frank. Sitting there, watching the world pass by...guess who turned the corner? I said "O-M-G"! It was Mike and Nari again. That day it seemed they were stalking me because they had walked quite far the day before and caught up with me...even staying in the same hostal I had chosen. Such is the way of the camino! The day passed by and later we agreed to meet up for dinner. They brought a fellow named Gary with them, who is from California, and we would also continue to meet up along the way in the days to come...sometimes in the most unexpected of places.
Day 19: Carrión de los Condes --> Moratinos (30.0 km)...
Today´s walk was long and the landscape really did not vary at all. I am in the area of Spain called the meseta, where there is little variance from the rolling hills of wheat and oats. I walked past the town of Terradillos de los Templarios, which marks the half-way point between Roncesvalles and Santiago de Compostella. The reason I passed this half-way point was to stay in a very small village called Moratinos. In Moratinos I had friends! Yes, friends!
For about five or six months before I left home for this journey, I had been reading about the camino on an online forum and I knew that in the town of Moratinos lives someone who participates on the forum where I learned so much information in doing my research. I found their house by asking someone in the village and then knocked on their door. I was invited me into their little sanctuary in the wild. They call it the "Peacable Kingdom", named after the place mentioned in the bible. It was true to its name as there, living in harmony, were Reb and Paddy, four dogs, a cat, a little kitten (poor thing was recently saved from the river where his litter-mates had been drowned) and a clutch of chickens. I really enjoyed their company and can now truly call them friends. A room of my own, good company, home-made quiche for dinner with wine and bread, and fresh eggs from their flock for breakfast. This was truly a little piece of heaven on earth. They gave me an open invitation to visit any time and I hope to be able to accept their offer someday.
A funny thing happened after dinner (at least it would be funny if it wasn´t the camino where the unusual seems to happen every day)...after dinner I asked Reb if she would show me her bodega. These are little wine cellars built into the hill outside the village with tiny, little doors that make them look like the Hobbits live there. The bodega was interesting but it was what happened after that which was neat...when walking back to their home I saw Gary (whom I had just met for dinner the day before in Carrión). He was wandering around this very tiny village, looking for something. He had brought a camera, a phone and an ipad but had left his electrical adaptor somewhere and they were now all out of battery power. Of course there was nowhere at all he could have bought a adaptor in that little village but somehow the camino provided for him, because he saw me and I was able to lend him mine, which he happily borrowed and left on the doorstep of the Peacable Kingdom on his way out of town the next morning. He was astonished to see me and have that little need answered, but I have become a little less surprised by the "coincidences" that seem to occur out here on the Camino.
Day 20: Moratinos --> El Burgo Ranero (27.7 km)...
Not much to say about El Burgo Ranero. This sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere has several albergues and naturally it was here that Mike & Nari; Gary; and myself all found ourselves having dinner together again.
Day 21: El Burgo Ranero --> León (37.4 km)...
This was a very long day of walking. I decided to skip the usual stop along the way and walked all the way to León this day. The last few kilometers were very slow going and my feet were very tired upon arrival, but still no blisters! I decided that I would reward myself and checked into a hotel in the city centre for two nights. I had a very early night. The next day was a Saturday and would be the first day in three weeks that I took a rest day from walking. It was worth it! And I deserved it after 10 hours walking.
Day 22: León...
León is a beautiful city of about 150,000 people. I woke up on my rest day and it felt very strange to be a tourist instead of a pilgrim. But what does a pilgrim do on their day off? Walk around town of course! My hotel included breakfast so I had a lovely morning meal, then headed out to walk about the city.
There are many beautiful buildings including one interesting building by Gaudí, the Catalan architect. Did he ever create anything that wasn´t intersting? (The answer to that is no!) I walked over to the Parador San Marcos which, if you have seen the movie "The Way" was where they stopped and had a luxurious rest. There was a demonstration happening in from of the parador when I got there but this was not the first I have seen - nor I expect the last - of the demonstrations that are happening all the time all over this country right now.
I sat in the square by the cathedral to have a glass of wine because I wanted to see if Mike and Nari would show. Because I had walked two stages to get to León I had left them behind...but they didn´t disappoint because in about 15 minutes, there they were! We had some lunch then went our own separate ways. I made a visit to the cathedral and went to mass again which is becoming a little bit of a habit. I don´t take communion and I don´t think God minds my being there in his church because I don´t think God is catholic either! :-) The cathedral in León is the most spectacular Gothic cathedral I have ever seen, including those of Burgos and Notre Dame de Paris. I bought the DVD of the church and will be pleased to have someone to share it with when I return, if you are interested.
We all decided to meet up for dinner...Mike and Nari, Frank, Veronica (whom I lost along the way about two weeks ago), and some others. Sitting in the street patio, the entire city seemed to pass by. León must be a popular place for weddings because we saw no less than five bridal couples parading the street and at least as many hen parties. There was even a party of bachelors out for one last hurrah, all dressed as pirates. What a hoot! Because we are pilgrims and have to get up early to walk, we tend to eat very early, at least by Spanish standards. At one point two old Spanish señoras, all in black of course, looked at us and made some comment about how strange it was that we eat so early. This was about 9:00 pm! But, like the pilgrims we are, we all went our own ways about half an hour later to get some sleep. Imagine going to bed at 9:30 in Canada! :-)
Day 23: León --> Villar de Mazarife (22.2 km)...
Not much to report about today. I am in a nice albergue in a room with only three others. My clothes are hanging on the line, drying in the last of the afternoon sun. After having a day off in León yesterday, it is good to be back on the road again and walking the camino. It is funny how a 22km walk seems like an easy day! Today is Father´s Day and I gave my dad a call. I have been spending a lot of my days walking alone, thinking about my family and my life. I am grateful for all of you who contribute to the wonderful life I have. And life really is wonderful! Bless you all and hope you sleep well. One thing I know for sure is that I will be up again before some of you have gone to bed yet! :-)
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The 12-Step Daily Routine of the Pilgrim
- Get up very early. Usually you are on the road walking between 6am and 7am. Well that is me and I was a late riser, according to some.
- Walk until the first town where you can buy a cafe con leche and maybe a piece of tortilla (which is an egg pie, not a corn chip).
- Walk to another town and have another coffee.
- Repeat #3 above until you arrive at the town you want to sleep in.
- Register at the albergue, pay for your bed, get your pilgrim passport stamped, and put your sleeping bag on an empty bed (hopefully one on the lower of the bunk beds).
- Shower.
- Wash your clothes by hand and hang them up to dry. Sometimes this is combined with #6.
- Sometimes a little siesta is in order if you can manage it.
- Wander around town (because for some reason, you haven't walked enough).
- Eat dinner, collect your laundry and kill a little time.
- Sleep.
- Go back to #1.
Number 7 above is the most tedious but in the better places they provide a place for you to wash your clothes. LOL ;-)
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Another week in the life of a pilgrim
Day 11: Azofra --> Grañón (17.4 km) ...
About midday I stopped at Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a small town with a very big cathedral. There is a very famous legend associated with this church. Once upon a time there was a married couple and a boy who travelled through this town and a local señorita took a fancy to the young man but he was not as interested in her. In spite at being rebuffed, the young lady put an expensive chalice inside the boy´s bag and when they were leaving she raised hell and said he was a thief. (I think there is a similar story with Joseph from the bible if I remember my "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" properly). Anyway, the boy was hanged and the man and wife went on their way to Santiago broken-hearted. On their way back, they were surprised to find that their boy was still hanging in the main square and were even more surprised to discover that he was still alive. They went to the local lord and told him what they saw, and he scoffed and said the lad was no more alive than the cock and hen on his plate that he was about to eat. Suddenly, the birds on his plate came alive as happens in fables. So they cut the boy down and they all lived happily ever after apparently. Ever since then, there has been a chicken and rooster in a cage housed inside the cathedral. In days past, pilgrims used to pluck a feather from one of the birds as a good luck token, but nowadays they are out of reach of the multitudes, to the relief of the birds. They still keep a hen and cock in the cathedral and they replace them every 15 days. I am not sure what happens to those which are removed every fortnight, but I don´t think it ends well for them. Later that day after a very long and hot walk, I arrived in Grañón. All the pilgrims sleep in the parish hall above the local church on exercise mats on the floor after having shared a communal meal that was prepared for us based on donations left from the pilgrims who stayed the day before. It was not the best night sleep I have ever had, but it was one of the most unusual, and rewarding in its own way.
Day 12: Grañón --> Villafranca Montes de Oca (27.6 km) ...
I started the day very early because it had been over 40 degrees Celcius the day before and this was supposed to be another hot day, and there was a lot of ground to cover. That meant I was out of the village by 5 am and walked under the moonlight, shining my light periodically to look for the yellow arrows which are painted on everything to mark the way. A pilgrim could walk all across Spain without a guidebook, just following the yellow arrows and scallop-shell symbols which mark the route. This was not a great day. It was hot, long and tiring. And it was about 4 hours before I found a place open where I could have a cup of coffee. Not pretty.
Day 13: Villafranca --> Atapuerca (18.5 km) ...
Walking today was not as hot and not as far as other days. About ten years ago, near the village of Atapuerca, were discovered the largest cache of pre-historic human ancestor bones ever found in Europe, with some dating back 900,000 years to a previously unknown group of peoples they called homo antesores (or something like that). There is even evidence there that our distant ancestors practised cannibalism, which is a pretty good argument against vegetarianism if I have ever heard one. There is a UNESCO visitors centre there which, inexplicably, is only open to tour buses and is only open for a one-hour tour in the mornings. Also inexplicable, the tourist information centre (to give it a loftier name than it deserves) doesn´t open until 1:00 pm to tell you the UNESCO centre is closed now for the day! Needless to say, we were disappointed. The "we" I refer to is myself, and Mike & Nari from the US. The three of us keep running into each other and we had bonded into a little group, which alas has come to an end for the time being as they have taken a rest day yesterday and I have continued on the road. Perhaps I will meet up with them again. The camino is like that.
Day 14: Atapuerca --> Burgos (19.4 km)...
Burgos is a beautiful city in northern Spain, known as the home of El Cid and the base of Franco´s government. The cathedral is one of the finest in Spain and was really worth a visit. I bought the DVD so I could watch it with Juan later. :-) I stayed in a hotel in Burgos because I really needed some time to have an afternoon sista, and wanted to wake up on my own instead of being woken by early-risers. It was worth every penny! There were so many beautiful buildings which I would do injustice to if I attempted to describe, so I took many pictures for you all to see when I return. This is a city I would love to return to again.
Day 15: Burgos --> Hornillos de Camino (21.0 km) ...
On my way out of Burgos (after rising at the late hour of 8:00 am), I went to the post office. I had ripped up some of my guidebooks and mailed portions of them to myself at different towns in Spain to collect on the way. This actually worked very well! I also took advantage of the post office and sent home some things I did not really need to lighten my load, such as my rain pants, my camera bag, and the DVD I bought of the Burgos cathedral. It was a little expensive to do that but I think it was worth it because my bag is now more than a pound lighter. You would be surprised how much difference that makes after a long day. I arrived in Hornillos de Camino, which so far has been the smallest, most boring place on the way. It was a Hornillos Saturday Night! Ugh!! I had a terrible night´s sleep because I was on the top of a bunk bed, a single, and I kept thinking I was afraid to fall asleep because I might fall out of bed and hurt myself. There were also a lot of snorers in the room also and although I was one of the first to go to bed, it was hours before I went to sleep. I didn´t really wake up in a good mood either.
Day 16: Hornillos --> Castrojeriz (20.2 km) ...
Been having a low day today, probably because I didn´t sleep so well. It rained all morning and all I can say about that is that I made a good purchase with my Altus Atmospheric poncho as it kept me dry and protected me from the wind. I am now in an area of Spain called the maseta. It is undulating hills for five days or more with little shade and few water fountains on the way. The day´s walk was not so bad but I am feeling a little blue today, missing my bed, my Franc, my kitties, and everything that is familiar. This is also the first day since I left Orisson that I have not known any of the people that I have encountered in the towns. Usually there is always a pilgrim or two you recognize, by sight if not by name. There was a big soccer match on the telly today as well and everything was closed because of it. I even went to go to the mass at the church for something to do and a little spiritual uplifting, but it was closed too. I think football is more important than God nowadays in Spain! So I made some new friends who I may or may not see again. Tomorrow at least, is another day, and I am grateful for the things I do have. Some people are here walking the camino because they have experienced such terrible tragedy in their lives. At least Ik now my hubby, my cats, my family amd friends will be there when I come home at the end. Not everyonbe can say the same. Until next time, keep safe and happy.
About midday I stopped at Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a small town with a very big cathedral. There is a very famous legend associated with this church. Once upon a time there was a married couple and a boy who travelled through this town and a local señorita took a fancy to the young man but he was not as interested in her. In spite at being rebuffed, the young lady put an expensive chalice inside the boy´s bag and when they were leaving she raised hell and said he was a thief. (I think there is a similar story with Joseph from the bible if I remember my "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" properly). Anyway, the boy was hanged and the man and wife went on their way to Santiago broken-hearted. On their way back, they were surprised to find that their boy was still hanging in the main square and were even more surprised to discover that he was still alive. They went to the local lord and told him what they saw, and he scoffed and said the lad was no more alive than the cock and hen on his plate that he was about to eat. Suddenly, the birds on his plate came alive as happens in fables. So they cut the boy down and they all lived happily ever after apparently. Ever since then, there has been a chicken and rooster in a cage housed inside the cathedral. In days past, pilgrims used to pluck a feather from one of the birds as a good luck token, but nowadays they are out of reach of the multitudes, to the relief of the birds. They still keep a hen and cock in the cathedral and they replace them every 15 days. I am not sure what happens to those which are removed every fortnight, but I don´t think it ends well for them. Later that day after a very long and hot walk, I arrived in Grañón. All the pilgrims sleep in the parish hall above the local church on exercise mats on the floor after having shared a communal meal that was prepared for us based on donations left from the pilgrims who stayed the day before. It was not the best night sleep I have ever had, but it was one of the most unusual, and rewarding in its own way.
Day 12: Grañón --> Villafranca Montes de Oca (27.6 km) ...
I started the day very early because it had been over 40 degrees Celcius the day before and this was supposed to be another hot day, and there was a lot of ground to cover. That meant I was out of the village by 5 am and walked under the moonlight, shining my light periodically to look for the yellow arrows which are painted on everything to mark the way. A pilgrim could walk all across Spain without a guidebook, just following the yellow arrows and scallop-shell symbols which mark the route. This was not a great day. It was hot, long and tiring. And it was about 4 hours before I found a place open where I could have a cup of coffee. Not pretty.
Day 13: Villafranca --> Atapuerca (18.5 km) ...
Walking today was not as hot and not as far as other days. About ten years ago, near the village of Atapuerca, were discovered the largest cache of pre-historic human ancestor bones ever found in Europe, with some dating back 900,000 years to a previously unknown group of peoples they called homo antesores (or something like that). There is even evidence there that our distant ancestors practised cannibalism, which is a pretty good argument against vegetarianism if I have ever heard one. There is a UNESCO visitors centre there which, inexplicably, is only open to tour buses and is only open for a one-hour tour in the mornings. Also inexplicable, the tourist information centre (to give it a loftier name than it deserves) doesn´t open until 1:00 pm to tell you the UNESCO centre is closed now for the day! Needless to say, we were disappointed. The "we" I refer to is myself, and Mike & Nari from the US. The three of us keep running into each other and we had bonded into a little group, which alas has come to an end for the time being as they have taken a rest day yesterday and I have continued on the road. Perhaps I will meet up with them again. The camino is like that.
Day 14: Atapuerca --> Burgos (19.4 km)...
Burgos is a beautiful city in northern Spain, known as the home of El Cid and the base of Franco´s government. The cathedral is one of the finest in Spain and was really worth a visit. I bought the DVD so I could watch it with Juan later. :-) I stayed in a hotel in Burgos because I really needed some time to have an afternoon sista, and wanted to wake up on my own instead of being woken by early-risers. It was worth every penny! There were so many beautiful buildings which I would do injustice to if I attempted to describe, so I took many pictures for you all to see when I return. This is a city I would love to return to again.
Day 15: Burgos --> Hornillos de Camino (21.0 km) ...
On my way out of Burgos (after rising at the late hour of 8:00 am), I went to the post office. I had ripped up some of my guidebooks and mailed portions of them to myself at different towns in Spain to collect on the way. This actually worked very well! I also took advantage of the post office and sent home some things I did not really need to lighten my load, such as my rain pants, my camera bag, and the DVD I bought of the Burgos cathedral. It was a little expensive to do that but I think it was worth it because my bag is now more than a pound lighter. You would be surprised how much difference that makes after a long day. I arrived in Hornillos de Camino, which so far has been the smallest, most boring place on the way. It was a Hornillos Saturday Night! Ugh!! I had a terrible night´s sleep because I was on the top of a bunk bed, a single, and I kept thinking I was afraid to fall asleep because I might fall out of bed and hurt myself. There were also a lot of snorers in the room also and although I was one of the first to go to bed, it was hours before I went to sleep. I didn´t really wake up in a good mood either.
Day 16: Hornillos --> Castrojeriz (20.2 km) ...
Been having a low day today, probably because I didn´t sleep so well. It rained all morning and all I can say about that is that I made a good purchase with my Altus Atmospheric poncho as it kept me dry and protected me from the wind. I am now in an area of Spain called the maseta. It is undulating hills for five days or more with little shade and few water fountains on the way. The day´s walk was not so bad but I am feeling a little blue today, missing my bed, my Franc, my kitties, and everything that is familiar. This is also the first day since I left Orisson that I have not known any of the people that I have encountered in the towns. Usually there is always a pilgrim or two you recognize, by sight if not by name. There was a big soccer match on the telly today as well and everything was closed because of it. I even went to go to the mass at the church for something to do and a little spiritual uplifting, but it was closed too. I think football is more important than God nowadays in Spain! So I made some new friends who I may or may not see again. Tomorrow at least, is another day, and I am grateful for the things I do have. Some people are here walking the camino because they have experienced such terrible tragedy in their lives. At least Ik now my hubby, my cats, my family amd friends will be there when I come home at the end. Not everyonbe can say the same. Until next time, keep safe and happy.
Monday, June 4, 2012
If this is Monday, this must be Azofra...
If this is Monday, this must be Azofra!
I have had little time or opportunity to post to this blog but I have a little time today to tell you where I am and where I have been, so let´s get going!
First day: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France --> Orisson, France (8.0 km) ...
I wanted to stay at Orisson to ease into my walk and I am glad I did because many people who went the whole way to Roncesvalles are now suffering with leg pain or blisters. So far I have had neither.
Day 2: Orisson, France --> Roncesvalles, Spain (17.1 km) ...
Roncesvalles is a former monastery which has been providing hospitality to pilgrims for over 800 years. A funny thing happened here! The doors at the albergues (the dormatories for pilgrims) close at 10:00 sharp. When I was writing my last blog post there, I wasn´t paying attention to the time and suddenly I realized that it was after 10! I ran to the albergue and tried the door but it was locked, so I ran back to the bar where I was and asked for help. They suggested I walk to the next town. I told them my stuff was inside so they said I should go back and knock on the door which I did. A grumpy Dutch woman let me in and told me to take off my sandals and be quiet. I tip-toed to my bunk which was in a cubicle of four beds and took off my shirt and pants and got into the bed. I couldn´t fing the zipper though, which was strange as I had arranged my sleeping bag earlier, so I turned on my little flashlight. OMG! It was not my bed! I had crawled into what was probably the only other empty bed in the whole place and now I could hear someone shuffling back from the washroom. I grabbed my stuff and went into the hallway and I realized that my bed was actually in the cubicle next door. I crawled into bed and tried to calm my breathing, and eventually went to sleep. When I awoke just after dawn, I saw when I gathered my belongings that I had also grabbed the hoodie belonging to the fellow next door! So I snuck over and placed it at the foot of his bed and dashed away just as he opened his eyes! That was a good lesson. When they say be in bed by ten, they mean be in bed by ten!
Day 3: Roncesvalles --> Zubiri (21.9 km) ...
This was my first full day of walking and I arrived at the albergue fairly early. The dinner we had at the albergue was a riot! I sat next to two Basque brothers, and there was a Norwegian across from me, and a lot of other Spanish speakers. I think the Basque fellows were delighted because I asked them how to say in Basque two important things to know: "thank you" and "buen camino! (the usual greeting to pilgrims). I would run into these guys several times over the next few days and every time I saw them they would shout out "ondo ibili!" (i.e. buen camino) and I would shout out ¨hermanos bascos"! (i.e. Basque brothers). I now have not seen them in a little while and wonde rif I have lost them now. People tend to come and go. I have learned that when you connect with someone, it is a good idea to ask for their email right then and there rather than thinking you will get it the next time. Just as in life, there is not always a next time.
Day 4: Zubiri --> Pamplona (21.1 km) ...
Pamplona is a beautiful city and is quite old, dating from the 900s sometime. I walked around in the afternoon after I arrived but everything was shut. I am still finding it difficult to get used to siesta time. In Spain there are two siestas... one for the stores, and a second one later on for the bars and restaurants. If you are not careful you could find yourself with nothing to eat for a few hours! I sat in the main square (Plaza del Castilo) with my first camino friend I met at Orisson (a fellow from Ottawa named Guy) and we were joined by Mireille and Marcel (from Strasbourg). There is no better place to people watch than the main square of a Spanish town. In the evening the Spanish people stream into the square just to hang out outside. Young couples, old marrieds, pilgrims, grandparents, grandchildren, dogs, and everywhere happy, smiling faces. The Spanish all seem to come alive at night and really enjoy spending time outside. It must be because of the lack of air conditioning here.
Day 5: Pamplona --> Puenta la Reina (via Eunate) (26.9 km) ...
The most significant thing on this day was the detour I took to visit an old building in the countryside at a place called Eunate. It is an octagonal chuch which historians here are not sure if it was a church of the Knights Templar or a burial ground for pilgrims of yore. All I know is that it was one of the most magical places I have been to so far. I have some photos of it... and photos of many other things too... but I cannot post any pics until I figure out how to reduce the filesize. Until then you will have to read and wait for the slideshow.
Day 6: Puenta la Reina --> Estella (21.9 km) ...
Again, I spent the evning in the main square, drinking wine and watching the people pass by. The wine was very good and Navarra, the province I was in, is famous for its rosé which is what we were drinking. I sat with several Germans and after a few, they would forget English and would carry on in that strange tongue of which I only know a few words. One of my few German words is the German for "Snow White" but I didn´t have an opportunity to use that in conversation! Let´s just say that the wine helped move things along nicely anyway.
Day 7: Estella --> Los Arcos (21.1 km) ...
In Los Arcos, a little old man approached me and asked if I wanted to buy a walking stick. I tried to tell him that I had one, but maybe it was the look on his face when he thought he wasn´t going to make a sale, or maybe it was the fact that he is the same age as my own father, but I decided in the end to buy his stick and I am really glad I did because it really is a beautiful piece. This man had used a wood burner to write some camino related words, and inscribed all the names of all the towns on the camino in a downward spiral along the pole. I went back to his home and we went upstairs where he finished the pole by writing that it was the property of Don Roberto Jessop. Now I am very glad I bought it and it will be a life-long reminder of my camino. That is, if I can figure out how I am going to get it home. But that is a problem for another day!
Day 8: Los Arcos --> Logroño (28.6 km) ...
Logroño is the capital of the La Rioja region which I am sure more than a few of you will know is famous for their wine. This was a very long day of walking and it was very, very hot (over 40 degrees Celsius). I went to the first albergue I could find but it was full, so I went to the next (also full). I was on my way to a third when a stranger stopped me on the street and said "pilgrim, you need a bed?" and then proceeded to draw me a map of a local place which wasn´t in my guidebook. This place was full too but then the camino did its magic! The woman there made some calls and found me a bed in a pension. She asked if it would okay for me to spend 15 euros for a private room and of course I said yes. It was on the other side of town. I went to the Bar Orinoco where I was told to ask for a key and they took me across to my room. It was small but private. My first private room! I said I would take it and went back to the bar to pay. As I was leaving the bartender called me back and handed me a bottle of Rioja wine to lift my spirits. Fifteen euros for a private room and a bottle of delicious wine. I could have cried I felt so grateful. I am actually tearing up a little right now as I write this because I was so moved by the experience.
Day 9: Logroño --> Navarette (12.7 km) ...
This day was a Sunday and when I got to Navarette I stopped for a couple of cafe con leches and a piece of cake. I ran into some people I met in Orisson and they told me they decided to have a short day and took a private room to rest, then they went on their way. As I was leaving the town I thought what a great idea that was and so I found myself a private room and slept for three glorious hours in the middle of the day. I am finally learning how to take a siesta and it gave me a real boost of energy to continue on my way today.
Day 10: Navarette--> Azofra (23.2 km) ...
Got up at 5:30 and was on the road by 6:00 and saw the sun rise over the fields of grapes and wheat. It was delightful day for walking today...not too hot...and I got to Azofra just after noon. The albergue here is the best I have come across so far. There are small little rooms with only two people in a room. And they have washing machines! And they are free to use!! I could stay here for days, but alas, you are only allowed one day in any albergue before they send you on your way.
Now that brings us up-to-date. There is so much I could write but I think this is a long enough post!
Hasta la vista, baby!
I have had little time or opportunity to post to this blog but I have a little time today to tell you where I am and where I have been, so let´s get going!
First day: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France --> Orisson, France (8.0 km) ...
I wanted to stay at Orisson to ease into my walk and I am glad I did because many people who went the whole way to Roncesvalles are now suffering with leg pain or blisters. So far I have had neither.
Day 2: Orisson, France --> Roncesvalles, Spain (17.1 km) ...
Roncesvalles is a former monastery which has been providing hospitality to pilgrims for over 800 years. A funny thing happened here! The doors at the albergues (the dormatories for pilgrims) close at 10:00 sharp. When I was writing my last blog post there, I wasn´t paying attention to the time and suddenly I realized that it was after 10! I ran to the albergue and tried the door but it was locked, so I ran back to the bar where I was and asked for help. They suggested I walk to the next town. I told them my stuff was inside so they said I should go back and knock on the door which I did. A grumpy Dutch woman let me in and told me to take off my sandals and be quiet. I tip-toed to my bunk which was in a cubicle of four beds and took off my shirt and pants and got into the bed. I couldn´t fing the zipper though, which was strange as I had arranged my sleeping bag earlier, so I turned on my little flashlight. OMG! It was not my bed! I had crawled into what was probably the only other empty bed in the whole place and now I could hear someone shuffling back from the washroom. I grabbed my stuff and went into the hallway and I realized that my bed was actually in the cubicle next door. I crawled into bed and tried to calm my breathing, and eventually went to sleep. When I awoke just after dawn, I saw when I gathered my belongings that I had also grabbed the hoodie belonging to the fellow next door! So I snuck over and placed it at the foot of his bed and dashed away just as he opened his eyes! That was a good lesson. When they say be in bed by ten, they mean be in bed by ten!
Day 3: Roncesvalles --> Zubiri (21.9 km) ...
This was my first full day of walking and I arrived at the albergue fairly early. The dinner we had at the albergue was a riot! I sat next to two Basque brothers, and there was a Norwegian across from me, and a lot of other Spanish speakers. I think the Basque fellows were delighted because I asked them how to say in Basque two important things to know: "thank you" and "buen camino! (the usual greeting to pilgrims). I would run into these guys several times over the next few days and every time I saw them they would shout out "ondo ibili!" (i.e. buen camino) and I would shout out ¨hermanos bascos"! (i.e. Basque brothers). I now have not seen them in a little while and wonde rif I have lost them now. People tend to come and go. I have learned that when you connect with someone, it is a good idea to ask for their email right then and there rather than thinking you will get it the next time. Just as in life, there is not always a next time.
Day 4: Zubiri --> Pamplona (21.1 km) ...
Pamplona is a beautiful city and is quite old, dating from the 900s sometime. I walked around in the afternoon after I arrived but everything was shut. I am still finding it difficult to get used to siesta time. In Spain there are two siestas... one for the stores, and a second one later on for the bars and restaurants. If you are not careful you could find yourself with nothing to eat for a few hours! I sat in the main square (Plaza del Castilo) with my first camino friend I met at Orisson (a fellow from Ottawa named Guy) and we were joined by Mireille and Marcel (from Strasbourg). There is no better place to people watch than the main square of a Spanish town. In the evening the Spanish people stream into the square just to hang out outside. Young couples, old marrieds, pilgrims, grandparents, grandchildren, dogs, and everywhere happy, smiling faces. The Spanish all seem to come alive at night and really enjoy spending time outside. It must be because of the lack of air conditioning here.
Day 5: Pamplona --> Puenta la Reina (via Eunate) (26.9 km) ...
The most significant thing on this day was the detour I took to visit an old building in the countryside at a place called Eunate. It is an octagonal chuch which historians here are not sure if it was a church of the Knights Templar or a burial ground for pilgrims of yore. All I know is that it was one of the most magical places I have been to so far. I have some photos of it... and photos of many other things too... but I cannot post any pics until I figure out how to reduce the filesize. Until then you will have to read and wait for the slideshow.
Day 6: Puenta la Reina --> Estella (21.9 km) ...
Again, I spent the evning in the main square, drinking wine and watching the people pass by. The wine was very good and Navarra, the province I was in, is famous for its rosé which is what we were drinking. I sat with several Germans and after a few, they would forget English and would carry on in that strange tongue of which I only know a few words. One of my few German words is the German for "Snow White" but I didn´t have an opportunity to use that in conversation! Let´s just say that the wine helped move things along nicely anyway.
Day 7: Estella --> Los Arcos (21.1 km) ...
In Los Arcos, a little old man approached me and asked if I wanted to buy a walking stick. I tried to tell him that I had one, but maybe it was the look on his face when he thought he wasn´t going to make a sale, or maybe it was the fact that he is the same age as my own father, but I decided in the end to buy his stick and I am really glad I did because it really is a beautiful piece. This man had used a wood burner to write some camino related words, and inscribed all the names of all the towns on the camino in a downward spiral along the pole. I went back to his home and we went upstairs where he finished the pole by writing that it was the property of Don Roberto Jessop. Now I am very glad I bought it and it will be a life-long reminder of my camino. That is, if I can figure out how I am going to get it home. But that is a problem for another day!
Day 8: Los Arcos --> Logroño (28.6 km) ...
Logroño is the capital of the La Rioja region which I am sure more than a few of you will know is famous for their wine. This was a very long day of walking and it was very, very hot (over 40 degrees Celsius). I went to the first albergue I could find but it was full, so I went to the next (also full). I was on my way to a third when a stranger stopped me on the street and said "pilgrim, you need a bed?" and then proceeded to draw me a map of a local place which wasn´t in my guidebook. This place was full too but then the camino did its magic! The woman there made some calls and found me a bed in a pension. She asked if it would okay for me to spend 15 euros for a private room and of course I said yes. It was on the other side of town. I went to the Bar Orinoco where I was told to ask for a key and they took me across to my room. It was small but private. My first private room! I said I would take it and went back to the bar to pay. As I was leaving the bartender called me back and handed me a bottle of Rioja wine to lift my spirits. Fifteen euros for a private room and a bottle of delicious wine. I could have cried I felt so grateful. I am actually tearing up a little right now as I write this because I was so moved by the experience.
Day 9: Logroño --> Navarette (12.7 km) ...
This day was a Sunday and when I got to Navarette I stopped for a couple of cafe con leches and a piece of cake. I ran into some people I met in Orisson and they told me they decided to have a short day and took a private room to rest, then they went on their way. As I was leaving the town I thought what a great idea that was and so I found myself a private room and slept for three glorious hours in the middle of the day. I am finally learning how to take a siesta and it gave me a real boost of energy to continue on my way today.
Day 10: Navarette--> Azofra (23.2 km) ...
Got up at 5:30 and was on the road by 6:00 and saw the sun rise over the fields of grapes and wheat. It was delightful day for walking today...not too hot...and I got to Azofra just after noon. The albergue here is the best I have come across so far. There are small little rooms with only two people in a room. And they have washing machines! And they are free to use!! I could stay here for days, but alas, you are only allowed one day in any albergue before they send you on your way.
Now that brings us up-to-date. There is so much I could write but I think this is a long enough post!
Hasta la vista, baby!
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