El Camino del Norte

It's a given. Next May, I am boarding a plane to walk el camino del norte en espana. As much as Iwould LOVE to walk the meseta again, I am opting for the northern route. 2010 is a holy year which traditionally attracts more pilgrims. As more people learn and desire to walk the camino, I am opting for a hopefully less busy route. In a way the Camino Frances is the main route that attracts many. First timers are discouraged from walking el camino del norte. Apparently, although I don't know first hand the infastructure is less developed. My first camino I opted to walk the tried and true. I hear different lengths...for the el camino de norte... but roughly it is 835 km to Santiago de Compostela with just the last couple of days joining up with the popular Camino de Frances. I truly hope if I walk the el camino de norte via santiago de compoestela and right through to Muxia, I will be able to put this walk to rest at last. It is a long way to go for a long walk. I dream about it, even now. I try and re-live it when I put on my pack and do a quick walk up to Elk Falls here in the mornings before work where I live. I have a rock cairn I add to. My rock cairn that you might miss if you are not looking around. This walk in Spain for me is a fixation of sorts... to me. An expensive, intensive, all encompassing hobby.... that is my oxygen. I used to think I could not leave the planet without walking it... now I must walk it again. And I am doing it while I can afford it, physically.. . financially and all the rest. I know I am not alone... really with this sentiment. This must be boring reading for some. Some people really like antique cars or limoge figurines...It takes all kinds, doesn't it?

I'm baaaack. I just found out today I can combine my holidays for 2009 and 2010 which translates into walking the el camino again. I have NOT been able to stop thinking about it since I came back. I find myself frantically trying to relive and remember every footstep. We live our lives and we forget so much but the camino to represents wanting to harness every single second... to what end? I have come up with "techniques" to lasoo every second. What will I do differently? I will follow my favourite travel writer's model, Alice Steinbach. She wrote herself postcards and in fact punctutated her travelogues with excerpts from her post cards. Post cards, like blogs are magical. They capture a point in time. They capture right fn now.

I am not going to post again until I have bought my ticket. I have the time. I will make the money happen. I can't wait until I am walking again. That is when I feel most alive. Hasta pronto.

Reflections

Monica from Pamplona. A sweet girl I met that I hope to see again.... when I live my next dream.... to live in Spain

The ocean at last.... on the last painful downhill approach to Cee. This was near the end of a 4o km day for me and all I could say as I made my descent back to sea leval was ouch, fn ouch, I was in tears at the end of the day because every single step was brutal but I knew the pain like most days wouldn't last. It sometimes is simply an exercise in trust... trust that everything will be ok eventually. And you know what? It was.... eventually.

Herman from Germany had been walking for 2 months when I met him. He started walking from his front door. I was sure I would see him again... but no...

Denise from France, another person I shared time with and may never see again (I can't read her handwriting in my book.) Too bad because I would have liked to send her this fabulous photo. She had her own wonderful style.




I hesitate to write the last posting with my reflections because that really means my camino is over because my blog is over. It is often said that when one finishes the camino, that is when the real one begins. It is sad to say goodbye to the walk and the wonderful lifestyle of just getting up and walking to destinations unknown.

Words of advice for anyone considering walking the camino.... I started in Burgos and took my time. I could have walked further in a shorter amount of time but I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to be stressed by a schedule. Also, I have allowed myself some time at home before going back to work. Just as well because I haven't slept worth a damn and when I do it is at odd hours. I think it is true that the jet lag coming in this direction is tough. Anyways for anyone considering the walk, I recommend taking as much time and walking for as long as you can. Some people start later than I did in Leon, or even Sarria which is only 100 kms, enough to qualify for a certificate from the cathedral. Where I started, the majority of pilgrims had already been walking for a couple of weeks. They had chilled out by that time and patiently showed me the way.... their way. By the time we all get to Sarria, it is as if there is a flood of chatty, excited, hyper people on what was once a quiet walk. It takes a couple of weeks to empty out the mind with busy thoughts and that to me is the best part of the camino. I won't give the usual tips such as pack lightly, break in your boots, try out all your clothes and pack at home... but I guess I just did, didn't I?

One thing I loved about Spain that took me a while to clue into was the lovely spanish men who call the barristas guapa (beautiful) when ordering a coffee or whatever. The women love it of course and I think calling someone you don't know beautiful makes the world a better place. I was in Madrid in a little tienda and I heard the most groovey cubanlmusic and I asked who it was. It turns out they had the cd for sale....Rauel Torres, originally from Cuba but now living in Madrid. I was so thrilled. When I paid for my cd and got it in my hand, I told the woman, muchas gracias guapa. She gave me the nicest smile and a flower. I wasn't sure if women called other women guapa until I was called guapa by a female musician earlier that day in the Plaza Mayor.

The weird thing about the camino is that there are so many connections made, so many sharing of moments only to find out that one never ever will see that person again. I lost a few people on the walk that I was so sure I would see again. The aussie brothers.... Gabriel... Judy.... Herman... Dora... Natasha....even Miguel who professed his love for me while I washed my socks..so many.

Would I walk the camino again? Abso-fn-lutely! I would choose a different season... maybe the winter or the spring. As I walked, I knew I was only catching a snapshot of just one season and I would try and imagine the hayfields with their first shoots coming up out of the ground in the spring and how different that must look. Another time, I would have a better idea of what to put in my pack and more importantly what not to put in my pack.

I would take better notes. The days tend to blur together. And I would try and learn some working french and german to be able to communicate with more people. My spanish was ok but those other languages would be really helpful.

I walked by so many albergues I would have loved to stay in but it was too early in the day to stop. I would like to see the sunrise at the cruz de ferro. And I definitely would walk all the way to the end of the world... Fisterre again. And I would walk into many more sunsets.

The walk isn't for everyone and perhaps everyone isn't for the walk. It was a must-do-before-I-leave-the-planet thing and now it is a must-do-again-before-I-leave-the planet. I am grateful that I gave myself this gift of time. It was a gentle way to say goodbye to my dad and a gentle way to get reaquainted with life. So simple. One foot in front of the other. The pain and discomfort passes. As that aussie woman Sonja said, walking with the pack is purgatory and at the end of every day is heaven when it is time to give the aching feet and tired bones a rest.

I guess my camino is over or hopefully just beginning. Estoy agradecida por todo. Buen camino a todos.

Back home

Back home now. Although my body is still on spanish time which is odd being so out of sync with the rest of Campbell River. I think I will do one more post before I say goodbye to this blog. I would like to take some time to reflect and think about things and post a few pictures --- oh and correct my spelling mistakes. I was aware of the mistakes but figured at the time they didn't impede the meaning.

Madrid,,, the last day

Plaza Mayor at noon
Cocktails in the late afternoon
The market this morning
El Parque de Retiro en Madrid
My comida in the dining car on the way to Madrid.

Just a quick post....It is yet another beautiful summer like day in Madrid. The train was fun. I shared the sleeper car with 3 great gals and then whiled away the hours with 2 delightful spanish guys in the dining car. When we arrived in Madrid, we went out for coffee before going our separate ways. I felt on top of the world and I felt like I owned the streets of Madrid especially in comparision to how I felt when I first arrived in Madrid a month ago. A month ago I was a nervous nelly pretending to be brave. No more nervous nelly but by the time, later afternoon hit, the prospects of dining alone in the city made me feel profoundly sad. So I had a good cry and then decided to try some Thai food. There was a woman sitting by herself so I invited her to join me. Thankfully she spoke english and we proceeded to have a wonderful meal together and then walked the streets of Madrid together until about 2 in the morning. Everyone was parading last night and we had an absolute blast. I´ve agreed to meet her again tonight but unfortunately I´m not sure what plaza we agreed upon so I might be a no show.

Today I have been walking and walking and walking and getting lost and loving it. I went to an amazing market and bought a kick ass coat and other adornments.

I could live in Madrid. It has a fabulous pulse and for the most part, I find it quite friendly. And if I don´t find it friendly, I just move on.

Tomorrow is a travel day. Yuck. Never mind. I am going back to see what happens next in Madrid. My next big decision is where to watch the sunset tonight. I stumbled upon an East Indian Restaurant area today so that might be tonight's dinner of choice. That is if I can find it. I was a little lost when I found it earlier.

Salud!

Hola a Todos de Santiago

Miguel, the man who fixed my sandals on the way to Fisterre
The beginning of the walk from Compostela to Fisterre
A piper in Compostela at sunset
The view from Fisterre, el fin del mundo.... the end of the earth.
The view from where we slept last night. I had a wee swim just before sunset.
Our night cap meal from last night. Las vavias found only in this particular bay where we stayed last night. Muy muy sabrosa....
The most precious momento other than memories from my camino
The view from above where I found my scallop shell.
The beach where I found my concha just 8 or so kms before Fisterre. It felt sooooo good to take off my hot boots and walk in the warm soft sand

Efren, Voy a recordarte siempre....

So.... after walking for 3 days and many special special moments I am waiting for my train to leave tonight destined for Madrid. My camino is over. However, I had many many magical moments on the way to the coast in Fisterre. I felt extremely strong so I had long days in order to spend the last day getting there taking my time. I found my scallop shell on the first beach I walked on. Fine powdery sand. It was so good to see the ocean again. On my second last day, the day I was walking 40 kms, I ran into a camino friend, Efren. Efren was born Alicante and spent the first 25 years of his life in Spain and then moved to Germany. Our language together was spanish. We ran into each other many times along the way and I always enjoyed our conversations. We agreed to meet up in Fisterre on the last day. We spent hours and hours talking but not nearly enough. Last night I joined Efren and his friends for dinner in Muxia, another seaside town and we gorged ourselves on various plates of tasty tasty seafood. Afterwards, Efren and I went to a another bar closer to where we are staying and that´s when we had the most devin plate of strange looking clams that taste like lobster that are only fished in that particular bay. We watched the sunset together. Today Efren drove me back to Santiago and we spent the day wandering around Santiago savouring our last moments together. The parting was kind of harsh. We got stuck and a little lost in horrendous traffic and then we said goodbye in a smokey grotty cafeteria in the train station. I was going to wait there until my train was ready to leave but it was too unpleasant to the senses. At one point people were running around in circles cramming on to a bus because their train was broken down. Too crazy for me.

Many highlights in the last few days aside from Efren.... and Efren Esto esto es para ti. Te extrano mucho y espero nuestros caminos van a encontrar en otra vez .... Es verdad, a veces la vida esta muy sabrosa.... Perhaps I will post some pictures to save some words.

I feel strong, svelte and very content. I hope the camino stays with me for a while. This was the most profoundly wonderful trip I have ever taken. Now I am off to Madrid, far away from the camino. When I wake up tomorrow morning I will be in a new place. I don´t have a place to stay yet but I will figure that out in the morning.

Hopefully the train station will be a bit more tranquila now.

Santiago for another day

Santiago sin muchilla

My new friends in Santiago, Montessa and Luis

I am having another town day before I go off walking. Today I have walked from one end of Santiago to the other. I bought my overnight ticket to Madrid for October 3rd. I splurged and got a sleeper. Then I walked to the other end of town to the bus depot. Then it was off to the post office to retrieve my kitchen sink etc, stuff that didn´t get to walk with me.... thankfully. I have run into several camino friends today and I have a dinner date tonight with Pieter from Denmark. I haven´t seen him since Astorga.... many days ago. I hope I run into Gabriel from southern spain. I want him to teach me how to say marviolosa like a spaniard. The way he says it.... is marviolosa.

I ended up having dinner last night with two delightful american women who did a camino lite. They started in Leon, I think. They would walk 6 or 10 kms a day and had their bags and suitcases transported for them, hotels lined up, tours. It was interesting to hear their approach and I think they found my approach interesting as well. They thought they were going on a walking tour of Spain and knew precious little about the historical significance of the camino. Now they know a little more. Afterwards I went for a night cap and met Montessa, a bubbly gal born and raised in Santiago. She took me under her wing and we walked around Santiago arm in arm showing me corners and shadows and a gallery displaying the work of her favourite photographer friend. She introduced me to a friend of hers, also born and raised in Santiago and the three of us spent hours talking, walking, eating, drinking coffee. Montessa reminded me of an irish spanish lass. I was exhausted and satisfied after. My spanish comprehension is better but I still feel awkward a little when I speak. Montessa has a fishing background so we got to swap deckhand stories. I felt priviledged to tap into Santiago last night. That is thanks to studying the language and just getting out there and seeing what happens. I love that about travelling.

So tomorrow it is back to walking through quiet hamlets bound for the ocean. This is considered the pagan part of the camino. Tomorrow is a long day. 35 kms because the villages are spread far apart. I have managed to lighten my pack a bit and my body is having a nice rest day. Walking today without a pack is freedom. All my chores are pretty well done.

My trip is winding down. But thankfully, I get to do just a little more walking. I suspect it will be quite thrilling to see the sunset at the end of the earth.

Hasta pronto.

So now my mission is just walk around sunny Santiago and soak up some sun and see who is walking into Santiago today. Oh and eat absolutely dilicious food of course.

Santiago de Compostela

Last night´s laundry line. Clean dry socks.... nothing better than....

The sunset I walked into and well beyond the other night. I walked until about 10 at night.

I just finished eating this delightful seafood salad in a tapas bar in Santiago. Muy muy rico!

Another Galician delicacy... queso con membrillo, Soft heavenly cheese with a sweet fruit paste

Los pulpos (octupus, the signature dish of Galicia) Oh... my... god... these were sooooooooooooooooo good! Bread wine and pulpos and I shared the table with a couple of Spaniards that go to this pulperia once a week no matter what to eat these lovely morsels. This was my favourite meal to date but I have had many close seconds...

There is a short period of time in the morning just when the sun gets up that the shadow is super tall.

Somwhere just outside of Sarria in the last 100 km stretch

One can walk for hours and hours in these shaded corridors that outline the fields.

Spanish shaggy manes

I am just puckering up to kiss this cow in Fonfria.

I strolled into Santiago at 10 am this morning. I haven´t even pulled out my camera to take the obligatory picture of one standing in front of the oldest cathedral in Spain... but I will. Before I forget. I loved the walk here but I must say the journey was more fun than reaching the destination. I only walked 1o kms today. I miss having my pack on. Crossing bridges and seeing what is around the next bend. I am finally hitting my stride. My body decided it was happiest walking 30 kms a day, especially into the sunset. I found myself having a delicious leisurely lunch complete with wine, dessert, cafe solo with a splash of orujo for digestion, 2 hours later I was good to go.

I went to the pilgrim´s mass at the cathedral this morning. The place was packed. Cameras were flasihing. Poorly dressed tourists/pilgrims were everywere walking around looking rather stunned. As I sat in the uncomfortable pew, I realized who was I kidding. All I really wanted to see was the giant perfumeria, the giant inscence ball that takes 8 men to pull the rope to move the thing in order to get it to swing in the church. All of a sudden, the organ gets loud and the men starting heaving on this rope, It was used to hide the scent of the smelly stinky pilgrims. Now it is a huge tourist spectacle and people watch it through the screens of their digital cameras. I heard that the ball would swing at the end of the service, so I gave my seat up in the pew to go out to walk around.

So no pictures of the perfumeria. The internet is full of them. Not sure I have the right word.

So I found myself a delightful pension near the cathedral for 20 Euros. Originally, I thought I might like to hand around for a day or 2 but instead I think I will continue walking tomorrow for another 90 kms to Fisterre, the end of the earth. That bides me 3 more days of walking and then gulp it´s time to carry on the camino.... at home.

This has been the best trip ever. Walking for days on end solves a lot of problems and clears the mind or rather empties it out. I still think of John from time to time and surprisingly I think of him rather kindly. He wasn´t a great dad. Some how I am managing to cut him some slack. I think I am relieved in some ways that he is dead becuase that means he can no longer hurt my feelings by not acknowledging my existence on countless birthdays and many Christmases. I am grateful he died while I was away. It has given me time to just be. Nothing else.

I am feeling a tad lost today in Santiago. I feel like I am all alone and have lost my camino friends. I have run into a few and I am hoping I run into a great group of Spaniards I met a few days ago. One professed undying love for me as I was washing my socks two days back,. I ran into the trio earlier today but we seem to have gone our own ways for the time being. The day is still young and Santiago is a small place. I feel like kicking up my heals a bit.

One observation about Spain before I sign off. In Cuba and Mexico, music, over modulated music blares everywhere. Where I have been in Spain, I barely hear music. The odd store might have some playing and I always make a point of finding out what we are listening to. Today I heard music from Colombia and Puerto Rico... Nothing else. I asked Gabriel why this is and he says Spaniards like to hear themselves talk.

I would like to live in Spain one day in the not so distant future. I particularly like Galicia

I am off to wander around some more, and maybe have some more morsels of mariscos.

I probably won´t post again until after I get back from Finisterre in 3 or 4 days. It will be wonderful to see the ocean again. Saludos a todos.

Oh yes, and I better get that picture taken in front of the cathedral.

More later

Palas de Rei

I must say I am tickled pink with myself for taking charge yesterday. Yesterday I thought I would stop my walk at about 23 kms only to find myself in THE worst hostel I have stayed in. Sure, it was modern. Yes it had showers but zero character and it was on a busy highway and it was so sterile. And they told me the next hostel was 11 kms away which seemed too far to walk. Not only that but there were far nicer places to stay just around the next bend. The hospitelera neglected to mention that. Odd really. So I had my shower, washed my clothes with tooth paste, had some soup at the snooty restaurant next door, and then had a nap. This was all done by 5 pm and dinner wasn't to be until 7 pm. I was going out of my mind in my bunk. I listened to these 3 germans carry on a conversation in the dorm, while people are trying to sleep or read. I gave one of them a glare but the message was lost. To make matters worse, one of the people talking was part of a group I called the stick ladies. Yesterday morning, I left in the dark at about 7 am to walk along a stony path. About 20 minutes later, these loud sticks accompanied by loud women overtook me in the dark with not even so much as a hello or buen camino or anything. They took a wrong turn ahead and I enjoyed the silence until they overtook me again.... sounding like a scary monstrous singer sewing machine. Anyways, the stick ladies were also staying at this characterless dorm. Not a good omen.

So at 5:30 PM, I packed up my bag, put on my boots and set off into the sunset to the next sizable place, Palas del rei. I had the paths to myself because everyone else was done walking for the day. I watched multiple sunsets because I was climbing in rolling hills so I think I counted three glorious sunsets. It felt so liberating to be walking at that time of day. I felt as fresh as I do in the mornings. And I've missed being out in that part of the day. OK. I´ll admit it. I was a little scared walking through deserted hamlets as it was getting dark. I got to the city about 8:30 or so. Stopped to rest my bones outside a hostel where a lovely american girl offered me a glass of wine and sparkling conversation. She was a breath of fresh air and she loved my story of how I just bolted from the last hostel. Anyways we had a delightful conversation and then she gave me excellent directions into the city. There I was walking down a black, dark path on the outskirts of the city only lit by her directions in my mind. I walked to the centre of the city. The hotel told me everyone was sold out... all the pensiones.... So there I was bone tired at 10 with my pack. I urged her to call someone... anyone. She did. I lucked out and got a fabulous pension for 24 euros that met and exceeded all my needs. I am going to have a shorter, luxurious day today. I am going to kick around this city for as long as I like. It is another glorious sunny day.

I feel strong, powerful and comfortable in my skin. I am wearing exactly what it comfortable and I consider stylish in my fashion. My cafe con leche is delish. My only annoyance is I am in a non smoking cafe....

I just tried to download some pix but am not having luck. Another time.

So only 68 kms left to walk. I think I will take my time for a few days but who knows. I might just find myself power walking into the sunset again.

Sarria 112 kms left to walk

Good morning,
I am in Sarria and I am just kicking around. The rest of the walk is easy and all too short. 112 kms seems like a walk in the park now. I can take pictures now but this computer won´t let me download any.

I had a lovely dinner last night with two aussie brothers I keep running into. This morning I got up and walked into the city with a young french girl, 18 who has been walking for two months. That´s all she wants to do is walk until she decides what to do with her life. Sounds like a great plan.

When I am away from the computer, I think of things to say but right now my mind is a little blank. It´s a gentle warmish day. I have been blessed with perfect weather on this trip. I´ve only had to whip out the rain poncho once for half an hour.

From here on in, the camino gets busy with people starting in this city. You only need to walk 100 kms in order to qualify for a compostela certificate. There is a sentiment that these people are tourists. It´s odd to see who thinks he or she is a real pilgrim. There is no such thing as far as I am concerned. Funny how we are always trying to make our place in the world.

I am very happy to be in this place. My body is so so strong now. My face feels relaxed and I am genuinely happy when I am walking and I often find delightful places to have a picnic. Now is the time in the journey that people start talking about the changes they hope to make in their lives. I have resolved to have more picnics all the time alone and with friends. One can have a picnic anywhere. Oh and walking to work, only 9kms without a pack should be a snap.

Sorry I don´t talk much about what I am walking through. The pictures will show that I suppose. Not much to say really other than I don´t think I have felt this content for so long in a long time. I look forward to continuing walking today and walking over bridges and rounding corners not knowing what is coming next... or who I am going to meet next or reconnect with....

I will probably be in Santiago on or around the 29th or 30th at an easy pace. It feels like the hard work is all done now and now I just simply have to stroll, see and breathe.

I continue to be greatful for taking this walk at this time.

Time to get out of this city and see what is next. Hopefully I can post some pictures soon.

Cheers, mg

Tricastala some 132 Kms left to walk

Just approaching O Cebreiro, (altitude over 1,000 m) The air was so damp if felt like you could drink it.


And now we are in the province of Galicia! 152 kms to Santiago de Compostela


Greetings from Tricastala,
I have been staying in hamlets and just passing through cities if you can call them that. Yesterday, I climbed all day and then climbed some more to the highest part of the camino. I thought I might like to stay in the village at the top, O Poio (1,337 m) but opted not to. It was creepy in the fog and an old man told me as I was climbing the last steep chunk of the hill, that very few pilgrims opt to stay here. I am now in the province of Galicia. I walk through the fog and listen to the cow bells. Every now and then, the cows approach me as they are on their way to work. I was kissing a cow yesterday for a photo and lost my composure and dropped the camera so I will have to do creative camera work like I have done before when I travel without a camera. It just means giving my email address to lots of people...

This morning was glorious as I did the steepest descent on a surreal trail in the rolling hills of Galicia. I was reminded of the smell of Uncle Bill and Earl´s farm ie mucho manure... There are now waymarkers every kilometer or so now and I am just a little sad to see the numbers getting smaller. I am feeling so strong and fit so I can walk longer without a break and longer into the day. It also helps now that it is cooler so we don´t bake in the sun as we walk.

I am at a fork in the road so I need to go have a little breakfast and decide which route I want to take to today which will eventually take me to Sarria.

I have new camino friends now and seem to be surfing a nice wave in that area.

Sorry this isn´t very newsy. I just stumbled upon this internet place in an albergue so I hadn´t thought of what I wanted to say.

Until later. Marjorie

Villafranca del Bierzo 194.3 kms to Santiago

A cow on the way to el Acebo

A field of grapes on the long way into Vallafranca del Bierzo

The view as I rested in the shade this afternoon in Pieros.

Yesterday in the line up to get into the albergue. I got there early so I had already changed into my evening gown and had my clothes drying on the line....

No book or sign agrees with how many kms left to Santiago. I saw one optimistic sign at my hostal I am staying at tonight at 177 kms.... Hmmmn. Tomorrow and the next few days are the hardest physically because there is a long steep up followed by a long steep down followed by yet another long steep us and a long steep down. It is the down part that is hard on the bones. I was supposed to have an easy day but on the way out of Ponfrerrada this morning, I hooked up with two spanish boys from Madrid. Today was their first day of the walk. It was dark and there was one sign that was very misleading so at 8:30 PM, we were right back where we started and hour and a half earlier. That probably added another 5 or 6 Kms to walk so right now I am feeling very tired.

I found myself a storage room in the hostal to sleep tonight. Delux accommodations indeed. Maybe I ought to take a picture of it. It looks a little grim but it suits all my needs and it beats being on the top bunk in a crowded tiny room with other sleepers.

Villafranka is lovely and hilly with lots of inviting places to eat. As we get closer to Galicia, seafood is the specialty so tonight I see octopus is on various menus around town.

All is well. I guess I will be walking for another ten days.... today was day 16. I look forward to getting the scary part over with. There are many more new pilgrims now walking as we get closer to Santiago. They add a different flavour to the mix because they haven´t calmed down yet.... That takes a little time. And I don't find them as warm and fuzzy. Maybe that is just today´s mood.... As the newbies hit the camino, I see many awkward, heavy packs and more makeup after the walk is over for the day.

Thankfully, I spent a day in Burgos when I first started and just observed the pilgrims and realized my pack was way too heavy. So much for my kitchen sink....

Ponferrada 202 kms left to walk

My father taught me when the sky looks like this the sky is drawing water. I saw this sky the day I laid his rock at the cruz de Ferro..... yesterday

Me at the Cruz de Ferro yesterday

My rock I carried for my dad

The other side

Drat. I have no time to write tonight. I have a 10 pm curfew at the parish hostel I am staying at. Posting pictures takes a lot of time. My pack is lighter now that I no longer carry that rock. I think I forgave my father yesterday... finally. We'll see. Many magical moments that I have no time to write about now. I am in a city tonight after spending the last two nights in villages, Rabanel and El Acebo. I like the villages better but often there is no internet and in the cities I get lost so easily. I have a plan to live in Spain. Because I am so rushed, I don´t feel settled enough to write. Perhaps tomorrow when I am in another city Villa de la Franca, 20 kms down the road. All is well. I am absolutely loving my walk. I will post more pictures and write more later. The scenery is outstanding, rolling hills, quaint pueblos and loving people walking the way with me. I feel strong, pain free and lighter, physically, emotionally and spiritually. More about that later as well. I´ve got to go back to the hostel and strategically plan where I will place my mattress. It is warm enough to sleep outside in the court yard with the bicycles. I finished the granola today mom, sitting on the side of a mountain taking a break from my morning walk. It was divine.

Astorgos

Taken today on the bridge at Hospital de Orbigo

This picture taken today betweenVillar de Mazarife and Villavante at about 8 am....

Spring Rolls in Leon

Doing my laundry in Puenta Villarente

Me in Villalcazur de Sirga at the end of the day

I am beat. I walked 32 kms today just because... the other choice was to only walk 15. It is a beautiful city but I am too tired to take it in. OK pictures posted. Time to join my danish friend Pieter for dinner and my german friend Luisa. Early to bed. More stories later. I started walking today at 7¨30 and kept walking until almost 6PM. It was blistering hot and my feet were on fire. Still no blisters to report. I´ll take it easy tomorrow. Maybe just 20 ks.

Buenas noches a todos.

So rather than write, why don´t I post some pix....

Villar de la something, 30 kms this side of Astorga

Just a quick post today. Internet is slow and there is someone waiting. I walked 23 kms past Leon today. It feels good to be out of the city and back in the fields. I was perpeptually lost in Leon. I found myself wandering in the down town east side version of Leon. Saw a man taking a leak and another man having a theraputic puke. I spent the night with the benedictines and found it stuffy and too many rules. I wanted to sleep outside in the court yard and the nun told me to go to my bed. I compromised and slept in the hall. Walking out of Leon was hard but eventually found my way. So much for my kitchen sink... It was mailed to Leon from Burgos and now on to Santiago along with 5 other kilos of unneccesary stuff. I only wear my shorts and at the end of the day I slip into my dragon dress. No rain.

I ran into the lovely English man who found my glasses a few days ago. We got to say goodbye and I got to take his picture. I was hoping to run into him when I was in Leon and I asked you know who to nudge him and or me in the right direction. And alas I found Richard and Ken at the end of the day. Their camino is done now and they will continue it next year from where they left off.

All is well. No aches and pains. I think Santiago is about 285 klicks away. I don´t like to think about the end just now.

Thanks Malcolm for giving me a wonderful description of John´s service.

Buenas noches a todos. mfg

A mini Drama

Today I had a mini drama after that internet cafe I lost wrote in. I ended up spending a couple of hours there, drinking coffee and posting pictures. That snack that looked so delicious was... I got up, packed up my stuff and headed off for Vilarente. Halfway to Vilarente, I remembered I forgot to pay for my meal. I started to fret and wondered how I would explain my story to the police if need be. Then I started wondering what spanish prisons were like. Then I remembered I met a danish lawyer just after I left the internet cafe. My mind raced. When I got to the albergue, I explained my story to the hospitilera. She whisked me off in her car and drove me back to the cafe, a walk that took me an hour and a half was 10 minutes return in the car. The people in the cafe said tranquilo to me. I have managed to restore potential bad karma and I feel better.

Tomorrow I am off to Leon hopefully to stay in a benedictine monastry with vespers in the evening.

All is well. Time to get back to right now.

Las fotos...

A visual treasure on the camino this morning....The flower is actually growing in the sand.

My lunch in this internet cafe in Mansilla de las Mulas

Odd Expression taken this morning between el Burgo Ranero and Reliegos with happier rodillas knees

Just the facts today. No introspection or retrospection... I woke up this morning in the laundry room of an albergue. Delux accommodation, a private room for only 10 Euros. Gulped two cafe con leches in rapid succession at around 7 am. Then set out following the arrows.

I feel strong today and have stopped in la Mansilla de las Mulas for a little lunch and a wee blog. It´s still early so I am going to keep going, probably another 7 kms.

Here is my route so far. Burgos, Tardajos, Hontanas, Itera de la Vega, Fromista, Villacazar de Sirga, Calzadilla de le Cueza, El Burgo Ranero and tonight I think I will stop in Puenta Villarente for a total roughly of 157 kms walked.

Your granola is incredible mom. I have been spreading it out to make it last to complement delicious yogurt.

So a short walk to Leon tomorrow. 12 Kms or so and I may just hang out there for a bit. I love walking with my home on my back with no plans and no one to consult or wait for. Friends are easy to make and like Judy from Ottawa said last night at dinner the camino reminds her of university life without the angst and a broader range of ages.

Not much else to say really for today. I feel fan-fn-tastic! I look forward to seeing what is over the next bridge. Buen Camino....

Sahagun 102 kms walked...mas o menos

Piper in La Calzadilla de le Cueza

My laundry in Fromista....

Hola todos!
I am now in a sizeable city with a civilized internet cafe in a bar where I can smoke and sip a cool vino blanco. I might even try to upload some pix.

I went to bed last night under the stars thinking the camino is a lot like a cradle....people are gentle and caring and there is a real sense of acceptance and comradarie on the walk.... yet respect for one´s own space. I spend hours each day walking alone and often hook up with others when it´s time for a rest or at the end of the day. I have had magnificent talks with my father while walking.... the best we have ever had. The day before yesterday was blistering hot along the meseta. I took a quieter route with a small river on one side and hay fields and tired sunflower fields for as far as the eye can see over the table land. All of a sudden, I felt John´s presence. It was as if he was skipping and hovering over hay bales. We talked about acceptance and it was so loud but I felt him assure me that he was in fact proud of me. Now that he is not in a body, he feels so much more accessible and even nicer than I can ever remember. The feeling was so strong and so loud I said enough! This feels real but I need a sign that is unmistakable. I was about to send him away. He insisted on staying just a while longer, enough to ensure that I took a turn where I needed to. It was as if I felt a nudge because I was insistent on going a certain direction. Before I sent him off, I gave my father a task. I keep losing my reading glasses and I find them later in drinking fountains etc. I told John he was responsible for me keeping track of my glasses. Fine. The next day as I am walking out of a village, I am off in the ditch collecting garbage to tidy up the walk a bit. I didn´t realize I lost my glasses until about two hours later. Then I noticed. Ugh! Once I noticed, I said ok John, see if you can pull this one off. More hours passed. I stopped at a place to rest and just happened to mention to Patrick from Ireland and Veronica from Switzerland how I lost my glasses. 20 minutes before Richard from England had mentioned to them how he found a pair of glasses which was great because his were broken. I got my glasses back and told Richard my story. He gave me a nice hug and I gave him a spare pair that I had which were more suited to him. Yesterday was John´s memorial. It was another hot blistery day. At the end of the day, Richard, Patrick, Veronica and I shared tapas and a guy on the walk travelling with bagpipes played for us. He played a special song for my dad. As he played, off in the distance was a man on a tractor cutting hay. The scene was too perfect. John had a tractor which he loved.... Once again, I wept tears, these ones sweet and I payed homage to my father´s death 8 or so hours ahead of time in Ontario. Rest in Peace John Greaves. I haven´t heard from my brothers about the memorial yet but I look forward to hearing what music was played and who said what.

Today was a gentle 23 km walk. Richard, the guy who found my glasses has probably moved on. When I opted for the quieter some what longer route, I thought then, I am unlikely to see you again but thanks.... Today I have been walking for 7 days and I feel so strong. No aches or pains or blisters. I start walking around 7¨:30 and usually knock off around 3 pm. I am liking sleeping in the albergues. They feel like my family. I have three more weeks to walk. I love the rhythm of the day.