It was wonderful to spend an entire month in Sitka. But, it is equally wonderful to be traveling again - and to be outside the United States even if it is "just" Mexico. I'm back at Mom's place in San Antonio Tlayacapan on Lake Chapala in the state of Jalisco.
I head back to Sitka on September 30. From there I head to Anchorage on October 5 and then up to Barrow the following week. It will be great to get back in Barrow for the first time since I left in February. I'll return to Sitka on October 30.
Mom is here as well. We have an easy routine. I head off walking and exploring for most of the day but we get together in the evening for dinner and then a movie from her vast collection of VHS tapes. Tonight we watched Chariots of Fire, last night we watched Lillies of the Field.
Mom has a good circle of friends here that she is re-connected with. And her former students still remember her. Marcela came over today bringing flowers and home-made flan. The first time we met Marcela she was entering middle school. Cousin Denise and I were visiting Mom when Marcela and her mother came over to meet Mom. The person who was supposed to translate didn't show up for some reason so I ended up translating. I can still picture us - tiny Marcela, her mom, my mom, Cousin Denise and I - sitting in a circle and me with a Spanish-English dictionary trying to translate! Marcela has now graduated from law school, has completed her two years of internship and has her official certificate allowing her to practice law.
OTHER NEWS!!!!! I am in the movies. Or at least the trailer for what used to be called Everybody Loves Whales and is now called Big Miracle. You may recall that during the first week of my retirement last year my 1983 Isuzu diesel pick-up truck and I were extras for the four days the second unit was in Barrow filming exterior shots. The first trailer for the movie came out this week. At approximately one minute and 37 seconds on the left side of the screen you can see the back of my purple parka and my Sorrel boots for all of about two seconds as we community members head off to save the whales. The voice over is saying ". . . as school children and shopkeepers alike. . . " Here is a link to the trailer:
http://www.everybodyloveswhales.com/trailer.html
I can't wait to see if my parka and/or truck are in any other shots. And, I can't wait to see what other Barrow people show up in the movie.
I just realized that I am coming up on the end of my first year of retirement. It has been an amazing journey. I miss my friends and the community of Barrow. But I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to new and old places; to make new friends and reconnect with old friends. I will continue to do that during my second year of retirement. See you soon!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
July 27 from Holland, Michigan
Has it really been a month since my last post? Hard to believe! Since last I wrote I traveled to Virginia where I visited with family and friends. As part of my Victory Tour 2011 I visited niece Tara, her husband Andrew and their eight week old daughter Leah.
I then flew back to Sitka, Alaska, my new home. I was there for a week and then flew to Michigan. Saturday, July 23 was the McCord Family Reunion. Before heading up to Prescott for the reunion I had breakfast in Midland with former Barrow law clerk Rachel.
Sunday evening after the reunion Cousin Dawn, her grandson Andrew and I went to Tawas to play putt putt golf. As part of my Tour de Fudge I got some home made fudge conveniently made right at the putt putt golf course (Hubies Famous Fudge and Caramelcorn). As part of the Victory Tour 2011 I stayed with Cousin Dawn and husband Bill.
On Monday I continued the Victory Tour by driving down to Flint to stay with Cousin Wanda and Oscar.
Today, July 27 I drove to Lansing to complete the 10 km volkswalk in the capital of Michigan (in the rain). One of the other volkswalk programs I am participating in is Walking the USA A-Z. This requires you to complete a walk in cities that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Michigan has a volkswalk in the city of Zeeland which I plan to walk tomorrow.
I plan to be in Ann Arbor tomorrow afternoon for the Victory Tour (Cousin Marsha) but I might be able to walk in Holland for the "H" or Tecumseh for the "T" on my way to Ann Arbor.
I have a few more cousins in my address book that I need to visit in northern Michigan. If I don't see them before I head back to Sitka on August 1st I will either have to come back or remove them from my address book.
So that is the abridged version of what I have been up to for the past month.
I then flew back to Sitka, Alaska, my new home. I was there for a week and then flew to Michigan. Saturday, July 23 was the McCord Family Reunion. Before heading up to Prescott for the reunion I had breakfast in Midland with former Barrow law clerk Rachel.
Sunday evening after the reunion Cousin Dawn, her grandson Andrew and I went to Tawas to play putt putt golf. As part of my Tour de Fudge I got some home made fudge conveniently made right at the putt putt golf course (Hubies Famous Fudge and Caramelcorn). As part of the Victory Tour 2011 I stayed with Cousin Dawn and husband Bill.
On Monday I continued the Victory Tour by driving down to Flint to stay with Cousin Wanda and Oscar.
Today, July 27 I drove to Lansing to complete the 10 km volkswalk in the capital of Michigan (in the rain). One of the other volkswalk programs I am participating in is Walking the USA A-Z. This requires you to complete a walk in cities that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Michigan has a volkswalk in the city of Zeeland which I plan to walk tomorrow.
I plan to be in Ann Arbor tomorrow afternoon for the Victory Tour (Cousin Marsha) but I might be able to walk in Holland for the "H" or Tecumseh for the "T" on my way to Ann Arbor.
I have a few more cousins in my address book that I need to visit in northern Michigan. If I don't see them before I head back to Sitka on August 1st I will either have to come back or remove them from my address book.
So that is the abridged version of what I have been up to for the past month.
Monday, June 27, 2011
June 27, 2011 back in Alaska
June 23 and 24 in Santiago went by so quickly! The weather was perfect making the time all the more magical. I saw so many friends from the last part of the Camino and a couple of good friends from the beginning of the Spanish part. Each encounter was a new gift.
Although I arrived on June 22 and received my compostela that day
I was able to wait until Friday's Pilgrim Mass for my official acknowledgment. I did this because German friends were coming in on the 23rd and I wanted to walk in with them (because walking 40.5 km on the 22nd wasn't enough) and would thus miss the mass on the 23rd.
When you check in at the Pilgrim office they review your credential to make sure you have daily
stamps - and from 100 km on two stamps per day - to prove that you walked the distance you claim. They record where you started and your nationality and, except in cases like mine where you ask for delay, they announce starting points and nationalities at the Pilgrim Mass the next day.
Unfortunately for us there were a number of seminary students from various schools who also arrived on June 23 so they were given preference when it came to announcing people who had arrived. The priest then ran quickly through a list and seemed to be lumping all nationalities and the later starting points together. However I did hear him announce that an American had started from Le Puy!
I departed Santiago at 11 pm on June 24 arriving in Madrid at midnight. My Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt departed at 6 am on the 25th with check in at 4 am so I opted to sleep on the very hard floor along with quite a few other people.
The Condor flight was delayed out of Frankfurt so we didn't depart until after noon (still June 25).
The flight to Anchorage was only 9 hours and 36 minutes. There is a ten hour time zone difference. So, I arrived in Anchorage before I left Germany. Still on the 25th.
The afternoon of the 25th I went for a hike up at Hatcher's Pass in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley with the friends I am staying with in Palmer. It was a perfect way to begin my transition from the Camino and Europe back to Alaska and the USA.
I wish I had some words of wisdom to impart from my almost three month journey. Maybe I'll come up with some later. From Villafranca on I ended up walking with Celina from Brazil. One of the things I enjoyed about walking with her was focusing on the "spiritual" aspect of the Camino. In every village were we ended the day we always sought out the church and attended the Pilgrim Mass and Benediction.
And as we walked we talked about "Lessons of the Day" - what lesson we might be learning that day. It didn't have to be profound but could be. For example the closer we got to Santiago the more signs you saw for taxis willing to transport your backpack to your next stopping point at very inexpensive rates. Celina said that while it was tempting to send her pack on ahead to make the walking easier she had become very attached to her backpack and couldn't bear the thought of it getting lost. And thus a lesson for the day was "material objects that you become attached to are a burden that you must carry." Applicable in terms of the Camino where you literally carry the material objects but also in real life where material objects can become an emotional burden.
On the Camino finding the way is generally quite simple: yellow arrows painted on the road, rocks, trees, buildings and anything else available point you in the right direction.
When in doubt locate the yellow arrow and you know which direction to go.
In Santiago Paulo, a Brazilian friend of Celina's, talked about how good he was at following the yellow arrows. Then he added "the problem with the Camino is that in Real Life there are no yellow arrows."
More later!
June 23 and 24 in Santiago went by so quickly! The weather was perfect making the time all the more magical. I saw so many friends from the last part of the Camino and a couple of good friends from the beginning of the Spanish part. Each encounter was a new gift. 
Although I arrived on June 22 and received my compostela that day
I was able to wait until Friday's Pilgrim Mass for my official acknowledgment. I did this because German friends were coming in on the 23rd and I wanted to walk in with them (because walking 40.5 km on the 22nd wasn't enough) and would thus miss the mass on the 23rd.
When you check in at the Pilgrim office they review your credential to make sure you have daily
stamps - and from 100 km on two stamps per day - to prove that you walked the distance you claim. They record where you started and your nationality and, except in cases like mine where you ask for delay, they announce starting points and nationalities at the Pilgrim Mass the next day.Unfortunately for us there were a number of seminary students from various schools who also arrived on June 23 so they were given preference when it came to announcing people who had arrived. The priest then ran quickly through a list and seemed to be lumping all nationalities and the later starting points together. However I did hear him announce that an American had started from Le Puy!
I departed Santiago at 11 pm on June 24 arriving in Madrid at midnight. My Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt departed at 6 am on the 25th with check in at 4 am so I opted to sleep on the very hard floor along with quite a few other people.
The Condor flight was delayed out of Frankfurt so we didn't depart until after noon (still June 25).
The flight to Anchorage was only 9 hours and 36 minutes. There is a ten hour time zone difference. So, I arrived in Anchorage before I left Germany. Still on the 25th.The afternoon of the 25th I went for a hike up at Hatcher's Pass in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley with the friends I am staying with in Palmer. It was a perfect way to begin my transition from the Camino and Europe back to Alaska and the USA.
I wish I had some words of wisdom to impart from my almost three month journey. Maybe I'll come up with some later. From Villafranca on I ended up walking with Celina from Brazil. One of the things I enjoyed about walking with her was focusing on the "spiritual" aspect of the Camino. In every village were we ended the day we always sought out the church and attended the Pilgrim Mass and Benediction. And as we walked we talked about "Lessons of the Day" - what lesson we might be learning that day. It didn't have to be profound but could be. For example the closer we got to Santiago the more signs you saw for taxis willing to transport your backpack to your next stopping point at very inexpensive rates. Celina said that while it was tempting to send her pack on ahead to make the walking easier she had become very attached to her backpack and couldn't bear the thought of it getting lost. And thus a lesson for the day was "material objects that you become attached to are a burden that you must carry." Applicable in terms of the Camino where you literally carry the material objects but also in real life where material objects can become an emotional burden.
On the Camino finding the way is generally quite simple: yellow arrows painted on the road, rocks, trees, buildings and anything else available point you in the right direction. 
When in doubt locate the yellow arrow and you know which direction to go. In Santiago Paulo, a Brazilian friend of Celina's, talked about how good he was at following the yellow arrows. Then he added "the problem with the Camino is that in Real Life there are no yellow arrows."
More later!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
June 23 from Santiago
Actually got to Santiago on the 22nd. We reached the pilgrim office shortly after 8 pm and surprisingly it was still open. So we registered and got our compostelas but I am waiting until Friday for my official mass.
We didn't start out yesterday planning to walk 40.5 km (with full packs I must add). We were only going to walk 20 km to Arca. But we got to Arca early afternoon so we decided to go an additional 8 km to San Paio where my guidebook said there was a hotel. That way we would have a good jump start on the walk to Santiago.
Well, when we got to San Paio the one hotel was shuttered closed. By the time we got to the next possible place to stay we were only 10.5 km from Santiago so we decided to just go the whole distance.
Right now I think I am more impressed that I walked 40 km yesterday than I am with the 1300 km I have walked since April 1st.
More later.
We didn't start out yesterday planning to walk 40.5 km (with full packs I must add). We were only going to walk 20 km to Arca. But we got to Arca early afternoon so we decided to go an additional 8 km to San Paio where my guidebook said there was a hotel. That way we would have a good jump start on the walk to Santiago.
Well, when we got to San Paio the one hotel was shuttered closed. By the time we got to the next possible place to stay we were only 10.5 km from Santiago so we decided to just go the whole distance.
Right now I think I am more impressed that I walked 40 km yesterday than I am with the 1300 km I have walked since April 1st.
More later.
Monday, June 20, 2011
June 20 from Melide
Made it to Melide at 55.5 km from Santiago. On the 18th I walked 23 km to Portomarin. On the 19th I walked 24 km to Palas de Rei. My original schedule had me walking 15.5 km to Melide. But yesterday I was really wanting to go an extra 8 km today because today was so short and the extra 8 km would give me more options in the next days (including getting to Santiago on the 22nd instead of the 23rd). Well my new Camino Partner in Crime, Celina from Brazil, was not going to be able to make the extra km. so I was weighing my reasons for going and staying. I'm tired of saying good-bye to my Camino walking friends! But maybe I should walk the last three days on my own? The Pilgrim Benediction says "blessed are you pilgrim if what concerns you most is not to arrive as to arrive with others." And so many of my "others" are stronger walkers and have already disappeared or were about to start the sprint to Santiago.
And then I learn that today is Celina's birthday and my internal debate was over. What kind of friend leaves a person in the dust on the birthday - and for a mere 8 km?!?
So I stuck to my original schedule and Celina and I strolled the 15.5 km to Melide.
And at the first cafe stop I found friend Daniel from MA with whom I had spent the day walking to Villafranca and then hadn't seen him again. And I probably would not have seen him today had I rushed ahead to get in my extra 8 km.
I would have also rushed straight through Melide and would not have remembered that my guidebook says the best place on the whole Camino to get pulpo (octopus) is at Pulperia Ezequiel in Melide.
But I wasn't rushing and so we ended up having lunch at Pulperia Ezequiel where you sit at long wooden tables. We ended up at a table with four Spanish pilgrims who has recently joined the Camino Frances after having walked the difficult Northern and then even more difficult Primitive trails. When we sat down we didn't know any of them. Within ten minutes we were talking and laughing with them. And that is how we spent the next two hours. It is a Camino memory I will treasure for a long time.
It is no doubt possible that I would have had equally wonderful Camino experiences today if I had chosen to push on for the extra 8 km. But all I know is what happened today because I chose to stick to my original schedule and NOT leave my friend in the dust on her birthday.
And then I learn that today is Celina's birthday and my internal debate was over. What kind of friend leaves a person in the dust on the birthday - and for a mere 8 km?!?
So I stuck to my original schedule and Celina and I strolled the 15.5 km to Melide.
And at the first cafe stop I found friend Daniel from MA with whom I had spent the day walking to Villafranca and then hadn't seen him again. And I probably would not have seen him today had I rushed ahead to get in my extra 8 km.
I would have also rushed straight through Melide and would not have remembered that my guidebook says the best place on the whole Camino to get pulpo (octopus) is at Pulperia Ezequiel in Melide.
But I wasn't rushing and so we ended up having lunch at Pulperia Ezequiel where you sit at long wooden tables. We ended up at a table with four Spanish pilgrims who has recently joined the Camino Frances after having walked the difficult Northern and then even more difficult Primitive trails. When we sat down we didn't know any of them. Within ten minutes we were talking and laughing with them. And that is how we spent the next two hours. It is a Camino memory I will treasure for a long time.
It is no doubt possible that I would have had equally wonderful Camino experiences today if I had chosen to push on for the extra 8 km. But all I know is what happened today because I chose to stick to my original schedule and NOT leave my friend in the dust on her birthday.
Friday, June 17, 2011
June 17 from Sarria in Galicia
I am on track for my June 23 arrival in Santiago. In Sarria - 118 km from Santiago.
Was in Triacastela last night. Felt miserable all day but walked the entire 21 km to stay on track. There was a wonderful Pilgrim's Mass at the church. It was wonderful in part because it was translated into English. The translator was one of two priests I have been seeing at least since Ponferrada. Turns out these two men are missionary priests in northeastern Mexico.
The mass was also wonderful because the church priest (as opposes to the two pilgrim priests)was very inclusive. The first people to arrive had no choice but to sit on benches right up there with him. Everyone else had to squeeze in four-to-a-bench starting at the front. At one point we all held hands and said the Lord's Prayer in our own language (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, English, Korean and who knows what other languages). And instead of just shaking hands to pass the peace we had to hug the people. So he really broke down barriers amongst we pilgrims.
His message was very inclusive and focused on love, forgiveness, understanding and action.
So now I am in Sarria. It is a small albergue with only four bunk beds - but also only one bathroom (the one room contains shower, sink and toilet). Pilgrim mass is at 730 pm. Before then I need to eat dinner, find the farmacia for more Compeed and a supermercado so I can buy more soap.
Tomorrow I will walk 23 km to Portomarin.
I am now in Galicia. We crossed into Galicia just before O Cebriero which was my destination on the 15th.
Was in Triacastela last night. Felt miserable all day but walked the entire 21 km to stay on track. There was a wonderful Pilgrim's Mass at the church. It was wonderful in part because it was translated into English. The translator was one of two priests I have been seeing at least since Ponferrada. Turns out these two men are missionary priests in northeastern Mexico.
The mass was also wonderful because the church priest (as opposes to the two pilgrim priests)was very inclusive. The first people to arrive had no choice but to sit on benches right up there with him. Everyone else had to squeeze in four-to-a-bench starting at the front. At one point we all held hands and said the Lord's Prayer in our own language (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, English, Korean and who knows what other languages). And instead of just shaking hands to pass the peace we had to hug the people. So he really broke down barriers amongst we pilgrims.
His message was very inclusive and focused on love, forgiveness, understanding and action.
So now I am in Sarria. It is a small albergue with only four bunk beds - but also only one bathroom (the one room contains shower, sink and toilet). Pilgrim mass is at 730 pm. Before then I need to eat dinner, find the farmacia for more Compeed and a supermercado so I can buy more soap.
Tomorrow I will walk 23 km to Portomarin.
I am now in Galicia. We crossed into Galicia just before O Cebriero which was my destination on the 15th.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
June 14 in Villafranca del Bierzo
Can't believe it has been so long since last I updated. Heike and I successfully arrived in Leon on schedule. Heike then took off for the beach for a week before heading back to work. Meanwhile Anke and husband decided to leave the flooding north and come (back) down to the Camino Frances. Caught up with them in Hospital del Orbigo the day I lost Heike. We walked together for two days and then I took off ahead because I have a schedule to keep.
Meanwhile I had been feeling so sad about losing Heike and Anke and all the familiar faces from the past weeks because many people were leaving for home from Leon.
And now I have a whole new group of familiar faces that I run into most days!
June 11 I was in Astorga where they were having a chocolate festival!
June 12 I was in Foncebadon which features in the Camino books of Shirley MacLaine and Paulo Coelho. It is also where I ran onto more Americans than I have seen the entire journey (excepting the college students).
June 13 it was on to Ponferrada and my longest day at 29 km. Stayed in the only albergue in town but it holds 185 pilgrims. I was not an early arrivor so I was stuck in the 20 bunk bed basement room with only one electrical outlet for charging cell phone and camera batteries. And the bathroom was upstairs and down a hall. Bathroom was co-ed with two toilets, four urinals, three sinks and two showers.
Early morning tomorrow. I hope to leave before 7 am as it looks to be a hot climb up the mountain to O Cebriero.
So today I walked to Villafranca del Bierzo where I am staying in a private albergue which has twelve single beds in the space of twenty bunk beds. It also has electric plugs at each bed and the bathrooms are single sex. And the beds have real sheets!
Tomorrow, June 15 I hope to make O Cebriero which is in Galicia.
Meanwhile I had been feeling so sad about losing Heike and Anke and all the familiar faces from the past weeks because many people were leaving for home from Leon.
And now I have a whole new group of familiar faces that I run into most days!
June 11 I was in Astorga where they were having a chocolate festival!
June 12 I was in Foncebadon which features in the Camino books of Shirley MacLaine and Paulo Coelho. It is also where I ran onto more Americans than I have seen the entire journey (excepting the college students).
June 13 it was on to Ponferrada and my longest day at 29 km. Stayed in the only albergue in town but it holds 185 pilgrims. I was not an early arrivor so I was stuck in the 20 bunk bed basement room with only one electrical outlet for charging cell phone and camera batteries. And the bathroom was upstairs and down a hall. Bathroom was co-ed with two toilets, four urinals, three sinks and two showers.
Early morning tomorrow. I hope to leave before 7 am as it looks to be a hot climb up the mountain to O Cebriero.
So today I walked to Villafranca del Bierzo where I am staying in a private albergue which has twelve single beds in the space of twenty bunk beds. It also has electric plugs at each bed and the bathrooms are single sex. And the beds have real sheets!
Tomorrow, June 15 I hope to make O Cebriero which is in Galicia.
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 6 from Sahagun
Two days in a row! At albergue with wifi so am taking advantage and writing quick update. Today and next three days will be short walking days. The way the villages are spaced we would either have to walk in the high 20s km or in the high teens. So we are walking high teens.
My walking Partner in Crime Heike is very sensitive about how loudly she snores and prefers to be in a private room if possible. Today - with the rain - is a great day to be in a private room instead of the dorm. In a private room you can hang your wet clothes and laundry everywhere and it might actually be dry in the morning.
Once I leave Heike behind in Leon I will be back to the dorms. Unless it was a really wet day and then I might try to find my own room.
It was another beautiful walking day. The rain waited until we arrived in Sahugun before starting. Heike and I needed lunch and some incidentals (new memory card for my camera etc) so we walked to the Plaza Mayor and sat in a bar eating tapas and drinking diet coke and cafe con leche until the stores opened at 430-ish.
Dinner was at the albergue. For 10€ I got a huge mixed salad, half a chicken and for dessert I chose plain yoghurt.
At the table were Heike (German), me, a German man, a Frenchman and a Dutch woman who speaks English, German and French. There were some interesting discussions about the philosophy of the Camino and dangers of commercialism conducted mostly in German except when I threw in some comments in English.
My walking Partner in Crime Heike is very sensitive about how loudly she snores and prefers to be in a private room if possible. Today - with the rain - is a great day to be in a private room instead of the dorm. In a private room you can hang your wet clothes and laundry everywhere and it might actually be dry in the morning.
Once I leave Heike behind in Leon I will be back to the dorms. Unless it was a really wet day and then I might try to find my own room.
It was another beautiful walking day. The rain waited until we arrived in Sahugun before starting. Heike and I needed lunch and some incidentals (new memory card for my camera etc) so we walked to the Plaza Mayor and sat in a bar eating tapas and drinking diet coke and cafe con leche until the stores opened at 430-ish.
Dinner was at the albergue. For 10€ I got a huge mixed salad, half a chicken and for dessert I chose plain yoghurt.
At the table were Heike (German), me, a German man, a Frenchman and a Dutch woman who speaks English, German and French. There were some interesting discussions about the philosophy of the Camino and dangers of commercialism conducted mostly in German except when I threw in some comments in English.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
June 5 from Ledigos in Castilla y Leon
Walked 23.5 km today and I feel like it was a rite of passage! It was a long, very flat, bordering on hot, and very beautiful walk. I think that today and tomorrow will be the flattest stretches of this journey. But there are so many beautiful flowers in the fields and along the trail and the long open stretches have a deep beauty of their own.
The Plan. With the advent of June comes Reality. I fly out of Madrid early on June 25. Yikes! I want to be in Santiago by June 23 so I can attend the pilgrim mass the next day. When you arrive in Santiago you go to the Pilgrim Office where you show them your credential books full of stamps from each day of The Way. You get your Compostela. And the next day at the pilgrim mass they announce the starting points and the nationalities of all the pilgrims who arrived the day before.
So, Santiago by June 23 and afternoon of June 24 go to Madrid so I can fly Lufthansa early morning of June 25 to Frankfurt and then Condor over the pole to Anchorage arriving the morning of June 25 (about half an hour before I left Frankfurt).
I have one walking companion left: Heike and I lose her in Leon on June 9. She heads to the beach for a week before having to go back to work. I lost Anke on June 1 in Burgos. She decided to stay there for a couple of days to rest her ankle and is now making her way north to meet her husband and they will walk the northern route to Santiago.
So I´m looking for more walking companions! Anyone out there available between June 9 (Leon) and June 23/24? I can do it on my own but it is so much more fun to have one or more Partners in Crime along for The Way. No matter how you try to describe things some things just need to be experienced: the oasis bar in the middle of the 17.5 km stretch where you can sit and drink cafe con leche! Meeting a father and son from Italy who are walking together. Going to the pilgrim masses and benedictions even though you can´t understand most of what the priest is saying. Visiting stunningly Baroque churches.
And there are the daily adventures. For example every day you arrive at a new albergue/hostel. Every day the sleeping arrangments are different in quirky ways. You could be in a room with 50 bunk beds or six bunk beds but people from another room walk through your room to get in and out. You could be in a room with only single beds but the door squeaks loudly whenever you open it and you worry about waking everyone up when you have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. You could be in a crowded room with squeeky bunk beds and lots of snorers. The shower and bathroom arrangments are always interesting. It is fun to have someone else there who understands the humor of the newest situation and all you have to do is exchange a quick, knowing glance!
So let me know if you are interested in meeting me. It would be lots of fun! Just be ready to walk 22 - 25 km each day. And be ready for hot weather or chilly weather, blistering sun or rain. And be ready for the experience of your life!
The Plan. With the advent of June comes Reality. I fly out of Madrid early on June 25. Yikes! I want to be in Santiago by June 23 so I can attend the pilgrim mass the next day. When you arrive in Santiago you go to the Pilgrim Office where you show them your credential books full of stamps from each day of The Way. You get your Compostela. And the next day at the pilgrim mass they announce the starting points and the nationalities of all the pilgrims who arrived the day before.
So, Santiago by June 23 and afternoon of June 24 go to Madrid so I can fly Lufthansa early morning of June 25 to Frankfurt and then Condor over the pole to Anchorage arriving the morning of June 25 (about half an hour before I left Frankfurt).
I have one walking companion left: Heike and I lose her in Leon on June 9. She heads to the beach for a week before having to go back to work. I lost Anke on June 1 in Burgos. She decided to stay there for a couple of days to rest her ankle and is now making her way north to meet her husband and they will walk the northern route to Santiago.
So I´m looking for more walking companions! Anyone out there available between June 9 (Leon) and June 23/24? I can do it on my own but it is so much more fun to have one or more Partners in Crime along for The Way. No matter how you try to describe things some things just need to be experienced: the oasis bar in the middle of the 17.5 km stretch where you can sit and drink cafe con leche! Meeting a father and son from Italy who are walking together. Going to the pilgrim masses and benedictions even though you can´t understand most of what the priest is saying. Visiting stunningly Baroque churches.
And there are the daily adventures. For example every day you arrive at a new albergue/hostel. Every day the sleeping arrangments are different in quirky ways. You could be in a room with 50 bunk beds or six bunk beds but people from another room walk through your room to get in and out. You could be in a room with only single beds but the door squeaks loudly whenever you open it and you worry about waking everyone up when you have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. You could be in a crowded room with squeeky bunk beds and lots of snorers. The shower and bathroom arrangments are always interesting. It is fun to have someone else there who understands the humor of the newest situation and all you have to do is exchange a quick, knowing glance!
So let me know if you are interested in meeting me. It would be lots of fun! Just be ready to walk 22 - 25 km each day. And be ready for hot weather or chilly weather, blistering sun or rain. And be ready for the experience of your life!
Monday, May 30, 2011
May 30 from Ages in Castilla y Leon
Only a few minutes on the computer so this will be a quick update. Walked 23 km yesterday and 28 km today. I am 22.5 km from Burgos and 522 km from Santiago. My flight departs Madrid early on the 25th so I need to reach Santiago no later than the 23rd of June. That way I can attend the pilgrim mass on the 24th - where the announce the starting points and nationalities of all the pilgrims who arrived the previous day - and then catch a train to Madrid.
Today is Memorial Day and I knew I would be walking past a memorial for the spanish civil war. So, at the town before I got a diet-coke to carry with me. I remembered the memorial from last time but I think new plaques have been added. they explain that the memorial is to honor the 300 republicans who were killed there by franco´s supporters in the early months of the spanish civil war in 1936. I drank my diet coke and had some minutes of silent reflection about those 300 who had been shot dead on the spot because of their political believes. I also thought of my own family members and friends who have served in the US military in WWII and subsequent actions.
So I hope everyone had a chance to spend some time in refelction today. And I hope that all of you are well.
I wish you could be here to enjoy this experience with me. Every day is full of adventures and decisions to be made. Last time I had insisted that Julien and Kim and I stay at the monastery at San Juan de Ortega because it would be a true pilgrim experience. It was also the coldest, dampest and most miserable night of the 2006 Camino! This time we passed by San Juan de Ortega although we did confirm that the beds still sagged and that everything was still damp in the albergue in the monastery. Five years ago we couldn´t wait to get to the next village four km away the next morning where we consumed the best and warmest cafe con leche and tortilla (spanish not mexican) you can imagine. That town was Ages where I am staying tonight.
Today is Memorial Day and I knew I would be walking past a memorial for the spanish civil war. So, at the town before I got a diet-coke to carry with me. I remembered the memorial from last time but I think new plaques have been added. they explain that the memorial is to honor the 300 republicans who were killed there by franco´s supporters in the early months of the spanish civil war in 1936. I drank my diet coke and had some minutes of silent reflection about those 300 who had been shot dead on the spot because of their political believes. I also thought of my own family members and friends who have served in the US military in WWII and subsequent actions.
So I hope everyone had a chance to spend some time in refelction today. And I hope that all of you are well.
I wish you could be here to enjoy this experience with me. Every day is full of adventures and decisions to be made. Last time I had insisted that Julien and Kim and I stay at the monastery at San Juan de Ortega because it would be a true pilgrim experience. It was also the coldest, dampest and most miserable night of the 2006 Camino! This time we passed by San Juan de Ortega although we did confirm that the beds still sagged and that everything was still damp in the albergue in the monastery. Five years ago we couldn´t wait to get to the next village four km away the next morning where we consumed the best and warmest cafe con leche and tortilla (spanish not mexican) you can imagine. That town was Ages where I am staying tonight.
Friday, May 27, 2011
May 27 in Najera, La Rioja, Spain
Made it to Najera yesterday and today is a rest day - my first in three weeks and only my second since leaving Moissac the day after Easter. I am in a hotel room with two German friends that I first met at the gite at Hunto (5 km out of St Jean Pied de Port).
This morning I bought new socks and Capri pants. I also visited the Najera Museum. I made it to the post office before they closed for the day (at 230 pm) and mailed my long pants, rain chaps, gators and a few other items back to the US. Unfortunately it only removed a kilo from my pack.
Later this afternoon I will visit the Monasterio de Santa Maria de Real when it reopens after siesta.
It took me less than four hours to walk the 17 km from Navarrete to Najera yesterday. Yesterday afternoon my friends and I took the bus to San Millan de Cogolla to visit the monasteries at Susa (from the Latin word for upper) and Yusa (from the Latin word for lower). San Millam lived in the 6th and 7th centuries in caves that were the foundation for the much older monastery at Susa. Codexes from Susa are the source of the earliest known writings in the Spanish and Basque languages dating back to the 900s.
Tomorrow it is back to walking for me. It had been unbearably hot up until Wednesday night when it finally rained. Yesterday was overcast and cool and today is the same.
In Estella an older pilgrim from Nebraska shared a story and a benediction that I want to share with you.
First the story. Before leaving for the Camino family and friends had written messages for her to read on the Way. The message from her son was particularly meaningful and she kept it in her pocket. Unfortunately somewhere along the Way it fell out of her pocket. Days later a young man from Canada approached her and asked if she had a son named Collin. Yes! How did you know? He explained that he had found a paper with a message from Collin to his mother. He thought it was so beautiful that he wanted to return it. So, he had been asking all the English speaking women if they had a son named Collin.
The benediction.
1. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that the "Camino" opens your eyes to what is not seen.
2. Blessed are you pilgrim, if what concerns you most is not to arrive, as to arrive with others.
3. Blessed are you pilgrim, when you contemplate the "Camino" and discover it is full of names and dawn.
4. Blessed are you pilgrim, because you have discovered that the authentic "Camino" begins when it is completed.
5. Blessed are you pilgrim, if your knapsack is empty of things and your heart does not know where to hang up so many feelings and emotions.
6. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that one step back to help another is more valuable than a hundred forward without seeing what is at your side.
7. Blessed are you pilgrim, when you don't have words to give thanks for everything that surprises you at every twist and turn on the way.
8. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you search for the truth and make the "Camino" a life and of your life a "way" in search of the one who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
9. Blessed are you pilgrim, if on the way you meet yourself and you gift yourself with time, without rushing, so as not to disregard the image in your heart.
10. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that the "Camino" holds a lot of silence; and the silence of prayer; and the prayer of meeting with the Father who is waiting for you.
This morning I bought new socks and Capri pants. I also visited the Najera Museum. I made it to the post office before they closed for the day (at 230 pm) and mailed my long pants, rain chaps, gators and a few other items back to the US. Unfortunately it only removed a kilo from my pack.
Later this afternoon I will visit the Monasterio de Santa Maria de Real when it reopens after siesta.
It took me less than four hours to walk the 17 km from Navarrete to Najera yesterday. Yesterday afternoon my friends and I took the bus to San Millan de Cogolla to visit the monasteries at Susa (from the Latin word for upper) and Yusa (from the Latin word for lower). San Millam lived in the 6th and 7th centuries in caves that were the foundation for the much older monastery at Susa. Codexes from Susa are the source of the earliest known writings in the Spanish and Basque languages dating back to the 900s.
Tomorrow it is back to walking for me. It had been unbearably hot up until Wednesday night when it finally rained. Yesterday was overcast and cool and today is the same.
In Estella an older pilgrim from Nebraska shared a story and a benediction that I want to share with you.
First the story. Before leaving for the Camino family and friends had written messages for her to read on the Way. The message from her son was particularly meaningful and she kept it in her pocket. Unfortunately somewhere along the Way it fell out of her pocket. Days later a young man from Canada approached her and asked if she had a son named Collin. Yes! How did you know? He explained that he had found a paper with a message from Collin to his mother. He thought it was so beautiful that he wanted to return it. So, he had been asking all the English speaking women if they had a son named Collin.
The benediction.
1. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that the "Camino" opens your eyes to what is not seen.
2. Blessed are you pilgrim, if what concerns you most is not to arrive, as to arrive with others.
3. Blessed are you pilgrim, when you contemplate the "Camino" and discover it is full of names and dawn.
4. Blessed are you pilgrim, because you have discovered that the authentic "Camino" begins when it is completed.
5. Blessed are you pilgrim, if your knapsack is empty of things and your heart does not know where to hang up so many feelings and emotions.
6. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that one step back to help another is more valuable than a hundred forward without seeing what is at your side.
7. Blessed are you pilgrim, when you don't have words to give thanks for everything that surprises you at every twist and turn on the way.
8. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you search for the truth and make the "Camino" a life and of your life a "way" in search of the one who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
9. Blessed are you pilgrim, if on the way you meet yourself and you gift yourself with time, without rushing, so as not to disregard the image in your heart.
10. Blessed are you pilgrim, if you discover that the "Camino" holds a lot of silence; and the silence of prayer; and the prayer of meeting with the Father who is waiting for you.
Friday, May 20, 2011
may 20 from uterga in navarra (basque country)
i only have a few minutes of time so this will be quick. i continue to have a wonderful time. i am slowly adjusting to the masses of people and am embracing the new experience. dinner at the albergue (hostel) tonight was wonderful. not only was the food great but the company was great. there were five germans, two koreans and me at my table.
last night i was in pamplona. a friend and i decided to forego the 100 plus person albergue Jesus y Maria and went with a recommended pension. we had to laugh. it was better in the sense that there were just two of us in the room instead of 100 but it was pretty dodgy. we went out to try the famous tapas. the first bar we went to we didn´t know what to do. we were sitting next to two spanish men who were obviously pilgrims by the way they were dressed. i asked (in my best spanish) if they could please help us and they were wonderful. i held my own in spanish with them although one of the men was very fluent in english. they explained that all the tapas in all the bars will be excellent and you just go up to the counter and look in the cases to see what looks good. he did recommend a particular tapa from a particular bar so we went there and it was good.
tomorrow i am not sure how far i will walk. i thought i would make puente la reina today but we had a late start this morning and called it a day at uterga. for anyone else interested in walking this stretch i would highly recommend the albergue camino del perdon. the dorm isn´t great but at least there are only 16 of us. the dinner was wonderful though.
one other thing before i run out of time - i have run into two groups of american university students. it has been wonderful to watch these ´kids´on their amazing camino adventure.
all for now!
last night i was in pamplona. a friend and i decided to forego the 100 plus person albergue Jesus y Maria and went with a recommended pension. we had to laugh. it was better in the sense that there were just two of us in the room instead of 100 but it was pretty dodgy. we went out to try the famous tapas. the first bar we went to we didn´t know what to do. we were sitting next to two spanish men who were obviously pilgrims by the way they were dressed. i asked (in my best spanish) if they could please help us and they were wonderful. i held my own in spanish with them although one of the men was very fluent in english. they explained that all the tapas in all the bars will be excellent and you just go up to the counter and look in the cases to see what looks good. he did recommend a particular tapa from a particular bar so we went there and it was good.
tomorrow i am not sure how far i will walk. i thought i would make puente la reina today but we had a late start this morning and called it a day at uterga. for anyone else interested in walking this stretch i would highly recommend the albergue camino del perdon. the dorm isn´t great but at least there are only 16 of us. the dinner was wonderful though.
one other thing before i run out of time - i have run into two groups of american university students. it has been wonderful to watch these ´kids´on their amazing camino adventure.
all for now!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
May 18 from Zubiri in Spain
Walked 22 km from Roncesvalles to Zubiri. The time went by quickly because it was generally a gentle downhill walk and I spent much of the time chatting with a German woman from the gite in Hunto.
I am having to adjust to the Camino with its rush of people vs the intimacy of the Chemin/GR 65 in France. If I got a good night's sleep it would help. Last night was my third bad night in a row. The snoring wasn't too bad. Rather, my bunk was right by the men's toilet. There were 70 people on our floor. Everytime someone went in or out of the men's bathroom they let the door slam. Lights went out at 10 pm but there were still men talking loudly in the bathroom past that time. No doubt they chose to have their conversations there because it wouldn't bother anyone. Then starting at 4:30am people were up and slamming the bathroom door in preparation for an early start in the day.
There were 210 pilgrims in our hostel/albergue. Latecomers went into overflow in the old albergue. A German woman from Hunto (different fro the one I walked and chatted with today) said there were about 100 people in the overflow albergue.
All these people are now heading towards Santiago. The day before there were probably another 300 and tomorrow there will be another 300.
My albergue in Zubiri only has room for 24 and the municipal albergue in Zubiri has room for 52.
So there could be times when it is difficult to find a place to stay and you will then have to continue to the next town which might already be full.
I don't mean to be negative. I am just explaining the complications you face on the Camino Francea which we did not have to worry about (too much) in France.
I am having to adjust to the Camino with its rush of people vs the intimacy of the Chemin/GR 65 in France. If I got a good night's sleep it would help. Last night was my third bad night in a row. The snoring wasn't too bad. Rather, my bunk was right by the men's toilet. There were 70 people on our floor. Everytime someone went in or out of the men's bathroom they let the door slam. Lights went out at 10 pm but there were still men talking loudly in the bathroom past that time. No doubt they chose to have their conversations there because it wouldn't bother anyone. Then starting at 4:30am people were up and slamming the bathroom door in preparation for an early start in the day.
There were 210 pilgrims in our hostel/albergue. Latecomers went into overflow in the old albergue. A German woman from Hunto (different fro the one I walked and chatted with today) said there were about 100 people in the overflow albergue.
All these people are now heading towards Santiago. The day before there were probably another 300 and tomorrow there will be another 300.
My albergue in Zubiri only has room for 24 and the municipal albergue in Zubiri has room for 52.
So there could be times when it is difficult to find a place to stay and you will then have to continue to the next town which might already be full.
I don't mean to be negative. I am just explaining the complications you face on the Camino Francea which we did not have to worry about (too much) in France.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
may 17 from roncesvalles - in spain at last!!!!!
I am dealing with a Spanish keyboard now but I think I was able to switch the keys to English. There still won´t be any spell check but at least I can punctuate.
So here I am in Spain. It was a gorgeous day for the walk across the Pyrenees. I arrived in St. Jean Pied de Port on Sunday in the rain. I wanted to stop in St. Jean because I thought there would be a pilgrim´s mass - which there wasn´t. I also wanted to mail some things back to the USA and had to wait until Monday morning to do this. So, instead of starting bright and early Monday morning for Spain I ran errands in St. Jean and then hiked 5 km (the steepest 5 km) up to the gite-hostel at Hunto. That gave me a 5 km head start for today. Instead of 27 km up and over I only had to walk 22 km.
The hostel at the abbey at Roncesvalles is massive. I´m not sure how it works but there are two sections. One is for pilgrims only and it houses 100 people. The other section is the youth hostel (bicyclists can stay here) and it houses 60 people.
So the last two nights I had very little sleep because of the snoring going on around me. Last night there were six of us in the room: three men and three women. It was so bad it was almost funny. It was like a chorus except they weren´t quite on the same beat. I had my cell phone on for the alarm so I finally recorded some of the snoring as a voice memo.
I have no idea what tonight will be like. If it is another bad night of snoring I may stay in a hotel tomorrow night just so I can get some sleep. A Belgian woman that I met at the gite lÉscargot in Uhart-Mixe and who has ended up in the same gites for the past four nights got a private room last night because the snoring was so bad in St. Jean.
There are so many stories to tell about the gites where I have stayed and the people I have met I don´t even know where to begin. And, I only have 16 minutes left on the computer.
So I´ll just start with my plans for this evening. Some of you may know that today is my birthday and I can think of no better way to celebrate than to have walked from France to Spain on the Camino on this gorgeous day. Nevertheless there is still the matter of dinner. You can eat dinner at a local restaurant at either 7 or 9. The hostel (albergue in Spain) closes-locks up-lights out at 10 pm. There is a pilgrim mass at 8 pm. So, I am going to dinner at 7 pm. The pilgrim mass here is supposed to be pretty cool. They call you up by country of origin. I´ll let you know if it is as impressive as I have heard.
Weeks ago I sent my sleeping bag home because I was too hot. All the gites in France (except one) had blankets. Here at the abbey in Roncesvalles they do not have blankets. I will now see if my grand idea of using my poncho as a blanket (that´s a plastic rain poncho not a wool Mexican poncho) was such a good idea or not.
I haven´t decided where I will stop tomorrow. The number of pilgrims massed in one spot is a bit daunting and I´m not sure what it will mean for a place to stay tomorrow. Oh well. I have my poncho so I will be fine.
The Chemin-GR65 in France had an international element but it was predominantly French. All of a sudden there are people from all over the world including a number of Americans. The young woman sitting next to me in the internet room at the hostel-albergue is a student at U. of Michigan. In St. Jean I ran inot a group of college students from PA who were walking the Camino for school.
Well, time is up so I will end for now.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
may 12 from maison bellevue near aroue in the pyrenees-atlantiques
so, this is me on my own now! and once again writing on a french keyboard. gitte's tendinitis in one foot and arthritis in the other made it impossible for her to continue walking even after a few more days of rest. i set off on my own from navarrenx this morning. chris and gitte headed to st jean pied de port by taxi with the idea of spending a few days there and then bussing to bilbao for a ferry back to england. turns out they could only catch a bus to bilbao today so they quickly checked out of their gite/hostel and ran/hobbled to the bus.
and so one adventure comes to a close and another begins.
i should also note that five years ago tomorrow kim, mathias, annick and i all reached santiago. kim and i had started together and mathias and annick were friends from germany and quebec we met along the way.
chris and gitte were people that kim and i kept running into last time too. thanks to their encouragement to start from le puy and their linguistic support and simply general friendship i have had an amazing 1 1/2 months in france.
on my own. yikes. i was pretty nervous realizing how much better more than one pair of eyes is when it comes to spotting the trail markers. suddenly it was all down to me!
i am happy to report that i did not get lost once. i covered 17 km in five hours and ten minutes. i was going to stop for lunch about three km before my gite but the "bridge with seats" mentioned in the guidebook that would have made a nice resting spot never appeared and suddenly i was at the turn off for the gite.
to get to maison bellevue you walk 500 meters down a lovely shaded path until you reach a big farm gate. there were two pages of instructions but they were all in french. i gathered that i should go through the gate and make sure it was closed again. i could see what could be the gite off to the left. the cows were to the right. the sign said something about droit which i think means right. putting it all together i followed the edge of the field heading left towards the house and then cutting across to the right as i got close to the house. this may have been what the two pages said to do because the house was the right place.
i am now approximately 44 km from st jean pied de port. due to the spacing of available gites i will arrive in st jean on sunday the 15th of may. if weather is good i will take the route napolean across the pyrenees to spain. if it is not good i will take the lower route.
rain was predicted for today. thankfully the mqssive thunderstorm hit around midnight last night. while it was overcast and (welcomingly) cool today there was no rain.
lunch for me consisted of bread i had brought from navarrenx and half a tin of basque style pork pate that i picked up from the producer himself. the way passes right by the business and the owner has put up a nice pilgrim shelter with picnic tables and there is some product for sale. when i approached the shelter a man came out of the warehouse and asked if i needed any water. he made change for me and i bought a couple of pork pate tins.
dinner will be interesting. the gite owners are taking some of us to a nearby restaurant.
tomorrow i head to uhart-mixe where i will stay at the gite d'etape l'escargot. (it comes highly recommended by portuguese jose - a portuguese character walking from santiago to rome - who we met a few days back in arthez-de-bearn. but that story will have to wait for another time)
and so the adventure continues!
and so one adventure comes to a close and another begins.
i should also note that five years ago tomorrow kim, mathias, annick and i all reached santiago. kim and i had started together and mathias and annick were friends from germany and quebec we met along the way.
chris and gitte were people that kim and i kept running into last time too. thanks to their encouragement to start from le puy and their linguistic support and simply general friendship i have had an amazing 1 1/2 months in france.
on my own. yikes. i was pretty nervous realizing how much better more than one pair of eyes is when it comes to spotting the trail markers. suddenly it was all down to me!
i am happy to report that i did not get lost once. i covered 17 km in five hours and ten minutes. i was going to stop for lunch about three km before my gite but the "bridge with seats" mentioned in the guidebook that would have made a nice resting spot never appeared and suddenly i was at the turn off for the gite.
to get to maison bellevue you walk 500 meters down a lovely shaded path until you reach a big farm gate. there were two pages of instructions but they were all in french. i gathered that i should go through the gate and make sure it was closed again. i could see what could be the gite off to the left. the cows were to the right. the sign said something about droit which i think means right. putting it all together i followed the edge of the field heading left towards the house and then cutting across to the right as i got close to the house. this may have been what the two pages said to do because the house was the right place.
i am now approximately 44 km from st jean pied de port. due to the spacing of available gites i will arrive in st jean on sunday the 15th of may. if weather is good i will take the route napolean across the pyrenees to spain. if it is not good i will take the lower route.
rain was predicted for today. thankfully the mqssive thunderstorm hit around midnight last night. while it was overcast and (welcomingly) cool today there was no rain.
lunch for me consisted of bread i had brought from navarrenx and half a tin of basque style pork pate that i picked up from the producer himself. the way passes right by the business and the owner has put up a nice pilgrim shelter with picnic tables and there is some product for sale. when i approached the shelter a man came out of the warehouse and asked if i needed any water. he made change for me and i bought a couple of pork pate tins.
dinner will be interesting. the gite owners are taking some of us to a nearby restaurant.
tomorrow i head to uhart-mixe where i will stay at the gite d'etape l'escargot. (it comes highly recommended by portuguese jose - a portuguese character walking from santiago to rome - who we met a few days back in arthez-de-bearn. but that story will have to wait for another time)
and so the adventure continues!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
may 5 from aire-sur-l'adour
i am using a french keyboard again so will be typing in lower case and will probably have a number of typos. such is the life of a 21st century pilgrim. this is our second day in aire-sur-l'adour which is in the department of landes so we are no longer in gers. we are staying in a very interesting hotel which has an eight bed dorm for pilgrims at 13 euros a night including breakfast. even if i could post photos they would not convey what a funky place this is. our dorm is on the second floor. the two toilets are on the half landings below and above our floor. the stairs slope badly but then so do the landings so once again a photo would not be able to convey the feeling. somehow it all works.
yesterday a young canadian couple was once again in the dorm with us. they have gone on ahead but i will probably catch up with them again. we first met them in conques.
a french mother and middle aged daughter were also with us but they headed back to their respective homes this morning. one of the things i have enjoyed seeing is the number of parents and child/ren walkers we have encountered. even the younger children seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
well, yesterday i mailed my down sleeping bag back to the u.s. about a week ago i had purchased a cotton bag liner and that, in combination with the blankets in the hostels, has been enough to keep me warm. the liner was quite narrow so today i bought some cotton material and took it to a seamstress who sewed me a new liner.
i do not think i have mentioned previously the problem of bedbugs that has swept along the camino (chemin in france). so far we have not encountered any but we have a spray that is supposed to keep them away. at each new hostel/gite we spray the beds, the blankets and the floor around our beds. weekly we spray our liners and packs. this is another reason i am glad to be sending my down sleeping bag home.
well, my half hour on the hotel's computer is up so i will end for now. thanks to all who are commenting (robin i do not have your email address so can you give it to me?). feel free to email and text me with any news or stories. i can receive text messages for free but sending texts costs money. and sooner or later i will find another computer or a free wifi spot so i can check emails and post another update.
yesterday a young canadian couple was once again in the dorm with us. they have gone on ahead but i will probably catch up with them again. we first met them in conques.
a french mother and middle aged daughter were also with us but they headed back to their respective homes this morning. one of the things i have enjoyed seeing is the number of parents and child/ren walkers we have encountered. even the younger children seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
well, yesterday i mailed my down sleeping bag back to the u.s. about a week ago i had purchased a cotton bag liner and that, in combination with the blankets in the hostels, has been enough to keep me warm. the liner was quite narrow so today i bought some cotton material and took it to a seamstress who sewed me a new liner.
i do not think i have mentioned previously the problem of bedbugs that has swept along the camino (chemin in france). so far we have not encountered any but we have a spray that is supposed to keep them away. at each new hostel/gite we spray the beds, the blankets and the floor around our beds. weekly we spray our liners and packs. this is another reason i am glad to be sending my down sleeping bag home.
well, my half hour on the hotel's computer is up so i will end for now. thanks to all who are commenting (robin i do not have your email address so can you give it to me?). feel free to email and text me with any news or stories. i can receive text messages for free but sending texts costs money. and sooner or later i will find another computer or a free wifi spot so i can check emails and post another update.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
May 1, 2011 from Eauze
I have found a free wifi spot in the square near the church so am sending this quick update via my cell phone. As always please pardon any typos. We are in Eauze in the department of Gers. It was the Roman capital of the local province so the history of this town can be dated back at least 2000 years. It looks like there is a nice museum but unfortunately it is closed today. Most of the town is closed. You might excuse it because today is May 1st and it is a Sunday (May 1st is a big holiday in France and Spain.) I think it is because there is a huge bingo (lotto) game being held at the convention center a couple of blocks from the big church. I looked in and the place was packed.
The weather continues to be warm and mostly sunny. Today we thankfully walked through lots of wooded area so we were fairly well shaded. I realized that I was hearing the constant buzzing of bees overhead. There are some trees Chris believes are ash that are in full bloom with wonderfully fragrant white flowers that are attracting the bees. Other flowers are in bloom. Towns today and yesterday had lots of blooming irises. A few days ago we were in towns that were all ablaze with roses. We are also starting to walk through more and more vineyards.
My new favorite town is La Romieu which was indeed ablaze in roses. From La Romieu we walked to Condom (not a typo) and last night we were in Montreal du Gers.
All these towns are at least medieval with Romanesque churches and/or cathedrals.
We have stayed in some interesting hostels (gites) and have met some interesting people. Many people are planning to walk all the way to Santiago. Others are walking for one or two weeks a year. Most people are French. Others are Swiss, Belgian, and German. There have also been a few Canadians. Right Now I cannot remember meeting any other Americans.
Well it is dinner time so I will end for now.
The weather continues to be warm and mostly sunny. Today we thankfully walked through lots of wooded area so we were fairly well shaded. I realized that I was hearing the constant buzzing of bees overhead. There are some trees Chris believes are ash that are in full bloom with wonderfully fragrant white flowers that are attracting the bees. Other flowers are in bloom. Towns today and yesterday had lots of blooming irises. A few days ago we were in towns that were all ablaze with roses. We are also starting to walk through more and more vineyards.
My new favorite town is La Romieu which was indeed ablaze in roses. From La Romieu we walked to Condom (not a typo) and last night we were in Montreal du Gers.
All these towns are at least medieval with Romanesque churches and/or cathedrals.
We have stayed in some interesting hostels (gites) and have met some interesting people. Many people are planning to walk all the way to Santiago. Others are walking for one or two weeks a year. Most people are French. Others are Swiss, Belgian, and German. There have also been a few Canadians. Right Now I cannot remember meeting any other Americans.
Well it is dinner time so I will end for now.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
april 20 from corbarieu near montaubon (near moissac)
unfortunately i am once again using a french computer with french keyboard configuration. so please continue to overlook spelling and other errors.
we have been enjoying a week at marie-helene's house at corbarieu near montaubon. it is all fairly close to moissac from whence we will begin walking again on monday. on saturday we will go back to being pilgrims. marie-helene will drop us off in moissac and we will go back to hostel living. we will also be able to attend the easter service at the beautiful cathedral there.
if all goes well chris and gitte will join me until st jean pied de port which is on the french side of the border with spain. we are planning on it taking us three weeks to get there. this will give me over a month to get to santiago de campostela.
marie-helene has been treating us like royalty. she puts together the most amazing meals with simple ingredients. i takes photos of almost every meal and gitte is scribbling down recipes. i suppose it helps that so much produce is readily accessible here. a couple of days ago m-h and i walked to a local farmer and got fresh lettuce, oinions and radishes. on the walk there we were picking the fresh shoots of viney plants. yesterday the first course of our dinner consisted of a soup puree of the green tops of the fresh onions and the radish greens. who knew you could eat those things? the greens we picked on the way to the farm featured in the second course. so simple and so delicious.
i will end for now but hope to continue the update before we head to moissac.
we have been enjoying a week at marie-helene's house at corbarieu near montaubon. it is all fairly close to moissac from whence we will begin walking again on monday. on saturday we will go back to being pilgrims. marie-helene will drop us off in moissac and we will go back to hostel living. we will also be able to attend the easter service at the beautiful cathedral there.
if all goes well chris and gitte will join me until st jean pied de port which is on the french side of the border with spain. we are planning on it taking us three weeks to get there. this will give me over a month to get to santiago de campostela.
marie-helene has been treating us like royalty. she puts together the most amazing meals with simple ingredients. i takes photos of almost every meal and gitte is scribbling down recipes. i suppose it helps that so much produce is readily accessible here. a couple of days ago m-h and i walked to a local farmer and got fresh lettuce, oinions and radishes. on the walk there we were picking the fresh shoots of viney plants. yesterday the first course of our dinner consisted of a soup puree of the green tops of the fresh onions and the radish greens. who knew you could eat those things? the greens we picked on the way to the farm featured in the second course. so simple and so delicious.
i will end for now but hope to continue the update before we head to moissac.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
April 16 Still in Conques but heading to Marie-Helene's for a week
It's not that I completely wimped out about walking on my own. In fact, yesterday I walked ahead for 8.5 km and then back and felt much more confident. However, after talking with Chris and Gitte I decided to accompany them to Marie-Helene's place for the week. We are waiting for a taxi that will take us to the next town with train access and travel by train to Moissac (205 km from Conques on foot). Marie-Helene will pick us up and drop us back off in Moissac next Saturday. If Chris and Gitte are ready to start walking again great. If not, I will continue on my own. I have mixed feelings about not staying true to the trail - missing 200 km of it. But, I will be happy to come back and complete it another time with anyone else interested in walking with me!
Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to see another part of France for a week. I might even be able to figure out how to upload some photos.
Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to see another part of France for a week. I might even be able to figure out how to upload some photos.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
April 14, 2011 from Conques
We have now made it 203 km. My three companions have been Chris and Gitte Mackay from Scotland - friends I met five years ago on my last Camino - and Marie-Helene their friend from an earlier walk in France. Marie-Helene is French but unfortunately she left us yesterday. Gitte has tendon problems that probably necessitate Chris and Gitte staying in Conques for another day or two. I would stay for another day (we arrived in Conques yesterday and today is our first rest day) but they might not be ready to leave in two days.
So, this might be me heading off 547 km across rural France by myself. Yikes! At least I now know how to say "I do not know how to speak French" in French.
So, quick update. We have been walking mostly along what is known as the GR 65. The French have a wonderful trail system all across their country and this is the big/great trail 65. It mostly tracks the Camino (Chemin in French) but takes some scenic liberties. France also has a wonderful network of hostels (called gites). Most towns we have walked through have a municipal gite. All the municipal gites have kitchens so you can travel fairly economically.
The countryside is beautiful. It is also much tougher than what I remember of walking in Spain. There were sections in Spain that were tough but virtually every day has been tough going.
Weather continues to be exceptional. We have had only two days of drizzle. Another day looked like it might rain but never did. All the rest of the days have been sunny and even hot.
I confess that as I have been walking along I have been taking a mental inventory of what is in my pack that I can get rid of. I had decided that if I could find a silk sleeping liner I would mail my sleeping bag back to the US since most nights I was sleeping more outside than inside my sleeping bag. Last night convinced me to keep my sleeping bag because it was quite chilly.
I might be able to update this later today. Otherwise I'll update again when I find another computer. Please pardon my spelling mistakes but this is a French computer and when I hit spell check every word is highlighted!
So, this might be me heading off 547 km across rural France by myself. Yikes! At least I now know how to say "I do not know how to speak French" in French.
So, quick update. We have been walking mostly along what is known as the GR 65. The French have a wonderful trail system all across their country and this is the big/great trail 65. It mostly tracks the Camino (Chemin in French) but takes some scenic liberties. France also has a wonderful network of hostels (called gites). Most towns we have walked through have a municipal gite. All the municipal gites have kitchens so you can travel fairly economically.
The countryside is beautiful. It is also much tougher than what I remember of walking in Spain. There were sections in Spain that were tough but virtually every day has been tough going.
Weather continues to be exceptional. We have had only two days of drizzle. Another day looked like it might rain but never did. All the rest of the days have been sunny and even hot.
I confess that as I have been walking along I have been taking a mental inventory of what is in my pack that I can get rid of. I had decided that if I could find a silk sleeping liner I would mail my sleeping bag back to the US since most nights I was sleeping more outside than inside my sleeping bag. Last night convinced me to keep my sleeping bag because it was quite chilly.
I might be able to update this later today. Otherwise I'll update again when I find another computer. Please pardon my spelling mistakes but this is a French computer and when I hit spell check every word is highlighted!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
april 5 from st. alban
this is my first internet access since leaving the US. I am using a French keyboard which is very different from the English one. On top of that I just found a button that switched the letters so that I can type on the French keys and the English letters appear. Pardon any typos.
We are in St. Alban. I do not have my guidebook to tell how far we have come but it is less than 100 km. All is well. Going is slow because of terrain and my fellow pilgrims' health issues. Slow start is good for me too. Not much in the way of blisters!
I arrived in Paris, made my train connections and arrived in Le Puy on March 30 as anticipated. Chris and Gitte arrived at the hostel about two hours after me. March 31 we explored and then Marie-Helen joined us that evening so our group was now complete.
April 1st we went to the 7 a.m. pilgrims' mass. I was surprised to see that there were about 40 of us there. The vast majority of the pilgrims were French and were older. Turns out the bishop did the service. If I were Catholic I would have know that because of the color of his robe and hat. The local priest did the benediction after the service and as one of the few non-French there I got called on to read the benediction in English!
April 1st we made it to Montbonnet which was 16 km away. April 2nd we walked 14.4 km to Monistrol-d'Allier. April 3 we walked 12.1 km to Saugues. Yesterday we walked 15 km to Chanaleilles. All this was in the Haute-Loire region of France. We have now moved into the another region whose name escapes me right now.
Weather has been very good for walking. Yesterday was our only day with rain and it was only sprinkles. The countryside is stunningly beautiful. The people have been very friendly.
Well, there is someone else waiting to use the computer so I'll close for now.
We are in St. Alban. I do not have my guidebook to tell how far we have come but it is less than 100 km. All is well. Going is slow because of terrain and my fellow pilgrims' health issues. Slow start is good for me too. Not much in the way of blisters!
I arrived in Paris, made my train connections and arrived in Le Puy on March 30 as anticipated. Chris and Gitte arrived at the hostel about two hours after me. March 31 we explored and then Marie-Helen joined us that evening so our group was now complete.
April 1st we went to the 7 a.m. pilgrims' mass. I was surprised to see that there were about 40 of us there. The vast majority of the pilgrims were French and were older. Turns out the bishop did the service. If I were Catholic I would have know that because of the color of his robe and hat. The local priest did the benediction after the service and as one of the few non-French there I got called on to read the benediction in English!
April 1st we made it to Montbonnet which was 16 km away. April 2nd we walked 14.4 km to Monistrol-d'Allier. April 3 we walked 12.1 km to Saugues. Yesterday we walked 15 km to Chanaleilles. All this was in the Haute-Loire region of France. We have now moved into the another region whose name escapes me right now.
Weather has been very good for walking. Yesterday was our only day with rain and it was only sprinkles. The countryside is stunningly beautiful. The people have been very friendly.
Well, there is someone else waiting to use the computer so I'll close for now.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Karen is heading to France!
More specifically I left Sitka on schedule on Sunday, March 27. After a Seattle overnight I arrived in DC this afternoon (March 28). Tomorrow afternoon (March 29) I depart for JFK and then on to Paris arriving 6:45 am Wednesday the 30th.
I had great plans to post photos of trails I hiked near Sitka as part of my training. I was going to post general photos of Sitka for anyone who has never been there. I was going to post photos of the apartment that I will be renting upon my return in July. I have photos on my camera of two fellow Sitka pilgrims wishing me Buon Camino Sunday morning and another shot of me getting ready to go through security at the Sitka airport that I could have posted.
Instead I am typing this post late at night on my iPhone from Brother Bruce's house in Virginia!
I have no idea what Internet access will be like in France but will try to keep you updated even if it is just a couple of paragraphs like tonight.
Anyone reading this is either a friend or family. Thanks for all your support and encouragement - from going on walks with me to technical and logistical support to simple expressions of "I wish I could go with you."
I had great plans to post photos of trails I hiked near Sitka as part of my training. I was going to post general photos of Sitka for anyone who has never been there. I was going to post photos of the apartment that I will be renting upon my return in July. I have photos on my camera of two fellow Sitka pilgrims wishing me Buon Camino Sunday morning and another shot of me getting ready to go through security at the Sitka airport that I could have posted.
Instead I am typing this post late at night on my iPhone from Brother Bruce's house in Virginia!
I have no idea what Internet access will be like in France but will try to keep you updated even if it is just a couple of paragraphs like tonight.
Anyone reading this is either a friend or family. Thanks for all your support and encouragement - from going on walks with me to technical and logistical support to simple expressions of "I wish I could go with you."
Monday, February 28, 2011
February/ March Update
Just a quick update to let you know where I have been and where I will be soon.
I flew out of Barrow on February 2nd instead of the 1st because the earlier flight was canceled. This then pushed my flights to Mexico back by a day and I arrived in Guadalajara early on March 4th - Mom's 88th birthday.
Suddenly, here it is, the day before my departure. The time has flown by. I've put in many km of "training" for the Camino walking all over between Chapala and Ajijic. I've climbed up and down hills with light and heavier packs. I've even been taking some Pilates classes.
Mom and I went to Manzanillo on the Pacific coast for five days.
Cousin Denise was here for eight days. She was a good sport and went on all my training walks with me although she refused to come to the Pilates classes.
Denise and I took a three day trip to Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacan.
I leave Guadalajara early on March 2nd and return to Anchorage.
I'll be in Anchorage until March 8 when I fly to Sitka.
I'll depart Sitka on March 27 for Washington, DC.
March 28 I depart DC and arrive in Paris, France the morning of March 29. The plan is to catch trains that will get me to Le Puy the evening of March 29. The plan is to meet up with Chris and Gitte McKay - my walking companions - who will be arriving from Scotland on March 29 as well.
April 1 the plan is to attend the Pilgims' Mass at 7 a.m. and then begin the 1500 km walk to the cathedral at Santiago de Campostela.
I'll try to be better about updating this blog in the future.
Karen
I flew out of Barrow on February 2nd instead of the 1st because the earlier flight was canceled. This then pushed my flights to Mexico back by a day and I arrived in Guadalajara early on March 4th - Mom's 88th birthday.
Suddenly, here it is, the day before my departure. The time has flown by. I've put in many km of "training" for the Camino walking all over between Chapala and Ajijic. I've climbed up and down hills with light and heavier packs. I've even been taking some Pilates classes.
Mom and I went to Manzanillo on the Pacific coast for five days.
Cousin Denise was here for eight days. She was a good sport and went on all my training walks with me although she refused to come to the Pilates classes.
Denise and I took a three day trip to Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacan.
I leave Guadalajara early on March 2nd and return to Anchorage.
I'll be in Anchorage until March 8 when I fly to Sitka.
I'll depart Sitka on March 27 for Washington, DC.
March 28 I depart DC and arrive in Paris, France the morning of March 29. The plan is to catch trains that will get me to Le Puy the evening of March 29. The plan is to meet up with Chris and Gitte McKay - my walking companions - who will be arriving from Scotland on March 29 as well.
April 1 the plan is to attend the Pilgims' Mass at 7 a.m. and then begin the 1500 km walk to the cathedral at Santiago de Campostela.
I'll try to be better about updating this blog in the future.
Karen
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