Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Days 20 - 23 Move on down, move on down the road

Day 20 was a short walk as MK needed the rest. We hiked up a steep hill to a beautiful panoramic view of the countryside.  We reached Ventas de Naron and checked into the albergue. After showers and laundry, we walked to the other side of town (about 5 buildings in total) to the chapel. It was operated by a blind man who was quite a character. He made a big deal about turning on the lights for us and then had us guide his hand to stamp out credentials. We then went back to our albergue for dinner and to watch EspaƱa vs Italia in the Euro 2016 Copa.
Day 21 - We left in a misty fog the next morning. We walked through some truly beautiful villages. All of the buildings and gardens were covered in hydrangeas and roses. Just gorgeous!
Since I'm trying to give a true impression of the Camino, I wanted to talk toilets for a minute. We basically judge all of our stops and breaks based on the quality of the toilets. We have seen toilets with seats, toilets without seats, and once there wasn't even a toilet - just foot treads and a hole. (Thanks, I'll just wait until the next village.) We’ve seen handle flushers, button flushers, weird knob flushers, and even the old school Nellie Olson style pull chain flushers. We are happy when there is toilet paper, excited when there is soap, and can't believe it when there are actual real live paper towels. (Score!) Seriously, we get excited about these things. (Germophobes, the Camino may not be for you.)
Somewhere along our hike, a local stopped us to ask how far we were going today (Completely in Spanish I might add - my comprehension is getting pretty good.) He said we really needed to go all the way to Melide so we could eat the pulpo. We did actually decide to go all the way to Melide - 26.4k! (16.9 miles!!), but we weren't feeling up to pulpo that night. We actually ended up at a Kebab place where we had felafel and kafta. Not exactly regional cuisine, but it hit the spot!
Day 22 - This was another shorter day (14.5 k). It was either that, or go another 8k as there is not another albergue any closer. Plus, this leaves us with two 19k walks for our final two days.
We are still walking through beautiful, mostly rural, hilly countryside. Much of the path is also through forest.
We finally tried pulpo at our lunch stop. We had it along with calamari, lentil soup, and local cheeses. Yum!
We stopped in Arzua and are now tucked into our albergue. It is full of teens and twenty somethings and is pretty loud and rowdy. This is often the reality as you near Santiago. There are lots of folks doing the pilgrimage lots of different ways for lots of different reasons. It takes some patience sometimes, but life is like this really. Everyone is on their own path doing things their own way. We just need to extend patience and grace towards one another.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Day 19 - 200 miles down, 56 to go

Today was a better day. We could feel the prayers lifting us up and strengthening us. We also have a cheerleader. We keep running into Mary Anne from South Africa. Although our encounters are brief, she always has a cheerful greeting for us and words of encouragement. We love seeing her!
Now that we are past Sarria, the Camino is very crowded. Many people with only a short amount of time only do that last 100 kilometers. This allows them to still get a certificate of completion called a Compostela. We have also noticed many families walking this part together. We’ve heard that many children walk this part with their families as part of their preparation for first communion.
We are also still in a very rural part of the country and saw horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, donkeys, and even an ostrich today.
We are staying in Portomarin and once again were led to our lodging by a local. We are in a pension, and for 45 Euro, we have our own room with 6 beds and a private bathroom.
The final walk down before we reached the city was a narrow stony pathway that was really difficult to maneuver. We then crossed a bridge that led us over a lake and then up into the town.
Tomorrow we set out again.


Day 18 - Mind Your Manners

We left Triacastela and began walking down the trail once again. After not too long, we began to hear a loud ruckus behind us. Then, for the next hour and a half, we were passed by group after group after group of Spanish teenagers. There were at least 150 of them that passed us in droves. A few were polite. Most just barreled past us hollering or blaring music.

Now, we are getting closer to “the finish line,” and we’ve heard it will get louder and more crowded. Pilgrims who have gotten used to the peace and tranquility really have to work to not resent the newcomers. We have to remind ourselves that everyone is experiencing their own Camino, and we have to give people permission to do that their own way.

However, there are some “Camino Manners” that people should follow to be courteous to other pilgrims. Here are some examples:
In albergues:
Don't pack things in plastic bags. The rustling is annoying to others who are resting.
Don't talk loudly.
Don't hog outlets.
Take quick showers.
Give bottom bunks to the injured and the elderly.
Make phone calls in public spaces.
On the trail:
Move to single file if someone needs to pass.
Use headphones if you want to listen to music.
Do NOT leave trash on the trail. This includes Kleenex and TP.

We found respite from the hoardes of students at a cafe that was about 50 meters off the trail. After being surrounded by bunches of really loud kids, it was nice to retreat back to a quiet, uncrowded space. After ordering coffee and coffee cake, Dad realized that he’d left his wallet in the laundry room of our last albergue. The lady at the cafe called our albergue for us, and the hospitalero at the albergue offered to drive Dad’s wallet to our destination that day. It is simply amazing how hard people work to support pilgrims on their Camino!

The weather was overcast and 60 degrees. We were comfortable if walking, but cold when we stopped. Also, our 18 mile hike from two days ago combined with two 13 mile days afterwards meant we were really fatigued. We were hitting the wall.
We found our way to Albergue Casa Peltre in Sarria. The albergue was this cool old building, and we had an upstairs room. There was also a common room upstairs with exposed beams and antiques - very neat!
Even though there was a huge festival going on in Sarria (concerts, parades, food trucks, and cannon fire?) we showered, napped, ate, and then went to bed. Just too tired to do anything other than take care of basic needs.
Six days to Santiago.



Day 17 - Down is Hard!

The fog rolled into O’Cebreiro overnight. It was very thick when we woke up, so we decided to wait to see if it would lift. By 9:30, when the end of the fog was nowhere in sight, we decided to leave.

The fog was so thick that we were covered in water droplets as we walked. We had a harder time finding the waymarkers, but it was kind of fascinating to walk in such a thick fog. Good thing this part of the trail was not along a busy road!

We found an 8th century church along the way called San Esteban. We went inside and got sellos. Sellos are stamps in your pilgrims’ credential. The credential is like a passport with stamps that show the places you have been along the Camino. You get a stamp every night when you check into an albergue. They are also available at most churches and bars. When you enter into Gallicia (starting about 120 kilometers from Santiago) you must have two sellos a day.

At one of our snack stops, we had local cheese topped with honey. We also had an empanada atune (tuna and veggies in a bread pocket). We really try to find out what the local fare is and have that to eat. Some stuff is great (cheese!) and some is not (squid in black ink sauce), but we can say we’ve tried the regional dishes.

Most of today’s walking involved descending from the climb the day before. One might think that descents would be easy, but they are a lot of work! You have to roll your foot to keep from stomping down the trail which is a knee wrecker. You are also using leg muscles that, at least for people from Texas, rarely get used. You also have to work a lot harder at not falling. The terrain is usually rocky and sometimes treacherous.

The area we are walking in is very rural, and livestock seems to be the main economy. This means most of the day is spent dodging cow plops (or actual cows) and swatting flies. The smell is pretty “earthy” too.
When we reached Triacastela, we were led by a local woman to a brand new albergue called Lemos. It was very nice and even had an elevator, a happy sight for tired legs!
We ventured down the road for dinner to Complexe Xacobeo where we had excellent steak and local sausage (with potatoes and bread of course). Everything along the Camino is served with potatoes and bread. Seriously, everything.




Friday, June 24, 2016

Camino Reflection -How Heavy is Your Pack?

On the Camino, your backpack is like your home. You carry all of your possessions in it. It is organized in a precise way (at least mine is) that allows you to find things quickly and efficiently.
Most pilgrims overpack. You bring what you think are the necessities, and then you throw in the “I might need”s, and finally you make room for the “what if”s.

As you begin your journey with a fully loaded pack, you begin to reasses what is essential. The weight of everything you carry becomes burdensome and you look for ways to lighten your load. You start to cast off the unnecessary, you discern that you don't need the “I might need”s, and you realize that the “what if”s can be taken care of locally IF they happen at all. You allow yourself to let go of things you brought for comfort and you learn to trust that your needs will be met. As your pack lightens, you are able to walk farther and ache less.

Our hearts are like that. We cling to things for comfort that are unnecessary, and we carry heavy burdens we weren't meant to carry. Through Christ’s death, we are freed from carrying those burdens, yet we often choose to do it anyway. We sometimes cling to things instead of trusting God that He will take care of our needs.
And when we lighten our loads, we are better able to go farther, to ache less, and to look up and see the beauty that is before us.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30

How heavy is your pack?

Day 16 - The Climb

We started the morning in Villafranca. We left at dawn because we were walking 28.9k today, and the last 8k has a huge climb. This was also the first day we decided to send our packs ahead to our destination. For 5 Euro per pack, there are several companies that will transport your bag to any destination down the road. Today was the perfect day to try it out.

We walked through mountain passes along a river. It was quite beautiful and reminded us of Colorado.
As we were rounding a turn, we noticed a group of men crouched on the side of the road. They had found several four leaf clovers. I'm so glad we came upon them because since we had such a long walk ahead of us, we were walking fairly determinedly and had forgotten to stop and notice what was around us. We started looking for clutches of clover along the side of the road and actually found five more as we walked!

We made our way along the path stopping for snack breaks here and there. When we reached the village at the 20k mark, we knew the climb was next. We stopped first for a rest at a picnic area along the river. We dipped our feet into the freezing cold water and then rested on the benches for awhile. Next, we went into the adjacent cafe for fuel. We ordered a plate of local goat cheese which was served with quince jam and bread. So. Good.

We then started to climb and climb and climb. And then we climbed some more. For 8k, we rose from 530 meters above sea level to 1330 meters above sea level.
The views as we climbed were excellent. We climbed mostly in shade with only the final ascent in the sun. There was a cool breeze during the sunny parts which made the final few kilometers pass more easily.

We finally reached O’Cebreiro, located our packs (they had been delivered to one of the bars), and checked into a hotel. We got two rooms with a shared bath for 65 Euro. We felt we deserved the treat after 28.9 k and an 800 meter ascent!  We had a lovely dinner and are now tucked into bed, ready for a nice long rest.
Buenos Noches!
(There is no wifi - that actually works - in O’Cebreiro, so posts and pictures will be a day or two late.)


Day 15 - Peace, Love, and Kitty Cats

We left our excellent albergue, Camino Frances, in Santibanez de Valdeglesia in the morning and started a slow ascent. We walked most of the morning with a Canadian woman. One of the best parts of the Camino is striking up a conversation with a complete stranger and learning part of their story. The shared experience of the Camino allows people to open up in a much more vulnerable way than if you just strike up a conversation on the street.

About halfway through our morning walk, we came upon a snack shack in the middle of nowhere. There is a couple who live there completely off the grid - no electricity, no running water. They operate the snack shack on a donation only basis (donativo) and will also “read your essence” if you desire. Their home is an old sheep shed which is basically a lean-to. They had planted a garden and had a litter of kittens running around. We weren't interested in having our essence read, but we were grateful for the slices of watermelon and juice.

We then continued on our journey into Astorga. We visited the Bishop’s Palace which was designed by Gaudi. We also visited the cathedral and the Chocolate Museum. Astorga was known for its chocolatiers, and we learned about the process of making chocolate and saw some of the molds and wrappers used in handmade chocolates. The tour ended with samples from various regions.

Next we headed to the bus station where we would board a bus to Ponferrada and another bus to Villafranca. While we waited, we went into the bus station cafeteria to find something to eat. We ordered an ensalada de casa and got this beautiful salad with tuna, shrimp, red peppers, green and black olives, lettuce and olive oil. It was amazing! And from a bus station cafeteria!
We weren't exactly sure of our plan as we knew we needed to cut out parts of the Camino to finish in time, but we didn't have an exact plan. These two bus trips to Ponferrada and then on to Villafranca came about so easily and smoothly that we truly felt we were being led by God to the destination he had planned for us. Once we reached Villafranca, we walked the main drag looking for an albergue.

As we stood in front of a huge building looking for an albergue sign, a man came up to us and led us around the corner. He told us that this albergue was beautiful and we should stay here. It turns out we were standing in front of San Nicholas monastery that had been converted into an albergue. The rooms had four twin beds and a private bathroom. We shared our room with a woman named Mary Ann from South Africa. We ate dinner in the cloisters downstairs overlooking the inner garden. We had a mountain view from our room, and all for 8.5 Euro each.
We learned a little more of our roommate Mary Ann’s story later that evening. Her daughter (now 25) was born profoundly deaf. South Africa does not offer support services for deaf students, so Mary Ann had spent the last 20 years attending school with her daughter to serve as her interpreter. Her daughter had just graduated from university, and Mary Ann’s husband sent her to do the Camino (a life long dream) as her “graduation” gift. What an example of love and service!




Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Day 14 - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

“If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” - Dolly Parton

Most of the time, the Camino is beautiful and sometimes even breathtaking. Today was not that day. Today was long and boring and sometimes even ugly. We started the day walking on a paved road with fields of dirt on either side. There were even some stretches of barbed wire fences. As the day got hotter, and the trill of the grasshoppers rose from the weeds, we really had to force ourselves to soldier on.

Days like this make one yearn for the beautiful days. When we find ourselves walking through the ugly parts of life, we can start to focus on the ugliness itself. We question our situation and wonder if we should find a way to skip through the hard parts and get back to the beauty. But if we stayed in the beautiful places all of the time, we would lose our appreciation for the beauty. Also, there is growth when we learn to endure the ugliness, to face the grind and trust that beauty is ahead.

Today I took special note of a certain plant. There is a wild rose that grows along the entire Camino, and it has heart shaped petals. When it is growing along the beautiful parts of The Camino, I am reminded of God’s divine beauty and grace. And when it is found along the ugly parts, like today, I am reminded that God is always present. Even among the ugliness. And He will remain present until we find ourselves among beauty again.


Day 13 - A Road Less Traveled

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost

Today we began walking again after a three day tour break. We left Leon and walked through a pretty industrial area for awhile. We then reached a village where we had a choice. We could stay on the main Camino way which followed the highway for about 30k, or we could take the optional route which led us through a more rural area. Even though it added a few kilometers to our trek, we chose the optional way. We had to cross a few highways to get to the rural part, but it was worth it! Almost immediately after crossing the highways, we ran into a shepherd, his two dogs, and a giant herd of sheep. He waited for us to pass by him and then whistled to his dogs to get the herd moving down the road. It was a real treat to watch.
We then proceeded through fields and small rural villages. There were beautiful haciendas covered in roses, gorgeous rolling hills, and farmers working their fields. We were so glad to have chosen this path.
We ended our day in Vilar de Mazarife after walking 21.8 kilometers. After showers and laundry, we celebrated our trek with sangria at our albergue, Tio Pepe, which quickly brought on a long siesta.
It was a great day!





Monday, June 20, 2016

Day 11 and 12 - Touring Leon

From Burgos we left our albergue at 8am and found a bar serving breakfast. We then made our way to the bus station for our 10:30 bus to Leon. We were watching a TV screen that shows all of the departure times and destinations. The screen also showed a loading zone number so you would know what bus to get on. Our bus did not show a loading zone number, so we waited in the lobby. When 10:30 arrived and there was still no loading zone number, we decided to find someone to ask. Sure enough our bus was already there and loading passengers, they just don't really keep those screens updated. Good thing we asked, or we would have missed our bus!

The bus ride was 3 hours and ran through a very flat region. The people, and Peregrinos who walk this section, call it the meseta. It is a very flat, very long, very sunny, and therefore very hot section to walk. Many people who do not have enough time to walk the entire Camino take a bus from Burgos to Leon.

Once we arrived, we hunted for a hotel. Even though we had a map with hotels on it, they were fairly hard to find, and some we checked were booked. We finally did find the Regia Leon that had a room for three. We spent more than we had planned, but it seemed we didn't have the option to be choosy.  Saturday must have been some kind of festival in Leon because it was Mardi Gras crowded on the main drag. We saw bands in a parade, clowns with balloons, groups of people dressed in crazy costumes, and a political rally of some kind. The running of the bulls in Leon is in the coming week, so maybe it is already crowded for that.

We walked to a launderia and washed everything except what we were wearing including bedding and towels. It was nice to use an actual dryer!

After we returned to the hotel, we went in search of dinner. It was 7pm, and because we were in a big city, we could not find a Pilgrim’s Menu (served earlier than Spanish dinner time). Every place we checked did not start serving until 8:30 or 9. We finally found a place that said it started serving at 8, so we sat down to wait a few minutes. We misunderstood and went in the wrong door and ended up sitting in a coffee bar for an hour waiting for them to begin serving dinner. The guy at the bar finally explained that we needed to go downstairs for dinner. By the time we ate, we were so hungry and tired, we couldn't really enjoy it.

This was actually our “cranky” day. We had reached the two week mark of our trip, and that combined with the crazy crowds made us grumpy. Normally, stumbling upon a festival in a foreign city would be exciting. But because of the pace and the peace of the Camino experience, being in the midst of a loud, crowded festival was an assault to the senses. It was pretty overwhelming after 10 days of peaceful walking. The partiers went all night long (we could still hear them at 6am the next morning) but we went to sleep at our usual 10pm and slept the cranky away.

The next day we toured Leon. We visited a building designed by Gaudi and Saint Isadore's Church whose building is tucked into the ancient Roman walls that line the Old City. We also visited the stunning, gothic cathedral in the old city center.  We then checked into Santa Maria de Carbahal albergue for our second night in Leon. It is run by a group of Benedictine nuns. It is a relatively spartan albergue but is clean and well run.  We had a huge lunch in the old square in front of the albergue and then took a tourist train that drove us around Leon to see the major sights.

We returned to the albergue in time to attend vespers with the nuns. It was peaceful and beautiful.
After vespers, we attended a pilgrim’s blessing. We met people from Canada, China, and Brazil, but the most remarkable pilgrims were a pair of Italians. One was in a wheelchair and the other was helping him complete the Camino. It was very moving to see a pair of such dedicated friends taking on a journey like this together.




Friday, June 17, 2016

Day 10 - Is there room in the inn?

In the midst of your temple I will worship you and glorify thy name because you do wonders.

We boarded a bus in Belorado this morning and took the hour long ride to Burgos. It was interesting to see pilgrims on the Camino path along the way. We’ve watched cars go by us at times before, and now we were the ones passing by in a bus.
We bought our bus tickets to Leon for tomorrow at the Burgos bus station and then set out in search of lodging. The first hotel we came to was a four star fancy schmancy thing, but we went in just to find out the rate. Turns out they were booked full. We walked a few blocks and found a plain looking hotel - booked full. Fellow pilgrims on the bus had mentioned that there weren't many rooms available in Burgos today, and we were starting to believe them.

We stopped at a cafe for cafe con leche, a bathroom (aka aseo, servicio, and WC), and wifi (weefee) in order to find a hotel. The wifi never really connected, so we had to decide what to do. As it turns out, there was a “hospital” next door. Hospitals, as we learned later, are albergues who give preference to injured pilgrims. We knew from the sign that there were only 16 beds in the albergue, so we joined the other 5 people waiting. We soon were a group of 14 but had established an order of arrival. We were waiting for the doors to open at 12.

The hospitalera arrived at 12:05, and had her own plan for admitting pilgrims. She first wanted any pilgrim who was injured or sick and had a doctor’s note. One of the group stepped forward. She then said that all pilgrims have some degree of injury (blisters, muscle aches, etc) and that we were all in need of rest and care. Then she asked for any pilgrims who arrived by foot that day in Burgos. Another 8 stepped forward. Finally she asked for the rest of the pilgrims who arrived by bus, and we stepped forward along with the rest of the group.

She then gave us VERY specific instructions about how to ascend the stairs and how and where to take off our boots. She fussed at several pilgrims who did not follow her directions exactly. (It felt like she was a drill sergeant and we were afraid of getting something wrong. One pilgrim saluted her with a “sir-yes-sir.” She laughed which was a good sign. She then checked us in one at a time and assigned us a bed. 6 Euro for the bed, and another 5 Euro for her to cook us dinner.

After we settled in, we went in search of a sweatshirt for MK because the high was 56 today and it is gray and breezy. (I know you Texans reading this are jealous. I will try to remember how cold I felt today when I return to Houston in July.)  We started at a department store called Cortas de Inglais. It turned out to be more of a Neiman Marcus when what we needed was a Walmart. We went further down the street and found a sweatshirt for 20 Euro for MK. She was glad to have the warm layer to cut the cold a bit. We then headed to the cathedral. We were given a machine that explained the various features of the cathedral in English. The cathedral is stunning. It is divided into many small chapels with ornate detail.  My favorite part of the whole thing was the 8 point star carved into the domed ceiling. Absolutely gorgeous!

When we were done touring, we returned to the albergue for a short nap and dinner.
Our hostess made a huge bowl of lentil soup with sausage plus salad and bread. It was the perfect meal for such a cold day.  She led us in prayer at the beginning of the meal and then returned at the end to tell us her story of being called to the Camino and to later be called to serve as hospitalera. She has served in her current location for two years and lives on the floor above the albergue. She has been a hospitalera for six years total.

She then invited us to mass at the chapel on the first floor. Dad and I attended and received a pilgrim’s blessing at the end.  We are now waiting to head to a bar to watch Spain play in the Euro Cup. The game begins at 9pm, and we have to be back by 10pm though as that is when we are expected to be in bed at the albergue. Almost all albergues have a “you must be in by” time in the evening and a “you must be out by” time in the morning. This allows the hosts to clean and change sheets before accepting new guests at either 12 or 1pm.
It’s game time. Ole ole ole ole! Viva EspaƱa!

Day 9 - 100 miles down

We did not get a good night’s sleep at the albergue in Santo Domingo. There were so many people, and the lights from the bathroom streamed into our room from a skylight. For many of the lights in the halls and bathrooms in albergues, they are set to motion sensors. Because we had beds right by the door and a skylight to the bathroom, we were aware of lights going on and off all night. (I write this not as a complaint but to show some of the realities of staying in albergues.)

We left at 6:20 because we had a long walk ahead of us. The temperature was 46 degrees outside which felt so fantastic! Outside of town, we missed a way marker and were headed in the wrong direction, but two older Spanish gentlemen were standing on the side of the road talking, and they hollered at us and pointed us along the correct path - thanks be to God.

Because we were not walking in close proximity to any other pilgrims, I let MK play her music without headphones. We belted out tunes from the first half of Les Mis together.
We arrived in our first village and had cafe con leche with a guy from California and a family from Ireland we’ve been walking with. Then we headed on. We had “elevenses” at the next village in a 150 year old albergue. A woman and her husband fixed us fresh omelette sandwiches and coffee con leche. MK had zumo natural which is fresh squeezed orange juice. So good!

We continued on keeping an eye on the dark clouds that threatened rain. A cold wind was blowing directly at us for the rest of our walk, so we were very glad to arrive in Belorado. We hiked 22.4 kilometers and passed the 100 mile mark of our journey somewhere along the way.
We found an albergue/pension with a private room for three upstairs. It also had a kitchen, living room, and shared bathroom. We grabbed groceries for dinner (gross microwave pasta) and then settled in to watch a futbol match on the television in the living room before bed with three folks from France and one from Spain.

We promised MK she could sleep in. She fell asleep at 6p and did not wake up until 7a, so she obviously needed the rest. We did a bit of laundry by hand before bed and set it out to dry. This is an almost daily part of our routine.

The next morning we walked to Hotel Jacobeo for breakfast. A typical desayuno is coffee and a sweet bread. Today it was a thick type of donut that is good for dunking.
After breakfast, we boarded a bus to travel to Burgos. We’ve reached the point in our trip where we must travel ahead to the last 150k of The Camino. It is good timing because we’ve walked for 9 days straight, and these travel days will serve as rest days as well.


Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Camino Reflection - Looking for the arrows

As you travel The Camino, there are waymarkers to keep you on the path. Sometimes you see scallop shells, but mostly you see yellow arrows that point you in the direction you should go.
Sometimes you go a long way without seeing a waymarker. You begin to question whether you have strayed from the path.

Then a waymarker appears to reassure you. You have to really pay attention sometimes to see the waymarkers. You can miss them if you are distracted.  Occasionally you get off the path (

intentionally or not) but there is usually someone to call your attention to your waywardness and point you back in the right direction.
And when you have left the path completely, and you need to find it again, you seek a church because the path always goes by there.

I find that The Camino is a metaphor for our lives. We seek waymarkers to confirm that we are on the right path. Sometimes we get anxious when we haven't seen a waymarker for awhile and we want confirmation that we are on the right path. There are often people who help guide us when we stray, and the church is always there to set us on the right path again.
I wish you all a Buen Camino!

Camino Day 8- Catedral Santo Domingo de Pollo

Today, we walked again through vineyards and along hilly countryside from Najera to Santo Domingo.  It is really beautiful in this region. We walked with the Alaskan family again for the last portion of the day. Talking helps the miles go faster.

We are now in Santo Domingo, and this town is known for a legend involving chickens. Hundreds of years ago, a family was traveling the Camino. The son was falsely accused of theft in this town and was hanged. His parents completed The Camino then returned to mourn their son.

They found him still hanging alive. They went to the judge to tell of the miracle and ask for his release. The judge said  your son is as alive as these two roasted chickens I am eating. The roasted chickens then grew feathers and returned to life. To this day, the cathedral houses a pair of live chickens, and you find chickens in their vestments, altar hangings, and carvings.

We also saw an exhibit by Play-mobile of the entire Camino Frances from beginning to end. It included pilgrims with backpacks and walking staffs. We also climbed the bell tower to see the bells (they are huge) and take in the views.

Tomorrow we journey on.

Camino Day 7 How long until the next shire?


On days 7 we traveled on from Navarette to Najera.  Our walking days follow a pattern and feel pretty similar. We get up (as early as we can stand - sometimes 5a, sometimes as late as 7a) and get ready. It seems to take us at least an hour for all of us to be ready to head out. This includes getting dressed, repacking packs with bedding and clothes, foot care, breakfast, and refilling water bottles.

We walk for about 2 hours then stop for a snack. We eat like hobbits on this walk - breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee, dinner.

We then walk another 2 hours then stop. Then another 1-2 hours, then done. Leaving early and cooler temps affects our progress greatly! If we leave by 6:30, we can be 20+k down the road by 1-2pm and take a long afternoon rest (siesta). Can this become a thing in the US? Naps are the best!
In Najera, we mailed a package on to Santiago for 11 Euro, so MK and I have lightened our packs by a few pounds each. I sent ahead a pair of pants, a pair of leggings, a pair of socks, and a deck of cards.

At the bar where we had dinner, these two guys were belting out Spanish tunes. They handed Dad a guitar, and sang as Dad played for a good 20 minutes. Dad’s Spanish song repertoire is not that large, and they kept asking for songs Dad didn't know, but he extemporized really well. People from around the bar got up to dance and sing. We had a great time!


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Camino Day 6-Feet Matter on the Camino

Foot care is a BIG DEAL on the Camino. Each morning, you lube your feet with Vaseline before putting on sock liners and hiking socks. If a blister appears, you can drain it with a needle and/or cover it with Compeed. Compeed it a fantastic European product that covers blisters and provides a thin cushion as the blister heals. You have to be very careful though not to remove the Compeed pad until it wears off naturally. Otherwise, you will tear off the skin.
MK and I have each had 1-2 small blisters but nothing major which is a huge blessing. We have seen pilgrims with giant, painful blisters which really affect the walk.
My foot issue is a heat rash/allergic reaction that appeared on my feet the first day and returned on the fifth day. I treat it with topical and oral Benadryl, but I've learned that I HAVE TO stop every 2 hours or so and take my shoes off for at least 30 minutes.

After walking almost 18 k with no long breaks, my feet were covered in a red rash and swollen.
We slept 11 hours in Longrono and found breakfast in a bar of cafe con leche y tortilla (potato, egg, and cheese triangle). We then went to the farmacia for more Compeed and to ask about my feet. They gave me hydrocortisone to help calm the rash down.
We then began a nice cool walk through the town of Logrono. We ran into a family from Alaska that we met a few days earlier and walked with them. They have two girls aged 15 and 17, so MK enjoyed having someone to talk to.

We walked through two city parks, made one climb, then arrived in Navarette after 10k. We checked in to a small albergue with very nice updated facilities. Then we went to the church square and had pintxos (small snack sized plates) and iced cafe con leche at Bar Deportivo. For pintxos, we had tortilla, lasagna, pork skewer, stewed egetables, shrimp, croquette, layered fried vegetables, and quail. All were absolutely fantastic!!

After eating, we showered and then too stock of our packs. We found about 5-6 pounds of things we want to mail home at the next post office. (When you carry your pack everyday, you become very judicious about what you need.)
After a rest, we will head to the supermarket to buy things for dinner since the albergue here has a nice kitchen and dining table.  Then we journey on tomorrow.

Camino Day 5

We left Los Arcos and walked 7k to Sansol. The morning was cool and overcast. As we were approaching the village, a lead bike and a group of runners went past. The local villages were sponsoring a marathon which ran from Los Arcos to Viana (our route for the day) along the Camino.
We had stocked up on snacks the night before because cafes, shops, and bars in most small towns stay closed on Sundays. We stopped and had a snack break as the rest of the pack of runners ran past. Then we continued another 12k to Viana. You have to be aware of how long the distance is between villages and stock up on water accordingly. Because this was 12k with nothing along the way, we filled all of our water bottles completely full.

This was a really long day, and we didn't take any long breaks due to the lack of villages along the route. We arrived in Viana around 2:15 hot and exhausted. We ran into a friend we had met from Italy as we walked along the main road in Viana. She suggested we take a bus to Logrono.
This turned out to be a great suggestion as we did not have the energy for another 8k, and the route into Logrono is through a very industrial area.
We found the bus stop and waited. It arrived 30 minutes after the scheduled time, and we rode for about 10-15 minutes to the bus station.

We then found our way to the town cathedral. (This is typically along the Camino and is the best way to find the route again.) From the cathedral, we found the Santiago Apostol albergue and checked in. This was another large albergue with over 60 beds in 4 different halls.

We showered and then went to the church square for sangria at Cafe Beso. (Stephen had stopped at the same cafe two years ago and recommended we have sangria there.) We then went in search of dinner. Even though it was 6:15, we had a difficult time finding anything open. Most restaurants do not open for dinner until at least 7 if not 8pm. We finally found a place that had a “menu del dia,” and even though it was 6:30, she brought wine and nut mix for us to tide us over until they started serving dinner at 7.
The whole town was out and about on the streets celebrating the Festival of St. Barnabas. There were people in medieval costumes, and there were balloons and special markets set up everywhere. We were really too tired to stay up for the festivities, but it looked like the town was up late into the night.

For dinner, we tried several typical Spanish dishes. We had clams cooked in a celery stew, stuffed red peppers, and squid in black ink sauce. All of which was served with Vino tinto and bread. For dessert we had flan and arroz con leche.
After dinner, we looked for a farmacia (pharmacy) for foot care items. It was closed and would not open until 10am tomorrow, so we decided to sleep in and hit the pharmacy when it opened in the morning.

Camino Reflection - Desirderata

Max Ehrmann’s “Desirderata” begins:
Go placidly amid the noise and haste
And remember what peace there may be in silence.

The Camino has been a chance to escape the “noise” of life, if only for a brief time. For this journey, we do not hear the call of appointments, obligations, chores, and bills. The news is not loudly calling for our attention, and we are not in a rush to be anywhere in particular.

While our journey has certainly been full of fascinating conversations with people from all races and nations, it has also been a time of quiet. As we walk, our minds are clear enough to hear the birds sing and the wind rustle through the trees. Our eyes are focused enough to see the wild flowers, bugs, and butterflies that line the path. We take time to lay down in the shade and rest and to actually stop and smell the flowers.

We cannot stay in the peacefulness and quiet of the Camino, but as we return in a few weeks to the “noise and haste” may we “remember what peace there may be in silence.”

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Camino Day 3 and 4

In Cirauqui, the albergue is located in a small square with the town church. The church bells began chiming the quarter hour beginning at 3am, so most of the albergue was up by 4am. I slept solidly from 9pm - 3am, so I actually felt quite rested. That is the most hours of sleep  in a row I've gotten since we left for our trip. Lack of sleep due to jet lag, other people snoring, etc can be a problem for many. Pilgrims typically arm themselves with ear plugs, a sleeping mask, and sleep aids like Benadryl to help get a good night’s sleep.
Sleeping in albergues is a little like sleeping in a different cabin at a different sleep away camp every night. One main difference though is that all facilities are co-ed. Also, privacy is not really a thing in Europe, so people will just change clothes right in front of you and are very comfortable sleeping in just their underwear. (We still change in shower stalls and restrooms. I'm all about “do as the Romans do,” but I have to draw the line somewhere.)
We got ready slowly and waited until dawn to begin walking. (It would have been dangerous to begin in the dark as the way out of town is steep and rocky.) We left at about 6am. At this point of the Camino, the path is the old Roman road, and it is full of huge rocks. You have to walk carefully so as not to twist an ankle.
The morning was cool and overcast which was a huge difference from the day before. We walked almost 6k to Lorca. The last part was extremely steep, so we stopped for rest and a cafe con leche and chocolate croissant. Then we walked another almost 5k to Villatuerte where we stopped for a Coca Cola. (Coke tastes different in Spain. It is made with real sugar.) We are eating a and drinking things with WAY more calories than we normally would because we are burning so many each day. Normally bread, sweets, and potatoes would be eaten in moderation, but not on The Camino.
Next, we hiked another almost 4K to Estella. On the Camino, there are way markers to help you stay on the path. They can be tiles on a building with the shell symbol, a yellow arrow, a metal shell in the pavement, or a concrete block with a shell tile. During a portion of our walk to Estella, we went a long way without seeing a way marker. There were also cars and farm equipment going up and down the road, so we worried we had taken a wrong turn. After some time another way marker appeared to confirm we were on the path. It is good there are three of us, because it can be easy to miss an arrow or shell telling you to turn right or left. Another confusing thing is that traditionally the pointed end of the scallop shell would point the way to go and the scalloped lines were in the back. Newer signs and tiles have been hung the other way with scalloped lines pointing the way to go. Sometimes you see a shell marker, and without an accompanying arrow, it is hard to know which way to turn.
Just before Estella, we saw a pen full of miniature burros. Pat pun of the day: Dad said, “I would name my burro Hotey, so he would be called Donkey Hotey (Don Quixote).
We were very hungry when we got to Estella at 12pm because we had been walking for 6 hours. We decided to have hamberguesas con papas fritas. The fries were great, but the hamburgers were a huge disappointment. I don't know where Spain gets their beef ( or if it is beef?) but I won't be ordering another one.
We made a steep climb through and out of Estella and were rewarded with free wine at Bodegas Irache. This is a winery right outside of Estella that has wine and water taps on the outside for pilgrims to use. They make 100 liters available each day, so they are sometimes out when you arrive, but we were lucky enough to get to taste some. (It is okay, but not fantastic. Still very cool though.)
We stopped just above the bodegas at the courtyard of the accompanying monastery (closed due to lack of postulants) for a siesta.
Siesta is taken very seriously in Spain. Shops and restaurants close at 1pm and do not open again until 4 or 5pm. There are some bars and restaurants that stay open for pilgrims, but other than that you will not see any locals in the afternoon. Walking through villages at that time makes you feel like it is a ghost town.
After a short siesta under the plane trees, we continued hiking towards Azqueta. We hiked through fields, a forest, and on hillsides. The countryside is beautiful. When hiking through the forest, we saw a sign saying Percaucion Perros. Apparently, some pilgrims have been charged by dogs but we didn't see any.
We arrived in Arqueta and checked into La Perla Nerga. This private albergue is run by a single mom named Elena. She is working very hard to make a living and runs a beautiful home. (The Spanish government has a program to help single moms and granted her a loan for her albergue at a good rate.) She sees this as a ministry, not just a job, and treats her guests like family. Elena is just delightful! She cooked an amazing meal with local produce and eggs. We shared the albergue with 5 other Americans and 2 Germans. They made great company as we dined together. The German couple, Elka and Reinhardt, are a great source of information because they have done the Camino six times. They enjoy “adopting” peregrinos and helping them with suggestions and recommendations.
We all “slept in” until 7am. It felt very luxurious to get so much sleep. We didn't leave the albergue until 9am, and after a short 2k walk to Villamayor de Monjardin, we started our long walk of the day. You have to stock up on water and snacks there, because the next village is 12.2k away. The walk is through fields of crops in rolling hills the entire time. Towards the beginning of the trek, we came across two local musicians playing a violin and an accordion for pilgrims as they walk. We stopped soon after for a banana, bocadillos, and cheeseball picnic on the side of the road. Then we journeyed on. There is an ingenious Spaniard named Eduardo who drives a food truck to the halfway point in the fields and sells cokes and bocadillos to hungry pilgrims.
We’ve met people from all over the world and continue to run into many of them again and again at bars, cafes, or along the road.
Most of us stopped for the day when we completed the 12.2k hike in Los Arcos. We opted to check into a pension (hotel). We got the last room at Pension Mavi for 65 Euro for the three of us which includes breakfast. (This is a bit of a splurge compared to the cost of an albergue (30-40 Euro for three), but worth it on occasion for your own shower and privacy.) We went to the town square for comida (lunch). We had sangria, seafood pasta and pizza. So good!
We are back at the pension for naps and showers before we head to the Pilgrim’s Mass at Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Arcos this evening.


Thursday, June 9, 2016

Day 2 - Uterga to Cirauqui

We left Uterga at 7:30 to begin our walk. (We need to start earlier to take advantage of the cool mornings, but we are struggling with getting enough sleep. We still haven't totally adjusted to the time difference and find ourselves awake from 2am - 4am, then getting up around 6:30.)
We walked through fields of wheat for most of the morning. The trail’s edges are full of poppies, wild dill, wild roses, and other wild flowers. It is quite beautiful.
The mornings are cool until about 9:30. Our rhythm seems to be to walk about 2 hours, then stop for cafe con leche. Then we walk for 2-3 hours, then stop for lunch (bocadillos, chips, and fruit), then walk 1-3 more hours depending on energy. It is very hot in the sun, so we take breaks when we find shade.
This morning, we walked through two towns that basically looked like ghost towns. In Spain, businesses and schools do not open until 9am. You usually don't see local people out in the streets until 8:45.
Around 9:30, we reached Puente la Reina where we stopped for cafe con leche and tortilla (a quiche type wedge of potato and egg. We noticed huge stork nests built into the bell towers of the churches in town. We went into Iglesia de Santiago where we found The Pilgrim’s Prayer written in 4 languages under the statue of St. James. The altar area was completely covered in gold. It was dark and cool and beautiful.
As we left, we crossed a 6 arch Romanesque bridge and walked through fields again. Then we climbed up and up and up with almost no shade. After 5k, we arrived in Maneru and stopped for lunch. We sat on a shaded patio to cool off and rest. We then trekked another HOT 2.6 K to Cirauqui. There was no shade at all and this medieval town is built on a steep slope. We stopped on a large covered stone patio to rest. We soon decided we were too hot and tired to continue, so we booked in to the Maralotx where we found that most of the other people we had met so far had stopped here also. We had an amazing pasta dinner with three men from Italy and did fairly well communicating in Spanish and English. We are sharing a bunk room with the three Italians and a couple from Germany who are on their 6th Camino.
The sun stays up until 10pm, but we are going to try to get to sleep at 9 in hopes of waking up early to take advantage of the cool morning temps.
Buenos Noches!

Camino Frances Day 1

“Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

The Camino is well marked in Pamplona with signs on buildings depicting a yellow shell on a blue background. There are also metal discs in the ground every 10 feet to show you the path out of town.
Once we were out of Pamplona, we were on a gravel path that led through fields along the countryside. People stop in shady spots to rest, adjust their packs and poles, and reapply sunscreen, lip balm, etc. The local Spaniards use the trails also for their daily walks. We were greeted with “Hola, Buen Camino” by almost every single local we encountered. This truly takes effort as there are hundreds of pilgrims on the Camino each day and shows the incredible hospitality Spaniards extend to the pilgrims journeying through their homeland.

When we reached the first village Cizur Menor about an hour into our walk, we filled our water bottles at the town fuente (fountain) and stopped for cafe con leche and servicios (bathrooms). These are available at bars in each village. We then walked for another 2-3 hours along a mostly sunny path with a nice shady break in a forest along a river and stopped in the village of Zariquiegui for bocadillos (huge ham sandwiches that are basically a few slices of jamon on a French bread loaf).

After lunch and a rest, we started to climb and climb and climb until we reached Alto del Perdon - a metal sculpture of medieval pilgrims heads bent into the wind. This sculpture lies on a ridge among numerous wind turbines. After a good rest, we began our decent on a very rocky path. The decent was so steep and rocky that it was actually harder work than the climb. After several more hours of walking, we stopped for the day in Uterga at an albergue called Casa Bastan. We booked a private room for the three of us for 45 Euros that includes breakfast. For another 10 Euros each, we were served dinner by Christopher, the owner of the albergue. We dined with peregrinos from Costa Rica, Russia, and Hawaii. Even though 2 of the 6 of us spoke only a little English, we all managed to converse, tell stories, and enjoy each other’s company.

We covered a little over 17 kilometers today. Tomorrow we continue our journey along The Way.