My incredible journey ...

... ends here in Santaigo.
Walking the Camino de Santiago has been an amazing experience for me, with so many memories to hold on to.
I have been motivated, uplifted, and cheered beyond words by your interest, caring and kindness. Your continuous words of encouragement made a world of difference to me. I couldn't have done it without your help.

My most heartfelt thanks!!

Some things I know for sure.

• Be open to new adventure - even better, seek it out!
• Don't be afraid to go solo every now and then, it can be enriching and confidence building
• Never leave home without your 4 digit PIN ·number
• Always pack lightly
• Be most grateful for a warm and comfortable bed
• Most of us can live happily with a lot less
• Never take for granted the love and friendship of family and friends
• ... and always take care of your feet

Lynne, la peregrina.

A few days in Barcelona, then homeward bound Nov 18th.

Get Me to the Church On Time

Very close to the end now.
Just one more day -or rather, half a day - as tomorrow morning I expect to arrive in Santiago by noon to attend the pilgrim mass in the cathedral. To ensure I got a decent night's sleep I decided to book into a private Albergue - only a few euros more than the public one, which was very crowded.
This was modern and clean and lovely and just a few pilgrims, however by 8.00 at night I started to worry as the dorm was very cold and I did not feel any heat. Sometimes they don't turn the heat on until lights out (10.00) so I tried to remain hopeful, however by 9.30 I started to fear the worst.

Doing my now standard and practised shivering mode, I tried to find out from the owner of the Albergue, the situation re: heat. I pointed up at the heating vents all across the ceiling and did more shivering. The owner pointed up at the ceiling vents as well, jabbering madly in Spanish. What is he saying? The vents are broken? They won't be turned on? Or (more hopefully) they will be going on later?

However my hopes were completely dashed when he opened the outside door and fanned the air - still jabbering on in Spanish -which I find amazing, as he must know I can't understand a single word. So what is he telling me now? That it is not cold outside, hence no heat inside.
(Well, bloody right it's cold - both outside and in!!)... Or is he telling me to vamoose - hit the road?
Despairingly, I shiver one last time and return to the dorm, collecting as many blankets as I can, from uninhabited beds.

Not the best sleep I've ever had.
I actually yelled, "Shut up!!!" at a snorer, out of sheer frustration.

I decide to start early in the morning with a few other pilgrims, as you never know for sure how long the walk will take. It all depends on the quality and challenges of the Camino.
It was very dark when we left, and we had to use our flashlights to identify the arrows and shells that mark the way of the Camino. They seemed to lead us down a dark forest road that was shin deep in water and mud. There did not seem to be any way around it so we waded in, only to come to a dead end in about 10 minutes. Thoroughly soaked, we had to return the same way, and eventually found the correct Camino path.

I knew I had to put out a fair bit of speed now, as I was worried about getting to the church on time. I kept looking at my watch (or whats left of it - all the straps are gone) to check the time, but I still allowed myself 15 minutes for a coffee and a quick bite. I hurried along the trail accompanied by a light rain, but not too cold.

After you arrive at the outskirts of a city, it always seems to take an amazingly long time to get to the city center and today was no different.
I got to the Church 15 minutes late (exactly the time I had stopped for coffee), but I was still able to slip into the Mass, and missing the first 15 minutes didn't seem to matter because, of course, I understand nothing of what was being said - and I had arrived in true Pilgrim fashion: very dirty and somewhat tired...but exhilarated.
The Cathederal is incredibly massive and fantastic beyond belief. Built in 1211, it dominates the city to such an extent that its doors open out onto 3 separate city squares.The interior is just as overwhelming.

I didn't see any Pilgrims I knew so truthfully, I felt a little lonely and disappointed, as there was no one to celebrate with.
As I was getting up to leave I spotted the group that I had parted from early on, when I had decide to stay behind and be a bit of a tourist. I really liked this group (all quite young) and I had often wondered about them. I was thrilled to see them, and they seemed very happy to see me.

Gradually I spotted other pilgrims that I had met on the Camino. After catching up on the news, I went off to the Oficina del Peregrino to present my, now, well stamped pilgrim passport and receive my Compostela - final proof that I have completed the pilgrimage.

The group I had just reunited with asked me if I would like to find a place to stay with them, so we went on the hunt for something cheap, but acceptable.
The place we agreed on was like a university dorm. I truthfully wanted something a little more comfortable, but decided to spend the last night with them before we all parted and went our separate ways.

My last night as a pilgrim and, of course, there was no heat.

Melide to Arca (O Pedrouzo) - 34K

A gorgeous day, weather wonderful, and I'm back on the Camino trail, which wound through beautiful stone walled groves, forests and farmland.
The weather is definitely more pleasant here.
Although there are fall colours, I have spotted numerous palm trees and a lemon tree today (this is the Spain I meant to visit all along.)

The big news is this: tomorrow I arrive in Santiago!
I feel quite emotional about it for some reason, but filled with excitement and anticipation.
There is a pilgrim mass every day at noon in the cathedral, and it is customary for pilgrims to attend on the day they arrive (tired and dirty).

It's about 20 k, so I need to start early to be there on time.

Looking forward to telling you all about that.

Thanks for the latest postings from cousins Jim and Dawna, Vive, Cheryl, Kiwi and Andrea.
Yes, see you at Christmas Andrea!

Airexe to Melide - 23K

The walk seemed long today, but the weather was nice again. This area is really know for being rainy, but I have been super lucky so far, with the weather.

The big deal in Melide is to visit a pulperia - a restaurant that specializes in Octopus (pulpo: octopus.)
I dined with John from Australia and Donna from Calgary, whom I had met on the Camino before, but due to injuries, they had taken a bus for a few days, and were just now getting back on the road.

The Octopus was fantastic.
They are cooked whole, in big cauldrons, cut into bite sized pieces, drizzled with olive oil and Spanish paprika, then washed down with Ribeiro wine. There was also a really good salad and bread.

I decided, after checking into the run down, crowded and dingy Albergue, that I wanted some comfort and privacy, so I treated myself to a small hotel (sort of) across the street.
All in all a great evening.

Sarria to Airexe - 40K

Made a lot of headway today, but I choose to walk on main roads and even the hwy rather than submit my leg to the rough and unpredictable path of the Camino.
Regrettably, I missed out on several lovely villages and a much nicer walk by doing that, but my leg needed one more day on even ground.

I only have a few days to reach Santiago and I actually think I'll make it. Of course I have a new blister on the bottom of one of my toes, but I sneer at blisters now (I spit in your eye, you stupid blister).

I've been travelling pretty well alone the last few days. Some people went ahead, some are behind, but the expectation of most of us is that we will meet many fellow pilgrims in Santiago, as people tend to hang around there for a few days.

I'm in a nice clean and warm Albergue tonight -just one other woman, a Hungarian gal I've never encountered before, plus a nice little restaurant across the street.
It's all good!

Triacastela to Sarria - 23K

I took the long way to Sarria in order to visit the Monasterio de Samos.
I really argued with my leg about going, as there was a shorter route I could take and bypass the monastery. Fortunately my Sister-in-law - a Nurse - reminded me that icing was essential to help my leg heal. So today at each restaurant /rest stop I asked for ice and, eventually just put it under my tights, which held it in place, and I walked with it.
Made a huge difference.

My leg was so much better today, I contemplated going 30 k, but decided instead to stop early at a place where there was an Internet cafe, and where I could catch up on my blog. Unfortunately, shortly after I started, the cafe lost all their connections, so that was that.

I hope to get a few longer days in to make up some of the time I have lost, but I keep reminding myself, I'm not on a deadline.
The area I'm walking in now is a called Galicia - a rainy, but beautiful part of Spain. Wonderful countryside dotted with farms and paths lined with Chestnut trees. The Albergue I'm in tonight has a warm dorm and blankets, but they ran out of hot water after 2 showers, so no shower again today.

By the way, did I tell you I was attacked by bedbugs last week?
Fortunately, the itching has pretty well stopped.

O Cebreiro to Triacastela - 21K

[Previous two Posts Updated Nov 10, 2008, to show the correct sequence of events and locations. This Post is after the fact.]

Left O Cebreiro, surrounded by fog as we descended the mountain.
I had hoped to travel to Samos today (about 30k) to visit and stay at the famous Monasterio de Samos - a monastery founded in the 5th century - but my leg was really sore after the descent from O Cebreiro.
I'm holed up tonight in Triacastela at a warm Albergue and, while not a very warm shower area, the water, at least, is hot.
Most of the Pilgrims I have been with the last few days went ahead to Samos, as they wanted to stay in the monastery.
My book said it was damp and gloomy, so aside from the fact it was too far to walk, I no longer wish to be cold, however romantic the setting might be.

Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro - 27K

[Updated Nov 10, 2008]
Another long day.
Up hill mostly, to the top of a mountain, where rests the rainy, foggy hamlet of O Cebreiro.
Apparently, the view from this point down into the valley is fantastic, but as the fog seldom clears, who knows?
Despite the cold and rain, the dorm was well heated and I had the first really warm sleep in quite awhile.
Considering the weather, I want to know about all those commercials that talk about "Sunny Spain."
That must be another Spain.
Remind me to visit it next time.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo - 22K

[Updated Nov 10, 2008]
Weather much nicer today - and beautiful scenery - as we are back into a landscape of vineyards and rolling hills.
A very long day however as my leg was really sore, so it was slow going.
I did find a Farmacia that was open mid-afternoon, which was a miracle in itself, as they are never open - as a rule - until about 5:00 PM. I bought 600 mg of ibuprofen and washed the first one down with a glass of wine.
(I figured that was OK, as I was not going to be operating heavy machinery that day.)

I was walking alone and, by accident, I ended up on "The Lovely, Longer Camino road".
No, no, no - this I did not want, but I did not realize what I had done until I noticed that I was moving away from the village in the distance, rather than towards it - and consulting my map confirmed my worst fears.
There was no going back at this point, so I slogged on and took the liberty of frequently swearing and crying out loud, as there was no one to hear.
It took me forever to travel 22 k, which is usually not that bad for me, however my leg dictated my speed.

The Albergue at this stop was a funky, hippy sort of place, hosted by a young Spanish guy and German girl who cooked a communal meal for us.
This may not appeal to you, but we found it delicious.
We had a big crunchy salad with lots of veggies, garlic soup, bread, 2 fried eggs and a big platter of boiled potatoes and, something similar to Swiss Chard.
The table was very international - Swiss, German, Canadian, French Canadian (they always make the distinction), Croatian, Korean, American, Spanish, Italian. and Aussie.

On the Camino there is always an easy camaraderie, especially at meals.
No awkwardness, or feeling at all that you are with strangers. Everyone chats easily, with lots of pantomime gestures to get your point across.

The dorm was the usual set up - washrooms not exactly outside, but just as cold, so no shower for me. For some reason, even in a restaurant, the washrooms are never heated.

As pilgrims arrive in the dorm they are closely scrutinized for signs that they may be snorers. Middle aged men, people with pinched nostrils and thick lower lips (clear signs of a mouth breathers) are particularly suspect.
We have become so aggressive about this, that now, people are often challenged out-right and asked if they snore.
This night, a middle-aged Spanish guy looked like a possible hazard, so one of the women asked if he snored and he said, "mucho snoring." At that, one of the German girls asked him to move to another dorm and, when he smilingly refused, she unsmilingly said, "I kill you."

The Camino is definitely not for sissies.

P.S. The guy never snored once, as far as I know.

El Acebo to Ponferrada - 17K

Another short day.
I'm behind re: the schedule I had set out for myself, but sometimes there is no choice.

Quite a few of the Albergues close at the end of October and, because my book is not up to date with the most current info, I rely on the other Pilgrims - some of whom have very current lists.

As best we could tell, the next Albergue would have been a 41 K walk - a little too far in one day, given my ankle is still sore. I would need to walk about 37 K tomorrow to get myself somewhat back on my schedule, but I think I'll go for something a little less than that.

I need to head off to the bank now and hope that Visa will free up some money, but I'm not optimistic. It hasn't worked in the stores where I have tried to use it over the past few days.
If there is anything more frustrating than dealing with Visa while you are out of country, I want to know what that is.

Patti; Thanks for your note. So good to hear from you. Could we have a siblings dinner out before Christmas do you think? I would really look forward to that.
Dee; Your words of encouragement always appreciated.

Rabanal del Camino to El Acebo - 18 K

Today was a climb up over the Leon mountains (I think I referred to them as the Alps - wrong!), with the intention of travelling to Molinaseca - trek of about 26 kil.

I was slightly apprehensive about this, as there was talk we would run into snow, and we woke to howling winds and a great deal of fog.

By the way, the latest technique we are using for staying warm is to place a liberal layer of newspapers between our various tops. The backpack keeps your back warm, but the newspaper really helps cut the wind at the front.

The climb was not bad at all, but we did encounter both snow and rain.

Unfortunately, I turned my ankle ever so slightly on the wet stones, and so the walk was somewhat painful.

About 10 kil along, we came to the Cruz de Ferro -a massive pile of stones with an Iron Cross erected on top. An important Camino ritual is to lay a stone on the pile, to calm the mountain Gods, and ask for safe passage through the mountains.

Many Pilgrims bring a stone from home to place here, and others pick up ones along the way.

A few kilometres on marks the highest point of the Camino at 1517 M. The views are apparently stunning from here, but there was a blanket of fog over the entire valley so we never had the opportunity to appreciate them.

From there we headed to El Acebo and it started to rain heavily, with a brutally cold wind as we approached the village. As it was a steep downhill trek for another 8k to reach our intended destination, we decide to stay at the Albergue in El Acebo instead of continuing on.
I also thought I should not tax my ankle too much.

It had a warm and cosy bar at the front, a dining room and a dorm with blankets - heated (until midnight only). Sometimes it's the best you can do.

When we woke in the morning, it had snowed heavily in the night. It looked beautiful, as we looked out the window, to see the snow on the mountains and covering the slated rooftops.

The reality of walking in it wasn't so great.

Especially since none of us had packed for a winter trek.

Astorga to Rabanal del Camino - 20K

Short walk again today and, despite the fact it is below zero now, the wind was not bad, so the walk was OK.
We have left the Meseta and are going to be starting to climb a section of the Alps tomorrow. There is lots more I would like to tell you about the area, but the Internet at this Albergue is outside in a courtyard and my fingers are falling off, so I need to make this brief.

Washing your clothes almost always takes place outside, in a courtyard as well, and the water is freezing cold. There are big signs always saying, you cannot wash them inside in the sink where there actually is warm water.
I'm down to one pair if underwear again. It's making me a little crazy, but I'm wondering if I lost them last night, moving dorms.
It would be a worthwhile sacrifice if someone had used them to try and strangle the snorer.

Gotta go - so cold.

In Astorga

Just a small note re: my bed mates last night.
Julian, the French Canadian guy, pointed out to me, just before bed, that the guy sleeping right next to me was the most renown snorer on the Camino and that he, Julian, was moving to another dorm they had just opened up, because he had been exposed to this guy's snoring before and he said it was deadly.
I decide to move to the new dorm as well, despite the fact that it meant a top bunk, and it seemed a little cooler than the original one.
It turned out to be a good decision.

I got up once in the night to use the washroom and there were serious Husqvarna sounds coming from the other dorm. Lots of grumbling from the other people the next morning, who had tried to sleep through the noise. I fear if I'd stayed in that dorm, my chapter today would be called, "Murder on the Camino."
By the way, re: a top bunk; beside the fact that I hate trying to get out of them during the night, there is nowhere to put the things you usually keep near the bed - your water and flashlight, your bag with Passport and money and my glasses. I just take everything to bed with me, keep my glasses on and hope that none of it falls out during the night - and that my glasses don't end up underneath me.

Villadangos del Páramo to Astorga - 27 K

I've noticed the interior of my shoes have started to disintegrate - especially at the heels, they are completely shredded. I hope this does not mean new blisters, as my feet are pretty well under control.
I hear that most Pilgrims carry duct tape, although I never knew why. Now I know that it's to keep your shoes together, or perhaps tape them to your feet - Lordy!!!

The Albergue here has heat, but the bunk beds are so close to each other, it's practically like sleeping in a double bed. I hope the person next to me does not snore and, at least, introduces themselves before we go to sleep.

Carolyn; So good to hear from you. Have a great time in Marco.
Darlene; Your favourite Refugio closes the end of October - probably means no heat there.
Pat; Glad you are enjoying the blog. Thanks for the note.
Laurie; I do have woollies - hat that is - and one I can even wear to bed.

León to Villadangos del Páramo - 20 K

My friend Pat Cooke sent me an email the other day, saying that my blog may influence others to take this trip, because it all sounds so quaint - and there's no denying this is quite an adventure, but make no mistake, there are some un-fun times on the Camino.
Yes indeed.

This day was one of them.
Although the walk was short - 20k - it seemed long because it ran alongside the Hwy, and it was like we had never left the city. Industrial, not so clean or pleasant to walk through. A very cold damp day, but fortunately, no rain until we were almost at our Albergue.

This Albergue had no heat whatsoever - Nada! - and it actually was colder inside then out.
We sat huddled in the main area with blankets around us, then decided to go to whatever local bar we could find and hang out as long as we could, before we had to go to bed.
When we got back around 8:00 PM, the woman who looks after the Albergue had brought some wood (6 sticks) for this makeshift fireplace, made from an oil drum with a chimney. It wasn't anywhere near the beds, so there was no chance we would actually have warmth in our sleeping quarters. (I should explain that the people who look after the Albergue are volunteers and they don't live there or, I guess, there would be some heat).

We - all 8 pilgrims in total - huddled around this oil drum with blankets around us (the Albergue did have quite a few blankets), and Julian commented that we were like hobos, on the road with all our worldly goods and leaning into an oil drum fire. We discussed the idea of burning the chairs after the wood was gone, and then someone suggested we roast a pilgrim.
There was a Spanish pilgrim who really kept to himself, so we thought he wouldn't be missed, plus, based on the Spanish diet, he is probably about 60% olive oil, which would provide a warm glowing fire all night.

As it turned out, I went to bed with most of my clothes on, my newly purchased winter toque and my gloves, and I piled on as many blankets as I could stand the weight of. I managed to fall asleep eventually, but I had to keep a blanket pulled over my face as well, because it was just so cold. (You do understand there is no showers or clothes washing happening these days.)
Don't think about it too much - I try not to.

Yes, a most un-fun day.

In León

Just a few more notes on León.
I did see the wonderful Cathedral, Gaudi's Palace and the Basilica de san Isidoro. We didn't have great luck finding a good tapas bar, which was disappointing. In Burgos they had many, and the long counter would contain 30 items or more of the most amazing looking stuff. Some of my favourites were grilled sardines, fat juicy artichokes wrapped with Serrano ham, small stuffed peppers, fabulous roasted mushrooms, etc.

The bar we settled on did have a good vibe and we fell into conversation with 2 Spanish girls at the next table. They had both worked in Ireland for 5 years so they spoke English with a strong Irish accent. When he heard us talking, a young man at another table joined in as well, and he was French, lived in Ireland, but was in Spain taking an art course, so he too spoke English with an Irish accent.
(It's a very small world)

Mansilla de las Mulas to León - 20K

Not a bad walk today.
Started out in a light rain, but not as cold as it has been. Walked with Edith (Swiss lady) and Julian, a young law student graduate from Quebec.

Everyone uses a walking stick here - or trekking poles - and I noticed Julian had adapted a hockey stick for himself - how Canadian. Some people use sticks they have dragged from the bush, others carved ones, or special in some way
Or some, like myself, have one or two trekking poles. I brought two, but it is more comfortable to just use one.

20 K seemed pretty easy today after two 27 k days. My shin was staring to hurt yesterday so I'm glad that it wasn't so long.

I'm really annoyed with myself, and I don't understand how it happened, but I have managed to lose my knife, fork and spoon (they were attached together). Not the end of the world, but a little inconvenient.
Lost my gloves as well, which I had to replace because it's way too cold to walk barehanded. With so few worldly goods, you'd think I could manage things better. I'm sure I'll have the organization thing nailed down by the time I have to come home.

I'm here in León, and Edith and I decided to share a room in a monastery converted to a hotel . It is not too expensive and has a bath tub and heat, so quite luxurious from our point of view.
I'm just sending this off from an Internet cafe, as there was no Internet at the hotel, and then I plan on looking around the town, checking out the cathedral and then, maybe a tapas bar tonight for dinner, rather than a pilgrim's menu.

Re: recent posts.
Sandra, Roger and Owen; Thanks so much for your note and congratulations on the new cafe. I can't wait to be there with you.
Lucia; Yes I have thought of California weather a lot these days. The thing is; it would be way too hot to do this walk in the Summer. September is probably ideal.
Andrea; Loved your picture on the blog. How's school going?
Dee; I'm pretty sure the missing underwear is drying on a clothesline somewhere.

By the way, if any of you are reading my blog, but can't figure out how to post a comment and would like to, just send me a personal email, as I check my email as well each day.
I would love to hear from you.
lynne.guthrie@rogers.com

Ledigos to Bercianos -27K- to Mansilla de las Mulas

The Albergue in Ledigros was very old and set around a courtyard, so you had to go outside to access any of the other buildings - the bar/restaurant/store, the dorm, the washrooms and the kitchen - and let me tell you people, it was cold, cold, cold.

The kitchen was ancient and had some type of huge clay oven, along with an old gas range. Some of the Pilgrims make their own dinner every night, so it is useful to have these facilities, regardless of how ancient.
An Australian family who are doing the Camino - Dad, Mom and teenage daughter - are vegetarians. So they are pretty well forced to prepare their own meals, as the Spanish ones are so heavy on meat. I notice they always cook pasta.

The pilgrim meal at this Albergue was bread, wine, soup and 2 huge pork chops with fries.
Dessert is an offer of a piece of fruit - orange, apple or banana - or an individual container of yogurt.

The meals are often pretty late - 8.30 pm this night - so imagine how hungry we are.
Everyone at the table was German, so I just dozed off into my wine. This Albergue actually had a bathtub, but no one wanted to take their clothes off, even for a quick shower, let alone a bath. The dorm had a few ancient radiators, which they turned on after we all went to bed. I still wear most of my clothes to bed these days and there is not a lot of hand washing going on, so it's not pretty.

Long walk on the Mesata the next day.
It had turned super cold, with a strong North wind coming from the Pyrenees. It blew at us from the side, rather than from behind, where we would have been glad for a little push.

As we passed through Sahagún towards the edge of town, I encountered a shepherd with a huge flock of sheep and 2 herding dogs waiting for a red light to turn green. Then, he carried on down the street with his flock - his dogs keeping everything in line. Amazing to watch, but they all behaved like they had done this before.

The Albergue in Bercianos is a very old exterior of straw and mud, but with stucco on the inside. I'm so cold I thought I'd DIE.
The thing is, after 27 k, you feel cold anyways, so this was not good.

The host, however, of this Albergue - Isadoro - was very sweet and laid out the evening for us.
We would all prepare dinner together (food supplied by the Albergure), and later, the Padre (Father) would drop by, and there would be a little service for us. There were only 3 pilgrims - Edith from Switzerland, William from Venezuela and Moi.
We had a good meal of salad, potato and chorizo soup, and boiled eggs and - do I need to mention - always bread and wine.
Dessert was a big bowl of walnuts and apples.

Just as we started to eat, the Padre showed up - a young man in jeans and hoodie - and he joined us for dinner. The villages have so few inhabitants now that he looks after 9 villages, mostly older people I think, judging by the few people we see.
Towards the end of the meal a local couple showed up with their homemade liqueurs and pastries. We managed to have a great evening, despite the fact that I am handicapped by my inability to communicate with them the way I would like to.
The Padre never got around to having the service for us.

Isadoro took pity on us and moved us to a smallest room, away from the main dorm.
Still no heat of course, but with the usual amount of clothing and extra blankets, it was fine. Isadoro also served us some breakfast, next morning, of coffee, bread and Jam. This Albergue does not charge, but runs on donations, so this was especially nice of him.
He closes this one up Nov 1, which is a good thing, as there would be no surviving this place in the winter!

Bercianos to Mansilla de la Mulas
Another long walk today - cold, cold - and the Albergue here is just as cold - and again, all facilities are outside, surrounding a court yard. It's like having a shower outside in November.

One of the Pilgrims who is ahead of us, called to say he ran into snow on the Camino.
I'm not looking forward to that.

Carrionde los Condes to Ledigos - 23.5K

We wrapped up the evening last night in the monastery with the nuns serving us a pasta dinner they had prepared for us. It was really good and, after we had more songs, and they blessed each one of us for our continued journey to Santiago, I went to the evening mass - and the grandeur of the church was amazing (sorry, think I might have mentioned this already).

The convent was really cold.
Even with my sleeping bag and a blanket they supplied, I had to put several sweaters on - and socks - in order to be warm enough to sleep - but eventually, I did.
No snorers in the dorm so that is always a plus.

Today dawned bright and sunny, and it looked like it might be another hot one, but it turned into a cool fall day and good for walking.
The first stretch was almost 18 K, without any villages where you could stop at a bar or cafe. The route is not always broken up the way you would like, of course, but ideally, you don't have more than 10 k to go before some civilization appears.
I managed to find a bit of shade to have a break and a bite and, as there was a mound of discarded clothing in this spot, I had a comfortable place to sit.

It's not uncommon to see clothing left on the route when people are trying to lighten their load, however this was almost an entire wardrobe. The clothing looked quite clean as well, so must have been a recent discard by some desperate and tired pilgrim.

After 18 k there was a bar where everyone had stopped for a drink and a rest.
It started raining while we were there, so many of us decided to shorten our day and just go to the next Albergue, which was only 6 k away. It's a really old place and feels cold as well, so I hope there is a supply of blankets.

By the way I have a small confession.
It seemed unPilgrim-like, so I hesitated to mention it before (I guess you could call it a sin of omission), but I think full disclosure is expected on this blog.
It has to do with my second day in Burgos.
I did spend most of the day there, but I actually started out in the morning and left the city - reluctantly. After walking about 7 K out of town, I just decided I had to go back and see the Cathedral, buy bandages and have one more bath.
I thought I could hitchhike back, but the pilgrim route often runs through fields and forests and not necessarily near a highway. I did see a hwy off in the distance and I just had to cross a field to get to it. It took some time to cross the field where, to my horror, I found that I was separated from the hwy by a barbed wire fence. Without giving it too much thought, I threw my backpack over the fence and then realized it would not be so easy for me to scale it. However after a few tries, I made it,
There were some Hwy workers I tried to communicate with re: hitchhiking back into Burgos, but they indicated I would not get picked up. So I walked to a bar on the hwy and took a taxi back into town, went to the hotel, asked for my room back, and immediately took a bath.
So there you have it!
If you consider I walked out of the city twice, I can't really call it a cheat, as I more than did the distance.

By the way, my missing pair of underwear turned up.
Everything I have is black, so it's hard to distinguish socks from underwear from a hat - until you put them on, of course. And then, if you can't tell the difference, you've definitely walked too far that day.

Thom and Patti: so great to hear from you. Thanks for checking in. Who is that picture of, Thom?

Off for a beer in the local bar/grocery store.

More Meseta tomorrow.

Boadillo Del Camino to Carrion de los Condes - 25 K

Had a nice stay at the private Albergue in Boadillo. I think I mentioned how nice it was.

They also served dinner, which isn't that usual for an Albergue, but a few do.
All the Pilgrims sat at a large table and it was the usual international mix - Swiss, German, Korean, Japanese, Spanish - and me. Interestingly, the German and Swiss usually speak some English, but not so much the Spanish. One young Spanish guy, who has taken me under his wing, speaks English quite well. When I asked him how he learned to speak English, he said that every year at the end of school, his grandmother always bought him a gift, and one year he asked for English lessons. Commendable, I think.

Chiavi, as he is called, has helped ensure that I can always order my first meal of the day in Spanish - Cafe con leche e basso e tostada. (I have no idea how this is spelled, but I manage to get my point across.) Which means that I get a nice big tumbler of cafe au lait and toast.

The toast here is always prepared on a grill, I think, and basted with olive oil. It takes about the same length of time to prepare as it does to roast a leg of chicken. It's either pieces of baguette or one thick piece of white toast (like Wonder Bread, but much denser), and you always get butter and jam with it. In some places it is really good, and I fear I'll be making toast in the frying pan when I get home, with liberal dashes of olive oil.

Today's walk started out well.
We moved to daylight savings last night, so it was light when we left today and the sky was bright blue - the air cool. Once again I had most all of my clothes on, and by noon we were sweltering. It went up to about 27C today and it was hot hot hot for walking.
The Mesata is relentless in this regard as there is no shade anywhere. I found the afternoon very tough, and one of the German guys and I decided we would prepare a petition for the King of Spain to see if he could have more bars and cafes along this route.

On an entirely different topic, and not wanting to appear indelicate, I am now down to one pair of underwear. I can't fathom how they disappear, but while the downside is washing every night - and wearing damp, or no, underwear if they don't dry - the upside, of course, is less to carry.

Today's Albergue is a convent attached to the back of a church and run by the nuns. While it was blazing hot outside today, the Albergue is freezing on the inside. They do have blankets though, so we should be OK.
The nuns had a little sing-song at 6.00 pm tonight and handed us song sheets (in Spanish, so we could sing along, if we chose). One of the nuns played the guitar and led us in song although, in truth, her voice was so wonderful - she was so animated and beautiful - that people were just transfixed. I felt like I was in a rerun of the Sound of Music.

Even the nuns look stylish here: robes and scarves of beautiful soft material and wonderful leather, lace-up shoes. I went to the mass for the experience and to see the interior of the church. You just can't believe the magnificence of the interior -and again - in such a small hamlet.

The nuns are preparing some food for us, so gotta run.

Trying to gear myself up for tomorrow - 18 k with no villages - and more Mesata.
Wendy, thanks for catching up with my blog. So good to hear from you.

Hontanas to Boadilla del Camino - 29K

Great day for walking. My energy level was high and my feet are doing surprisingly well.

Who knew that continuous walking on sore feet was the cure, as opposed to resting them?
I hardly have any wrappings on them now, but always am sure to coat them well in Vaseline.
The day started out very cool again, but sunny and, again, I was able to shed several layers of clothing as the day wore on.

Passed a beautiful, but crumbling monastery today and, as always, several incredibly old and wonderful churches.

Each village, regardless of how small, has a fantastic old church at its centre.
I think the expression, "The Spanish turned their silver into stone" refers to these Christian structures.

The Meseta is very dry, but manages to look beautiful - framed by brilliant blue skies and snow capped Pyrenees off in the distance.

I walked today, on and off, with a few people I met at the Albergue last night: a few young guys - German, Japanese and American - and a lady from Switzerland who has already walked 1400 kil on the German and French Caminos, as part of her 3 month trek.

She and I decided to share a room tonight in a private Albergue for a little more comfort, rather than the municipal one. Slightly more money, but still very reasonable. The municipal ones run from 3 to 6 euro a night and the private ones around 10 euro. No bathtub or our own shower, but a nice room with twin beds in a gorgeous setting.

By the way, I'm still thinking of the bathtub in the hotel in Burgos. Gloriously deep, and sloped at the back, so your head and shoulders rest perfectly. I fell asleep each time I took a bath. Plus, the best part is the tap is on the side, as opposed to the end, so you don't even have to lean forward to add hot water. (Note to Steve: how would you feel about ripping out our tub and replacing it with ones of these?)

I noticed my pants are a little looser today, so I have discovered yet a new diet whereby you can eat and drink all you want, as long as you walk 800K. Do you think the 800k diet could be the new North American craze?

Great to see some new posts on my blog.
Gene, I'm sure you know that one of the reasons I came to Spain was because of your descriptions after your trip. Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Well James, you could have knocked me over with a feather! I thought you never did this sort of thing? I'm so glad you did - and so good to hear from you!
Vive, I'm glad to hear you bought walking poles. What trek are we going on?
Susan, I always love your comments. Thanks for sticking with me.
Jackie & Rob, thanks so much for your note on my blog. Glad to hear you are on Vac. I can almost remember what a cocktail tastes like. I'm not complaining though - great Spanish wine and lots of it, every night.
Cheryl; yes I could have used your calm and reasoned approach re: the money thing -and, in fact, I tried to think how people like yourself would handle the situation - but truthfully, I was too far gone to care.

I only check my most current blog post for comments, so if you do sign on, please comment under the most current posting. I would hate to miss any of you.

I hope to do 28 K tomorrow. It's still quite flat, so no reason why I can't.
Well, my clothes actually dried on the line today, as the sun was so warm, so no pinning them to my backpack tomorrow.
You know you're off to a good day when you don't have to do that.

Burgos to Hontanas - 34 K

On the road again ...

I think I may have mentioned how much I loved Burgos.
I am currently in love with all things Spanish - the people, their warmth & hospitality, the food, the architecture & scenery, the clothing & shoes, the olive oil and the wine.
(Note to self: forget about the French lessons and just take Spanish.)

I love their cultural habits as well.
They all come out at night with their friends and families. The streets are absolutely jammed at 8.30 pm - babies, kids, parents, couples - all clearly enjoying themselves.
No one is sitting at home in front of the boob tube watching reruns of Law & Order.
This city is filled with monuments - the Cathedral is breathtaking - and a beautiful river runs through the city, lined with chestnut trees and parks.
(Don't panic Steve. I haven't checked out real estate yet.)
It would be great to come back some day and just be a tourist.

Right now, I'm getting back into pilgrim mode.
Very cold when I started out this morning. I wore everything I had and was wishing I had a winter hat. However, by early afternoon it had warmed up and I started shedding stuff.
Walked alone all day, but it was bright and sunny, so it was good to be alone with my thoughts.
I saw no other pilgrims until I was close to my resting spot.

The walk was flat as well, so although it was a long walk, it was OK. I felt I could go further today, but my feet have a separate identity from me and they are not happy with much beyond 27 K. Need to keep them happy.

Adios for now.

In Burgos

It's a very bad feeling to be in a strange country where you do not speak the language, you have no money and you are not sure how, or if, you are going to get any.
In addition, the telephones give very little instruction re: international operators, so I don't quite have them figured out.
Since it was too late in the day to do anything about the money thing, I called home through the hotel - at great expense - and Steve said that the Royal Bank had a big computer failure, and no one could access money from Interac for a portion of the day. That seemed a reasonable explanation, so I had my second luxurious bath of the day and slept reasonably well.

Early in the morning I ran out to a bank machine, but again to my horror, it was rejected, as well as my Visa. Now I'm in freak out mode! I can't even check out of my hotel as planned, as I can't pay them.
There was a small coffee shop across the street from a bank in my immediate area, so I used a few of my dwindling dineros to have a coffee and wait for the bank to open. It opened fairly early and I went right over and tried to explain my situation, although we could barely understand each other. A woman named Ana took me under her wing and let me call Visa. Visa explained that my 5 digit PIN would not work in Europe, although interestingly it had up until now.
I don't know what type of bank this was, but they had no money (no tellers, as Ana explained), so she walked me down the street to another bank where my Visa was not cleared - again rejected.

It took a long time for this bank to determine that Visa would not authorize any money, and Ana waited with me the entire time (over an hour - I don't see this ever happening at home). Ana suggested I go to the "International Bank of Spain" about 6 blocks away.
When I arrived there, I told my story, as best I could, to the 2 gentlemen that manned this bank. They started off the same way every one else did by saying, "No problemo", took my info and asked me to wait while they checked it all out. I waited well over 2 hours as they made various calls and let me use both their phone and personal computer. Finally, they said that Visa would not accept my card. As they also were a Western Union agent, I decided I had no choice but to call Steve and have him wire me some money. As it is 6 hours earlier in Canada he tried to do it online, but it was rejected, so he had to wait for a Western Union agent to open and go there in person. Because the bank I was waiting in closed at 2.00 pm I would not be able to receive my money there.

Steve figured out another Western Union agent I could go to later that day. Steve, as always, was so helpful and reassuring and went to no end of trouble to help get this resolved.
When I showed up at the Western Union office, where they opened at 4.30 pm with, I might add, no expectation that I would ever get any money, I wasn't disappointed. They said they had no money and that I would have to go the Post Office.
I really wish I could say that I saw the humour in this, but I was having a major melt down!
I finally found the Post office, and by 6.00 pm, I was solvent again.
To paraphrase Bogart in Casablanca, "We'll always have Western Union."

On the way back to the hotel, I ran into the British guys who were staying another night, so I agreed to meet them for dinner at 8.30 pm. That's early here, I might add. People have dinner much later. I had a fantastic meal - knowing that I could actually pay for it helped; a plus.
I was starved, as I hadn't eaten all day.
We had a great evening. One of the guys deals in Chinese and Japanese antiques and has travelled the world many times. They were interesting and fun dinner companions and we stayed until they closed the restaurant down at 12.30.

In the morning I made the decision to stay one more day in Burgos.
It had stopped raining, the sun was out and I wanted to check out the beautiful Cathedral and stock up on supplies - blister bandages, etc. - as it will be quite awhile until I get to a major centre again.

I also wanted to go back to the 2 banks that had been so kind and helpful, and thank them again. When I got to the Bank of Spain where I had spent most of the day, Manuel showed me a Thank You note Steve had written him - in Spanish, no less - thanking him for trying to help me. He was clearly bowled over by Steve's efforts and was wondering how to reply, as he could not correspond in English. Very nice, Steve!!!

Burgos is beautiful, beautiful!
Wonderful buildings, monuments and fantastic shops of all sorts. I positively drooled over the shoes and clothes in the shop windows.
The people here dress very stylishly, which I really appreciate and always love to see. I wanted so many things (most un-pilgrim like) but of of course, there is no taking on any additional weight.

One more bath tonight - then back to being a Pilgrim.

Villafranca Montes de Oca to Burgos - 33K

I've become a dirty girl!
There is no point washing socks every day because they never dry in one day, and if it's raining, they never dry - period. So I've decided to wear the same pair every day and wash them as infrequently as possible. When they start to stand up on their own, like a pair of boots, then I may wash them.

The day started with a steep climb for quite awhile, and before long, it started to rain. In fact it rained most of the day. After a coffee stop at the usual bar/restaurant/grocery store, I walked for the rest of the day with a couple of British chaps I had met the night before.
On a pleasant day it's always OK to walk alone, and I really enjoy it, but it's nice to have company on a cold and rainy day. We walked to the outskirts of Burgos 33k, then, per our Pilgrim's guide, they suggested that a bus should be taken to the city centre, rather than walking another 7 or 8 K.
Since we had been walking for about 9 hours, we all felt OK about that. After getting off at city centre and knowing that the Albergue was at the far end of town, the three of us decided that we would book into a convenient hotel for the night. There was a nice one within walking distance and, as off season rates were really good, the decision was made.

It's recommended on this trip that, at least once, you treat yourself to some nice accommodation, so this seemed the ideal time - as we were freezing and wet. The Brits had decide to end the walk here, as one of them had developed foot problems and they planned on being tourists for a day or two. One of them very kindly bestowed his Spanish/English dictionary on me as a parting gift.

In the hotel, a huge deep bathtub awaited me - and big fluffy towels - what bliss!!
I had arranged to meet the boys for dinner and ran out to a bank machine, as I was very low on cash and no one was taking my Visa.

Much to my horror my Interact card was denied. I ran frantically from cash machine to cash machine with the same result. They all said my PIN was invalid. It was the same as with my Visa.
Needless to say, I could not relax much during dinner, as I was down to my last 20 euro.
I've booked into a hotel I cannot pay for and I have no money for anything else.

Stay tuned for next installment ...

Redecilla to Villafranca Montes de Oca

Approximately 25 K.
Continuing from yesterday ...

Matjaz caught up with me sometime after coffee and we had a very pleasant day - a nice walk after the fog cleared off.
We have left the lush wine and olive country and are heading into what is called the Meseta. It's quite flat and dry and higher in elevation, so starting to get cooler. Along the route we discovered a note from Hanno, tucked in the back of a bench and addressed to all of us, letting us know where he hoped to stop for the night. It was about 40 k away, so we knew we were not going to catch up with him.

As Matjaz and I walked I couldn't help noticing how neat and smart he looked. Smart knee socks, clothing almost looked pressed and the Slovenian flag sticking jauntily out of his backpack. I don.t know what it is, but my backpack has taken on a life if its own. Everyone Else's looks so neat and compact, but mine looks like I am carrying some alien life form that is trying to break out. It´s lopsided and bulging, and dirty - and its wearer looks much the same. I lost my new comb that replaced the brush I lost, so that will give you some idea.

I decided to stop at Villafranca after 25 k (the next rest stop was another 12 K) but Matjaz decided to go on, and we said Adios.

A word on foot care.
Your feet are, hands down, the most valuable equipment you bring on this kind of trip, and maintenance is essential. I have already seen quite a few people drop out because of some kind of foot injury. Let me say up front that, despite my talk of blisters and sores, my feet are not painful when I walk. A tad tender perhaps, in some spots, and a little sore when I go beyond 25k, but all in all - OK.
My feet are so well swaddled every morning that they know not to complain. Numerous toes are wrapped in moleskin; a couple have blister bandages on them; 2 toes are encased in some foamy cushiony thing my foot the Dr gave me, and more moleskin is slapped on both sides of my feet. When everything is wrapped up you smear on a generous coat of Vaseline to prevent further blistering, and pull on your socks while trying to keep any of the bandaging from coming off.

(When, you ask, is this broad going to start having fun?)

Sandra, thanks so much for your note and Owen's picture and his comments.
I often think of him on my walks and the Christmas cookies we are going to make together on my return.
This walk is all your doing you know.
It all started with the book you gave me for Christmas, "What the Psychic told the Pilgrim."
Thanks so much for your posts. Love to get them!

Azofra to Redecilla del Camino - 27 K

Sorry for running behind - we were in very rural areas for the last 2 nights with no Internet.
I may run a few days behind with my news, as I won't get much time on the Internet tonight.
(I'm sending this from a pricey Internet cafe in Burgos - walked about 32 k in the pouring rain today. I'll fill that part in on my blog tomorrow.)

I should mention we had a great group meal at the Albergue in Azofra. The man who ran the place organized it all and it was a lot of fun - about 16 of us - all different nationalities.
We had bread and copious amounts of great Rioja wine, several salads and a local soup called Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup), or soup of the poor. It sounds weird but it was very tasty - garlic, chunks of bread, and egg.
Next morning, I headed off with Hanno from Austria - a good trekking companion. We had lots to talk about and the 27 k went by quite quickly and comfortably.

The Albergue at our resting place in Redecilla was small , but comfortable, but nothing at all in this little hamlet and we weren't even sure we would be able to find a meal.
However the local bar/restaurant/grocery store served us a meal of salad, potatoes fried in tons of oil (but very tasty) and a thin slice of beef. We were all so hungry it tasted great.

No non-smoking rules here.
The older couple that owned the place waited on us with cigarettes dangling from their mouths. Not a turn off really. My rebellious nature appreciates the fact that there is still a corner of the earth where the morality and health police are not in charge.
My dinner companions were Kristina and Lina - 2 Swedish coast guards - and Hanno and Matjaz from Slovenia. We were all in the same small dorm together as well, so kind of fun - like big kids at camp.

Hanno had decide he would leave at 5.00 the next morning and the Swedish girls at 5.30. I didn't feel like rushing in the morning, but whenever you say goodbye to new friends you never know if you will see them on the Camino again. Matjaz said he was going to sleep in, so I started out on my own around 6.30. However, even my miner's flashlight would not cut through the fog and dark. I have to admit, I lost my nerve and decided to wait until it was a little better. The fog never abated, so eventually I went ahead anyway.

In about 2 k I had a chance for my first morning coffee - a big highlight of everyone's morning.
I had noticed that many people ordered their coffee in a large tumbler instead of a cup and one of the Spanish guys had told me the word for glass. Unfortunately, I didn't quite get it right and when I tried to order it, the waitress smiled and looked at the other patrons, who smiled as well. It appears, from what my Spanish friends told me later, when I described what I had said, that I asked for my coffee in a boot.

I can't believe I didn't bring a Spanish dictionary with me. What was I thinking?
(Note to self; after mastering French, sign up for Spanish lessons.)

To be continued - time's up on the Internet.

Navarrete to Azofra

I think about 23K - pretty flat, so an easy day.
Not the best sleep last night - a lot of young people partied later than they are supposed to (everyone has to be in bed by 10.00).
I partied with them for awhile, but left them singing songs as I went off to bed. Interestingly, they were all Italian, French, and German, but all their songs were English songs. The last
one I remember hearing was Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" - one of my favourites - kinda nice.

Left this morning in the dark, on my own, in a heavy rainfall.
The worst part about the rain is my fear of falling on these beautiful cobblestone streets, now turned treacherous and, of course, most of them manage to slope steeply leaving town.
I contemplated throwing my backpack down ahead of me to make my descent less scary, but I managed to make it unscathed.
It's a real drag to put on rain pants, rain jacket and rain cover for your knapsack, especially as, despite the fact they are supposed to be breathable, you sweat like crazy.
The day turned nice around noon.

Walked alone today and through more grape groves - beautiful as always. There is a lot of harvesting going on now.
The Albergue in Azofra is really nice - just 2 to a room with twin beds, a pillow and a bedspread. I feel like I'm at the Ritz!
Plus, they even supply clothes pegs for our wash, (I usually have to use the safety pins I brought).
The showers are usually shared by both men and women ( just one at a time), but it's quite tricky getting changed. You have to carry the clothing you are going to change into, into the shower with you. There is usually a hook you can hang everything on, but it's perilously close to the shower, so you always hope you can get out without everything being drenched.

I meant to mention before, that the only other Canadians I have run into are all French Canadian - some of them had just completed the French Camino ( also about 700K), and are now doing the Spanish Camino.

As for the posting yesterday - gosh Vive, I laughed out loud at your Biblical version of my walk. I guess I'm making this sound too grim. What can I say? I'm really enjoying myself, but I'm at a loss to explain why.
And Lucia, at the rate I'm losing stuff there won't be any clothes left to burn.

Going to look for a nice dinner somewhere.
Love to all!!

Viana to Navarrete...only 22k

Have I thanked all of you for posting words of encouragement on my blog? In any case it can't be said enough how much I enjoy hearing from many of you. I'm sorry I can't reply personally to each of you but I don't get to use the Internet for very long in the evenings, as there is often a line up.
Pretty good walk today - 22 k - would be a breeze without a backpack. I believe mine is heavier than ever.

Somehow I have overloaded myself with snacks.

When I couldn't find the almonds and raisins I wanted, I bought a box of granola bars. Before I could eat any of them, I'd found the almonds and the a huge bag of enormous raisins that must weigh 2 lbs. Haven't eaten any of them either, as there is such a great selection of Tapas to sample. I'll have to start distributing this stuff to other pilgrims.

Also had to buy some detergent for my clothes, that is too heavy. I left home with something called camp soap, which I have used up. And, in in case, it was totally useless. You often have to hand wash your stuff in cold water, and my white blouse and white bra are now completely grey. Not attractive pinned to the back of my backpack whilst drying.

And speaking of grey, I've found out what colour my hair really is! Jesus, I'll really be a fright by the time I get on that plane to come home in November.
Today I walked through part of the Rioja region, where that fabulous Rioja wine is produced.

It took a long time today to walk through the city of Logroño, a sprawling industrial city and the centre of the Rioja wine industry. The rest of the route wound through a bird santuary and vineyards.

I arrived early today in Navarrete, and managed to land a bottom bunk in the Albergue - and they have pillows!!!!

While I was waiting for the Albergue to open I had a glass of Rioja wine (1 euro) and some amazing tapas.

Apparently they grow mushrooms in caves in this area, so the tapas I had was the most delicious mushroom, roasted or something with great seasoning, doused in olive oil and served on crusty warm bread. So Good!!

By the way, for those of you who know how directionally challenged I am, you must wonder how I am getting from A to B,
The Camino is quite well marked with either a scallop shell (a symbol worn by ancient pilgrims), or a yellow arrow painted on sidewalks, trees, rocks, even the side of houses. Sometimes it gets a little confusing when passing through a city or town, but you only need say to a local person, "Camino?" and they point the way.

By the way Dee, I love your comments on Figs. It's good to know how great a food source they are, given how many I have eaten.
Thanks for your post today Lucia. It was good to hear that you are not bored as yet with all my ramblings.
Wendy, I really look forward to walking with you and Joan again in the Fall. I may have to continue wearing my backpack - It's become part of me.
Love your photo, Laurie and your great note. I don't think I'll be shipping anything home - I'm resigned to my load - if only my feet would adjust. I have blisters on my feet where I didn't think it was possible to get them.
And Vivie, Cheryl, Pat & Susan, I look forward to boring you with more Camion stories on my return.
Lizzy and Leroy, thanks for your encouragement as well.
And Ayden, congratulations on starting your own company. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it on my return.
Thanks to my good friend and Camino coach Darlene who made sure I got on that plane out of Toronto,
And Steve, who resets my blog info and posts it in a readable fashion and takes the time every day to send me a funny and encouraging email. Gracias.
Nice to hear from you Joseph. Thanks for your note.

I'm off for another glass of wine.

Los Arcos to Viana

Stayed in Los Arcos last night - nice Albergue - only 4 bunk beds to a room, and no snorers.
Heaven!
A nice line outside for drying clothes in a sunny spot, so things actually dried the same day.
Today I had the option of travelling 20k or 30k, and although I felt up for the 30k, the village at the 20k mark was so beautiful, I wanted to take some time to be a tourist. A bit of a tough decision as all my companions were doing the 30k.
The thing is; I have the time, and most nights there isn't much opportunity to explore the wonderful medieval villages we rest in. So I think it was a good decision.
The walk today was great - a few hills naturally, lots of stones, but the scenery was so beautiful. There are many different wine regions in Spain and this is one of them - there were vineyards all around us and in the valleys below. We seemed to be walking on a high crest, so we could see for miles around. The weather is spectacular - somewhere between 18C to 22C.
I walked for part of the day with 2 sisters from France. We had a great time trying to understand each other - lots of fun (note to self; sign up for French classes when I return home.)
Had lunch in the shade of a vineyard with Thomas from Germany and Aude from Belgium. They both speak very good English. I feel embarrassed that I don't speak 2 languages, as most people here speak a minimum of 2.
We always share our lunches - today was chorizio (Spanish sausage), bread, cheese, tomato and some grapes, of course.
Viana is a beautiful town, founded in the 13th century and surrounded by high walls.
All of the villages seem to have a village square where people gather, and there is usually a beautiful old working fountain as well, where thirsty pilgrims can replenish their water bottles.
Each region here has its own wine and, so far, they all seem to be fabulous.
I had 2 glasses today of the most divine stuff and it was about $1.00 a glass.

Yesterday we actually passed a wine fountain (yes, a tap with free wine, attached to the outside of a Bodega (winery), where pilgrims were invited to drink.

(See picture above.)

The Albergue is very nice here - the bunks are 3 layers high, but I was assigned a lower bunk -Oh joy!
There is something I enjoy so much about getting up each morning, putting on my too-heavy backpack and watching the sun rise over the land as I walk.

You have no responsibilities, no decisions to be made - no stressors.
You just have to put one foot in front of another until you reach your resting place for that day.
I truly understand why many people undertake this journey for religious or spiritual reasons.
(I wish I hadn't made so many pacts with the Devil whilst crossing the Pyrenees).
Perhaps, even I will find redemption before my time is up on the Camino.
Adios, for now.

Los Arcos

Sorry for the delay in posting new info, but as I mentioned earlier, sometimes I'm just too tired. Plus there is a fair bit to get organized at night.
There is always hand wash to do as you don't have many clothing items. For example 3 pairs of underwear and 3 pairs of socks were the recommended quantity.
I have managed to lose one pair of underwear, my hairbrush, and one of my water bottles. The reason for this is not my encroaching senility as I'm sure some of you are thinking, but rather it is due to the fact that in the morning, you sometimes have to pack everything in the dark if people are still sleeping. Everyone is usually kicked out by 8:00, but I like to leave early.
I may have to break down and buy a new brush, but everything is super expensive (euro), so I have tried to limit expenditures. The ones I have made have been expensive disasters.
For instance I realized I couldn't do any more going down hills without knee wraps, so I stopped at a pharmacy on the outskirts of Pamplona and bought a pair of knee wraps/supports at 26 euro for each one - that´s about $90 - I think I saw the same ones in the dollar store before I left home. I also managed to spend 10 euro on what I thought were blister bandages, but one of the Spanish women pointed out that they were for removing callouses.
My feet are actually not as painful as they were. but there is lots of doctoring at night, and all kinds of padding and bandaging in the morning. I'm not the only one - everyone does foot care at night.
So, evenings consist of taking a shower (first thing), then washing your clothes (there are little clothes lines in front of the balconies), writing in your journal (everyone seems to keep one) and repacking and organizing your backpack for the morning so you can make an early start - then going out for a meal with a group.
All stops on the Camino have places with a pilgrim menu - I think I may have mentioned that before. They are 3 courses, an appetizer of soup, spaghetti or salad, a main course of beef, chicken or fish - always with fries - no vegetable, and desert is yogurt or fruit or sometimes flan (creme caramel - sort-of) and wine and bread.
Sometimes if the Albergues have a kitchen, you can buy something and cook it. I haven't done that yet, but I will from time to time.
You also need to try and scout out a little store for supplies for the next day as you have to supply your own lunch or breakfast. And you don't usually find places on the road; plus you want to limit how long you stop.
It's hard to find the right stuff to take each day, unless you always want to eat bread and cheese. I try and rest every 2 hours for 10 minute and eat something, whether I feel like it or not.
Today was yogurt in the morning, some crackers with jam, more yogurt at my first stop, a can of sardines and some bread for lunch - with a little tomato. And for the third day in a row, all the fresh figs I could eat from trees by the road side - Yum!!
I was hoping to find raw almonds to snack on, as they are a great energy snack, but although they grow here, the ones in the supermarket are all heavily salted.
You can only buy food for one day at a time as it is crucial that you don't add any excess weight to your backpack.
Today I lunched under a tree with Jackie from Quebec, and Aude from Belgium. It was very hot today - about 23 C -and no shade.
I had very bad day earlier in the week (probably why you didn't hear from me).
It was raining slightly, which made the rough stony road so slippery. There was a lot of down hill over very rough stones, and my knees and toes were just screaming. It was so painful and scary as well, as the inclines were so steep. I fell 3 times. Fortunately I fell backwards in all cases, due to the weight of my pack, and it also cushioned my fall.
I'm trying very hard to just live in the moment on these long walks, enjoy the wonderful scenery, and quit saying to myself, "Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet? ..." (very inappropriate pilgrim behaviour.)
I've even quit hoping that I get a lower bunk at night, because you just can't ask to change (pilgrims must be grateful for everything they get). I found this out when I was assigned a top bunk and asked if I could change to a lower.
Last night in the dorm, someone was snoring so loudly that a few people went out in the hall and slept on the floor. I have ear plugs for this, but for some strange reason, I feel like I can't breathe when I have them in (Yes, OK, I do know the difference between my nose and my ears.).
Today I am posting this from a place called Los Arcos.
I got in early enough today (2:00) that my laundry may have a hope of drying. Normally it doesn't dry overnight, so many people leave the inn in the morning with socks and underwear and T-shirts pinned to the back of their back packs so that that they can dry in the sun.
I have to go now and think about tomorrow's route. It can be either 30 k or 20 k.
I'll probably let my feet make the decision. Today was fairly easy walking, given that even when the guide book says it is flat, there is no such thing.
So far, so good!

Taking a Break

Sometimes, after 25 kil you just want to lay down.
Gotta run. My time is up on the internet.

Pamplona

I stayed in Pamplona last night (running of the bulls): a beautiful city, the little I saw of it.

I'm here in the Internet room . Fortunately all of the Aubergues have them.
They charge 1 euro for 20 minutes.
I stayed in tonight and just ate some leftover sandwiches I had, but we got in late today so I didn't feel like going out to dinner.

Get this: I visited with a French woman tonight that was on a different pilgrimage before she joined this one.
She has already walked 700 K and still has more than 700 to go.
Now that's amazing!

Walking the Camino

I forgot to mention earlier that the pilgrim passport that you receive at the beginning of the walk is essential for you to gain entrance to the various hostels (Albergues as they are known here.), and also in bars and restaurant, so that you can have a pilgrim meal. It must be stamped each time you present it, and at the end of the walk you receive a special certification for having completed the pilgrimage.
The Albergues are either municipality run, and cost about 6 euro (so far), or private, and vary in price. I am in a private one tonight for 10 euros. It is still like a boarding school set up - bunk beds and shared facilities.
Last night after the big climb over the mountain I stayed at a municipal Albergue in Roncesvalles - an old monastery.
I was fortunate to get a lower bunk bed. I guess there were probably 50 people in the room. Fortunately, no serious snorers. You get a bunk, and pillow but you are expected to have your own sleeping bag. If you are really lucky, they may have extra blankets. laundry and bathroom facilities are available, but usually with line ups (just 2 toilets and 2 showers for women) - same for the men. Also there are sinks to rinse out clothing as you usually have to wash stuff at night, to wear the next day.
Dinner: so far dinner is in a local bar or restaurant where you get a pilgrim's meal - set menu (9 euro). I was warned about some of the pilgrim meals!
Here's what we had last night: wine, & bread (always), a first course of pasta with tomatoes sauce, then fish and french fries - no salad or vegetables - and a container of plain yogurt for dessert.
Everything was good, but a salad would have been great. I saved the yogurt for breakfast as we had to walk 3 K today before getting food or coffee.
After the big climb over the Pyrenees I expected to be really sore, but I felt great this morning. Some of us wanted to leave early (daylight is not until 8:00 am), and it is pitch black - no street lights or anything. So a few of us put on our miner's flash lites that wrap around our head and started out early - a bit scary because the trail was rough with a lot of stones.
Again, beautiful weather today.
I was hoping for a flat surface today but there were a number of hills and very steep slopes. Hell to go down with bad knees.
The first town we came to had a great bakery cafe with the fabulous cafe au-lait they serve here, called cafe con leche.
I guess the walk today was around 23 k.
The people (we are called pilgrims) who walk the Camino are very kind, respectful and sharing. There seem to be some unwritten rules of behaviour that everyone observes. There also is an easy camaraderie along the Camino. You may walk with someone for a brief time, then you or they move on and you may walk alone. I notice even couples do this. There is no sense of obligation to stick with someone, and people seldom do, but you always can have company if you like.
I'm very glad I came on my own on this trip. I'm a big believer in solo travel, for this sort of adventure.
You tend to meet more people, they readily include you, and it´s a chance to try and communicate in another language. The biggest majority of pilgrims are French or Spanish, but they come for all over the world. So if you are thinking of doing this, I highly encourage you to come alone.
My roommates tonight are all guys so far. I'm in a small dorm, but there are women in the other dorms. A few of us are heading out now to find dinner: 2 Korean women, a guy from Venezuela, 2 guys from Spain - and this very tired, but happy Canadian girl.
Adios.

The Girl Went Over the Mountain

Well the bear went over the mountain today to see what she could see - and she made it!
What a challenge! The road went straight up and kept on going up.
When I registered at the pilgrim office, in order to get my pilgrim's passport, they suggested I start out Thursday afternoon and stop at a hostel just 6 kilometers out of St Jean PdP. I decided to do that as it would shave some time off my trip on Friday.
The first 6K was unbelievable - I have never seen such an incline - at least one I had to walk.
Got to the hostel and had a pleasant evening. They served dinner and all the other guests were either French or German. One french guy spoke a little English so he helped me out. I had one roommate in my dorm, from Lithuania. We couldn't converse at all.
The view from this place was unbelievable - you could see mists rising out of the valley below. Really spectacular!
The climb continued today with the same steepness - I stopped and rested when I couldn't go on.
A beautiful day - sunny - no clouds in the sky.
Very windy as I neared the top and rough walking with lots of mud.
Going down just as hard as going up- very rough on knees and toes.
In any case I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hostel here in Roncesvalles is in an old monastery - really cold and no blankets.

Off to St. Jean Pied-de-Port

Just a quick post via Steve before I leave for St: Jean PdP today.
I had a great sleep last night, and the croissants for breakfast were fantastic. The thought has occurred to me that I could just stay here for the next month and just eat french pasteries and see the sights. This is a beautiful older city, and divided by ponts at many points. I had Mexican food last night for dinner at a little hole in the wall....it was fabulous.
It's a beautiful day today....hope I get as good tomorrow. My bag is definitely too heavy....so I have to figure out what to do about that.
I missed the early morning departure for St.Jean, but should be ok to leave at noon: I still need to call Visa again, as my credit card is still not being accepted.
You may not hear from me again until after I climb the mountain (the internet cafe charges add up.)

Got to Paris and then to Bayonne

So far so good.
The flight was fine, crowded seating, but I sat next to a woman who was really enjoyable, a new friend I think: She teaches psychology part time at U of T, and part time in Latvia!
Neither one of us could sleep much so it helped to pass the time.
The plane arrived early so no problem with my connection. Also made the train connection as well to Bayonne! but just!! as the bus from the airport was very late.
Sorry for the typos: and strange punctuation. Some differences in the keyboard.
Took me 3 trys to find a user friendly internet cafe,....but at least I persisted for a change.
When I went to use my Visa they wouldn't accept it without a code, so I had to phone Visa to find out what it was.
As you know I find those things sort of stressful, but I realize how good it is for me to try and tackle them on my own. Maybe I'll develop some patience on this trip.
I was hoping to sleep on the train trip, because I'm totally bagged now, but the seats just wouldn't allow it.
I'm here in Bayonne now.
Got the last room at the Madrid Paris hotel.....truly a pilgrim's room.
The toilet is on another floor, and the shower is on another floor yet again.
The layout is rather confusing, I've not made it back to my room yet on the first try, so just picture me in the night trying to find the toilet.
It has all the makings of a Monty Python skit!
Bayonne is a beautiful old city, and I've walked around a little, but pretty tired so I'll head back to the hotel now.
I've seen a few pilgrims pass by. Their backpacks are about half the size of mine. HMMMM...

Before the trek

I thought I would let all of you know that I hope to walk the El Camino trail across the top of Spain, ( or at least part of it,) beginning next week.
This trail is known because of the millions of pigrims who have walked this 780 kilometer route that begins by crossing the Pyrenees mountains in France, then on to Santiago Spain, the legendary resting place of the body of the apostle St James. (hence referred to as "the Camino de Santiago".)

Millons have trod this stony path since the 9th century. Now, more than 100,000 people a year complete at least part of this ancient pilgrim route, and do so for a variety of reasons.

I'm not entirely clear as to what my reasons are, but I want to tackle a little bit of it at least.

I hope that some of you will register to post comments on this blog, as I will definitely need your encouragment along the way. I will try and post the highlites of my trip, as I go, and as internet cafes etc become available.
I fly out on Tuesday morning, and I hope to start my climb across the Pyrenees by Thursday..Friday latest.
I am competely terrified of the first day.
It is a 30 kilometer hike to the hostel I will stay at for the night, carrying my back pack the entire time. A friend who did it last year said it took her 10 hours.
7 straight up and 3 down.

Hokey Heck! Wish me luck!

Starting the BLOG

Starting the Blog today.
Just to see if it works.