I attempted to post in Porto but I couldn't get in--again! It would not let me sign in from a strange computer...grrrrr. So I gave up even trying--especially since 15 minutes costs ,50e. It is not fun spending money attempting to make an uncooperative program pay attention to your needs!
Now that I have returned from sunny Portugal and Spain in good health and with no blisters (again!), I will attempt to post over the next days and perhaps weeks. I will also try to post some pictures as I took well over 600 of them! And did I say it was sunny? Other than the day we arrived in Porto (a misty rain) and the day we walked into Santiago (again, misty rain), we had SUN! I now have a brown ring around my neck and a brown tan line from my knee down to the top of my sock. Tres chic!
On Friday, it was raining and an otherwise miserable, overcast day to leave town. After a long flight from Washington, DC to JFK to Madrid, we arrived in Porto to rain and fog. A great opportunity to try out our ponchos! There was a mad huddle in the metro station as everyone attempted to get them out and on without killing ourselves with laughter as we became pretzels. We found the tourist office at the airport and purchased tourist cards for the metro for 15euro. These allow you three days of unlimited travel on the metro, buses and trams with no area limits. I added up what we were already going to do and these were a good deal for us. Porto's metro requires you to validate at little kiosks before you enter the station and each time you change trains--some obviously play the challenge game and ride the metro trains without cards (the fine is 165euro) as we saw some ignore the validation step.
Once we arrived in the old city, we had to walk down a steep cobblestone street to our Hostel--The Dixo. Unfortunately Rick fell on the cobblestones--caution, slippery when wet! A skinned knee doesn't go too well with an exhausted traveler! Especially when you are behind everyone else and no one notices.... We found the Dixo, walked up the stairs to reception and found that Mirelle was there, showered and having already scouted for food. Our rooms were lovely. They overlooked the street from three floors up. After a little clean up, we were ready to eat and drink. We walked up to the Praca de Liberdad (where there is a McDonalds Imperial--you should see this building!) and ordered wine and tapas at a little cafe. We sat out under an umbrella and enjoyed the foot traffic around us. A delightful meal on what became a pleasant if not just a little chilly evening. We went over to the Cathedral to get our sellos and find our first Camino arrows. Then back to the hostel for showers and bed. We were tired little pilgrims!
I got up early the next morning. Attempted to use the free internet and to blog but no go. So I took my camera out on the deck overlooking the Duoro River and watched the sunrise over the city. The Dixo is located in the heart of the Riberia area of Porto--the oldest part of the city and close to the docks. The location is great and the staff very helpful. Breakfast is included--wonderful rolls, cheese, ham, fresh orange juice, cafe with hot milk or hot chocolate, and cereals--up in the upper room (the deck is off this area--five floors up) with a panoramic view of the city and Gaia across the river.
Rick, Judy, Mirelle and I went to St. James Anglican Church for Sunday services. We took the metro and then walked the six or seven blocks down. Typically, St, James is surrounded by a tall stone wall with a little brass plaque reading "British Church of St. James". When you walk through the gates, you are astonished by the lovely gardens, a fountain and a beautiful little church. We were warmly greeted by a gentleman and invited not only to the service but to join them for sherry after the service. Gotta love it! I always forget that the Anglican service is just enough different from ours to cause me to stumble. The sermon was long and rambling--I got several looks from my fellow pilgrims--as though I could do something about it? After the service, we gathered at the St. James window (St. James dressed as a pilgrim) and said a prayer of blessing for the journey ahead. Took our pictures there, greeted the Rector who was from Conn, and then walked back to the hostel. Figured it was just as easy as walking north to take the metro.
On our way, we encountered a bird market--lots of amazing parrots and other birds, lots of bird supplies and toys. We saw so many birds in windows and on porches that I am inclined to believe that the Portuguese really like their birds. We were running late but met Renee and Pat back at the hostel for our venture across the river--the Port tasting cellars. Isn't that necessary when you are in Porto?? We decided to go for Taylors. We crossed the Eiffel bridge and seeing the Taylor sign (800 meters but without a directional arrow), we veered to the left. Not the best move as we climbed higher and higher and higher until we ran out of road and literally into a parking garage at the top of the hill! A man in the garage told us we needed to go down and turn left at the first street. Eventually we did find Taylor's but we were hot and tired and HUNGRY. This is never a good combination when the day is beautiful and you are surrounded by lovely gardens, delicious looking food and divine Port.
We were dressed in our pilgrim garb and felt very underdressed at the Fladgate (Taylor's restaurant) but what the heck. They were very welcoming and gracious to us. Many of the tables were filled with a family obviously celebrating a child's birthday party (one special little girl with an amazing pink cake). Mario, our waiter, was charming. We started with a white Port--mighty fine. Then came the food and more Port. Everything was delicious. "Anything is possible in Portugal" became the new slogan as the meal progressed. And then dessert and the BIG decision--which Port would we conclude with? We tasted a 10 year, a 20 year and then the 40 year--you live only once. A nice 40 year old would do just nicely! So then, more than satisfied at all levels, we staggered away from the Fladgate and down into the Gaia area to stroll through the market area on the waterfront. Let it be known that some purchases were made but not by Rick or me! There are shoppers in the group.........you know who you are!
We walked across the bridge and took the tram up to walk the upper level of the bridge to see the city from that perspective. Then back to the Riberia area to stroll around. Lots of little shops and open market stands. The problem is they all have most of the exact same things. Porto is a lovely town. It is important to wear good shoes because the cobblestones are everywhere. Rick went to see if the Cathedral was open because he had forgotten his credential when the rest of us got our sellos (pilgrim stamps). Unfortunately the Cathedral was open but the welcome desk was not. Boo hoo.
If you go to Porto, you MUST go inside the Sao Bento train station. There are the most incredible tile murals on the walls. Who would have thought you'd find something like that in a train station???? Then more pasteries and delights were purchased for an early breakfast--because on Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. we would begin! That night Judy attempted to charge her Kindle. Unfortunately she also blew out the circuit and the lights went out! The night manager came up "very straaaaanga, very straaaaaanga" she said. But it was quickly resolved and the lights went back on. Unfortunately Judy's charger was a goner so she charged her Kindle on my charger and all was well. How come the night was so short??? More to follow.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Departure Day has arrived!
After a year of thinking about this and planning for it, the day of our departure has finally arrived. We will be in both DC and New York today--on the anniversary weekend of 9/11. I am hoping skies will be clear over NYC so we can see the 9/11 World Trade Center site. I give thanks to and for those who sacrificed so much to assist those who were in trouble. I remember watching the buildings collapse in real time on TV that morning. It was shocking beyond belief. It is hard to imagine a hatred so violent that innocent lives are taken like they were that day....from those who died, from those who survived, and from those who lost loved ones. And yet how many of us live with the awareness that any day might be our last? How many of us remember to say "I love you" to those we love on a regular basis? This is not to be fearful or unwilling to put ourselves "out there" but rather to simply carry the awareness with us always that our lives are not guaranteed to be long and healthy. And with that awareness, to make each day count for something positive. I love you.
I have my prayer list (growing by the moment, it seems). I look forward to the lessons of the Camino and to the experiences that continue to shape me and reveal the stunning presence and grace of God.
I have my prayer list (growing by the moment, it seems). I look forward to the lessons of the Camino and to the experiences that continue to shape me and reveal the stunning presence and grace of God.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The count down has begun.....
The packs are packed--after being unpacked and the contents spread out for examination. It's not really all that much when you look at it but it still adds up to some weight! And then there is the element of surprise. What will the weather be like? How warm, how cold? Will there be rain and wind and fog? Unfortunately the answer as to what to take is always the same: whatever you are willing to carry! Layers are a long distance walker's best friend.
In our day to day lives, we'd like the burden to be light yet still be prepared for any event. Isn't going to happen. The more we get ourselves in a tangle about having something for everything, ironically the more burdened and frustrated we become. Jesus says to us: share my yoke-the burden is light. When we work together rather than in opposition to one another, the work is indeed made lighter. When the work is spread among many according to their gifts and talents, there is synergistic creativity and much more is accomplished than the task at hand. So often what we take on as unmitigataed burden is our fear. I consider how freeing it would be to take one change of clothing, no additional sandals, no fleece blanket--three or four pounds at least of stuff! Would I? Could I handle a pack so much lighter? No problem! And yet could I handle the possiblity of putting on the same wet, not very nice smelling clothes day after day? Could my feet handle no change in footwear? Can I trust that anytime it is cold, there will be a blanket available? See what I mean about letting go and trusting? Sounds good in theory but it is so hard for us to practice. When we travel with little, it means we have to revise our expectations. Still a few more days to consider what is necessary. A few more days to consider how open I am to trusting the Camino to provide what I truly need rather than what I desire. Lord, grant me wisdom and patience for the days ahead. Help me see what I need to leave behind and what I need to take up.
In our day to day lives, we'd like the burden to be light yet still be prepared for any event. Isn't going to happen. The more we get ourselves in a tangle about having something for everything, ironically the more burdened and frustrated we become. Jesus says to us: share my yoke-the burden is light. When we work together rather than in opposition to one another, the work is indeed made lighter. When the work is spread among many according to their gifts and talents, there is synergistic creativity and much more is accomplished than the task at hand. So often what we take on as unmitigataed burden is our fear. I consider how freeing it would be to take one change of clothing, no additional sandals, no fleece blanket--three or four pounds at least of stuff! Would I? Could I handle a pack so much lighter? No problem! And yet could I handle the possiblity of putting on the same wet, not very nice smelling clothes day after day? Could my feet handle no change in footwear? Can I trust that anytime it is cold, there will be a blanket available? See what I mean about letting go and trusting? Sounds good in theory but it is so hard for us to practice. When we travel with little, it means we have to revise our expectations. Still a few more days to consider what is necessary. A few more days to consider how open I am to trusting the Camino to provide what I truly need rather than what I desire. Lord, grant me wisdom and patience for the days ahead. Help me see what I need to leave behind and what I need to take up.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A 10 Mile Shake Down
On Saturday morning, three of us gathered with full packs on to take a 10 mile walk on rolling country roads as Hurricane Irene was marching up the east coast. Two couldn't make it--the two who haven't been walking regularly with packs on. It was a wonderful morning to walk because the breeze was brisk and the skies cloudy. I got some complaints about the hills but hey! We made five miles in two hours--stopped for grapes, water and some sitting time. Unfortunately I selected a spot to rest which happened to be a cactus bed! Who would have thuoght there were cactus in Maryland? There they were, those little prickly beauties, tucked in among the weeds. The good thing about sitting on cactus is that you are not tempted to sit there too long! And then it was two hours back as the skies were darkening and a little spritz of rain here and there began to fall. It was a nice walk and companionable. By the time we sat down for lunch (indoors), the rain began in earnest and the wind started to escalate. The media were all over the approaching hurricane and the devastation to the south. So we've survived an earthquake this week, a hurricane, and tornado warnings!
Everything felt fine with the walk. With less than two weeks to go, that is a good feeling. Rick and I tried out our new hydration systems. Even those worked well. Now I am beginning to think about going through the pack again. What can I delete? The weight felt fine--16# total, but you never know what might be lurking in there to be removed. I keep thinking about the couple of times when it had been days since we could do laundry on the Camino due to rain and then having to wear nothing but my sarong while everything else was in the washing machine....dare I take even less than last time? And then the little old guy in Pamplona comes to mind--the one wearing nothing but a thong and strolling around the alberque--and I realize that no, I think what I have packed is what I need. A girl has to do what a girl has to do!
Everything felt fine with the walk. With less than two weeks to go, that is a good feeling. Rick and I tried out our new hydration systems. Even those worked well. Now I am beginning to think about going through the pack again. What can I delete? The weight felt fine--16# total, but you never know what might be lurking in there to be removed. I keep thinking about the couple of times when it had been days since we could do laundry on the Camino due to rain and then having to wear nothing but my sarong while everything else was in the washing machine....dare I take even less than last time? And then the little old guy in Pamplona comes to mind--the one wearing nothing but a thong and strolling around the alberque--and I realize that no, I think what I have packed is what I need. A girl has to do what a girl has to do!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
A little more than two weeks to go!
I am getting so excited! I am SO ready to get on the plane and get going! Just a few last minute but HUGE things to resolve and I will be ready to let go and let God! That ability of the Camino to purge your mind and heart of all the petty stuff that fills your days is calling me right now. I took a long walk yesterday all by myself (my husband and I have been walking together most every evening). The early morning was beautiful and the day fresh. It can be difficult to figure out how to carve out the time to both walk in preparation and to take the time away from a busy, demanding schedule--but then there is never a great time to do it, is there? There will always be temptations to put it off, to never getting around to it. So much of life can be frittered away by dreaming but never moving into action. I cannot think of anything of value that does not come with a cost of some sort.
Many, many years ago, we were engaged in negotiations over the price of a house. We were $500 or $1,000 apart. A wise friend told us: "over the time you will live in this house--which you have already said you love, is it worth the money to lose it?" So often there is a cost to walk the Camino--and I am not talking about money (although there is that too!). There is the cost of time, of energy, of saying goodbye to loved ones and careers for a little while, the cost of taking a risk when you do not know how this will affect/change your life. of letting go so that you can open yourself to what will be, and then, of course, the cost of returning.
The pack is packed. I have labeled my camera. Esentially I am taking exactly what I took last time with the exception of deleting very lightweight fleece leggings, replacing my wonderful hiking sandals with Croc sandals, and taking one extra pair of shorts & underwear because we will have to stay in a few hotels where drying overnight could be an issue. We will be further south than the French Route so I am hoping that it will be dependably warmer--oh, oh! Probably shouldn't be tempting the weather makers right now should I? Those of us in Maryland (this is a diverse group including one from New Hampshire and someone I met on the Camino Frances from Canada!) will be walking this Saturday with everything we are taking. Hopefully the hurricane will slow down a little and give us a pleasant morning!
I am a little nervous about the responsibility of taking so many people with me. But since we are taking a route I have not yet taken, we are all new pilgrims on the Way. I can truthfully say "I don't know!" May God grant us patience and compassion for one another and give us the grace to rejoice daily that we have bodies and minds able to encounter this journey in all its fullness.
Many, many years ago, we were engaged in negotiations over the price of a house. We were $500 or $1,000 apart. A wise friend told us: "over the time you will live in this house--which you have already said you love, is it worth the money to lose it?" So often there is a cost to walk the Camino--and I am not talking about money (although there is that too!). There is the cost of time, of energy, of saying goodbye to loved ones and careers for a little while, the cost of taking a risk when you do not know how this will affect/change your life. of letting go so that you can open yourself to what will be, and then, of course, the cost of returning.
The pack is packed. I have labeled my camera. Esentially I am taking exactly what I took last time with the exception of deleting very lightweight fleece leggings, replacing my wonderful hiking sandals with Croc sandals, and taking one extra pair of shorts & underwear because we will have to stay in a few hotels where drying overnight could be an issue. We will be further south than the French Route so I am hoping that it will be dependably warmer--oh, oh! Probably shouldn't be tempting the weather makers right now should I? Those of us in Maryland (this is a diverse group including one from New Hampshire and someone I met on the Camino Frances from Canada!) will be walking this Saturday with everything we are taking. Hopefully the hurricane will slow down a little and give us a pleasant morning!
I am a little nervous about the responsibility of taking so many people with me. But since we are taking a route I have not yet taken, we are all new pilgrims on the Way. I can truthfully say "I don't know!" May God grant us patience and compassion for one another and give us the grace to rejoice daily that we have bodies and minds able to encounter this journey in all its fullness.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Now I am REALLY frustrated and wondering.....
Why is it that I can now post to this blog again? Just when I think I have it figured out, it is clear that I do not. But such is the way of life. Someone yesterday said "If you don't think too good, then don't say too much!" So I'll be brief......
Three weeks from Friday my merry little band of pilgrims and I will be on our way to Portugal! Now it's down to the final preparations. Three of us took a short jaunt on the AT between Gathland and Weverton Road several weeks ago. A nice, hot, humid day just to get things into a proper pilgrim frame of mind. I've done this particular trek any number of times so it was fun to introduce it to my husband and neighbor. They had never been on the AT.
When we arrived at the half-way point (Ed Garvey shelter), there were four women there who had started from the same place we had but had started the night before. Can you really walk that slowly??? But then my fellow pilgrims began to complain not long afterward. "Can you turn off the rocks?" they cried. Huh? That IS the AT! Now rocks and straight ups or downs is a real kicker but rocks on a relatively level ridge? Without rocks to keep the trail stable, the trail would gradually sink into a trough (like the AT in the Smokies). Not a bad walk really--especially for the AT--but getting off the ridge can be a pain, especially after the rocks have claimed their power over your knees and glutes. A long switchbacked and steep trail is not exactly music to your legs when they are already moaning the blues.
What surprised me though were the runners running UP. Just how many people use this as as a quick little jog to get the ole heart pumping??? We also encountered a family with small children and an infant in a "nest" strolling UP! There is a pay off at the top of the Weverton Road trail making it worthwhile--the Weverton rocks looking out over the Potomac River and Harper's Ferry. Very, very pretty view.
I remember the first time I encountered this trail--on my way north out of Harper's Ferry after the long paved walk on the C&O. Not pretty. I was already hot, tired and dripping with sweat only to look up and gasp. Can't believe I now use this as a delightful 6.7 mile walk--from north to south however! One does hopefully learn from one's experiences!
On Saturday, August 27th, five of us will walk 12 miles with full packs on come rain or come shine. This is the average distance we'll be walking each day so it's good to have a feel for how the group is going to manage before we hit the big time. Also to check out how packs have been packed, etc. to hopefully catch any issues before we leave town. I have never hiked with a group so this is going to be a new experience for me as hiking for any distance is for them. I have no idea what to expect so stay tuned! Especially if I ever get access to this blog again.
Three weeks from Friday my merry little band of pilgrims and I will be on our way to Portugal! Now it's down to the final preparations. Three of us took a short jaunt on the AT between Gathland and Weverton Road several weeks ago. A nice, hot, humid day just to get things into a proper pilgrim frame of mind. I've done this particular trek any number of times so it was fun to introduce it to my husband and neighbor. They had never been on the AT.
When we arrived at the half-way point (Ed Garvey shelter), there were four women there who had started from the same place we had but had started the night before. Can you really walk that slowly??? But then my fellow pilgrims began to complain not long afterward. "Can you turn off the rocks?" they cried. Huh? That IS the AT! Now rocks and straight ups or downs is a real kicker but rocks on a relatively level ridge? Without rocks to keep the trail stable, the trail would gradually sink into a trough (like the AT in the Smokies). Not a bad walk really--especially for the AT--but getting off the ridge can be a pain, especially after the rocks have claimed their power over your knees and glutes. A long switchbacked and steep trail is not exactly music to your legs when they are already moaning the blues.
What surprised me though were the runners running UP. Just how many people use this as as a quick little jog to get the ole heart pumping??? We also encountered a family with small children and an infant in a "nest" strolling UP! There is a pay off at the top of the Weverton Road trail making it worthwhile--the Weverton rocks looking out over the Potomac River and Harper's Ferry. Very, very pretty view.
I remember the first time I encountered this trail--on my way north out of Harper's Ferry after the long paved walk on the C&O. Not pretty. I was already hot, tired and dripping with sweat only to look up and gasp. Can't believe I now use this as a delightful 6.7 mile walk--from north to south however! One does hopefully learn from one's experiences!
On Saturday, August 27th, five of us will walk 12 miles with full packs on come rain or come shine. This is the average distance we'll be walking each day so it's good to have a feel for how the group is going to manage before we hit the big time. Also to check out how packs have been packed, etc. to hopefully catch any issues before we leave town. I have never hiked with a group so this is going to be a new experience for me as hiking for any distance is for them. I have no idea what to expect so stay tuned! Especially if I ever get access to this blog again.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Camino Portuguese - September 2011
The plane reservations have been made--leaving Friday, September 9th! Two weeks to walk from OPorto to Santiago. The difference this time is that there will be six other folks with me, including my husband. It will be fascinating to see how having others along will change the Camino experience. I am already looking forward to the time spent walking, watching and wondering. My lenten discipline has been to ponder what the journey has to reveal and how open I am to receiving it. It is so much harder to listen for God's voice and then to listen to it than it is to put my own opinions and thoughts "out there".
As I contemplate the Passion Gospel for this year and Jesus' silence before his accusers, it reminds me how often we are closed to hearing the Word of God. Why should Jesus speak if no one will listen? Why should Jesus defend himself when we are determined to say what we will about him and grow incensed if anyone--and especially he--disagrees? I always find myself tearing during the reading of the Passion Gospel--and feeling complicit. How have I betrayed him? How many times have I denied him? How have I joined with crowds in accusations? How have I made decisions which have been guided more by pubic opinion than by my own integrity? Until we own up honestly to our own part, it is impossible to fully comprehend the power and grace of Easter. Until we are ready to look beyond life as we have known it and want it to be, it is impossible to experience the fullness of Easter resurrection and new life. May the tomb of my heart be found empty of all that is life taking..........
As I contemplate the Passion Gospel for this year and Jesus' silence before his accusers, it reminds me how often we are closed to hearing the Word of God. Why should Jesus speak if no one will listen? Why should Jesus defend himself when we are determined to say what we will about him and grow incensed if anyone--and especially he--disagrees? I always find myself tearing during the reading of the Passion Gospel--and feeling complicit. How have I betrayed him? How many times have I denied him? How have I joined with crowds in accusations? How have I made decisions which have been guided more by pubic opinion than by my own integrity? Until we own up honestly to our own part, it is impossible to fully comprehend the power and grace of Easter. Until we are ready to look beyond life as we have known it and want it to be, it is impossible to experience the fullness of Easter resurrection and new life. May the tomb of my heart be found empty of all that is life taking..........
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Camino Portugese in 2011?
All through Lent, the Camino continued to live in my heart. I carried a small stone with me and each time I felt it in my pocket or glanced at it sitting on my desk, I was transported back to the Iron Cross and the reluctance I felt at letting it go. Lent is all about finally acknowledging what we need to have pried from our fingers and then letting go and letting God. Easier said than done. I invited members of my congregation to join me in this lenten discipline--to carry their stone, to pour out their fears and anxieties and sins into it until it became ugly with the burdens carried, and then to leave it before the cross on Good Friday. There are a number of the little stones sitting there and the number continues to slowly increase--even in these days after Easter.
I find myself thinking about the Camino a lot. I remember days and places and people. I remember sensations and smells and the food. Though I did not take Holy Communion in Spanish churches along the way. I realize that I experienced Communion daily in the sacredness of meals shared with pilgrims and in hearing their stories--after all, I cannot think of a dinner meal when bread and wine were not shared in abundance!
I see pictures on the Camino forums and know exactly the place where the picture was taken. In retrospect, losing my camera was not the worst thing because it caused me to focus more on looking around and taking it in. The most vivid memories I have are the days after the camera went missing. Another hard learning! The Camino changed my preaching and informed my consciousness. So many of the gospels reach into my Camino and teach me something new. And if you think about it, that is the way it should be. The disciples took their experiences and let God and life work on them until they discovered the meaning beyond the journey. Spending time walking with God and in the company of others we have not chosen, has a way of transforming your life and your view of the world. And it didn't happen all at once either. It took years. But the journey also creates a hunger.......
And so I have made the decision to walk again. This time from O'Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain, in the fall of 2011. This time it looks like I will not be traveling alone. It will be fascinating to see the difference between going by myself and going with others whom I know. I have set out the qualification that the day is individual. The only obligation is to show up at the agreed upon meeting place that night so we know everyone is OK and then to enjoy the companionship of the table. Otherwise, the Camino is our own to experience. May God continue to open our eyes to see God's hand at work in the world, at work in us and through us, and may God bring us to awareness that we are each intended to be God's gift to the world.
I find myself thinking about the Camino a lot. I remember days and places and people. I remember sensations and smells and the food. Though I did not take Holy Communion in Spanish churches along the way. I realize that I experienced Communion daily in the sacredness of meals shared with pilgrims and in hearing their stories--after all, I cannot think of a dinner meal when bread and wine were not shared in abundance!
I see pictures on the Camino forums and know exactly the place where the picture was taken. In retrospect, losing my camera was not the worst thing because it caused me to focus more on looking around and taking it in. The most vivid memories I have are the days after the camera went missing. Another hard learning! The Camino changed my preaching and informed my consciousness. So many of the gospels reach into my Camino and teach me something new. And if you think about it, that is the way it should be. The disciples took their experiences and let God and life work on them until they discovered the meaning beyond the journey. Spending time walking with God and in the company of others we have not chosen, has a way of transforming your life and your view of the world. And it didn't happen all at once either. It took years. But the journey also creates a hunger.......
And so I have made the decision to walk again. This time from O'Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain, in the fall of 2011. This time it looks like I will not be traveling alone. It will be fascinating to see the difference between going by myself and going with others whom I know. I have set out the qualification that the day is individual. The only obligation is to show up at the agreed upon meeting place that night so we know everyone is OK and then to enjoy the companionship of the table. Otherwise, the Camino is our own to experience. May God continue to open our eyes to see God's hand at work in the world, at work in us and through us, and may God bring us to awareness that we are each intended to be God's gift to the world.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Unpacking
I've now been home a couple of weeks and people keep asking me how the transition was between the Camino and home. It was surprisingly smooth, I tell them. Perhaps it was the week in Santiago, perhaps it was my desire to get home after being gone so long, perhaps it is because the Camino is still going on. Each day little memories cause me to reflect on the Christian journey and how the Camino simply makes tangible some of those truths.
For example. When it is raining, you cover yourself up and keep your eyes on your feet so you can side step puddles and rocks. I remember how hard it was to walk when mud clung to my boots. I took no pictures and have few memories of place when it was raining. You are not aware of who is around you or even of the landscape passing by because you are so focused on keeping your feet out of major trouble. When we encounter heavy rain in our lives--those dark, despairing times--consider how limited our focus becomes. I've had people say to me--no one was there. I was all alone. But the truth is, when your focus is limited and you aren't looking around, you have no idea just how many people are nearby nor are you aware of the loveliness of your surroundings. All we know, all we remember, is that we were trying to keep as dry as possible in what felt like impossible circumstances.
And ironically, you can get just as wet from what you use to keep yourself dry! My poncho was great for keeping the water out but underneath it my body was putting out moisture that had no place to go. Then, when I took off the poncho, it was easy to get chilled. How often do we turn to things that do not save us and in fact lead us into even more trouble? Rain is a necessary event--we know that. But in our hearts, we pray that rain will not fall in our lives. I tell parents presenting their children for baptism that baptism is no magic shield from harm. It didn't work for Jesus and it won't work for us. Life presents us with rain and thunder and even lightning. But what baptism DOES give us is the promise that we will never walk through the rain all by ourselves. All we have to do is look up and around--we are not alone. This is the Good News from the Cross. No matter how bad it seems. No matter how many people try to tell us that all is lost. Easter is God's reply. And after the rain, the earth is washed and colors are more intense and beautiful--and we are reminded that rain, like baptism, is our cleansing so we can see with new, fresh eyes what God is doing all around us. The question, of course, is do we bother looking around? Or are we simply glad the rain has finally stopped for the moment? My prayer is that you and I will give thanks for the rain and the promise of renewal it offers and then take the time to look around--even in the midst of the rain--to see who is nearby. For God comes to us in many and mysterious ways. How often have we missed it because our heads were down and our hearts were closed?
For example. When it is raining, you cover yourself up and keep your eyes on your feet so you can side step puddles and rocks. I remember how hard it was to walk when mud clung to my boots. I took no pictures and have few memories of place when it was raining. You are not aware of who is around you or even of the landscape passing by because you are so focused on keeping your feet out of major trouble. When we encounter heavy rain in our lives--those dark, despairing times--consider how limited our focus becomes. I've had people say to me--no one was there. I was all alone. But the truth is, when your focus is limited and you aren't looking around, you have no idea just how many people are nearby nor are you aware of the loveliness of your surroundings. All we know, all we remember, is that we were trying to keep as dry as possible in what felt like impossible circumstances.
And ironically, you can get just as wet from what you use to keep yourself dry! My poncho was great for keeping the water out but underneath it my body was putting out moisture that had no place to go. Then, when I took off the poncho, it was easy to get chilled. How often do we turn to things that do not save us and in fact lead us into even more trouble? Rain is a necessary event--we know that. But in our hearts, we pray that rain will not fall in our lives. I tell parents presenting their children for baptism that baptism is no magic shield from harm. It didn't work for Jesus and it won't work for us. Life presents us with rain and thunder and even lightning. But what baptism DOES give us is the promise that we will never walk through the rain all by ourselves. All we have to do is look up and around--we are not alone. This is the Good News from the Cross. No matter how bad it seems. No matter how many people try to tell us that all is lost. Easter is God's reply. And after the rain, the earth is washed and colors are more intense and beautiful--and we are reminded that rain, like baptism, is our cleansing so we can see with new, fresh eyes what God is doing all around us. The question, of course, is do we bother looking around? Or are we simply glad the rain has finally stopped for the moment? My prayer is that you and I will give thanks for the rain and the promise of renewal it offers and then take the time to look around--even in the midst of the rain--to see who is nearby. For God comes to us in many and mysterious ways. How often have we missed it because our heads were down and our hearts were closed?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
My last day in Spain
Interestingly enough, woke to a day filled with sunshine--but cool. Autumn is in full force here in Galacia. Tried to get my airline tickets straightened out at a Travel Agency. They called Iberia but the best they could get was: ¨well, it ought to work out but that depends on the agent at the airport.¨ His advice is to get to the airport several hours early to give me time to press my arguement (routing my bag from Santiago to Dullas rather than my current flight arrangements which have me going from Santiago to Madrid to Seville and then Seville to Madrid to Dullas. Arriving at the airport that early means getting up for the 6:40 a.m. bus--a 15 to 20 minute walk from my hostal (which also means learning how to set an alarm on my Spanish cell phone). The travel agent suggested I take a taxi instead. Decisions, decisions. Also suggested that since Iberia has one of the worst luggage records (hence the question about baggage handling), I should pack everything in my small suitcase that I don´t care if I see for possibly weeks. So in goes the dirty laundry, my first aid kit, etc. Like before, I will carry my backpack onboard. It has become a part of me.
While sitting with old men on the Cathedral square taking in a little warmth of the sun, who should walk up but a woman from British Columbia, Canada I met at Orisson! I have not seen her or her cousin since Roncesvalles. Turns out her cousin had to leave for family illness reasons so she ended up doing the Camino essentially alone. She took her time and arrived yesterday afternoon. We will meet up at 5p.m. today for wine and conversation. Several others arrived today whom I have not seen since the beginning so it has turned out to be a pleasant day.
May you rejoice in this day the Lord has made and give thanks for all that is good and true and beautiful in your life. And may God´s blessings fill your lives with joy and hope.
While sitting with old men on the Cathedral square taking in a little warmth of the sun, who should walk up but a woman from British Columbia, Canada I met at Orisson! I have not seen her or her cousin since Roncesvalles. Turns out her cousin had to leave for family illness reasons so she ended up doing the Camino essentially alone. She took her time and arrived yesterday afternoon. We will meet up at 5p.m. today for wine and conversation. Several others arrived today whom I have not seen since the beginning so it has turned out to be a pleasant day.
May you rejoice in this day the Lord has made and give thanks for all that is good and true and beautiful in your life. And may God´s blessings fill your lives with joy and hope.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
And the Lord must weep
Woke up this morning to more rain. I think I´ve figured out the routine. It rains or mists every day until around 3 or 4 p.m. Then the sun comes out until it goes down!
Went to the Cathedral this morning hoping for some quiet prayer time. I think that is an impossibility on the Camino. Got to the Cathedral a little after 10 a.m. and was told I would have to wait until atleast 11 a.m. before I could get in. And the crowds kept coming. Interestingly enough they allowed tour groups in but not those who wanted to pray. Is there something dreadfully wrong with this picture? And then when I did get in, people were pushing and shoving, talking loudly and otherwise making prayer very difficult indeed. And the tour groups kept coming through. Every few minutes there was a reminder that the Cathedral was a house of prayer and to keep silence but no one paid attention. Here were all these people, thousands of them strolling through, talking on cell phones, snapping pictures right and left of little things, and otherwise making the temple into a marketplace. I kept thinking that our Lord must weep to see all these people tromping through with narry a thought of the cost or the opportunity this place represents. I also keep thinking that the tourists buying pilgrim staffs should simply walk over to the Pilgrim Alberque (now admittedly it is a ¨ten minute¨journey--Roman will laugh) and pick up a staff for free that has actually made the journey!
I continue to be astonished by the numbers of people doing the Camino who have little or no religious or spiritual component to their journey. For many, it is a cheap way to travel in Spain and to have fun. For others--and this I can certainly understand--they are in the midst of making major decisions or entering significant transitions and need time to clear their heads in a structured environment. Certainly the Camino provides this. You have lots of time to think. Very few pilgrims actually apply for a Compostela--the document certifying your completion of the Camino (at least the last 100k). This could be discouraging for those who work so hard to ensure the continuation of the Camino. At the same time, it doesn´t take long to discover than many small, small towns along the Camino continue to exist simply because of pilgrim income. How else could a town with one house, two barns and a lot of cows and chickens possibily support a bar and an albergue for 50?
The time here is growing short and I am ready to leave. I think I have explored every nook and cranny of this town--in and out of the old city. Not much left to do but sit around and watch the tourists and incoming pilgrims (none of which I know now--they started later). May you find God´s grace tucked in a person or event today and may you offer a grateful and compassionate heart in return.
Went to the Cathedral this morning hoping for some quiet prayer time. I think that is an impossibility on the Camino. Got to the Cathedral a little after 10 a.m. and was told I would have to wait until atleast 11 a.m. before I could get in. And the crowds kept coming. Interestingly enough they allowed tour groups in but not those who wanted to pray. Is there something dreadfully wrong with this picture? And then when I did get in, people were pushing and shoving, talking loudly and otherwise making prayer very difficult indeed. And the tour groups kept coming through. Every few minutes there was a reminder that the Cathedral was a house of prayer and to keep silence but no one paid attention. Here were all these people, thousands of them strolling through, talking on cell phones, snapping pictures right and left of little things, and otherwise making the temple into a marketplace. I kept thinking that our Lord must weep to see all these people tromping through with narry a thought of the cost or the opportunity this place represents. I also keep thinking that the tourists buying pilgrim staffs should simply walk over to the Pilgrim Alberque (now admittedly it is a ¨ten minute¨journey--Roman will laugh) and pick up a staff for free that has actually made the journey!
I continue to be astonished by the numbers of people doing the Camino who have little or no religious or spiritual component to their journey. For many, it is a cheap way to travel in Spain and to have fun. For others--and this I can certainly understand--they are in the midst of making major decisions or entering significant transitions and need time to clear their heads in a structured environment. Certainly the Camino provides this. You have lots of time to think. Very few pilgrims actually apply for a Compostela--the document certifying your completion of the Camino (at least the last 100k). This could be discouraging for those who work so hard to ensure the continuation of the Camino. At the same time, it doesn´t take long to discover than many small, small towns along the Camino continue to exist simply because of pilgrim income. How else could a town with one house, two barns and a lot of cows and chickens possibily support a bar and an albergue for 50?
The time here is growing short and I am ready to leave. I think I have explored every nook and cranny of this town--in and out of the old city. Not much left to do but sit around and watch the tourists and incoming pilgrims (none of which I know now--they started later). May you find God´s grace tucked in a person or event today and may you offer a grateful and compassionate heart in return.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
It´s raining
Woke up this morning to more rain and it has poured all day.......ugh! I did get laundry done today so that is a big plus. Now I´m down for the count coming home. Will do a few tourist things today and attend the Pilgrim´s Mass tomorrow. And hope for the sun to return.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Today was Finisterre and SUN!!!!
Well, if you count hazy with sun it was a beautiful day to go out to Finisterre and walk the final miles out to the ènd of the earth´. Not too many familiar faces out there but a few. Everyone on the bus out was a pilgrim--the Camino Express to Finisterre (and a double decker besides!). Standing there on the rocks looking down at the ocean and smelling the salty air was amazing. The boats down below looked so tiny. The clouds to the west were big and fluffy but the ocean was a beautiful blue to the north. And just think--you all are on the other side of where I was standing today!
The bus trip out took 2.5 hours but the return took 3.5--the bus broke down and we had to be picked up by another which turned out to be the `milk route´. Oh, well. That´s Camino! At least a portion of the trip was by the ocean. It was the fastest I have traveled in over a month! The bus was really flying. Again I was surprised by the number of tourists and tour buses parked near the lighthouse. There were pilgrims weeping and tourists chatting loudly and snapping pictures right and left. A pilgrim is grateful, tourists expect is a Camino mantra. The tourists seemed unaware that many of the people standing around in awe had walked there. I took a picture of the 0.00k marker in front of the lighthouse. A fitting symbol for the end of this incredible journey--a lighthouse and the wide blue ocean leading home to you.
Last night I ran into two people I had met the very first night in France around the dinner table in SJPP. He had had a medical emergency so I was pleased they were able to finsih. They had just gotten in and were looking for accomodation (which is not particularly easy or cheap here in Santiago). So there are still people I know showing up! I also saw creepy man (of Pamplona fame) yesterday.
May you find a light at the end of your journey and joy at the beauty of God´s creation. The journey does indeed begin with one step forward (with some steps backward at irritating moments!) but it does not end with the destination. God´s blessing be upon you and the peace of Christ be within you. May you be the source of God´s grace to others and may the grace of God encounter you in the crossings.
The bus trip out took 2.5 hours but the return took 3.5--the bus broke down and we had to be picked up by another which turned out to be the `milk route´. Oh, well. That´s Camino! At least a portion of the trip was by the ocean. It was the fastest I have traveled in over a month! The bus was really flying. Again I was surprised by the number of tourists and tour buses parked near the lighthouse. There were pilgrims weeping and tourists chatting loudly and snapping pictures right and left. A pilgrim is grateful, tourists expect is a Camino mantra. The tourists seemed unaware that many of the people standing around in awe had walked there. I took a picture of the 0.00k marker in front of the lighthouse. A fitting symbol for the end of this incredible journey--a lighthouse and the wide blue ocean leading home to you.
Last night I ran into two people I had met the very first night in France around the dinner table in SJPP. He had had a medical emergency so I was pleased they were able to finsih. They had just gotten in and were looking for accomodation (which is not particularly easy or cheap here in Santiago). So there are still people I know showing up! I also saw creepy man (of Pamplona fame) yesterday.
May you find a light at the end of your journey and joy at the beauty of God´s creation. The journey does indeed begin with one step forward (with some steps backward at irritating moments!) but it does not end with the destination. God´s blessing be upon you and the peace of Christ be within you. May you be the source of God´s grace to others and may the grace of God encounter you in the crossings.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
It´s still raining......
It has been pouring rain here in Santiago. And it is raining in Porto, Portugal and not so good at Finisterre either. I talked with a friend this morning who walked out to Finisterre and she said it was the hardest of the Camino--the terrain, the fact that some of the albergues are closed or very far apart, and of course, the rain. I was hoping to return to Leon where there is a forecast of sun but that is a 7 hour train/bus ride each way. So I am holed up here in Santiago continuing to see people I have met along the way and seeing all the sights. I am SO tired of rain! It has been a week of this stuff. Everytime I think it is clearing, another wave comes through. Walking back from the laundry yesterday (after they lost a shirt and pair of underwear--a crisis when you have only two sets), the sky opened up with wind and rain and everything got wet all over again. With the dampness, nothing dries and you feel clammy all the time.
In addition, I am homesick. I am ready to go but Iberia says I have to stay in Spain until next week. I stopped by the Pilgrim Office to see if my camera had been brought in. Nothing yet. They did take my name, email address and phone number so if it turns up, they will contact me and send it. Only a miracle will bring it back to me, I am afraid. So I purchased a book (in Spanish) that has many pictures along the Camino to remind me of specific places and memories. The camera I purchased does not really take very good pictures so I am trying to make sure I take things in.
I attended the Pilgrim´s Mass yesterday and heard: and one American pilgrim who started in SJPP--that´s me! It was a very moving service even though I could barely understand what was being said. And guess who sat down right near me?? The two German women who kept getting up early and then not leaving the albergue for an hour! God certainly has a sense of humor. A Cathedral filled to standing room with people and they found me! I sat with a woman from East Germany whom I had journeyed with for a bit and two other Germans. I also saw the Canadian women. The young woman from Hungary and so on. So a time of lots of familiar faces and congratulations all around. I will also attend the Mass on Sunday. It is really hard not to take Communion. I desperately miss the Eucharist even though I have been sharing bread and wine in huge quantities all along the way. I must remind myself that table fellowship and the breaking of bread is what Jesus certainly intended. Whenever we do this in his name, we are doing what he commanded. A pilgrim was chosen yesterday to read the lessons which was really nice.
I did the pilgrim ritual early this morning of going to visit St. James in his niche up behind the Cathedral Altar and then sent down to the tomb below. I was surprised by the tears. It has been a long journey with many stories and many challenges. I am truly grateful for a body and a pair of feet that brought me so far. I was not the only one. A number of pilgrims were also crying. Only the mobs of tourists walking past remind you that our experiences of the past month or more have been rich with connection to this destination. The tourists are dressed with nice shoes and clothes and we are still wearing our ¨quick dri¨clothing and boots--the contrast is stark not only in appearance but also in demeanor. The pilgrims walk with reverence and a kind of wondering look (have I really arrived? what has this journey meant? will I ever see so and so again? what will I do tomorrow?) and emotions are keen, while the tourists rush around with their guides snapping pictures like mad and talking loudly. This has been a profound experience which I cannot readily put into words. There have been smiles and tears, grunts and exuberant joy, and of course some words spoken in the heat of the moment that shall remain nameless. I have seen so many beautiful little towns, pots filled with gorgeous flowers, fields filled with all kinds of growing things, animals of all kinds, and of course the people of the country and other pilgrims. I will search today for a journal book (mine is filled) and see if I can use this time to get my heart and mind around it all.
May God bless you as you step out in faith this day. And may what you discover bring a smile to your face.
In addition, I am homesick. I am ready to go but Iberia says I have to stay in Spain until next week. I stopped by the Pilgrim Office to see if my camera had been brought in. Nothing yet. They did take my name, email address and phone number so if it turns up, they will contact me and send it. Only a miracle will bring it back to me, I am afraid. So I purchased a book (in Spanish) that has many pictures along the Camino to remind me of specific places and memories. The camera I purchased does not really take very good pictures so I am trying to make sure I take things in.
I attended the Pilgrim´s Mass yesterday and heard: and one American pilgrim who started in SJPP--that´s me! It was a very moving service even though I could barely understand what was being said. And guess who sat down right near me?? The two German women who kept getting up early and then not leaving the albergue for an hour! God certainly has a sense of humor. A Cathedral filled to standing room with people and they found me! I sat with a woman from East Germany whom I had journeyed with for a bit and two other Germans. I also saw the Canadian women. The young woman from Hungary and so on. So a time of lots of familiar faces and congratulations all around. I will also attend the Mass on Sunday. It is really hard not to take Communion. I desperately miss the Eucharist even though I have been sharing bread and wine in huge quantities all along the way. I must remind myself that table fellowship and the breaking of bread is what Jesus certainly intended. Whenever we do this in his name, we are doing what he commanded. A pilgrim was chosen yesterday to read the lessons which was really nice.
I did the pilgrim ritual early this morning of going to visit St. James in his niche up behind the Cathedral Altar and then sent down to the tomb below. I was surprised by the tears. It has been a long journey with many stories and many challenges. I am truly grateful for a body and a pair of feet that brought me so far. I was not the only one. A number of pilgrims were also crying. Only the mobs of tourists walking past remind you that our experiences of the past month or more have been rich with connection to this destination. The tourists are dressed with nice shoes and clothes and we are still wearing our ¨quick dri¨clothing and boots--the contrast is stark not only in appearance but also in demeanor. The pilgrims walk with reverence and a kind of wondering look (have I really arrived? what has this journey meant? will I ever see so and so again? what will I do tomorrow?) and emotions are keen, while the tourists rush around with their guides snapping pictures like mad and talking loudly. This has been a profound experience which I cannot readily put into words. There have been smiles and tears, grunts and exuberant joy, and of course some words spoken in the heat of the moment that shall remain nameless. I have seen so many beautiful little towns, pots filled with gorgeous flowers, fields filled with all kinds of growing things, animals of all kinds, and of course the people of the country and other pilgrims. I will search today for a journal book (mine is filled) and see if I can use this time to get my heart and mind around it all.
May God bless you as you step out in faith this day. And may what you discover bring a smile to your face.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Arrived in Santiago today!
The past three days have been in intermittent rain. Not nice. Today though was particularly nasty because the rain was heavy and the trail was essentially a small river. I got my first blister of the Camino--always happens when my feet get wet. Arrived in Santiago covered in my tomato garb and when I got to the Cathedral square, the sun shone through for just a moment or two. It is amazing to think that I have made it! I received my Compostela--in some ways a disappointment because you stand in line with people who admit to having their baggage transported and having someone pick them up and take them to a hotel, and there you are standing in the same line, soaking wet and still with your backpack on. You sign a list, your name is written on the Compostela, you put in your money, and there you are. I did manage to leave my very wet hat there on the counter though. God willing, I won´t need it any more! It has served as my pillowcase and as a hat when the sun has been intense or the rain unrelenting. And by golly, it does not have a pleasant fragrance. But neither does anything else in my pack right now! Thank goodness we were able to get our clothing washed and dried yesterday at the albergue because nothing has been dry for at least three days. Do you know what happens to damp clothing stuffed into plastic bags? It is not a pretty picture--or rather, not a very nice thing to open up when you need to put the contents on your body.
We wandered Santiago for a little bit trying to find a cheap place to stay. Ran into familiar people. It would be fascinating to sit on the square (when it is sunny, of course) and see all the pilgrims arriving. There are many people from the beginning that I have lost track of. Some I learned today had to drop out for health reasons, some for discouragement. What makes the pìlgrim arrival a tad bit strained is that the square is filled with tourists who wonder what in the world all these wet, smelly people are doing wandering around amongst them. I cannot tell you how many times we stopped people to ask for directions only to find out that they were tourists! But again, the Spanish are incredibly kind to pilgrims. When we couldn´t find the alberque, one woman walked us to it--and we are talking about a twenty minute walk. The albergue is outside the old city and huge. I opted for a single room tonight. I needed a night in a room by myself. As a pilgrim, you learn to appreciate the simple things. Like going to the bathroom all by yourself without having five or more others also in there with you. Like taking a shower without having to take everything you own in with you. Like sleeping through the night without having the sounds (of all kinds) coming from a multitude of others waking you up.
I stayed in a private albergue in Santa Irene last night--was one of four in the attic. A pleasant change--there were real sheets on the bed and she handed us a bath towel. Imagine. A real towel and clean sheets! See what I mean?
Tomorrow I will attend mass at the Cathedral and do the pilgrim rituals. Today I was simply far too tired. It is still raining tonight. So had a simple dinner of lentil soup, Russian salad (a really pitiful excuse for a vegetable salad), and flan for dessert. And of course, lovely bread and Roija wine. Tomorrow I am going to have to start cutting back on the food intake. Without walking 20-28k per day, things will begin to get out of hand if I keep eating the way I have been! So I´ll taper off. A sad, sad thing!
May your journey take you to the place where you will encounter the grace and love of God. May you bask in the sudden sunshine when you are surrounded by rain. I give thanks for the opportunity to take this amazing journey. It will take some time to unpack--not only the backpack, but the memories and stories. I look forward to sharing them with you.
We wandered Santiago for a little bit trying to find a cheap place to stay. Ran into familiar people. It would be fascinating to sit on the square (when it is sunny, of course) and see all the pilgrims arriving. There are many people from the beginning that I have lost track of. Some I learned today had to drop out for health reasons, some for discouragement. What makes the pìlgrim arrival a tad bit strained is that the square is filled with tourists who wonder what in the world all these wet, smelly people are doing wandering around amongst them. I cannot tell you how many times we stopped people to ask for directions only to find out that they were tourists! But again, the Spanish are incredibly kind to pilgrims. When we couldn´t find the alberque, one woman walked us to it--and we are talking about a twenty minute walk. The albergue is outside the old city and huge. I opted for a single room tonight. I needed a night in a room by myself. As a pilgrim, you learn to appreciate the simple things. Like going to the bathroom all by yourself without having five or more others also in there with you. Like taking a shower without having to take everything you own in with you. Like sleeping through the night without having the sounds (of all kinds) coming from a multitude of others waking you up.
I stayed in a private albergue in Santa Irene last night--was one of four in the attic. A pleasant change--there were real sheets on the bed and she handed us a bath towel. Imagine. A real towel and clean sheets! See what I mean?
Tomorrow I will attend mass at the Cathedral and do the pilgrim rituals. Today I was simply far too tired. It is still raining tonight. So had a simple dinner of lentil soup, Russian salad (a really pitiful excuse for a vegetable salad), and flan for dessert. And of course, lovely bread and Roija wine. Tomorrow I am going to have to start cutting back on the food intake. Without walking 20-28k per day, things will begin to get out of hand if I keep eating the way I have been! So I´ll taper off. A sad, sad thing!
May your journey take you to the place where you will encounter the grace and love of God. May you bask in the sudden sunshine when you are surrounded by rain. I give thanks for the opportunity to take this amazing journey. It will take some time to unpack--not only the backpack, but the memories and stories. I look forward to sharing them with you.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
In Palas de Rei
OK, I did a 28k day today. I didn´t intend to but it happened. First of all two German women got up at 5 a.m. this morning and bustled around rustling bags and flashing their flashlights until the whole room was awake. I finally got up at 6, ate my yogurt and banana, and got under way around 6:30 a.m. in the dark and with mist that was almost rain. I wasn´t especially happy about this but it is Camino. It is not a pleasant thing to sit in a room when you can´t really sit up (because the bunk above you prevents such a luxury) and there are lots of smelly boots made even more so by the humidity of Galicia. Luckily the pathway today was pretty good underfoot. Soft with needles and clear dirt. Not too many big rocks. It doesn´t begin to get light until 8 a.m. so you have to be pretty alert watching for arrows and direction changes. Luckily there was one person far ahead so I had it a bit easier. I arrived at my intended destination around 10:45 a.m. and then several people I know came along and convinced me to walk with them to Palas de Rei. They wanted to walk slowly so it worked out alright. And the walk was very pleasant.
Arrived here around 1 p.m., found the albergue quickly, took a shower, did laundry and took a brief nap--interupted by the two women who woke everyone up this morning!!! They got here two and half hours after I did. What in the world took them so long? And now I have a preview of tomorrow morning as well since they are in the beds next to mine. One lesson of Camino is that you have to let go of a lot of your irritations at people and with people. You live in such close community--sharing intimacy in ways you don´t even share with your own family--that you simply cannot indulge yourself in petty frustration. Otherwise you´d never have enough energy and enthusiam to get up the next day and do it again. I continue to be surprized by the men who think nothing of walking around in their briefs (and these are NOT boxers) for extended periods of time. Today I saw men walking without shirts--how do they avoid pack burn??
So much for slowing down......I could actually be in Santiago two days from now. And then the question becomes do I attempt to walk to Finisterre. It is supposed to rain hard for the next two to three days so we will see how things look ¨from under the poncho¨! It is hard to believe Santiago is so near. I keep watching the distance bollards counting down the kilometers. Some of us were talking today how it seems as though the time has gone by so quickly and yet in some ways, it feels like we´ve been here doing this for a very long time. Or maybe I should spend a little hotel time in Santiago and begin to get over sleeping with 10 to 100 of my Camino friends! I am beginning to get excited to see Santiago, experience arriving on the square in front of the Cathedral, going to the pilgrim mass, and then coming home! Thank you for all your prayers and support. I have been vigilant in my prayers for you (and especially those who wrote out their slips with particular concerns) and for St. James´ and our future together.
May God bring you sunshine and grace.
Arrived here around 1 p.m., found the albergue quickly, took a shower, did laundry and took a brief nap--interupted by the two women who woke everyone up this morning!!! They got here two and half hours after I did. What in the world took them so long? And now I have a preview of tomorrow morning as well since they are in the beds next to mine. One lesson of Camino is that you have to let go of a lot of your irritations at people and with people. You live in such close community--sharing intimacy in ways you don´t even share with your own family--that you simply cannot indulge yourself in petty frustration. Otherwise you´d never have enough energy and enthusiam to get up the next day and do it again. I continue to be surprized by the men who think nothing of walking around in their briefs (and these are NOT boxers) for extended periods of time. Today I saw men walking without shirts--how do they avoid pack burn??
So much for slowing down......I could actually be in Santiago two days from now. And then the question becomes do I attempt to walk to Finisterre. It is supposed to rain hard for the next two to three days so we will see how things look ¨from under the poncho¨! It is hard to believe Santiago is so near. I keep watching the distance bollards counting down the kilometers. Some of us were talking today how it seems as though the time has gone by so quickly and yet in some ways, it feels like we´ve been here doing this for a very long time. Or maybe I should spend a little hotel time in Santiago and begin to get over sleeping with 10 to 100 of my Camino friends! I am beginning to get excited to see Santiago, experience arriving on the square in front of the Cathedral, going to the pilgrim mass, and then coming home! Thank you for all your prayers and support. I have been vigilant in my prayers for you (and especially those who wrote out their slips with particular concerns) and for St. James´ and our future together.
May God bring you sunshine and grace.
Friday, October 2, 2009
In Portomarin
A short day today. Got up at the late hour of almost 8 a.m. and left around 8:30 after coffee and toast. A delightful misty day in Galicia. Again was surrounded by cows and sheep this morning. It is amazing how much this area looks like Ireland--from the slate slab fences to the layout of the farms and the terrain. Huge trees--how many pilgrims have touched them? Walked the morning with a woman from--guess? Canada!! A nice conversation and then she and her walking companion were off. At the albergue last night, met a woman who is a relative of the French Canadian couple I was walking with the first few weeks. This is indeed a very small Camino world! Met a woman outside the supermercado who is suffering from bed bug bites big time. She got the bites in a small albergue in Burgos. She has had an allergic reaction and is covered, and I mean covered, with pustules as big as your thumb. She was waiting for her doctor appointment. She is the third person I have met with bed bug bites.
Not much time today as internet access is VERY expensive here and slow. I am trying very hard to slow down to around 12 to 16k per day. I may still arrive in Santiago a little early. There are some positives to that--I just might catch up with some of the people I have met along the way and lost track of. Surprising though how people pop back in.
The walk this morning in the mist was restful. What a wonderful world we live in. May God bless you this day and always with grace and eyes to see what is spread out before you.
Not much time today as internet access is VERY expensive here and slow. I am trying very hard to slow down to around 12 to 16k per day. I may still arrive in Santiago a little early. There are some positives to that--I just might catch up with some of the people I have met along the way and lost track of. Surprising though how people pop back in.
The walk this morning in the mist was restful. What a wonderful world we live in. May God bless you this day and always with grace and eyes to see what is spread out before you.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
In the middle of nowhere close to Portomarin
I walked from Fonfria yesterday (a wonderful albergue by the way, with GREAT homemade food: homemade vegetable beef soup, chorizo sausage and pasta, followed by Santiago almond cake) to Samos. My leg made the decision between the two routes--the longer one to Samos or the shorter one to Tricastela. Samos is the location of the oldest existing monestary in the western world. It is a beautiful little town in the midst of the mountains. Went to mass last night and heard the Gregorian Chant in a beautiful space. Really made me miss the Eucharist. As a non-Roman Catholic I have been respecting their unwillingness to extend an invitation to the table to us. I did not stay in the monestary albergue. While I was waiting for them to open, I realised that the bar across the street offered bunk space for 8 euro (and only 10 bunks in the room which becomes a real luxury on the Camino!) with a clean bathroom with a real tub. I looked in the monestary albergue--metal bunks very close together and 3¨mattresses. Sorry, after a long hard climb and many ups and downs, this old body needs a better bed than that. Turns out only four of us stayed in the room--including a Canadian couple I had met early on. Small world, the Camino!
Left Samos this morning around 7:30 a.m. Dawn is now coming close to 8 a.m. I did not see another pilgrim until I arrived in Sarria about 11 a.m.! Not a one! It was a cool, misty morning with lots of fog around. At one point I was concerned that I was not in the right place because though I was following arrows, there were no other pilgrims. I asked an old woman sweeping her step if it was the Camino. She nodded yes. I thanked her profusely and she gave me an apple to ¨restore my spirit.¨ I am still amazed that there was absolutely no one! It was both nice and worrisome at the same time. This afternoon was completely different. Upon leaving Sarria, there were lots of people. Sarria is the last place where you can begin walking to Santiago and still receive a Compostela. I´m glad it wasn´t a weekend because it would have been much worse. You can tell the long distance pilgrims from the newbies almost in a heartbeat.
Today was one of some asphalt walking (which absolutely destroys my legs) and some really wonderful and beautiful trails in woodlands and country roads. The mist continues into the afternoon, though the sun is shining. So it is difficult to see very far. I followed several herds of cows being led in for milking (no, I didn´t go THAT far) and was surrounded at one point with a herd of sheep. The amount of manure on the roads and trails is incredible. At some points, it is as though the farmer took a hose and cleaned out the barns right onto the street. You have to step carefully or you will carry the ¨fragrance o´barn¨with you for many miles.
I am staying tonight in a room above another bar in Morgade. The 99k marker to Santiago is right outside. So far three women in the room with 8 beds--and none of the beds are bunks! It was a 24+k day today. Though the legs are sore, as long as I stop regularly and stretch and drink lots of water, I can coax them into going a little farther.
Less than two weeks to go! It hardly seems possible that I have been doing this for a month. I am still grieving the loss of my camera and the memories it contains, but I have also been making a point of savoring the moments as they come along. The Camino is an incredible experience. From meeting people from around the world to the difficulties of the day to day routine and challenges that you share with one another.......I don´t know that you can find this anywhere else in the world. I did meet a couple today from Florida. Only the sixth and seventh Americans I have met.
Left Samos this morning around 7:30 a.m. Dawn is now coming close to 8 a.m. I did not see another pilgrim until I arrived in Sarria about 11 a.m.! Not a one! It was a cool, misty morning with lots of fog around. At one point I was concerned that I was not in the right place because though I was following arrows, there were no other pilgrims. I asked an old woman sweeping her step if it was the Camino. She nodded yes. I thanked her profusely and she gave me an apple to ¨restore my spirit.¨ I am still amazed that there was absolutely no one! It was both nice and worrisome at the same time. This afternoon was completely different. Upon leaving Sarria, there were lots of people. Sarria is the last place where you can begin walking to Santiago and still receive a Compostela. I´m glad it wasn´t a weekend because it would have been much worse. You can tell the long distance pilgrims from the newbies almost in a heartbeat.
Today was one of some asphalt walking (which absolutely destroys my legs) and some really wonderful and beautiful trails in woodlands and country roads. The mist continues into the afternoon, though the sun is shining. So it is difficult to see very far. I followed several herds of cows being led in for milking (no, I didn´t go THAT far) and was surrounded at one point with a herd of sheep. The amount of manure on the roads and trails is incredible. At some points, it is as though the farmer took a hose and cleaned out the barns right onto the street. You have to step carefully or you will carry the ¨fragrance o´barn¨with you for many miles.
I am staying tonight in a room above another bar in Morgade. The 99k marker to Santiago is right outside. So far three women in the room with 8 beds--and none of the beds are bunks! It was a 24+k day today. Though the legs are sore, as long as I stop regularly and stretch and drink lots of water, I can coax them into going a little farther.
Less than two weeks to go! It hardly seems possible that I have been doing this for a month. I am still grieving the loss of my camera and the memories it contains, but I have also been making a point of savoring the moments as they come along. The Camino is an incredible experience. From meeting people from around the world to the difficulties of the day to day routine and challenges that you share with one another.......I don´t know that you can find this anywhere else in the world. I did meet a couple today from Florida. Only the sixth and seventh Americans I have met.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
In Fonfria
Well I have decided to slow down. My Canadian friends were off to a 28k day. Not for me. My legs are in pain--so much so it was difficult to sleep last night. So I ended today around noon with a little down time to write and just converse with others. Tomorrow I may go only to Tricastela--we´ll see how I feel in the morning. This is a tiny, tiny town. Four houses, some cows and chickens and us pilgrims. The albergue is very nice and very few of us are here. Such a delight! The climb over O´Cebrerio this mornign was lovely but oh, the ups and downs today! And after the mountain climb yesterday.......well, this is the end of mountains. Santiago is coming closer and closer and Galacia is beautiful. It is very cool and autumn has definitely arrived. Lots of turning leaves and the air is bright and fresh. Blessings upon you all.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Villafranca de Bierzo
Today was another long one on pavement. I continue to be surprised by the amount of walking on the Camino involves walking on concrete and other hard surfaces. My legs are killing me. But we took the alternate route through the vineyards and watched the grape harvest. They also plant apple and pear trees in the vineyards so several men were picking fruit. With the bedbug scare in the municiple alberque, we are staying in a private one on the other side of the bridge. Very nice and quiet. <
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