Now in Redicilla del Camino

We began around 5 a.m. this morning. WAY too early but we are in the midst of a crowd before and after us. The refugio in Asofra is very nice. Two beds to a room! They did have to open up both the annex refugio and the original small one next to the church. Every bed was taken by 1 p.m. We were in rooms 0 and 1. Very noisy as the reception area and common gathering area is right there--but this morning it was great because we could get out without disturbing anyone. Additional toilets are right there. We walked into Santo Domingo around 8 a.m. this morning in time to stop for fresh pastries and coffee close to the Cathedral. Such is the pilgrim life. You get up, get your stuff together, take a big swig of water, eat a fruit or yogurt and get moving. By the end of the first hour or so you begin thinking about how good a hot cup of coffee sounds. By the second or third, you start to wonder about what might taste good with that coffee. Today is a big festival in Santo Domingo so many preparations were at hand. Parade horses were being readied and the street cleaners were out in force. I have been so impressed with the cleanliness of the many towns. Most of the towns I know in the USA could never come close. Unfortunately the Cathedral in Santo Domingo was closed up tight--as have been many of the churches we´ve passed, so I didn´t get to see the rooster and hen.

We stopped to take our boots off and eat some fruit in Granon after deciding to go on. Leaving Granon, we entered the Leon region. Looking at an overall map of the Camino, it doesn´t look like I´ve gone very far at all. We are now in Redicilla del Camino, a donativo public refugio. The tiniest showers on earth but hey, when you need a little warm water, almost anything will do. It is filling very quickly. I was hoping the crowding would begin to slow down but so far, no luck. There are many we started with who are behind us now but there are just as many (or more??) ahead. There are some young men doing 31 to 38 kilometers a day to see if they can get ahead of all this. I continue to be impressed by people who labor on with blisters and major physical pain. I continue to be unimpressed by people who go only from one town to the next and then sit there drinking the inexpensive wine all afternoon. I know I shouldn´t be judgmental but when everything is so crowded, it does irritate just a little.

Many couples are on the Camino. In conversations, it seems one partner was convinced to do this by the other. This is not a good combination. You have to be personally drawn to the Camino or it is bound to be a disappointment or problem. Several couples are experiencing some real distress because the less interested one is finding the struggles and the crowds to be too much. You have to walk your own Camino whether you come alone or come with someone. No one else can do it for you. At the same time, no one can force you to embrace the sacrifices and discomforts with any sense of joy or expectation if you do not want to be here. Some came expecting a cheap European vacation. Certainly the refugios are typically inexpensive and the Camino towns do their best to provide hospitality at a reasonable cost. But this is not a vacation. If you can´t handle the physical and emotional cost of the Camino, you will leave wondering why in the world it continues to draw so many into its embrace. I have been fascinated by the families (parents and young adults) who are doing the Camino together. There has been some real bonding where everyone was excited and committed to doing whatever it takes. But where there is unrealistic neediness, there are some fractures occuring.

The weather today is cool and cloudy. Excellant weather for walking long distances. We did more than 19 miles today at better than 3 miles per hour despite the inclines. But my body is not pleased. Today I hurt all over. But especially my legs. This is the first time I have felt like I really need a day off. Today was a mix of pavement and hard packed clay and gravel road. I wonder if I lost an inch of height today?? The next mountain range looms right after Belorado. I am debating going the 10k to Belorado tomorrow and calling it day.

This is my second Sunday on the Camino. I hold St. James´in my daily prayers but especially on Sundays I ask for God´s direction and grace for our congregation. May your Camino, wherever it may be, take you to the places where you will encounter the risen Lord.

Arrived in Asofra today

I am now one day ahead of schedule but that´s OK. We did a HOT pavement walk yesterday of over 18 miles. My feet are still in good shape but pavement is hard on the knees and the feet. I have fallen into a ¨family¨of French Canadians and a Belgium. It does help starting out in the darkness with others. With more eyes to watch for flechas amarillas it is harder to take a wrong turn. Also we have been cooking dinner together which makes it cheaper and more nourishing. Tevo left us early yesterday morning to take the train back to Belguim so we are down to four. The crowd surge continues to dog us. Everything fills by 1 p.m. The little old woman serving coffee and toast outside of Logrono told us she had counted over 365 pilgrims the day before. Some of the older ones have decided to drop out. They came in September expecting small numbers and no problems finding beds. The refugio in Ventosa yesterday said they usually have 5000 per year. They have already exceeded that number by last week. There were folks standing outside at Ventosa who either had to walk an additional 10k or take a taxi. It was a terribly hot day helped at times by a cool breeze. The old woman asked me to take a Korean bible--left behind at her house--to the little Korean man. I had sat next to Mark at the pilgrim´s dinner at Roncesvalles and we have met several times on the way. So who should I see the moment I arrived in Ventosa? Mark--who was delighted to get his bible. I continue to be amazed by the familiar faces on the Camino. Over and over again I see the same people but not consistently. When I moved forward to Los Arcos, I seem to have caught up with the crowd I started with at Roncesvalles. Many nationalities are represented. It reminds me how provincial Americans can become--both in language and in cultural differences. I wonder what it would be like to know ¨The Peace of the Lord be with you¨in 30 different languages? Maybe I should begin asking each to write it down and to help me with pronunciation........

I have learned that you need to stop somewhere on Saturdays early enough to shop in a tienda(shop) for Sunday´s food. If you don´t, you are at the mercy of whatever you might be able to find open. Hopefully your Saturday stop is in a town large enough to support a tienda. This takes some thinking and planning. We will purchase food for cooking tonight and food for tomorrow´s breakfast and lunch. Our goal tomorrow is either Granon or Redicilla. If we had continued today to Santa Domingo, it would have been 31k--I was not in the mood to do that!

Today is another beautiful day. A bit cooler than the past few days. Rain is forecasted so we´ll see. Everytime I look at my poncho and think about sending it on, I am reminded that I might need it. I have used everything in my pack except for my fleece blanket. I could have used it last night but I didn´t want to dig it out in the middle of the night!

The grapes look like they are close to harvest time. The past two days have taken us past vineyards plump with dark red grape clusters--Roija wine. Needless to say, the wine is inexpensive and very good. The refugios sell wine so you never have to be without. Until I get access again (1 euro per 20 minutes--which is a stretch because the machines are so slow that you really only get 15 minutes)--there are many waiting. God´s blessings surround you, Christ´s peace be within you and may you be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Buen Camino!

Now in Los Arcos

Just a brief update. I did a LONG day today--over 18 miles. I am hoping to take a short one tomorrow. We´ll see. Blessings to you all. Weather continues to be hot and clear. Same tomorrow.

Arrived in Lorca

In Pamplona, the two young women who bunked with me made dinner and invited me to join them (in thanks that I did their laundry and brought it dry and folded to their bunks)--fresh lettace salad (alleluia!), boiled potatoes and little sausages. So in the city of wonderful food, I ate in the refugio kitchen. But it was good. We had to laugh at the elderly man walking around the refugio in nothing but a thong who leered at every woman. If it had been one walk to his bunk, OK, but he strolled throughout the refugio several times. Give me a break! Guess he had to put all his laundry in at the same time! Getting out of Pamplona in the dark (well, there area plenty of street lights!) was OK because I spied some folks just ahead and kept them in sight. And thankfully there was no traffic. The markings are very clear coming into Pamplona but not at all sufficient upon leaving. The two fellows I followed and I both used city maps to figure it out. Sunrise over Pamplona was breathtaking. It is a city worth visiting for several days.

The weather is beautiful--clear skies and bright sun. I have been leaving by 6:30 a.m. to walk in the moonlight. You do have to be careful though not to be so thoroughly engaged in prayer that you totally miss the path marking--as I did this morning! I started at 5:30 a.m. this morning to avoid the heat and the snoring Italian in the next bunk. Somehow the moonlight, the stillness and the fragrance of fresh mown hay took me to another place. So once again I put in more mileage than was planned. Do you know how I figured out something was wrong? No pilgrim trash. I am ashamed of my fellow pilgrims who leave their wrappers, empty bottles, etc. along the trail side. When I realized I wasn´t seeing any, I stopped. Someday I will learn to pay good attention if I´m going to be walking in the dark!

Stopped in Cizar Menor for coffee before the long climb up to Alto de Pardon. Spanish espresso is the best. I´ve started asking for my cafe solo grande con leche just to keep the calcium intake up a little. Lots of little crocus along the trail. And the blackberries--oh, the wonderful blackberries. God´s little treat sprinkled along the road. As I climbed I began to count all the things I need forgiveness for but it wasn´t long before I was led to consider all those I need to forgive. How can I ask for forgiveness if I am unwilling to extend it to others? Don´t you just get irritated by that part of the Lord´s Prayer? The Alto de Pardon is incredible--we had fun taking pictures. My two bunkmates arrived about the same time I did so we took each other´s pictures. They are both suffering physically and were not sure how much they could continue. The view from there is amazign. You can see just how far you have walked--awesome, and how much further you have to go before the next set of mountains. But the steep,rocky path down was ugly. One young woman ran down it and then wondered why her knee blew out. Lots of blisters and tendon pain for the younger folks. They go so fast. The older ones suffer from the heat and the need for endurance. Then there is that steady contingent of folks who just keep plodding along.

I stayed in Urtega last night. A delightful little alberque with bunks and private rooms upstairs. The one problem was there was no provision for doing laundry. When you are hot and stinky and only have one change, getting the funk out is important. Guess I´m getting there anyway because as I sat having an orange juice, I wondered what that gruesome smell was--turns out it is my pack. Once again the hoards came by wanting a bunk but all was full. The old ones are getting slower and arrive after everything is completo. Their faces are hard to see when they realize that they must continue on in the heat. There are so many people on the trail that today was a steady procession of pilgrims over the hill and down. It was like driving down 270. I decided to stop in Lorca rather than continuing into Estella for two reasons: the heat and the numbers. I walked further today than I had anticipated (both because of my mistake and I arrived at my planned destination at 10 a.m.) I keep saying to myself ¨take it slow, take it slow¨and sometimes I even listen! So far the feet are fine and I haven´t had to take any pain medication. But getting up after sitting for a while is tough...... The food has been wonderful. Last night´s pilgrim meal was paella, roast chicken with fries, and a delightful apple cake or fresh fruit and of course the obligatory all you can drink wine. I did buy some bread, yogurt and cheese in Pamplona so I have been snacking on that during the day.

Now I´m off to get a lemonade and a shower. And hopefully get some clothes washed and hung out to dry. May God´s blessing be upon you and the peace of Christ within you.

Arrived in Pamplona

Left Zubiri this morning around 6:30 a.m. Very cold--could see your breath, but absolutely clear. Was able to walk by moonlight again until dawn. Found no coffee until 10 a.m. from a little tent set up outside someone´s house. Excellent coffee and homemade bread pudding. Turned out to be another beautiful day. Warming up around 11 a.m. Arrived in Pamplona at noon. I really am walking slowly. I don´t know how I am getting places so ahead of others. A fellow pilgrim from Hungry got there about the same time so we sat on the step and ate our bread and fruit. We are beds one and two--they are assigned by your arrival time. What a beautiful facility! Took a shower, put wash in with a pilgrim from Brussels and another from Hungary. The washing machine is free but the dryer is one euro. Washing powder is available from the reception desk for 50 cents. Takes an hour and 15 minutes to wash so I will be doing some power napping in a little bit. It is one euro for 15 minutes so this will be quick.

Spent last evening with six people from Ireland, one from Brussels and another from England. It was good to find English speakers! But then we discussed politics and religion--a heady topic if there was one to bring in so many different perspectives. Made reservations for dinner so we were able to get in before the crowd. We had Russian salad (a mayo mixture of carrots, peas, and capers), stuffed red peppers and yogurt for dessert. Not getting a whole lot of fiber in all of this!

They ended up opening the school last night so the overflow could sleep there. There were some mattresses but not enough for everyone. When others were asked to share their sleeping mats, most refused. Seems it was more a language problem than anything else. But my heart went out to the older folks who didn´t seem to know what to do and didn´t have any provision for such an event. I have talked with a number of people who said they came in September because the crowds are usually less. The numbers seem to be increasing. I am amazed by the number of Koreans, Indians, and Japanese. Very few Americans.

I am finding myself talking to the many animals along the way. A lot of wild horses, sheep, goats and of course cows. Lots of animal droppings on the Camino. A reminder how often we have to navagate that stuff to get through. I also spoke to a very old tree yesterday--how many pilgrims has it watched passing by?

Buenos dias!

Tonight in Zubiri

Woke up early this morning and was packed up and ready to go when the doors of the refugio opened at 6:15 a.m. Another pilgrim and I walked in the darkness--well at least when we were under trees as the moon was bright. Stopped in the next town for espresso and an egg sandwich. VERY cold this morning and windy. But when the sun came up, the sky was clear blue. Finally warmed up this afternoon but perfect day for walking. What was tough today were the millions of small rocks on the way down to Zubiri. The bottoms of my feet ache. The Larrasona alberque is closed for three days so hundreds of pilgrims were stranded here in Zubiri as the next albergue is an additional 15 miles. Luckily I got here at noon and was able to snag a bed right away. But while waiting for a friend to show up, I got to tell at least 60 pilgrims that everything was full since the way into town is by the alberque were I am staying. Finally at 4:00 they decided to open the school so pilgrims could sleep there. I felt horrible for many of the older pilgrims as they were the late arrivers and I doubt many of the young ones will give up their cots. In addition, the grocery closed at 2 p.m. and nothing will be open tomorrow and unfortunately the bar also closed at 2 and won´t reopen until 7:30 p.m. And there is no restaurant other than the bar. There is a lot of pent-up demand and frustration in this tiny town tonight, let me tell you!

The pilgrim office reported that over 300 pilgrims signed in at SJPP day before yesterday--not even counting those who were starting at Roncesvalles. Roncesvalles was packed and they had to open up the annex. Record numbers are coming through and if today was any indication, the system is going to be mightily stressed. Luckily no one (out of 120 people!) snored! That was a shock. The Pilgrim´s Mass was very meaningful but I was greatly disturbed by the number of pilgrims who took flash photos all through the service. How disrespectful! Any one who knows me, knows I do not take kindly to people who treat worship as something to be treated as something common. At least wait until after the service if you want to take pictures.....OK, I´ll get off my soapbox.

In thinking about yesterday, it was a humbling day. The weather was terrible, no question. But a Dutch couple had tried to warn me that I was going the wrong way but I did not understand what they were saying and so went on. There are not many English speakers--I have spent most of time with French speaking folks (France and Canada)--a real Tower of Babel. But sometimes, even when you don´t understand, you need to step back and relook at the situation. I could not see them, nor could they see me due to the fog and sleet storm but they yelled out--I should have stopped right then and then. Lesson heard, Lord! I did see them today on the trail and tried to thank them. I have no idea if they have a clue but I am thankful. And today I was thankful for glorious weather and a healthy body. Tired but still raring to go! And the barb wire wounds are starting to heal. Thank you for your kind words and prayers! I hold you in my heart and in my prayers.

Arrived in Roncesvalles

I flew into Pamplona and took transport to SJPP for my start on Thursday. The flight from Boston caught a tailwind and landed two hours early so I got to sit in the Madrid airport and cool my heels. I had hoped to sleep on the flight but that was not to be. My seat partner turned out to be an Iberian flight attendant--good news because he was served first class food and shared, including wine. We talked for a good time but by the time he went to sleep up in his bunk, we were two hours from landing and they began breakfast service almost immediatly. So much for the best laid plans!

Pamplona is beautiful. I took bus 21 into the city. For 1.10 euro, it drops you off at Cortes Ingles--a wonderful department store with incredible food in the lower level. Boy was I tempted but when you have to carry it all, temptation goes down the drain. A few snack bars and a loaf of bread. As long as you have bread, you are OK. Sent my package off to Santiago after figuring out the postal system. Two angels helped immensely. I roamed the city but finally was so tired I walked to the bus station and napped on the grass. Transport arrived at 4:30. I arrived in SJPP around 7:oo pm. Wonderful dinner and hospitality at LÉsprit. Salad, pasta with eggplant and tomato sauce, bread, and yogurt. Then immediately to bed after a shower. 30 hours without sleep is never pretty.

Today was a hard one. Finally crossed the Pyrenees today in rain and sleet into Spain. Then I made a wrong turn somewhere after the peak as I couldn´t see in the dense fog-which eventually led me down the mountain to a small town where I learned that I was in the wrong place. So back up the mountain in the blowing rain to the top. Three additional hours and probably 6 extra miles I did not need. So today I not only climbed the mountain once, I then climbed it again. In addition I took a¨"shortcut" through a field with cows and pigs. Meant I then had to figure out how to get across the barb wire fence--I now have a few wounds from that adventure! I do give thanks that the cows weren´t attracted to my red poncho! Yesterday started out overcast, then rain, and then clearing in the later afternoon. It took me a lot less time to climb 4,000 feet than I thought--so I paid double for that today in the final 2,000 feet. Taking lots of pictures. The moon shone through my window last night and woke me up. Nothing like sleeping in a spotlight. The sunrise this morning was covered by clouds but I did get some wonderful pictures of the Pyrenees before the weather abruptly changed. I feel those prayers! Thank you!