Tag: camino de santiago Page 2 of 3

Day 36, on the Camino

DAY THIRTY SIX, 5 June 2015,
Calzadilla de Los Hermanillos to Reliegas,on the alternative route,
without luggage,

It was cold and miserable when we started off in the morning! As we had left our back packs behind, we were treating ourselves today, the taxi would send our luggage on! Lucia had not packed her rain coat and neither did I. But at least I had my warm jumper on, she had not bothered, as it had been so hot the day before. We really need to be prepared, the weather here changes so incredibly fast! We had another Roman road to walk on, again very hard, rocky, cold and wet. But again with less peregrinos! I was hard slog! I don’t know the amount of kilometres we did today as I didn’t have any information about this alternative way. We just slogged away. Step by step, hoping for the end.

In Reliegos we stopped for brunch and I lost my expensive jumper and Lucia her walking sticks. I had hoped a pilgrim might have dropped them into the cafeteria, no such luck. This I find amazing. If you are a pilgrim, how can you take something that is not yours? Hm. Ah well, bad karma indeed! We had a meal in the Elvis bar, not too clean, and the food although plentiful was awful! This was one of the lesser days. In the end all the days blur together but this one was definitely in the no fun day box!

Today’s lesson: be prepared
Today’s gift: The rain didn’t get too heavy

Day 35, on the Camino

DAY THIRTY FIVE, 4 June 2015,
Sahagun to Calzadilla de Los Hermanillos
started @ 7.30 am till 12.00 pm ~13 kilometres
hard slog as we took the old Roman road

The morning started of well. Leaving Sahagun, after the bedbugs drama, was not at all hard to do!
It was a cold and crispy morning, we had not much to walk, but the road we had taken was not at all an easy one! It was either the old Roman road or walking next to the highway. We choose the old Roman, much less peregrinos, but the uneven surface of the road made for hard walk. Many rocks, uneven surface, no shade, it was only thirteen kilometres but it was certainly hard slog.

It was hot very early on, and the walking without shade, cafeterias and extra water was hard to do! About six kilometres outside of Calzadilla de Los Hermanillos there was a water fountain for feet and drinking! Much too late really! Would have been better if it had been earlier on. I was exhausted and at one stage I thought I could sneak a photo of Lucia, I fell asleep instead!

We were hot and bothered after only a short amount of kilometres. But our Albergue was lovely and there was nothing to see in the very little town, so a hot shower, a nap and a very cold beer, not necessarily in this order! Still, it was a lovely quiet walk , without the thousands of other peregrinos!

Today’s lesson: one foot in front of another!
Today’s gift: I was able to kill the one bedbug in my bed!

 

Day 34, Camino de Santiago

DAY THIRTY FOUR, 3 June 2015,
Calzadilla de la Cuenza to Sahagun
started @ 5.30 am till 12.30 pm~ 23 kilometres

Half way point from Roncevalles to Santiago
(this means I passed the half way mark sometime before!)

I danced most of the way today! It was an easy and early start! The walk was next to the highway which I don’t really like very much at all, but sometimes there is not much you can do about this except just laugh and dance! The first few hours were beautiful. Each photograph I took was a painting! Then, as It got hotter and hotter, I had to walk next to the highway.

I missed the half way point as it was across the highway and I actually could see the town ahead of me! I caught Lucia just before going into town! We stayed with the nuns , where they had the most unfriendly volunteers! After having had the friendliest in the last town, this was a tad weird! This woman really hated her work! Hm? Why would you volunteer for something you didn’t like? I have no idea, but don’t do things you don’t like , it makes everybody feel un comfortable!
I met this Dutch woman, she was really nice, she shared our four bed dorm. Also Kiki from Denmark, but she was less nice, barely spoke to us. A very strange acting woman. Anyhow, also four Irish women were staying with us as well.Carol, from Galway, was lovely. We kept bumping into each other, and had quite a few drinks and lots of laughs together. They had seen us at the singing with the nuns, and Carol appreciated the video I send her of the singing nuns with Amazing Grace. We sat in the square and tried lots of different tapas and bars. It passed the time! Later, when churches and musea were open, we visited the church for the peregrinos and collected my half way certificate! hallelujah! I am now counting down! It is all psychological! Sahagun is a lovely town with lots to see and do, but after 23 kilometres, I had very little intention to walk any more!

Bedbugs for Carol and Lucia!!

Today’s lesson: Stay positive
Today’s gift: ONE with ALL

Day 33, Camino de Santiago

DAY THIRTY THREE,2 June 2015,

Carrion de Los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cuenza,

started @ 6.00 am till 10.30am~17 kilometres

Today I sent my backpack ahead! It was a long stretch, the meseta, hot, long, no water and absolutely no shade! Due to Lucia’s poor feet, she caught a bus ahead to the next town! The meseta was unbearable to walk in new shoes, no shade nor water!

It was like highway number one! So incredibly busy! Unbelievable! There was no escape, no tranquility. A good way to learn how to find peace in the market place! It was an extremely boring walk, no where to rest, stop or go to the toilet! I was fortunate, I was fast today! Stopped in the Albergue, where they had the friendliest hospitalero! I had a nap and visited the Roman Vila in the afternoon! I was the first visitor in four days! Oops! It is four kilometres of the Camino, but by taxi rather expensive! Not one of the other pilgrims was interested in sharing the taxi to go and see this Vila. Of course it was not as impressive as the villas I had seen in Jordan, but still it is part of the history from Spain, so I am glad I took the time to explore this museum.

The rest of the time I sat in the shade and slept a lot!

Today’s lesson: staying in the HERE and NOW
today’s gift: I saw the whole world in a wild flower today

Day 32, Camino de Santiago

DAY THIRTY TWO, 1 June 2015,
CARRION de Los CONDES
rest day today

As there was plenty to see and do in Carrion, we decided to stay an extra day! All I wanted to do is stay in bed and read! Lucia needed to buy some shoes as her bunions were so very bad! Also socks and plasters. So me sleeping, reading and resting, while she went shopping. Finally I got up to get brunch and Lo and behold who would we bump into but Wilfred, Libby, Vita and Bernar!
As we shared a brunch and a few beers, they all left to get back to their Albergue in the sticks, while we went on to hear the nuns sing int he evening! It was stunningly beautiful! Amazing Grace brought tears to my eyes!

We had also bumped into the German guy, Peter, whose feet were one big awful blister! He was catching the bus to the next place! He was a strange man, seemed lost and lonely. I feel for him! I also feel this Camino is getting harder and NOT easier!
I now have a sore throat and a chest infection! Oops! Probable because of the smoking I did the other day! Too much partying and not enough walking! Hmmmm! It is also a sign of my body telling me that it is tired! I have been on the road now for over eleven months. Putting an exhibition together is hard work, let alone doing it in an incredible short amount of time! May be I should have just walked this Camino BEFORE going to Africa! Yeah, living in hindsight is really easy!
Anyway an extra day of rest, with the gorgeous nuns singing and I am ready to go on!

Today’s lesson: I need time out, from walking and people
Today’s gift: Amazing Grace from the nuns

Day 31, Camino de Santiago

DAY THIRTY ONE, 31 May 2015,
Villarmentero to Carrion de Los Condes
started @ 8.00am till 11.30am
10 kilometres~3,5 hours

I left on my own early in the morning, walking next to the water way. Lovely warm morning. Stunning yellow irises next to the creek. It was a flat piece of walking and so I gained momentum very fast. I just walked and walked. Till I met an open cafe in the next little village. There I had breakfast, and bumped into Henrietta from London, whom I had met several times before. She is an amazingly fast walker, so it had been only snippets of interactions that we had had.

We enjoyed a breakfast together and waited for Lucia to show up. This little town, Villalcazar de Sirga, had a lovely church and lovely sculptures! A much more interesting town then the one street town we stayed in last night! We looked around and took lots of photos. I had an enormous hang over, all the fire water started its damage! Also coming to Carrion de Los Condes was gorgeous. It was hot, very hot, and most of the path was along the highway! Boring as anything. In Carrion we asked the way, and this eighty year old man, walking faster than the both of us together, was going to show us the way! His daughter showed up and he was very cute! He had to do this job first!

Libby and Wilbert came to Carrion, so we caught up for a beer! It was lovely and warm!
We talked, laughed and overall just sat in the sun to enjoy the company and the day itself!

Lucia went to her very first pilgrim’s mass, and was very enthused about it! I had my special experience in Zabaldilka, and didn’t go to another one. Mainly as one than makes comparisons , and each and every one is unique! I just slept, to get over my hang over, and read, as I found a REAL book, a murder mystery in English! Ah, God is good and life is just great!

Today’s lesson: just put one foot in front of the other
Today’s gift: the gorgeous little old man, who became our guide

 

Day 30, Camino de Santiago

DAY THIRTY, 30 May 2015,
Boadilla to Villarmentero de Campos
started @ 6.45am till 12.45pm~15.4kilometres
two long breaks

It was another good day, although the walking didn’t flow as wonderfully as yesterday. I am starting to realise that this Camino is just like life itself. Some days are good, some days are not so good, some days are just awesome and some just awful! I tried to book a private Albergue in Villarmentero de Campos but the woman told me she was full! Just outside the village I met up with Henrietta from London, who had also booked at the private Albergue, Lucia and I just went to the one and only other place in this nothing town! Albergue Amanecer. Lo and behold but who would I find there? Libby! She had disappeared so fast I thought she was nearly in Santiago! Instead she had stayed here and relaxed! It was so great to see her again! Fabulous! In a hammock, wine and sunshine! We caught up and chatted all day! In the evening Jesus made us a very special drink! Pure undiluted fire water! It was an amazing day!

There was a man there the spitting image of Hassan! Not only that, the music that was played was “our” music! How is this possible? Let it all go! I was so relaxed! Had I been on my own, I too would have stayed here for two or three days! (Or just for the rest of my life?) Wilbert,  the Dutch volunteer, made an amazing breakfast! Home made bread! Ahhhhh! Life is just so incredibly great!

That night, Peter, the German guy and Bernar, the Hungarian, played music, and we all sat around and drank, laughed and talked! Most of the pilgrims went to bed, and so did Lucia.
I laughed so much that night! I even smoked! Oops! A sign I had too much to drink! So much fun though! I really liked Jesus, a very sexy Spanish man! None of my photos turned out as they were all out of focus! Oops! But so much laughter and fun! I met Vita, from Lithuania, she is really too old to be my adopted grand daughter, like Libby, but she begged me to be her “Abuela” as well! Jesus wanted me to adopt him to! I am not quite sure in which capacity as he is well into his fifties!

Today’s lesson: Let it go!
Today’s gift: Meeting Libby again!

Day 29, Camino de Santiago

DAY TWENTY NINE,  29 May 2015,
Castrojeriz to Boadillo deal Camino
started @ 8.00am till 2.20pm~17 kilometres
We had a long break in between!
The first five kilometres a steep ascent

We had decided to ring the albergue in Boadilla and book our accommodation for tonight, as it was Lucia’s longest day yet. We had decided that she could always call a taxi if the need arose and she could not go on! When I rang the albergue, Eduardo told me he could NOT book nor hold a room! Okay! Small problem here, as I am an old woman with a friend who might not able to go fast at all! Suddenly this young man tells me that he will make an exception and he will hold the two beds for me!

It was one of these gorgeous mornings, with the sun starting early, making a promise of a lovely warm day. I took the first half hour for taking photographs in the village. The stunning early morning light made the small streets extra special. The hospital of the soul was all ready open and I went for an early morning prayer and meditation. I also took some more photos. The first two to three kilometres were up a rather steep hill. Easy does it! Lucia was going to start later and I felt full of energy and love. I met a lovely American/ Mexican woman, whose name was Diana, a lovely Scotsman and a woman from Kentucky. At the end of the steep hill there was the delight of a stunning view and mini rest, before starting the decline. Met a lovely sexy Brazilian man, who was strolling down the hill with his hands in his pockets! I don’t mind down the hill so much, I bend my knees and lean back a tad and she’s right! At the top of a medium hill, was a lovely man selling coffee, fruit and juice. Very smart idea as everything in Castrojeriz was still closed at 8.00am! In the first little place, Diana and I stopped. We had met for coffee and had a chat.

When I went inside to order some breakfast and find a toilet, a man at the bar said to me!”oh, what an incredible energy you have!” I laughed and told him to come back after I had my coffee! As it was he was sitting at a table near me! There was white stuff floating around every here , like in Logrono. It looked like snow! I got very excited and chatted to Diana about snow! Then Fernando, a Canadian from Portuguese decent, started chatting about the fact that this was his second Camino! He had been given the gift of writing and had divorced, sold all he had and after this Camino is going to the South of France to write a book! As he left, he told me I was pure “light”!
And then proceeded to tell me that this was my first lifetime as an adult and not be too hard on myself! My mouth fell wide open, and I told him, “I know this, but how do you know this?”
He smiled at me and said ” I know that and so much more”!

I looked at Diana and burst out in tears! Then I told her a condensed version of my experience on the 10/10/1994! She also cried! When I got ready to walk on I nearly danced onwards and upwards! I was ONE with the whole Universe. Songs kept bubbling up and over. The plants waved at me and sang with me! The birds, the flowers we were ALL ONE!
Diana and I walked for a while and then I took off. Met beautiful Shirley from Kentucky on the way and after a sort chat while climbing another hill, I went on. The day was gorgeous I felt so incredibly alive and happy! Then suddenly there was a field chokker block full of bright red poppies. Of course the poppies have been in flower since I started, but this was special. I threw off my backpack and stick and climbed up! I wanted to throw myself onto the ground but didn’t want to squash the flowers! I cried, I stood there and cried for so much beauty!

I had to slide down on my bottom as the bank was much too steep to come down any other way! This gave me the giggles for the rest of the way! I lost all track of time or of how many kilometres I still had to do. Suddenly I was at my end destination! It was so un expected and sudden that I was totally confused! But indeed I had walked the whole way with ease and although I had taken a rather long time it was one of the best days yet!

Suddenly there were messages from Lucia, she was not able to catch a taxi from her small village and what did she have to do now? It was hard to answer with the dreadful signal, messages to and fro were not received. I suggested she start to walk slowly and I would see if I could organise something on this end. Eduardo, my adopted son, took the car as soon as he had a spare minute and went to pick her up! Eduardo explained that he never ever books people on the same day! And how wonderful for us that he done so!  I felt terrible! I no longer seem to worry about accommodation, food or what ever, as I believe that God will provide for me. He has done and will do till the day I die! But this is not yet the case for Lucia, and although she is strong, independent and capable, I still felt responsible for her well being!
Luckily all was forgotten very soon and after a hot shower and a very cold beer all was well. I have been incredibly tears today, not sure WHY! I suddenly understand the message in the bible about the virgins hiding there lights or letting them go “out”! One needs to be oneself in ALL circumstances! An absolutely awesome day!

Today’s lesson: We are ALL ONE!
Today’s gift: Fernando’s message that I am pure light!

Day 28, Camino de Santiago

DAY TENTY EIGHT, 28 May 2015,
SAN BOL to CASTROJERIZ
started @ 6.20am till 12.20pm ~15 kilometres

Lucia and I agreed that there was no need for me to wait, I can get  packed and be gone early in the morning. I just love the early morning light. It makes for great photographs, and I just LOVE the peace and quiet early in the morning. I have my most deep and meaningful thoughts while walking along, and it is a shame that I don’t remember any of these thoughts in the evening. Should have carried my dictaphone along!

The poppies and the wheat talked to me along the way. Waving their heads in agreement to my philosophical thinking! I walked quickly to the next village where I had a lovely and leisurely breakfast. There was an old fuente and also a shrine for Saint Bridget. Which I didn’t go and see. My foot is holding out although still swollen and painful, if I don’t overdo the kilometres it seems to manage.

I walked most of the day alone with my thoughts and enjoyed it. Coming into Castrojeriz was stunningly beautiful. The trees on both sides of the road made a tunnel through which you could see the church at the end! Stunning. On the way there was an old Monestary, in which we could have stayed, they had beautiful stone carvings on the door frames and the TAO cross. A “T” shaped cross with a slight curve in the top beam.

When we arrived in Castrojeriz, we went to go sight seeing at the church first. I ordered a beer and watched the luggage, while Lucia went in and when she came out we swapped. She was going to organise our accommodation so I spend a lot of leisurely time in the church. When I came out it so happened that there was no phone coverage! Oops! Ah well, slowly we started to move to get ourselves a bed. We were in for a big shock! Everything was full! Oops! How was that possible? Full? In the end we had the last room in a casa rural, the attic room with three beds! Fabulous room lovely place. Later on our travels we met a lot of people who had to walk to the next village to get accommodation there!

One of the things I wasn’t aware of in the beginning of the Camino, was that people actually book their accomodation ahead! Only the Municipal Hostal or Council Hostals , don’t allow you to book at all, but of course when these are small, and they often are in little villages, they fill up quickly! Since I am a very slow walker I would miss out a lot! So I started to book ahead too, soon after, but I don’t really agree that this should be possible at all!

After a hot shower and a bit of a rest, we went out to explore the town. It was gorgeous. The first place we came to was the Hospital de Alma, a magic place, meditation music playing, lovely photographic exhibition on the walls and fabulous vibes.
We found a place to eat and drink. A super market to buy some necessary stuff and did our washing. It was relaxing and very soul repairing, I slept like a babe, but we decided to book the next place for sure.

Today’s lesson: Organise a bed first
Today’s gift: The last room in the village and it was lovely

Day 27, Camino de Santiago,

DAY TWENTY SEVEN, 27 May 2015,
RABE de las CALZADA to SAN BOL,
started @ 7.00am till 11.30 am~14.7 kilometres

It was a fabulous day, with a slow start! Lucia is a fiddler! It means she takes forever to get ready! Hm. I might have to start walking before she is ready, other wise this will drive me crazy.
The weather was great, although quite cold and very windy. We walked through fields and fields of poppies today. Stunning.

I had not booked an accommodation at all, it does not seem to worry me anymore. But as we walked along Lucia kept asking if it would be all right. I kept re assuring her that there would be a bed for sure in San Bol!

When we finally saw the first and only house I was rather concerned, there was NO church! Only one house! Oops! What was this? A small hamlet with only an Albergue. Shit, I worried myself stupid wishing and hoping there would be beds available! And of course there were! The Albergue had ten beds available and we had number two and three! There were showers but not very hot! I bought something to eat and a bottle of wine and we all had an impromptu picnic in the garden surrounded by poppies.

There was a Fuente with ice cold water that had healing qualities, I stuck my feet under and worked out that your feet would be frozen so they felt like they were healed!
I had a long afternoon nap, with my foot up as it was still painful and swollen. Slowly the Albergue filled up. I had not too much interest in talking to other pilgrims as the conversation is constantly the same; where did you start? How many kilometres do you do a day? What? A rest day? Oh, then you are NOT a true pilgrim! It is this “I am holier than thou” attitude that pisses me right off. Lucia however had not yet many other pilgrims and she thrived in hearing their stories. Some were very funny. Especially the American woman, who encountered this crazy French man. Apparently she told the story quite funnily and I could hear everything what was being said. So didn’t really miss out much! Although I would have rather slept to be honest!

That evening we all had a communal dinner, as there was no where else to eat or to go. The French were very funny, and ended up introducing themselves to us all. It was really lovely and in the end there were twelve pilgrims. Two of the Frenchmen were put upstairs in the attic, where our beds were. One of them was the worst snorer I had come across. Although up to now I have not yet come across anybody as bad as Pete was! In the middle of the night I just woke him up told him in sign language that he was snoring and to turn around. He did and a peaceful night was had by all!
Today’s lesson: thought is power
Today’s gift: the beautiful poppies every where and finches singing

Day 22, Camino de Santiago

Day twenty two, 22 May 2015,
Ages to Burgos,
Started @ 8.00am~walked 9 kilometres to Cardenuela Rio Pico
Due to pulled muscle in the top of my left foot took a taxi to Burgos!
Could NOT walk one more step!

Started off early enough, it was cold but dry! Walked quickly to Atapuerca, where I had hoped to stay and see the archeological site! I arrived in the lovely village very early and all was still closed. After breakfast it somehow seemed more appropriate to walk on, rather than spend a day in the cold, looking at old bones! I do regret this now! As I started to walk on after breakfast, my left foot went into severe cramps and spasms. Terribly painful and no idea why. Until I thought back to waking up very early in the morning and do some stretching of my body, it felt as if I had “snapped” a muscle. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but as the cold and walking went on it became more and more difficult to walk. To top it all off , on the top of the hill, my right shoe snapped! I had anticipated the fact that my dear old sandals might not be able to handle the Camino, as I have walked on them daily for over a year! Still I was shattered! I DO thank my lucky stars that I had bought new Keen’s in Viana, and had been walking in them for at least two to three hours a day!

The weather was still cold and miserable, but I did see a shepperd get all his sheep out of the paddock and had three dogs helping him! Very interesting to watch. I thought I had video taped it, but no such luck, as you are supposed to press a button, otherwise nothing happens! Duh!

Today’s lesson: do Not force yourself when in pain

Today’s gift:  Skype with Michelle

Day 21, on the Camino

Day twenty one, 21 May 2015,
Villafranca Montes de Oca to Ages,
Started @ 6.30am till 11.30 am (16 kilometres)~ 5 hours

I started very early as the first five kilometres was ALL uphill! I am very, very slow going up, hence everybody overtakes me, and if I go early, I can look at the beautiful things on the way, dream and think. There was a lovely forest at the top of the hill, with lovely hen and chicken ferns in bright green. Stunning beautiful. At the top of the high hill there was a monument, one of the Spanish civil war I believe. I couldn’t translate all that it said, but it talked about body’s found on the Camino! Need to google this! The walk was very pleasant, we had a lovely breakfast in San Juan de Ortega, which could have been a lovely village, and it will be soon, but at the moment the village is being repaired! An interesting church and or Monestary. I was too tired to find out. We met Esther from New Zealand who had walked over 44kilometres the day before and had hurt her foot! I suggested that may be she should take it easy for the day and she told me that she was going to, and only walk twenty five kilometres! Hm! I know we are all on our own path, but may be I am incredibly lazy! This is my day 21, and Esther was on day seven! Oops! Ah well, we are walking for different reasons for sure! I decided NOT to stop in San Juan, may be feeling a tad guilty after all? So the three of us walked on to Ages. It was a lovely all the way down hill walk and not hard at all. We stayed in a lovely private house with Anja, from Norway, who used to be a doctor in Africa. Fascinating woman, wish I could have spoken to her in more depth. We explored the very little town, Esther decided to walk on, and so we, Libby and me, looked around and ended up in a small cafe, restaurant and shop of Antonio and his wife. We had some lovely red wine, and Antonio only served us some tapas with the very first glass! When his wife found out she lashed out at him and he dutifully made us more lovely little bites! Delicious! It was warm, cosy and great wifi! Why move? At Anja’s place we stayed by donation only, on a mattress on the floor, was fabulous! Great view we had some delicious pizza for a late lunch, mine with lots of pepperoni which made my stomach upset for most of the night! Either that or the cheeses that were on it! So I was like a yo yo in and out of bed most of the night! Which turned out to be all right as the young people above me were very noisy and kept on moving something on the floor most of the night! Anja asked me if that was us making that noise, and I could clarify that I was too busy running up and down the toilet most of the night, so truly the culprits were these young chickadees! We had a lovely albeit simple breakfast and chatted to Anja, before going to Antonio’s shop to buy the necessary chocolate and bananas.

Today’s lesson: ASK ~BELIEVE~RECEIVE
Today’s gift: Finally got warm as we had a heater in the room!

Day 20, on the Camino

Day twenty, 20 May 2015,
Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca
Started @ 8.15am to 12.45pm~(12 kilometres)~4,5hours

Started at 8.15am and after a few false starts, we finally found the Way again! At first we needed to walk next to the highway, which is really not at all pleasant! Lots of trucks, pollution and noise! Not what I had in mind when I signed up for the Camino! I wish the warm weather would come again as I don’t mind walking early in the morning, or in the sunshine. This grey mist, which makes everything damp, cold and miserable is making me slightly depressed.

We had rang the private hostel and booked a two dorm room. In the end this was not at all necessary as there were plenty of beds in the Auberge Municipal. Villafranca was a lovely little village that had the highway, and hence the trucks, going through the middle of it! Shame! We got settled in our brand spanking new room, before we went out to explore the village! We had a lovely pilgrim’s menu for only ten euro. Pilgrim’s menus are often only served in the evening, which is too late for me to eat them, as I then go to bed with a full stomach. However as an afternoon big lunch it is ideal. You get an entree, a main course, often meat, pork fish or chicken with chips, and a desert. It also comes with a bottle of wine! So very Spanish! We sat in the dining room of this small place and were the only pilgrims in sight! How wonderful! The food was excellent, the waiter was very funny and cute. And an excellent afternoon was had by all. There was very little to see in Villafranca. We did find a lovely little bar type place where we had some delicious coffee, the little deli like cafe, had strings of garlic hanging down, dried chilies and home made meats and cheeses on display. I did a drawing in my diary before we returned back to our lovely room to have another early night and rest. My left foot I playing up a tad. However the back is holding its own!

Today’s lesson: watch out for trucks on the highway
Today’s gift: All the small villages made it for a lovely and interesting walk

Day 19, on the Camino

Day nineteen, 19 May 2015,
Redecilla del Camino to Belorado
Started @ 6.00am till 9.30am (12,5kilometres)~3,5hours

At six o clock this morning I started my walk. It was absolutely freezing. Unbelievable? Yesterday it was over thirty degrees and here it is near freezing point all over again. I refused the instant coffee and walked to the next village! Great, due to the early start everything in the next village was closed! No coffee to be had! Not to worry, walk on the the next village! By now the mist was quite heavy and I was starting to get slightly wet on top of being cold! In Viloria de Rioja, I decided to put on my raincoat and cover my backpack. Just as I finished I decided to take some photos of Santo Domingo’s birth place when I heard somebody call my name! Unbelievably, it was Libby! I thought she would all ready be in Belorado! I was so incredibly happy! We walked together as we had done these last few days. It made the sun come out! We were looking for coffee and breakfast, but no such luck! Finally we knocked on the door of what we thought was an hotel! No coffee, no breakfast and no toilet! It was a pig factory! Okay! We just walked on! It wasn’t a long walk and at nine thirty we arrived in Belorado. The first stop was a place where we could have breakfast and a hot cup of coffee! We found a lovely pension for twenty euros each! A hot shower and warm change of clothing and we were ready to face the town. I had some shopping to do, toothpaste, deep heat, chocolate, painkillers, chocolate. We found a place to eat some lunch, stay warm and drink wine through a straw! It is miserably cold outside and beside the two very old churches very little to do! We watched the movie channel, and after quite awhile finally managed to change the Spanish movies into English, rather than English movies dubbed into Spanish, with Spanish subtitles.
Today’s lesson: chocolate cheers you up!
Today’s gift: chocolate cheered me up!
Libby was on my path again! Hurray!

Day 18, on the Camino

Day eighteen, 18 May 2015,
Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Redecilla del Camino
Started @ 8.15am till 11.45am ( 10,5 kilometres) ~3,5hours

Had a lovely coffee to kick start our walk this morning. My back was absolutely killing me. Every step I took was painful! What to do? After a lovely breakfast Libby and I decided to split up, as I was holding her back something chronic! Her blisters had healed and she was roaring to go!
During breakfast I met a very sexy Polish American man from Maryland, an ex navy officer! Shame he was staying in the very first village I felt, or may be I needed to push on! In the second little town there was an auberge for five euro, and a massage place opposite to the hostel! After I drank a very big cold beer, did some drawings in the Main Street and had an afternoon sleep, I felt reasonably human again! At four o clock I went to the massage place! The lady told me that the damage was deep inside, and pointed out that one hip was higher than the other! She gave me a very weak massage and put these deep heat plasters on my back, strongly advised me NOT to carry my luggage and to stop walking! Okay! Thank you! Great advice! I took her painkillers with a double whiskey and went to bed again at six o clock! I would deal with all this kind of shit tomorrow morning. Right now I want to be Camino free and NOT be a pilgrim any more! I slept until midnight, when two people got up and left the hostel to go and walk? I woke up checked the time and realised that it was bloody midnight! Duh!
Hell, it IS other people you know! Anyway I fell back asleep until six this morning! Twelve hours should do the trick!
Today’s lesson: one’s life can change in a split second
Today’s gift: I got a LARGE double whiskey as the bottle was nearly empty!

Day 17, on the Camino

Day seventeen,17 May 2015
Ciruena to Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Started @ 8.15am till 9.30am ~6km~ 1.15 hour

I woke up quite early, about four thirty, when I realised it was Sunday and it was not yet necessary to jump out of bed and to start walking! I fell back asleep and woke up much later e guest house had such a lovely feel about it, I could have stayed forever! Packing was done quickly and I decided to have a coffee and two slices of toast! Bad choice, I really do prefer not to eat for the first two hours! Walking in the early morning makes me feel so good! As it was the next town of Santo Domingo was very near, a lovely walk, and as soon as I got here I realised that there was a lot to see! Libby and I moved into a private hostel for fifteen euro each, it is worth it being without the dormitory experience! Is going to be hard to pay for single rooms again! Mind you Lucia is coming on Sunday, so hey it is only for one week! No probs! We signed in and had a coffee and hand made chocolates for breakfast! Delicious! We met up with Rhonda from Washington State, and we were both amazed to realise that Washington DC was far from the state! Makes no sense to me, but hey what do I know? I had a long hot shower and an afternoon nap and Libby and I went to visit the church at four o clock.  The seventy metres high tower was amazing, we climbed all the way up and saw  all the heavy bells close up! Then we went to the cathedral and saw the church and the exhibition, amazing stuff!  We had dinner at the Piedra restaurant where Libby and Rhonda had a meal in the afternoon. It was cheap, delicious and quick service! What else does one want?
I had “pinched” a little booklet, which asked for a two euro donation. As I just put in five euros for the burning of candles, I felt justified in taking this small item. Within five minutes I missed a step and hurt my back terribly! Shit, God never sleeps, eh!
This became quite a hassle in the next day walk! What next? I am too tired to write more!

There is a lovely story to the church of Santa Domingo. There was once a pious young pilgrim, who stayed in this town. A young and beautiful young girl from an Albergue fell in love with him, but the pilgrim wanted nothing to do with this”wicked” girl!(as if!) Anyway he pissed this young girl off, and she hid a goblet in his backpack. Then told her father that her silver cup was gone and it must have been that pitiful pilgrim. Father raced after the pilgrim found the cup and hanged the young pious and pitiful pilgrim from the highest tree nearby. Everybody was happy, except the parents of this pious and pitiful pilgrim. His father came to Santa Domingo town, which must have had another name then. He went to the Albergue where his pious son had been staying and demanded to know what happened. The father of the neglected and rejected girl told him his son was a thief and the world was a better place without him! Of course the pious father refused to believe this of his own son, as parents do. So he that he was innocent and that Santa Domingo had told him his son was alive and well. As the Albergue owner was eating a rooster and a chicken at the time, he said your son is as dead as these two cockerels on my plate! Well, as soon as he said that the rooster jumped up and started to make a lot of noise letting everybody know he was alive and well, the hen joined in and hence, everybody knew that the pious, pitiful pilgrim was innocent of his crime! This is a true story as it was verified by a priest from Germany a hundred years later, as he saw the grill on which these chooks had been roasted! Hm! Interesting premise for truth! (A bit Tony Abott like?) to this day a rooster and his hens lives in the church up high! Poor little mites, never seen daylight or had room to move, but I am assuming that they are NOT the same chooks, however one never knows with miracles!

Today’s lesson: dishonesty does not pay
Today’s gift: Thousands of shades of green!

Day 16, On the Camino

Day sixteen, 16 May 2015
Najera to Ciruena
Started @6.45am till 12.30pm (5hours) 15,5 kilometres

Large breakfast break

After an excellent sleep in an up market two bed room, I woke up very refreshed indeed! I woke up at my usual 5 o clock. Early morning starting time, but due to the cold weather I could stay in bed for another hour! Blessed are the cold ones. At six, after a lovely hot shower I was on the road again. There was a big hill to climb immediately and I struggled enormously. Don’t do hills well.

Libby went ahead and so did the bus loads of other pilgrims, while I just meandered up the hill. Didn’t t worry me much! The light was stunning, the landscape delightful and the solitude welcoming. I stopped a lot to enjoy the landscape and at one stage two partridges flew up, scaring the living day lights out of me!

We had breakfast in the next little town, and Lo and behold who would we meet but Judith! From Christchurch! It was so good to meet her again, that we stayed a tad longer than planned. One gets cold rather quickly when sitting down, that the packs are slapped up again and we continued our journey. Met a lovely man from Venuzuela, who had a gorgeous voice and sang “the rain of Spain is falling on the plains” ! Most people I meet are much faster walkers than me, hence we talk and they move on, such is life!

All the stunning wild flowers are out and the whole walk was patch after patch of stunning poppies, purple and yellow flowers! I felt as if the show was just for me!
On the top of the last hill, we had a quick drink of an un~employed young man, who told me that it was less than two kilometres to our hostel! Hurray! Nearly there! To get to the little village we had to walk through a large village empty of people! A golf town! Summer residents only! I met two little girls and I asked where all the people had gone? Oh they are all in Bilbao they answered! So it was! We found the hostel without a problem and Franscisco the lovely and friendly host couldn’t do enough for us! A hot shower and cold beer later, all was forgotten, this was such a pleasant day, easy walk and all together fabulous.

Today ‘s lesson: Rioja crianza is three year old non acid wine!
Today ‘s gift: Sun breaking through the clouds and lighting up part of the landscape

Day 15, Camino de Santiago

Day fifteen,15 May 2015
Navarrette to Najera
Started @ 6.30am till 11.30am~(5 hours) 19 kilometres

I can’t think of anything more exciting than waking up, preferable alone, in a completely new place, never seen before, the thrill of “what will I see today?” Overrides all other emotions. This is actually something I read somewhere, but it sums up pretty good what I feel on this Camino.

This morning was a much fresher start than the last week. It had been unusual hot for the time of the year, hence my early five o’clock starts, where I get in more than two hours of walking time while lovely and crispy. Today was cold. It was a shock to the system, and I wish I had put on my thermal long sleeved top. As it was we had to stop so I could put the rain cover on the pack and put on my rain coat. It threatened with rain most of the morning, but especially just when we finished our breakfast in Ventosa. It looked like we could be in the centre of a big storm. What to do? I thought we could out walk this storm and I am also aware that, although I don’t have a time limit, I need to get on with the walking, as sometimes it is too easy to think of quitting all together.

Decision to walk on was made and fortunately for us, storm held off. According to my map we were supposed to walk at least ten kilometres up the hill, what nonsense this was! There was NO hill and the walk, marked as rather difficult, happened to be ether an easy one! Had we known this we could have walked yesterday after all! Anyway walking in hindsight is rather easy as well! Today was an un eventful walk. Libby’s feet are much better and she walked way ahead of me. I love walking by myself as well, it gives me time to contemplate my navel and life in general! It was a tad hard to get the stiff, cold muss.es going and I really need to start thinking about stretching and stuff, which I do ‘t do, but which also makes it hard to get into the walking zone!

We arrived in Najera at 11.30am and the pilgrim’s hostel we had picked did not open until 1.00pm. People were sitting outside, on their packs waiting for the doors to open! I’ll be damned! I don’t do that kind of stuff! These hostel people KNOW that the pilgrims arrive around this time, so WHY not open earlier? This must be happening on a daily basis! I told Libby I refuse to sit on my pack and wait, let’s go and find a tapas bar and have something to eat, drink and be indoors and be warm! This is exactly what we ended up doing. At the tapas bar I asked the man about the other hostels in the neighbour hood and there was a private one just around the corner! Room with only two beds, rather than a dormitory with forty beds in it! If I am honest I must admit I am over this dormitory experience! All the snoring, farting and people talking and basically being annoying, is nothing but incredibly boring! The private room however was up three flights of stairs, which is very hard on the legs after a 20 km walk! We did a bit of sightseeing late in the afternoon, but this town is in a very sad state. Lots of the shops are empty, the streets are dirty, overall feel of neglect and derelict sense of the town. A real shame as it has some very old churches and buildings, but the sense of despair hangs in the air. not a pretty town at all.

Today’s lesson ; take a change (re weather)
Today’s gift. : storm didn’t come, and a BIG double rainbow on the way! Stunning!

Day 11, on the Camino

Day eleven~11 May 2015
Estella/Lizarra to Los Arcos
started@5.30am till 12.30pm ~22 kilometres ( 7 hours)

This is the first day I got lost on the Way! I started the walk very early in the morning. There were two Italian men in front of me. It was not that easy getting out of Estella. Apparently I could have gone several ways. One of the Italian men was complaining of the lack of signs, I should have realised right then and there that we were on the wrong road! One of the things is that the Way is very clearly marked, and if one can’t find the signs, one is NOT on the Way! So I got lost due to NOT following my OWN star!
I walked through a little town, which had a pump with water AND wine! As I find that water on the Camino is of more value than wine, I did NOT fill my water bottle up with the free wine! I have been having problems with indigestion, and have been wondering if the wine is too acid for my body! Anyway I came finally to a signpost, I noticed that the Italians had walked on, I looked at the signpost and took the right road! In hindsight it would have been easier to have followed the Italians, as I had wanted to walk through the forest, which was the LEFT road! Sigh! Anyway I walked on and somewhere along this road I met a gorgeous young woman from Germany, called Dana. Dana had torn her Achilles heel on the St Jean to Roncevalles road. I suggested that may be if she put a stretched bandage on her heel it would be less painful. I gave her, and put it on, my African stretched bandage. (Which I bought in case I twisted my ankle or something) As we were working on this, Judith from Budapest caught up with me! I was so surprised as I had thought her very far ahead of me! The three of us walked together, sharing stories, laughing a lot and having a fabulous time! In the next little village, Dana took of the bandage as it hurt more than walking without it. Judith applied tiger balm, and gave Dana the little tin. This sense of community is very, very strong during the day time. Everybody helping each other, supporting each other and generally being very kind. Shame this does not extent to the evening or night time in the communal dormitories. The girls now we’re both walking much faster than little old me, so I suggested that they would go right ahead, and we would catch up later.

I also met up with Jos, from Belgium, Judith’s “angel”, he asked me if I had seen Judith today, and I told him she was about half an hour ahead of him! I walked on, my own slow speed, going up hills is an absolute ordeal for my back, knees and every other body part I am like a tortoise, I go very slowly but will catch up in the end! I also hurt badly, from the injury I received when I slipped in e bathroom in Tanzania, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a hairline crack in my hip! It aches like hell, especially going UP hill! So slowly, slowly I moved on, met some interesting people on the way. Vineyard workers just stopped for smoko, and we ended up having a good old chat about growing vines. As if I have any knowledge of any of this! But hey, I go to McLaren Vale and the Barossa! Plus I drink a lot of wine, surely I can hold a conversation in Spanish about vineyards!

I stopped six kilometres before Estelle/Lizarra, where a very smart person had set up a little stall, where one could buy food, drinks and fruit. I met up again with Dana, Judith from Hungary and lovely Jos from Belgium! As they had been there all ready for an hour, they all moved on quite quickly. I was so over this walking business that I asked the stall owner if I could ring a taxi. He gave me the number, and told me I had to wait there until the taxi came, but, he said, it is ONLY five kilometres from here, all flat and down the hill! Okay, now I feel guilty that I even “thought” of a taxi! How “un~pilgrim like” to even THINK not to walk! Sigh! This being a pilgrim is NOT an easy task! It was also very, very hot! Although the heat doesn’t bother me as much as some of the other pilgrims it does make one sweat, and it does make the walking rather unpleasant and difficult. The man had lied, it was six kilometres to Estelle and there were bits that one had to go UP as well! I was totally exhausted when I arrived at the square in the centre of Estelle, and who would I bump into? But Dana, Judith and Josh! This was so incredibly funny! They all assumed I had taken the taxi as I arrived there so fast! What a scream! It had indeed taken me just over an hour to get there! I had my very first sangria on the Camino, and we chatted away quite nicely! Who would show up while we were catching up, but Peter from Byron Bay! He was in a private hostel, and to be honest I was ready for privacy again. By now Jude from Adelaide had also caught up with us, and she was also looking for a private place. Peter started to act very strange, and disappeared soon after! He probably thought we were after him or his body! I never got a change to tell him not to worry as I am totally NOT interested in him or any other man for that matter! As Jos and Judith decided to walk on to the next village, Dana, Judy and I decided we would stay and look for a hostel. Dana went to the Municipal hostel, while Judy and I looked for a”private” one, only to realise that all the inns were FULL! Finally we also ended up at the Municipal Hostel, which was run by people from Belgium. I made my bed, fell upon it and slept, slept and slept. If it wasn’t for those loud mouthed, obnoxious American I would have slept through the night! They literally walked into the dorm and shouted “the Americans are here”! If one didn’t feel like killing people before, believe me, one felt like it then! There were more than four people fast asleep after a hard days walk! Self centred, egotistical and absolutely obnoxious!

Anyway there was a wonderful church in town and as I came out of the dorm, I met up with Dana, who was very surprised I was staying here as well. She asked if she could come to the church with me, and we spend the rest of the afternoon together. She is so nice. As we were both hungry, we ended up eating a lovely plate of pasta in the square. Who would walk past but Judith from Christchurch? Unbelievable, I thought she was way ahead of us as well! We had a great chat, lovely food, great company, but I was totally exhausted and I wanted to go to bed and sleep.

Today’s lesson; follow your own star! Not Italians!
Today’s gift; Meeting Dana and catching up with both Judiths!

Day 10, Camino de Santiago

Day ten~10 May 2015
Cirauqui to Estelle/Lizarra
started @ 5.45am till 11.45am~15.4 km (6 hours)
Started very early in the morning, and Peter caught up with me very soon! We walked as we talked, and I realised, that yes he was smart, intelligent and interesting, he was also very fond of his own voice! He soon told me all about his “girlfriend” from Denmark. He had mentioned her several times yesterday, and that is fine by me, I am not at all interested in men, nor their dicks, so hold your horses. We walked for quite a while together, and I can actually not remember where we stopped walking together, but I do remember that I felt relieved! I write these blobs after a few days, because after walking for six hours or more, I am quite stuffed to put anything down, or remotely have my brain working in anyway. I rely heavily on my visual diary to provide me with information about my days walked! So if I don’t record it immediately, it gets forgotten! Anyhow I do remember being relieved, as I enjoy, or prefer rather to walk by myself, especially early in the mornings. It is my most contemplating time of the day, which I treasure beyond all.
I had a very contemplative day today, as it was Mother’s Day and it would have been mama’s 91st birthday! So a lot of thinking, talking in my head and forgiving was done today. The walk was perfect and I did quite well. I am up to walking about four kilometres per hour now. I don’t mark how long my breaks are, that I take along the way!
Estelle was a gorgeous town, I took the first hostel that was open, and stumbled for a walk, to see something of the town! This doesn’t often happen because after six hours of walking I just want a hot shower and sleep! I came across a shop, like a new age kind of a shop. There was a poster, a masseuse was on call! This is it! It is Mother’s Day today! Guess what! This is such a good idea? I spoke to the woman, and she rang Helena, and yes, I could have a massage at five o’clock! Great! I went to the square to enjoy a very expensive beer and draw the church. Instead I watched to little kids play with the big fountain in the centre of the square. The had a plastic little cup, and the bossy four year old, kept pushing and bossing the little boy around. She was apogee full girl! All dressed up in her gorgeous Sunday clothes! They were such fun to watch, I did in the mean time a lousy drawing of the stairway to the church door. Then went to have some lunch and use the free wifi, showered and went back to the shop for my massage. Imagine my face when I was introduced to Miguel! It was not at all HOW I had imagined Helena to look like! Anyway he was a Reiki Master and I was going to get a Reiki massage. Well, what a surprise this was. This man was just amazing. This was without a doubt one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. In a very short amount of time I felt he had entered into my brain, this has happened only once before with one of the most special people in my life. I went into such a deep, deep state of meditation, I could barely open my eyes, I floated out of the room and was no longer present on the massage table.
At one stage Miguel used, what I thought was a marijuana cigarette, and I wanted to tell him I was severely allergic to this stuff, but couldn’t move, speak or act in any way. I was told later it was sage, that he was burning. He blew some of the smoke into my ears, and it felt as if he send flames of heat, all the way through my shoulder joints, hip joints and knees and ankles. I had no idea what was happening, but this severe burning sensation turned into a pleasant overall healing feeling. All my aches and pains were soon gone, it was without a doubt the most intense experience ever! As he held his hands over my ears, it felt as if he was burning all the negativity out of my body! Unreal is a word that comes to mind. He gave me over an hour and a half of massage, for the price of twenty five minutes that we agreed upon! Unbelievable! He asked me if I had felt him enter my body! This sounds so “sexual”, but this is NOT what he meant, nor what it was at all! He DID enter my mind, I was shot into outer space, and it felt a lot like tandem astral travelling! I just floated out of the room, back to the hostel and slept like a new born baby all night long! DiDn’t even wake up for a toilet call! Wow! What a Mother’s Day gift! Miguel studied in Mexico, and I would love to find out who he studied with and where! This is something so unbelievable, I would love to learn more about this!

Today’s lesson; spoil yourself
Today’s gift; Transcending reality

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