Camino Lola

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Villamayor de Monjardin and Viana and after THAT

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:41:00 +0000

I remember the Dutch albergue at the top of the hill. It was a hard day - I had fallen AGAIN, and this time in mud.

Viana I had gotten in very late... but the next leg would have taken me through Logroño... on to Navarette...

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Pamplona and walking on water!

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Man, these girls have already made it through to Cizur Mayor. AND they've had the funny sensation of walking in boots filled with water.

I remember walking right past Pamplona.... "Where is Pamplona? It's a city, I should see it by now..."

hee.

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I remember Zubiri

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:58:00 +0000

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Re-living the Camino vicariously

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:46:00 +0000

My Aunt and cousin have started walking their camino!

This is their first day - I'm so excited and proud of them... It is not an easy first day - but I think that a mix of eagerness to begin (they started a day early, foregoing the day of rest they had planned) and pure adrenaline makes the climb through the Pyrenees pretty fantastic.

Go here to see the map with photos attached from other peregrinos.

I think I'm going to follow them along and map out the trip. It's completely amazing how I feel thinking about this and walking with them in spirit!

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This time last year...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:14:00 +0000

It's been one year since I left home to start the camino. One year to this day.

I remember that for a full two months before this day, I had visited MEC endlessly to purchase & exchange gear that I believed I would need on this trek. I remember how I had researched as much as I could in detail about how to get from London to Biarritz to St. Jean Pied-de-Port. I remember printing out dozens of maps and being very concerned about how I would arrive at London Gatwick airport in the morning and somehow need to make it to Stansted by the end of the day.

I can remember getting to the airport with nothing else than a carefully measured and routinely packed 18 lb. backpack and being ready - eager and nervous, but ready.

I can't say that I'm the same person. But today, in a quiet moment, I re-read my post from the last day I walked, the day I entered Santiago de Compostela, and I was shocked at who that person was and what incredible clarity I had that day and the days before it leading up to it.

It is very difficult to know whether I will be able to regain that clarity. I think we go through an infinite amount of distraction through our daily lives, self-made or otherwise, that can be nothing but the blur we see everyday.

But today, I believe that I need this. I need to feel the same driving force, the ability to bare down to the essentials and then some. Unfortunately, it seems beyond difficult to achieve it physically, especially when it comes to our daily routine and responsibility.

Still, I hope, no, I am determined to begin the journey again - just in a different way.

Stick around, mi amigos, there's more to come. And buen camino to the peregrinos, those who are just beginning, those who have arrived, and those who are still searching wherever they are: Ultrea!

A little camino goes a long way

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:55:00 +0000

I took a week off from work and drove to Minneapolis then flew to Pittsburgh to see my bro for Thanksgiving. Feeling much better, as the journey was exactly what I needed to clear my mind and rejuvenate my spirit. I think these "mini-caminos" along the way might be exactly what is needed to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I'm itching already for my next adventure. It's been brewing on my morning walks and on the nice long drives...

Also, today, I celebrated my 10 year anniversary of working part time at the video store. I can't tell you what a milestone like this means to me. Even though some people think it may be odd that being a video-store clerk when you don't need the job or the silliness of working retail, I am PROUD to say that I have worked at the store for a decade.

I realize that my continued love for this store, with all the transient employees and trials that the store goes through as time goes on, may be due to the fact that I do not work there full time, but only once a week. Perhaps if I were to depend on it for income or for a rewarding career choice, I may not actually love it so much.

But, there is a reason that I vowed to work there as long as I lived in this city, and I have not broken that promise. I believe working for the same place for 10 years and still feeling passionate about it enough to continue for at least another 10 is an achievement.

Starting from scratch...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:39:00 +0000

It's been just over 3 months since finishing the camino.

The tube of toothpaste I bought in Samos is almost empty and it feels like my heart is the same.

Perhaps it is the change of weather that makes the world feel so grey. Each morning I continue my walking, the days seem to become more grey, and the autumn makes the air more brisk.

It is very difficult to hold onto the camino feeling, to hold the spirit of adventure and faith in the world when you find yourself once again in that bubble of your life, the daily grind of your routine. Time has this funny way of fading sense memories; this time, I tried very hard to sustain my optimism and pride, and all-round sense of "Life!" but I can literally feel the camino being squeezed out of me, just like the tube of Spanish toothpaste.

A while ago, I had enough energy to realize that I wanted to challenge myself again. I wanted to find my next project to conquer, the next injection of life that would invigorate my spirit and make me proud to be alive.

I pray that the powers that be will send me a yellow arrow to guide my way, but more so, I hope that I can let my eyes be open to the scallop sign so that I may once again feel confident on my path.

"Thank you for giving me the strength and the guidance to make it this far; please bless the all the pilgrims before me, and all the pilgrims after me..."

Buen camino my friends, I'm still thinking of you, and wish you strength and comfort, even if it feels like it never happened, we all know it did. Continue to remind yourself of that...

Camino footsteps

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:49:00 +0000

So it's already been just over TWO months since arriving in Santiago.

In the last month, the tatt has healed up nicely, and I've been able to connect with a few fellow pilgrims via email, and even got to see Denise & Kelly in person while they were in town at the beginning of July!

Still keeping up with the walking. I haven't been able to force myself to walk during the work day (as many things seem to interrupt or deter me from being able to walk in the afternoon like I would like) so I have taken to getting up at around 6:30 am and walking along the river or to a café for a quick coffee and muffin, and then walk back. It only takes half an hour to an hour (depending on where I go) back and forth, but it is very calming.

Then on the weekends I've been walking to mum's which is about 10 km. I haven't been doing the full 20km like I want to in the last two weeks, because mum & I end up going out for brekkie, but I will have to start do the 10 km back home soon. It might be even better when it cools down.

The best part about the walking though is that I am not in a rush anymore and I enjoy walking leisurely. This is something very different from how I viewed walking before - like a project. Now it is more like a gift to myself and I look forward to it every morning.

I've tried really hard to hold onto that feeling of invincibility - the thought of being able to conquer anything that comes my way. It's not been easy, to stay open and relaxed about life, but when it comes down to it, real life is definitely different from camino life.

Whatever the case maybe, all I can do is keep walking.

Happy Camino Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:43:00 +0000

It has been exactly one month since I finished the camino in Santiago de Compostela.

I celebrated by getting inked:

(yup, that's right, it's a tattoo)

Apparently there aren't too many camino tattoos. Or so far I haven't heard of or seen any so far.

It's understandable that the camino is something that stays in your heart and in your soul, and the need for some physical representation is unnecessary.

But this was something I wanted very much to do from the beginning of my journey, as it would mark a very important year for me, and be my reminder of my accomplishment and experience.

Congratulations & blessings to all the pilgrims before me and to those after me on completing the camino! Ultrea!

slideshow!

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:57:00 +0000

Click on the photo to scroll through. You can also see a larger-sized version of the slideshow here

You can see the whole set at a glance on flickr here & a GREAT BIG slideshow here.

Lots of choices, I know, but all the same pics.

These are the pilgrims I know I know

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:37:00 +0000

Therese - Brandtford, ON, Canada (on the plane to Biarritz)
Carol - Wellington, New Zealand (@ Bayonne)
Vivian - Chillingham (?), U.K. (@ Bayonne)
Ron & Sandy - NB & NS, Canada
Mariette & Marlou - Holland
Shawn - OC, California, USA
Ilyea - Germany (@ Roncesvalles)
In Mor, Ng Yeung, Wan Jou - Korea
Chun Yen - Korea
Josef - Holland (hospitalero @ Roncesvalles)
Wolf - Seattle, WA, USA (on the way to Zubiri)
Bernadette & Justine - France
Ilse & ?? - Austria
Joan - Calgary, Canada
Andy - Germany (@ Zubiri)
Jesse - California, USA
Tim - Texas (now California, USA)
Vanessa - Brasil
Verna, Horst - Germany (@ Puente la Reina)
Therese, Hughette, Roland - France (first @Puente la Reina)
Petra - Germany (first @ Villamajor de Monjardin)
Ekain - Basque
Dick & Mary - Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA (@ Viana)
John & Gen - Australia (@ Viana)
Pieka & Dettie - Freyslan (@ Viana)
Marijette & Gelhda - Holland (@ Viana)
Juanita, John, & ?? - London, U.K. (@ Navarette)
Sarah - Finland (@ Azofra)
Heather - Australia (@ Redicilla)
Angel - Brasil (first @ Roncesvalles but officially intro'd @ Villafranca Montes de Oca)
Miklos - Hungary (@ Cardeñuela Riopico)
Jean-Jacques - France (@ Rabe de la Calzada)
Jean-Pierre - France (officially intro @ Rabe and saw him until the end)
Isabella - Madrid (hospitalero @ Castrojeriz)
Cheryl - Australia
Daniella - Germany
Kordie - Germany
Denise & Kelly - Regina, SK, Canada (first @ Villacazar de Sirga)
Andrea - Germany (Munich, Bavaria...?)
Monique - Holland (actually at St Jean, but officially intro'd @ Villacazar de Sirga)
Henning - Germany (@ Terradillos de los Templarios)
Handsome Carl - Austria (we called him Carlos, he sort of looked like a prettier Ben Gazzara)
Don & Ann - PEI, Canada
Kirsti - Finland (@ El Burgo Ranero)
Amena - Holland
Richard, Alex, & Hartmut - Germany (@ Leon)
Marianne - Germany (@ Leon)
Jacques - Montreal, QC, Canada (@ León
Marcello (Brasil), Antonio (Espana), Giovanni (Italy) (first seen @ Hospital de Orbigo, intro'd @ Santa Catalina de Somoza)
Denise - France (@ Santa Catalina...)
Renate - Germany
Irene - Vancouver (@ Molineseca)
Seyyet - Germany (originally from Turkey, @ O Cebreiro)
Jean-Francois - France
Jim & Ann - Sarnia, ON, Canada (@ O Cebreiro)
Brigitte - Germany (originally gave me antisceptic for my knee in Redecilla, intro'd @ O Cebreiro)
Luis Miguel - Avila (intro'd @ O Cebreiro first seen around Molineseca)
Benjamin - Burgos/Madrid?
Sven & Ulli - Germany (intro'd @ Portomarin)
Dettja ('det-cha') & Joké (yo-kay) - Holland (@ Melide)
Dorothee (Dodo) - Germany
Christiane - Germany
Mariette - Hungary
Linda - Berlin, Germany (seen first coming down from Cruz de Ferro, intro'd @ Finisterre, last pilgrim I saw and talked before leaving Spain and in London Airport)

CBCR3 just keeps on giving...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:05:00 +0000

A photo I took of Kelly's (of Denise & Kelly, Regina, SK) boots at Finisterre made it onto the CBCR3 website today (http://radio3.cbc.ca/)

(Before I started the camino, I had written into CBCR3 for their 100th podcast contest, and ended up winning some swag from them. When I got back, I wrote to thank them and sent them a few photos, and they decided to use one for the background on their website.)

It was truly surreal to start from day one and listen to Grant Lawrence and the CBCR3 crew along the way (I listened to all 100 podcasts that I had from CBCR3 during this whole trek.) It made for this unique Canadian soundtrack when during a long day of walking.

Will be updating these posts with photos in the next little while - they'll be up as fast as I can upload them...

Somewhere in between...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Mon, 28 May 2007 10:31:00 +0000

My last hours in Santiago were surreal. I spent the last two days on my own. I went to mass in hopes of spotting some of the people I had started the camino with, especially Vivian & Carol, but I think I've missed them the day before, or perhaps they will come later.

I was lucky enough to have both breakfast AND dinner at the posh Parador hotel. They offer a free meal for the first 10 pilgrims @ 9am, 12pm, & 7pm. I can't believe I actually found the unmarked waiting spot. This "secret" is written in a few books (2 German books have it & my Pilipala Press guide from Vancouver also has it), so I expected many more pilgrims, however, when I finally confirmed the "spot" there were only 5 of us!

Breakfast was FANTASTIC, & the company was even better. Some Germans, and super friendly Dutch, and then little Canadian me. I met Christiane who was on her way home. She had been to dinner the night before & said there were only 7 people who came.

I made it to dinner with a few places to spare but the company left little to be desired. Everyone was German (again) except for me. But it was quiet and cold, and when I tried to start a conversation, I was told to "eat before my soup gets cold."

*sigh*

The camino really does "melt" away: pilgrims slowly reintegrate into civilization as worn gear is replaced.

One woman I saw in a cafe had the zipoffs and fleece, but sported a brand new pair of sneakers. Purses and handbags are worn instead of bulging backpacks. And even the pilgrim "look" (one of determination, destination, & openess to their environment) fades a bit into the tourist, self-absorption/reflection, and the once friendly now carry a bit of defensiveness in the city.

But I think most of us hang on to the camino feeling inside each in our own ways. For me it was little things: I went to mass every day I could in Santiago, and congratulated pilgrims waiting outside the Peregrino Office. I visited the convent de Santa Clara, the same order of Sisters that I had met in Castrojeriz in hopes that I could buy a tao (small T crucifix) that I didn't have the money for in Castrojeriz. I went back to "La Comida" and had a great time with the restaurant staff, quite possibly the second best experience for me next to the ringing of the cathedral bells in Santiago.

The final morning in Spain, I went for my last café con leche and croissante across the street. The girl who I had seen back in Leon (the one who said a car had been following her & her friend) came strolling in with some guy and ditched him to sit with me. She was wearing this short chinese print wrap with a sweater, and flipflops & proudly proclaimed that she hadn't even been back to her hostel yet. She went on to explain she had met this Italian guy 5 days ago, and kissed two really cute Irish guys before that and before that...

The Italian guy whom she ditched had finished his coffee, came over and flatly said "bye bye" to her and left.

This girl obviously had a different camino than I did. I excused myself from this slightly disturbing desayuno, grabbed my things and headed on the bus to the airport.

And then the camino threw one more little blessing: Linda (from Berlin), whom I had seen on & off on the camino, was at the airport and was travelling the same flight to London. We ended talking for hours, as our flight was delayed. We had this crazy kindred spirit: she is also a website girl for a car company, and LOVES movies. We talked about the camino, I saw almost all of her photos: it was like walking it all over again. She told me about her incredible experiences along the way... She even had a photo of Heinz, the guy I said "I have a date with an octopus" to. We had some crazy fun at the end, laughing like old friends... If she didn't have such a short time between connecting flights, we would have gone to the London Dungeon to see the torture chambers together. We agreed to make a "date with the dungeon" someday. Hee.

And that's how I left Santiago, Spain, and the physical camino behind - a bit mixed in feeling, but not without spirit and with confidence that I'm bringing a piece of the camino with me wherever I go.

Sitting at the end of the world...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Sat, 26 May 2007 06:41:00 +0000

I now understand why maybe Santiago was a bit anticlimactic... It was because the REAL fanfare, the "Way to Go, Lola!" banner I was hoping for was in Finisterre.

Finisterre or Fisterra is known as the "end of the world." Travelling time from Santiago is about 2.5 hours by bus, or just under 90km for those who walk it.

It was a fantastic day for a trip to the end of the world. The sun was out, but the breeze from the coast made it not too hot.

I arrived and had a little panic attack; I had only my purse and my rain jacket. I didn't even bring my guide book. As I looked there were still backpacks and sticks and plenty of people looking at their guide books.

"I think I'm a bit under prepared!" I announced to Denise & Kelly who had also taken the bus out to Finisterre with me. "I don't know what I was thinking, no pack, no water..." After a bit of my muttering, Denise calmly said: "Lola, let it go..."

And so, I did. And it was amazing.

2km up to the lighthouse (yes I did the calculation, but totally unnecessary) and there, a camino marker with "0km". There was ocean as far as the eye could see and a calm beyond anything I ever could imagine. Several pilgrims and I just sat and looked out into this with awe and tranquility.

A bronzed boot is left on a rock there, and there were smoldering ashes from a fire someone had lit previously. Denise was the first to throw her boots on the embers. Once she threw her wool sock on, the fire caught and 'whoosh!' - it went up.

I decided to take the opportunity with the one thing I thought I could burn, the one thing that was by far the most useful thing I could have besides my boots: my hankerchief.

This red kerchief, now full of holes had been used as a bandana, headwrap, scarf, kleenex, eyemask, nosemask. I had soaked up the sweat on every day I walked and had been washed and worn until it had several holes in it. You can see this hankerchief in almost every picture taken of me. Being a true icon of my camino, it deserved a good send-off.

Into the flames it went.

After a nice long stare at the ocean, and relishing a few more burning sessions (yes, I am possibly a closet pyro) Denise, Kelly & I went looking for some food & then a beach. It was a great beach with millions of beached crabs and many scallop shells along the shore & we had just enough time to enjoy the water on our feet before heading back to the bus stop.

I had mentioned Denise & Kelly before, and about how they would take their time, walk & stop when they pleased, and somehow always managed to get a private room, much less find a place to stay, for the evening - even at 6:30pm! D & K are this sweet couple from Regina, SK and are just adorable to watch. Denise is determined and "go go go" but only in contrast to the
easy-going Kelly. Both are intent listeners, calm & content with their environment wherever they are, and experience everything with joy and love. The thing I love about them is that they hold hands as they walk or sometimes when they sit together.

My theory is that because they are so open to it, they receive the gifts they deserve so much. They are truly blessed, but at the same time, I'm pretty sure they make their own blessings. That's the DK factor...

AND, this DK factor is jaw-droppingly effective! I got to experience the full DK effect at Finisterre.

We made it back to the bus stop just in time as the bus for Santiago pulled in. As per usual, there were plenty of pilgrims waiting - being the last bus back to town, it was expected to be the busiest, and quite often they need to call 2 buses to handle the load.

The bus pulls up and the crowd, of course, surges towards the door. Two false alarms later,
the bus driver finally allows the mass of pilgrims to board, and the pushing begins.

Maybe its a Canadian thing, or maybe it's just the Denise & Kelly factor, but I had no desire to join the swarm and simply hung back as the pilgrims pushed their way onto the bus. Denise stated plainly "The other bus will open up."

The crazy German woman next to us was screaming for her husband to come as she was behind the crowd - she was so worried that they wouldn't get on, and so panicked she began stomping her feet as she yelled!

Lo & behold, the 2nd bus pulled up, and as the last 15 pilgrims neared the first bus, the bus driver basically said "ok, onto the 2nd bus..." Several other pilgrims panicked and asked "To Santiago??" but the busdriver said "of course."

Denise, Kelly & I (and the screaming German woman with her husband) plus a few others enjoyed a 2/3 empty bus on the way home.

I tell ya, the DK factor is amazing. I have been trying to put it to use near the end of the camino, but I think I had to really "let it go" before I could get it. I have been wanting to do this for a long time, & now that I know the feeling, I have to say, it is SO worth it.

I saw M for the last time today... she left around 6am this morning to walk to Finisterre. I know I will see her again someday, but goodbyes are tough. I was really lucky to have so much time with my self-proclaimed camino mother... I wish for her a safe journey and I hope that she takes care of herself, & keeps strong like she is. She needs to do things for herself and by
herself, and I hope that she realizes this before the end of her camino. I miss her very much already.

The day ended nicely at "La Comida", a restaurante that specializes in Italian, Greek, & Tunisian food. (I have eaten more than my share of sea food, so a little oregano is really really welcome) on a side street next to la plaza galicia in Santiago. I think it wasn't so much the food, but I really loved the owner. He was so comforting: he and his wife spoke french, so it was much easier for me to converse.

It was exactly what I needed... Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Day 29: I came, I saw, I slept.

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:37:00 +0000

For the first time in the last 27 days, I finally slept through the night and was in bed until 9am. Dodo and I enjoyed talking & taking it easy in this wonderfully modern and new hotel that was in fact inside a mall.

We had our clothes WASHED and took our time (and a taxi) to the city. Had a brekkie at a lovely cafe and just the most amazing time talking & hanging out.

Its been a decadent 48 hours. :)

D is a kindred spirit. I have a feeling I won't see her again even though I'm staying in the same hotel in the city.

Mariette, John & Gen arrived a little later on Tues arvo, and I met up with them for tapas/dinner. Then M stayed with me in my modern mall hotel room (it was nice and totally worth it, really.)

Meanwhile, as I walk through Santiago, more & more of the pilgrims I see are coming in one by one. Its amazing really. I feel better than the first day I arrived and I think more emotional each day, as somehow I can be there to greet, hug, kiss the pilgrims I've met along the way & congratulate them, especially many of them who walk in alone like I did.

For instance, today, I saw the Hungarian woman who had walked so slow and had suffered so much. We had seen each other several times since then on the camino, and just a few days ago I saw her tackling a very steep downhill section in the forest. She is here on Santiago, much to my relief, & today we hugged & kissed each other on the cheek after the mass. Once again, there was this amazing unspoken connection. She is here, in one piece, and (as Kirstie from Finland mentioned at lunch today) she looks much younger. :)

I also have run into Benjamin, Luis Miguel, Brigitte, Denise, Kelly, Andi & Miklos! All within the last 24 hours.

Seeing everyone you've met in the last four weeks, those you've spoken to, and those you've only just passed and acknowledged silently, is a surreal experience. It goes beyond language and race and culture.

When I arrived, I arrived alone. Again, I don't know what I was expecting... A little parade? A fanfare? No, despite my emotional post about the camino and my final hours of walking towards Santiago, I will say it was anti-climatic, like every milestone I reached along the way.

But these last two days have made me more and more passionate. I have to say I arrived early in order to have the opportunity to be there for the pilgrims I have met and to hug and congratulate them on their arrival. There are many, and I've talked and hugged almost everyone, and it is one of the most beautiful feelings.

By Friday, I hope to see Vivian and Carol and maybe some of the pilgrims I started with in St. Jean Pied-de-Port. I may miss them as tomorrow I will bus to Finisterre early in the day and
then return in the evening.

As for Santiago, I've been taking it easy in the city. I've been eating and walking to and from the Cathedral. I've been to the pilgrims mass three days in a row now, and each day it gets more & more special.

Tonight I am in a restaurant/bar in the red light district (apparently) but I think its actually a small university pub where the food is cheap and in big portions and where one can order a beer the size of my head. Its great as it feel very very local. It's nice to feel human again.

Ok, one more beer....

Pilgrim Spotting

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Wed, 23 May 2007 04:46:00 +0000

Pilgrims can be easily identified by several criteria:

1. Backpack with a scallop shell:
The most obvious sign of a peregrino is the everpresent burden they carry with a scallop shell tied to it. Pilgrims on bikes have them on the bikepacks. Some pilgrims may even wear a shell around their neck.

Further along the way to Santiago, the pack size per pilgrim diminishes, sometimes into just a waistpack This variety of peregrino are usually those who begin walking from a closer point to Santiago. Besides the lack of a backpack, their clothes and pants and boots are especially fresh.

The "fresh" pilgrims also have a tendency to want to talk and have no concept of the "veteran" pilgrim who is on day 20+ and is a bit weathered both emotionally and physically. * (see Addendum 1: Pilgrim Etiquette)

2. Zipoff pants:
Pilgrims can be spotted sans backpack or gear by the fact that their pants zip off into shorts. Zip-offs are universal, non-country or culture specific, quite often khaki.

It is 99.99% correct to guess a person wearing these is/was walking the camino.

3. Walking sticks:
These range from the sport walking sticks that are store bought (like cross-country ski poles) to the traditional sheperd's stick (with a small gourd tied to the end of it.)
Some pilgrims opt to pick up a tree branch along the camino.

Unfortunately, peregrinos have a tendency to leave their walking sticks behind, much to the profit of many small Spanish villages. **(see Addendum 2: The Pilgrim Industry)

4. Boots & hat
Not too many peregrinos walk without a good pair of boots or hat. There's the odd one who sometimes choose to walk in their back-up sandals/flipflops (see #7), but almost every pilgrim will have the worn boot and hat to complete the pilgrim uniform.

5. The Camino tan/sunburn:
Many a peregrino can be seen sporting a burnt nose and uneven arm tans.

Due to the consistent migration of pilgrims towards Santiago in the West, the peregino's left forearm may get unearthly dark.

Depending on what is worn, & how much sunscreen is applied, a pilgrim will have blotches around the neck arms and legs, & possibly a raccoon tan on the face if wearing sunglasses.

For those peregrinos of alabaster skin, these same areas (and quite often more) can be lobster red.

6. The fleece (or in Canadian, the "flee-cee")
Most pilgrims carry the fleece jacket from closer to the beginning of the route due to unexpected cold weather in the mountains.

The fleece, also doubles as a blanket in a cold albergue (of which there are many.)

7. Sandals/flip-flops ('con' sock or 'sin' sock)
Most often used post-boot in the evenings, sandals also act a a foot guard for showers.

The sandal-fleece combination is also typical of the peregrino and many wear the sandals with socks for extra blister prevention.

8. The Peregrino Limp (© John & Gen):
Pilgrims can be spotted at the end of day waddling through the streets in their sandals and fleece with slow and deliberate steps to ease the pain from blisters and aching muscles.

The Peregrino Limp is especially accentuated when stairs are involved.

-~-
When & Where to Pilgrim Spot:
Pilgrims can be seen at every small village bar or café along the camino. Within larger cities, one cannot turn a corner without spotting the zipoff pants and fleece, and/or backpack with the scallop shell tied to it.

On a busy street near a particular city attraction, a hundred pilgrims can be seen milling around with locals & other tourists.

Other high pilgrim areas include restaurants/bars near albergues, pharmacies for foot care products, the one village grocery store, and anywhere there is internet.

---
*Addendum 1: Pilgrim Ettiquette
At the beginning of the camino, pilgrims could simply say "buen camino", and it was acknowledged that one would move on individually. But with the fresh, or sometimes the simply annoying, obnoxious peregrinos, a veteran (being much more fit, even if not so fresh) can boost ahead. Or, sometimes the veteran alternatively stops in his/her tracks and lets the disruptive pilgrim go on.

**Addendum 2: The Pilgrim Industry
Spanish villages may possibly make a fortune off of lost walking sticks & other items left along the camino.

In the past, it was said that many items were left roadside, particularly at the beginning of the camino. (i.e. leather jackets, enough books to fill a library.)

But pilgrim equipment is surprisingly absent from the camino roadsides today, and (thankfully) clear of debris & litter of any kind. Cow dung & horse poop are the exception.

Day 28: Ladies & Gentlemen, Lola has entered the building...

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:30:00 +0000

Walking the last 20km was a surreal experience. Feeling something so close, something within reach made this one of the hardest walks.

Its the same feeling I got at the end of each day as I neared my destination: you feel heavy, and ready to drop. Your mind keeps thinking "its right around the corner" but alas, you said the same thing half an hour ago.

I woke up early & tried not to disturb Dorothee (but failed miserably as I hit my pack against the wardobe door at the very last moment,) was out the door and on the road a little after 6 and enjoyed walking in the dark for the last time on the camino.

This was it, my last morning on the camino with just me, alone, as the sun would rise. I walked strangely uneven at first, my mind trying to capture the final moments of this insane journey I was about to complete.

There's this point when you walk in the day, that you are purely walking & breathing. It becomes automatic & meditative and when it kicks in, you can go for hours.

So even though the one blister (which grew sort of into 2), and the aches all were coming to the forefront physically and the questions and answers I had been sorting all along were coming up mentally - somehow, they no longer mattered. It was automatic: just walk, breathe & be.

The way into Santiago is not as grand as I think it was once before. It is written that once upon a time the cathedral towers could be seen from Monte de Gozo (translation "Mount of Joy") but the city blocks the view of the cathedral, and there's quite a bit of time spent walking through the city streets before you even near the cathedral area.

And then, the yellow arrows STOPPED. Following the pilgrims ahead of me, the signs that were there all along the way seemed to sudden disappear and the pilgrim instinct had to kick in, finely honed from endless twist and turns and forks on dirt paths.

It is scary, this faith that you have that you are going in the right direction & to walk every step with confidence. Believe it or not, somehow things always will work out.

Dodo told me that she had met this German who had parents from Afghanistan. When the war broke out, he and his mother had made it past the border but his father, who went later to cross, was stopped and told he could not cross without a passport. The border guard told him the name of a man in Pakistan and said if he gave this man this amount of money he would have a passport, & then he would be let through. The father then walked 1600km through the war-torn country, to Pakistan, found the man, gave him the amount, got the passport and walked backed the 1600km, and the border guard let him through.

Imagine, the trust one has to have in all that. To have faith he would make it 1600km, to have faith that he would find the man in Pakistan, to have faith that the money would buy the passport, to have faith that the border guard was not lying and would actually let him through.

When you walk a journey like the camino, there is a faith. There's a strange trust in this invisible pilgrim protection. No one (usually) steals from you, if you are in need of help, strangers will come to your aid, if you lose something along the way you probably didn't need it, & if you did need it, it would come back to you. Although there are unfortunately some bad experiences, this shield is ever-present as is most often, your faith in it.

After reaching the cathedral, & then receiving my 'compostela' from the Pilgrims office, I truly was no longer a pilgrim. I had the clothes of a pilgrim, the pack with it, but there was finality to it all. You are different in the crowds around you as you sort of melt from the pilgrim
self and pilgrim world to re-emerge into civilization.

I am thankful to be done, grateful to have made it one piece, and looking forward to seeing the friends and many faces along the way as they enter Santiago.

I still have the feeling of that "automatic" mode. The ability to walk every step with confidence, to breathe and just be. Its a feeling I hope to have forever.

And the best part, as Remo often reminds me, my true camino is just beginning.

Day 27: One day more

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:56:00 +0000

I don't want to walk anymore. So in order to stop the madness, I went 35km today from Melide to Arca, which means I will be in Santiago by tomorrow morning.

Right around all of you are going to bed before Victoria Day, I will have reached the end of 776 km.

I kept singing the song "One Day More" from Les Miserables, which kept me at a pretty good pace. Most of the words fit: 'One day more, another day, another destiny... this never ending road to calvary...' I can't even begin to write everything I need to now, but I promise tomorrow I will try.

Tonight I am with Dorthee (nickname: Dodo) from Germany who took one look at the full and dirty albergue here in Arca and had to walk away.

I, too, wanted to sleep in comfort before my last day of walking so I left my pack and RAN from pension to pension to look for a place not full & to share a room with her.

I can't really believe I was running after 35km, but without my pack on I was doing pretty damn good.

Dodo, like Benjamin ("Ben-ha-meen!" - again: remember Javier from 'Felicity'? Anyone? Anyone?) & Luis Miguel, now calls me a machine, too.

Remember to think of me before you go to bed tonight... I promise a bigger post tomorrow, but its late and Dodo needs to fait dodo (the Frenchies will get that...)

Big day mañana. Big day.

Day 26: "I have a date with an octopus."

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Sun, 20 May 2007 03:07:00 +0000

Believe it or not I said this to a older German man as I passed him today. [ I later found out his name was Heinz.] He must have enjoyed it as he guffawed once he deciphered my words & probably thought I was crazy as I sped my way past him at Mariette-speed to Melide.

I was originally was only going to walk 25km today & stop at Palais de Rei. I got there fairly early (like 11:30am) had a coffee & thought: "I want to get to Melide! I want pulpo!"

So once again, I ended up doing another 40km.

Tell me *that's* not worth it??

If I push I will be in Santiago in two days. However, if I take it easy, I can still arrive in the morning at Santiago on the 23rd, meaning I can have two and a bit days in Santiago, the rest of the 23rd, one night in Finisterre, the 24th, the 25th & leave for London the 26th.

I'm hoping to slow down. I don't want to walk anymore, but the little 15-19kms a day will be easier, I think.

In any case the 40km to Melide was worth it: The octopus was FANTASTIC. Went to what seems to be the most popular place, the 'Pulperia Ezequiel', where you sit on long wooden benches to eat a heaping plate of octopus, sprinkled with spanish paprika & drizzled in olive oil, & drinking cloudy Ribeiro wine out of a ceramic cup! It is SO fresh...

I was the first one in the door [ at the Pulpería] just before 7pm. But by the time I left, about 8pm, the place was jammed with pilgrms, tourists & Spaniards for Saturday night. I especially loved hearing the owner snip snip snipping away all the octopus as more people started to swarm in.

Then on the way back to the hostal, (I splurged again, because I wanted to relax after the 40km), who did I see but John & Gen, the Aussies from way back in Viana!

On the camino, its easy to meet people everyday & quite often you run into the same crowd along the way. But being so transient, and sometimes one goes further, etc., one can feel quite lonely and a bit tired of the meet & greets.

So when you run into someone from long ago, its like running in the great old friends. And sometimes you may not have even shared more than a few words with them, but the recognition alone is there...

Just the other night, at Ohhhh Cebreiro, I finally had introductions with a German woman who had sprayed antisceptic on my deep knee wound way back in Redecilla. I was walking up that steep climb earlier that day, and suddenly her & her friend were next to me and we erupted into this scream of joy! This seems to happen a lot, at least for me, this recognition & some comfort in a familiar face. And that night at the top overlooking the incredible view, Brigette (this German woman) and I hugged, and introduced ourselves for the first time!

Had a glass of wine with John & Gen as they finished their supper, and gave them M's and my cell numbers so that hopefully we can all meet up in Santiago for dinner next week.

Only 50kms left, people... 50kms to go!

Day 25: A room with a view.

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:53:00 +0000

Sunrise on the way to Sarria

Early out of the monastery & took the highway to Sarria instead of the camino route. (According to the bartender where I had the nightcap with Luis Miguel and Benjamin, it was a difference of 3 km.)

In Galicia, they have each km marked with a cement block marker, ticking the distance off as you near Santiago.

I was quite excited as I would no doubt cross the 100km mark today so I walked pretty hard and determined.

In the last km before the 100th marker, I thought about everything: the stuff I had done, had been, wanted to be, who I am... I had been thinking so much before about EVERYTHING, but today, many these things flashed before me as I walked towards it.

Once again, the 100km marker itself wasn't really anything huge. Not that I was expecting some kind of fanfare, but considering its the last 100km that you are 'expected' to do, I thought there would be more of a monument or some kind of gateway. I was expecting something bigger, you know?

I got this couple to take my picture & me the same for them. And then I congratulated them on making the 100km mark with gusto!

Then somehow my adrenaline kicked in, & I booted it to Portomarin.

Stopped in one of the many the private albergues; with the BEST view of the water... Totally felt like lake area at home. *sigh*

Luis Miguel & Benjamin strolled in at almost 5:30pm & we immediately made some noise on the main street. We had a beer, before they went on to the albergue municipal, and promised to meet for wine later on that evening.

Then, as I was just finishing my beer alone, I met Sven, one half of a couple whom I've seen
on the road the last few days. He has been travelling with Julie (prounounced 'hoo-lee', possibly spelled Ullie?) and they are both from Germany.

Turns out, they just met 2 weeks ago, but looking at them walking & seeing them along the way, I would have presumed they has been together for a long time!

The camino romance is a VERY deceptive one. More on that later...

Anywhoo had dinner with the MOST awesome view, high above the water in Portomatin. It was a good day.

It was funny I was in bed already as were the many other Germans in my bunk room (it was 8:30pm, for goodness sake) & Luis Miguel comes into the albergue, *into room*, to find me!

It was nice: the three of us went for one more wine and now its REALLY late (like 11:30pm)...

By the way, I wasn't thinking, but a better choice would have been top bunk as the high window overlooks that gorgeous harbour-esque view. Still, I'm glad I didn't have to climb in at this hour!

More later! Must sleep!

Day 24: REALLY roughing it.

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:56:00 +0000

I had to make a poo outside today. Blechhhh.

Remember how I told you the toilets were holes in Ooooohhh Cebriero? well, I couldn't go... & then I thought that the next town (Liñares) may have a bar open... Nope.

Had to go. But I think next time I should be more careful choosing a spot. I thought I was pretty much alone (it was maybe just before 7am) so I tried to find a place hidden from the windows of the casa nearby, but just as I was finishing, two pilgrims walked by. Oy.

Anywhoo, the walk from from Oooohhh Cebreiro to Triacastela was fine. The decision to walk to Samos was a bit tough, but I decided to do the extra 10 via the more scenic route. This path was extrordinary! Such lush greens: it was like walking through a fairytale lane... You know the kind with vines & ferns & little fluffs straight out of 'Legend' the movie. Half expected a unicorn or Tom Cruise (one can NEVER escape Tom Cruise) to jump out of the bushes.

Well, almost 3hrs later, I was kind of sick of walking, even though I was trying hard to keep myself enchanted with the scenery. I think if Tom Cruise had jumped out I could have harnessed is ever-present running mode and had him carry me to Samos. But alas, I kept passing hamlet after hamlet, hoping, WISHING that I was finally there, but it took FOREVER..

Made it to Samos, and found the Monasterio de Samos, an albergue ran by the Monks (I think). Was the first let in which was nice as I had first choice of bed.

Monasterio de Samos
(There are 2 routes to Sarria: the scenic but longer route via Samos
and the other considerably shorter but steeper route via San Xil.)

I met up with Benjamin (spanish pronounced "ben-ha-meen" - 'Felicity', anyone?) & Luis Miguel from Avila (a few kms outside of Madrid?); I've been bumping into them along the way the last few days, & before our official intros today, they knew me as the chica canadiense fuerte (sp?). They are very cute, & VERY spanish. They take their time walking every day, & quite often pass me, but because they walk so slow and stop frequently, I often pass them again when they are taking their break.

Luis-Miguel knows almost no English, while Benjamin can speak as much English as I can speak Spanish. Luis Miguel asked me what do I eat that makes me walk with such force... Ha ha... They took their time getting to Samos. There were several beautiful clear streams & I really wanted to dip in. They said they had [gone swimming] but the water was really, really cold.

Its been really nice through this part of Galicia. Its very pretty and the views are astounding. I know I should take my time now, but there is this part of me that JUST WANTS THIS DONE!

Had a quiet dinner to myself before meeting up with Benjamin & Luis Miguel for one more drink before bed. I seem to fall asleep so quickly after dinner (this also may be attributed to the wine quota I keep meeting) that I am sleeping much better through the night. Benjamin said I snored at Ohhhh Cebreiro... Which probably was true with the amount I had consumed.

I'm in bed by 8, and passed out again... Its good, I sleep a lot better now. :)

Day 23: Ohhhhhhh Cebreiro!

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Thu, 17 May 2007 18:59:00 +0000

Something happened to my post from yesterday... I'm not sure what happened but I also lost the list of people/pilgrims I have met along the way. Grrr...

In any case, yesterday I went up to the highest point: O Cebreiro... And I kept thinking that people must add O! to the Cebreiro (as in 'Ohhhhhh! Cebreiro') because its a tough hike - up, up, up about 900m in altitude within 11km. That's enough to illicit an "O!"

Juse before Ohhhh! Cebreiro

Along the way, the region changes from León to Galicia, and the atmosphere becomes very Celtic. As I arrived in O (Ohhhh!) Cebreiro bagpipes were blaring out of the local shop, which was laden with Celtic knots and silly fake pilgrim walking sticks, crappy tee shirts, and just about anything useless covered with or in the shape of a scallop shell. It was nice small village but totally built for tourists. The sheer number of German tourists that streamed from the bus and were photographing the view was overwhelming to say the least.

In my guidebook, the albergue at Ohhhhh! Cebreiro is described as modern with 80 beds a kitchen, etc. Since Cardeñuela & Rabe, I have learned not to take my book as 100% accurate. Turns out the albergue was in shacks (like the ones schools use as extensions or the metal sheds they use up North in Canada) and the facilities (showers & hole in the floor toilets) were less than desirable. The hospitaleras were leaving for lunch just as I arrived, so it was an hour & a half later before me and several others were even registered.

I attempted to look around for a hostal as an alternative and it was BRUTAL: 43 euros was the lowest for two persons (not even a single room)... Because I had splurged on a beautiful hostal the night before, I decided to go back to roughing it. Again, I am a pilgrim and I am grateful for the bed, a shower and a place to hang my clothes. There can be no choosy stuff as a peregrina.

Well... I have realized I am quite a clumsy girl. I fell for the FIFTH time on this trip, but this time IN THE BAR. Down I went, along with a (thankfully empty) wine glass & a bowl of peanut shells - everything smashed to bits on the floor. I cut my left knee exactly where the old wound had healed. Argh! And I had *just* given away my betadine and bandages to blister ridden Jean-Pierre from France maybe just an hour before.

The barman on duty went to fetch some help, & two very nice women (one who seemed to work at every place in town) cleaned the wound and bandaged it up for me. It'll heal - it wasn't deep like my right knee, just embarrassing because I'm starting to think I have a strange difficulty with my legs on occasion.

Later, I had way too much wine, which became obvious after I got into bed to write some more, and promptly passed out. Woke up at 1am and realized my stuff was all disorganized & so I started trying to put stuff together as quietly as I could. I have to say I slept pretty deeply, as I didn't hear a thing while I had slept and I wasn't even wearing my earphones.

Fortunately, no hangover symptoms and was out the door today by 6:30am. Very lucky, considering I was staying in a cold shack albergue with holes for toilets. (Come on people, you have a shack with showers and running water - why not just one toilet??)

Be sure to stop in Vega de Valcarce at this Panaderia Artesana:
I had the best empanada and orange juice here after walking
about 16km on the highway from Villafranca del Bierzo.

Day 22: Glass half empty or full: as long as its vino, its ok

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Wed, 16 May 2007 20:38:00 +0000

I have to say today was one of the most beautiful sights to walk through: vineyards! Rows upon rows of baby vines and upon every hill as far as the eye can see.

See that house there? That's going to be mine.

I started ok, albeit a little slower. Made to Ponferrada by about 7:30am & had a bit of breakfast next to the Templar Castle. Unfortunately everything was closed (it was only 7:30am when I arrived) & it seemed that everything was under construction, so I didn't really get to explore. Still it was a great site to see. Its quite big and the history of it is something I will have to explore another day.

Bumped into Mariette at Cacabelos, where the village had a parade for San Isador (I think its the patron saint of Madrid) in celebration and homage for a good harvest. It was good to see her (Mariette, that is, San Isadore was a bonus, hee hee) - although I kept moving on. As much as I love her, I wish for her to have her own camino.

I started to fade pretty quickly between 1 & 2pm; today seemed tougher somehow.

Been thinking about how fast I've had to get through all these places. My camino has not been like others, although I am TRUELY grateful for what I have had & that I've made it this far. I've decided that perhaps someday there will be a trip with mum to all these sights I've missed, only tourist style next time.

Also, last night I had met Irene from Vancouver, who had done the last section into Santiago in 2003, and was here to do a short section from Astorga to wherever in about 7 days. She suggested the short hikes around Monserrat. She even stayed at the monastery run by monks there, but in a cold 3? story building by herself...

Irene can't BELIEVE the amount of people on the camino this time around. I have to say I was shocked myself when I took the bus with 20 people to Bayonne, & then another 20 at least on the train to St Jean Pied de Port. The camino isn't as solitary as one would expect. Still, I have the mornings to myself, and I am very happy to have the opportunity to walk alone.

Tonight I splurged on a single room at a hostal for myself. The albergue "Ave Fenix" was the ONLY one open in town, & apparently there is a rule that no one is allowed up before 7am. [The guidebook also states that the albergue has dorm rooms separate for 50+ year olds. I dunno, it felt like too many rules...]

I think I needed some time alone, away from pilgrim life... a bit more privacy.

Day 21: The Fog in Foncebadón

noreply@blogger.com (snowbutterfly) — Mon, 14 May 2007 21:48:00 +0000

Well, today I decided to go the extra mile (literally, ha) and walk 38km from Santa Catalina de Somoza to Molinaseca. I should have stopped in pretty El Acebo [the albergue above the bar, and the food looked fantastic] like the rest but I felt like I wanted to move forward that extra little bit.

I started early: woke up at 5:30am (once again i couldn't sleep) & was out the door by 6 am. Walking in the dark is a fairly good motivator and by studying the road the day before, I was fairly confident in the direction I was going. Unfortunately, today was one of wind and cold and rain - not so bad as the one on the 1st of May, but enough drizzling to keep the waterproof stuff on for the whole day.

Moving into la Cordillera Cantábrica the flats of the meseta end, and it was up, up, up towards the famous eerie Foncebadón (read Shirley Maclaine or Paulo Cohelo.) I had originally planned to stay there, but the distance was too short [for what I had walked so far]. It was miserable both in weather & in my experience at the local bar; a horrible bus load of camino tourists - the kind that gets driven from point to point while a van takes their luggage/backpacks, & they walk a small amount to the point of interest. By the time I finished my café con leche in the bar, all I wanted to do was move on.

I had a moment at the Cruz de Ferro, the place where the pilgrim ritual is to deposit a stone from home or along the way at the base. Some have notes, some leave charms or little Elvises even (Remo - you have a good picture of this!). After a good couple of hours walking uphill, I saw the cross & broke down in sobs; it was an important moment to me as I dropped off the rocks I carried from home. Its not the most extravagant looking monument, but the symbolism and ritual are not lost...

After this I booted it down hill for the next 4 hours all the way into Molinaseca. Got in pretty late, so washing clothes in the machine was a risk. Everthing smells super nice, but NOTHING is dry. Oh well...

uh oh, 10:43pm now. No wonder the snoring is in full force. Sigh. Ipod time.