The Way of St James !

I reached Santiago today. Yesterdays walk from Melide to Santa Irene was one of pain and joy. I covered about 31km in a total downpour that had started the night before and continued the whole day. I had seen a couple of pilgrims on the way and spoke with them, they asked where I intended stopping, and I told them Santa Irene. they looked at me as if I was mad. They were stopping in Arzua due to the bad weather. I was going on another 16km. I got to the outskirts of Ribadiso de Baixo and I could see about fifty metres or so off the track, there was a small cafe/bar with a couple of cars parked outside, the rain was heavy and I succumbed to the temptation, I walked in, and bid everyone Buenos Dias, and dumped my pack on the floor and ordered a coffee. The workmen were just about to tuck into some slices of bread with fatty bacon placed on top of each slice. I hung my poncho up to dry and went to the counter where my coffee had been placed, and there next to it was one of the work men’s bread and bacon rations kindly donated to this cold wet and tired peregrino. With the kind donation firing me up I was soon back outside in the torrential rain doing the only thing I need to do on a daily basis. Walk.  I got into Santa Irene at about 5:30pm had a cold shower, there was no where to eat other than the next village, some of the other pilgrims had booked a taxi to take them there for their dinner, I made up my mind that I would not set foot in a car until the end of my pilgrimage, but I do have needs, so after a German pilgrim offered to share his pasta and bread with me I asked the other pilgrims to send a bottle of wine back with the taxi when he came back for the second batch of pilgrims that were dining out. So after a tasty dinner prepared by my German friend we consumed the bottle of wine with a young Jewish boy who is doing the Camino as part of his extended holiday, so there we were an old German an old git from London of German Jewish decent and a young Jewish boy, enjoying one anothers company and a bottle of wine discussing our reasons for doing the Camino. This morning I got up to find that my boots had dried out nicely, but had also shrunk. Needless to say it was a painful walk into Santiago, but you know what, I wouldn't have expected anything less, because as you know LIFE IS GOOD, and we all need a little pain just to remind us how good God has made it for us.

Meeting up with Simon !

It was on the 2nd September that I set off on my own from St Jean Pied De Port, not knowing what lay ahead. It's now the 2nd of October and I'm just 50km from Santiago. I left Gonzar at about 8am after waiting half an hour for the cafe to open; it stayed shut so I moved on to the next village. I've been seeing a young French Canadian on and off since day one. He and the two German girls are the only one's I recognize from the first day I set off up into the Pyrenees. I still have the same feeling of uncertainty, but not about the start, I know it has to end and the next stage of my Camino begins. It's been a good day I've walked about 31km with a long stop for a big lunch. The walk alongside pine forests was magical, it was windy and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees produced a sound of the sea rushing up a pebbled strewn beach. I soon found myself singing out loud yet again. I won't say what I was singing in case some of you might start making arrangements to have me sectioned under the mental health act. Any way there I was singing at the top of my voice and my footfalls keeping the rhythm, when a dog walked up to me from behind, I thought here I go the owner of this dog is going to have me put down I looked around and there was no owner just me and the dog, I stopped looked at him and he at me, I said hello and walked on, he just sat there. I started singing again and he re appeared at my side. I thought this dog has taste, so I named him Simon Cowell. Ok I know your thinking what was he singing, it was "aga do" I know, I know, why would anyone sing that song walking through a pine forest, well it kept me walking at a steady pace, which is what I needed, and Simon Cowell loved it. So after five minutes Simon had a pee up a tree and took the path to the right I took the path to the left. I'm now in Melide with sore feet and a failed audition.

But life is good

Light & Darkness

I woke up to the sound of snoring in the next bed, I looked at my watch it had just gone 5:30. I was determined that I wasn't going to be the one that got up before everyone else and making those annoying rustling sounds that seem to be the start of every day in the albergue’s, it was no good I had to get up. I tip toed in complete darkness across the dormitory, leaving my torch still attached to my rucksack. It almost cost me my neck on the way back from the bathroom, which was on the landing on the floor below. I came out of the bathroom back into complete darkness with my eyes not having enough time to adjust I attempted to go back up stairs, the only problem being that all the floor tiles are black. I lifted my right foot up for the first step and brought it down, it kept going down, I was on the wrong side of the staircase and was attempting to go up on the down flight of stairs. After that scare I made my way across the dark dormitory, stubbing my toe on someone’s backpack. Then a thought crossed my mind what if I went to the wrong bunk and sat on it whilst someone lay there. Any way the rest of the morning passed without any more mishaps on my part. I left the albergue in darkness and walked up the street to the restaurant that I had shared a meal with Michael and some German pilgrims the night before. I could hear the chatter of excited voices as I approached; it was the Swiss walking talking group. They moved off just as I got to the restaurant. I stopped, removed my pack and had my morning coffee and toast. The walk leaving Sarria was unlit and it wasn't long before I had to use my torch, to prevent me from missing the Camino markers. The path led me across a small bridge then uphill and across an un protected rail crossing, had this been England I would have just walked across without looking, after all when are the trains ever on time or in this case early. It's strange being out here you go through these old villages that don't belong to this century and see things that bring you back, like the BMW from yesterday, now it's even stranger, I climbed the hill and passed a farm house, nothing else just a farm house, but next to it's wall was a coca cola machine all lit up and ready to dispense the next chilled beverage. I stopped and took a picture, which brought a chuckle from a Spanish pilgrim who was following me and saw me photograph an amazing sunrise, and now I was taking a picture of a coke machine. The path now has taken me through rolling green hills that wouldn't look out of place in England. I passed the 100km countdown marker after about 12 km of walking, it was a special moment and I had to phone home. I walked into Porto Marin my intended destination for today and carried on walking, I have now stopped a further 8 km up the road making today a 31-33km at a place called Gonzar a very small hamlet of a village and I've managed to secure one of the last remaining beds. 

Life is good

Adios

Route to Sarria via Samos

Up at 7am a quick coffee and off again. I'm getting really exited now. I walked with Michael from Austria we decided to take the slightly longer route to Sarria via Samos so that we could visit the monastery. As we looked back at Triacastela we could see clouds of mist roll over the foothills of the mountain we had descended from the previous afternoon. We followed the river that ran along the valley floor through ancient little hamlets that take you back in time only to be brought sharply back into the 21century by the sight of a BMW parked neatly in an old stone barn. We stopped at Samos but couldn't visit the monastery till later in the day so we went to a local bar to order lunch, which also wasn't available till later. So after a quick drink we carried on to Sarria where Michael would terminate his walk and catch the train to Madrid for his flight back to Austria. We opted for the direct route which unfortunately took us alongside the road, the walk on Tarmac has taken it's toll on my feet and knees, I was hoping to pass Sarria and do another 6km further. I got into an albergue and went down stairs for a shower and found a vacant cubicle that had a towel on the hanger outside and a pair of pants, after a quick look Inside I could see it was free and started to get undressed for a shower, when looked up I saw a totally naked Spaniard walking on his heals towards me from the toilet the other side of the washroom. He waived me out of his way and went into the shower and stayed in there until all the hot water had gone. So it was a cold shower for minty and me. Normally I would have at the very least remonstrated with this young Spaniard, who is one of the ever growing crowds doing a very short Camino Sarria being the last possible place of joining it and getting a Compostela. I have it seems grown more tolerant.   I'm now sat at a roadside table drinking wine and waiting for the restaurant to start serving food.

And life is good

Monastery at Samos

Me at Cruz de Ferro

Onto Triacastela

It seems the closer we get to Santiago the more relaxed we get. Apart from some Swiss pilgrims who were travelling in a group and had spoken to some German pilgrims earlier in the week, explaining that the reason they always got to the albergue before anyone else was that they were from Switzerland and therefore better at walking through the mountains. They begun their moving about at 5:30am and started their packing and disturbing everyone else. The rest of us got up at about 8am and went upstairs after packing, we were enjoying a cup of coffee together and went outside to see a green vw minibus stop and pick up one of the Swiss pilgrims, who quickly put her's and another's rucksack into the back and they were both driven off up the mountain towards O'Cebriero.  The walk up the mountain was steep and spectacular; I could hear the cowbells in the valley below. After a quick look around the village, and a visit to the church, it was time for breakfast of bacon and eggs, but they hardly filled the hole the short but exhausting climb had created, so I picked up a kit kat to eat as I walked. The walk down was interrupted with a steep climb up almost to the same altitude as O'Cebriero. At 6:15 and over eight and a half hours from setting off this morning I'm in the small town of Triacastela, with my washing in a machine and me down the road having a wine at a local bar and deciding what to eat.

Life is good

Crossing over

A Starbuck on every corner.

I left Villafranca del bierzo just after 8am this morning through the little streets with the smell of wood fires and the sound of the fast flowing river that runs through the valley. The daily joke is see you at the next Starbucks for coffee, which is always a small bar in a small village. The sun was up and so was the moon, as it has been for the last two weeks or so, except that now the moon is still up till mid afternoon directly in front of me with the sun on my back as I head westward to Santiago. I had intended to get to O'Cebriero today, which is the highest point on the Camino. It was here that a priest, who when a villager made his way into this village to attend church during a storm, thought to himself why has this man come all this way just to get some bread and wine and at moment the bread and wine turned to flesh and blood. The chalice is still kept in the church.

The history of the Camino never ceases to amaze me on my walk today. I passed a village called Hospital named so, after the English hospital mentioned in documents dating back to the 12 century, which was used by Henry II during his pilgrimage to Santiago. I have stopped for the day at La Faba, just 4 kilometers from O'Cebriero, with still another steep climb ahead and a long and steep descent just like the one that caused my ankle to swell up. Good news tomorrow I cross over into Galicia.

Life is so good

The path I follow.

Todays path !

Looked over my shoulder & saw this.

Villafranca del Bierzo

Staying here

Rise & Shine !

I was awoken at about 5 am by the early risers, they forget that they're in bunk beds and as they sit up you can hear the thud of their heads hitting the bunk above them closely followed by a curse in their own tongue, sometimes you can pick out the odd silhouette of someone frantically rubbing their head. Then it's on with their head torches so that they can pack their rucksacks without turning on the dormitory light. I got up at about 7am washed packed and went upstairs to find all the early risers sitting about waiting for daylight. Ponferrada is another pilgrim safe haven with its Templar castle. The streets still have ancient house that have been given the 21century makeover, graffiti, almost every building has been given this treatment apart from the castle. I made my way through the city and out into the countryside with it's rolling vineyards. I stopped in a small town called Cacabelos for paella and a coke. The road to villfranca del bierzos turned right and across the rolling vineyards along a dusty track. Every now and then a car or tractor would pass by kicking up a dust cloud covering In dust, after about the fifth time this happened it dawned on me that I had hung some washing on my backpack to dry as I walked. Minty wasn't going to happy. Dusty but not happy. The route through the vineyards added an extra 2 km to the walk I am now in  Villafranca del Bierzo were me and two other pilgrims decided to share the costs of a three bed hotel room in a small village hotel. I am about to have a bath and sleep in a bed without having to get out my sleeping bag for the first time since leaving home. Then it's food and a drink or two with my pilgrim friends. I did promise them that I would get up at five go make some rustling noises and shine my torch in their faces , so that they didn't miss the albergue morning madness. It wasn't well accepted. Any way my bath is calling.

Life is good.    Adios

The pebble

A high point, in more ways than one on the Camino is to place a stone taken from home and place at Cruz de Ferrol, as I understand it, the size of the stone relates to the size of my sins, but that would have put my baggage allowance well over at the airport, so instead I took a small pebble to relate the size of my innocence. I am informed that you can also place all you worries into that stone, throw it over your shoulder to cast all your worries away.  I had to contend with another the mountain today, this brought back the physical pain I have had on this pilgrimage, but I am now in the Albergue in Ponferrada had my shower and on my daily hunt for food. Life is good.

Todays path !

Old Templars castle at Ponferrada

Stone from home left at Cruz de Ferro

The Small pebble

San Martino de Camino to Foncebadon

I left San Martino de Camino after breakfast and my first lay in, If you call getting up at 7 a lay in. My shin was still causing me great discomfort, but hey ho it’s better than a trip to the dentist. I walked into the town of Hospital de Orbigo and stopped to buy some supplies. This town is great with it’s long and narrow medieval bridge with it’s flags displaying different Coates of arms. Legend has it that a knight for the love of a woman stood on this bridge and laid a challenge to fight all knights for a month after this he went on a pilgrimage to Santiago. Hospital De Orbigo as the name suggests was a rest stop for pilgrims run by the hospitallers of the order of the Knights of St John, who took over caring for pilgrims after the Templar Knights were outlawed by the king of France and the pope who was under his control.
After getting my suppliers I stopped by a water fountain to replenish my two water bottles after filling one I noticed that the water was cloudy so I tipped it out. I carried on with just 200mil of water left in the other bottle, oh well looks like I’m gonna be thirsty. I stuck with the original route which still followed the road, the other route had plenty of stopping points and watering holes, but longer. I found an old hut with what resembled a bench outside it was narrow but if I was careful and laid on my side I could have rest, so I took my boots and socks of and went to sleep, I was past caring what other people might think. After about an hours rest I moved on still following the road which was flanked each side by woodland. There was a garage the other side of carriageway and I managed to buy some water, and a couple of chocolate bars. I strolled into Astorga (ok I limped) late in the afternoon and looked up the steep hillside road, I could see the Dutchman I had given the knee support to he was standing at the very top by a viewing area next to the church and waving frantically at me. He pointed me in the right direction for the albergue. After finding my bed and having a shower one of hospitallers treated my leg, I was skeptical at first as all he did was drape my leg over his knee and put pressure on the swelling around my shin (I know some of you are thinking where is he going with this, and your wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself) anyway it worked so there. I was there for about an hour and went to do some shopping and had returned and was sat on the edge of my bed when I heard a familiar voice say” I recognize those sandals “ it was Juliet, I thought I was way behind her. Half an hour later in walked the Americans and to cap it all Maurice was there as well but I didn’t see him. So this morning I set off from the albergue. No lay in this morning, at 6:30 they play Gregorian chants as the alarm call, what a great way to wake up.
On my way out of Astorga I stopped at a cafe and had a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and coffee. After walking about 5 km to the next village, I saw outside a cafe bar, a rucksack I knew was Maurice’s, I stuck my head in the door and said “how did I know I would find you in the first bar I come to” he jumped up shouted my name and shook my  hand till I thought it would fall off. We walked and joked together for most of the day, I told him it would be nice to get to Foncebadon, he looked doubtful, so I said we’ll see how we feel at Rabanal. Before we got to Rabanal he sat down by a tree to rest, I stayed with him a while shared some chocolate with him and left. I am now in Foncebadon a little deserted village in the mountains in an Albergue just about to have dinner with other pilgrims.

Life is good

La Virgen del Camino to San Martin Del Camino

I left Maurice this morning he was going on the new route that kept you away from the traffic, I opted for the traditional route that had now given way to a main road and took you through the middle of a giant a clover leaf junction and a trading estate, this was so that I could pop in and see Ray and Martha. I hoped that Ray might be in a position to help me language wise with my shin problem. After an hour and a half of limping I reached the albergue where they were staying . I was made very welcome by the hospitalera after my dice with death in crossing the busy main road (you try running with a 40ton hgv bearing down on you, with a laden back pack and an ankle that doesn't give a damn about your personal safety) Ray was up and ready to greet me in the garden and ordered some coffee for me. He spoke to the hospitalera for me , who was on his way to Leon. I waited a couple of hours for his return to be told that I will be taken to see the doctor the next day (don't get me wrong I loved the time I spent with Ray and Martha, they are my two most dearest friends, but they were unable to walk, and I was, albeit in pain) it was to long to wait for me as the Camino was calling, as it had since day one, I just couldn't stop, the urge to keep walking was now controlling every single part of me. To get even closer to Santiago. So after Ray gave me some volterol to rub onto my swelling shin, it was yet another kiss and hug goodbye and off down the road that just won't let me quit. I had looked out for a medical centre in the next two towns, but to no avail. I was never going to look to hard anyway if it meant straying more than a few metres off the route. So I've covered about 23km. I walked into San Martin del Comino passing the first albergue and following the signs to the second, which for some reason took me off the main road and right past a large dog that had a penchant for lone pilgrims. The albergue was sparse with little or no facilities. I had a quick shower and was waiting for the hospitaler to show up, when he finally did I noticed that an Italian was speaking and waving his arms frantically (as all Italians do) pointing outside. I went for a walk to see if I could find a chemist and somewhere to eat. I saw the same Italian with a smile on his face , I looked into the distance and could see another albergue. He had figured out that the sign for the albergue we were in, had posted their sign to take us off the route and thus avoiding a much better albergue that even had a restaurant . After a quick packing session, and wearing sandals carrying my boots with back pack slung over my shoulder I made my way with a group of grinning Italians to the other albergue. I saw a Dutch couple I met the night before., he had caught a bus ahead of his wife due to a knee injury, I asked if he had a support he said yes, I produced the one my son Paul had bought for me and got him to try it on, it worked a charm, he was able to walk again. He asked where could he get one, I said I've been carrying it with me since leaving England and not had to use it, I said "I must have been carrying it all that way for a reason, and the reason had just presented itself. (just like the compede I had been carrying but not needing, which I gave to Suzanne for her blisters). All in all today has been slower than I would have wanted but it helped me, it helped me help another, and it put me in a place amongst familiar faces. I spent the evening with the delightful Dutch couple, and when they moved into the dining room the Australian couple I had spoken to on the Meseta magically appeared to share a drink and an evening meal with. Life is not just good it's special!

Pilgrims meet.

Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansila de Las Mulas to Leon. I walked to Moratinos for breakfast and past Suzanne a French Canadian woman who I had first seen on the second day of my Camino on the road from Roncesvalles to Zubiri she wad ahead of me with another pilgrim when a dog ran out from behind a parked car and chased them up the hill. It stopped to walk back to the parked car to startle the next pilgrim, me. But I had seen him and was ready for him I stared at him and walked on, for some reason he left me alone. I joined Suzanne on the walk to Zubiri, which for the last 4 km was straight down with jagged rocks. I hadn't seen her since them. Then on my way out of Najera she passed me on the path and we've been starting and finishing in the same place for the last four or five days. She had been having problems with blisters so I gave her all my compede, as I have been lucky enough to avoid them. Well by breakfast she had had enough and I saw her hug another pilgrim and get into a cab in tears, she's going onto Leon to rest up and stay on schedule for her flight home. I walked with Maurice and Ronnie for a while but soon dropped back. They both took the old roman road to Sahagun and I stayed on the route Frances as recorded in the Codex Calixticus. I saw them again in a cafe in Sahagun I was in pain due to the high curbs I had a severe pain and spasms in the right leg. On the way out a car and a van blocked the road both drivers got out, one had a box of cakes the other a large bottle of coke, which they offered to us, so it was cake and coke on the roadside. Ronnie continued on the roman road we carried on the official route to Bercianos del Real Camino where we spent the night in a very old and special albergue, where we found a bed bug, but hospitalera was great the beds were checked and sprayed and all our kit treated. The next day we walked to Mansila de Las Mulas, which is where I slept last night after doing my washing and minty making himself known again. Had a great night though with a couple of Brazilian pilgrims who I had seen in only in passing. Today's target was the city of Leon. After having a late start, a breakfast of coffee and watermelon, we all set off at our own pace. After about an hour of walking I started to get a pain in my left shin, which got worse as the day progressed. I limped into Leon about 2pm, but decided it wasn't for me. So after a coffee and a tortilla I carried on to La Virgen Del Camino, making today a 31km day. I'm only a few kilometers down the road from where Ray and Martha are staying while their injuries heal. Bumped into the two German girls I have been seeing on and off since day one and the French Canadian guy I last saw at Roncesvalles at the end of day one. I'm sorry there have been a couple of days without any posts but it's been difficult to say the least. So I'm off for my shower then it's the daily hunt for food.
Adios

In the middle of no where!

Another day on el Camino. Bathroom games. Going into the bathroom this morning there was a pilgrim brushing his teeth as I walked past I said Buenos Dias he replied with a B..choke and splutter and sprayed the mirror with toothpaste, I think he saw the cheeky grin on my face he went to the toilet and as he came out he greeted another pilgrim brushing his teeth and got the same response as I did from him earlier. Any way back to the day. I had breakfast before leaving, as I knew it would be 17km before the next village. The walk across the never-ending plains was unshaded and tedious, then in the middle of no where amongst a little group of trees was a small container with plastic tables and chairs with a man dispensing drinks and snacks I picked up an orange soda an apple and a banana. And went to sit with two young German girls I met on the first day at Roncesvalles, we were in a shared porta cabin as the church albergue was full. I remember getting up the next day very early and walking across the dew damp grass in the darkness towards the toilets and washing facilities, and bumping into one of them in the darkness and greeting her with a " morgen” but minty also chipped in with a greeting of his own. He does pick his moments. So now I'm at the Jacques de mouley albergue in a little place called Terradillod de Los Templarios. This was a safe haven provided for pilgrims by the Knights Templar’s until the French king who saw himself as the direct descendant of god outlawed them. He had squandered all of Frances fortunes and had his sights on the Knights Templar’s who had created the first banking system and travelers cheques so that pilgrims wouldn't get robbed. He had Jacques de Moulet who was head of the Templar’s and other leadind knights arrested on Friday the 13th and the term of unlucky Friday 13th was born. I am now on a roof terrace sitting in the sun drinking a cold beer after walking 28km across open plains that test your patience. My feet are sore my ankle started to play up again, but   ......and it’s a big one I’VE PASSED THE HALFWAY POINT, and yes you've guessed it Life is Good

No flies on me!

Well after the start this morning things just got better and better. The walk to Fromista was a joy I followed an irrigation canal that went on for miles and I crossed over it via a very narrow walkway, and into Fromista. I stopped along the way at an alternative albergue for lunch, it had tepee's as the accommodation with a small bar come canteen over looking the gardens. One of the guests staying had more bites than Dracula’s favorite victim. I only stopped for a drink and something to eat, I had a look around and thought it must be good 30000 flies can't all be wrong. I settled for a cheese and tomato bocadillo. I saw a very large Spanish pilgrim with a very small back pack if you can call it that, walked in ordered a beer drank it and went out side. I finished up walked outside just in time to see him put his backpack into the boot of a taxi. A lot of Spanish people do the Camino bit-by-bit and return to do another section later in the year or even the following year. Really pleased that I managed 34km today. Any way I'm now in a small town called Carrion De Los Condes and I'm staying in a very nice old convent, and life is good

Ps I hope you enjoyed the Amos Lee song it's one of my all time favorites

Saw this and had to take a very small diversion Ermita de San Miguel I think it translates to hermitage of saint Michael

Amos Lee - Morning

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9yCO-uzDR0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Rod Brookstein
Check out this tune I just love it. I left the village of Itero De La Vega at about 7am and decided to walk the 8 or so kilometers to Boadilla Del Camino before having any breakfast, everything was still shut when I got there. So it was onto the next stopping point of Fromista. Had a handful of peanuts along the way and listened to Amos Lee. I Have not been using my phone for anything other than communication, so just this once I listened to some music . I'm fact just the one song. I sing it most mornings to myself when starting off . I'm in Fromista having my morning coffee and two magdalenas having covered just over 14km and the day has only started

Pickled on a stick!

Started late this morning about. 7:30 it was raining again I left the poncho in my pack and opted for a jacket and the rain cover over my pack. A quick check and I was off, I only got about 50metres up the road and saw a local shop open with Maurice outside enjoying a coffee, so I stopped and had one myself also bought some fruit for later. The walk took me across plains of cropped fields and onto a road the passed through the old convent of San Anton. Apart from the coffee I realized that I hadn't had any breakfast I couldn't reach the fruit in my back pack without taking it off, but I found a half eaten bag of hazel nuts in my belt pouch so that was breakfast sorted. I carried onto Castrojerez a small hillside town where I found an open bar and treated myself to two banderilla's (pickles on a stick) and a donut with coffee, by now I'd covered just under ten k. I set off in the rain after following the streets of this little town round the side of the hill it was sat on, I rejoined the plains and I could see in the distance that there was a climb ahead. The climb was steep but the views across the wide expanse I had just covered was breathtaking and worth the effort. A quick stop at the top to eat my apple and joy of joy a snickers bar. A short walk across this plateau led me to view that was even more breathtaking looking across Palencia and the start of the Meseta, I looked across the horizon and I couldn't see a town anywhere. Lucky for me a few kilometers in the distance tucked behind a line of trees and across a river was the town of Itero De La Vega. So now I have stopped for the day. I have noticed the ever-growing numbers on the trail since Puenta la Reina where the Arragon route meets the French route. There has been an increase in numbers almost on a daily basis with some breaking up their Camino to fit in with their time and some who are busing parts of it as well as the tourogrinos, I saw some today they had got of a coach at Castrojerez and walked through part of the town to the coliagate church, I saw them again at the foot of the bridge as the trail turns right towards Itero De La Vega I could see that a couple of had their legs resting on the seat in front of them (it must be really exhausting getting on and off that bus) .As a result it's becoming harder to find some time of solitude . A few people tend to cut out the Meseta as it is flat feature less offers no shade and takes on average six days to cross hope the numbers thin out to allow me time of contemplation. Adios

7km on a chocolate croissant

Went to bed content and tired, but was woken in the early hours by a lot of shouting and banging outside, and I was on the fifth floor of this huge albergue just behind Burgos cathedral. Left at about 6:40am in darkness and rain with another long walk to the city limits and out onto rolling fields that seem to go on forever about 5km after leaving the city limits I stopped for breakfast and saw lots of familiar faces, one of them was Maurice a Dutch man about mid to late twenties we both accused one another of stalking the other. Maurice I first met at Los Arcos he told me that he wasn't religious, but had given up his rented flat and sold all his belongings to do the Camino and I have since found out that he has attended mass. After greeting him with the usual joke and noticed that my poncho that I had been wearing was receiving admiring glances until I took it off, I was wetter on the inside than I was on the out. After breakfast of a chocolate croissant I walked a further 7 km to the village of Rabe De Las Calzadas where Ray and Martha were staying. They're having a bad time with various injuries. I stayed for about 30 minutes with them and then a quick hug goodbye I was off again across those persistent rolling fields I stopped in the next village and had a large French stick filled with nothing but sliced tomatoes an orange drink and a small red apple that was crisp and sweet. I sat on a very narrow pavement with my boots off and feet in the road daring anyone to run over them, only the local bread van drove past and was used to seeing peligrinos sat out side this little shop. After the lunch from heaven I put my pack back walked further into the village where I saw a gathering of pilgrims who by looks of things had called it a day and were drinking beers, it looked so tempting but I stopped filled my bottles with water, they raised their glasses and bid me buen Camino and I was off again. I am now in Hontanas 31km further down the road with sore feet and a chilled beer in front of me ..................... Life is good

Just Strolling !

Had such a good day today I had a small breakfast of coffee toast and marmalade then it was off from the little pueblo of Ages. The night before I went for a walk around this little village. (I know what you're thinking why is he going walking after walking, well let me tell you. There's nothing else to do) any way, I stopped in a little restaurant and I mean little 2 tables inside, the rest outside. They were playing "the four seasons by Vivaldi" while I had a beer in a frozen glass. The buildings in this area look more like the type you would find in southern France or Cornwall the little restaurant had oak beams and I felt like I was in a Cornish pub. This morning I left the albergue in darkness as usual across fields of wilting sunflowers, I stopped to take a backwards glance as I have done throughout and saw an amazing sunrise. Then the path took me to Atepuerqa, this site has the oldest human remains dating back 9000,000years. All the Camino follows the milky way, all the way through to finnesterre (the end of the earth) people having been walking this route even in pagan times until a hermit found the remains of St James one of the twelve Apostles who after the crucifixion of Christ went to Iberia to spread the gospel he returned to Judea in 44 ad where he was beheaded by Herod, his followers brought his remains back to Iberia (Spain) where they were discovered under a field of stars (the milky way) Santiago de Compostela (St James in the field of stars). As usual I digressed the walk towards Burgos was great apart from the walk across the city the plus point I had bacon and eggs at about midday, more than compensated. Moving across the bustling city brought me down to earth with a bump the sounds the pollution the people with their busy lives, heads down daring you to contest them for pavement space, I moved out of the way as I could see the look of anguish on their faces and I was just a pilgrim. I'm now on the town square enjoying the company of other pilgrims and life is good

My views of the day

More views of the day

Simple pleasures.

First of all thank you for all your wonderful messages of support they mean and help a lot . Also thank you Gerry my brother who with Kim my wife have kept the blog site updated for me. It seems the camino will break you down physically and emotionally before building you back up. Going into Logrono really hurt and I was lucky enough to end up in the church run refuge. Now after three days of pain I feel I'm getting somewhere , not all the pain has gone but it's bearable I've noticed that I now walk like John Wayne. But so does everyone else, I wondered downstairs to the washroom and toilets and I saw another man doing the John Wayne , the only difference being is that my John Wayne is quicker than his and I beat him to the John . Ye baby who's your daddy. I got in slammed the door and had a chuckle. Isn't it funny how the little things bring you the most reward even minty thought it was great . Mind you the look on poor John Wayne's face was a picture when I exited(toothpaste can do wonders when you need to move). Any way had another great walk across rolling corn fields in very hot conditions changed into sandals but that brought out the old tendon problem and the last five kilometers to belerado was agonizing . But after showering and doing my washing for the day , having had a nice meal some wine and treat of the day some chocolate in a great private albergue sharing a room with 21 other people , the night before it was with nine others all female the night before in Najera was ninety of us in the same room with the bunk beds pushed together. That was something else ,I turned over in the the middle of the night , opened my eyes and thought I don't remembering marrying some one who was bald and had a moustache. I quickly turned the other way and thought to myself "lay of the wine". Anyhoo I've done a respectable 25 k to belarado and have just put in a 29.5km walk to the small town Ages burnt to a crisp and sore shin bone. the walk to Ages after crossing more rolling corn fields took us through the small town of Villa Franca where we had to share the road with HGV's. From then it was back onto the trail with a long steep climb Into pine forest with the edge of the wide path lined with heather. The treat of this day was to sit in the shade of a tall pine kick my boots off and have a lunch consisting of a large juicy peach and a couple of squares of chocolate . So now I'm laying on my bunk listening to the tumble dryer drying my clothes which is another treat no washing by hand . I'm now only a days walk from Burgos and from there I'm on the meseta . Life is good. ... Adios

Rod Brookstein

Making Progress

Sorry for the short post. Today I walked 25k, the last 5km was painful due to Tendinitis. I am 3 days from Burgos. Then it will be 6 days of flat walking across Meseta. That is a an 18km walk to the nearest place to get water. It is still very hot, but life is good!

Santo Domingo de Calzada cathedral evening mass

Part of today's path

Staying here tonight.

Camino and me!

I asked a Japanese pilgrim if he would join me for dinner, all on the Camino I have seen people who may provoke an reaction or Invoke a sense of being.  I've seen and old German who appeared self centered and selfish at dinner he was the first to ask for seconds and looking at the soup he'd demand which part of the bowl he wanted it from pointing at the pieces HE wanted every one else accepted what was offered , I saw a part of myself that wanted things my way at first he annoyed me then after a while I realized I was shown how I may appear to other people, I went to the bathroom and this man who sat opposite me at dinner also made room for me to wash my hands have I pre judged him. Last night I asked a lonely pilgrim if he would join me later that day for dinner, as I was lonely too he appreciated my offer and we set a time to eat. We met with other pilgrims we both knew and ate together. I have known this man for only a few hours and yet he seems familiar. For a brief moment when he presented me with this gift of friendship I saw in his eyes my father not the father I saw as a man but a father I looked into the eyes of when I was a child. I came to walk the Camino, but I have found that each day I made were changed not by me but by events. I walked a hard day I shouldn't have, an injured myself was it my arrogance in my ability, but because of it I found a refuge where I was shown nothing but love. I'm limping badly but accepting it all. I don't walk the Camino it walks me.
Yesterday I walked from Naverette to Najera, 17km still in pain, then discovered that some one was thoughtful and kind enough to leave some cream in the donations box in the albergue, so this gratefully received donation by an unknown pilgrim I set about massaging my aching tendons.
Today I walked from Santa Domingo de Calzada that is 21km, and feeling good. The last kilometre I was able to walk without the aid of my walking poles. Staying at Cistercian Abbey. Life is good!

Pilgrim blessing at Los Arcos

Pathway

Los Arcos to Lagrono to Navarette(minty gets limpy)

After dinner went to Los arcos cathedral the priest called the pilgrims forward for an individual blessing he started with spainish and then called English American Irish to come forward just in front of me was the slovakian pilgrim I sat next to on Pamplona after receiving the blessing he blessed a rosary I've been carrying for my wife they belonged to her mother.
I left Los arcos at about 7 the landscape is still gentle rolling hills the sun rising directly behind me bathing the cropped fields in a bright golden light, and on a hill in the distance the pueblo of Sansol and Torres del rio a further 800metres further on. All the cafe's in Sansol were still shut and carried on to Torries del rio were I sat and ate my toast and marmalade to the sound of Don Maclean's "America. Pie" blearing out of the radio. After that I carried on still singing it to myself. I reached Viana at about 1 pm and stopped at a sports store and. Bought some walking sandals as I've been walking in my beach sandals all day and they weren't coping with some of the paths. I left the store wearing my new sandals and went in search of lunch and bumped into Brendan and his wife an Irish couple I met at Cizur minor . After lunch I decided as it was still quite early I'll carry on to Logrono. Just 2 kilometres outside of Viana my left ankle started playing up and thinking about the smart thing to do would be turn back, but I don't do smart so I carried on after all Logrono was only
Just over 9 kilometres away. So after a 30 kilometre day and the first albergue being full and I was refused entry I carried on up the road to the church run albergue of Iglesias Santiago . I rang the bell outside the giant double doors on the intercom I heard "si", I replied "peregrino" and they opened. The hospitaler took my pack and could see i was in pain, after a quick shower we were told that there would be a pilgrims blessing after mass . After mass we had a communal dinner the priest who held mass said grace and served us. He apologised that the albergue was over full and some had to sleep on floor mats but said the never turn a pilgrim away. After supper he led us through a passage way that led back into the church where we read psalms and prayers in our various languages . So those of you in the know, will be asking what about his little legs , well me and my little legs got up at 5 am this morning and after breakfast I hobbled across the city of Logrono and open country side and as I write this update I'm 15 kilometres further along el camino in a town called Navarrette standing on a shady street corner having watched the Vuelta De Espania speed past I'm showered and fresh, with a leg that at the moment isn't working like it should and I'm waiting to go for dinner with a japenese pilgrim that looks like a cross between Mr Miyagi from karate kid and my dad and you know what despite all that's happened so far.......................................Life is Good Adios






Rod Brookstein

Oyiega to Los Arcos (and minty came too)

Wow what a day, what a night. The Albergue was ok i don´t expect anything other than a bed for the night, i had to share my bed with a lot of strangers that kept biting me. I awoke to the sound of the french womans alarm going of in the next bed, as she´s taken sleeping tablets and was wearing ear plugs she´s the only one in the whole albergue that didn´t hear it. We sat together at breakfast which consisted of small melba style toast and jam. After which we set off together i soon bid her buen camino and carried on by myself. I visited the Orache bodega which had a water fountain with one tap for wine I took a quick picture and carried on (i know what you thinking rod passing up on the offer of free wine, well not exactly i just didn´t have anthing to put it in and i needed my bottles for water)The terrrain is a lot more gentler on my little legs today but i did get a lot of bites on my ankles and feet as well as four huge bites on my shoulders and back, all from my bed mates. The undulating cropped fields led to the town of VillaMayor as i approached i could just see the bell tower of the church above the rolling fields. I passed some vinyards on the left and the track turned right towards the Villamayor and passed the huge bodega and up the hill towards the church. I bought an ommelette baggette from the cafe just up the hill from the church and walked back down to consume it near the church gates. After about ten minutes break and half a sandwich i decided it was time to go i filled my water bottle by the village fountain and set of through the vine yards. The trail was mainly gravel and took me past newly tilled fields exposing the red soil of this area. The sky was a clear blue and i was feeling good and ate a bannana i had in my pocket i didn´t want anybody to get the wrong idea. All morning i have been stopping to re-tighting my boots to prevent my feet slipping forward on the steep descents i ´ve noticed a change in colour to my large toe nails it looks like a may lose them at some point if i´m not careful. My boots were that tight now and along with the bites every step was hurting , but by now i was only 6kilometres from los Arcos and the pinky on my right foot was protesting at the lack of room in the boot. Across the landscape i could see a distant mountain range with wind turbines similar to the ones i passed on Alto Perdon and my thoughts turned to Ray and Martha who let me know that they had reached the bottom yesterday at that point i recieved a text from Ray telling me that they were now at Puenta La reina and at the same Albergue were i had stayed, they were now a full 2 days behind me, and a part of me wanted to go back and join them. i recieved a text mesasage from my son david as i contemplated this, it was just a simple message about the weather at home but it was from my son and lifted it my spirits. So me my little legs my complaing pinky and not forgetting minty are in an albergue washed and cleaned up and on the daily hunt for food. life is good

Puenta La Reina to Estella

First of all i like to appolgise for my bad spelling, my brain is walk only mode and spanish computers don´t spell check english. that´s my excuse and i´m sticking to it.
Any way The Albergue in Puenta la Reina was a joy . It was a hotel with an albergue in the basement for pilgrims ,it was the first one i came upon just on the edge of town. After freshning up i walked into town to find a farmacia to buy cream for my various bites.then returned for dinner which was a buffet with a bottle of wine per table.and guess what, I was on my own so a bottle of wine to oneself went down a treat. had a job finding my bunk though. I was texting home when I heard a familar voice, it was an irish pilgrim who was in a group of three very jovial and full of the blarney, I had seen them on the first day on the mountain pass to Spain and also bumped into them on Alto Perdon ( while on the Alto i also saw the Slovakian pilgrim i attended mass with in Pamplona). In the albergue i was also greated by two spainish pilgrims i joined for coffee in Pamplona near the cathedral, they shook my hand like an old lost friend and looking worried informed that rain was forcast for the next day which would make going hard. I also got talking to two young spaniards Pepe and Ramon both live in Crawley and are flight crew for monarch. I got up at about five o´clock this morning went to the bathroom to use some of the cream I bought the night before on my bites,which had now spread to my butt( how they got and why there i coudn´t tell you) any way all the lights weren´t working so i had to fumble about in the dark trying not to mix up the bite cream with my tooth paste( don´t get me wrong having a butt smelling of mint is not a bad thing but it would still itch). When me and my minty butt left the abergue it was about six thirty and still dark. I made my way across town to pick up the trail to the sound of cricketts and a distant dog barking, other than that the town was still asleep and quiet. When day light came i could see that the golden harvested wheat fields where now sharing the landscape with vinyards, which is good if i´m to continually consume wine in the quantities i did the night before. The winding trail led to some amazing little pueblo´s all with there own little church at the centre and situated above all the houses. The trail led me onto an old roman road just as it began to rain making the steep descents very slippery. I had walked ten kilometres befor stopping for some thing to eat, just two small wheat bars i bought in the second pueblo. I carried on to the next one and found a small cafe adjoined to an albergue and had a tortilla de patat and bread,with a coffee. Me, my little legs and minty butt made it into Estella at about 2pm but i carried on through the original town and onto Oyeiga which is about 2 kilometres further on. The heat got the better of me walking up a steep concrete path and i´ve now stopped for the day i´ve done my washing, and i´m listening to neil diomond played by Peter the german volunteer for this albergue. The albergue is a sports hall which still has all it´s original facilities including squash court, although i can´t see any pilgrim taken advantage of them.Any hoo i waffled on again so it´s time to go and the question is.... is life still good. well let me think I´ve found my lost socks i´ve completed my first 100 kilometres in Spain , i´m clean and don´t smell like a tramp and i´ve got a minty bottom. you bet it´s good Adios

Cizor minor to Puenta La Reina

As usual i woke in the middle of the night 3am, sat outside for a while in the rain then went back to bed . Got up at about 6.30am, and started the process of packing my rucksack with all my gear in the order i thought i may need them , i shared out the fruit i bought the night before ( while out buying the fruit i was overcome with a need to have an ice lolly but they only had ice creams other the huge ice on a stick clearly marketed for children as it had a big plastic stick to hold it with the cashier looked at me if had purchased something ilicit and put it the bag of fruit, on leaving i promptly retrieved it from the bag and started to lay into it, I got some strange looks from the local children as i walked back to the albergue. the stick turns out to be some kind of whistle . i've kept it as a momento).By the time we were all ready to go it was getting light and closer to eight o'clock than it was to seven. We filled up with water and made our way out of this pretty little town towards Alto Perdon. I stopped to see how Ray and Martha were doing behind me Ray called out and told me to carry on. I stopped part of the way up the alto and sat next to a memorial to a belgian pilgrim i had an orange and a pear for breakfast and watched the steady stream of pilgrims walk past, before leaving i placed a small stone on the heap of others left on the memorial by other pilgrims. On reaching the top I bought patato omelette roll and a coffee from a man in a van yes that's right, a man in van selling food on top of the Alto. I looked accross the plains that lay below, it was exposed and unshaded most of the way. By the time i reached the bottom to start my trek across the rolling plains i could feel the sweat from my head trying to find a way out from under my hat, my back was already wet from the ascent. I was nearing Puenta La reina when I saw the sign to the Eunate Church which was shown as being 2 km off the Camino. After walking through the small village and past corn fields i could just about see it in the distance. it worked out about 5km to get there and it was closed with the gates padlocked, to say i was unhappy would be an under statement, i heard some foot steps behind me and saw another pilgrim , Nils from germany was walking the Arragon Route and had also hoped to visit the church. I just said CERRADO (SHUT). It was a longer walk to get back on the camino and i´m now in an Albergue on the edge of Puenta La Reina, showered and wearing fresh clothes.
I checked my pack and found out I left a pair of walking socks back at Cizor Minor. All in All day of more downs than ups. Is Life Still Good?..........YES JUST

Huerte to Cizor Minor

We thought we were just outside Pamplona, every time we asked how far the standard answer would be 2.5 kilometres. we left the albergue at 8 and i got into the old city at about 11am had a coffee near the cathedral texted ray with my location and went to have a look at the cathedral, before i knew it i was attending a very moving mass alongside a pilgrim from Slovakia, which lasted almost 2 hours, the cathedral stamped my pilgrim passport I was now with Ray and Martha and yes we´re on the hunt for somewhere to eat, almost every place was shut but we found a small galician restuarant run by people from rays part of spain we polished off the the meal with coffee and Aguadiente de heirbas (fire water of herds) The walk across Pamplona city was long and hot 36 degrees with out any shade. from the old town it is about 8 k to the edge of Pamplona city and then onto cizor minor. On my arrival i was offered a foot massage and shown to my bed . i then sat under a fig tree drinking a cold fanta looking across at the enclosed gardens and nursing my itching little legs. LIFE IS GOOD
sorry i haven´t posted any photo´s yet between showering washing clothes finding somewhere to eat there´s not a lot of time left to do much more ADIOS

Zubiri to Huerte

Got off to a bad start woke up at about 3am iching my left leg is swollen from the amount of bites in the municipal albergue (only 6 euros for the night and another twenty for the medication for the cure of sleeping there)i´ve had plus some bruising from i don´t know were. I´ve been in touch with Ray and Martha who are in a private albergue just a few metres up the road from me. I got up at six and packed my rucksack went out into the gardens to collect my washing from the line , it was still wet so i packed the wet shirt and shorts into my rucksack and left three pairs of socks dangling on the outside to dry them off, as i set off i caught a glimpse of myself in a shop window, rolled up creased trousers ,creased shirt,dusty boots and socks hanging from my pack and i thought i cut quite a dashing figure. anyhoo i met Ray and Martha on the trail after waiting for an hour for them at thier albergue only to find they had left. we walked to larasoana together and went in searched of breakfast ,every where was shut but a man who owned the pension on the edge of the village saw us and opened up just for us, we had shandy ham and cheese sandwich and his wife gave us some plums from their garden. a special moment on the camino . Martha´s foot was playing up, the owner of the pension suggested we walk on the roadside instead of the trail as it was shorter and less demanding. We had walked for about 4 or 5k´s and Martha had had enough, i carried onto a small group of houses and spoke to a local who was trying to tell me that i wasn´t on the trail. i explained about Martha and he set off to get her and Ray, he then offered us a lift to Pamplona but we had already decided on Huerte which was a bit closer and had a shopping mall, Ray and Martha went with him and I opted to carry on walking. about a 1K on the road i found a track that led back onto the trail which was narrow with about an 80 foot drop on the right with the path crumbling at the edges and thorn bushes clinging to my pack and shirt. It reached a point were it crossed over the road i had been on and i then decided i was going to go back onto the road. I was now about 2k´s outside of Huerta and out of water and out of songs to keep me going when i looked up and saw a village on the opposite hillside called OLLOKKI and i burst into a verse in one of miss Minogue´s greatest " I should be OLLOKKI, LOKKI LOKKI LLOKKI". (don´t deny it you had ago at singing this to see if worked, didn´t you! ) anyway I got to the albergue which we had to ourselves after a shopping trip for creams and medication for various bites ( i seem to be top of the menu for all sorts of biting isects and the like , while walking i had a stinging pain on my left leg but ignored it only to find two small puncture wounds on my knee and a rash over most of my leg and a swollen foot) and some flip flops for Martha. We found a nice restuarant round the corner from the albergue but had to make it a quick meal to avoid being locked out. Ray and I went to the laundry room to wash some clothes and found that it had a balcony over looking the town square, so we moved two chairs out there a polished off a bottle of Tinto verrano between us while we wacthed the children playing with water bombs and chasing one another while their parents sat close by drinking we went to bed at midnight and they were still at it. an altogether enjoyable evening LIFE IS GOOD.

Roncevalles to Zubiri

 I woke up at about 4am but didn´t want to disburb the other seven people in the tiny portacabin we´re sharing. every body started to move at about 6am, Started off at 0730 making good time as it was flat and most of yesterdays pains were a memory, but not for long i thought the road to Zubiri was straight forward with a few gradients (wrong) the first 4 k was ok then after breakfast of coffee and lemon cake the track meandered across open fields and woodland. i stopped for lunch in a little village and spoke to a couple I had been seeing every now and then along the way,and after consulting the maps i was informed that the last 4k was straight down to Zubiri, they forget to point out the long steady climb before hand . A lot of the track was unshaded and uneven with rocks and scree threatning to end the whole trip in a blink of an eye. passed a sign stating Zubiri was only 6 kilometers away but we still continued to climb for another 2 hours. Then we started the long decent, not in distance but in time, i change from boots to sandles as they were starting to hurt again, I finally crossed the bridge into Zubiri at 5.20Pm after stopping for a quick drink in the firs bar i went to the nearest albergue which was full i found the municipal albergue about 100 metres further up the road. Sharing a room with the same English couple I saw earlier , a Spainish guy from the Rioja region (soon to be my new best friend)and a Japanese girl I found wondering through town in search of an Albergue i´m going find somewhere to eat then another early start I hope to make Pamplona. Adios

St Jean Pied de Port To Roncevalles

Well i´ve made to Roncevalles in Spain a long walk 27 K but more like 37 with the gradient upto an altitude of 1458 metres. fatanstic views and eagles soaring no more than twenty feet above our heads .  It´s been a long exhausting day, i  left St jean pied de port at about 8 am after checking that my friend Ray and his wife Martha were ok, unfortunately she injured herself last night and at the moment can´t continue. So i´m on my own. The walk through the Ibeneta Pass was spectacular looking down on clouds and dense woodland. I reached Roncesvalles at about 1850 hours booked a table at the restuarant for a pilgrims meal if you don´t book you don´t eat. Went for a quick shower ,I´ve been put on the camp site as the main accomodation is full, missed my booked dinner but i may try and get in after mass.the last 4 k was very painful as it was down hill, after spending the whole day of walking up hill my little legs protested that they were now required to do the opposite and i had to strap my knee to try and ease the pain. Sorry it´s only a short post with a day missing (gatwick to St jean pied de port) When i´m more relaxed and at a PC i understand i will try give a more in depth account with some pictures if i can. I´m off now to phone home and then it´s off to mass and dinner if i´m lucky.

Camino de Santiago

Planning and Preparation

I will be walking from St Jean Pied De Port in France over the Pyrenees and across Spain to Santiago De Compostela along an ancient pilgrimage route about 800 kilometres long. I hope to complete this in 32 days give or take a day or two . Rucksack and equipment is all ready to go flight booked to Biarritz for the 1st September. From there I will bus it to Bayonne and then a local train to St Jean Pied de Port. I hope to walk an average of 25Km a day . The first day is 27Km to Roncesvalles which will take me up to an altitude of 1458metres and back down to 900m
So far my training has been very light just a few 10K walks with a full pack, this week I intend taking it up to about 21. My pack weight is about 8Kg with water, I may have to leave something behind to keep the weight down but up to yet it has felt comfortable on my training walks.