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