Walking in my sleep

When I returned home in May from my first walk along the Camino, I had a series of unsettling experiences. Each night in my dreams, I re-lived walking and sleeping each step of the Camino. On my first night home, I was walking from St. Jean to Valcarlos. Second night home, Valcarlos to Roncesvalles. Since my usual sleep pattern has be waking up at least once between 2 & 3 a.m., I would wake up disoriented. The dreams were so real, I woke up with the expectation to be in whatever albergue or hotel I had stayed in that particular day. Most nights, I would wake up & take maybe a few seconds to realize that I was home. One night, however, I was so disoriented, that it wasn't until I got out of bed & turned on the light that I realized I was home. It was very scary waking up, wondering where my friends were & not remembering this "albergue" at all. This time, the disorientation stayed with me for a long time, throughout the day, even though I was able to fall back asleep with the cats piled on top of me. It is interesting to note that the day I reliving in my dreams was the day we climbed the Alto del Perdon & ended up in separate albergues in Puente la Reina.

For whatever reason, I did not experience this sensation when I came home from the Camino in September. I did have very spectacular, vivid dreams each night & still frequently have them now that I am home. Weird.

There's a Dance in the Old Dame Yet: Lillian & "Beza"

Before I tell this story, I want to tell you about the 2 types of young, buff men you see walking the Camino. Most of them would make their mothers proud: they are polite, almost to a fault, and always willing to help out pilgrims who need it or are struggling. I even saw one offer to carry the pack of a Polish woman who had sprained her ankle (in addition to his own pack!). I like these guys.

The other type of young, buff men I don't much care for. They walk the Camino with the attitude that if you aren't young, buff, pretty, carrying 35 lbs & walking 50km/day, you aren't worth the breath it takes to say "Buen Camino." They walk as though they own the path & if you are in their way, they brush right by you & roll their eyes at the thought that someone so old, so unattractive (to them), so out of shape, would dare walk "their" Camino. This is "Buff Guy Type 2" or "BGT2."

With this information in mind, here is my story of Lillian & "Beza."

I never got a chance to get a picture of these two women. I saw them first in Azofra, and then many times the next day on our walk to Santo Domingo. I first came across them resting next to a huge hay stack. They said it was quite comfortable, but I wasn't so sure that I could make it back up if I sat on the ground with them. Of course, they passed me, & that's when they told me their names: Lillian & "Beza," which means "Granny." I saw them again at the bar in Ciruena, where I wisely stopped to get something to drink & eat. We chatted a bit, & then I took off.

Along the way through "rolling hills" (more like mini-mountains to me), I came across two BGT2s. The BGT2s were walking together & snorted at Lillian, Beza, & I (yes they caught up with me; turtles could pass me & I'd be hard-pressed to beat molasses on Christmas morning) while we had some water & chatted.

Lillian & Beza are from Norway. Lillian is Beza's granddaughter & Beza told me her name means "Granny." Beza told me she was 78 & is walking the Camino to show the young guys that the old ladies still have it. This is when the BGT2s chose to walk by & snort. Fools. They obviously don't know any old ladies, at least feisty ones like Beza.

It wasn't long before Lillian & Beza got ahead of me, but I didn't mind. I thought I'd see them at the albergue & talk with them some more. As we walked up & down & up & down (God, those hills never ended!), I noticed the BGT2s were walking slower & slower. Heh heh. That's when Beza put it into "granny gear" & hot-footed it up the highest hill, passing the BGT2s as if they were standing still. When she got to the top, she raised her arms in victory, a la "Rocky." I cheered & then began my own long, slow climb to the top of that damn hill.

I too passed the BGT2s & they looked shocked & chagrined that they had been beaten up that hill by an old lady. Good. Maybe she turned them into the other type of Camino Buff Guy.

I hope & pray that when I'm 78, I'm as spirited & feisty as Beza!

Finally got my pictures organized

It took some doing, thanks to my computer repeatedly freezing up at the wrong time. I hope you enjoy the show!

Pilgrims on horseback

Whenever you watch a John Wayne movie, one thing you can always count on is that sometime during the film, he'll call someone "Pilgrim." I had often heard & read about pilgrims on horseback, but never saw one. I did, however, see lots of horseshoe tracks once I started in Logrono.

It wasn't until San Juan de Ortega that I actually got to see pilgrims on horseback. There were about 5 of them, on beautiful horses. The youngest one told me that they lived in Logrono & were going all the way to Santiago on horseback. On the day that I saw them, they were headed towards Burgos.

I took a few pictures & grabbed a shot of one of the pilgrims on horseback sneaking a cig. The way he was standing & what he was wearing reminded me of John Wayne & the Marlboro Man, Camino-style.

Last but not least-Castrojeriz to Leon (sort of)

Sorry it's been a while since I blogged, but this thing called "Life" got in my way. I was not able to walk the entire distance because I got sick in Sahagun & decided to take the train to Leon & spend the remainder of my Camino there. It wasn't too bad, but now I'm home & missing the Camino, I wonder. But before I had to get on the train, here's where I stayed:

Castrojeriz: What a long walk this was! The maps all make it look like Castrojeriz is just the easiest town to wander around in. Let me clue you in to something that most of us don't discover until it's too late: the guidebooks lie. Of course, it could have been because the town is tearing up all its streets at the same time & I'm sure they'll be lovely once done, but it does make Castrojeriz a bit of a chore to find anything in.

I stayed at the private albergue, Casa Nostra. The owner/hospitalero is doing all the renovations himself & so far, he's done a fantastic job. This albergue is going to be spectacular once he is done. Fortunately for me, he did have room in a small room upstairs that he hasn't converted yet. It did have a bed & 2 mattresses. I assured him that I didn't mind that room at all, even when he told me that he might have to put more people in there. It didn't matter. I ended up with a roomie from Maine, who had written 2 songs about the Camino that were just lovely. More about her in another post. Anyway, since last season, he has added toilets upstairs. He has also put in another shower, but when I was there, he hadn't finished it. However, it should be ready for next season. The restaurant just down the street was excellent & one of the owner's dogs is a famous "perro-grino." He followed us up the hill the next day, stayed to greet the people behind us, & then went home.

Hospital de San Nicolas: I didn't stay here, but I stopped in to get a sello. The albergue doesn't look like it could hold many people, but it was clean. The hospitalero was busy mopping when we arrived. He offered us coffee, cookies, & sellos, in exchange for a donation. What is really cool about San Nicolas is that there is no electricity, so if you really really want a medieval experience, this is your place.

Boadilla del Camino: I stayed at the private albergue "En el Camino," and after walking in the heat, dust, & God knows what kicked up by all the harvesters, I was really looking forward to it. The outside of the place, however, makes it look like a questionable concern, but once through the gate, OMG, I was in heaven. Instead of making me stand in a line, I was guided to the bunk rooms & told to take a shower, rest, then pay. We had dinner that night at the albergue & it was wonderful. The showers & bathrooms were spotless. This place has a swimming pool & although it was a bit too cold to swim, we stuck our feet in it. Yum!



The next day, we all walked to Fromista & made it in 1 hour. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it to Leon in the time I had left, so I planned to take the train from there to Sahagun. Mes Amies also had differing plans. Denise & Lucie were going to take the bus or train onward from the town after Fromista, & Josette still had enough time to make Santiago, so she was going to walk. We said good-bye in Fromista, many tears being shed. In typical Irish manner, I didn't watch them leave, because if you do that, you will never see those people again. I found out that I had to go to Palencia to get to Sahagun & ended up spending the night in a hotel there.

Sahagun: I got to Sahagun early in the afternoon. There was some sort of Spanish Hell's Angels convention going on, so I'm glad I stayed in Palencia. I made it to the municipal albergue which is in the turismo office. I liked the beds. The bathrooms, while okay, were in the same room as the beds & that area did not have its own ceiling, so using the restroom at night was, well, "interesting," since you couldn't turn the lights on without disturbing anyone. It was here that I started having problems with congestion & a runny nose. The pharmacy did not have anything with pseudophedrine in it, so I was screwed. I didn't get a good night's rest, either, since I was having to blow my nose every 5 seconds. I'm sure everyone around me loved that. But my walk through the farmland was catching up with me. Since I was leaving that week for the US, I knew I had to get somewhere to get the right medicine to clear my sinuses & Eustachian tubes, or that flight would be a miserable one. I cried once I decided to end my Camino there & take the train instead of soldiering on, but in the end, it probably was the wisest choice. I gave my walking stick to Rachel from Kentucky, since she only had one & you really need two. She didn't want to take it, but I told her that I was going to leave it behind anyway & I'd rather leave it with someone I knew really needed it.



Leon: Once again, I was bunking with nuns. However, this time, they separated the men from the women (although if you were travelling in a group & looked like you were married, you could stay together). After weeks of sharing bathrooms with men, this place was absolute heaven! We actually had toilet paper in the morning! And the toilet area didn't smell like piss, either. (A word to the guys: You should aim for the toilet, not the floors or the walls.) I scored a nice lower bunk & took what had to be one of the longest siestas I've ever had. I found a pharmacy that gave me stuff with pseudophedrine in it & could feel it working immediately. This was a very welcoming albergue & it was all for a donativo!

Another day, another 3 albergues

Here's my take on the albergues in Atapuerca, Burgos, & Hornillos (with a dash of San Juan de Ortega and how to use the bus thrown in for good measure):

San Juan de Ortega: No, I did not stay here (having read the guide books), but I did speak to 3 people who did. One insisted the albergue has hot water, the others said it did not. Two of them did not take a shower there because of the state of the bathrooms. All of them liked the pilgrim service & the garlic soup. All of them also agreed that the bathrooms were very dirty. This is a damn shame in my book because the church there is one of the most special, most holy-feeling, churches I poked around in.

Atapuerca:I had been worried about my knees, so I was not looking forward to the "steep climb" out of Villafranca. They are not kidding about that, BUT it's not as long as I had thought it would be. Word of caution: Make sure you have your own water. The sign at Fuente Mojopan is an "Agua Non Potable" sign, but the "Non" part has been painted over. Sort of. If you want to take your chances, feel free, but I'm not willing to gamble on something like that. There also is no descent to Valdefuentes, as the Camino has been restructured, widened, and levelled out. I made San Juan de Ortega by 11!!! But, you have been warned. Fill up in Villafranca.



We stayed at the private Albergue de Peregrinos on the main road in Atapuerca. Very nice, clean, smallish kitchen, but we only threw breakfast together there. The rooms have 2 beds & two bunk beds in them. Each bed has a small shelf for your personal night time items, and a footlocker for your pack. IIRC, there is also a plug so you can recharge your phone/iPod/electrical entertainment device of your choice while you sleep. The internet connection is in the Information Center of the Archaeological Center just down the road. It's free, but there's only one terminal, so if someone's already on there blogging away, you have to sit & wait your turn. Which isn't bad, since you can watch the film of the exacavations underway in Atapuerca & learn something. Evidence suggests that this area has been inhabited by humans &/or humanoids for almost 1 million years. This albergue also posts information on which bus to take into Burgos.

Burgos (at last):I was only a few months' late getting to Burgos (my first stab at the Camino was to end here instead of Logrono). This was also the only day the heavens opened up & it rained like cats & dogs (with nasty-sounding thunder & lightning thrown in for good measure). After waiting out the storm in a small bar, we headed towards Villafria. Note: The guidebooks mention a plethora of routes--this has been changed. The only alternate route we saw was the turn off after crossing the highway just before Villafria.

Instructions for taking the bus into Burgos: The route you are looking for is route 8. It stops in front of the Buenos Aires hotel/restaurant every hour on the hour between the hours of 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. (times according to the albergue in Atapuerca; we hopped on the noon bus, so I can't vouch for the other times). Cost is 75 cents (Euro) & well worth it. This route ends near the statue of El Cid, close to the Cathedral.

None of us stayed at the main albergue in Burgos. The first night, I stayed at Hotel Espana for 35 Euro/night. Nice place, but I checked out the next day with the intention of going to the main albergue in the park. My friends stayed at the small albergue near the cathedral. They saw people being turned away because they were not walking the next day. (Hello, most pilgrims take a rest day in Burgos!) They were not allowed to do laundry because it had been raining. It was also crowded, but for a donativo, who's going to complain?

The next day, I checked out of the hotel & headed towards the Cathedral plaza. I met up with 2 German pilgrims & somehow in German, French, Spanish AND English, I gathered that the main albergue was "very bad, don't go there." I somehow a referral for a good pensione for the Germans, since they didn't want to stay at a hotel. It's amazing what information you can get using 4 languages (including 2 that no one is fluent in), maps, & charades. So there I was in the middle of Burgos with no place to rest my weary head for that night. I took a look around & decided to take a chance on Meson del Cid. It is a 4 star, so I was sure it was too pricey, but I was also armed with my American Express card. Yes, they took Amex & would I like a room for 70 Euro (no meals) or 90 Euro (meals included). For the record, if you are in Burgos on a Tuesday evening, take the 90 Euro offer. Most restaurants were closed Tuesday evening, so I would have saved a bunch if I had been smart enough to follow my instincts. After all the albergues & the 2 star hotels, this place was Paradise! A nice big bed all to my lonesome, TV with CNN International (although the only story of import was OJ's recent arrest, so I'm not sure if this was a great deal or not), and a big bathroom. Later that day (after discovering that most restaurants were closed), I ran into Mes Amies again, & as luck would have it, they were also staying at the same hotel!!!! We ended up walking together all the way to Fromista. We had dinner that night in the hotel's restaurant. Expensive, but OMG, it was worth it!



We took the bus out of Burgos as well, but since I was following Mes Amies (they had the instructions), I can only suggest that you inquire at the Information office near the Cathedral.

Hornillos del Camino: We almost didn't get beds here, but got the last ones, including 2 lower bunks. The bathrooms were clean, as were the dorms. The kitchen was also clean. The only downside was the very small laundry area. Only one small sink, so the line for laundry was longer than the line for the shower.

There is a store here & it is open during siesta & until 8pm. I'm not sure if it's open all year. It is fairly well stocked for a town of this size (less than 100 people) & has bathrooms. It is owned (I think) by the same people who own the bar/restaurant in front of the albergue. Word of caution: while it is great that they start serving dinner so early (6:00), you have to go put your name on a list. There are only 5 tables & we had to wait almost 2 hours. Nice upshot to that was since they are also the hospitaleros, the bar owners don't close up the albergue until everyone has had dinner. There is a hotel of sorts in town as well, but Hornillos fills up quickly.

Albergues at Santo Domingo, Villamayor, & Villafranca

The next three nights, I stayed at the following albergues.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada--I stayed at the convent, which is the first albergue as you walk into town, although there is a newer, municipal one a few blocks further down the Camino. It was just one of those days when I couldn't make myself walk the extra yards to get there. They only ask for donativos, & some people didn't leave anything, although the donation box was right under their nose. The bathrooms & dorms were unisex, but the mattress on my bunk (I got a lower one this time!) was one of the best. The showers are a bit crowded & there's really no area to change in the shower & keep your clothes dry. However, the water pressure was quite good, so I washed out my dirty, sweaty clothes in it after finishing the shower. Just across the street from the new albergue is a coin-operated laundry with 2 washers & dryers. Soap is automatically added in the washer, so you don't have to bring or buy your own. At the convent, there is a nice sized dining/common area & kitchen facilities, and an open patio/garden area behind it. Very peaceful. The only downside to this albergue is the shower situation.



Villamayor del Rio--Most people wander past this albergue on their way to Belorado. It is off the main Camino, but you can see it from the highway. I wanted to stay in Viloria del Rio, but hadn't walked enough kms that day. I did stop by & got a bit of a rest. It looks like a good place to stop.

Back to Villamayor, it is a private network albergue run by a family. The rooms are big, with 3 to 4 bunks in each one. Some upper bunks have boards instead of mattresses, so you can leave your packs on them instead of the floor. The bathrooms were large for an albergue. The women's had 3 toilets & three showers, & each shower had a changing area. The best part of this albergue is the owner's garden in the back. They have tilled quite a large area, & planted flowers and all kinds of vegetables in it. They use the produce in the evening meal. That night we had leek soup (pureed), and stewed beef with the best boiled potatoes I've ever had in my life. When we checked in & asked about dinner, the hospitalero said we didn't have to pay if we didn't like it. Since everyone raved, everyone paid.



Villafranca Montes de Oca-- The municipal albergue here keeps the door open all day & the hospitaleros come later to sign everyone in. We went in & secured bunks in the room at the back of the albergue. The town is split in half by the highway, so the back room is quieter. The albergue quickly filled up in the afternoon, as the hostal El Pajaro was closed for vacations. One room on the lower level was filled with mattresses, & some mattresses were placed in our room as well, after the dining table was removed. There is a nice open area in the back overlooking the mountains, but it is all cement; no plants or gardens. There is only one toilet for women, but 2 for men & several unisex showers. The kitchen area is a bit limited, but we were able to make a decent dinner for that night, as well as breakfast the next morning.

Logrono to Azofra: Albergues

A friend commented "Why aren't you updating your blog?" Answer: It was becoming "I came, I saw, I slept." Lather, rinse, repeat. Boring to write, boring to read. So somewhere along the way, I decided I'd blog about the people I met, things that really interested me, thoughts that crossed my mind instead. For my first post, however, I want to run through the albergues I stayed at. Yes, there are guidebooks & such that tell you where they are & what sort of condition they are (or rather were) in last year, but there's no substitute for reading someone's personal experience (hence the need for a site such as TripAdvisor--don't book a hotel room without it). With the caveat that you will be reading my personal opinions (and somethings that bother me might not bother you), here we go.

Logrono: Although I arrived mid-afternoon, the main albergue was already full. The hospitalera sent me on my way to the church down the street to stay at the albergue there. When I arrived, they were already out of beds (it didn't appear that they had that many anyway), so she took me & another girl upstairs to the parish hall. They had some "mattresses" (more like gym mats, very thin) which we could sleep on, so we set up our mattresses on one side of the hall & left our packs on the other. Soon, a school group arrived seeking lodging & when the instructor said she needed 19 places, I thought the hospitalera would faint. It was a tight squeeze, but we all fit. Eventually. There was no set price, even though dinner was included. All donativo & helping out with dinner (ie, washing the dishes & putting them away). After the pilgrim mass, we had dinner & the priest showed up! He was very nice, wanted to make sure everyone was accomodated & satisfied. He then told us about the special pilgrim service they have each night after dinner. We had to "sneak" back into the church via a secret tunnel, and went into the chapel at the rear of the church. There we conducted the pilgrim service in French, Spanish, German, & English. Afterwards, the priest stamped our credentials & spoke with each of us personally. He got a big kick out of the fact that I was from Laredo; there is also a Laredo, Spain, so he joked that I hadn't come far enough to stay there that night.

The only downside, to me, about this albergue is that there is only one toilet & shower for men & one for women. The mattresses also are very thin, so it was very uncomfortable to sleep on the floor. But the hospitaleras, the priest, the fantastic meal & the overall welcoming feeling we received far outweigh those issues for me.

Ventosa:I arrived in Ventosa only to find the street leading to the San Saturnino albergue completely torn up. It's probably paved back over by now, so no worries, but it wasn't a happy thing to see after trudging 20 kms. I was lucky, though. There were only a few backpacks beside the door when I arrived.



The hospitalera opened the albergue early that day, & I luckily received the last upper bunk in the first room. The albergue quickly filled up that day, and in the morning, there were people in the kitchen & the salon on the ground floor. I can't remember how the mattress was, but after spending a night on the floor, my body was happy for it. The bathrooms were clean, as was the kitchen. The hospitalera woke us up at 6:20 a.m. by playing Pachelbel's Canon. A very nice way to wake up!

Azofra:The town has built their own albergue just off the main Camino. It has a footbath (heaven), a huge dining/common room area, nice sized kitchen & also a patio area. You sleep in beds (not bunks), 2 people per room. The bathrooms are unisex, but since there is room to change in the shower stall, that's not a problem. Each person also has a "closet" to place their packs in, which is nicer than having to leave them on the floor. There is a washing machine, 3 euro, which includes detergent! There are 2 restaurants in town offering pilgrim menus.

I came to Spain to practice my French

Today I said "good bye" to my Camino friends Josette, Denise, & Lucie. I met them in Ventosa & we have travelled together up to Burgos. Josette is from France. Denise & Lucie are cousins from Quebec. They all speak French & some English, so what little French I know (and it´s not very much) got a real work-out. We left each other at the bus stop in Burgos, near the statue of El Cid. Josette is walking all the way to Santiago, so I will probably see her again, but Denise & Lucie will be cutting across the meseta & picking up the Camino again in Leon. I decided to get a hotel tonight, to have some space to myself, so had to say good bye when they headed to the albergue.

If you are reading this, mes amies, I miss you already! Bon Chemin!

Oh, and it rained like the blazes today.

Second day on the Camino

I´ve made it to Azofra & am in the fantastic albergue here: 60 places, all in rooms with 2 bed, NOT bunk beds!!! So far, it does not appear that anyone is sleeping on the floor. I got to do that in Logrono, at the church. The overall experience there was nice, but my body let me know quickly it will not tolerate sleeping on the floor again. I heard about it all the way to Ventosa. That albergue opened up early & was full by 1 pm (I scored a top bunk). More & more people kept showing up, so out came the mattresses until there was no room left on the floor. It was nice, however, to wake up to Pachelbel¨s Canon & then walk through vineyards ripe with grapes in the early hours. A very peaceful start to a nice day of walking.

Google Map of the Camino Frances

With permission, I've added a link to Jerome's Google Map. It's one thing to hear me nattering on about the Camino, but now you can see exactly where in Spain I've been walking. Thanks Jerome!

One week to go!

This time next week, I'll be in Madrid! After getting over jet lag there, I'll be headed to Logrono on the bus, & start walking on Tuesday.

My plans are to start at Logrono & end at Leon. I have 16 days to do this & my "schedule" has me arriving in Leon 14 days after I leave Logrono. If I feel like having a rest day or stopping earlier, I will have 2 days built in to my schedule to do that. If I don't use the days, I'll continue on to Astorga.

Here's my plan:
Day 1 Logrono to Ventosa
Day 2 Azofra
Day 3 Santo Domingo (got to have time to play with the chickens!)
Day 4 Villamayor
Day 5 Villafranca
Day 6 Atapuerca (or Ages)
Day 7 Burgos
Day 8 Hontanas
Day 9 Fromista
Day 10 Carrion de Condes
Day 11 Terradillos
Day 12 Bercianos
Day 13 Mansilla
Day 14 Leon
Day 15 ?
Day 16 ?

Where ever I end up, I head back to Madrid, spend the night, then go home. I hope to meet as many nice people on the Camino as I did in May. Okay, now off to pack.

I've heard from Felicity!

I heard from Felicity last week and she sent me the link to her pictures. They are fantastic and really make me want to get back on the Camino asap. I hope you enjoy looking at her photos as much as I did!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/felicitybc

Some tips & suggestions for the Camino

Feel free to use or disregard as you will.

I. When planning to walk to Camino Frances (or any Camino for that matter), you must get yourself into better shape than you are in right now. This means exercise, preferably walking. Time to start? Now. Start small & work your way up.

Use Google Earth or Map Quest to figure out your routes. Plan out a 5k route (a tad over 3 miles) and start walking. Each week, add another km (or mile). At some point, those of you who work will have to limit weekday walks to 2 hours or less, but you do have the weekends, so schedule longer walks for Saturdays & Sundays (or whatever days you have off from work).

As you get closer to your departure date, start walking with your backpack, especially for the longer walks. This is the very best way to find out that your pack is too heavy. If you wait until you are on the Camino, you will either have to leave things behind or mail them (right, Felicity? )

2. Your pack should weigh no more than 20% of your bodyweight & not more than 20 pounds (9.07kg)! Any more than that & you risk injuring your back, knees, & ankles. I was one of those who didn't really listen to this advice & my first few days on the Camino weren't very pleasant. You don't need to bring your closet! 2 or 3 changes of clothes & that's it! You should include basic toiletries (soap, toothpaste, prescriptions, toothbrush, towel, washcloth), & some items for first aid, especially for blisters. Everything else is a non-essential item & you should take the time to consider whether you really really really need it or not.

3. TAKE A WALKING STICK!!!! Better yet, take TWO. Sticks not only help you keep your balance on slippery slopes, they give your hands something to do so they don't swell up. (Trust me on this one.) I know there are some people out there who scoff at using sticks. That's fine for them as they are part mountain-goat. The rest of us (and this includes you)? Not so much. My walking stick saved me from several falls in the early days when it was rainy & mucky. Later, it helped me over the river of rocks (tm Minkey) that is the downward slope of the Alto del Perdon.

4. DO NOT SKIMP ON SHOES & SOCKS!! While it's fine to hit the thrift stores for most of your items, including your pack & sleeping bag, DO NOT SKIMP $$ ON YOUR SHOES & YOUR SOCKS!! Take the time & the $$ to get the best pair of boots/hiking shoes that you can possibly afford. If you use the wrong shoes, you will be miserable your entire trip. As for hiking & wicking socks, yes they are worth the price you pay at a sporting goods store for them. They work in tandem with your boots to keep your feet happy.

5. The best way to handle blisters is to not get them in the first place. There are many suggestions out there on how to handle/prevent blisters. I am firmly in the "do not puncture" camp. I only had one blister my entire trip (okay, all 11 days of it), & that was due to my boots & socks getting soaked on the way to Roncesvalles. The big toe on my right foot got a hot spot & there was no way or where to stop & do something about it, so I soldiered on. I did not get a blister anywhere else because I used bandage tape on my feet. Someone asked me what I meant by that, so here goes: Whenever I buy a new pair of shoes, I always get blisters. I know where they form on my feet, so I taped up those areas. Guess where I've never gotten a blister before? You guessed it: on my big toes. So, I just put moleskin on my blister & taped up my left big toe along with everything else, & I was just fine. As an aside, moleskin is very difficult to find in Spain, so if you are coming from the US, bring as much of it as you can & use it sparingly. If you leave the Camino early, be a good citizen & pass your unused moleskin along to someone else who needs it.

For my friend, XM

Please come back to the forum, xm! We miss you!

Pictures!

It took me a while, but I finally got my slideshow together! Enjoy!

To Madrid via a slow train to China

Well, not that slow, but it did come to a complete halt somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Eventually, we got to Madrid, where I arrived without a reservation for tonight & so had some fun going from hotel to hotel asking "Hay habitaciones esta noche?" and wandering on like a one-woman Posada.

The old town in Pamplona is nice & rather easy to learn your way around. I did find the route of the Encierro ("The Running of the Bulls"), and walked the pathway marked on the map obtained from the Tourist Office. I pretended that I was being pursued by a slow-moving cow who likes to window shop & a good thing too because I found a great "Going out of business" sale along the way.

Did you know that they release the bulls at the bottom of a long, steep hill & only let the drunken idiots get ¨chased¨ by them once the bulls reach the relatively flat & straight Calle Estafeta?? Talk about rigging the game!!! If these guys were really all that brave, they´d start at the bottom too!!!! GO TOROS!!!!

I have some thoughts on the Camino & what I experienced which I shall post later, but I really have enjoyed this trip (despite the crabbing about the weather, mud, etc). I met some really great people from all over the world & I look forward to coming back in September to continue on the Camino.

Camino Part 1 is over

Boo hoo. I stopped walking in Logrono to go to San Sebastian with Seamus & Mary. The walk to Logrono from Viana was one of the easiest so far & only took us about 3 hours, including the half hour we spent at Felisa´s Border Post. Mary & I got the famous ¨Higos Agua y Amor¨ stamp for our passport, but Seamus who was ahead of us walked on by as he was trying to shake some Italians. We told him that when he comes back in September, he´ll have to walk back to Felisa´s to get the stamp. Seamus insists he will never do the Camino again, but you know what happens when you say ¨never¨right?

Yesterday, we took the bus to San Sebastian & realized the bus was retracing in about an hour what it took us almost a week to cover on foot! Look--there´s Villamayor! Look, there´s Irache!! Look, pilgrims!!! It was weird to realize that we could be seen from the highway even though we weren´t near it or on it.

San Sebastian is a nice old town, full of interesting bars, restaurants, & shops. It is one of the stops on the Camino del Norte (I think; someone will correct me if I¨m wrong), so we saw a few peregrinos. The weather turned very nasty, however, so instead of walking the beach or up to the top of a hill to get a better view of San Sebastian, we simply walked around the old quarter & visited the Aquarium. Of course, today it was nice & sunny when we left.

I am now in Pamplona & I hope that Seamus & Mary got to Biarritz in time for their flight home to Dublin. It´s weird walking the streets of Pamplona, seeing pilgrims arriving in Pamplona & on their way to Cizur Menor or further. I´m at the Hotel Eslava & it´s quite nice. I have room 42, a small single, but it´s next to 40 & 41, 2 double rooms with full baths & small balconies (for drying laundry, hint hint). My room is 37 Euro per night & the place has an elevator. Later, I´m going to collect my laundry & during siesta, I plan to walk the streets where they hold the Running of the Bulls.

And on to Torres del Rio

I got an early start from Hotel Irache at 6:30 a.m. to make Villamayor in the cool of the day. My friends had gone there yesterday, so were ahead of me all day. The plan had been to stop at Los Arcos, but Seamus carried on to Sansol. The walk was pleasant, mostly downhill & along fields with dirt tracks. However, my right thigh started acting up & now is sore. When I got to Los Arcos, Mary had moved on as well, so I stopped at the bar she recommended & had a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice, a sandwich (the barista told me it was tuna, but turned out to be fried egg) & a pan de chocolate. MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm. Because of my leg, I stopped a pharmacy & got ibuprofen gel to rub on it & also the number of a taxi service, Taxi Conchi. I was picked up very quickly & then we took a detour for another passenger. I was in no hurry, so it was fine & wonderful to see other parts of the Camino, older towns, churches, & monasteries, that you can´t see from the pathway. Met Seamus in Sansol where the albergue wasn´t open. Neither of us liked it, so we went on to Torres del Rio. On maps, they say it´s 2K. In reality, it´s practically around the corner & down the hill. The regular albergue is closed. Someone asked why & was told that they have not been able to get anyone to run it, so we moved on to Casa Mari. Very good choice!!!!! The hospitelera made Seamus take a room upstairs because he was tall & also a man, while I got a bunk in the back, also upstairs, but with its own terrace. The hostel is very clean & nice, & has blankets for the beds. Mary arrived shortly after & got a bunk in my room. Then the place filled up & all that´s left are mattresses on the terrace. Not sure what we´re doing for dinner, but there is a bar here, so surely they´ll serve some food.

I have also decided to stop walking on Sunday in Logrono. Seamus & Mary leave that day, so I might go to San Sebastian with them or stay in Logrono before taking the bus to Burgos & on to Madrid.

NO VINO POR LOS PEREGRINOS!!

As everyone knows, there is a wine fountain at Bodegas de Irache that is supposed to be for pilgrims ONLY! Tell that to two full busloads of tourists who sucked that fountain dry in no time flat, leaving nothing for those of us who arrived on foot! The bastards even laughed at us, then took pictures of us like we were some damn Disneyworld tourist attraction!! Grrrrr. I realize the folks at Bodegas can´t always police their wine fountain, but it pisses me off that their generosity to the pilgrims is stolen by assholes on buses who know nothing of walking in the mud, muck, heat, rocks, up up up & down down down with a backpack, sore feet & screaming tired knees & ankles.

I made it to Hotel Irache. Very expensive, but I need more hours to rest & get my laundry done. I stink to high heaven & my hair looks like hell.

What a time on the Camino!

The pathways are so horrible because of the bad weather (now in the past, it´s sunny now, but the mud & muck are still with us in places, plus all the rocks loosened in the water run-off). It´s taking even the strongest peregrinos hours longer than usual to complete each stage. Even though I wanted to stay in Lorca, because I was completely spent by then, I pressed on to Estella. The 116 bed Municipal refugio had only one place left. I paid for it, then saw where my bed was & left. Even Richard, a very strong & fast-moving peregrino, looked completely blasted when I saw him there & he arrived hours before I had!

To hell with my schedule. Tomorrow, I´m only going as far as Irache, if that.

The Camino is like life

Each day, we struggle hard to make it to the next town, sometimes going through hell & back to get there. It made me think today, the first day I´ve had a chance to ¨nave-gaze¨instead of constantly thinking ¨how the hell do I get myself out of this in one piece?¨that each day represents our lifetimes. We have ups & downs (mostly ups right now---argh say my ankles & knees), we meet friends, pause at bars & have a rest, then soldier on to the final stop for the day. Then we rest, shower, meet up with our friends, & have dinner & enjoy each other´s company. It seems to me that this is what our lives our like, & Heaven a refugio where we meet up with our wonderful friends, enjoy a meal, & then a nice, long sleep. Although, in Heaven, no one snores.

I´ve met many people: Con from Ireland & Carsten from Germany from my first day out of Valcarlos, without whom I would not have made it to Roncesvalles. Mary & Seamus from Ireland, friends walking the Camino to Burgos (maybe), who are a joy to meet up with on the road, at bars & for dinner at the end of the day. Richard from Oz (or should I say Tazzie?) who just reappeared today at the Alto del Peron quite to my surprise! Felicity from B.C., who got to learn with me how to mail something to yourself in Spain. And so on, many angels so far & only 2 devils, 2 women who refused to share a bench with me yesterday or help me get enough change together to get a much-needed bottle of water out of the vending machine. The Camino gives back to you ten-fold what you give to others, good or bad.

Pamplona at last!!

We left Zubiri early, all happy because we were all meeting in Larrasoana for breakfast. HA HA HA! Larrasoana was locked up tighter than a drum & from that point on there was no food or water except a vending machine after you cross the bridge. Take coins with you if you cannot buy anything in Zubiri the night before. Zubiri in my opinion, is a much better place to stay than Larrasoana.

More mud & muck on the trail, but today I had the smarts to send my bag via taxi. It is way too heavy. I think the cats put invisible rocks in it or something. My feet hurt, my shoulder is killing me, but when we all get to our destination, we take our showers & then it´s off to find food.

If my mother were still alive, she would be having fits by now. In Roncesvalles, I wore flip-flops to church. Today, in Pamplona, I´m staying in a convent. In a room full of men. And I took a nap on my bunk without my long pants on. Modesty & vanity are the firsts thing to go on the Camino. But everyone is in the same boat today who came from Zubiri--tired, hot, thirsty, hungry. Until those needs are filled, we really didn´t give a damn about anything else.

I´m still alive

Short blog. Made it to Zubiri today. If anyone says that only sissies go to Roncesvalles via Valcarlos, I´ll beat them with my now well-used & trusted walking stick within an inch of their lives. It rained almost the entire way yesterday & with all the rain they´ve had here, the way off road was very muddy, mucky, & dangerous. And cold. The other way wasn´t so good either because folks who walked over the mountain said it snowed AND hailed on them, as well as thunder & lightning. Today was a slip & slide down hills, almost bought it too if it weren´t for my stick. Stayed to the road after that & after about 2 hours on the flat top, a local took pity on me & brought me to Zubiri. I was about 2 km short when he picked me up. God bless him & all his family. Answer to my prayers & he wouldn´t take a dime from me either.

I just got word that my friend Patsy (who deserted us for El Paso) PASSED THE BAR!! Everyone please send her congratulations!! Patsy, there´s an opening in Laredo, btw. (hint hint)

I'm here already!!

Well, at least in Europe. I got to Paris early this morning, with only about 2 hours' of solid dozing time on the plane (brand new AVOD--over 290 movies to watch,in COACH no less, how could I pass up the opportunity?). Took a short nap, then went to find the Tour St. Jacques as suggested by Sil. Only to find that said Tour is covered in scaffolding & very un-medieval plastic for renovations. :(

And I have a blister on my foot. I haven't even started the Camino yet!

Observation coming from the airport, upon seeing red poppies by the wayside: "In Flanders fields, where poppies grow, and there the crosses row by row now mark our dead." (google is your friend) Happy "Mission Accomplished" Day, folks. /sarcasm off. God save our troops, because as He knows, no one else will.

I'm on my way!

My bag is packed & ready to go. The cats aren't happy (they know the signs which lead to my departure). I still need to get something to eat, since my ride is coming for me in an hour. Getting dressed might be a good thing too, huh?

I probably will check in once I get to Paris, but I don't think after that I'll have internet access until I get to Pamplona next Monday. Behave yourselves!

Special shout out to Patsy: GOOD LUCK PATSY!!! WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU HERE IN LAREDO!!

Last minute jitters!

This time next week, I will be winging my way towards Paris, France! I have been packing & re-packing my backpack, trying to make it work. It's still coming in at 17 lbs , even though I've tossed out a few things I wanted to bring (mostly things I can purchase in France or Spain, but really, I'd rather save the $ & take & use what I already have).

I finally got frustrated with the two "pockets" that attach to the front straps. Even empty, they make me feel as though I'm being strangled & are really heavy. I decided last night to toss them, but what to use instead? I decided to get a waistpack, which while smaller, will still hold the things I need to keep on hand (like my pilgrim's passport & munchies) AND is much lighter. I also got a cheapo rain poncho which is incredibly much lighter than the one I got earlier. At some point, I will stop spending $$ on this trip. I'll put it all together tonight to see how much my pack comes in at with these subtractions & additions.

Why I can't pack

Heeding the advice of veteran peregrinos, I have been packing & re-packing my back pack, taking things out so that it will be as light as possible. Can I really get by for 2 weeks with only 3 changes of clothes?

As you can tell, Rikki (calico) & Misty are "helping" me by sleeping on my stuff. I have less than 2 weeks to go before my trip. Will they finally wake up & go do something else so I can finish packing?

More thoughts on the first leg

Today,, one of the members of the Santiago Today forum reappeared. He had started his Camino about the time that the British pilgrim got lost & died. According to Santos, he spent 18 hours on the trail, getting to Roncesvalles at midnight! He related that it got cold very quickly, going from rain to blizzard conditions, when there was already a 3-foot accumulation on the ground. The kicker? He took the Valcarlos Route! He barely made it to Roncesvalles & was sent back by taxi to SJPdP the next morning. He could not continue because he had some problems due to the exposure to the cold, but he is at least safe & sound at home now. He had listened to the locals & took the recommended route, as well.

Now I'm budgeting in the cost of a taxi to Roncesvalles. If the weather is still that shaky in 2 weeks, I'll take a cab.

Another change in plans

This week, those of us in the Camino world received the tragic news that a pilgrim from Great Britain died as a result of exposure along the Route Napoleon. He had gotten lost during a snow storm, and while the rescuers found him alive, he later died at the hospital.

It's early April & it's still snowing in the mountains?!? I wonder why this guy was up there; we are told repeatedly to listen to the locals in SJPdP & if they tell you not to take the Route Napoleon--DON'T TAKE IT! Perhaps the weather changed so quickly that even the locals didn't realize?

I've already placed most of my stuff in my pack & wandered around the nearby elementary school with it the past few days (to the looks of amusement & disbelief of other walkers & joggers). Even if I walk 6 miles with the pack every day from now until May 1, I don't think I could handle carrying my "Seattle gear." As a result, I wouldn't have the proper gear to handle such a change in weather. Because of this, I am seriously considering taking the more historical route through the valley via Arneguy & Valcarlos, instead of up & over the Pyrennees as I had originally planned.

I can still take 2 days to get to Roncesvalles, by stopping at Valcarlos, and wouldn't have to climb or descend as high as I would have via the Route Napoleon. The Camino runs along the highway between SJPdP, so it's not as remote.

While I'd miss all the view, as well as staying at the albergue in Orisson, I think it best to play it safe on this first stage. I can always go back & walk the Route Napoleon when the weather is more stable.

For these two feet, much thanks

(Shout out to my friends at the KOEB)

I read somewhere recently that you should start walking 5 kms/day (3 & change miles) to get your feet used to all the walking you will do on the Camino. So, this past Sunday, I made myself get up & walk that distance. There is a school nearby that takes up an entire block, & so one lap around it is 1/2 mile. Yesterday, I added an extra lap, & on Sunday, I'll be up to 4 miles. (I can't get to the paper that has that converted into kms because Misty is sitting on it. Cats.)

My body really protested this course of action for about 3 days, but I've noticed that the complaints are subsiding. Since I plan to add 1/2 mile every 3 days, I should be up to 10 miles/day by the time I leave. And yes, I'll be training with my backpack on too.

Speaking of which, I've decided that since I'm taking a walking stick, I might as well check something. I don't want to have the TSA think I'm a terrorist because I have a collapsable Eddie Bauer walking pole on my person. Of course, now I can also take a Swiss Army knife, shampoo, sunscreen, & insect repellent as well, all in the checked bag. I found a cheap duffel bag to put all this stuff in, which I will either mail to my hotel in Madrid or fold up & carry with me. Yes, I made sure I got a duffle bag that folds up quite nicely.

Speaking of my hotel in Madrid, I got the bright idea to look in my Lonely Planet: Madrid for hotel suggestions. After looking up several hotels, to no avail (either no availability or too expensive), I gave it on last try on the Hotel Ateneo in the Puerto Sol district. When I saw the pictures on the website, I thought "No way is this hotel in my price range." I then pretended to make a reservation & almost fell over: a double room for single use? 85 Euro! Then I knew it was too good to be true, so I looked up the hotel on www.tripadvisor.com . It scores a 4 out of 5! The candid pics look great! So, may I introduce the hotel I will stay at in Madrid:
http://www.hotel-ateneo.com/ Look up the reviews on Trip Advisor as well. (Use this forum for your travel needs; I don't book a hotel without checking here first.)

While I'm in Madrid, I think I'll stop by this place on Saturday: http://www.medinamayrit.com/ Take a nice hot "bath" & get a massage to wind down from the Camino. Mmmmmmm. Yes, I'm spoiled.

My horoscope for today

"You need more physical exercise." LOL! I am not making that up! Since Sunday, I've followed someone's suggestion to walk at least 5km (a bit over 3 miles) a day, increasing each week until shortly before I leave for the Camino. The plan right now is to increase by 1 mile each week before I go, so I will be up to 6 miles a day before I leave. Also at some point, I need to add on my back pack to get used to lugging that around.

I looked at some pictures of the Camino Frances on the Santiago Today forum yesterday and started crying. I don't know why.

My plan for my Camino

I had already developed a planned itenerary for my Camino, when I noticed that I had overlooked two places I wanted to visit. So, Someone is still having fun with my plans, wouldn't you say?

Given that I haven't put in much walking practice as I had initially planned, I've decided to average about 20 kms per day (about 13 miles). Thus, my itenerary looks like this:

May 4: SJPdP to Orisson 8 km; straight uphill
May 5: Orisson to Roncevalles 16 km; uphill, then downhill
May 6: Roncevalles to Zubiri 22 km
May 7: Zubiri to Pamplona 21.9 km
May 8: Pamplona to Eunate 23.9 km
May 9: Eunate to Estella 23.6 km
May 10: Estella to Los Arcos 21.7 km
May 11: Los Arcos to Viana 19.0 km
May 12: Viana to Navarette 22.8 km
May 13: Navarette to Azofra 22.2 km
May 14: Azofra to Granon 22.2 km
May 15: Granon to Tosantos 12.0 km
May 16: Tosantos to Ages 22.3 km
May 17: Ages to Burgos 20 km

Since I don't need to be in Madrid until May 19, I have an extra day in case I want to linger in one place or not go so far on another.

The Mundicamino website has a great graphic breakdown of the Camino Frances, as well as the alburgues along the route: http://www.mundicamino.com/ On this website, the Camino Frances is called "The Way of St. James." Click on the British flag to get the website in English, then on "The Way of St. James." Then, click on the "SJPdP to Roncevalles" button & go from there!

Man plans & God laughs

If the above is true, then He is certainly laughing up a storm over my bold announcement last year that I was taking a whole month off to walk the entire Camino Frances in May 2007. Many things have intervened, and one even threatened to end my dream of even attempting a part of the Camino this year. I put off training for the Camino because the prospect was so dim (thanks to a really bad case, which has now been resolved). Other things, however, had to be taken into account & were not negotiable, so instead of a month, I will only have about 3 weeks. Thus, I will walk from St. Jean Pied du Port (hereinafter SJPdP) to Burgos, the start of the "meseta."

My current plans are to leave home on May 1, arriving in Paris on May 2. To get over jet lag, I will stay there overnight, visiting a museum or two & just enjoying a day in Paris, before flying out to Biarritz & catching the train to SJPdP. If I miss the 3pm train, I will have a couple of hours in Bayonne to buy "contraband" such as sunscreen, toothpaste, & shampoo, which are lethal & can bring down airplanes.

May 4, then, is the first day for my Camino. May 18 is the when I should be stumbling into Burgos.

Here's the outline:

SJPdP is 774 km or 480.94 miles from Santiago de Compostela
Burgos is 488 km or 303.23 miles from Santiago de Compostela

Therefore, I have 14 days to cover 268 km or 167 miles! Have I mentioned that I will be doing this on foot? Carrying a backpack? I need to average about 20 km/day in order to meet this goal.

I now need to go back & work on my itnenrary, since the one I had already developed left out a stop in Eunate to see the Templar church.