I do not have to suffer. Blinding rain yesterday. Poncho was plastered to my face and body. When I got to Carrion, I poured water out of my shoes and wrung out my clothes. The dryer in the albergue did not work. Every step I took yesterday was agony. Plantar fasciitis, blisters, bloody blisters on my heel. Woke up this morning and everything was still wet. Bed bugs feasted on my fingers during the night. I am not a Jesuit, I do not have to suffer.
I am taking the bus to Leon today. From Leon, I hope to find another bus to Sarria. I will try to hobble the last 100 kilometers to Santiago before flying back home. Maybe my grandfather was a Jesuit and suffering is genetic. Too bad I sent those red boots home. I could have clicked my heels together while chanting "There's no place like home."
Auntie Em, Auntie Em, Auntie Em...
Friday, April 12, 2013
4/9 Burgos to Hontanas
Entered the Meseta today, big country, big wind. I estimate the head-wind to have been a steady 25 mph. I walked 32 K, 48,934 steps. My feet are aching. I sent my boots home yesterday. Only cost €30. Hope I can use them again some day, but definitely not on this trip. I bought a pair of Asics trainers thinking they would be easier on my feet. Wrong! New blisters on my heel. Plantar fasciitis continues to plague my left foot.
The positive for the day was it only rained for about one hour.
The positive for the day was it only rained for about one hour.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
7 April - Another Day in Burgos
I've been in Burgos now for four days. My foot is looking better. Botond and Ildiko will arrive in Bugos tomorrow night. I hope to walk with them on Tuesday.
Today I went to the Cathedral de Santa Maria, a World Heritage Site. The cathedral was built in the 13th century. El Cid is buried in the cathedral. The cathedral is an extraordinary example of Gothic opulence. There is so much gold, silver, marble, and alabaster- it boggles the imagination. I found it astounding that a people could invest so much money in a church. I can see why Puritans objected to statues as idolatrous and referred to vestments as "popish pomp and rags." It's all a little over the top.
On the other hand, we wouldn't have such amazing art on display today if the Church hadn't doled out indulgences and positions in exchange for support in building the Cathedral.
Today I went to the Cathedral de Santa Maria, a World Heritage Site. The cathedral was built in the 13th century. El Cid is buried in the cathedral. The cathedral is an extraordinary example of Gothic opulence. There is so much gold, silver, marble, and alabaster- it boggles the imagination. I found it astounding that a people could invest so much money in a church. I can see why Puritans objected to statues as idolatrous and referred to vestments as "popish pomp and rags." It's all a little over the top.
On the other hand, we wouldn't have such amazing art on display today if the Church hadn't doled out indulgences and positions in exchange for support in building the Cathedral.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Recuperating in Burgos
When I arrived in Logorno I took my shoe off and found that the blister between my third and fourth toe was bloody and my whole foot was swollen. During the night my foot was throbbing and I couldn't put any weight on it. The next morning my whole foot was red and I was shivering. I couldn't put my shoe on so I hobbled to a hospital in a flip flop. The emergency room at the first hospital I went to was closed. As I left the hospital I was in tears, I didn't know what to do. I was approached by two medical workers in lab coats, one had blue hair. They told me what hospital I had to go to and walked me to a bus stop. At the bus stop they found some people who were going to ride the bus to the hospital. They asked them to make sure I got to the emergency room. At the hospital I was seen by a doctor and he told me my foot was infected, as if I didn't know. He told me to get some antibiotics which I could do without a prescription and to rest my foot until Monday. The hospital did not charge me. I took the bus from Logorno to Burgos where I found a hotel. The heat in the hotel is only turned on at nine at night.
Today it is snowing in Burgos. All of my clothes are filthy. I found a laundromat but they wanted €15 to wash and dry my clothes. I walked back to the hotel and washed my clothes by hand in the shower. My room is now covered with wet clothes, if the heat was turned on in the room it would feel like a sauna. Instead it feels like a freezer on defrost.
I'm trying to decide what to do now. My friends from Hungary will arrive in Burgos on Monday night. I've looked at weather predictions for cities around Europe. It's raining most everywhere.
I have enjoyed walking with Ildiko and Botond. Actually I think the only good thing about walking the Camino is the relationships that develop with the people with whom you walk. Much of the Camino is on dirt paths parallel to major roads. It is hardly a pristine experience.
Today it is snowing in Burgos. All of my clothes are filthy. I found a laundromat but they wanted €15 to wash and dry my clothes. I walked back to the hotel and washed my clothes by hand in the shower. My room is now covered with wet clothes, if the heat was turned on in the room it would feel like a sauna. Instead it feels like a freezer on defrost.
I'm trying to decide what to do now. My friends from Hungary will arrive in Burgos on Monday night. I've looked at weather predictions for cities around Europe. It's raining most everywhere.
I have enjoyed walking with Ildiko and Botond. Actually I think the only good thing about walking the Camino is the relationships that develop with the people with whom you walk. Much of the Camino is on dirt paths parallel to major roads. It is hardly a pristine experience.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Estella to Los Arcos
Sunny day of walking from Estella to Los Arcos. Thought I'd post pictures from the people's parade in Estella last night protesting economic conditions in Spain. The newspaper this morning showed pictures and said that similar demonstrations occurred in a two other cities.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Puente la Reina
Today I walked with Butond and Ildeco from Cizur Menor to Puente la Reina. We walked over a mountain ridge that was covered with windmills. At the top of the mountain was a sculpture commemorating pilgrims throughout the ages.
Last night I went with Butond to an Easter Mass. It was very nice. At the start of the service, everyone went outside with a candle and lit it off an Easter candle that the priest held. We all then walked together with the candles into the church. Members of the congregation read from the New Testament. The church was quite small and simple built in 13th century.
Today, in Eunate, I met a Basque who used to work with sheep in Colorado. He told me that we all are wild under our lamb skins and that our savage side was waiting to come out. All of this relayed in Spanish.
Larry, I had rice pudding for dessert on Friday night.
Last night I went with Butond to an Easter Mass. It was very nice. At the start of the service, everyone went outside with a candle and lit it off an Easter candle that the priest held. We all then walked together with the candles into the church. Members of the congregation read from the New Testament. The church was quite small and simple built in 13th century.
Today, in Eunate, I met a Basque who used to work with sheep in Colorado. He told me that we all are wild under our lamb skins and that our savage side was waiting to come out. All of this relayed in Spanish.
Larry, I had rice pudding for dessert on Friday night.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Cizur Menur
I've acquired 2 traveling companions from Hungary. Each came alone and met here. One speaks very good English, the other not as well so our conversations are sometimes halting because I don't speak Hungarian! But I help them with reading signs in Spanish and ordering food in restaurants. They are very nice companions to have and I am happy to have met them. We walked this morning in very nice weather but by the time we got to Pamplona it was pouring rain.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Foot by Foot - my mantra of the day
I once read the book "Bird by Bird" by Annie Lamott. If I remember correctly, she talks about someone waiting until the night before a school project on birds is due to start. The person cries "How will I ever get this done by tomorrow?" And the answer was "Bird by bird."
I thought about that today as I was slogging through mud and snow to get to Roncesvalles. I asked myself "How am I ever going to make it all the way to Santiago?" And of course my answer was "Foot by foot." So, as I took each agonizing step on the trail with a grade that would not meet Forest Service standards, I said, foot by foot by foot....
I thought about that today as I was slogging through mud and snow to get to Roncesvalles. I asked myself "How am I ever going to make it all the way to Santiago?" And of course my answer was "Foot by foot." So, as I took each agonizing step on the trail with a grade that would not meet Forest Service standards, I said, foot by foot by foot....
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
St. Jean Pied de Port
I stayed my first night in France in St. Jean Pied de Port at the Maison Ziberoa, a lovely B&B that was built in 1779. I will stay here one more night before starting my walk. The owner of the Maison, Marie Josee, made a delicious breakfast with at least 10 homemade jams! We also had sheep milk yoghurt. Yum!
I went out this morning to get supplies for my lunch tomorrow. I was walking on the sidewalk and almost got run over when a grandmother steered her car onto the sidewalk to drop off her granddaughter. She slammed on her brakes as I jumped out the way. She looked pretty shook up but not nearly as shook as me! I haven't even started my walk and I've already had a near death experience.
I went out this morning to get supplies for my lunch tomorrow. I was walking on the sidewalk and almost got run over when a grandmother steered her car onto the sidewalk to drop off her granddaughter. She slammed on her brakes as I jumped out the way. She looked pretty shook up but not nearly as shook as me! I haven't even started my walk and I've already had a near death experience.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
On My Way
Larry took me to the Boise airport this morning to start my journey to Spain. I fly from Boise to London Heathrow with stops in Chicago and Newark. From London Heathrow, I'll take a bus to London Stansted and fly Ryan Air to Biarritz, France. I hope to find other pilgrims to share a cab to the Bayonne train station to catch the 6:00pm train to St. Jean Pied de Port where I'll start walking. My pack weighed 16 lbs. when I left the house this morning. Not bad!
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