Leaving Lyon... and the adventure.
It has been 70 days since I began this incredible adventure and the time has come for me to head back to my homeland. And what a journey I've been on!
My last week has been spent in Lyon, France being hosted by Lucie and Clément who I met at the very beginning of this Camino. I never had the intention to return to my starting point however once I became such good friends with them along the way, I had to see them again. They are such amazing people with whom I am certain that I will have more adventures. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity and friendship. I truly love these people and will miss them very much.
Clément has very good knowledge of the history of Lyon and our first tour of the city last Friday evening confirmed this - he was a wealth of information. The city itself is very beautiful however in the evening, there is something even more intriguing about it - especially in the old part with the narrow, pedestrian only streets. The wine bar, tapas and conversation were a perfect finish to the day.
After lunch at Clément's, Saturday saw us put in about 15 km of walking as we explored many areas of the city. We culminated with an incredible culinary experience at Sapna, one of many restaurants on Lucie's list to investigate. We were not disappointed. On Sunday, we paid a visit to Pérouges, a very interesting medieval village about an hour from Lyon.
With both my hosts working during the rest of the week, I had the opportunity to explore on my own and with the beautiful weather continuing, I visited a couple of parks on foot trying to stave off the inevitable weight gain from the offerings of the 'Gastronomic Capital of the World.' One of the highlights of the week was a lunch of culinary delights prepared by Lucie in her restaurant. I was thoroughly impressed with the taste and presentation of her creations. This trio's final evening was spent on a stroll along the river waterfront.
This week topped off an incredible journey which I will never forget. The few thousand pictures I have will remind me of the beauty of France and Spain but mostly, of the fantastic people I have been privileged to meet and share adventures with. I have confirmed many aspects of my life, learned more lessons, identified several options for my future and most importantly, lived.
Until my next big adventure, Pilgrim Pete will be laying low... and planning. Stay safe fellow pilgrims. Buen Camino.
Canadians! Finally!
For two months I've been walking in France and Spain and always on the watch for fellow Canadians. Despite being told by other pilgrims I encountered in both countries that there were plenty on the trail, just a day ahead or a day behind me, I saw none.
At 6:00 am yesterday morning I was at the bus stop in Muxia waiting for the ride back to Santiago when a voice behind me piped up, ‘I see you're Canadian too.’ I was shocked! Laurel from Edmonton had noticed my Canadian Company of Pilgrims patch on my backpack; she had one on hers as well. I couldn't believe it and I was overjoyed to see her. We had a great chat and after we arrived in Santiago, we ended up back at the Cathedral square to experience the happiness that always exudes from the pilgrim parade. A short while later, another woman walked up to us and said ‘Canadians?’ Sharon is originally from Toronto but now lives in Chicago. After this second shock, pictures of course!
About an hour later, I was wandering the narrow streets of old Santiago savouring my last few hours in this magical city when I saw a woman with a bag that had ‘Toronto’ written on it. As I do, I asked her the question and sure enough, Linda is also Canadian. All the women had just finished their Caminos and were about to head home. And here's the kicker - none of us had run into any other Canadians while on the path! Now in the span of a couple of hours, we all ran into each other at the end of our journeys. I was so happy to have met them!
To close off the day and our Caminos, Laurel and I had a great dinner and chatted about all of the lessons we had learned along the way. It was a perfect way to depart Santiago and the Camino.
I boarded a plane early this morning and repositioned one final time in the EU. I will now create more memories with Clément and Lucie in Lyon, the ‘Gastronomic Capital of the World.’ If you remember, we walked with them for our first two weeks beginning way back in August. I will have to ensure that I get some walking in otherwise I'll be coming home a couple of kilos heavier. Bon appétit!
Phase 3 - To the sea! (Santiago to Muxia 90 km)
After about 1150 km over 50 walking days, I've reached my planned destination, the Atlantic Ocean.
The three days I walked to complete this phase of my journey were quiet. With the exception of two hours on the first day with Marcel from France, I walked alone for the 90 km. It was beautiful. I started the last two days under cover of darkness and although I did not get a magnificent sunrise, I did manage to see a few stars this morning. Although the initial forecast predicted rain on all three days, I experienced nothing but pleasant weather throughout this phase.
From the first day, most of the pilgrims I saw were headed back to Santiago so other than a brief 'ola' and 'buen Camino,' no words were spoken. Two years ago I walked the first two days of this route with Dan and there were many familiar sights which brought up some great memories. The scenery today was completely new and after many days of walking, my body was strong and I easily tackled the hills. I felt great. My first view of the Atlantic Ocean was beautiful. Off in the distance I could see the Muxia lighthouse which was just over 7 km away and this quickened my steps with excitement.
After arriving in the familiar town, I went straight to the lighthouse point to savour the sun, surf and sound. The wind was strong and with my pack acting like a sail, it pushed me around quite a bit. I enjoyed my time on the rocks.
I saw our German friend Anica twice at rest stops over the last two days and here at Muxia, we enjoyed a wonderful picnic dinner and a sunset watch with her friends Tina and Philipp. Although we did not get the sunset we were hoping for, we had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful views of the town and the ocean. To spend time with these fellow pilgrims was a great way to end my walking journey and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening with them.
All of the time spent alone on this latest phase has given me plenty of time to reflect on all that has happened to me, all the incredible people I've met, and the amazing scenery I've witnessed. It had also given me many things to think about as I ponder my future. When I finally return home, I will have some research to do and some decisions to make. My walking may be done for now but my journey is far from over.
Day 12 - Life is good (Santa Irene to Santiago 24 km)
Wow! That was some 24 hours! Where do I begin?
On Friday morning, Dan and I started in the darkness together one last time. There were no stars to see as the fog was too thick and light came before it dissipated. There were so many familiar sights on this day - memories from 2019 with my first Camino family brought many smiles to my face. The path was full today with both familiar and new faces with a look of anticipation in everyone's eyes. We met and chatted with Elizabeth from Boston who was on her final leg of the Frances. Prior to entering the centre of the city, we stopped and waited for Marine and Erlind who had walked with Dan from near the beginning of the Norte.
It is hard to describe the walk into the cathedral square for a second time. I can liken it to the feeling that I had when I arrived in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the end of my Podiensis three weeks ago. I felt like I was home with my Camino family again. All of them. The ones who have walked over 1,000 km, the ones who only walked for a few days, the ones who limped in on broken bodies, and those who will continue on from here. We are all family.
I was overjoyed by the many familiar faces who greeted us and who we greeted as they arrived. It was very difficult to leave the square. I personally was overwhelmed by the extreme happiness that exuded from the pilgrims and I felt happier for them than for myself. Each one had endured some sort of struggle, had made a life changing decision, had met incredible friends, or simply checked off a bucket list item. Being in that square with my fellow pilgrims, almost all of them strangers, brought great joy to my heart. I cannot adequately describe the happiness I feel when I'm with this special group of people. I could sit in the square all day to experience the warmth and joy.
The congratulatory hugs and photos continued for quite a while in the square. Eventually we made our way to the pilgrim's office to get our number to pick up the pieces of paper we had all worked so hard for. Once that was completed, we checked into our lodging, cleaned ourselves up and prepared for dinner.
The family dinner was outstanding. Nine of us from eight-ish countries enjoyed a delicious meal and wonderful stories from our adventures over the past several weeks. We continued on for extra refreshments at a very unique basement drinking establishment. More memories were made.
After breakfast on Saturday, Dan and I went to the cathedral for morning mass and we were very excited to learn that the Botafumeiro would be used. This is the swinging incense burner that is propelled high above the congregation by several men pulling on a rope (https://aleteia.org/2018/11/27/the-botafumeiro-an-incense-burner-so-large-it-needs-a-whole-church-to-swing/) It was amazing! At the service I also saw new friends from the past few days - Elizabeth from Boston, the group from Atlanta, and Angela from Kirkland. I had more great chats with these wonderful people.
There were many goodbyes over the last 24 hours and many more to come. But this group of pilgrims I have met in the past seven weeks will always be family to me. I am very grateful for the discussions we have had, the joy and pain we have shared, the lessons they have taught me.
And now for my Camino brother Dan. He has walked over 1300 km and I have walked almost 1100 (so far). Over 800 of those km were together. We have learned a great deal about each other in that time and without hesitation I can say that I would walk to the edge of the world with this man - just not as fast. He truly is my brother and I look forward to our next adventure.
Dan will be heading home in a few days while tomorrow, I will begin my final three days of walking to Muxia on the Atlantic coast.
Finally, for all of you who have followed my journey on Facebook or on my blog, I thank you for your comments and for your support. I am eternally grateful for my family, my friends and my fellow pilgrims for your interest in my ramblings. For interest sake, since I started this journey, my website has been accessed by almost 2,000 unique visitors from 23 countries (10 provinces in Canada, 22 states in the USA). I am truly gobsmacked by these numbers. Thank you!
I still have some walking to do and more travel in Spain and France before I head back to Canada so I'm not sure when I'll post again.
Stay safe my friends. Buen Camino.
Day 11 - Did I mention how much I love the people? (Boente to Santa Irene 27 km)
Another people day! I looked back at all my posts and the incredible people I've met on my journey is definitely a recurring theme. As mentioned yesterday, we are now on the Camino Frances and the number of pilgrims has increased dramatically from what we experienced on the Primitivo.
Dan and I started under the stars again after a quick java and piece of cake at our albergue. The travel today had a few sections beside the highway but generally, we were on a wide path in the forest. Services, like cafes, are plentiful along this route and we took advantage of them a couple of times today. We walked this route two years ago so we were both looking for locations that had special memories for us. The further along the path we went, the more memories popped up.
One of the first was the bridge where we cooled off in a very chilly river after a hot day in October 2019. We had big smiles on our faces as we reminisced about that day. At this spot this morning we had bacon and eggs in the same cafe where we had a multinational dinner back then. I won't mention all of the memorable places we saw today but suffice to say that we smiled a great deal at these memories.
I met some wonderful people today. Most who I talked to were from the USA - Atlanta Georgia, Kirkland Washington, and Iowa. I also met a couple from Mexico who had visited Toronto when their children were going to high school in the city a couple of years ago. We also met a young lady from Germany who had very interesting life stories. Each person had a different reason for walking the Camino and the duration of their walks varied from a couple of days to several weeks. I've thoroughly enjoyed each encounter and I'm hoping to see all of these pilgrims again as we walk into Santiago tomorrow. We are also looking forward to seeing all the pilgrims from the Norte and Primitivo who we consider to be family.
I have been told by many people that there are several Canadians on the path but I've still not met any. Not much time left!
There is one day to go until we reach the primary destination of Santiago. 23 km. We arrived in France on Aug 21st and started walking on the 23rd so tomorrow will be the 54th day of our journey. And what a journey it's been. Stay tuned because there's more to come.
Day 10 - Convergence (Ferreira to Boente 27 km)
Today was truly the beginning of the end. The Camino Primitivo merged with the Camino Frances and now with less than 50 km to go, we can taste the finish line.
Breakfast at Albergue Ponte Ferreira matched last night's supper - plenty of delicious variety. The meals were the best I've experienced so far in Spain and the albergue owners Tom and Ria were wonderful. When you go on this Camino, stop here.
After breakfast, Dan and I departed in the fog but by this time, headlamps were not required. It turned out to be another beautiful day with warm temperatures and a not so challenging 27 km. We both felt very strong and the path is no longer peppered with steep ascents and descents. We cruised with ease.
Other than brief encounters in the first couple of hours, we saw nobody from our bubble. There were many new faces on the trail and we can only assume that they started on the Frances with many being the 100 km pilgrims who just joined a short while ago.
At Melide, the Primitivo joined the Frances and were were once again on the same path we took two years ago. It wasn't long before we recognized a few locations from our first Camino. We stopped at a familiar stream crossing to soak our feet in the very cold water and watched a plethora of pilgrims wander past. To date, other than my friend Kate who we walked with for two weeks on the Podiensis, I have seen no Canadians. The closest encounter was today with a Frenchman who was wearing a Home Hardware hat from St. Jacobs Ontario. Not much time left to find a fellow Canuck. At our albergue, we sat out front and watched the pilgrims pass by looking for anything that would identify their country of origin. There were a few Americans in the crowd but no red and white maple leafs in sight.
We did see Marine and Erlind walk by and called them in to join us for a drink before supper. It is always great to see them and we will try to meet up with them tomorrow as well as others from our bubble.
The path is extremely busy with strangers, unlike the previous 10 days. With the convergence of the paths, walking in solitude will be near impossible however we expected this and will continue to enjoy our journey. Two days left.
Day 9 - National Day of Spain (Lugo to Ferreira 27 km)
‘The celebration of the National Day of Spain is the day the Spanish people commemorate the history of the country, recognising and giving value of what has been achieved together and to reconfirm the commitment for the future as a nation. The 12 of October celebrates union and brotherhood, also showing the ties of Spain with the international community.’ (Wikipedia)
After the national celebrations which lasted well into the early hours of the morning, I allowed myself to sleep in a bit. I found an open café shortly after 7:00 for my café con leche and I also picked up a couple of sandwiches for the day. I was on the road by 8:00 and ran into Paul and Dan from the US, walking with them for a couple of hours. The day was another perfect one for walking with light cloud cover and cool temperatures for the morning and sunshine for the afternoon.
Most of the day was spent on or beside roads with a few excursions into the forests. I savoured these times as we walked through plantations of eucalyptus trees and beside majestic chestnut and oak trees. I'm making sure that I do not rush these few final days.
Our Dutch hosts at the albergue, Tom and Ria, were very kind and thoughtful. They are also very good cooks as this meal was one of the best I've had in Spain.
Many familiar faces kept arriving all afternoon however we had two new people show up. Ian and Angela from South Carolina are on their final stages of their Camino having started in Irun a few weeks ago. This is the first time that anyone in our bubble has seen them and we were excited to talk to them and are looking forward to walking into Santiago with them.
We are less that 75 km from Santiago and the path now has the short-timers on it. These are the pilgrims who are only doing 100 km, the minimum distance to get a Camino compostella (certificate). They bring a different dimension to the path but those of us with hundreds of kilometres under our belt welcome them - even though they don't have pilgrim stink. 😁
Day 8 - From peaceful to party (O Cádavo to Lugo 32 km)
The day began very peacefully before sunrise however by the time the sun set, the party was raging.
I left shortly after Dan and well before sunrise. The fog was thick as I climbed out of the sleepy town which meant that it was important to pay attention to the markers. Just like when you drive, the headlamp can reduce visibility in fog so it was important to search for the markers at every intersection. After about 30 minutes of climbing, I broke out of the fog and was able to get a view of the stars before the sky lightened.
The 30+ km day for me was a solo hike. I only saw a few pilgrims but did not walk with anyone. I enjoy this on occasion as it gives me plenty of time to think and allows me to stop, rest or eat when I want. Today was a great day for me as I cruised at a good pace, walking through groves of eucalyptus trees, pine forests and stands of chestnut and oak. It was a beautiful walk.
Arrival in Lugo was around 2:00 and Dan was waiting for me at the albergue. After a refreshment, we were joined by Kurt from Switzerland. As we were checking in, Marine and Erlind arrived to stay at the same location. We were very happy to all see them! Once checked in, we got cleaned up and then explored the town.
Dan, Marine and Erlind went for a grocery shop while I walked all the way around the top of the fortress walls. The walk provided a great view of the old part of town.
Later as we all enjoyed a refreshment in the town square, we noticed that it had become quite busy. It turns out that today is the festival to celebrate the city's founder. And celebrate they do! It was crazy on the narrow streets with thousands of people roaming around, watching live music, or enjoying tapas and drinks. As I write this, the street outside my window is very noisy and boisterous. I'm not sure if I'll get much sleep tonight even with good earplugs in. I have no complaints; these people are enjoying life, just like all of us should be. Another wonderful day for me.
Day 7 - Short and Sweet (Fonsagrada to O Cádavo 26 km)
Beautiful day, beautiful weather and great company made today's 26 km seemed shorter than it really was.
Dan, Rory (Ireland) and I started at 7:30 in the dark along with what seemed like the majority of the pilgrims from our albergue. It appears to us that the path is getting busier and some people are having trouble finding or booking beds. We are now booked all the way to Santiago so we won't have to worry about rushing.
Today was a leisurely walk. I spent most of the day with Rory chatting about a wide variety of topics. Along the way, we ran into Becky, Natalie, Rado and a host of other characters, most of whom we know by now. We stopped a couple of times on our journey to enjoy a bite to eat or simply for a rest.
One pilgrim has attached a small cow bell to his pack which constantly rings his presence. While I love cow bells, I prefer them on cows, horses or sheep so when I hear this particular one, I either speed up or slow down to put some distance between me and him. Nothing personal but I enjoy the sound of nature or a conversation more than this. 🙉 He is walking his own Camino.
We had a couple of very steep climbs today that certainly tested our cardiac capacity however we all survived. We are all getting stronger with each day and each ascent.
With only a few days left until we reach Santiago, many are already talking about how much we will miss the path with the regular routines, the wonderful pilgrims, the beautiful scenery and to sum it all up, the simple and uncomplicated life we are living right now. Based on what i learned from my first Camino two years ago, the transition to the other regular life can be difficult. In the meantime, we will live in the moment and enjoy this special time that we are sharing.
Day 6 - Feeling fantastic (Grandas de Salinas to Fonsagrada 27 km)
Today was a great day. I am grateful for my Camino family, the weather, my health and increasing strength, and for the incredible opportunity to be on this amazing journey.
Getting up early and hitting the path in the dark is so worth it when you get to witness the beauty of twilight and the sunrise. We walked for about 30 minutes before the headlamps were no longer necessary. The night sky, once we climbed above the fog, was brilliant but short-lived as the sun slowly rose to light the path and warm our bodies.
We ran into Erlind a few kilometres into our trek; he and Marine had camped in a small village and had a perfect view of the sunrise. Although we thought we had left early, at second breakfast several kilometres later, we discovered that most of our pilgrim family had left earlier than us and were ahead. It didn't really matter to us as we were booked for the night at destination. Those who did not have reservations were in what we like to call a bed race - getting to a non-reservation albergue at destination to be first in line for a bed. If not successful, you may have to walk several kilometres further to the next town.
Arrival at destination required a very steep climb for the last several hundred meters to prove that you were worthy of a refreshment. Standard shower and sorting out our kit followed before we hit a cafe for that well-deserved refreshment.
We had another wonderful time sitting outside the cafe watching Spanish life go by. Today's group included Dan, Laura, Jarrod, Natalie, Becky and Max. Our family continues to grow closer and the fun is increasing. A couple hours of soaking up the sun on the sidewalk was followed by a quick trip to the grocery store for tomorrow's essentials. Supper then followed with today's Galician specialty of octopus on the menu. Delicious!
After completing the Podiensis in France then having about seven days without walking, my body was well rested. And now after six days of walking, my body is back in peak form. Today I felt fantastic, able to tackle any hill and full of energy. With less than a week to go before Santiago, I am pumped to enjoy the remainder of the journey.
Day 5 - Into the Mystic (Berducedo to Grandas de Salime 21 km)
Today was a short day but no less beautiful than any other. The big climb we had yesterday meant that we had a big descent to do.
We were up before dawn and on the path by 0700, using our headlamps to guide us along. The night sky was once again crystal clear and brilliant. We have been very lucky with the weather lately and departing early provides us with the opportunity to look up and enjoy the wonder.
At the 5 km mark, we were surprised and very pleased to see an open cafe so we indulged in the standard café con leche and a sandwich. A short steep climb followed to greet the rising sun before we began that long descent.
We were required to descend into a thick layer of fog which completely covered the reservoir we had to go around. I love mist and fog so I thoroughly enjoyed the several kilometre hike through it this morning. We stopped for a quick snack on the dam which created the reservoir and then continued another climb along a quiet road. By this time, beautiful views of the water were available after the sun worked its magic to clear out the fog. The final stretch was through a beautiful pine forest.
Arrival at the albergue at 1:00 meant we had plenty of time to do some washing, make a couple of phone calls and to explore the town.
A late lunch of pulpo (octopus) was very delicious. As more pilgrims entered town, Dan and I were joined by many of our new friends from the path - Jarrod, Laura, Becky, Natalie, Francesco, Rebecca, Marine, Erlind, Max, and Cristina. After a few hours, many of us migrated to another restaurant where more joined us - Kurt, Rory, Rado and others. The multinational aspect of this Camino is wonderful as we continue to learn more about each other, our nations and our cultures. Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to Cristina tonight as she plans on heading to Oviedo tomorrow to start the Primitivo at the beginning. We wish her well on her journey.
Life is good along the Way.
Day 4 - Stairway to Heaven (Remastered) (Campiello to Berducedo - 29 km)
I did not think that the views yesterday could be surpassed but I was wrong. A challenging day for us all however the weather was perfect and the views even better.
I was on the road by 0740, well before the sun rose. The headlamp cut through the fog on the valley floor as I made my way to the beginning of the climb. We had a choice of routes today so of course I took the most challenging as it would provide the best views. Steep and long best describes the climbs today however we were not disappointed with what we saw. Absolutely incredible vistas were with us for the entire day. The info from the guide book said that these views were the best you get on any Camino and I have to agree.
Once again, the pictures cannot display the grandeur of what was experienced today. Stunning best describes it.
In addition to the views on the climb, I met another group of incredible pilgrims from around the EU and had great conversations with them. Once we made it to the albergue, I met a group of three friends/pilgrims from the US and has a great time talking to them. I know that we will see Paul, Steve and Dan several times during the rest of our journey. Supper was delicious and we celebrated a birthday for Becky as she and Natalie joined us at our albergue. It was another wonderful evening that was enjoyed by all.
Day 3 - Stairway to Heaven (Salas to Campiello - 35 km)
Today was a glorious day for looking at the scenery - unbelievably beautiful.
Because the distance was long, we started out well before sunrise and before anyone else was awake. Under the glow of our headlamps, we departed the peaceful town and entered the pitch black forest, being careful with our footing as we had a steep slope leading to the river on our right side. We steadily climbed up the forest trail for at least 45 minutes. I stopped several times whenever I saw a break in the canopy to indulge in the incredible view of the night sky. With no artificial light pollution and with sunrise still at least an hour away, the stars were stunning and mesmerizing. I love the night sky so I was in heaven with the Big and Little Dipper, Polaris, Casiopa and Orion watching over us.
Second breakfast occurred after almost 10 km of walking from darkness to twilight to dawn in a chilly mist that provided that ghostly look once again.
We met up with Rado as we continued our climb. In fact, most of the day was climbing - some gradual and some steep. It wasn't until mid-afternoon that we reached the apex of our journey and began our descent.
Throughout the day we were privileged to have incredible vistas and I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. It was a stunning day with perfect weather.
At various times of the day, we also ran into fellow pilgrims Jarrod and Laura, Natalie and Becky, Marine and Erlind and several familiar faces with no names yet. We met Cristina, a new addition to the list of our pilgrim family, who has been on a path of self-discovery for a while. Originally from Spain, she now lives in Amsterdam and is planning to walk a Camino for a period of time yet to be determined. We had an interesting conversation about life and how rewarding it can be to live in the moment and not have expectations. I'm sure that we will see more of her as we continue along the path.
The day ended with dinner at the restaurant next to the albergue. I strolled to the darkness at the edge of town (only meters away) and enjoyed another look at the brilliant sky. Always stunning.
Tomorrow will be a shorter day however with some significant climbs/descents and we're told, more incredible views.
Day 2 - I love these people! (Grado - Salas 24 k)
Today was a people day for me. I met new pilgrims, was reacquainted with old ones and learned much more about the ones close to me. It was a great day.
We started with a rare breakfast at the albergue - not all offer this service in Spain. By 0745 we were on the road in darkness and rain. Fortunately the rain did not stick around for more than an hour and we were able to ditch the rain jackets.
The scenery today was magical. It seemed like every time I crested a hill or rounded a turn, there was another postcard view to be savoured. The repetitive ascents and descents continually led to these incredible views and also tested our concentration. Some of the downhills required careful negotiation as they were quite slick and treacherous because of the previous rain.
The people I met today were amazing. I walked alone for part of the day but ran into some great pilgrims along and after the walk.
About 6 km into our walk, we came upon an albergue that was offering coffee to pilgrims. Of course we stopped! We met the manager, Patrik who was very accommodating and generous. Rado, our Slovak Camino brother, was ecstatic when he found out that Patrik was also Slovak. He had an instant smile on his face being able to talk in his native tongue. Also at the albergue was Ellen, a young German woman who was walking on this Camino but when she reached this albergue, she decided to stop for a few days to help out. She has been involved in several community projects in Germany and wanted to get a Camino completed before she commits to another. Also having coffee was Lluís, a Spaniard and electrical engineer who felt that he needed to do a Camino. I was enthralled with each of these three people and wished I had more time to talk to them as they each seem to be very special.
At a lunch break, I met three Portuguese friends/pilgrims, two who now live in Marseilles, France - Vitor and Rogerio. Liliana still lives in Portugal and this Camino is the first for all of them. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed my short time chatting with them but I know that I will continually run into them over the course of the next two weeks.
I also ran into Natalie and Becky, two former UK residents who decided that Spain was a better option for their desires and circumstances. I walked with them for a couple of hours and had a great time with them learning about their lives.
Once at the destination albergue, I sat outside and continued to enjoy meeting other pilgrims. Dario and Fabio, the Italians, only met yesterday but already seem like best friends. Laura (Spain) and Jarrod (South Africa) are on their first Camino. Marine (France) and Erlind (Italy), friends with Dan for at last a couple of weeks, started their Camino 27 days ago and will be heading to Santiago and possibly further. Neither speaks the other's national language so they are communicating in English. We had an absolutely wonderful time chatting with all of these pilgrims this afternoon/evening just outside the albergue. They was a great deal of laughter and camaraderie going on. It was great to meet all of the people who I saw today and I am very grateful for my conversations with each and every of them.
Engaging with the pilgrims is one of the main reasons why I love the Camino so much. There are so many fascinating lives out there that only expose themselves when you ask questions. I truly believe that this would be a better world if we each would listen more and ask more questions to strangers. I think you would be surprised at how much we all have in common. Once again, a very good day for me.
Long day tomorrow.
Day 1 - Phase II (Camino Primitivo: Oviedo to Grado - 27 km)
Up before dawn and on the road at 0700 - life is back to normal! It felt good to have a full pack strapped to my back, sticks in my hand, a decent day of walking planned, and my Camino brother Dan with me.
It took about 45 minutes of walking to get out of the city (plus another 10 for our first café con leche) before we were finally in the countryside. When I could hear the birds chirping, I started to get into my relaxed zone. Most of today's walk was along quiet county roads, farmers’ lanes, or quiet paths through forests. As a very pleasant reminder of my journey through France, we even passed by a few corn fields. As always, the views were beautiful throughout the day.
The thin overcast in the morning kept the temperature perfect for hiking. We ran into Rado from Slovakia, one of Dan's Camino friends he first met several days ago. Rado has been taking English lessons for only one year yet we had great, detailed conversations throughout the day. I was impressed with his language abilities after such a short period of time. At our first stop at a café that was open (well into the day), I spoke with Marcel, a Frenchman living in Spain, who is 80 years old and doing the Primitivo with Spanish friends. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation which was all in French; I'm missing the language after only a couple of days of being out of France. We arrived at our albergue early afternoon which allowed time for a refreshment, laundry and relaxing.
Dinner, when the restaurants opened at 8:00 pm, was with Dan and Rado at a local ‘hole in the wall.’ The fish was delicious as was the wine.
I'm grateful to be walking again and after a week of rest, I'm feeling great. There were quite a few ascents and descents today and although they were short, some of the descents were steep - a warm-up for future days.
By the way, many photos from my entire time on these Caminos were provided by my Camino family and for that, I thank them very much.
The Boys are Back in Town - Oviedo, Spain
Another transit day but I'm finally very close to getting back on the path. And once again, I'll be with my Camino brother Dan!
The very good hotel breakfast was followed by a long 4 1/2 hour bus ride to Oviedo. Although it rained for the first couple of hours, the scenery was beautiful - especially when the ocean was in view. With Dan's love of the sea, I can understand his desire to leave the Camino Podiensis in France and walk the Camino Norte along Spain's northern coast. I've put the Norte on my list for another time.
I met Dan and his new Camino family at the albergue mid-afternoon and after a quick check-in, we went for a wander to the cathedral square. Grabbing a refreshment, we sat at a cafe and began to plan/negotiate the next several days of our walk. The Primitivo is a very popular Camino with limited facilities so we need to book a few days in advance. We will see how this turns out.
Supper was had sitting outdoors under a beautiful evening sky and was followed by a walkabout and trip to the small grocery store to buy nourishment for tomorrow. It was a quiet evening afterwards as we prepared and rested for tomorrow's journey.
Into Spain - Bilbao!
It was another beautiful day in Bayonne, France when I left my accommodations this morning. A quick stop at an outdoor café for a good, strong java and a chocolatine was followed by leisurely enjoyment of the same while watching the Saturday morning crowds in the old city. An uneventful 3 hour bus ride was my penance for this small act of decadence.
Into Spain I went! I had planned this stop in Bilbao for two reasons - to avoid a full day of bus travel and to do a bit of sightseeing. After checking into the hotel (luxury for a pilgrim), I began to wander around the new part of Bilbao, not the old part of the city. I saw the Guggenheim Museum with Maman, the 10 meter high spider who has been cloned seven times and located around the world (including Ottawa where I live). The accompanying river walk is quite peaceful and has several parks nearby.
I decided to search out the cathedral since all pilgrims pass by each cathedral on the path to Santiago. To get to the old part of the city, I unfortunately had to go through what appeared to be the busiest shopping street in Bilbao. After a week of peace in SJPP, this was a nightmare for me. Thousands of people were on the streets, seemingly intent on rushing to the next shop to spend more money. It was consumerism gone wild. You have to understand that I've spent nearly all of the last 5 1/2 weeks in small villages or in nature so this was a shock to my system. I was unhappy and very uncomfortable surrounded by so many people.
I made my way to the old part of the city which was not quite as busy but in amongst the centuries old buildings, I felt at home. The narrow streets and cafes/bars were filled with people enjoying life with friends and family. This was very different from the previous part of the city.
I headed towards my hotel through back streets, with a wide variety of different ethnicities reflected in the small shops. I loved it. I found a small restaurant where I had my first meal in Spain - ensalada mixta and patatas bravas. My fellow pilgrims just smiled at their own personal memories of this meal. 😊 It is a staple that kept many of us filled with nourishment along the Way in this country.
As I wandered through the city, I felt uncomfortable for the first time since coming to Europe as it pertains to communication with they locals. In France, I had no reservation to speak to the locals because my French was good enough to easily carry on a conversation and after so long in the country, I have significantly improved my speaking and comprehension skills. Now in Spain, I'm at a complete disadvantage because I have very limited ability to speak Spanish. I will certainly endeavour to learn (or relearn) as much as I can but this will be very different for me. English is certainly spoken more along the Way in Spain than in France which will help but it will still be a challenge.
More bus travel tomorrow and the next real journey begins shortly.
On the road again - First stop, Bayonne FR
It felt great to be moving this morning. Strapping the backpack on felt like a reunion with an old friend and along with the sticks in my hand, I felt normal again. As I walked through the quiet and darkened village to the train station, my companions were the familiar farm smells and above, a crescent moon, Orion and Cassiopeia all piercing through the cool mist. The 20 minute walk brought a smile to my face.
A handful of pilgrims waited for the 0630 train, each with their own story to tell when they return home. With my journey continuing, I will have much more to scribe over the next few weeks.
I arrived in Bayonne before sunrise and because I could not check into my Airbnb until noon, I wandered the streets of the old part of the city. The city was already alive with cafés, boulangeries and épiceries open and serving customers. Coffee and crepes were my first order of business as I watched the sun begin to light the cathedral and the rest of the city.
Bayonne is famous for festivals, ham and chocolate - stops at a couple of shops satisfied my desire for the latter two. After much more wandering I checked into my Airbnb and promptly departed for the bus stop for a journey to the seaside town of Biarritz.
Once again, lady luck was on my side and I met up with Rachel from Oregon. Even off the Camino trail our leapfrogging continues. She is taking a couple days of R&R in Biarritz and because seeing the Atlantic was high on my list, we decided to spend the afternoon sightseeing.
The weather was glorious with perfect temperatures, a light breeze and intermittent high clouds. We walked, talked, took pictures, watched dozens of surfers hone their skills, and had incredibly delicious tapas as we watched the sun set. It was a wonderful day of relaxation. We departed knowing that the chance encounters would no longer happen but very grateful for the opportunities we've had to foster our very good friendship. Rachel truly embodies the pilgrim spirit.
A quick bus ride back to Bayonne and I walked through surprisingly quiet streets for a Friday. It was a long day and I was happy to see my bed. More movement tomorrow.
Rest, Reflection and Rejuvenation
When I completed the Via Podiensis (Le Puy Camino) with my arrival at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (SJPP) back on Sat, Sep 25th, I already knew that my body needed some rest after 34 days of walking. More specifically, my left foot needed time to heal from the blisters I obtained about two weeks into my trek. A rest was mandatory for me or else my plan to continue on phase two of this particular journey would not be possible. And rest I did.
I decided to stay close to SJPP for a couple of reasons. First of all, I would be near a train station allowing me immediate access to transportation no matter what my future plans would be. Second and most important, I would be near pilgrims in a town that now held a very special place in my heart, more so than my first trip here.
Only 20 minutes from downtown SJPP, I found an Airbnb in Ispoure, a very quiet village nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees. With a close view of vineyards and the occasional sounds of bells on the sheep just meters from my bedroom window, this was a perfect location.
It was extremely difficult to stay put and not walk for the first couple of days as my body wanted to keep moving. But I persisted and could feel my foot thanking me.
A few days after my arrival, I found out that Rachel (from Oregon) had walked into town completing her Camino. It was fantastic to see her again. We did dinner with Rachel's Camino family, attended a concert in the church with a Basques choir, and played tourist for several hours wandering around the medieval town. While pilgrim watching at my favourite spot, David and Brenda from Seattle (who I first met way back on day 5) saw me and surprised me with a hello. They had just arrived and were headed to their gite to be followed in a couple days with some well-deserved time off. Seeing these three people again was never expected and I am very grateful for my decision to stay in SJPP. The Camino provides!
My Airbnb host Kathy was wonderful and very accommodating. She also took me on a trip to the Irati Forest, the second largest and best preserved mixed beech-fir forest in Europe. It was nice to get back into nature and while the intent was to look for a specific variety of elusive mushrooms, we were not very successful. However it was still a great adventure.
After several days of R&R, I have made the decision to continue with my original plan for phase two - to complete the Camino Primitivo in Spain. I start my westward journey to Oviedo tomorrow but will be stopping twice to take in some sights. The adventure continues!
Day 35 -? - Rest and Reflection (Somewhere in France)
I was up early this morning to say goodbye to Ankemaria and Pierre as they continued on the Camino Frances into Spain. After so many beautiful experiences with them, it was tough to watch them walk off on the quiet streets and under a brilliantly clear night sky. Later in the morning, I also had to say goodbye to Rachel, another dear family member who will continue on her journey tomorrow with her boyfriend Camille. I will miss all of them terribly. Bon Chemin and Buen Camino.
For a variety of reasons, I have decided to take a few days off to rest and to reflect on what my next plan will be. I will remain in France in a quiet location and take the time to heal and to ponder the events of the past 34 days. I also intend on being offline as much as possible and will take a break from my daily posts on this site.
I truly do not know when I'll be back on this blog or where I'll be when I am back. I have many options on my mind and the next few days will help me to determine my course.
I would like to thank all of you for following my posts, for your words of encouragement and for all of your comments. I greatly appreciate your participation in my adventure for it has given me much incentive to continue with my musings. I am extremely grateful.
À tout à l’heure mes amis.
