We arrived home late last night after a day of travel that went on and on and on and on ... we're tired but well.
Settling in at home, happy to have the opportunity to choose what to wear based on what we feel like wearing rather than which clothes smell the least ... and doing laundry.
Our kitty Robin seems happy that we're home and is snoozing on the couch, the yard is a verdant jungle of green, the hawthorne is in full deep pink bloom and bustling with small yellow warblers - it's been cool and wet most of the month we've been away - and our home is in welcoming good shape thanks to our house sitters Jacquie and Brent.
At the moment, we're listening to a CD of Galician celtic bagpipe music to stay in the glow of Spanish time-space, and looking forward to grocery shopping later this afternoon to make a salad for dinner!
Hope to have some photos to share in the next few days.
Feeling grateful for the wonderful adventure we've had, and trusting the Camino will continue ...
p.s. As we left the Vancouver airport last night to board our final flight home, I spied a fellow traveller wearing a sweatshirt with the Camino flecha amarilla (yellow arrow). I remembered seeing him and a woman who I thought might be his mom walking for the last few days as I headed towards Santiago. I said hello, and told him I too was just returning from the Camino. He smiled BIG, and we wished each other "Buen Camino!"
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Santiago Highlights
Attending the Pilgrims´ mass at the enormous Cathedral de Santiago along with 1200-1500 others and experiencing the welcoming energy of the presiding Bishop, seeing the botafumeiro, and hearing the role call of pilgrims who had arrived the day before ... which included 2 Canadians!
Visiting the Museo de Peregrinacion (Museum of Pilgrimage) and seeing beautiful black and white photos of "Pure Christianity" of pilgrims in Eritrea and Ethiopia (where Allison visited in 1997)
Talking and laughing with the young woman in the Panideria & Dulces who wanted to practice her English while we practiced our Spanish trying to buy donuts
The still warm, sugary, oily Donuts!
Talking and laughing with the woman in the Galegos Productos store about buying and how to cook "Ortegas" (stinging nettles) which we bought and will eat when we get home (see Allison´s post below about landing in a ditch full of nettles).
Meeting and talking with Esteban (who took great joy in practicing his English) in the Celtic Rugy Shop that sold kilts, where Allison bought a New Zealand Rugby shirt made in Espana!
Finding non-smoking restaurants, including enjoying our first tapas lunch, and our first bocadillo (sandwich) that included mayonasa (with pollo, tomate and lechuga) yummy
Watching two 8-9 year old boys play hide and seek in the Recantos Bar at beer o´clock
Seeing generations, families out walking, eating, laughing together
Seeing a photo exhibit and video "Regresso a Orixe" portraying pilgrimage in Jerusalem, Rome & Santiago by Manuel Valcarcel commisioned by Galicia for this 2010 Holy Year on the Camino - inspiring, beautiful, moved to tears
Pouring rain, flowing off rooftops and out of the mouths of gargoyles
Seeing, recognizing and embracing fellow walkers, pilgrims, amongst the throngs of thousands of tourists in this holy medieval city
Thinking that I had accidentally erased the more than 1000 photos that we had taken, crying my eyes out, and then discovering I hadn´t ... (It´s a long story)
Witnessing the excitment of the German priest, a fellow pilgrim, who spoke at the mass we attended, when the 60 kg incense-burning botafumeiro was lit and swung like a pendulum by 8 attendants more than 60 feet in the air ...
Sunshine and cafes con leche at outdoor cafes on this our final day in Spain!
We´ll be home late tomorrow night.
With love,
Diane and Allison
Visiting the Museo de Peregrinacion (Museum of Pilgrimage) and seeing beautiful black and white photos of "Pure Christianity" of pilgrims in Eritrea and Ethiopia (where Allison visited in 1997)
Talking and laughing with the young woman in the Panideria & Dulces who wanted to practice her English while we practiced our Spanish trying to buy donuts
The still warm, sugary, oily Donuts!
Talking and laughing with the woman in the Galegos Productos store about buying and how to cook "Ortegas" (stinging nettles) which we bought and will eat when we get home (see Allison´s post below about landing in a ditch full of nettles).
Meeting and talking with Esteban (who took great joy in practicing his English) in the Celtic Rugy Shop that sold kilts, where Allison bought a New Zealand Rugby shirt made in Espana!
Finding non-smoking restaurants, including enjoying our first tapas lunch, and our first bocadillo (sandwich) that included mayonasa (with pollo, tomate and lechuga) yummy
Watching two 8-9 year old boys play hide and seek in the Recantos Bar at beer o´clock
Seeing generations, families out walking, eating, laughing together
Seeing a photo exhibit and video "Regresso a Orixe" portraying pilgrimage in Jerusalem, Rome & Santiago by Manuel Valcarcel commisioned by Galicia for this 2010 Holy Year on the Camino - inspiring, beautiful, moved to tears
Pouring rain, flowing off rooftops and out of the mouths of gargoyles
Seeing, recognizing and embracing fellow walkers, pilgrims, amongst the throngs of thousands of tourists in this holy medieval city
Thinking that I had accidentally erased the more than 1000 photos that we had taken, crying my eyes out, and then discovering I hadn´t ... (It´s a long story)
Witnessing the excitment of the German priest, a fellow pilgrim, who spoke at the mass we attended, when the 60 kg incense-burning botafumeiro was lit and swung like a pendulum by 8 attendants more than 60 feet in the air ...
Sunshine and cafes con leche at outdoor cafes on this our final day in Spain!
We´ll be home late tomorrow night.
With love,
Diane and Allison
Monday, May 24, 2010
Santiago
We made it.
Diane arrived mid day with sore feet and high spirits to meet me at the Porto de Camino. Together we walked in to the Cathedral which felt like a good way to draw to an end the walking part of this experience. It is impossible to find the words to describe the place. Just big big huge.
There is much to explore and enjoy.
Tonight though is a time to rest; tomorrow Pilgrim´s mass at the Cathedral.
The Camino continues...
Diane arrived mid day with sore feet and high spirits to meet me at the Porto de Camino. Together we walked in to the Cathedral which felt like a good way to draw to an end the walking part of this experience. It is impossible to find the words to describe the place. Just big big huge.
There is much to explore and enjoy.
Tonight though is a time to rest; tomorrow Pilgrim´s mass at the Cathedral.
The Camino continues...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
One More Day ... Walking to Santiago
Alone this evening in Arca Do Pino ... 20 km from Santiago
after having had dinner with two women from Hungary
and, after they left, two men from Finland
... friends on the Camino.
Allison and I will meet tomorrow at noon
at the gate to the medieval city, then walk together
to the Cathedral de Santigo.
I am giving thanks and wondering
about the gift, blessing and significance
of this time of walking ... of communion
with fellow pilgrims from all over the world,
with the land and people of Spain along the Camino.
Giving thanks.
What if the actual remains of James the Apostle
are entombed in the Cathedral de Santiago?
Does the answer to this question matter?
What if ... this patron Saint of Spain, this friend and follower of Jesus - the man, the Spirit, God - is calling out to those who will listen?
What call will I hear?
There has been time on the Camino,
there will be time in Santiago,
and at home
to listen.
With love and gratitude for friends and family at home,
and Camino friends along the way, those we´ve met
and those we´ve yet to meet.
And to my family - Guck for the Guck!
(I love you)
Talk to you soon,
Diane
after having had dinner with two women from Hungary
and, after they left, two men from Finland
... friends on the Camino.
Allison and I will meet tomorrow at noon
at the gate to the medieval city, then walk together
to the Cathedral de Santigo.
I am giving thanks and wondering
about the gift, blessing and significance
of this time of walking ... of communion
with fellow pilgrims from all over the world,
with the land and people of Spain along the Camino.
Giving thanks.
What if the actual remains of James the Apostle
are entombed in the Cathedral de Santiago?
Does the answer to this question matter?
What if ... this patron Saint of Spain, this friend and follower of Jesus - the man, the Spirit, God - is calling out to those who will listen?
What call will I hear?
There has been time on the Camino,
there will be time in Santiago,
and at home
to listen.
With love and gratitude for friends and family at home,
and Camino friends along the way, those we´ve met
and those we´ve yet to meet.
And to my family - Guck for the Guck!
(I love you)
Talk to you soon,
Diane
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Arzua
Watching from the restfull shelter of this cafe
a stream of pigrims
steadily passing
- or unsteadily passing -
with heavy backpacks,
wide brimmed hats,
high tech walking poles,
hand-carved sticks,
ball caps, berets, crutches, without bags, with eye shadow,
wilting under the sun -
bearded, smooth, smoking, perfumed, cell phone ringing,
or silent -
with crosses, shells, badges, pins, buttons, beads,
guitars,
bicycles,
horses,
donkeys
some determined, some drifters
some shuffle, some sprint
some linger in a wisp of shade
some race on to the next day.
They pray in 800 year old places
with quiet
they pray in bars with tv blarring
with beer -
they go in groups
they go alone
they sing, write, talk talk talk talk talk
laugh
cry.
There is no thing in all these lives which is the same -
except for this Camino
and this day.
And this is profoundly unifying.
and this is Good.
And now my Camino is
to be
a witness.
And this, too,
is Good.
a stream of pigrims
steadily passing
- or unsteadily passing -
with heavy backpacks,
wide brimmed hats,
high tech walking poles,
hand-carved sticks,
ball caps, berets, crutches, without bags, with eye shadow,
wilting under the sun -
bearded, smooth, smoking, perfumed, cell phone ringing,
or silent -
with crosses, shells, badges, pins, buttons, beads,
guitars,
bicycles,
horses,
donkeys
some determined, some drifters
some shuffle, some sprint
some linger in a wisp of shade
some race on to the next day.
They pray in 800 year old places
with quiet
they pray in bars with tv blarring
with beer -
they go in groups
they go alone
they sing, write, talk talk talk talk talk
laugh
cry.
There is no thing in all these lives which is the same -
except for this Camino
and this day.
And this is profoundly unifying.
and this is Good.
And now my Camino is
to be
a witness.
And this, too,
is Good.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Our Santiagos
Three days ago we walked through cool early morning, mountain mist on stone-wall lined paths, over streams, past abandoned grist mills, from Triacastela to Samos. We wanted to visit the Monasterio de Samos, despite the extra 6.5 km required by this route. The Monastery is one of the oldest continously inhabited monasteries in the ¨western world¨, with one of the largest grounds and enclosed garden cloisters in Spain.
After a 3 hour walk, and revived by cafes con leche and croissants, we toured this centuries old place of contemplation and Benedictine devotion, and attempted to imagine the lives and spiritual pratices of the resident brothers ...
Souls stirred, that afternoon we walked, followed the yellow arrows that mark the length of the Camino, along country paths, across farmers´ fields, through tiny villages. It was very hot and we were out of water, and we wondered in frustration if we had somehow lost the trail or if John Brierly´s guidebook (which had been excellent to this point) had suddenly failed us. Walking up yet another hill, sprayed in red lettering on the pavement was the question, ¨What is Your Santiago?¨
We finally arrived, late, hot and tired in Sarria. After finding a place to stay (all the albergues were full), with tears over our dinners of Ensalada Mixta, Allison told me about the ¨Ah, ha¨ she had had late that afternoon when she was struggling to continue walking.
She had realized that her Santiago, her soul truth, was that she needed to stop walking, to rest, to take care of herself. Later in the hotel room, we both cried, realizing that our walking together needed to come to an end. We brainstormed possibilities (because that´s what we do, including the possibility of us both quitting and going to Majorca to lie on the beach for a week), but in the end, we decided that it is impotçrtant that we both meet our needs for this time.
So ... Allison has stopped walking and I have continued. Together we walked 417 km. For the past two days I have walked without her (49 km), but not alone, as the Camino is filled with pilgrims, many who have just strarted in Sarria. She has taken a bus each day and has gone ahead to find a place for us to stay.
Three more days , 69 km, and we will be in Santiago.
The walking is good for my soul.
The resting is good for Allison.
Together, in our own ways, we will complete our Caminos de Santiago.
After a 3 hour walk, and revived by cafes con leche and croissants, we toured this centuries old place of contemplation and Benedictine devotion, and attempted to imagine the lives and spiritual pratices of the resident brothers ...
Souls stirred, that afternoon we walked, followed the yellow arrows that mark the length of the Camino, along country paths, across farmers´ fields, through tiny villages. It was very hot and we were out of water, and we wondered in frustration if we had somehow lost the trail or if John Brierly´s guidebook (which had been excellent to this point) had suddenly failed us. Walking up yet another hill, sprayed in red lettering on the pavement was the question, ¨What is Your Santiago?¨
We finally arrived, late, hot and tired in Sarria. After finding a place to stay (all the albergues were full), with tears over our dinners of Ensalada Mixta, Allison told me about the ¨Ah, ha¨ she had had late that afternoon when she was struggling to continue walking.
She had realized that her Santiago, her soul truth, was that she needed to stop walking, to rest, to take care of herself. Later in the hotel room, we both cried, realizing that our walking together needed to come to an end. We brainstormed possibilities (because that´s what we do, including the possibility of us both quitting and going to Majorca to lie on the beach for a week), but in the end, we decided that it is impotçrtant that we both meet our needs for this time.
So ... Allison has stopped walking and I have continued. Together we walked 417 km. For the past two days I have walked without her (49 km), but not alone, as the Camino is filled with pilgrims, many who have just strarted in Sarria. She has taken a bus each day and has gone ahead to find a place for us to stay.
Three more days , 69 km, and we will be in Santiago.
The walking is good for my soul.
The resting is good for Allison.
Together, in our own ways, we will complete our Caminos de Santiago.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Signs and Guides
There are so many things to be grateful for on this path. So many in each day.
A few days ago after 28 blistering kilometres along a busy highway, transport trucks blowing by, and busy people going somewhere important in a hurry, we sat on an ancient stone wall in a wee town to consult.
My feet told me stop. My hot head told me keep going 1.2 more kilometres to our 'destination'. Into this delerious haze and out of the long hot rays of the late afternoon sun came first a voice, then a gesture waving us back, then a person.
A lovely French pilgrim fellow we had had a meal with two days earlier saw us pass by, was worried for us, and came out of the place he was staying to make sure we went no further.
Saved yet again.
Sometimes saying thank you isn't enough, but it is all I have.
So I will say it as often as I can.
A few days ago after 28 blistering kilometres along a busy highway, transport trucks blowing by, and busy people going somewhere important in a hurry, we sat on an ancient stone wall in a wee town to consult.
My feet told me stop. My hot head told me keep going 1.2 more kilometres to our 'destination'. Into this delerious haze and out of the long hot rays of the late afternoon sun came first a voice, then a gesture waving us back, then a person.
A lovely French pilgrim fellow we had had a meal with two days earlier saw us pass by, was worried for us, and came out of the place he was staying to make sure we went no further.
Saved yet again.
Sometimes saying thank you isn't enough, but it is all I have.
So I will say it as often as I can.
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