Memories of Getting to Deba

I finally got to a computer after reaching the del Norte but not until Deba, day 4 and 8 days away from home.  I left Toronto and flew to Barcelona which was amazing to the end.  I spent most of the last day at the Picasso Museum.  What a great display.  There was, just by chance, a special collection on view of his works from Paris and a few private collections.  The show was about his years in Paris starting in 1900.  He was young and learning from the artists of the day.  The main gallery shows his works from the 30s on.  He appears to be quite a character. 


I left Barcelona by train at 7:30 in the morning and got to Irun by 1in the afternoon.  It was sunny when I got to Irun, had a hard time finding the Albergue only to discover it didn't open until 4.  The next day it was raining like crazy.  (No real raincoat, remember my last post!)

It has rained since Irun,  through San Sebastian and through to Zarautz the next day.   But the sun came out in Deba.  I am walking with a woman from Ireland who is really a lot of fun with the Irish humour etc.  This is her 3rd Camino too so we have a lot to talk about.  My god the hills on the Del Norte so far are amazing.  No gradual climbs,  - straight up and straight down and many of them.  I am so greatful that I am fit. 
As ususal our average walk is 20 to 22K.  We usually are at our destination by 1.30 but  we didn´t get to Deba until 3.  The hills were steep but also many muddy trails that were slippery.  I couldn´t wait to get my boots off.  Yesterday and today are beach towns and the water is beautiful.  I got into the ocean for a swim yesterday and today our day was so long that I had to take up the time getting a bed, finding food and writing to catch up with everyone. 
Deba  is an very interesting town.  It has elevators!  Right in the middle of the town, there are elevators to move people up the various levels that the town is built on.  Why I didn't take a photo I don't know.  Anyway the presence of eleators in a small town like Deba might give you some sense of the steepness of the hills around there.

Photos are, Irun, Leaving Irun in the Rain by Boat, Zararutz beach where we swam and the Picasso posted in Barcelona. So much for now.  Stay tuned.

I hope I haven't lost you

I have been absent from my blog for far too long.  I hope to make it up to you, dear readers, by getting back into the swing of writing.  There is so much that I have not written about Del Norte or about my reactions to walking there.
I will try not to let my ego get out front, but I have to say that in many ways the Del Norte was harder than either the Frances or the Portuguese and I made it!  What made it difficult?
First, the 10 days of rain through the mountains was tough.  I was so confident from my previous Caminos that it never rained hard enough for a serious rain coat, that I didn't take anything but a disposable!
Well that changed by day two and a half and lucky for me Donostia-San Sabastiaan had a few great out-door shops.  I bought a rain coat that I had been looking for in Canada.  Yes, the exact one that was not available at MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) and for the same price they were selling it for.  Wow, I was ready now.
I stepped out of the store in my newly aquired red, red, red zipperd coat with additional closers in case I didn't want to zip up and with a properly fitting hood and last but not least an expandable pouch in the back that fitted over my pack without exposing the back of my knees to the weather!  Wow, it was great to be dry.
 So let that be my first lesson on the Del Norte.  Don't take Mother Nature for granted ever.  Be alert! Be ready!
Stay tuned for another entry to this blog any day now.

After Portugalete

So now the route levels out, thank St James.  In addition the sun is breaking though more often as we have left the Basque country.  Now into Cantabria we are dealing with asphalt, every step of the way.  Oh that is a big shock to my bad knees.  I am greatful that my boots are good to my feet at least.  Still no blisters.

So on through to Pobena and Cobaron.

Bilbao

This isn't true, I do know where I am and I digress back to July22.

Here goes

I left Gernika via train.  OMG is this possible or allowable, yep I did it anyway knowing that I would not be going to Santi this time to get a compostella.  Off to Bilbao.  I am very glad I did this.  Bilbao is a lovely city, unfortunately very much under construction for some reason, but the Guggenheimm is here so there you go.  We leaqrned tht one must choose between 2 Albergues.  To get to both one must take the number 58 bus from the main square just below the train station.  The first Albergue you reach is a hotel sized building and it is a private albergue costing over 15 euros.  If you are in Bilbao before June 1 and after school opens you must stay here.  The second albergue is in a location above the first one, you are driving up a big hill, and it is great.  Try to find more info on line about this place so that you can be more specific if you go, I should have taken notes.  If I was to do it again I would find a reasonably priced hostel or Pension as stay in the city.

The issue with either place is that they are 30 minutes by bus outside the main city.  It is worth the trip back into the city once you get settled there is much to see there.

We left by train or bus (can't remember) the next afternoon after we spent the day looking around.  I have had too much experience walking through the suburbs and industrial sections of large cities of the Camino to know that I wanted to do it again.  So I became a bus pilgrim two days in a row.

The hospitaliaro in Portuglete, the next stop on the Camino was wise to us Bus Pilgrims.  When he opened the albergue he asked first to place those who walked.  Then he placed those of us who bussed our way here.  Smart guy!  Anyway Portugelete has a nice beach and great big rocks that one can have a picnic on which we did.  We met  family there who had a dog named Doggie which I thought was cute.  Spanish people giving the dog an english name of its species.  The next dog I get will be named Perreo( Spanish word for dog)

Hello from Gernika - July 21

It has been a while since I have accessed a computer so this is a catch up post.

The sun has been out for 3.days  This is pretty special because when I left Irun the rain started and persisted for 10 days.  The way is difficult with the mud and rain.  The highest climb from Irun to San Sebastian was about 525 m but it was straight up and straight down.  Not nice on bad knees.  Since it was raining in San Sebastian we just walked through.  The city is beautiful, very much a tourist stop and the beach is to die for.  Too bad I couldn't enjoy the water.

I am walking with a woman from Ireland.  She has a guide book which is great.  The one I bought from the St. James group in London England was useless.  It had no maps and the layout was very confusing.  I threw it away!

Our next stop was Zarautz just 23K from San Sebastian.  The climb was slow but steady this time and only 375 m.  We saw the sun break through the clouds in Zararutz as we waited for the Albergue to open at 5.  So off we went to the beach for a swim.  It was great.

Deba, the next stop was a real treat.  Again a beach town but for some reason I never got to the sand.  Can't remember why.  This is an interesting town full of steep streets with the centre of the city at ground level.  The streets are so steep that they actually have elevators bult into the rock.  The day was up and down big time even through the elevation reached just over 200m.  There were five climbs and then the decent into Deba.

The next day ended in Markina after another series of ups and downs.  As high as 500m this time.

 

Today is Gernika.  What a story this town has.  It was destroyed, at least 2/3s of it was, by Hitlar and Franco in 1937.  Yes before the WWII was really booming.  The two miserable men made an agreement that the Germans could use this city as target practice for the German war ships.  (The U.S. did the same thing with one of the Hawiian islands called Molokai except no people were killed as far as I know)  Franco did not alert the people of Gernika about the raid and 2700 people and two-thirds of the city were distroyed.  Picasso has a famous painting of the horror that I will try to attach to this post.

Gernika is now a lovely city but all of the historic buildings from before the raid are gone of course.  My pain of the walk obviously left my body when I read this story on the city hall building.

The image says it all.  You can google the image and or the histry of the bombing.  More later on my next computer stop.

Here I am again, In Spain

It is Friday the 15th of July and this is my third day here.  On my first day I took advantage of my stong legs and a good map and walked all around the old City.  I really enjoyed the easy ways of the people and all the little food shops selling the most beautiful fruit and veggies.  I had my first chocolate croissant of the trip ' yum, had a siesta and left again for more walking.

Yesterday It rained all day so I took advantage of the tourist bus deal.  I saw all of the great sights of Barcelona, hopping on and off the bus when I felt like I wanted to visit up close and personal with a building or a park.  I fulfilled my dream of touching a Goudi creation.  OMG the arcitecute in Barcelona is beautiful.
This is a pretty spectacular city but what surprises me is how new it is.   The small old city goes back centruies of course but there has been a great deal of development since the late 1800´s and early 1900´s.  Even more was been done for the recent Olympic games.  As with most cities hosting the games, old neighbourhoods were torn down here, people evectided from their homes and since the games, money-commerce has taken over those spots.  One nice thing is that beaches have been revived without the highrises blocking access.  Well enough about that.
 

Today,  I spent most of the day at the Picasso Museum.  What a great display.  There was, just by chance, a special collection on view of his works from Paris and a few private collections.  The show was about his yer
ars in Paris starting in 1900.  He was young and learning from the artists of the day.  The main gallery shows his works from the 30s on.  He appears to be quite a character.  The rain left overnight and today was beautiful.  I walked around, including time in the gallery for about 6.5 hours visiting parts I didn´t see on the bus or on previous walks.  I plan tonight to walk over to the Gaudi Cathedral now that I know where it is.
I leave on the train at 7.30 in the morning and reach Irun at 1.50  I will stay there and my plan is to go to San Sebastian the next day.  I understand it is worth a day or two so I might just stay for a couple of nights.
I met some young men from London Ont here at the hostel yesterday and one of them leaves for the Frances either this September or next September depending on his job.  He downloaded my book, Planning Your Camino 'Preparing The Way, as we talked.  It was cool!
So I will be on my own until I meet people who wnat to share their walk.  No problem being by myself on a Camino, it won´t be for long.

¨¨Talk with you in a few days.

After the last post

Someone asked me about the mysterious power of the Camino regarding "the presence of spirit". They were questioning the validity of people's spirit experiences there. I told them that those to get it need no explanation, for those who don't no explanation is possible

The mystical and unexplaine​d.... on the Camino

There is an interesting thread on the Camino Forum that I would like to share with you. I have asked permission so we should be good to go.

By Brother David
Now there is a good thread .. ermm .. unfortunately no

- except, a couple of years ago, I walked up from my parked up camper van/ first aid station onto the meseta into the dusk, and sat until it was dark and then walked the mile or two back - wanting to be as alone as I could be and quite the opposite happened. I was walking in starlight on the Meseta above the area before San Bol. Dark, dark, enough starlight to walk by and the air skin warm and my body became quite electrified, I had the most vibrant 'pins and needles' all over my skin and into my very core and felt that I was pressed, utterly pressed on all sides by pilgrims past. It was the most extraordinary experience. I had to stop and wait and invite it in, as it were, and try to somehow connect to whatever was going on - I couldn't of course, whatever was going on was only impinging on the limits of my senses ... but it really was extraordinary, splendid, I felt that were there anything metal up there - or even a tree! - and I could reach towards it there would have been sparks.
It was as if I were utterly surrounded by people but I could not see them .... no explanations, just an experience.
Don't you just love it, being on this planet?

Here is my sotry:

I have had a couple of "interesting" experiences while walking the Camino. The one that baffels me the most was on my return journey from Santiago to Porto last fall. I was walking alone as my partners all left in Santiago. I had gotten off trail and therefore lost two days in a row. Fortunately people were kind enough to set me straight and on one occassion, drove me back the 5 K I had taken in the wrong direction.
On that trip, I had made a habit of inviting my guardian angels, my mother and father and best friend George all who had passed away to join me on my walks. I called o n them every day, like a morning prayer. So after I got lost 2 days in a row, I had a frank talk with these "beings" and told them that I did not want to get lost again and I was counting on them to keep me on the "straight and norrow". So about 1p.m. that day I was in my meditative walking mode and I heard a bell in my right ear I turned sharply and saw no animal or person near that could have produced the sound. So I walked a few steps further and heard it again. I turned in the direction of the sound, and right there in front of me as a blue arrow indicating a 45 degree turn on the trail. I would certainly have missed that arrow if that bell had not sounded.

Coincidence? I don't think so. I have heard similar bell stories from pilgrims. You are never alone on the Camino.

Now for the most amazing story I have read....

• Report this post
• Reply with quote

Re: The mystical and unexplained....

by Ibcus on 05 Jun 2011, 18:09

I don't know if this qualifies for mystical or unexplained.

I took a photo of my brother and his wife walking out of Moss and although it was pretty good light the camera chose a pretty high iso setting. So I thought I would clean it up a bit and reduce noise, then sharpen it to compensate.
I haven't had to do this to any other shot I took in the day, only ones at night in bad light.
The sharpening process was done in photoshop and makes the photo look kind of like a negative.

I won't tell you what I see, I'll leave that up to you.



link to image is here http://i54.tinypic.com/2881hd0.jpg as the forum seems to have cropped a bit off to the right. Or you can right click the image and click view.

 

I see afigure on the right side of the photo in the bushes, at least a face.  This continues with the origianal photo...

 

Re: The mystical and unexplained....

by Ibcus on 05 Jun 2011, 20:37

This is the original, not the best picture in the world.
The only reason I spent time on it is because it's a shot of my brother and sister-in-law.

As you can see the tall grass(?) is there, but looks totaly different.
There is no way you would see anything in this shot, but after seeing the previous one it makes it visible, or it does to me anyway.

 

So what do you think????

Summer Heat

Technically it is still spring here in Canada.  Yesterday was a taste of summer, with 39C temps.  My newly spounted garden wilted and the dogs didn't move all day.  This is a pre-cursor for my Camino this year.  I know I am going into the hottest time of the year in Spain but as this is my third walk, I am in no hurry.  I will have no guilt catching a bus.  I will stop more often than I did before, to examine the hill sides and plants around me.  My beer intake is likely to increase as will my water intake.
I look forward to being alone (I did shake off the person who wanted to come with me by the way) on this walk."The Mother" and I will converse and I will heal.

Calling all Angels!!!!!!

Planning My Camino

Wow, just 6 weeks before I take off for Spain again.  I am being fearless and going it alone this time.  I fly into Barcelona for a few days, then take the train to Irun (on the north coast near the France border and then walk my buns off for 3 weeks.  I will fly out of Madrid in mid August. 
This has been a difficult 6 months, winter was really long, not enough face time with people and not enough walking.  I am so excited about getting away and being with "The Mother" nature again.

By the way, check out my Facebook page
www.facebook.com/pages/planning-your-camino-preparing-the-way/204097119622281

Our 5 top regrets in life... these seem to apply to walking the Camino

What are the top 5 regrets people admit?

You may be surprised...

3/22/2011 7:48:00 AM CFRB AM 1010

Today on 'Moore in the Morning' John received an email with an article written by palliative care nurse Bonnie Ware about the top 5 regrets her patients admitted on their death beds...
Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed
By Bonnie Ware(who worked for years nursing the dying)

 

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle. 

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly,in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

 

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved.Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip.But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks,love and relationships. 

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have sillyness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again,long before you are dying.

 

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?

The Movie - The Way

Martin Sheen on the divine experience he shared with son Emilio Estevez on set of new film

Apr 17 2011 John Millar, Sunday Mail

martin sheen in the way Image 1

AFTER surviving a heart attack during the shooting of Vietnam war movie Apocalypse Now in the Philippines, Martin Sheen knows that miracles can happen.
And now, after making their latest film together, his son Emilio Estevez, of St Elmo's Fire and Young Guns fame, is also a believer.
The father and son teamed up on screen for the fourth time in their careers for the emotional story The Way.
It's about a grieving father completing his dead son's 500-mile trek along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela - a pilgrimage across the Pyrenees walked by thousands each year.
The two Hollywood stars were amazed by a series of seemingly miraculous events which occurred during filming in the Galicia region of Spain.
"I believe in miracles a lot more now," says 48-year-old Estevez, who also wrote and directed The Way. "And I have taken the word 'coincidence' out of my vocabulary. I believe that there is divine intervention.
"Miracles happened on a daily basis and it got to the point where the crew were true believers too. If they didn't have any spirituality going into this, they did have by the end.
"Lives changed on this film. My son Taylor met his wife on the Camino and they now live in Burgos, in northern Spain.
"Other relationships were also forged by crew members. One said she met the man of her dreams there and got married.
"Also, it only rained twice in a 40-day period in an area famous for getting rain almost every day. It was definitely providential."
But the most miraculous occurrence was being granted permission to film a crucial sequence inside the ancient cathedral of Santiago de Compostela - the ancient church reputed to be the burial place of St James, one of Jesus's apostles.
Initially, church authorities indicated that no filming could be done inside the cathedral - and it turned out that Brazilian World Cup star striker Ronaldinho was to blame.
A few years ago, Ronaldinho was making a TV commercial outside the cathedral and accidentally kicked a ball against a 300-year-old stained glass window and shattered it.
"After that, they decided no other film crews would get access," said Estevez.
"I was rewriting the script to use another church but the entire crew prayed that they might change their mind.
"Just 48 hours before arriving in Santiago, we were granted permission to go into the cathedral and shoot the scene."
Sheen smiles at the memory of that magical moment.
"You begin to understand that all our lives really are miracles," he said.
The 70-year-old star - who starred as John F Kennedy in the Kennedy TV miniseries and as fictional US President Josiah Bartlet in The West Wing - added that making The Way was a dream come true.
The veteran actor was born Ramon Gerardo Antonio Estevez and his paternal roots are in the Galician region.
"My father, Francisco, was from Galicia and I grew up hearing about this mysterious place Santiago de Compostela," he said.
"As I got involved in my career and raising a family, I almost forgot about it.
"Then, in the summer of 2003, I focused on going to Santiago because I desperately wanted to walk the Camino."
The loss of a loved one also played a vital part in Sheen returning to his roots.
"My brother Alphonso, who I grew up with, died. I adored him and we were called 'The Irish twins'," he said.
"He was a year-and-a-half ahead of me in school and had prepared the way for me. There were 10 children in our family and when Alphonso died, there were only six left.
"A few years ago, I said to them all, 'Enough funerals. Let's gather in Ireland on May 26, 2003, in County Tipperary where our mother was born 100 years to the day.'
"So we met and had a great celebration. We had a Mass in the church where my grandfather had done the roofing. He was a master slater and is buried in a nearby graveyard.
"Then I invited everyone to go on the Camino with me - and two people showed up.
"They were my oldest friend, Matt Clarke, who plays the part of a priest in the film, and Emilio's son Taylor, who was 19 at the time."
On the trip to northern Spain, Sheen discovered he didn't have enough time to walk the Camino, as it normally takes between four and six weeks.
He said: "I only had three weeks' holiday left before starting back on The West Wing, so I thought about doing the journey on horseback or by bicycle - which many pilgrims do. But neither way worked out, so we rented a car and drove it."
As a result of that trip, Sheen became passionate about making a movie and suggested it to Emilio, who began working on a script.
"He wrote the part for me," says the proud father. "If this had been a big Hollywood studio film, it's unlikely I would have got the role. There are so many big stars who would have wanted a part like this, so when Emilio handed me this role, it was a great gift.
"Making The Way was one of the great experiences I've had. Emilio is such a dear man. He's the only director I've ever worked with who says, 'Action, please, and cut, please, thank you.' He is so polite - actors adore him."
But it's a mutual appreciation society as Estevez adores his dad.
"I consider it a privilege and an honour to work with my father," he said.
"For every great film like Badlands or Apocalypse Now he made, there were 20 bad movies - because he had a family to feed.
"For me to be able to work with him was an opportunity to say I know the sacrifices he made as a father and an actor. This was my way of paying him back."
Sheen and his wife, Jean, have four children - Emilio, Ramon, Renee and the notorious Charlie, whose battles with his own personal demons have been grabbing headlines recently.
Sheen has had his own fights with addiction but has been sober for more than 20 years.
He is passionate about his family, so the scene in the film where he identifies his dead son in a foreign morgue was particularly emotional for him.
He said: "It's a stunning moment. Emilio chose to be in the body bag and I didn't know he was going to be there, so that is what I'm reacting to.
"It's every parent's worst fear that you will bury a child. How do you cope with that?
"That is our whole story - it's a fatherand-son journey. The father begins thinking he's completing the journey for his son and gradually realises he's doing it for himself. He realises that he hasn't opened up his heart to the world."
The Way is released on May 13. (In Europe release date is September for North America)

This is our first arrow after leaving the subway The Beach walk and all the way to Santiago Villa do Conde

The Community of Pilgrims

Well I have had an exhilirating day planning for Del Norte.  Thanks to the Forum pilgrims and their ability to respond to just about any question one might have, I am beginning to feel a sense of relief about Del Norte.  Today I started with a post from 2004 if you can believe it.  An e-mail from a Pilgrim to a friend outlined her journey day by day.  This left many questions in my mind, particularly about, so what's happened in the passing years.

Personal messages came flowing in from recent Del Norte pilgrims and a post or two on the forum.  I still have work to do but the most amazing thing is that thanks to my previous Camino experiences, I have a great deal of faith that I need not sweat this.  It appears that in the passage of time, northern Spain has released a bunch of material about Del Norte, even though it seems at this point only to be available in northern Spain.  So I get it. I have to go there to find my way.

Taking leaps of faith based on the experience of life travellers is how we learn.  We make it most times and sometimes we need to make our own lesson.  I love being older.  I love that being older has brought me to a point of trust and of no or little fear.  I love that I can "face my fear and do it anyway" as some author put it.  Within reason, I might ad.

Some one on the Forum has as her ongoing message at the bottom of her posts...live your life!  Ya gotta love it!

Planning ain't so easy!

So Camino babies and veterans, I have spent the morning dissecting a website with the Del Norte info.

Butterflies have returned to my tummy as I look over the challenges of this route.  Big hills, lots of them.  Beautiful vistas, lots of them.  Platas (beaches) lots of them. Wow, I am pretty excited.

Someone on the Forum has been asking where the energy lines are on the Camino, that is where she wants to be.   I say they start in your planning room at home.  The energy that has taken me over is all about thinking of the wonderful parts of the world I have never seen before.  My angels will be with me and of course, so will all of you, I know it.

So far my plan is 2 days in Barcelona and then train to Irun.  So really it will be day 4 before I start the walk.  Every step of the way will unfold forgotten sences, new scenery and new challenges.   That is one of the beautiful things about walking.  The mind is focused.  The body is ready.  The spirit expands because when we walk we are "in the zone" of mother nature. Every time I walk the dogs, every day is different even though I have walked the paths so many times.  

We are part of the environment, we are not separate from it.   Walking on the Mother's belly, day in and day out is a primitive activity that can bring us back to her and to her energy.  As I said the other day to some one, travel light, life is easier that way.

Nameste

Oh dear...

Well I have done it now.  I opened up a general invitation to people in my hiking club regarding walking this year in Spain.  Well guess what, now I don't want to walk with people I don't really know from here and I have to take back my invite.

Meeting people on the Way who you are really drawn to is one of the great gifts of the Camino.  The even greater gift is when you stay together for all, or a at least a long part of the journey.  Right Anne?   When you meet people there you know almost immediately who you will share your mutual respect with.  When the feeling isn't there, one moves on. 

Well, as the song says, I just can't get the feeling.  This person has walked the Frances in 2004 and really only has complained about it.  She is not fond of the Albergues and is used to travelling in style.   I find this out now, thanks to the forces that be and not later.

So now I have to take my own advise and put an end to this unease by doing something about it.  My instinct tells me that the right thing to do is walk alone or at least start off that way on this Camino.
Planning my third camino begins now, I have to take this action.

Love and light all

The Forum and "Radiation Levels in Europe"

For those of you who read the Forum Santiago de Compostela Forum that is,  you know that there is a great concern and lots of back and forth posts going on about the Radiation Levels in Europe due to the quake in Japan. 

Brother Davide put it to rest for me when he basically said, All is well.  He talked about all the hype that media has spread over the years about one potential disaster or another and he said,  All is Well.

So I posted back with my usual rant...

Thanks Brother David, I agree with you, it is what it is and all is well. One real life lesson I gained on the CF in 2009 is that I came to understand the uselessness (is that a word) of worry. Seriously, life is so much more simple when worry flies out the window. If there is nothing that I can do to change a "possible" outcome of an event or such, then I drop the thought. It helps to make a decision and go with it. Yes, gathering information is important but if I know where I already stand on a topic then I base my decision on where I stand on the topic.

Looking forward to my next Camino in July across Del Norte.

Love and light (without harmfull levels of radiation) .. check out the cartoon below

Freeing Ourselves from Negative Patterns

The new edition of Shambhala Sun arrived the other day, the same day that I was prompted by one of the readers of this Blog to get at it!

Just like the Camino de Santiago everyday life has its challanges, sometimes everyday.  When walking the Camino it is highly unlikely that you would get up one morning and say, I am not inspired to walk today.  These days I have not been inspired to write.  But this page of the Shambhala Sun is an inspiration to me and a reminder that I have work to do on many fronts.

The page I refer to is an advertisement for a conference called Freeing Ourselves fromNegative Patterns and it says
"Freeing ourselves from habitual thoughts, emotions and actions is the very purpose of Buddhist meditation. Using mindfulness and awareness practice, we see the true nature of negative patterns and liberate ourselves on the spot from their power over us."

I am not a Buddhist by practice but I am always struck by the gentle, kind messages we receive from Buddhist teaching.  When I was walking the Frances, there was a young woman who was also walking who struck me as being so peaceful.  I noted, each time we happend to be at the same albergue, that she meditated each morning before she even got out of her bunk. She did this in the midst of all the goings on that happen in the early morning in the albergues.  I thought wow, I wish I could do that but never did. 

Not moving onto something that I want to do is a negative pattern for me.  Some things are easy to incorparage into my life, but others not so.  Why is it that I can make time to walk for 30 days or more but not make time for meditation during each day?

AS I plan for my next Camino along the north coast, I want to remember to take some of the negative patterns in my life and turn them around, before I leave and when I am there.

I might even take along some ides of meditation and yoga and actually carry them out.

YEAHHHHH I am planning my next Camino!

When You Change Your Mind, Everything Changes

Yesterday I had my book launch.  It was fun and too short, when does one stope talking about one's experience of the Camino De Santiago?  I now have the answer...when everyone leaves!  If I am going to do this again I have to knowwhat to say and when to say it.

But something wonderful happened yesterday.  A woman who came told me at the end that as a result of another Pilgrim's reports she did not want to take the trips.  "Too much garbage, too much graffitti" the other Pilgrim said.  Thea said that after hearing my talk and seeing the photos, she has changed her mind about going and she felt really good about her decision.

Thea is an avid walker in her 70's and now the Camino is back on her list.

She looked radient when she told me about her decision and I thought, you know, changing one's mind about something can change everything.

The process that we go through to take on a trip like walking the Camino is a long one.  So much nags at our brain.  Am I strong enough, dare I take the time for myself, what if I get sick or injured, I don't know if I can do this.  Then suddenly, you make the commitment and everything changes.  Joy shows up, lightness in your step appears, commitment to training is suddenly doable, you smile more and people notice.  Life becomes like that Little Engine That Could.

So if you are still at the point of questioning your ability to make this life changing walk, take the life changing step to say I am now preparing to do this.  And let me remind you that life is a Camino and you (me too) can change our minds about any one thing that holds us back and it will change our whole life!

Carpe Diem my friend - Seize the Day

Now I have to get on with mine ...

http://caminodonalcorcoran.blogspot.com/

LE PUY TO CONQUES ITINERARY

 

Day 1.  Le Puy- St Privat d'allier 22 km
Day 2.  to Sauges 18 km
Day 3.  to Les Faux 25 km
Day 4.  to Aumont Aubrac 27 km
Day 5.  to Nasbinals 26 km
Day 6.  to St Chely d’Aubrac 17 km
Day 7.  to Espalion 26 km
Day 8.  to Estaing 11 km
Day 9.  to Espeyrac 25 km
Day 10. to Conques 13 km
Wow, I just stumbled onto this beautiful blog of photos by a 70 year old pilgrim.   I had to look up this Camino and it is in France.  The more I intend to walk the more Caminos come to me.  Is that the Universe talking!!??

So I decided today that I will be in Spain in July.  I will walk the Camino del Norte for as long as I can in the 4 weeks I will be away.  I know this one will be tough but I also know that I will do what I can do and I will be "walking " for 4 weeks.  O.K., some of that will be travel.

I feel so grateful that I can leave for 4 weeks and that no one says I should not.  I know John, my husband, will miss me as will the dogs and cats but everyone else will just wait for me to return.  I have lived an independent life and I still do.

Sometimes independent becomes loneliness, not lonely but aloneness of course.  But over the years, aloneness has become a resting place.  Meditation is aloneness.  Walking is aloneness but neither have to be loneliness.  There are times when I feel lonely, like during this damned long winter that is finally breaking, and John is away every day doing what he loves, ice fishing!  

I think this is an important point to take with you on your Camino, especially if it is your first.  Being alone does not have to be lonely.  Alone on the Camino gives us time to think, sing out loud, tell ourselves jokes, cry and eventually say hello to yourself.  What a concept.

So our 70 year old pilgrim is having the time of his life, hurt though he was on that Camino, he is full of joy.  May there always be a place for joy in your life and mine.

Until the next time

Love and light.

Bev

The Buff is here and here are photos.

Here is the Buff, two photos, FYI

Japan

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, It is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Let's join the group and send love and light to those who are suffering in Japan.

Don't Let Life Get In Your Way

"It's interesting how memories and dreams sustain us as we grow older. Life often becomes what we want it to be based on those dreams of long ago. Sadly, we too often forget to live those dreams and we forget that anything is possible in a dream."  This quote is from Jim Dineen.

Jim Dineen is an author, speaker and writer who has experienced dialysis and transplant and all of its ensuing complications in a not so complicated way. His first book, "Life's Just Not That Complicated" very concisely looks at life's challenges and asks, if it's really as difficult as we make it.

I have been making my life difficult lately and that of my darling husband.  Why? Because I have been bored.  Let's get this straight.  I have a house, a family, friends, an active life, dreams that I follow and dreams yet to be followed so the question is - WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!

We are so fortunate, me and those of you reading this blog.  I am so lucky and I have created the luck that brought me this life I have.  I think back on decisions I have made in my life that have created the place I am now at.  Good ones and bad ones, good places and not so good places.

I see so much concern on the Forum coming from people planning their Camino.  I wish I could just wave a magic wand and wave away worry and fear.  Forgive me if I am repeating myself but I do not worry any more.  When I sense a worry coming my way like, will I have enough money for the rest of my life?, I stop the worry right there in its tracks (old life long tape of insecurity playing itself in my head).  Then I often laugh when I think of Anne's carefree smile as she says "Who Cares!"

There is so much to think about when planning for the Camino and if we let our every day fears and worries control us, life will get in the way and the dream might be forgotten.  The Camino life is carefree.  You get up, brush your teeth, wash your face, comb your hair, eat your breakfast, say Buen or Bom Camino to those around you and head out.  Life is not that complicated and life is 100% your Camino.

Don't lose your dreams, make them part of your awake reality.

Admiration

I have been reading people's stories of walking the Camino in winter.  I have to admire these pilgrims!  Given where I live, cold is not an issue for me and I doubt that it gets to be -30 C on the Camino Frances or any of them for long like it does here.  What I admire is the intention of a little suffering just like the ancients.  I just received a note from a reader who finished the Camino Portuguese recently.  Reports of cold Albergues (Padrone) put me off but then I know I could survive. 

I love the warm even hot weather.  My friends will tell you that it seems to pick me up the hotter it gets, right Anne!

Now I am reading on the forum about the festivals in Spain along the Camino and everywhere - because we are approaching Easter.  How wonderful it would be to be there at this time of year with all that good vibration going on.  Can you imagine the Cathedral on Easter!  Wow.

I guess walking in the early spring would require a whole new approach to equipment.  Interesting.... I might have to experience that for my second edition!

Buds on the trees

Yes, spring is coming, there are buds on the trees.

I was thinking this morning of the beautiful difference the seasons make on the earth.  Not that this is an original thought but after all my years, seasonal changes are still profound.  Soon the buds will start to pop and the grass will start to grow.  Flowers will emerge from their winter dormancy just like me. 

I was remembering the beautiful spring days on the Camino Frances.  We were surpriseded that there was so little rain that year for us.  Everywhere we were trees were covering themselves with blossoms, the earth was drinking in the sun's warmth and waking up the plants that became its carpet.

Then I remembered the day going into Zubiri (Day 3) and the mud.  This was a day of rain.  This was an uphill day when all we could do was keep going.  I have a photo of the mud path and I call it "The Mud of the Centuries".  Imagine the ancients walking in those conditions.  We at least had our good boots and shoes, our mud guards or gaiters and apart from being tired, we were fine.  

Anne and I had our breath taken away by the purples, yellows, blues and whites on the mountains going into Galieca.  I think I took more photos that day than any.

Then I thought about Spain in the fall last year.  Everything was green.  The flowers were not as bright and they were fewer.  They had begun to shut down.  BUT, the harvest was about to begin.  Figs, grapes, kiwis, persimmons hung from trees and vines everywhere.  The figs were falling off the trees along the roadside and at one "bar" the vines were growing over our heads with still hard kiwi's waiting for their moment of transition into succulent fruit.

Now I am thinking of transition and how we as pilgrims transform on The Way.  Everyone has their own transformations, some deny any.  But walking even for 2 weeks transforms a part of each of us that we may or may not recognize for a long time.  In addition, I am beginning to believe that part of the difficulties we have returning from our Camino experiences to our everyday life is that we so desperately are trying to bring that "season" of our growth back to an environment that cannot sustain it to its fullest.  We are back in the mud!

But, just like the seasons of the planet, our seasons can and do return to our spirit.  I read just a few minutes ago that the not so great days in our lives can be turned around by changing our perspective.  That is not so easy but neither was (or will be) climbing the Pyrenees but we did it.

So while I am waiting for Spring, I will notice as many buds as I can.  I will watch for the grass peeking up and out of the snow along side the tulip spikes.  I will change my perspective and think about a new season.

Here's to your Spring and to all of us planning our next Camino.
 

Inspiration has returned...

O.K., it has been over a month since I wrote something.  I put my absence down to a long winter that has sapped my inspiration!  But wait, I think it is coming back.

A woman who read my book told me that she is now inspired to walk.  Not just walk more and more long distance walks but to walk the Camino.  She loves life and like me she loves to move her body.  She is a champion Dragon Boat paddler, she is preparing to walk a half marathon, she wants to walk across Canada and those are only some of her credentials.  We talked today and she is very excited about the possibility of walking the Camino Portuguese next year.  She will love it.

She has inspired me to write this blog today.

I realised by talking with her that I did not mention anything in my book about "training" for the Camino.  I further realised that it never entered my mind to write about training.  I know why.  I am active by nature.  (I saw that phrase somewhere and have made it mine.)  So by not mentioning training in my book, I did not acknowledge those who will read my book and who are not as active as I am.  So let me correct that now for the few of you who will read this.

Darlene, my new friend, mentioned she would like to get a walking coach.  Because of her paddling and other physical activities that required coaching I assume she felt that a coach is the way to go for walking too.  I know that some organizations are offering classes for people who want to Nordic pole walk.  I know too that many people like the comfort of a watchful eye and helpful feedback.  If I had had a coach for cross country skiing I know I would be better at it than I am - I still cross-country shuffle. But a walking coach?

O.K. let's look at the possibilities.  I think speed walking competitions require coaching.  There are rules that must be followed such as the walker always must have a toe or heel touching the ground.  If not it is considered running and you are disqualified.  That happened to an unfortunate athlete a few summer Olympics ago just 10 or so meters from the finish line.  She, of course, was disqualified and devastated.  Walking with Nordic Poles can be problematic if they are not the right length.  Shoulder and elbow problems can result  if the poles are too short or too long. The proper extension is necessary for healthy joints to stay healthy just like in riding a bike.  If the seat is too low you will not get proper extension of the leg and knee problems will follow over time.

I think the coaching required for long distance walking is not so much about body movement per se but about the equipment you need.  All the great equipment out there can help your walking and your stamina so much when you get it right.  My sister-in-law got bad advice about "the right" shoes for her and her Camino was not a happy one.  I made an error in choosing the back-pack that I used on my first Camino.  I ended up using bungee cords to make it fit right so that my back did not hurt!  Without the right rain gear, poncho, jacket, cape etc, you can be very uncomfortable.

Underwear is an item that is not often talked about when preparing, but boy you don't want ones that ride up!  Seams on everything, including your socks can make you crazy when you can't adjust them properly. 

Hats and sunglasses need to fit and offer the protection you need.  So I believe what is most needed is not a movement coach but an equipment coach.

To, my new friend Darlene, this post is for you.  I want to say thanks for the inspiration.  I look forward to walking with you and sharing stories. 

To my readers, the miracle is that Darlene lives "just around the corner" and we never knew each other before last week.  Camino miracles continue.

So regarding the book,

I am excited to tell you that my book is now in e-format too.  For the soft cover, the publisher contact is www.authorhouse.com  You would then search Planning Your Camino to order.
Now, however, if you Google the phrase, several e-book distributors will come up including American and U.K. distributors.

Darlene said something like, the book is "chalk block full of needed information for the trip" so I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers

....is spring here yet?

What's in Your Camino Library?

Still on the book theme, I wanted to pass along some of my thoughts on what you might want to read before you go on your Camino.

My new book aside...(Sorry, a little ego showing here AND A BIG LAUGH PLEASE) I would caution you about what you read.  There are books written about the comino that no longer serve their purpose.  What I mean about this is that they were written before -  let's say 2000, 2005.  When I started my reading before my first Camino, I was struck by the sad tales of trash along the way, nasty or unfriendly people (locals) and untrustworthy pilgrims.  In addition, I was almost deterred by the reports of unavailable accommodation.

To my surprise, 2 of the 3 books I read were by people of the church who had ventured out and reported back.

So, let me say this about that - don't go there.  Today we have a great selection of memoirs.  These books are partially objective but of course they are mostly subjective in nature.  Some are really funny and some are too serious for me.  Many still talk about the graffiti and the garbage along the way.  You will find happy and sad situations being reported and some still commend or blame the host country.

Might I suggest that you take all of this in your stride.  I find that I need to respect the author because the stories they write about are obviously true for them, and I understand that they write about their own experience as they see or remember it.  I love the diversity of experiences and I love the way the experiences are reported.  This century's books on the Camino are alive with a variety of experiences that make you laugh, cry, say OMG, or "get real!"

I may upset some readers by these comments because we all have different tastes in books.  However, the Camino memoirs we buy off the Internet or from the bookstore shelves, contain that pilgrim's, his or her own experience and I will not take it on as mine.

On the Camino forum some people have been disillusioned by some threads that are posted by Pilgrims who have been there - done that.  Each time that happens, other experienced Pilgrims come to the aid of the one who is disillusioned by sending messages of encouragement.  No one wants to put a downer on someone else's Camino.  I, nor the Forum Pilgrims will be there to help you should you come across an upsetting or negative narrative of someone else's experience.  So keep an open mind as you read and always remember

YOUR CAMINO WILL BE YOUR CAMINO!

P.S., the guide and map books are excellent!  Look for the newer editions before you buy!

The Camino Never Ends

I have been inspired by a recent e-mail from (you know who you are) to talk about "finishing your camino".

We all have great expectations for our Journey on the Camino de Santiago.  Along with those expectations are fears and concerns for our safety, our ability to do what we set out to do, and perhaps being alone in a strange land.

Let's be reminded that Camino means journey.  We make journeys every day.  We go to work, we shop, we travel to see friends and relatives.  Some times those journeys do not meet our expectations. But - no matter what happens, we always complete our journey of the moment.  Generally that means we come home again.  Good job, that journey is done.

Now let's re-think that.  For as soon as that journey is done the next one starts.  We might take a nap or read a book or start making dinner or call a friend on the phone.  Our journey, our life.

When walking the Camino de Santiago, many people return home without reaching their geographic goal on foot.   On my first Camino, Denise, my dear sister-in-law, truly wanted to walk every step.  She found that that was not possible due to a foot injury.  What a warrior she was, and is.  She suffered such pain from what later we realized was due to shoes that were too small.  My darling Anne was held back from time to time because of the heat and was wise enough to take a taxi to the next Albergue.  Both pilgrims persevered and made it to Santiago.

However, some pilgrims have to leave the Camino before their planned time.  That is their Camino.  The Camino de Santiago give us whatever we wish to make of it.  Even if we don't arrive at our expected end point as we planned, we always bring back our Camino experience.  The Camino never ends.  Even when we return home we just enter the next phase.  My first Camino ended up back here with 15 puppies to take care of and it was very different from the peacefullness of the way.  It was joy of a different kind. 

Be brave throughout it all and take what comes.  Every minute of every day is a Camino.

My Passion

This day is special for me as you know, it is about my book, Planning Your Camino - Preparing the Way.

I want to tell you again why I wrote this little book.  I want to share my passion for the Camino De Santiago with whom ever will listen.  Your Camino will be whatever you make it.  My Caminos have been spectacular. 

I would guess that the reason is my love of walking.  In addition, my love for that intangible sense of well being and being grounded.  I love being away.   I love being with nature and feeling that I am fending for myself while at the same time absorbing the beauty of people around me.  Walking the Camino de Santiago is liberating for me.  I know that at the end of the trip I will be safe and secure in the City of Santiago de Compostella.  I know that the exertion that got me to Santiago is about facing my later years with trust and love.  At almost 63 years old I do not envy young bodies.  I love my wrinkles and accept myself for who I am.

Do you know Lady Gaga?  I was so touched by an interview of her I saw recently as she spoke at length about her message to her fans (she calls them her little monsters).  She said that she wants her fans to know they can be anything they want to be and she wants them to be secure in who they are.

If you knew me you might say, how did you get here?  How is it that love is the greatest treasure in your life after all you have been through.  I would say that somehow I accepted a blessing from the universe and as a result, I extend a little love to you in this book and in this blog. 

To be love is an amazing thing.  To me your authentic self is worth chasing after.  At 63, I have fulfilled a dream.  Take it on, you will too.

Much love comes with this blog and with the book.

Make your dreams happen.

This is a photo of me with my dear nephew Chris when we were in Ponte de Lima.  He too is love.

MY BIG DAY

Happy Valentines day every one.  My husband just came home with roses and a lovely card.  I feel very appreciated here.
The biggest surprise today is that my book, Planning Your Camino- Preparing the Way is now available from the Publisher.  I don't have any copies yet but I want to share this news with you.

You can go to

http://www.authorhouse.com/

and do a search for the title, Planning Your Camino.

The e-book version is not on the site yet, that will be the easiest and quickest way for you to get the information for your trip.

Thanks for your interest and enjoy the book.

Bev

Beautiful Video on the Camino Frances

Treat yourself to this beautiful video.  You will be inspired and your memories will come alive!

http://albergue.caminodesantiago.me/video/camino-de-santiago

Stats for Pilgrims On the Camino

After a little digging, the American Pilgrim Site was the best I could find regarding statistics for the numbers of Pilgrims per year.  Please note, that these numbers represent those Pilgrims that received a credential not the numbers who walked.  The reason is that many people do sections of the various trails and do not necessarily end up in Santiago.

Here is the website and I have borrowed some of the information for you.

http://www.americanpilgrims.com/camino/statistics.html

The numbers are below but the page is much more pretty if you go to it.  So click on the link and you will have all the info you need.  You can increase the size of the graphs by cllicking on them.

Year Count Year Count Year Count

1986 2,491                     1998 30,126                    2010 272,313

1987 2,905                     1999 154,613

1988 3,501                     2000 55,004

1989 5,760                     2001 61,418

1990 4,918                     2002 68,952

1991 7,274                     2003 74,614

1992 9,764                     2004 179,944

1993 99,436                   2005 93,924

1994 15,863                   2006 100,377

1995 19,821                   2007 114,026

1996 23,218                   2008 125,141

1997 25,179                   2009 145,877

2010 was a Holy Year and the numbers sky-rocked.  The next Holy year is 2014

Cheers,  Bev

Mindfulness on life's Camino

On Wednesday evening I returned to Yoga classes after a few years away from them.  It was good to be back and to feel my body moving through the vinyasas.  During my drive home I was inspired to write about mindfulness on the blog.  I only "sort" of know what is meant by mindfulness and I was struck about how unmindful I can be.

Sometimes I am driving and I arrive at my destination without really being mindful of the journey.  (Some say aliens are the cause - abduction!!!)  But I know that I have not been conscious of my "in the moment".

Life is full of unconscious acts.  Recently there has been quite a conversation going on on the Forum about toilets or lack there of on the Camino and how people deal with that issue.  That conversation had led into discussions of garbage along The Way.  While mindfulness is about being in the moment, I believe that mindfulness is also part of the golden rule, Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.  The people who leave their stuff behind without burying it are not being mindful of the earth or of others.  Garbage stuffed into stone walls or just left on the trail is not a mindful act.  To be mindful about these things would be to take the garbage with you and to leave behind nothing but footprints on the belly of the mother earth.

Our life is one long Camino.  Being mindful all the time is not easy because we think too much about too many things that distract from the moment.  Being on the Camino Santiago is like life.  We live each moment, each step, each restful sleep and each Pilgrim greeting without question or second guessing the experience.

I borrowed the test below from this website  http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/instructions/sati.html

Mindfulness (Sati) is mirror-thought. It reflects only what is presently happening and in exactly the way it is happening. There are no biases.
Mindfulness (Sati) is non-judgmental observation. It is that ability of the mind to observe without criticism. With this ability, one sees things without condemnation or judgment. One is surprised by nothing. One simply takes a balanced interest in things exactly as they are in their natural states. One does not decide and does not judge. One just observes.

I hope to improve my mindfulness so that I am more conscious in my activities and thoughts and so that I can also be mindful of others.

Namaste

Camino Popularity Growing - Then So Is Joy

On the weekend I met a woman who wants to walk the Camino Frances.  We had a lovely talk about it and then she said that she was "worried" about the increase in the numbers of pilgrims as the popularity of the Camino is growing.
The Camino Frances is popular, no doubt.  If crowds are a thing that might keep you from an incredible life experience of walking El Camino, then look for an alternative to the Camino Frances.  The numbers are growing on all caminos, last year alone, being a Holy Year, saw a jump in May of about 13,000 Pilgrims from the previous Holy Year in 2004.  The September stats show about a 9,000 increase from Holy Year to Holy Year.
(I am looking for access to better stats for you to review if you are interested and will post the link when I get it.)
In the meantime, here is what I said to my "worried" friend.  "We must remember that the Camino crowds are not like a shopping mall crowds or downtown city street crowds.  These people are there with joy in their hearts.  They want to be there and they share the cause of walking the Camino with every Pilgrim they see.  Albergues and hotels get busy but there is always a place to stay and always something to eat.  Do not let "worry" stop you from enjoying your life to the fullest no matter what you need or want."
Some where along these past few years, I discovered that "worry" is not worth the trouble.  I have no idea how this happened but I just stopped worrying.  How sweet it is!
The growing popularity of the Camino de Santiago is a blessing to us all.  For those of you reading this who walked and came back a changed-for-the-better person,  do you not agree the more Pilgrims that walk, the more joy and peace we might have in the world?

At a recent seminar a wonderful Reiki Master told us to remember these words and to live by them as best we can.

Just for today...

I will not be angry

I will not worry

I will be grateful

I will be kind

I will work on my meditation practice.

Each day is a new start.

We were there...

The Camino de Compostela forum  http://www.caminodesantiago.me/ is a lovely gathering of pilgrims from around the world.  I joined about a month ago only to find that entering the forum is like a family reunion.  Every day people are talking about places they have been and things they saw there.  What I love about it is that we were all there.  Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walked the same paths, day after day and year after year seeing the same waymarkers, smelling the same smells, patting the same dogs and taking the same photos.

The Camino gets into your blood.  The camino gets into all of us and that make us blood brothers and sisters.  What a wonderful community to belong to.  The forum and other forums and blogs help us to learn from each other and to teach.  We share stories and expectations.  We are reminded of places we have  been and people we have met there.  I am so grateful for having been there and excited about being there again.

The Camino journey, while at first glance is about walking, I have found after walking that it is about the memories, the feelings I felt while there, the food I made and shared with others and the many many laughs I had with people from all around the world.

As Egypt goes into turmoil these past few days, I have my husband turn off the sound on CNN because while I know what is happening, I want to focus on the peace I found on the Camino and have brought back with me.  I want to focus on the peace that I still hold in my heart and my head despite the world's ongoing disquiet.

Let's celebrate those of us who bring peace into our lives and continue to celebrate it with the growing number around the world who seek each other out.

Here is another piece of graffiti I found on the Camino Frances in 2009.