Haloranch

It turns out that my Camino trip was not quite over when I arrived in Fisterra, the day before yesterday, September 23. Yesterday afternoon, after Markus and I had found a small hotel and had settled in I went to the local ¨Mercado¨to pick up some supplies. As I am walking down the street a car honked at me. Lo and behold it was Janos with his family. They had just arrived from Santiago (we had agreed to meet today at noon in front of the main church here in Fisterra when I had left him and Krisztina in Burgos almost 3 weeks ago). Not only that, but he had passed Krisztina on the highway about 5 km from Fisterra as she was walking from Santiago. She showed up about 30 minutes later and we had a joyfull reunion. Later the four of us (Markus had been introduced to the group)walked down to the beach where Kriszrina went for a swim in the cold Atlantic and I dipped my toe in the water. We agreed to meet at 7:30 to walk the last 3 km to the "end of the world" to watch the sun sink...

As one adventure ends, a new one is being born. Tomorrow I fly away. Can't wait, even though it's gorgeous here now. But I have new faces to meet and new places to visit. It's been a busy month though I'm trying to think what I did and... nothing really comes to mind. Sure, I mowed the lawn (twice, even), cut down the dead and nearly dead plants and threw them over the hill into our handy compost "au naturel" - the ravine. Picked 5 flats of fat green tomatoes and tossed their smaller siblings into the above mentioned natural compost pile. Nothing else comes to mind. I must have done my few chores very slowly indeed. So now the suitcases are packed and trimmed to within 2 pounds of their maximum load. By Wednesday afternoon I should be on the ship, enjoying the first of many wonderful days. Life is grand.

After walking 29 days out of the last 30 my Camino walk is finally over. (I took the 27th day off to spend a day in the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela before walking the 90km to Fisterra, the end of the world, over the last three days. It's hard to describe the emotions that I have gone through over the last month. Euphoria, after walking across the Napoleon Pass in the Pyrenees Mountains in sheets of rain with thunder and lightening and mud up to my knees (and that was only the first day!). Relief, when I made it to Pamplona, knowing that I had about 10 days of relativley easy walking until I hit the mountains at the other side of the Meseta (Central Plains). Concern, when I strained the tendon in my right leg and I was thought that I might have to restructure the trip to accommodate the injury. Despair, just one day before the big climb to O´Cebrerio when I was unable to put any weight on my left foot. Joy, after climbing the two passes, Cruse the Ferre and O Cebrerio, ...

I arrived here in Finistere (called Finisterra in Spanish - after all its their country!) at about 2 this afternoon after walking for 32km in about 7 hours and 10 minutes. It was actually a very pleasant walk considering that it was the last of 29 days of walking about 900 km over the last 30 days). Finisterra is a lovely town and I am going to enjoy the next day or so while I explore the area on foot. Hopefully I will meet Janos on Tueday at noon as we had agreed previously. If not, I will have to take a bus back to Santiago de Compostela. See you next week!

This is the first day in 27 that I have not been on the road by at least 7:00 a.m. The albergue here in Santiago allows pilgrims to stay until 10 as opposed to all the others where you have to be gone by 8. So, we lingered, had a shower (the first morning shower), ate some fruit, yogurt and a couple of "cafe con leche". Packed up and walked to the cathedral at 9:45 where we found a small hotel "Hospedaje Fonseca" with a room with two beds for 15 euros each. The best part is that it is right by the cathedral which is the center of all the action. Plan to spend the day doing tourist stuff (sightseeing, writing postcards, taking photos etc.). Tomorrow morning we start the 90 km 3 day walk to Finisterre. The following anecdotes and comments are some I had written previously but which obviously disappeared somewhere into cyber space. "Are you from Canada?" I walk with a very prominent Canadian flag on the back of my pack. Several times as I passed someone I ha...

I reached the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela at 11:15 local time this morning. The Eagle has landed! Markus and I attended the pilgrim mass at noon (which lasted about an hour)and then we went to a bar to have some lunch and a celebratory drink (I drank for both of us). Didn´t get to the albergue until almost 3:30 and after getting cleaned up I headed into the old part of the city to try to find an internet cafe with some success as you can read. The walk into Santiago was uneventful although it was really cold....probably no more than 5C for most of the morning. Now it is probably 25 and nice and sunny and hot. Just one minor incident on the way. I have walked for about 800 km without an accident! In the last half kilometer before reaching the cathedral I tripped on a curb and landed on my face. Just some scrapes to my right knee so not to worry. Markus claims that I was focussing on a couple of nice Spanish university girls who were in front of me. No truth to that at all!!!! I...

On the day I meet Hans in Barcelona next week, we board the Emerald Princess for a luxurious cruise through the Mediterranean, ending in Fort Lauderdale 29 days later. On a related note, Hans writes that he's lost 2-3 inches off his waist during the past 27 days of walking. So on the cruise I'll be bringing needle and thread to adjust his clothes, and a seam ripper to adjust mine

The oldest person that I have met so far is a man of 79 who was walking (albeit slowly) with his wife who is 72. I also met a contingent of Irish folks who are walking from Astorga to Santiago with support. There is a man in their group who is 91 years old! He is not walking up the steep sections otherwise he will likley become another Camino statistic.

I am in Arca, only 17 km from Santiago de Compostela. Should reach it easily by noon tomorrow (Wednesday). Swelling in my leg decreased significantly overnight although it swelled up a bit during the 33 km walk today. Unfortunately, as I am getting better, Marcus is getting worse. He has blisters on both feet and has developed a new blister partially under another one. He also is having some problems with the muscles at the back of his left leg. I gave him some of my elixir, Ibuprofen, and hope that will at least help his calf. I think that he is going to struggle to Santiago tomorrow and I would be surprised if he will be able to walk to Finisterre. The walk today was great. It was cool and breezy with cloud cover which made it very comfortable. Walked on trails through farmland and forests with occasional sojourns through small villages all day. Walked through groves of oak, beech and eucalyptus trees. At times it felt as if I were walking through a Vicks factory! The plan is still t...

I met a young lady from Montreal about five days ago who had just graduated from medical school at Mc Gill in Montreal. She was doing the Camino before heading out to do her residency in Gaspe. Believe it or not, she was from Shawinigan. So we talked a bit as we walked along and she had a quick look at the leg and was almost positive that it was tendonitis. I saw her later that day and have not seen her since. Since starting on the Ibuprofen I have improved.

Q: You haven't said much about the albergues. Are they clean? A: Yes, they are generally clean but it varies. The private ones and those run by church organizations are generally cleaner than the municipal ones. Q: How many beds per room? Double of triple bunks? A: I have stayed in 25 albergues so far. Only one was a triple a couple were single. Beds per room is highly variable: as few as 4 and as many as 110 in Roncesvalles. Q: How's the snoring been? Have you had to use the ear plugs? A: Use the plugs almost every night. I had 4 Italians surrounding me a couple of nights ago. They told me that I didn´t need the plugs. They snored as a quartet. Last night we stayed in an albergue with only 22 beds in one room. Only 5 beds were taken and I didn´t bother with the plugs. Q: What do you do in the evenings? Is there a common room where you sit with other pilgrims and talk? Do you go out in groups to eat? A: Some have kitchens and dining facilities which are gre...

Sorry for not having replied for 4 days. Have been unable to get internet access since last Thursday when I wrote from Villafranca. Today is Monday September 17 at 3:30PM local time. I am in Melide having finished my 24th consecutive day of walking. * The good news is that I am only 50n km from Santiago de Compostela and expect to arrive there on Wednesday morning. The plan is to walk the 34 km to Arca O Pino tomorrow and then the last 15 or so km to Santiago on Wednesday morning. * The bad news is that my left ankle and shin area is badly swollen and has been quite painful from time to time (especially during the huge 4.5 hour down hill from Cruze de Ferro and the 3 hour downhill (600 meter drop) from O Cebreiro to Triacastella. Have managed to survive with liberal doses of Ibuprofen which was supplied initially by a nice gentleman from Ireland until I managed to get to find another pharmacy and stock up. * The other good news is that I still have not had a single blister. You should ...

It is 3 PM On Thusday, September 13 and I am in Villafranca which is about 130 km past Leon. I have had no internet access since Monday night when I think that I mentioned that I was having some problems with my left leg. The problem has persisted and has gotten worse to the point this morning when I left Molinaseca to walk the 27 km to here, that I might not be able to continue without perhaps taking a few days break to rest the leg or even to take a bus to the 100 km mark and then hobble the last bit to Santiago. In any event I managed to slowly improve during the day and some Spaniards told me about a cream and a spray to buy at a pharmacy that was very helpful. It turns out that I have tendinitis in the area just above my left foot leading in to the area towards the knee. It was the long uphill to the Cruz de Ferro (where I lightened my load by leaving a small stone from home) followed by the 4 hour downhill under very difficult conditions to Molinaseca that exacerbated the mdical ...

I am in a lovely town called Hospital de Orbigo about 35 km west of Leon where I stayed last night and about 16 km from Astorga which I should reach early tomorrow. All is well other than a slight nose bleed this morning (the toilet paper that I brought has finally had some use!!!!) and the first sign of leg problems with some pain in my left shin. Not too much of a problem as yet but I need to be careful. I am staying at a lovely albergue called St. Michael where I will partake in a communal dinner tonight and breakfast will be provided in the morning. Here are the statistics. Have completed 501 km with 275 to go to San Tiago. Almost 2/3 done. Pretty sure that I will also walk the 90 km to Finisterre in good time to spend a day there and then go back to Santiago with Janos to catch my flight to Barcelona. I am 4 days ahead of the 31 day schedule to Santiago as previously mentioned. Weather contimues to be great. Am finally heading out of the Meseta (the plains of northern Spain) where...

Favourite Daughter's blog about the evening: http://sweetlethe.livejournal.com/38671.html?view=63503#t63503 The Last Party has come and gone and in its wake left a swirl of memories for me to re-visit. So many people were a huge part of my life these last 21 years at the library. That so many of you are still here is a testament to the harmonious and extraordinary workplace we all enjoy. Even a few who left made the journey back last night. Scott and his wife Cheryl drove up from Calgary, to my great delight. Paula came. She brought me into the library and was there last night to watch me leave. There were a few who retired before me or changed careers, like Violet, Lois, Frances and Heather. Leslie read from "A Minor Planet for You", a book she dedicated to me and Glen (not together). I was so overwhelmed when she did that. My name is actually in print. Well, shockingly it's quite widely in print on the 'net as Dean told the crowd. Ann, hired fresh from the UK w...

I am in a little town called El Burgo Ranero which is about 40km from Leon which is the next big city that I should reach eithe tomorrow or on Monday morning. Yesterday I passed the half way point to Santiago. I am currently 3 days ahead of the 31 day schedule as posted on the Canadian Copany of Pilgrims website. The weather has been great for the last 6 days and should continue at least through Monday: very cool early in the morning (you can see your breath) and then gradually warming to the mid to high twenties by the afternoon. Lots of wind but it has been either from the north or the east and thus a help. Over the last three days have walked 103 km. No health or medical issues except for chapped lips and wind burn in my face. Here are the stats to date: 427 km completed 349 to go to Santiago Time on the Camino over 15 days is 98.5 hours. am averaging about 29km per day. Have met people from 25 countries, the most recent being Austria, USA, Norway, Finland, and Slovenia. At this...

With all of the money stuff going on I haven't had much time to think aboutother things but here are my thoughts regarding the questions from FD. Where does your mind wander when you walk? What does it make you think of? What do you ponder, step after step in that zen-like place that exists when all that really is, in your world, is one foot in front of the other? Answer: It wanders everywhere. When you have hours of walking in soliude you think about everything immaginable. You think about family, friends, the past, the future,where the next village is, where you hurt and so on. How is the scenery changing? Answer: This is the best part. You leave in the dark and your focus is on not missing the signs that guide you. Several times we have had to retrace our steps becausewe missed a sign in the dark (sounds a bit like missing the signs of life.) This morning I left in a brisk wind with stars everywhere. It was magical. Slowlythe sun rose behind me and I could see my elongat...

Hope that got your attention! I am currently in Castrojeritz which is about 40km west of Burgos after my 12th day. I have a minor emergency in that I am unable to get any money from the bank here in Spain. None of the bank machines (I have tried half a dozen banks) will accept my debit card. The card will not be sucked in by the machine. I have even had bank employees trying to get it to work without success. So, I went to option 2 which was to get money using my MasterCard. The bank machines accept my card but then request a PIN number and I am not aware of a PIN number for my MasterCard. ~ This emergency has now been resolved after my phone call to MasterCard. Hans is back in the money. And had that not worked and found himself in really dire straits, he was going to contact someone in Rotary in Leon, the next large centre, for some assistance. We know we can always count on a Rotarian for help. Isn't that great? ~ Lo Health is fine. No problems with feet or anything else. ...

What kind of food do you get at the albrgue? You mentioned that last night it was fabulous - so what would that include? Details, details! The typical perregrino menu will consist of three courses. The starter is a choice of a salad, pasta, soup or paella. The main course can be any variety of meat and possibly fish. Dessert can be ice cream, yogurt, cake etc. I have only been disappointed one time, I ordered soup and it was a pasta soup where they either forgot to use stock or they decided to serve pasts without using a collander!!! The main course was meatballs....unfortunately they used more salt than meatballs. I was so hungry that I ate it regardless. Are you still walking with your Hungarian companion? Here are some details. Janos and I met on the pass on the first day. The wind was howling, rain was coming down in sheets and I was trying to put on my cape withour success. I had just passed him and waited for him to catch up and he helped me. We met later that after noon and had ...

Haven´t had access to internet for three days. Hope you weren´t getting worried. Here is the present situation. Health is fine. No problems with my feet or anything else of significance. A bit of soreness in my shoulder are from carrying the backpack. You might want to fine Don L. at your meeting on Tuesday since he forgot a very important wish for my trip.....¨May your backpack be lighter every day." Am presently at the end of Day 9 in Belorado (about 2 days ahead of the schedule as posted on the Canadian Pilgrim Site to get to Santiago in 31 days). At this rate if there are no other problems I should make it to Finisterre. So far I have walked 235 KM of 776 to Santiago. Weather has been good over the last few days. No rain, cool morning conditions with mostly cloud and more sunny conditions later in the day. Couldn't ask for anything better to this point. The albergue here is really nice with a beautiful garden in which I was writing in my journal while having a bottle of R...

You can add the Czeck Republic and Slovakia to the list of countries from whom I have met peregrinos. When I flew from London to Toulouse, the plane was delayed because of some mechanical problems. This meant Iwas on a very tight timeline because if there were also delays at passport control in Toulouse I would miss my shuttle to the hotel across from the train station. As it turned out I got out of passport control barey 10 minutes before the last shuttle. But where to go and how to make sure it was the correct shuttle? I got to a small bus but the driver being French ignored me. Then a young black lady stepped up and confirmed that it was the right bus and that the fare was 4 euros. She was on her way from London where she worked, to spend a few days with her family near Toulouse. We chatted as we proceeded into the city. We got off at the same stop in front of the train station. As she proceeded to catch her train she turned arounbd and called ¨God bless you......and you too¨. She w...