Hello everyone,
I have been waiting for the tears that everyone else has had and not me, until now, when I typed "Santiago". I know I have avoided this message because it is the end and I would like this to go on forever. The peace and love (really it´s the only word that fits) that I have felt on this journey is something I want to keep with me forever. That will be my prayer.
I did arrive yesterday, on a beautiful warm fall day. I walked in with two women from Denmark (Luna and Pulje) and an Austrian woman ( Monica). The Danish women are old friends and very much hippies. They were great. The Austrian woman was a little more straight but very funny. The four of us made quite a sight. We have spent the last few days more or less together. We also spent time having coffee and walking with Bernard from Germany, but he went ahead so he could be alone when he arrived. After a million pictures and hugs and kisses, I checked into a really nice hotel. When I decided to stay at this parador, I thought that Jolynn would be so proud of me! It was a hostel for pilgrims that was built in 1499 and it is fabulous. It has beautiful furniture and tapestries and yes, great sheets. It has the same architecture as the Cathedral, which is awesome too. Then I sat in the sun on my window ledge and I called my sisters and daughters and was so happy. It felt like finishing a marathon. All you can think is "I did it." Along the way, we all say "if I make it to Santiago" and then one moment, here you are.
I went to the Cathedral early this morning so that I could gather my thoughts and meditate a bit before mass. I saw an empty spot in the pews on the side of the altar and asked the woman sitting there if she was saving the spot. Oh no she said. I sat. Then I realized i was sitting with 50 or so Japanese tourists and the tour director stood up and gave his talk on the church. It was great. He was like a stand up comedian, with the dramatic gestures and bad jokes of any tour guide. It was all in Japanese of course, but no matter. I knew what he was saying.
Mass was about to begin when Bernard walked in and sat next to me. Minute later Dirk walked in (25, Danish)and we hugged. I haven´t seen him for many days and only talked once or twice but we always were happy to see each other. The Japanese woman next to me then realized we were pilgrims and they started to cry. Bernard started to cry as soon as mass started, he said I guess today is my day to cry. We held hands and smiled at each other all during mass. (One time I described the deep feelings that spring up on the walk as feeling the way it does when you are in grade school and one day you meet a new friend who is just wonderful and you have so much fun playing together. It´s that kind of joy I have felt with people.) We went up to receive communion together. When Bernard came back to the pew, he told me that the woman in front of him put the wafer in her purse!!! She put the Host in her purse? When I was growing up, you couldn't touch the Host, you could barely look at it. I think it would have been a mortal sin to take it home with you. We couldn't stop laughing. We wondered if it was going into her photo album when she got home.
They read a list of the countries of the pilgrims who had finished the walk the day before. I did hear "una americana" d'Arles (the place where I started). I was so proud to be una americana and to have finished the walk.
Well then, the show began. We were lucky enough to be at a mass where they swing this enormous incense burner somewhere near the end of the service. I mean swing and I mean enormous. Four men pull on a rope to start the burner swinging and it goes to the ceiling of the Cathedral, back and forth filling the church with incense. Imagine this. There are maybe 6 or 7 cardinals in beautiful red vestments standing behind the altar. The altar and altarpiece are all gold. The altar is covered in embroidered linen. The incense burner is gold and maybe four feet high and vessel shaped. It is hanging down from the highest point of the Cathedral, about 6 feet from the floor. There are lit candles all over the place. Someone is singing in the purest voice and the incense slowly fills the church. Fabulous.
I said to Bernard, who is Lutheran, that a priest once told me that Luther was right in most things but he was wrong to throw out the sensual part of the Church. Boy oh boy, give me good incense and light and music and I´m happy to be a Catholic. Sorry. I know there is more to being Catholic, but it´s the light, the smells, the songs that I most love.
After about 5 minutes the swinging slows and a man braces himself and grabs the burner and swings around with it to stop it. I wanted to clap. The Japanese started to and everyone joined in. Yea. Bravo.
So maybe this is the end of my story here. I leave on Friday morning for Madrid and then home. If something unexpected happens, I´ll let you know. I couldn´t expect anything more. I don´t need anything more. I am in absolute awe when I think of the blessings I have been given each day and with each encounter I have had. Thank you for listening and sharing this journey with me.
Love,
Una americana, Mary, Mom, Nonna
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Palais de Rei
Here I am again in an albergue after another beautiful days walk. I walked 24k, starting off in the fog and finishing under beautiful clear blue skies. From now on I think the most interesting part, though, will be the people I have gotten to know along the way. I just got back from the grocery store and met 6 or 7 people in the two blocks between the store and the albergue who knew my name and asked how my day was. We are all focused on Santiago, which is only 63k away. I will walk 27, 26 and 20 and be in Santiago. I have a reservation in a hotel and can´t wait to sleep alone, on fabulous sheets, take a bath if I feel like it, walk around naked in my room, sleep till ten if I feel like it, leave my backpack in the room and float around the town. I want to show my creditiale that I have had stamped every night and be certified as a genuine pilgrim. I can´t wait to hear my name read in the Cathedral after mass. I want to go to communion.
This has been very hard and very rewarding every day. I will miss it and at the same time am so happy it´s almost over.
( oh my god. The shoop shoop song is playing in this bar!!! Cher´s version, the one I practiced with for Erika and Alison´s weddings. I want to get up and sing. But where are my backup singers?)
I have tried to send emails to you guys and they are getting returned so here are some messages.
Ginny-please make and appointment for me and make it long. I need a lot of work and I want to talk your ear off.
Paul- ASAP I should have a fat test done. I don´t think I have a lot left. At least it´s as low as it will ever be. I want a record of this moment in time.
( I have a funny bra story to tell but maybe this is not the time.)
Rita- My spirits told me you are coming home for an early thanksgiving. Is that true? I would love for all of my sisters to be together to celebrate.
Oscar- I haven´t had a butterfly kiss for so long, do you still give them? I want one please.
Mary M.- I think I understand the idea of non-attachment now. I want to talk with you about that when I get home.
Alison- I have thought of the Four Agreements often on this walk. Maybe I´ve learned that too.
Erika- I have drawn some and love it. I want you help me get better.
Anna- Thanks for your note. I thank your mom and dad everyday for sending me here.
Barb P.- walks along the river sound perfect to me. Whenever you want to go call me.
OK. I think that is all for now.
With love to you all,
Mom-Nonna-Mary
This has been very hard and very rewarding every day. I will miss it and at the same time am so happy it´s almost over.
( oh my god. The shoop shoop song is playing in this bar!!! Cher´s version, the one I practiced with for Erika and Alison´s weddings. I want to get up and sing. But where are my backup singers?)
I have tried to send emails to you guys and they are getting returned so here are some messages.
Ginny-please make and appointment for me and make it long. I need a lot of work and I want to talk your ear off.
Paul- ASAP I should have a fat test done. I don´t think I have a lot left. At least it´s as low as it will ever be. I want a record of this moment in time.
( I have a funny bra story to tell but maybe this is not the time.)
Rita- My spirits told me you are coming home for an early thanksgiving. Is that true? I would love for all of my sisters to be together to celebrate.
Oscar- I haven´t had a butterfly kiss for so long, do you still give them? I want one please.
Mary M.- I think I understand the idea of non-attachment now. I want to talk with you about that when I get home.
Alison- I have thought of the Four Agreements often on this walk. Maybe I´ve learned that too.
Erika- I have drawn some and love it. I want you help me get better.
Anna- Thanks for your note. I thank your mom and dad everyday for sending me here.
Barb P.- walks along the river sound perfect to me. Whenever you want to go call me.
OK. I think that is all for now.
With love to you all,
Mom-Nonna-Mary
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Passion flowers and cows- going to Galicia
Hi,
I am now in Galicia, the green corner of Spain. It reminds me so much of Ireland, folds of green hills dotted with cows and sheep. Yesterday and today I walked to two high points on the Camino, I gained 500 meters in 10k. It was very steep and so much fun to do. I love going up hill. The weather has been unbelievable warm and clear. Yesterday I walked from Villafranca to O Cebreio. Isn´t that a beautiful name? I will tell you the passion flower story first. Remember when I said I walked with a Spanish man who showed me all those great herbs? Well, starting out of Villafranca he started to walk with me again. He doesn´t speak English but we were able to communicate pretty well. His name is Enrique. While we were walking he picked a passion flower and attached it to my packpack. They are gorgeous by the way. We walked for a while and then I stopped for coffee and he went on. Later he called to me from a park where he was having lunch. I also saw a German woman who I knew from before and who is about his age I would guess ( 38-40) and we all talked. I went on. About an hour later Enrique and the German woman passed by me. They waved; she had a passion flower on her backpack. Yesterday I saw them in O Cebreio and they invited me to have a glass of wine with them. Enrique showed us the pictures on his camera and there was one of me. He explained to the German woman and she to me that he thought I was a "chickas" and tried to get a picture of me but I was too fast for him to get a close up. He thought we were the same age and that I had white hair just like he does and he wanted to meet me because I was a strong walker. And here I thought he was a biologist.
The cow. As I entered O Cebreio on a narrow path( let´s say three cow widths) a herd of cows started toward me. I thought we could share the path and I just stood off to the side. They kept coming closer, with the man herding them following at the back. The cows were pushing one another and the guy was yelling at them and poking them with a stick. They weren´t that nice to one another. I caught the eye of the cow coming toward me and I saw her say "traveler, you have ten seconds to get out of my way." Her horns were really big, as was she. Luckily I found a step in the stone wall to get up on and they passed without incident.
Last night I stayed in a hotel because the night before I got no sleep. I went out to dinner with three people from Canada and when I got back to my hotel, the barman showed me how to unlock the door to let myself out in the morning. I was the only one staying in the hotel and he was going home. So I spent the night alone in a hotel-bar. When I got into bed I smelled something really sweet and nice and I thought it was a fabric softener. As I lay in the dark the smell became more familiar- it was Raid. I think they sprayed the bed to kill bed bugs. Good and bad. I turned the light back on, checked for anything crawling. Nothing. I turned off the light and had a great sleep.
That´s all from here. I can´t wait to see you guys a week from Friday. Alison,Adam, Erika, Benji and Oscar, I hope we can have dinner maybe at the BLB. What do you think?
Love,
Mom-Mary
I am now in Galicia, the green corner of Spain. It reminds me so much of Ireland, folds of green hills dotted with cows and sheep. Yesterday and today I walked to two high points on the Camino, I gained 500 meters in 10k. It was very steep and so much fun to do. I love going up hill. The weather has been unbelievable warm and clear. Yesterday I walked from Villafranca to O Cebreio. Isn´t that a beautiful name? I will tell you the passion flower story first. Remember when I said I walked with a Spanish man who showed me all those great herbs? Well, starting out of Villafranca he started to walk with me again. He doesn´t speak English but we were able to communicate pretty well. His name is Enrique. While we were walking he picked a passion flower and attached it to my packpack. They are gorgeous by the way. We walked for a while and then I stopped for coffee and he went on. Later he called to me from a park where he was having lunch. I also saw a German woman who I knew from before and who is about his age I would guess ( 38-40) and we all talked. I went on. About an hour later Enrique and the German woman passed by me. They waved; she had a passion flower on her backpack. Yesterday I saw them in O Cebreio and they invited me to have a glass of wine with them. Enrique showed us the pictures on his camera and there was one of me. He explained to the German woman and she to me that he thought I was a "chickas" and tried to get a picture of me but I was too fast for him to get a close up. He thought we were the same age and that I had white hair just like he does and he wanted to meet me because I was a strong walker. And here I thought he was a biologist.
The cow. As I entered O Cebreio on a narrow path( let´s say three cow widths) a herd of cows started toward me. I thought we could share the path and I just stood off to the side. They kept coming closer, with the man herding them following at the back. The cows were pushing one another and the guy was yelling at them and poking them with a stick. They weren´t that nice to one another. I caught the eye of the cow coming toward me and I saw her say "traveler, you have ten seconds to get out of my way." Her horns were really big, as was she. Luckily I found a step in the stone wall to get up on and they passed without incident.
Last night I stayed in a hotel because the night before I got no sleep. I went out to dinner with three people from Canada and when I got back to my hotel, the barman showed me how to unlock the door to let myself out in the morning. I was the only one staying in the hotel and he was going home. So I spent the night alone in a hotel-bar. When I got into bed I smelled something really sweet and nice and I thought it was a fabric softener. As I lay in the dark the smell became more familiar- it was Raid. I think they sprayed the bed to kill bed bugs. Good and bad. I turned the light back on, checked for anything crawling. Nothing. I turned off the light and had a great sleep.
That´s all from here. I can´t wait to see you guys a week from Friday. Alison,Adam, Erika, Benji and Oscar, I hope we can have dinner maybe at the BLB. What do you think?
Love,
Mom-Mary
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Sunday
Hi Everyone,
Once again I can´t remember the name of the town I am in ( oh I found it! It´s Ponferrada.). I arrived about 30 minutes ago, took a shower and here I am. The last two days have been really beautiful. I am in the mountains, walking by myself and it is so quiet and peaceful and gorgeous all I can do is say Thank You , Thank You Thank you. I just am so grateful I am here.
Last night I stayed in an almost deserted mountain town. There are two albergues, luckily I got the good one, the one that served paella and great wine for 7E. I wasn´t sure when I saw my bed, it was the top bunk again and when I tried to climb into it, the bed started to tip. I waited until a big guy climbed in the bottom bunk and everything was fine. There were two love birds cuddling in one sleeping bag. This was a first. They were just off to my side and although English wasn´t their first language, it was the common one. I thought I was listening to an old movie, they called each other darling all evening. It was like listening to Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn on an early date. I was happy to have my iPod to go to sleep with.
One my walk today a sort of young Spanish man (fellow pilgrim)started walking near me and pointed out wild thyme, lavender and a really great smelling plant I didn´t recognize. Now that is three times I have walked with guys from Europe who show me plants! There must be some herb message I am suppose to get. What a bunch of tender sensual guys. I wonder if he is a Biology teacher or something.
.There were more sheep today, and bells and shepards. I love this. I only have 8 more days to walk and so every morning when I start, I say a prayer that I see all that there is there for me to see. Sometimes I will be talking to myself and then I look up and catch my breath by the beauty. And every minute it changes!
At this albergue I ran into Andres, a young guy who I last saw in Jaca. He is still walking and happy I am too. I wonder where he has been?
There are people waiting to talk to their friends on this computer, so I.m going to say goodbye. I will be back soon.
Love,
Mary Mom
Once again I can´t remember the name of the town I am in ( oh I found it! It´s Ponferrada.). I arrived about 30 minutes ago, took a shower and here I am. The last two days have been really beautiful. I am in the mountains, walking by myself and it is so quiet and peaceful and gorgeous all I can do is say Thank You , Thank You Thank you. I just am so grateful I am here.
Last night I stayed in an almost deserted mountain town. There are two albergues, luckily I got the good one, the one that served paella and great wine for 7E. I wasn´t sure when I saw my bed, it was the top bunk again and when I tried to climb into it, the bed started to tip. I waited until a big guy climbed in the bottom bunk and everything was fine. There were two love birds cuddling in one sleeping bag. This was a first. They were just off to my side and although English wasn´t their first language, it was the common one. I thought I was listening to an old movie, they called each other darling all evening. It was like listening to Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn on an early date. I was happy to have my iPod to go to sleep with.
One my walk today a sort of young Spanish man (fellow pilgrim)started walking near me and pointed out wild thyme, lavender and a really great smelling plant I didn´t recognize. Now that is three times I have walked with guys from Europe who show me plants! There must be some herb message I am suppose to get. What a bunch of tender sensual guys. I wonder if he is a Biology teacher or something.
.There were more sheep today, and bells and shepards. I love this. I only have 8 more days to walk and so every morning when I start, I say a prayer that I see all that there is there for me to see. Sometimes I will be talking to myself and then I look up and catch my breath by the beauty. And every minute it changes!
At this albergue I ran into Andres, a young guy who I last saw in Jaca. He is still walking and happy I am too. I wonder where he has been?
There are people waiting to talk to their friends on this computer, so I.m going to say goodbye. I will be back soon.
Love,
Mary Mom
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Leon
Hi everyone,
I was in Leon yesterday. It is so beutiful, the cathedral especially. It is all stained glass windows. I felt like I was in a kaleidiscope. Oh, it was beatuiful. The day was cold and really rainy. It just poured. I had a very short walk, something like 15k and stayed at a Dominican albergue. It was fine. When I left in the morning for Leon, I left my guide book in the albergue, probably on the top bunk. I am pretty sad about that. It was my buddy and I had some notes in it, but it's gone unless someone fast carries it to me. On the other hand, while I looked for my guide, I found my knife! It fell into the lining of my backpack. I also threw out my water system because it sprung a leak. Also I got my hair cut off. It was hanging in my eyes in the rain. I walked into a salon and said I want something hip, please. It looks good. Then later I bought a guide book. The only one available in English. I felt it was too heavy, a woman I had dinner with last night and I decided it was at least 2 lbs. but I bought it anyway. Halfway through my walk today, I decided it was too heavy and was going to throw it out. I was in a park having lunch and looking at the trash basket when a man walked up to join me for lunch. You guys are so smart you already know what happened. He was from Ireland and asked if he could look at my book because he didn't have one. I said here, keep it. So, no hair in the eyes, my knife back, no heavy burden from the book and a beautiful sunny peaceful walk. I will be in Astorga tomorrow night. I saw the mountain range that we will hike over. This time instead of being ominous it looks exciting to me. I can't wait to go up up up and down into Sanitago. Although I guess it's up and down and up and down into Santiago. Whatever, I am getting so excited. I never let myself believe that I could actually do this and it looks like I might.
I think it's time for my dinner. Have a great night.
Alison Its meant to be that I see you skate.
Jolynn thank you for making all of the reservations in NYC. I am looking forward to being with you there again.
Maggie I will try to call again.
Barb I think it I about 180 miles away. Fargo is it.
Bye again.
Love,
Mary/Mom
I was in Leon yesterday. It is so beutiful, the cathedral especially. It is all stained glass windows. I felt like I was in a kaleidiscope. Oh, it was beatuiful. The day was cold and really rainy. It just poured. I had a very short walk, something like 15k and stayed at a Dominican albergue. It was fine. When I left in the morning for Leon, I left my guide book in the albergue, probably on the top bunk. I am pretty sad about that. It was my buddy and I had some notes in it, but it's gone unless someone fast carries it to me. On the other hand, while I looked for my guide, I found my knife! It fell into the lining of my backpack. I also threw out my water system because it sprung a leak. Also I got my hair cut off. It was hanging in my eyes in the rain. I walked into a salon and said I want something hip, please. It looks good. Then later I bought a guide book. The only one available in English. I felt it was too heavy, a woman I had dinner with last night and I decided it was at least 2 lbs. but I bought it anyway. Halfway through my walk today, I decided it was too heavy and was going to throw it out. I was in a park having lunch and looking at the trash basket when a man walked up to join me for lunch. You guys are so smart you already know what happened. He was from Ireland and asked if he could look at my book because he didn't have one. I said here, keep it. So, no hair in the eyes, my knife back, no heavy burden from the book and a beautiful sunny peaceful walk. I will be in Astorga tomorrow night. I saw the mountain range that we will hike over. This time instead of being ominous it looks exciting to me. I can't wait to go up up up and down into Sanitago. Although I guess it's up and down and up and down into Santiago. Whatever, I am getting so excited. I never let myself believe that I could actually do this and it looks like I might.
I think it's time for my dinner. Have a great night.
Alison Its meant to be that I see you skate.
Jolynn thank you for making all of the reservations in NYC. I am looking forward to being with you there again.
Maggie I will try to call again.
Barb I think it I about 180 miles away. Fargo is it.
Bye again.
Love,
Mary/Mom
Monday, October 1, 2007
El Burgo Ranero
Hi
Just another quick note because things have been a little boring. I am walking in land that looks like Nebraska. And like Nebraska it will last for another day. I will be in Leon the night after next and I hear that from then on it is beautiful again. I have been walking alone, even telling people that I prefer to walk alone and that I.ll see them at lunch or dinner. I had dinner and breakfast with two really fun German women. There are 6 single women that I keep running into. There are so many single women on the Camino now. It is very much fun. Today I took a break at a picnic table and before I had finished my lunch, six people were eating together' an Italian, 2 Germans, 2 Belgians, a French woman and me. And God love them, they all speak English.
I guess I wasn't clear about Dominique. He left with a handshake one morning. He was as irritated with me as I was with him and so I told him if he was so annoyed he should just go. I am so relieved to not have to have him hovering over me. I was really clear that I appreciated all that he did for me, so we parted cooly but politely. I saw him once and he told me how far he walked and where to eat. brother.
They great thing about yesterday was the morning. Sunrise with storks flying just overhead. They look just like the drawings but without the babies.
That's all until I am in awe again. I love you all.
MomMary
Just another quick note because things have been a little boring. I am walking in land that looks like Nebraska. And like Nebraska it will last for another day. I will be in Leon the night after next and I hear that from then on it is beautiful again. I have been walking alone, even telling people that I prefer to walk alone and that I.ll see them at lunch or dinner. I had dinner and breakfast with two really fun German women. There are 6 single women that I keep running into. There are so many single women on the Camino now. It is very much fun. Today I took a break at a picnic table and before I had finished my lunch, six people were eating together' an Italian, 2 Germans, 2 Belgians, a French woman and me. And God love them, they all speak English.
I guess I wasn't clear about Dominique. He left with a handshake one morning. He was as irritated with me as I was with him and so I told him if he was so annoyed he should just go. I am so relieved to not have to have him hovering over me. I was really clear that I appreciated all that he did for me, so we parted cooly but politely. I saw him once and he told me how far he walked and where to eat. brother.
They great thing about yesterday was the morning. Sunrise with storks flying just overhead. They look just like the drawings but without the babies.
That's all until I am in awe again. I love you all.
MomMary
Friday, September 28, 2007
Fromista-424k to Santiago
Hi you guys,
I am happy to have another internet cafe so soon. I have had two of the most beautiful days of the Camino. I know I say this all the time, but really this has been awesome. I am in a area that is open and endless. Yesterday I stopped for a moment and looked around and there was not a person or car or any sound at all. I could see for miles. The sky was brilliant blue and there were high wintery clouds. The temperature was 40 when I started out in Burgos and about 55 when I arrived in Hontanos. It really reminded me of Montana. I walked 31k yesterday arriving in Hontonos at about 4:30. I kept looking for the village and couldn´t see it until I came to the top of a hill. There ahead of me, tucked under the hill , was the village. I have a picture , I hope it shows well. It was stunning. I stayed in a beautiful algergue, had dinner with a man from Germany who has been walking since June 3. His name is Alfred, he is about 35 I think. I walked with him a bit on the way to Burgos. The albergue is private and fancy. 12 euro. Dinner 10euro. I was on the top bunk though. Not my favorite place. Actually, my sleeping bag fell off in the middle of the night and I had to go down and put it back up on top. things you never experience at home. This morning I started out at 7:40 just before sunrise. There was frost on everything. I was able to watch the sunrise light up the hills and see the full moon at the same time. The scene looked like a tacky Christmas card, it was so beautiful. Remember, Kathy, when we thought the beauty of the morning scenes we had when we ran looked like velvet paintings? Same thing.
I walked most of today with Kristina from Denmark. She is 35 and needs to finish the Camino by the 14th of October. I ran into her on the way about 8k out of Hontonas. We walked to this town, 35k for me. I think the most so far. Today was also beautiful, sunny, breezy and probably 65f.
I love Spain. It is rougher than France, and less fixed up. The villages look like real, the churches old. Today an old man met us on the path and kissed us both on the cheek. Yesterday I had two great encounters. The first happened while I was working my way out of Burgos. It´s harder to find the way in a city. I am following yellow arrows now, not the red and white stripes. They are painted on rocks or walls usually. But in a city they can be anywhere, curbs, trash cans, the poles holding up stop signs. Anywhere. Well, I couldn´t find the arrow at an intersection. I took out my map and then I heard yelling. I looked behind me and up on a building that was under construction were three men in hard hats waving at me to cross the street and take a left! I love it how everyone in this area is engaged in the camino. Another time was headed in the wrong direction and someone set me straight. The next great encounter I had was with a shepard. I decided to have lunch and put my mat down on the edge of a field. Then I saw a flock of sheep coming up the hill. Then I saw the shepard, the goats, the donkey, the three older dogs and a puppy. The puppy decided to see what I was eating and the other dogs didn´t want to miss out and came over too and the sheep followed. I was busy taking their picture and realized they were at my feet. The shepard whistled and they all obeyed and went back across the road.
Today Kristina said that another man told her that the Camino is a lesson is letting go. Maybe that´s what I was trying to say when I wrote last time. You let go of friends, you let go of your favorite little knife, your favorite sports bra and it seems so natural. It isn´t that it doesn´t matter, it´s that it is life.
I was also thinking of something someone said before I left. They said this will be such a great adventure. Now maybe I have a limited definition of adventure, but I think of it as having a lot of adrenalin involved. This is empty of adrenalin. It is so peaceful and calm. People are happy and laugh a lot.
I have decided that I will be home for Alison´s first match or event. That means I´ll be there by the 20th. I feel great, it´s fun to walk and so I think I can finish the last 424 in time. That´s my hope. I can´t wait to see her skate. And I want to see Erika, Benji and Adam and most of all I want to see Oscar. I miss feeling his soft skin. And he talks so much now, I want to be there for that. I want to have a pedicure, a martini at the Nicollet Island Inn and breakfast with my sister Barb. I love this and life would be easy if a person could spend the rest of it only concerned with having enough water and a can of sardines in their pack, but I miss engaging with all of you.
Opps. Time is running out. I´ll be back in touch as soon as I can.
Love,
Mom\Mary
I am happy to have another internet cafe so soon. I have had two of the most beautiful days of the Camino. I know I say this all the time, but really this has been awesome. I am in a area that is open and endless. Yesterday I stopped for a moment and looked around and there was not a person or car or any sound at all. I could see for miles. The sky was brilliant blue and there were high wintery clouds. The temperature was 40 when I started out in Burgos and about 55 when I arrived in Hontanos. It really reminded me of Montana. I walked 31k yesterday arriving in Hontonos at about 4:30. I kept looking for the village and couldn´t see it until I came to the top of a hill. There ahead of me, tucked under the hill , was the village. I have a picture , I hope it shows well. It was stunning. I stayed in a beautiful algergue, had dinner with a man from Germany who has been walking since June 3. His name is Alfred, he is about 35 I think. I walked with him a bit on the way to Burgos. The albergue is private and fancy. 12 euro. Dinner 10euro. I was on the top bunk though. Not my favorite place. Actually, my sleeping bag fell off in the middle of the night and I had to go down and put it back up on top. things you never experience at home. This morning I started out at 7:40 just before sunrise. There was frost on everything. I was able to watch the sunrise light up the hills and see the full moon at the same time. The scene looked like a tacky Christmas card, it was so beautiful. Remember, Kathy, when we thought the beauty of the morning scenes we had when we ran looked like velvet paintings? Same thing.
I walked most of today with Kristina from Denmark. She is 35 and needs to finish the Camino by the 14th of October. I ran into her on the way about 8k out of Hontonas. We walked to this town, 35k for me. I think the most so far. Today was also beautiful, sunny, breezy and probably 65f.
I love Spain. It is rougher than France, and less fixed up. The villages look like real, the churches old. Today an old man met us on the path and kissed us both on the cheek. Yesterday I had two great encounters. The first happened while I was working my way out of Burgos. It´s harder to find the way in a city. I am following yellow arrows now, not the red and white stripes. They are painted on rocks or walls usually. But in a city they can be anywhere, curbs, trash cans, the poles holding up stop signs. Anywhere. Well, I couldn´t find the arrow at an intersection. I took out my map and then I heard yelling. I looked behind me and up on a building that was under construction were three men in hard hats waving at me to cross the street and take a left! I love it how everyone in this area is engaged in the camino. Another time was headed in the wrong direction and someone set me straight. The next great encounter I had was with a shepard. I decided to have lunch and put my mat down on the edge of a field. Then I saw a flock of sheep coming up the hill. Then I saw the shepard, the goats, the donkey, the three older dogs and a puppy. The puppy decided to see what I was eating and the other dogs didn´t want to miss out and came over too and the sheep followed. I was busy taking their picture and realized they were at my feet. The shepard whistled and they all obeyed and went back across the road.
Today Kristina said that another man told her that the Camino is a lesson is letting go. Maybe that´s what I was trying to say when I wrote last time. You let go of friends, you let go of your favorite little knife, your favorite sports bra and it seems so natural. It isn´t that it doesn´t matter, it´s that it is life.
I was also thinking of something someone said before I left. They said this will be such a great adventure. Now maybe I have a limited definition of adventure, but I think of it as having a lot of adrenalin involved. This is empty of adrenalin. It is so peaceful and calm. People are happy and laugh a lot.
I have decided that I will be home for Alison´s first match or event. That means I´ll be there by the 20th. I feel great, it´s fun to walk and so I think I can finish the last 424 in time. That´s my hope. I can´t wait to see her skate. And I want to see Erika, Benji and Adam and most of all I want to see Oscar. I miss feeling his soft skin. And he talks so much now, I want to be there for that. I want to have a pedicure, a martini at the Nicollet Island Inn and breakfast with my sister Barb. I love this and life would be easy if a person could spend the rest of it only concerned with having enough water and a can of sardines in their pack, but I miss engaging with all of you.
Opps. Time is running out. I´ll be back in touch as soon as I can.
Love,
Mom\Mary
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
more changes in Spain
Hi everybody,
I am in Burgos today. It is a gorgeous big city and I am staying in a hotel with fabulous sheets. I am alone, or rather by myself. It seems like things changed fast, but then, they always do. I can hardly tell you what happened, it happened so fast. You know that I have had a hard time with Dominique for a while. As I have gotten more confident about being here, he is more critical. He hates having to tell me anything, and I hate not knowing what's happening. He wants to leave earlier and go faster every day and I want to slow down so it doesn't go by too fast. But when Domenico joined us, it was fun. We laughed so much. I was having so much fun and I thought they were too. But in the end, once Dominique arrived in Spain he got more and more driven. He wants to leave early and go fast. Domenico is tired of walking so fast and wants to spend more time working out some problems. He really wants to walk alone. It is in my nature to gather people together and so I was really sad. I imagined us walking into Santiago together and celebrating. Althought Domenico hasonly walked with us for 10 days or so he been so sweet about it all. We had some very sweet and tender talks, in my limited Italian. The night before we parted he sat me down to go over the hard parts of the walk that are coming up. Then he said, Mary no posso andare con te. I can´t go with you. I started to cry a little and he said " perche piange Mary?" Why are you crying? I said I am so sad. He said I know, but why do you cry? I said "oh, it helps get the bad feeling that is inside of me out." He said " I can´t cry Mary." Then he said let´s go eat.
In the morning, Domenico found a woman who could translate for him. He told me how much he enjoyed walking with me and how much I added to his camino and that he would never forget our time together. He held my face in his hands and said again non posso andare con te. And he was crying. Dominique simply shook my hand and said good-bye.
Even though I still am sad when I think about saying good-bye to Domenico , I know it is the best thing for me. People in the albergues often talk about how they started walking with someone and then for some reason went off on their own. I will be fine. I walked about 27k yesterday and then took a taxi about 8 k with a woman to Burgos. We went to a beautiful monastery outside of town and walked another 10k back into Burgos. We found the albergo at about 8pm. It is so cold here now ( it was 40f last night), and we were freezing. I decided that a day off with great sheets in a big town would be really nice. So I am staying tonight. We will have dinner later and then she leaves for holland tonight and tomorrow I will start off again. I think I am about three weeks from finishing. I am going to use them well, spending much time by myself and being thankful for it. I know that if I had stayed with Dominique/Dominico , my camino would have be less about me and more about managing our little group. Not so good.
The most interesting night the three of us had together this week was the night we spent in a garage. There were four beds, and a really nice bathroom. And of course, a garage door. We assumed we would be alone and were so happy. When we came home from dinner, we heard the shower going and saw a backpack. Oh no. A snorer! Instead a really beautiful man walked out of the bathroom. Reddish blonde hair, boxer shorts. Man alive. He was Irish, and has relatives in Eau Claire. He had walked 40k and was going out dancing.
About my clothes etc. I love my two shirts. One day I wear the orange one, the next the blue one. I love my shorts, although they may be retired. I bought long pants today. I have lost a bra and my Swiss army knife. It doesn´t matter. I have bites, and I don´t care. I haven´t worn lipstick more than twice since I arrived. I think I look fine. My boots are holding up ok, they will make it to Santiago with me. My socks are amazing. I have two pairs, wash the pair I wore and alternate them. I love the product Glide. I think it has helped me have fewer blisters. I love eating sardines with bread. And Spanish wine is really delicious.
Well, that´s about all. Thanks for writing. I have trouble trying to write back, the messages get rejected often. I don´t know what to do about the map. I couldn,t open the one alison sent to me.
Thanks for being there. I love your messages. I am really happy. What a great experience.
I love you.
Mom Mary
I am in Burgos today. It is a gorgeous big city and I am staying in a hotel with fabulous sheets. I am alone, or rather by myself. It seems like things changed fast, but then, they always do. I can hardly tell you what happened, it happened so fast. You know that I have had a hard time with Dominique for a while. As I have gotten more confident about being here, he is more critical. He hates having to tell me anything, and I hate not knowing what's happening. He wants to leave earlier and go faster every day and I want to slow down so it doesn't go by too fast. But when Domenico joined us, it was fun. We laughed so much. I was having so much fun and I thought they were too. But in the end, once Dominique arrived in Spain he got more and more driven. He wants to leave early and go fast. Domenico is tired of walking so fast and wants to spend more time working out some problems. He really wants to walk alone. It is in my nature to gather people together and so I was really sad. I imagined us walking into Santiago together and celebrating. Althought Domenico hasonly walked with us for 10 days or so he been so sweet about it all. We had some very sweet and tender talks, in my limited Italian. The night before we parted he sat me down to go over the hard parts of the walk that are coming up. Then he said, Mary no posso andare con te. I can´t go with you. I started to cry a little and he said " perche piange Mary?" Why are you crying? I said I am so sad. He said I know, but why do you cry? I said "oh, it helps get the bad feeling that is inside of me out." He said " I can´t cry Mary." Then he said let´s go eat.
In the morning, Domenico found a woman who could translate for him. He told me how much he enjoyed walking with me and how much I added to his camino and that he would never forget our time together. He held my face in his hands and said again non posso andare con te. And he was crying. Dominique simply shook my hand and said good-bye.
Even though I still am sad when I think about saying good-bye to Domenico , I know it is the best thing for me. People in the albergues often talk about how they started walking with someone and then for some reason went off on their own. I will be fine. I walked about 27k yesterday and then took a taxi about 8 k with a woman to Burgos. We went to a beautiful monastery outside of town and walked another 10k back into Burgos. We found the albergo at about 8pm. It is so cold here now ( it was 40f last night), and we were freezing. I decided that a day off with great sheets in a big town would be really nice. So I am staying tonight. We will have dinner later and then she leaves for holland tonight and tomorrow I will start off again. I think I am about three weeks from finishing. I am going to use them well, spending much time by myself and being thankful for it. I know that if I had stayed with Dominique/Dominico , my camino would have be less about me and more about managing our little group. Not so good.
The most interesting night the three of us had together this week was the night we spent in a garage. There were four beds, and a really nice bathroom. And of course, a garage door. We assumed we would be alone and were so happy. When we came home from dinner, we heard the shower going and saw a backpack. Oh no. A snorer! Instead a really beautiful man walked out of the bathroom. Reddish blonde hair, boxer shorts. Man alive. He was Irish, and has relatives in Eau Claire. He had walked 40k and was going out dancing.
About my clothes etc. I love my two shirts. One day I wear the orange one, the next the blue one. I love my shorts, although they may be retired. I bought long pants today. I have lost a bra and my Swiss army knife. It doesn´t matter. I have bites, and I don´t care. I haven´t worn lipstick more than twice since I arrived. I think I look fine. My boots are holding up ok, they will make it to Santiago with me. My socks are amazing. I have two pairs, wash the pair I wore and alternate them. I love the product Glide. I think it has helped me have fewer blisters. I love eating sardines with bread. And Spanish wine is really delicious.
Well, that´s about all. Thanks for writing. I have trouble trying to write back, the messages get rejected often. I don´t know what to do about the map. I couldn,t open the one alison sent to me.
Thanks for being there. I love your messages. I am really happy. What a great experience.
I love you.
Mom Mary
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
hi again
It´s 5 am and instead of listening to my neighbors snore, I thought I´d come talk with you. I forgot to tell you a few things. Two days ago we walked by a huge farm with at least a million sheep inside a barn. The noise coming from that barn is the same as in my room right now. This comes under the be careful of what you wish for-- I wanted more people and good Lord I´ve got them.
OK. The stories. Dominique is an amazingly generous person. He is always clearing the path to make it easier for someone to come behind him. Or if we find blackberries, he takes a few so others will find some. Well, yesterday he was making a little temple of rocks (cairn?) to make the path more obvious. He picked up a rock and under it was the most beautiful cross, the kind that is attached to a rosary. It is two sided with the christ figure on the front and on the back an image of Mary. Mary lifts off and there is a place for a picture or something. It is greenish from oxidation, but the design is awesome. There is no-one I know who would treasure that cross more than Dominique. This is the first really unbelievable thing I have seen on the camino, though I hear it happens all the time.
The second thing it not so lofty. It has to do with a bull fight. I have never seen one. In Sanguisa two nights ago there was a festival with a bull fight. We decided to go. We arrived at 5 for a 5:30 start. Everyone was dressed in white with red scarves around their necks. There were carrying baguettes and coolers and bottles of wine. We sat down and watched the preparation of the ring. It was a really small one, and had puddles from the downpour earier in the day. For two hours we watched the preparation and listened as people cheered the tractor. The sky kept getting darker and darker and then just black with ominous clouds. Soon, the announcement came that the fight would be cancelled until a week later and everyone would get their money back. Hurrah for the bull, hurrah for me not receiving bad karmah by watching a bull die, and hurrah for all the others who got to go to another party next week.
Note to Chuck and Kathy. There is no doubt that I have become a flashlight person. We get up in the dark, now 6:30 and leave by 7:15. The D´s are both type A and competitive. I am happy to go too. I am always awake at that time, so why not go outside?
Ginny, I loved the story about Troy. Poor Darwin.
Also, you might have noticed I walked off the map up above. Alison is going to try to find another of the next 670 kilometers. If you like, you can google The way of St James or Camino de Santiago and find information too.
One last thing. The night before last their were about 12 people staying together. The Italian family and Dominico decided to make pasta for whoever wanted to have dinner together. There were 9 people from 7 countires, Spain, France, Austria, Ireland, Italy, America, Germany. ( The wine cost 2.2 euro.
OK. Bye again. It´s alost 6 and I have to wake my buddies. Have a good day.
Mary
OK. The stories. Dominique is an amazingly generous person. He is always clearing the path to make it easier for someone to come behind him. Or if we find blackberries, he takes a few so others will find some. Well, yesterday he was making a little temple of rocks (cairn?) to make the path more obvious. He picked up a rock and under it was the most beautiful cross, the kind that is attached to a rosary. It is two sided with the christ figure on the front and on the back an image of Mary. Mary lifts off and there is a place for a picture or something. It is greenish from oxidation, but the design is awesome. There is no-one I know who would treasure that cross more than Dominique. This is the first really unbelievable thing I have seen on the camino, though I hear it happens all the time.
The second thing it not so lofty. It has to do with a bull fight. I have never seen one. In Sanguisa two nights ago there was a festival with a bull fight. We decided to go. We arrived at 5 for a 5:30 start. Everyone was dressed in white with red scarves around their necks. There were carrying baguettes and coolers and bottles of wine. We sat down and watched the preparation of the ring. It was a really small one, and had puddles from the downpour earier in the day. For two hours we watched the preparation and listened as people cheered the tractor. The sky kept getting darker and darker and then just black with ominous clouds. Soon, the announcement came that the fight would be cancelled until a week later and everyone would get their money back. Hurrah for the bull, hurrah for me not receiving bad karmah by watching a bull die, and hurrah for all the others who got to go to another party next week.
Note to Chuck and Kathy. There is no doubt that I have become a flashlight person. We get up in the dark, now 6:30 and leave by 7:15. The D´s are both type A and competitive. I am happy to go too. I am always awake at that time, so why not go outside?
Ginny, I loved the story about Troy. Poor Darwin.
Also, you might have noticed I walked off the map up above. Alison is going to try to find another of the next 670 kilometers. If you like, you can google The way of St James or Camino de Santiago and find information too.
One last thing. The night before last their were about 12 people staying together. The Italian family and Dominico decided to make pasta for whoever wanted to have dinner together. There were 9 people from 7 countires, Spain, France, Austria, Ireland, Italy, America, Germany. ( The wine cost 2.2 euro.
OK. Bye again. It´s alost 6 and I have to wake my buddies. Have a good day.
Mary
from Puente la Reina
Hi again
I always feel that I will keep things short and then go on and on. But really , tonight I think I will keep it short. I cannot believe that I am here. In my book it says that I have walked 900 kilometers. That is 540 some miles. We have taken public transportation for about 25 miles, so 515 miles. It has been so beautiful. Since we crossed over into Spain the terrain has changed dramatically. On the French side of th Pyrenees it was lush and green with pines and oak etc. Right over the summit it changed to white sandstone and little bushes about as tall as I am. The walk up was in forest, the walk down on rocks in gulleys. It doesn´t sound good, but it was fun and beautiful. On the way up I could hear cow bells, or maybe sheep bells mixed in with the wind and the river down below us. On the Spanish side it is open with with rock and blue skies and few animals. Today we walked on the side of a mountain. Down below us was a huge highway with semis. In the afternoon we turned into rolling countryside and a few villages. This town is ancient. There is a bridge that was built in the 1200´s for the pilgrims who were walking to Santiago. It is so moving to realize that this tradition has been going on for so long.
I am still walking with Dominique and Dominico has joined us. He is the Italian speaker. Can you believe how lucky I am? I was really ready to leave Dominique because we were not able to talk at all. I never could figure out what he was planning or doing. Now, Dominique and Dominico speak French together, Domenico and I speak Italian and Dominique and I speak English. Dominique can´t speek Italian, Dominico can´t speak English and as you know I can´t speak French. If we have problems we turn to the other person for a second translation. It is realy fun and my Italian no doubt will be good in 4 more weeks. I know things change all the time here, but I hope we stay together till the end.
The weather has been amazing. Three days we have missed a terrible rain storm and hail by getting to the albergue (just like the gites in France) just before it starts. We are all showered and happy and poor wet people come struggling in, freezing. The temperature has been in the 70´s during the day. Yesterday I wore a jacket all day. Today not. The evenings are cool. The biggest challenge now is to get my clothes dry. Everyday I wash what I was wearing and before bed, I take it down from the clothes line and pin what is wet to my backpack. Then during the day , if it doesn´t rain, it dries to wear in the evening. Because we have had only two days of walking in the rain in the 37 I have walked, it´s all worked out.
The D´s are expert gatherers. We will be walking and all of the sudden they run up to a tree and fruit starts flying. I just stand back and receive gifts of figs and almonds and sometimes now, grapes. It feels so primitive and wonderful. They laugh and compete and are so proud of what they get. And the fruit tastes fabulous.
That´s about all for now. We are staying in a huge albergue ( 5 euros tonight) and I bet there are 100 people here. I don´t expect too much sleep. I have become a great fan of earplugs.
OK. I better get into my bed. I´m in a room of about twenty bunks.
Bye for now.
Love,
Mom Mary
I always feel that I will keep things short and then go on and on. But really , tonight I think I will keep it short. I cannot believe that I am here. In my book it says that I have walked 900 kilometers. That is 540 some miles. We have taken public transportation for about 25 miles, so 515 miles. It has been so beautiful. Since we crossed over into Spain the terrain has changed dramatically. On the French side of th Pyrenees it was lush and green with pines and oak etc. Right over the summit it changed to white sandstone and little bushes about as tall as I am. The walk up was in forest, the walk down on rocks in gulleys. It doesn´t sound good, but it was fun and beautiful. On the way up I could hear cow bells, or maybe sheep bells mixed in with the wind and the river down below us. On the Spanish side it is open with with rock and blue skies and few animals. Today we walked on the side of a mountain. Down below us was a huge highway with semis. In the afternoon we turned into rolling countryside and a few villages. This town is ancient. There is a bridge that was built in the 1200´s for the pilgrims who were walking to Santiago. It is so moving to realize that this tradition has been going on for so long.
I am still walking with Dominique and Dominico has joined us. He is the Italian speaker. Can you believe how lucky I am? I was really ready to leave Dominique because we were not able to talk at all. I never could figure out what he was planning or doing. Now, Dominique and Dominico speak French together, Domenico and I speak Italian and Dominique and I speak English. Dominique can´t speek Italian, Dominico can´t speak English and as you know I can´t speak French. If we have problems we turn to the other person for a second translation. It is realy fun and my Italian no doubt will be good in 4 more weeks. I know things change all the time here, but I hope we stay together till the end.
The weather has been amazing. Three days we have missed a terrible rain storm and hail by getting to the albergue (just like the gites in France) just before it starts. We are all showered and happy and poor wet people come struggling in, freezing. The temperature has been in the 70´s during the day. Yesterday I wore a jacket all day. Today not. The evenings are cool. The biggest challenge now is to get my clothes dry. Everyday I wash what I was wearing and before bed, I take it down from the clothes line and pin what is wet to my backpack. Then during the day , if it doesn´t rain, it dries to wear in the evening. Because we have had only two days of walking in the rain in the 37 I have walked, it´s all worked out.
The D´s are expert gatherers. We will be walking and all of the sudden they run up to a tree and fruit starts flying. I just stand back and receive gifts of figs and almonds and sometimes now, grapes. It feels so primitive and wonderful. They laugh and compete and are so proud of what they get. And the fruit tastes fabulous.
That´s about all for now. We are staying in a huge albergue ( 5 euros tonight) and I bet there are 100 people here. I don´t expect too much sleep. I have become a great fan of earplugs.
OK. I better get into my bed. I´m in a room of about twenty bunks.
Bye for now.
Love,
Mom Mary
Friday, September 14, 2007
From Jaca
Hi everyone,
I last left you last Saturday, now it is Wednesday for me. I am over the Pyrenees, saying si instead of oui and am drinking cerveza. I´ll tell you a bit of how it was to get here.
First of all, we walked to Morlas on Sunday. It was a crazy day. First of all on Sunday and Monday morning there is nothing open. No restaurants or bars or grocery stores. Nothing really. We had enough food for Sunday and Monday till noon. We walked until noon and stopped on a park bench to have our lunch, for me it was sardines on a bagette and apricots and chocolate for dessert. While we were sitting on the bench a woman walking her dog stopped to talk. She was English and said to me " would you two like a beer?¨ more than anything I thought. She invited us to her house for a beer and a tour of her amazing garden. We left he home after about an hours visit. About two hours later some people having a garden party called us over and gave us Pellegrino water to drink. Nice, seeing we are pelligrini. They also told us of a sheep festival in the town we were going to but they thought it was over at 5pm. Apparently at this festival you can eat lots of lamb things. We both liked that idea better than more sardines. I asked Dominique what the festival would be like, because of course I could not understand a thing they talked about. He said that the peoples in the town were dressing up in old clothes and the sheep would march through the town. I loved the image of the sheep marching more than anything. OK. We walked into town and heard a voice over a microphone. We thought the festival was going on longer than the people thought. So we walked over to the sound of the microphone and there was a party festival thing going on in what looked like a Kmart parking lot. We were walking around trying to figure out what was going on and a man came up and talked to dominique. Here is where I feel like the Gary Larson cartoon with the two panels one with a man talking to the dog and saying things like we are going to the park Fido and then you are getting a bath and then going to the vet etc and the dog hearing blah blah blah Fido. Blah blah Fido. I am Fido in this case. Dominique asks me if I want to have grilled lamb dinner for 11Euros. I say sure. Then they walk away to the man´s car. We get in. Dominique says he is going to drive us to the gite so we can wash ourselves and we can walk back. I say how far is it? he says it´s the man´s car. ok. We get left off and settle in and shower and start walking back. We have no idea where to go, Dominique hales a car. I hear "Blah Blah". He gets in the back seat and says "come on Mary". A woman drives us to the Kmart parking lot. Now there are lots of people. It looks like a church dinner. There are lots of tables and folding chairs. There is a truck playing electronic Donna Summers and Simon and Garfinkle music, with a little country western sprinkled in but all in a disco beat. I ask what is this? Dominique says he thinks that it´s a walking association and they are celebrating the fact that he sheep are walking to Bordeau for the winter. ok. People start to sit down, it is now about 8:30 and the sky is a beautiful pink. The music is now disco folk music. The dinner is served by kind of sexy looking church ladies. They put recycled liter bottles full of wine on the tables. They put piles of bread on also. Then they served the first course. It was a plate of cold meats. Fabulous. Next came the grilled lamb with a white bean side dish. The man next to me kept my plastic cup filled with rose wine. Finally, they serve cheese and fruit. By now it is late and dark. Dominique leans over to me and says I don´t understand a thing they are saying to me. They speak Bearnise. ok. Really now it is time to go. I mention to him that we have to go and he nods to the man next to me. Again we walk to the parking lot and the man sitting next to me drives us to the gite.
The next day we stayed at a priest house because the only hotel in town was closed. I really didn´t like the whole idea. It felt so irresponsible to go on to that town without any idea of where we would sleep. It made me think about asking for help, and what that means to me. I decided that I can accept something offered to me, I can ask for something if I´m in trouble, but I don´t like to assume that we can knock on a door and someone should help us. That is what we did. Dominique says see Mary, things work out. I hated doing that. The thing that made me feel better was so little. When we were outside eating our dinner and the priest came out. I gave him a cookie. He accepted it like it was a treasure. More and more I am hating not having any input on decisions.
The next day was the toughest of the whole trip. We walked 18 miles in a forest, up, and up and up. The trail was horrible, rutted and slippery. That night I called Erika and talked with Oscar. He said " I love you Nonna." That night I was so lonesome. I just wanted to see you all. I started to think about coming home early. I mean, really, I´ve accomplished a lot. Why not? The next morning I decided to listen to my ipod and put an end to Dominique´s constant talking. Benji and Alison made play lists for me just for this moment. I listened to "I am woman, hear me roar" and started to tear up, and walk faster. Then laugh. This day was up, up up too but through gorgeous little mountain towns. The morning was as beatuiful as the day before was ugly. Another song was James Brown, Get on up! It was perfect In the afternoon things got interesting. We were walking high on a steep river bank. There were tree tops at our feet. At times they path was washed out or no more than a foot wide. You just had to go quickly and pay attention. It was fun.
We stayed in a gite with another Dominique who speaks French and Italian, Dominique who speaks French and a little English, Heine who spoke English and German and a man from Denmark who spoke German and Danish of course. It was Dominiques 62 birthday, he bought champagne for the occasion. The five of us sang happy birthday to him in our respective languages and drank the champagne. Then we talked about the war. They actually feel sorry for American´s´but don´t understand why we don´t get rid of Bush. I didn´t have a good answer. All I could say is that things work slow in American politics. Usually, it´s for the best. This time I think not.
The next day over the top of the Pyrenees with huge smiles and today down again. It is so exciting to be in Spain. We are in a gite again, now with the two Dominiques. They want to cook dinner for the three of us and another man who I don´t know. But I like this man. He called me the petite American. Actually, I am getting a big head. These guys talk about me using words like tres sportif and they make a gesture which means strong I think. Blah blah blah Fido.
So far I think I´ve walked about 450 miles, almost halfway. I will try to get another map of Spain on the blog so you can follow me after Puente la Reina. I decided to go on...
The men have come back now and it´s time to get to work fixing dinner. I miss you.
Love,
Mom /Mary
I last left you last Saturday, now it is Wednesday for me. I am over the Pyrenees, saying si instead of oui and am drinking cerveza. I´ll tell you a bit of how it was to get here.
First of all, we walked to Morlas on Sunday. It was a crazy day. First of all on Sunday and Monday morning there is nothing open. No restaurants or bars or grocery stores. Nothing really. We had enough food for Sunday and Monday till noon. We walked until noon and stopped on a park bench to have our lunch, for me it was sardines on a bagette and apricots and chocolate for dessert. While we were sitting on the bench a woman walking her dog stopped to talk. She was English and said to me " would you two like a beer?¨ more than anything I thought. She invited us to her house for a beer and a tour of her amazing garden. We left he home after about an hours visit. About two hours later some people having a garden party called us over and gave us Pellegrino water to drink. Nice, seeing we are pelligrini. They also told us of a sheep festival in the town we were going to but they thought it was over at 5pm. Apparently at this festival you can eat lots of lamb things. We both liked that idea better than more sardines. I asked Dominique what the festival would be like, because of course I could not understand a thing they talked about. He said that the peoples in the town were dressing up in old clothes and the sheep would march through the town. I loved the image of the sheep marching more than anything. OK. We walked into town and heard a voice over a microphone. We thought the festival was going on longer than the people thought. So we walked over to the sound of the microphone and there was a party festival thing going on in what looked like a Kmart parking lot. We were walking around trying to figure out what was going on and a man came up and talked to dominique. Here is where I feel like the Gary Larson cartoon with the two panels one with a man talking to the dog and saying things like we are going to the park Fido and then you are getting a bath and then going to the vet etc and the dog hearing blah blah blah Fido. Blah blah Fido. I am Fido in this case. Dominique asks me if I want to have grilled lamb dinner for 11Euros. I say sure. Then they walk away to the man´s car. We get in. Dominique says he is going to drive us to the gite so we can wash ourselves and we can walk back. I say how far is it? he says it´s the man´s car. ok. We get left off and settle in and shower and start walking back. We have no idea where to go, Dominique hales a car. I hear "Blah Blah". He gets in the back seat and says "come on Mary". A woman drives us to the Kmart parking lot. Now there are lots of people. It looks like a church dinner. There are lots of tables and folding chairs. There is a truck playing electronic Donna Summers and Simon and Garfinkle music, with a little country western sprinkled in but all in a disco beat. I ask what is this? Dominique says he thinks that it´s a walking association and they are celebrating the fact that he sheep are walking to Bordeau for the winter. ok. People start to sit down, it is now about 8:30 and the sky is a beautiful pink. The music is now disco folk music. The dinner is served by kind of sexy looking church ladies. They put recycled liter bottles full of wine on the tables. They put piles of bread on also. Then they served the first course. It was a plate of cold meats. Fabulous. Next came the grilled lamb with a white bean side dish. The man next to me kept my plastic cup filled with rose wine. Finally, they serve cheese and fruit. By now it is late and dark. Dominique leans over to me and says I don´t understand a thing they are saying to me. They speak Bearnise. ok. Really now it is time to go. I mention to him that we have to go and he nods to the man next to me. Again we walk to the parking lot and the man sitting next to me drives us to the gite.
The next day we stayed at a priest house because the only hotel in town was closed. I really didn´t like the whole idea. It felt so irresponsible to go on to that town without any idea of where we would sleep. It made me think about asking for help, and what that means to me. I decided that I can accept something offered to me, I can ask for something if I´m in trouble, but I don´t like to assume that we can knock on a door and someone should help us. That is what we did. Dominique says see Mary, things work out. I hated doing that. The thing that made me feel better was so little. When we were outside eating our dinner and the priest came out. I gave him a cookie. He accepted it like it was a treasure. More and more I am hating not having any input on decisions.
The next day was the toughest of the whole trip. We walked 18 miles in a forest, up, and up and up. The trail was horrible, rutted and slippery. That night I called Erika and talked with Oscar. He said " I love you Nonna." That night I was so lonesome. I just wanted to see you all. I started to think about coming home early. I mean, really, I´ve accomplished a lot. Why not? The next morning I decided to listen to my ipod and put an end to Dominique´s constant talking. Benji and Alison made play lists for me just for this moment. I listened to "I am woman, hear me roar" and started to tear up, and walk faster. Then laugh. This day was up, up up too but through gorgeous little mountain towns. The morning was as beatuiful as the day before was ugly. Another song was James Brown, Get on up! It was perfect In the afternoon things got interesting. We were walking high on a steep river bank. There were tree tops at our feet. At times they path was washed out or no more than a foot wide. You just had to go quickly and pay attention. It was fun.
We stayed in a gite with another Dominique who speaks French and Italian, Dominique who speaks French and a little English, Heine who spoke English and German and a man from Denmark who spoke German and Danish of course. It was Dominiques 62 birthday, he bought champagne for the occasion. The five of us sang happy birthday to him in our respective languages and drank the champagne. Then we talked about the war. They actually feel sorry for American´s´but don´t understand why we don´t get rid of Bush. I didn´t have a good answer. All I could say is that things work slow in American politics. Usually, it´s for the best. This time I think not.
The next day over the top of the Pyrenees with huge smiles and today down again. It is so exciting to be in Spain. We are in a gite again, now with the two Dominiques. They want to cook dinner for the three of us and another man who I don´t know. But I like this man. He called me the petite American. Actually, I am getting a big head. These guys talk about me using words like tres sportif and they make a gesture which means strong I think. Blah blah blah Fido.
So far I think I´ve walked about 450 miles, almost halfway. I will try to get another map of Spain on the blog so you can follow me after Puente la Reina. I decided to go on...
The men have come back now and it´s time to get to work fixing dinner. I miss you.
Love,
Mom /Mary
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Maubourguet
Hi again,
First of all I'm back on the French keyboard so enjoy the challenge along with me, ok?
this week has been so much more calm, thank God. First the toe report- Dominique's are good, more or less, and we have been able to go long distances. I think I have walked 350 miles so far. The awesome thing is that two days ago we started to see see the Pyrenees. One morning they appeared like a thin blu\grey line on the horizon, like a pirate ship, then yesterday they were quite big and jagged and snow covered. They are beautiful, they seem to cover the entire horizon. It is exciting and anxiety causing at the same time. here we go, up and over; probably in four days.
Last Sunday we were at Toulouse, staying by the Church of St sernin, a bishop who was dragged by a bull to his death in 250ad. The hotel is on Rue de Taur, named that because of the incident. It is all so old. That is part of the joy of this walk, knowing that the same paths have been walked on for hundreds of years. We took the metro to the outskirts of Toulose to start our walking again (not the pilgrim way but more satisfying for two impatient people). One of the chambre d'hotes we stayed at was run by a masseuse so I had a foot massage! My feet deserved the treat after all the work they have done.
We have slept in luxury this week too. Everynight has been either someones home or a hotel. i never realized how much I loved sheets before this walk. Sheets really are one of lifes great pleasures.
For two days this week we have had the pleasure of walking with John from York. A perfect combination for Dominique and I, a man who speaks French but is English. I loved every minute of it. We talked about politics and religion and he listened patiently while I talked about how annoying it is to be led around not knowing what to expect from one minute to the next and how I was used to charting my own course and now I had no say in anything and blah blah blah. It felt so good to vent. We also laughed about old scenes from Faulty towers. He left for home today, both Dominique and I enjoyed the break. Three weeks being together 24- 7 is too much.
Let me talk a little about this area. For one thing, this is a region of paté fois gras. There are ducks and geese everywhere. I have had duck soup and duck legs and even fois gras. It was served with figs on toast. Nice but not worth the effort on the part of the bird I think: The crops are still sunflowers and corn; primarily. The land is brown, clay mostly. The fields go on forever. there are plently of hills so I can see forever. We seldom walk on asphalt. We are on paths through farm fields or on stones in forests. The temperature is like MN, cool enough for a jacket in the morning and hot in the afternoon.
I am happy to announce that I am the proud mother of a roller girl. Alison, aka Sweet Justice, is now on the team she wanted to be on. her first game is on 20 October. I am really happy for her and can,t wait for the first game I will be able to see.
I have loads of pictures and will try to get some attached here. Take care. Thank you for writing. I love reading your notes. I try to respond to you personally but for some reason my emails get sent back. I have no idea where I will have another café to write to you. Things look to be more and more remote for a while.
I love you all. Bye till Spain; I think.
Mary/mom.
First of all I'm back on the French keyboard so enjoy the challenge along with me, ok?
this week has been so much more calm, thank God. First the toe report- Dominique's are good, more or less, and we have been able to go long distances. I think I have walked 350 miles so far. The awesome thing is that two days ago we started to see see the Pyrenees. One morning they appeared like a thin blu\grey line on the horizon, like a pirate ship, then yesterday they were quite big and jagged and snow covered. They are beautiful, they seem to cover the entire horizon. It is exciting and anxiety causing at the same time. here we go, up and over; probably in four days.
Last Sunday we were at Toulouse, staying by the Church of St sernin, a bishop who was dragged by a bull to his death in 250ad. The hotel is on Rue de Taur, named that because of the incident. It is all so old. That is part of the joy of this walk, knowing that the same paths have been walked on for hundreds of years. We took the metro to the outskirts of Toulose to start our walking again (not the pilgrim way but more satisfying for two impatient people). One of the chambre d'hotes we stayed at was run by a masseuse so I had a foot massage! My feet deserved the treat after all the work they have done.
We have slept in luxury this week too. Everynight has been either someones home or a hotel. i never realized how much I loved sheets before this walk. Sheets really are one of lifes great pleasures.
For two days this week we have had the pleasure of walking with John from York. A perfect combination for Dominique and I, a man who speaks French but is English. I loved every minute of it. We talked about politics and religion and he listened patiently while I talked about how annoying it is to be led around not knowing what to expect from one minute to the next and how I was used to charting my own course and now I had no say in anything and blah blah blah. It felt so good to vent. We also laughed about old scenes from Faulty towers. He left for home today, both Dominique and I enjoyed the break. Three weeks being together 24- 7 is too much.
Let me talk a little about this area. For one thing, this is a region of paté fois gras. There are ducks and geese everywhere. I have had duck soup and duck legs and even fois gras. It was served with figs on toast. Nice but not worth the effort on the part of the bird I think: The crops are still sunflowers and corn; primarily. The land is brown, clay mostly. The fields go on forever. there are plently of hills so I can see forever. We seldom walk on asphalt. We are on paths through farm fields or on stones in forests. The temperature is like MN, cool enough for a jacket in the morning and hot in the afternoon.
I am happy to announce that I am the proud mother of a roller girl. Alison, aka Sweet Justice, is now on the team she wanted to be on. her first game is on 20 October. I am really happy for her and can,t wait for the first game I will be able to see.
I have loads of pictures and will try to get some attached here. Take care. Thank you for writing. I love reading your notes. I try to respond to you personally but for some reason my emails get sent back. I have no idea where I will have another café to write to you. Things look to be more and more remote for a while.
I love you all. Bye till Spain; I think.
Mary/mom.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Toulouse
Hi everyone-
Thank you for all of your comments. It is such a treat for me to find an internet cafe because I can talk with you!!! and look! an American keyboard! You might see lots of these!!!
Well, here is what's new.
I read a book by Annie Lamont in which she said that there are two kinds of prayer, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. and Help me! Help me! Help me!" I think for the first two weeks of my walk it was all thank you, thank you. Thank you to the Coskran's for introducing me to the Camino, thank you to my girls and their husbands for supporting the idea, thank you to Dominique for guiding me. Now I have had the flip side, Help Me! Help me! Help me! Here is what happened.
Last Monday when Dominique said he had a sore toe, I had no idea how sore. We left Castres at 10 am. Far too late on a hot day. We walked in the sun on asphalt for 4 hours. Dominique was really quiet and then I noticed limping. Once he took off his boot and tried to treat his toe. When he put it back on he cried out in pain. He broke out in a sweat. I said we had to stop, he said no and walked on. About an hour later he was a little out of his head. He asked me where we were. I knew we had to stop and we were in the middle of nowhere. I told him I would check my guide. I looked for the nearest town, but instead found that there was an Abbey nearby and that they took in pilgrims in emergencies. He agreed we had to flag a car. The second one that went by stopped and a young man gave us a ride to En Calcat and the monestary of Saint-Benoit, a Benedictine monestary. The monks called a doctor and gave us ice water and apple juice. By 4:30 pm a doctor had seen Dominique and told him he might have to stop. He had a huge infection that might need surgery. Now I am sorry to tell you this, but almost instantly I pictured Dominique's wife picking him up at the abbey and me walking in the hot sun, dying. I was so frightened. The abbey was a contempletive abbey so there was no talking. Only praying. We went to vespers and listened to beautiful chant from the monks, about 60 of them. Then we went to dinner, in silence. All I did was think about what to do. And, wipe away the tears that kept rolling down my cheeks. We went to vespers again at 9pm, 9am, mass at noon and vespers at 3pm. By this time I quit crying. There were about 15 women at the abbey on a retreat. I don't know if they were nuns or not. I couldn't ask. After dinner Dominique told me one of the women wanted to talk with me. We met in the garden and she told me that she had walked to Camino alone for one week and that I could do it. ( There must have been some talking going on in that place.) She spoke very good English and was enthusiastic about me walking. She said I must trust. That night I asked God to give me a very direct answer of what to do. I didn't want anything coy. I was too tired. I didn't want to walk if it was my ego leading and I didn't want to quit because I felt so good. This was Monday night. On the Sunday morning before, I had listened to my ipod. I love to listen to Gospel music on Sundays. One of the songs I heard had a line in it " walk in Jerusalem just like John." When I woke up on Tuesday morning, that song was going through my head. Pretty clear I thought. So on Tuesday we sat down and made a plan of where I would stop and how far I would walk. I was going to leave on Wednesday morning. On Tueday night after 9pm vespers another woman stopped me and said she had walked the Camino alone. She said "don't be afraid. We are never alone." So, I went to bed and when I woke up Dominique said he would hitchhike to Ravel, they next town and meet me. I walked. It was great. I didn't get lost, there was a thunder and lighting storm and I survived. Really, it was fun. Well, now it's Sunday. Dominique is in church. The antibiotics have worked on his toe ( he thinks it's St. Anthony, who knows. He prayed to find the healthy toe that went missing.) But for me, the most important thing is that I know I can do this by myself. I don't want to. It's lonely to walk alone. But I can. Yesterday I hit dominiques hiking pole by mistake. All of the sudden he was reciting Moliere and pretending to duel with me. How could I miss being around that? I believe that the idea that we are never alone can mean lots of things. One thing it means to me is that there are people everywhere who want to help. And I think the trust I must have is first with myself and then with others and finally with God.
Since then we have stayed in Ravel ( with great people who fixed lentil stew for dinner), in Les Calles with a very handsome couple who fixed a camembert tart and tomato soup and served fabulous wine. ( He also massaged her feet in the garden after they went for a bike ride. Lessons are all around me.) We have walked on a canal for the last three days. First Le Rigole, a tiny thing I think is used for irrigation and then the Canal Midi. It was perfect for sore feet, flat and shaded. There were so many barges on the Canal Midi, like houseboats. It was so much fun to see. All day today was similar to walking around the lakes. Many bikers, walkers, runners. I know for sure I am a city girl. I feel right at home here in Toulouse. I can't believe how close we are getting to Spain. Yikes.
The hardest thing for me is when we have to stay in creepy places. Last night was one. Some nasty old mattress on the floor. I spread my sheet and sleeping bag on it and try not to move. Impossible for me. But I slept well and here I am. I know it's part of the experience, but not one I like.
Notes:
Ginny I am being good to my feet. One dicey nail. No blisters.
Carlotta, my Italian words are getting stepped on by some rusty old French ones that are crawling up from a deep place in my brain, circa 1962. I need to meet an Italian.
Barb, I loved talking with you. But don't come. Who knows, tomorrow it may be me who has to stop. Things happen fast on the Camino.
Erika and Benji, I will take Oscar to the State Fair next year. I am happy he liked it. Who wouldn't! I stop and talk to babies whenever I see them.
Alison, I can't wait till the 6th to hear the rest of the story.
I love you all. Thanks for being with me.
Mom/Mary
Thank you for all of your comments. It is such a treat for me to find an internet cafe because I can talk with you!!! and look! an American keyboard! You might see lots of these!!!
Well, here is what's new.
I read a book by Annie Lamont in which she said that there are two kinds of prayer, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. and Help me! Help me! Help me!" I think for the first two weeks of my walk it was all thank you, thank you. Thank you to the Coskran's for introducing me to the Camino, thank you to my girls and their husbands for supporting the idea, thank you to Dominique for guiding me. Now I have had the flip side, Help Me! Help me! Help me! Here is what happened.
Last Monday when Dominique said he had a sore toe, I had no idea how sore. We left Castres at 10 am. Far too late on a hot day. We walked in the sun on asphalt for 4 hours. Dominique was really quiet and then I noticed limping. Once he took off his boot and tried to treat his toe. When he put it back on he cried out in pain. He broke out in a sweat. I said we had to stop, he said no and walked on. About an hour later he was a little out of his head. He asked me where we were. I knew we had to stop and we were in the middle of nowhere. I told him I would check my guide. I looked for the nearest town, but instead found that there was an Abbey nearby and that they took in pilgrims in emergencies. He agreed we had to flag a car. The second one that went by stopped and a young man gave us a ride to En Calcat and the monestary of Saint-Benoit, a Benedictine monestary. The monks called a doctor and gave us ice water and apple juice. By 4:30 pm a doctor had seen Dominique and told him he might have to stop. He had a huge infection that might need surgery. Now I am sorry to tell you this, but almost instantly I pictured Dominique's wife picking him up at the abbey and me walking in the hot sun, dying. I was so frightened. The abbey was a contempletive abbey so there was no talking. Only praying. We went to vespers and listened to beautiful chant from the monks, about 60 of them. Then we went to dinner, in silence. All I did was think about what to do. And, wipe away the tears that kept rolling down my cheeks. We went to vespers again at 9pm, 9am, mass at noon and vespers at 3pm. By this time I quit crying. There were about 15 women at the abbey on a retreat. I don't know if they were nuns or not. I couldn't ask. After dinner Dominique told me one of the women wanted to talk with me. We met in the garden and she told me that she had walked to Camino alone for one week and that I could do it. ( There must have been some talking going on in that place.) She spoke very good English and was enthusiastic about me walking. She said I must trust. That night I asked God to give me a very direct answer of what to do. I didn't want anything coy. I was too tired. I didn't want to walk if it was my ego leading and I didn't want to quit because I felt so good. This was Monday night. On the Sunday morning before, I had listened to my ipod. I love to listen to Gospel music on Sundays. One of the songs I heard had a line in it " walk in Jerusalem just like John." When I woke up on Tuesday morning, that song was going through my head. Pretty clear I thought. So on Tuesday we sat down and made a plan of where I would stop and how far I would walk. I was going to leave on Wednesday morning. On Tueday night after 9pm vespers another woman stopped me and said she had walked the Camino alone. She said "don't be afraid. We are never alone." So, I went to bed and when I woke up Dominique said he would hitchhike to Ravel, they next town and meet me. I walked. It was great. I didn't get lost, there was a thunder and lighting storm and I survived. Really, it was fun. Well, now it's Sunday. Dominique is in church. The antibiotics have worked on his toe ( he thinks it's St. Anthony, who knows. He prayed to find the healthy toe that went missing.) But for me, the most important thing is that I know I can do this by myself. I don't want to. It's lonely to walk alone. But I can. Yesterday I hit dominiques hiking pole by mistake. All of the sudden he was reciting Moliere and pretending to duel with me. How could I miss being around that? I believe that the idea that we are never alone can mean lots of things. One thing it means to me is that there are people everywhere who want to help. And I think the trust I must have is first with myself and then with others and finally with God.
Since then we have stayed in Ravel ( with great people who fixed lentil stew for dinner), in Les Calles with a very handsome couple who fixed a camembert tart and tomato soup and served fabulous wine. ( He also massaged her feet in the garden after they went for a bike ride. Lessons are all around me.) We have walked on a canal for the last three days. First Le Rigole, a tiny thing I think is used for irrigation and then the Canal Midi. It was perfect for sore feet, flat and shaded. There were so many barges on the Canal Midi, like houseboats. It was so much fun to see. All day today was similar to walking around the lakes. Many bikers, walkers, runners. I know for sure I am a city girl. I feel right at home here in Toulouse. I can't believe how close we are getting to Spain. Yikes.
The hardest thing for me is when we have to stay in creepy places. Last night was one. Some nasty old mattress on the floor. I spread my sheet and sleeping bag on it and try not to move. Impossible for me. But I slept well and here I am. I know it's part of the experience, but not one I like.
Notes:
Ginny I am being good to my feet. One dicey nail. No blisters.
Carlotta, my Italian words are getting stepped on by some rusty old French ones that are crawling up from a deep place in my brain, circa 1962. I need to meet an Italian.
Barb, I loved talking with you. But don't come. Who knows, tomorrow it may be me who has to stop. Things happen fast on the Camino.
Erika and Benji, I will take Oscar to the State Fair next year. I am happy he liked it. Who wouldn't! I stop and talk to babies whenever I see them.
Alison, I can't wait till the 6th to hear the rest of the story.
I love you all. Thanks for being with me.
Mom/Mary
Monday, August 27, 2007
back again
hi
i am still in castres. Dominique has a very sore toe. We are going to wait a few hours before we start this morning. ( his toe is really sore.)
We stayed in a dormitory for young people who are working but can't afford housing on their own. it cost us 12e for bed and breakfast.
Castres is a town i would come back to (if i spoke French). it is an old town where fabrics were designed. there is a river with several old bridges and old homes along the river. there is an enormous plaza with fountains and bars surrounding it. the other town i loved was arles, where i began walking. it was a roman outpost. there is a colliseum and an amphitheatre that are still being used, happily for less brutal entertainment. arles is a very small town; so the colliseum and theatre are imposing. i think it is also a tourist town. there were many beautiful stores and places to eat. the first area we walked in was carmargue. it is known for it's beautiful white horses. the whole area has a cowboy, western feel. there were many cattle and horses and wrought iron crosses. speaking of crosses, they are everywhere. some are simple and beautiful, others not so much. i keep thinking how oppressive it would feel if you weren,t christian. the really bad part were the mosquitoes. they were horrible. i thought provence was perfect, but no.
from the cattle area we walked into orchards: apricots and necterines primarily. we ate the ones on the ground. yum. from there we went up up up into the chestnut forests and pines. the chestnuts were very important in ancient times for flour and protein etc. i was thinking last night about telling you about the hunters in the woods. it was one of those times when i thought what am i doing here. their are men with guns in the dark and i guess there must have been wild boar. and their was mary daniels and her backpack and her cute little scarf. good lord.
the other time i had this feeling was the day after i wrote to you from lodeve. dominique and i got really lost. we walked out of town in the wrong direction. we are following a national hiking trail that is marled with a red and white design. it doesn,t specify direction. we walked on an ancient roman trail for 3 hours and we met a man who pointed across the valley at the road we were supposed to be on. i of course have no idea what is being talked about, but suddenly we are walking very quickly with this man and his two dogs. after about an hour we arrive at his car, the dogs, backpacks and dominique get in the wayback and i am in the front seat with this very handsome man. he looks like big from sex in the city. we are driving through woods and villages and i thought how did it happen that i am here? the man looked at me and said this is the dogs car. he could speak great english and so i started talking with him. it is such a good feeling to be able to talk with someone. i am so sorry i dont speak french. dominique is giving me lessons as we walk. we spend our time walking drawing pictures in the dirt to discribe what we are talking about and singing christmas songs because they are common to both of us.
i am thinking about what is important to me on this pilgrimage. for me it doesn't feel religous. it feels spiritual in the way being outside always feels spiritual to me. the most dominate feeling i have is one of being healthy. my heart races with the effort, i sweat and drink gallons of water: all of my aches and pains that i had at home are gone. i feel so good. maybe later i will feel the pilgrimage in a more spiritual way. i do have a deep respect for the history of the way and the thousands that have gone before me.
dominique is sitting next to me, anxious to start. goodbye again.
Love,
mom and Mary
i am still in castres. Dominique has a very sore toe. We are going to wait a few hours before we start this morning. ( his toe is really sore.)
We stayed in a dormitory for young people who are working but can't afford housing on their own. it cost us 12e for bed and breakfast.
Castres is a town i would come back to (if i spoke French). it is an old town where fabrics were designed. there is a river with several old bridges and old homes along the river. there is an enormous plaza with fountains and bars surrounding it. the other town i loved was arles, where i began walking. it was a roman outpost. there is a colliseum and an amphitheatre that are still being used, happily for less brutal entertainment. arles is a very small town; so the colliseum and theatre are imposing. i think it is also a tourist town. there were many beautiful stores and places to eat. the first area we walked in was carmargue. it is known for it's beautiful white horses. the whole area has a cowboy, western feel. there were many cattle and horses and wrought iron crosses. speaking of crosses, they are everywhere. some are simple and beautiful, others not so much. i keep thinking how oppressive it would feel if you weren,t christian. the really bad part were the mosquitoes. they were horrible. i thought provence was perfect, but no.
from the cattle area we walked into orchards: apricots and necterines primarily. we ate the ones on the ground. yum. from there we went up up up into the chestnut forests and pines. the chestnuts were very important in ancient times for flour and protein etc. i was thinking last night about telling you about the hunters in the woods. it was one of those times when i thought what am i doing here. their are men with guns in the dark and i guess there must have been wild boar. and their was mary daniels and her backpack and her cute little scarf. good lord.
the other time i had this feeling was the day after i wrote to you from lodeve. dominique and i got really lost. we walked out of town in the wrong direction. we are following a national hiking trail that is marled with a red and white design. it doesn,t specify direction. we walked on an ancient roman trail for 3 hours and we met a man who pointed across the valley at the road we were supposed to be on. i of course have no idea what is being talked about, but suddenly we are walking very quickly with this man and his two dogs. after about an hour we arrive at his car, the dogs, backpacks and dominique get in the wayback and i am in the front seat with this very handsome man. he looks like big from sex in the city. we are driving through woods and villages and i thought how did it happen that i am here? the man looked at me and said this is the dogs car. he could speak great english and so i started talking with him. it is such a good feeling to be able to talk with someone. i am so sorry i dont speak french. dominique is giving me lessons as we walk. we spend our time walking drawing pictures in the dirt to discribe what we are talking about and singing christmas songs because they are common to both of us.
i am thinking about what is important to me on this pilgrimage. for me it doesn't feel religous. it feels spiritual in the way being outside always feels spiritual to me. the most dominate feeling i have is one of being healthy. my heart races with the effort, i sweat and drink gallons of water: all of my aches and pains that i had at home are gone. i feel so good. maybe later i will feel the pilgrimage in a more spiritual way. i do have a deep respect for the history of the way and the thousands that have gone before me.
dominique is sitting next to me, anxious to start. goodbye again.
Love,
mom and Mary
Sunday, August 26, 2007
in Castres
Hi everyone
There have been many footsteps since we last talked. Dominique and i have finished 283 k. We have walked in dark dark foggy chestnut forests ( i felt like was in a monty python movie) and over high mountains in the rain. it is incredibly beautiful here: i can,t explain how it feels. it,s like a slow moion movie. one of the funniest things happened one morning on a cloudy day in that dark forest: there were about 10 hunters in brown outfits and orange vests standing along the path we walked on. they had their guns slung over their shoulders and when we walked by they all said ¨bonjour¨. it was like they were hanging out at the coffee bar but instead they were hunting wild boar.
i wish you were all here to share this with me. it was very sad to say goodbye to chuck and kathy. but they are so supportive of me continuing and i feel great: more as soon as possible.
love, mary
There have been many footsteps since we last talked. Dominique and i have finished 283 k. We have walked in dark dark foggy chestnut forests ( i felt like was in a monty python movie) and over high mountains in the rain. it is incredibly beautiful here: i can,t explain how it feels. it,s like a slow moion movie. one of the funniest things happened one morning on a cloudy day in that dark forest: there were about 10 hunters in brown outfits and orange vests standing along the path we walked on. they had their guns slung over their shoulders and when we walked by they all said ¨bonjour¨. it was like they were hanging out at the coffee bar but instead they were hunting wild boar.
i wish you were all here to share this with me. it was very sad to say goodbye to chuck and kathy. but they are so supportive of me continuing and i feel great: more as soon as possible.
love, mary
Monday, August 20, 2007
in lodeve
hi everyone
i will write simply because of the keyboard. so many things have happened in the last 6 days. my friend kathy hurt her knee and cannot walk. her husband chuck has stayed with her of course and they will come home in a week or so. the night before kathy hurt herself we met a french man, 62 married in case you are interested, who is going to santiago di compostela. i am now walking with him. he is great, a cross between st francis of assissi , he talks to the animals and finds berries and figs for us to eat, and he is like george christianson, organized and confident. his english gets better everyday. i would indicate a joke if i could find the right keys. he is very kind and protective of me. we have walked with two people from paris and a young man who is like alison's adam.
here is a typical day for me. up at 6:15 on the road at 7 walk till 4 or 5 or 6. we stay in gites or churches or convents. we arrive in town, find a bar for a cold beer, find the church to have our credentiale stamped and ask where to stay for the night. we shower , or as dominic says, i wash me, wash my clothes find something to eat and if possible i draw a picture in my journal.
i was so scared when i left kathy and chuck. it seems impossible for me to go on , not knowing the language and the way. but i remember when jolynn free and i went to new york after 9 11. we went to riverside church and we were a part of an amazing service. the pastor had us turn to each other and take the hand of our neighbor and say you are safe in this place. this comes to me now. i know i am safe in this place.
i left domenique in a cafe while i write this. we are walking with some people from germany this morning. it is cool, cloudy but no rain. there are chestnut trees all over. and lots of hills.
by the way: adam, you were right: it is like the lake superior hiking trail much of the time. rocky paths, very high steep hills and beauty everywhere. i think of oscar on every steep hill . i think up up up. or down down down.
i feel so lucky to be here. i have no hurts. i must go now, i have 13 k to go. i will write again when i find another computer: they are infrequent: the guy from paris complained that it is easier to find a computer in india or africa than in frmance.
i love you all and miss you.
mary/mom
i will write simply because of the keyboard. so many things have happened in the last 6 days. my friend kathy hurt her knee and cannot walk. her husband chuck has stayed with her of course and they will come home in a week or so. the night before kathy hurt herself we met a french man, 62 married in case you are interested, who is going to santiago di compostela. i am now walking with him. he is great, a cross between st francis of assissi , he talks to the animals and finds berries and figs for us to eat, and he is like george christianson, organized and confident. his english gets better everyday. i would indicate a joke if i could find the right keys. he is very kind and protective of me. we have walked with two people from paris and a young man who is like alison's adam.
here is a typical day for me. up at 6:15 on the road at 7 walk till 4 or 5 or 6. we stay in gites or churches or convents. we arrive in town, find a bar for a cold beer, find the church to have our credentiale stamped and ask where to stay for the night. we shower , or as dominic says, i wash me, wash my clothes find something to eat and if possible i draw a picture in my journal.
i was so scared when i left kathy and chuck. it seems impossible for me to go on , not knowing the language and the way. but i remember when jolynn free and i went to new york after 9 11. we went to riverside church and we were a part of an amazing service. the pastor had us turn to each other and take the hand of our neighbor and say you are safe in this place. this comes to me now. i know i am safe in this place.
i left domenique in a cafe while i write this. we are walking with some people from germany this morning. it is cool, cloudy but no rain. there are chestnut trees all over. and lots of hills.
by the way: adam, you were right: it is like the lake superior hiking trail much of the time. rocky paths, very high steep hills and beauty everywhere. i think of oscar on every steep hill . i think up up up. or down down down.
i feel so lucky to be here. i have no hurts. i must go now, i have 13 k to go. i will write again when i find another computer: they are infrequent: the guy from paris complained that it is easier to find a computer in india or africa than in frmance.
i love you all and miss you.
mary/mom
Sunday, August 12, 2007
My last night at home
I am ready to go. My bag is packed, I had dinner with my family last night, and I can't wait to start walking. I thought I'd give a little history of "el Camino" so you would all be familiar with it's history. I am going to take an excerpt from the liner notes of a cd given to me by my one of my neighbors.
-for about a thousand years, pilgrims have journeyed to santiago de compostela, the legendary burial place of st.james the apostle. in the year 815 a hermit was led to the grave site by shimmering miraculous lights- the field of stars, campus stellae. the bones were identified by the gourd and the scallop shell the apostle always carried. between the 12th and 15th century , the the popular peak of the pilgrimage, hundreds of thousands journeyed to santiago seeking healing, miracles, adventure, atonement and salvation.-
Tonight I leave on my journey.We'll see together what I discover. More later...
-for about a thousand years, pilgrims have journeyed to santiago de compostela, the legendary burial place of st.james the apostle. in the year 815 a hermit was led to the grave site by shimmering miraculous lights- the field of stars, campus stellae. the bones were identified by the gourd and the scallop shell the apostle always carried. between the 12th and 15th century , the the popular peak of the pilgrimage, hundreds of thousands journeyed to santiago seeking healing, miracles, adventure, atonement and salvation.-
Tonight I leave on my journey.We'll see together what I discover. More later...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)