st. christopher and baby moses

hi everyone
barb and i have finished another day- this is day 8. so far we have walked through three agricultural areas, first pigs, then wheat or other grains and now grapes and olives. the sky was blue and the air clear today. we walked 22 km, tomorrow 28, our longest.
yesterday we had to cross two creeks that were high. did i tell you that a day before a man stood in the water for a long time helping people cross over stepping stones that were mostly under water. the water was moving very fast and it was hard to balance. so yesterday, there was another young man to help barb and i. i thought of st. christoper and the photo you always see with a man carrying baby jesus on his shoulder across a swollen river. well, in this case we had to take off our boots and socks and slide done a very slippery bank- maybe a foot or so, and then walk carefully across a cement thing that was laying across the water. we both made it safely to the other side. at the second creek there was no st. christoper. just barb and i. we were tired and the water was cloudy, like tea with milk.we tired to think of ways aross. let me give you the options:
a- take off your boots and walk in the water to the other side- about 6 ft away.
b- don´t take off your boots and try to stay on the rocks which were maybe 4 inches under water or
c- look upstream about 30 feet for a way across that was more narrow, but you have to walk through knee high grass, and feel the ground with your hiking pole. at a certain point you fall off the bank and go under water for a minute in your hiking boots, rain gear and with a back pack on your back.but you do surface.

if you guessed that 'a' was the right answer, you were correct. barb chose b, but only because she had a clue- she heard a big splash. i unfortunately choose 'c'. i was certain there had to be a better way across.
after i fell in, i found my footing and stood up. i secured my glasses and my cute headband. i stood in the water for a minute thinking what an interesting view. one i had never seen. i was in chest high water, the bank was above me and all i could see was that grass. that´s when i thought of baby moses, living for three years like that- in reeds. barb was calling for me and i started laughing because it was such a crazy thing to do and i wasn´t dead.
i pulled myself up using the grass and found good ground, on the other side of the creek. i was really lucky because the air was warm and there was a breeze. i dried off in about 15 minutes. nothing in my backpack got wet because i pack everything in plastic. even my phone and camera were ok.
at the albergue last night we had a washing machine, dryer and a very hot shower, so the dirty creek water was gone. we went out to dinner , eating fine tapas again and drinking a very nice wine. but all through the night last night, i could see the bank and grass and laughed again.
our camino family- it seems we have seen the last of michael and his son paul,and the men with the burros. we really enjoyed their company and it´s always hard to say goodbye. everyone we talk with is either german or french and they all have walked the camino many times. this way, the via de la plata is gorgeous and less crowded.
i think barb and i have found our groove. she has two blisters, not too bad, and i have none, knock on wood. we are walking at the same pace and having fun.
i loved talking with erika and jude on easter and alison you the day before. i hope you all had a good easter. we did.
goodbye from villafanca de los barros.
love,
mom, nonna, mary

hello again
another good day. we walked in the rain, yes, but it was a steady rain, not cats and dogs. and there was no wind so we were warmer. the countryside was beautiful. huge vistas with fields, some green some being planted and some golden. there was fog and sunshine and cows. we could see the path for miles and miles. tiny pilgrims far ahead. there was a groupd from a bus, 31 of them, who walked with umbellas, not backpacks. there was a river to cross, one man took off his boots and steadied people as they walked across the stepping stones. because of all the rain, the river was running very fast. i asked him if he was cold and he said no. i think he helped 15 or 20 people across. i told the group i was waiting for my sister, so they waited also and one man took barbs backpack across and another helped her by saying aqui aqui to say where to walk. all so lovely. j
next we go for wine and dinner. what a fabulous experience. oh one thought i had today. one other reason i love the camino is because it is a chance to be child like. splashing in puddles, stepping on stones, looking at flowers. just spending time doing nothing serious. ahhh.
i´ll be back another day.
love,
mary

walking in the rain

oh boy,
here we go again. this keyboard has it´s own spirit. i would like big type, but no. it´s tiny. i hope you can read it.
barb and i have been walking in the rain for 4 days. either cats and dogs or a light irish mist. we see giant fincas with sheep or goats or pigs, all free range. they live with beautiful cork trees, and oaks. there are green hills, ending in grey foggy horizons. it is peaceful and beautiful. quiet, no people, no traffic. yes, we are so wet and often cold. soaked feet , wet socks, snacks standing under a tree. but we laugh and shake our heads.
we checked the weather all the time before we left and expected 80s with sun. we were worried about being too hot. i told barb, no, no wool or down.now, we would kill for a wool sweater. and dry boots.
we have many new friends- michael and his son paul from southern germany, 3 men walking with two real donkeys from france, iris and her boyfriend raphael, and francesca and ricardo from italy. most are here for easter break so we will have a new family next week perhaps.
i want to tell you about last night. barb and i arrived in real de las jara yesterday afternoon so cold and wet. the albergue was way at the edge of town and we couldn´t find the person with the key. we went to a bar and had coffee. we asked about a pension and were led to a perfect, warm dry home close to the church. at 6 the bells started ringing and we went to the service. the church was a moorish design outside and pure white inside, except for a brilliant gold alterpiece. there were many people, we squeezed into a pew. mass began, signing from a young peoples choir of 10 or 12. two who sang solos, had voices so pure and steady. the priest was quiet and seemed very humble. he did a service of washing the feet of the servers. maybe this is comon for holy thursday, but it touched me so. during communion the lovely voices sang to guitar music, like sagovia. after we went outside and there were our friends. they had come for the processiontypical of holy week. it consists fo 20 men carrying a float out of the church and around the area. the float is huge with a statue of jesus carrying a cross. people cheered the efforts to carry the float. there was a band playing typical holy week music, the trumpet is unbelievable. i have a movie ( later when i get home) and will buy a cd of the music. i love it.
after our little family went to dinner. wine, laughter, french,german and english wordsmixing up around our table. then to bed.
in the morning more walking in rain, stepped through little streams, around big ones, and here we are.
tomorrow is 29 km our longest yet. we hear it may be sunny. and maybe we will find our family again.did i say the albergue is closed in this town and that was our meeting place.
barb and i have so mucch fun. we say right here right now all the time. that is all there is we can control so little on the camino. it´s really fun.
we love you. and tañlpof you all the time. what?
mom nonna mary

in sevilla

hi everyone
today is palm sunday. we went to the cathedral,10 am, to a high mass said by the bishop. so much ceremony. vestments, inscense, candles, chanting, moments i love being brought up as a catholic. we took part in a long procession around the massive, beautiful cathedral,holding our palm fronds. the cathedral is enormous. it was a mosque in the past, the current bell tower was the mineret. i look forward to the blending of islamic and christian history through this region, knowing of course that it was war that brought change. not unlike a final four match with the buildings being trophies. ridiculous.
last night i woke at a little after 3. church bells signaled the passing of time- 3:15, 3:45 and on till just before 6. i thought of the last time i traveled, it was in morocco last summer. there too, a call to prayer kept me company as i lay awake. i liked the idea that around the world, people are laying in their beds united by a call to prayer. also,
i was told on my first camino by an italian man ´´the spanish never sleep``. i believe it is true. all night long there were groups of people walking by the hotel. some just talking and laughing. some singing and clapping their hands to a repeating beat, flamenco? maybe. all of it was happy. there wasn´t one harsh sound, no fighting, no broken bottles, just happy talk and full laughter. one voice takes command, tells a story the others laught, add a little, more laughter. in spite of the time, i loved listening. at 5ish the groups were less often, until only a bird sang. then the huge street cleaning machines came through. they used 3 cycles of sweeping and washing. 6 trucks in all. oscar, i could imagine a transformer street sweeper. think about the robot you could make from a street sweeper. clean-up guy. many powers.
barb and i have been outside listening to the guildes ( i think this is right) parading for semana santa, holy week. the costumes are eerie ( skittles colored kkk robes) and the music dramatic. a steady drumbeat with a heralding trumpet.we can´t really get close enough to see the floats etc. but the scene is amazing. i have a short film. but there is no usb connection on the keyboard or computer. i bet there are semana santa you tube clips already from a million others. take a look.
tomorrow barb and i begin to transform into pilgrims. we are no longer tourists. we have our credentiels and have our first stamp given to us in the cathedral. we have found the yellow arrows to lead us out of town. we are ready for the first step.

until later,
mary
ps. travel tip. when in a tapas bar, ask the server to bring you three tapas, fish, meat and vegetable- they choose. they bring you the most delicious plates and they slow down to explain what you are eating. perfect.

getting ready

Hi-
This morning I am starting final preparations for my next visit to Spain and the Way of St. James. I will be leaving on April 15. Now's the time to pack and unpack, weigh things, buy things, return things, and the most importantly- to spend time with my family.

This time my sister Barb and I will walk together from Seville in southern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. We will be walking on ground I have not been on. I don't think I'd be doing this again if it weren't for Barb. But there is something so sweet to be able to share this experience with her. I can't wait to begin.

I am really happy there is a map I could upload so that you can watch our progress. We hope to be gone 6 weeks and walk about 1000 km. Wait and see.

Mary