Camino 2017 Planning - 6 weeks to go

CAMINO 2017     ASTORGA TO SANTIAGO - 265 KM

Six weeks from today the three of us - Richard age 86, me age 71 and Sophie my 11 year old granddaughter, will be boarding a plane to fly to Madrid, bus to Leon to begin our Camino.

The plan is to spend the night in Leon, visit the cathedral the next morning, look around Leon,  begin to recover from jet lag, and finally find the bus station and make our way to Astorga, where we spend our second night. We should have plenty of time to see the sights and enjoy the chocolate.  The next day, April 18, we will begin our Camino with a short 7 km walk from Astorga to Castrillo.  

This will be the 5th Camino for Richard and me and the first Camino for Sophie, who has been uniformly motivated to go on this walk since the idea was first floated at the cottage last summer.  And here we are....six weeks out! Down to the final planning and doing lots of walking to get in shape.  We are all VERY excited. And nervous and apprehensive and hoping for not too much rain.....

more to follow 

May 3 back in Santiago

The sun has been shining for two weeks now and we have really enjoyed the walk from Santiago to Muxia and back to Finisterre.  Much less crowded, and smaller villages.  We have picnicked on white beaches, walked in the ocean, walked through eucalyptus forests and generally had a very good walk.  It was much more peaceful than the section from Porto to Santiago. We met many Germans along the way, and celebrated Michel's 54th birthday in Finisterre.  And finally went to Sunday mass in the chapel in Muxia....a real bonus.

Now we are a little sad to be nearing the end.  The atmosphere in Santiago is so different from the more remote areas that it is quite overwhelming.

We will be getting up early tomorrow to catch a 645 plane to Lisbon, where we will be tourists for two days...then home.  It is time.

I thing I will finish this post, as the computer with a mind of its own has erased my words twice already.

Love to all......feeling homesick at the moment.   Will be back soon!

April 24 Santiago ! And the sun is shining

Hello to everyone!  We finally have a public computer and can fill you in on our adventures.
April 12 and 13 we spent in Porto being tourists and enjoying the very warm hospitality of our hosts at The White Box House.  The weather was  extreme...from lightning and hail to sun and wind...but we completely enjoyed our time there with Bruce and <kim.
April 14 started out on the Portugese Camino taking the Metro to the coast and starting to walk north along the boardwalk in cloudy weather.  I loved this day by the ocean with easy walking and good      waymarkings.  The only mishap was that Richard got a soaker froma rogue wave and had had a wet foot.  Arrived in Vila do Condo very tired after 23 km.
April 15 . Our luck changed.  Walked 28 km in torrential rain to Barcelos, much of it on     asphalt...very hard on the feet.  Nobody was in a good mood at the end of the day. Ran the hairdryer nonstop and tried to dry out our boots etc.
April  16  The monsoons continued and we faced flooded fields and rivers on the paths.  Barefoot was an option, but very cold.  It was mostly  head down and keep going....for 33 km.
 By the time we arrived in Ponte de Lima the sun was shining and we had a nice walk into this very picturesque town.  We stayed in a cosy place near the centre of town and after a good dinner and the prospect of improving weather were somewhat optimistic about the future.  Except that my feet were not in good shape.  My substitute boots, and the wet weather had given me lots of blisters on both feet.  ????What to do
April 17.  Faced with flooded paths, I opted to wade and walk in sandals.  But the 18 km was a slog.
The scenery was great....small farms, hills and pleasant company from a group of French women with whom we devised various solution to the flooded walking paths.  Great night´s sleep at St Roque.  But worried abouat the state of my feet.
April 18.  Left Bruce ande Kim who returned to Canada and hobbled on to Tui slowly through mud.
Decided to try and find new boots or sneakers in Tui and fortunately located a pair of mens Adidas trail shoes.....Supernovas in neon yellow....the only pair that fit.  much more comfortable.  So the boots were left in Tui.  Unfortunately, so was our guidebook....so  we continued without.   Will have to replace it in Toronto.  But at least I could walk, more or less pain free and it was a  31 km day               to Redondelo on April 19.  Not the greatest day, walking past an industrtial area for several hours and getting lost in the city.  But the weather was good...cool and only a little rain.  Lots of road walking.  The highlight of the day was a washing maching in our room.  It only took us about half an hour to figure out how to use it.  The reward was clean and dry clothes!
April 20 on to Pontevedra...beautiful town, lots of squares and delicious dinner of tapas with the locals.
April 21 Caldas de Reis...old thermal bath town, rather sad, but interesting to imagine how things were in the past.
April 22 Padron, which I liked, and we had a fantastic dinner of lamprey, a local specialty.  The feet continuing to improve slowly, for which I am greatful, because they have taken a beating.
And now we are in Santiago...celebrated Richards 86th birthday with tapas at the Gato Negro, tiny  tapas bar with great atmosphere.  Then tarte de Santiago and brandy at a cafe.
And today is the 24, cold, but clear and sunny.  We will do chores and get our certificate.....and relax before heading to Finisterre.

Missing everyone at home......we are both fine.....travel worn but still standing despite the challenges.
Sending our love to everyone.

Map - Camino 2016 Porto to Santiago, on to Finisterre and Muxia and back to Finisterre

October 6 in Crans outside Geneva...arrived safely in St Jean Pied de Port Oct 4

We have left the Camino behind us, the final three days marked by extreme variations in weather and encounters with a group of German walkers.  We spent  the night of the first of October in a small gite where we had a room to ourselves.  Attending the pilgrim meeting that evening, we discovered that most of the other people at the meeting were part of a groupf of 10 German men from near a small village who had walked together, for the past 11 years, 220 k per year.  And over wine following the meeting we discovered that they were staying at the same place as us.  So we dined together, became friends, and breakfasted together.

  Setting off the next morning in the rain, which became persistent and miserable, we slogged along, stopping at the only available shelter, that of a farmer who sold pate. There was a large van parked nearby, driven by one of the Germans who drove (health issues) and carried supplies for the group.
As we sat chatting and ate our usual bread, cheese and ham, he asked me what was missing from our meal, and I laughingly replied that a cup of hot coffee would be wonderful.  He went ro the van, got out a little hotplate, kettle and instant coffee!  Talk about Camino miracles!  His group appeared up the hill, to take the picnic spot, and we went off.

We arrived at our gite to find the door open and a note saying that the owners would be back sometime later, but dinner was impossible because the woman in town who cooked was ill.  So we tried to dry out, waited around and eventually the couple arrived and we bought some instant dinners to heat in the microwave.  Fortunately we had another couple to share the evening with, and a half bottle of wine, so all was not lost (from Richard´s perspective).  But he will be reminded of this meal whenever he starts raving about French cooking.

Breakfast was very pleasant en famille with our hosts, and we set off in good spirits with dry clothes (they had a dryer) and the promise of a sunny day after the heavy mist cleared.  This was a long day, about 26 k with hills, but fantastic views of the Pyrenees, small farms, sheep ,cattle.  It really was idyllic.  We took the low route past and by good fourtune arrived at Uhte Mixe at lunch time so we treated ourselves to omlette and the local dish of pipperade...not sure of the spellling, but it was delicious, made with ripe tomatoes, and long red peppers. On then past Ostabat to a gite  on a sheep farm.  More great food, featuring sheep cheese, and icecream.  The thing about walking all day is that you really like the food you eat...as I realize that I am spending a lot of time recalling meals.

The last day into St Jean was cloudy with some showers, and a bit anticlimactic.  The high point for me was that we stopped in the rain in St Jean le Vieux to find shelter to eat and went to a bar that advertised that you could eat your pique nique. And who did we find inside, but our 10 German friends!  There was such a reunion, as we shared our adventures and mishaps.

As luck  would have it we arrived at the entrance to the town at the same time as them, and took a final photograph, as they head off over the mountains and we head towards home.  Our final Camino encounter was with our Australain friends who happened to be eating dinner at the same restaurant that night.  We atayed in the same small hotel we were at in 2013 when we walked from St Jean to Finisterre.  We are done.

And now, having taken trains to Bordeaux and plane to Geneva, we are with Richard's daughter who will spoil us...and we do not have to get up and walk anywhere.  Our three weeks of the Camino from Cahors to St Jean allowed plenty of solitude for reflection and some very meaningful encounters with others walking the same path....lots to think about.

October 1 in Navarrenx - 56 km to go

The Pyrenees are in our sights now.  We are feeling particularly good today, because we walked only 13 km arriving in Navarrenx at noon and treating ourselves to a nice lunch.  The sun is shining, the town is quaint, fortified and very welcoming.  And we have a nice little room in a Relais, complete with kitchen, which we do not need, and a garden which is secluded and great for drying clothes.
The tourist office has not one but two computers. We have climbed a few hills over the past three days, some of them very steep, but we stop every hour for water and a rest.  Compared to the other walkers, we are walking in a very relaxed manner.

Last night, near Sauvelade, we arrived at our gite - the one we reserved sometime last winter (isolated at the top of what seemed like a small mountain) at 4 oclock, to find nobody home, nobody answering the phone number on the door, and contemplating eating peanuts for dinner and walking back to a gite  a couple of kms back.  Fortunately Richard walked to the next property and found someone who found the owner.  There seemed to be considerable confusion, but eventually we were installed in our room.  In the end we had the entire place to ourselves and a nice dinner.  Our only companions were a rescued lama and three small chevreuil (sp? deer).

Now, a little light sightseeing, and a pilgrim welcome at 6pm.  We have three more days to go, not too difficult, very hard and fairly easy.  Thinking about getting one pack transported on the difficult day.

Lots of hills ahead. Both exciting and a little sad to be nearing the end. Hoping for continued good weather.  We have been extremely lucky so far.

Had to check the date _ Sept 28 Arrzacq

We are in the midst of a heat wave...very hot after 11 oclock, so we will try and start early tomorrow for our 28.5 k day.  We have left the very boring flat cornfieldsand entered the more interesting hills of the Pyrenees Atlantiques.  More cows, more mixed farms but still the duck farms.  The laundry is drying and we have had a rest and are off to see the sights here, including the Musee de Jambon - ham museum.  We are in France where food rules.
Wish us luck tomorrow.  It could be brutal with the heat.