Pilgrims Progress 4

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We sometimes feel you have to be crazy to walk the Camino! It may not be a necessary attribute, but it helps when like minded pilgrims meet and journey together. Our BBF after walking most of the Camino alone, walked most of one day with Pat and Dan, a lovely couple from Canada and Lisa, their adopted Camino daughter from Würzburg. He then decided that he so enjoyed their company that he wanted to walk the rest of the way with them. Pat writes a daily blog of their journey which you can find here www.patanddanmakingtracks.com 

We rather feel that one of the reasons Alan did this was because of the emotion he had left at the Cruz de Ferro. The other was because Pat and Dan were just that little bit crazy, like he is. They sing a particular sea shanty along the way to motivate themselves, called "Barret's Privateers." Then when they passed the kilometre stones making the way, they sang a bottle on the wall song to mark the count down of the kilometres left to go to Santiago. But even before they start in the morning the ritual is to adopt the "Superhero " pose before setting off. And do you know what, they do not even feel stupid doing it! Alan said it was because one can only be truly happy in the company of friends, and he had had enough of sorrows and grief and wanted to enter Santiago on a happy note.

Walking now in a group of six (bears included) is slower than when alone, but oh so much more fun. On thelast day we knew we would be passing the 1km marker, so Alan bought and carried a bottle of beer, plus some biscuits to have with the tin of Sardines he had been carrying since St. Jean Pied de Port in France! We did say it helps to be a it crazy didn't we?

So here we are with only one kilometre to go.

The crazy humans danced a sort of jig and sang the bottle song and then drank the beer and ate sardines on toast to mark the occasion. We should also mention that along the way we had picked up another like minded soul called Kim, another lovely Chica from Germany.

Pat and Lisa had heard Alan sing the hymn "to be a Pilgrim" in the church in Portomarin and had asked if they could sing it with him. He loved this idea and so gave them a copy of the words, but Pat being a Superhero, was able to download the music as well. These two chicas had lovely voices and so it was that on the way into Santiago at the chapels they found open they sang the hymn to great acclaim from those who heard it. Alan said it was a joyous moment and one not to be forgotten. The last chapel they found was at Monte do Gozo.

We went directly to the Pilgrims' Office on our arrival and queued for some two hours to get our Compostella. In Latin Alan is called "Alanus"!

Then everyone departed to go to their various hostels, hotels and Albergues promising to meet up later for a meal.

Kim had researched a great Italian restaurant, they were all fed up with Pilgrims Menus and Lisa had said she wanted to eat pasta, but had a pizza instead!

Our first rest day since starting on 23rd April was taken up with some necessary admin as Alan's boots were beginning  to come apart at the seams. He also wanted to send back all the stuff he had carried and not needed!!!!

The gang met again at 11:00hrs to get good seats for the Pilgrim's Mass at 12:00hrs

Here we were joined by Judith, yet another nice Chica from Germany. Kim sat in front of us so missed out on the photo. 

The service was needless to say in Spanish, but we were all able to follow it more or less. During the Communion itself Alan admitted to being a bit tearful as he found it a very moving moment. Some of the others did too, so he was not alone. At the end they swung the Botafumerio which was used to get rid of the stink of the Peregrinos in the Middle Ages but now is just for show. 

We bears were a bit worried as we had heard it had been shot out of the Cathedral a number of times in the past!

Lunch was called for after this moving moment. The chicas then wanted to do shopping so Dan and Alan went for a beer, well they said they needed an isotonic drink, over which they set the world to rights.

The evening was now spent in a Tapas Bar.

Where the best Tapas we have had so far was consumed to great acclaim by all. Not cheap, but, oh so delicious. Lisa though needed chocolate.

The others much to Alan's delight wanted ice cream. Bed was at around 23:00hrs which is very late on the Camino where normally the humans are in bed by 21:00hrs!!!

Today our last day in Santiago, we had to visit the shrine of the Saint. We started early and so Alan had another tearful moment when he laid the funeral card for Hanna at the shrine. 

This is us hugging the Saint and makes the official ending of our pilgrimage.

We toured the Cathedral Museum and Pat and Alan sang the Hymn in the Cloisters.

Pat and Dan two of the nicest humans! Pat understands us bears too.

We are off to Finis Terrae and Muxia tomorrow and so we must leave you there as there is much still to do.

Buen Camino!

Pilgrim's Progress 3

Today, Monday 18th May 2015, we reached the Cruz de Ferro, at 1528 meters, in perfect weather for walking just as the sun was kissing the earth. As I approached it, a line from a Cliff Richard song suddenly went through my head, "Lord you have so many angels in heaven, why did you have to take the only one I have ever known?" and the tears began to flow!

I dropped my pack, had a short drink of water, took my hat off and stood before the cross and sang in a clear voice the whole three verses of the Pilgrims Hymn. When I got to the last line I cracked and began to weep in earnest. After a moment I grabbed the Bears and said," come on bears, we've come a long way to do this, let's do it!" I went to the foot of the cross and sat them there and then placed the  stone from Hanna's birthplace on a rock in front of them and then read aloud the necessary prayer, amending it as follows: " Lord may this stone, a symbol of my and my dear departed soul mate, Hanna's, efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross of the Saviour, one day weigh the balance in favour of our good deeds when the deeds of our lives are judged. Let it be so. Amen."

Unashamedly I wept, took a quick picture of the Bears then we sat by my pack and cried.

When I'd recovered my composure I had one last act to perform for a friend who had given me an envelope with a letter she wanted burnt somewhere on the Camino. I said that I would do it here. I found a young German pilgrim to take a photo of me while I was doing it. Quietly I prayed that what every she had wanted to unburden would be granted her, as I burnt the envelope.

Our mission accomplished we could continue and so without further ado we set off down the mountain. 

I did not feel relieved or have a religious experience, I now just felt drained and very weary. Each step seemed hard, yet the going was easy enough at this stage. Not until much later when we got to El Acebo and stopped for coffee, orange juice and a tortilla did I feel better. The route was steep in parts and so one had to take extra care not to twist an ankle or a knee. 

On the way down an Irishman "M" stopped as he passed me to shake my hand and thank me for the wonderful singing at the Cruz de Ferro. A little later a Frenchman I also knew stopped and thanked me for the very emotive singing!

For my part I was rewarded by the views of God's Earth in the warm sunshine.

                      The Roman bridge leading into Molinaseca

By the time we had got across the bridge in Molinaseca we had had enough and on the way to finding the municipal Albergue, "M" the Irishman stopped me to invite me to have a beer with him later at 18:00hrs. 

I must have looked all in when I got there, for the hospitalero carried my bag up the two flights of stairs to our bed. We were the first to arrive too.

It's been an emotionally charged day, but one that has exceeded my expectations. God's Earth is good and the people on and along the Camino, also!

Buen Camino

Two weeks according to the cuckoo.

The 14th century albergue in St Juan de Ortega

The cloisters where my washing is hanging on the left 

The dormitory 

Our bed, typical of all bunk beds along the Camino 

St Juan de Ortega 

We have been underway now for over two weeks and we have to report that all things considered we are doing well. Our BBF, Alan is holding up well. We think he still walks too fast, but then that's just us, bears of little brain!

All along the way, from the very start in St Jean Pier de Port, in France we have heard a cuckoo. The bird song too is one of the marvellous things we have heard every step of the way. There seem to be many Larks as well as many other birds we do not recognise, but their voices are marvellous and delight our every step. May be it's just because we are up early, either way we are thankful. Now we are also in the area of circaders so the air is never silent. Nor are we alone on the Camino. There are many hundreds of walkers from all nations, which is perhaps why it is so unique. The reason they are here is as diverse as the nations represented. There is though universal respect for each other as they are all doing it, each carrying his/her own burden and walking at their own pace. It is always a pleasure when we see a familiar face at the next overnight stop. Today, Thursday, 7 May, we even met two perigrinos on bicycles who had been in the same Spanish course with Alan, way back in February!

Alan likes to walk alone. He is happy to converse with pilgrims in passing, but prefers to remain silent as he journeys. So it is that when the chattering masses, as he calls them come up behind him, or he overtakes them, he does his best to keep away. It is not just the women  who seem to talk all the time either, the men do it too. Some of these conversations are not worth the breath either. A couple of German men were being very arrogant about what was necessary to walk the Camino, for example and a couple of young women were chatting for chatting sake about clothes and men. One young woman's voice was so loud that as they passed, Alan could not resist asking them to moderate the tone!

They say that it is during the third week that pilgrims experience strong emotions. Alan has done so from the start. In Roncesvalles at the pilgrim's mass when the blessing came and he was thinking about Hanna and why he was there, he experienced a feeling of such joy that he wanted to cry.  Then when we left Zubiri early in the morning he was thinking about Hanna's last days and was so saddened by the memory that he just wept for the next kilometre! Then  the feeling he had was of calm and peace. About three days ago now

he again was thinking about Hanna, but of the life and love they had shared and was overcome with saddness and loss that again he wept for quite awhile and thereafter was filled with peace and calm.

We have done our best to visit all the churches in the towns in order to pray for the family and friends who are in need of God's help and support. Alan's view is that is what we are here for and so we must make the best of it. In the monastery in St Juan de Ortega all the pilgrims after the blessing were given a cross to hang around their neck. Alan wears this outside of all his clothes as a sort of badge of office now.

This gesture is typical of the friendly nature of all the Spanish we meet along the way too. At no time have we had the feeling that they want to exploit us. When having a pilgrims meal, which are at so reasonable rates and include water and wine, the host never expects a tip. The cost of most things is reasonable and certainly cheaper than Germany. As are the hostels where we stay. Some pilgrims are so worried about finding accommodation though, that they spend much time trying to book ahead. Alan works on the basis that God will provide. 

The weather has been good to us too. We have had a couple of really cold days but now the sun is shining and the forecast looks good for more of the same. As we write we are in a small town called Hornillos del Camino. There is very little here, but our hostel is comfortable and we have made some new friends and so all is right with the world.

Buen Camino!

God is smiling on our Camino

As we write it is clear to us that God must be smiling on our journey. Firstly he is smiling because in the night of Sunday Alan woke up and decided a couple of changes to his packing plan. He decided to take his aluminium water bottle instead of his plastic one. He felt the plastic one tasted funny. Then at the last minute he decided not to take his poncho and tent making kit, which weighed 1.2 kilos but his iPad instead. Well we are benefiting from this now as he has allowed us to write the blog. 

God  is also smiling on our Camino because on Monday as we made our way to MG main station we met a giant of a man who made Alan look like a dwarf. This man asked we we were pilgrims and when Alan replied in the affirmative he explained that he was Spanish and came from Santiago!!! As we parted he wished us Buen Camino, which is the traditional greeting and more or less means have a good journey.

On the train firstly to Aachen, Alan listened to his audio book, and then on the rather smart French train to Paris dozed off quite a lot while listening to it. 

On arrival in Paris North we took a taxi to Garde de Austerlitz. As luck would have it the driver was Tangierian and so Alan was able to practice some Arabic. He admitted privately to us later that he had clearly forgotten much.

On the overnight train to Bayonne we had a German, called Gert from Saarbrücken, in the bunk under Alan and a Frenchman in the opposite bunk to Alan. Gert was also going on the Camino, but the Frenchman was just going hiking in the hills around St Jean Pied de Port.

These men didn't chat much for as soon as the train pulled out they just rolled over and went to sleep. In fact Alan didn't even notice that a fourth gentleman came and used the last bunk under the Frenchman in the night. This man had left by the time Alan surfaced to take his eye shades off and his earplugs out!

The train was now delayed a bit so Alan and Gert chatted to pass the time. The sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky. Through the train window we could see in the distance snow topped mountains and began to wonder if the Pyrennees will also be snow capped. 

At Bayonne we had a couple of hours to wait for a bus to take us the rest of the way. Now we saw quite a few other pilgrims from various nations, Canada, Malaysia and France to name just the obvious ones.

The parting of the ways came at the station in St Jean. Gert was going to walk on to Orrison so needed to look for the Pilgrims office to get his pass stamped. Alan walked out of town in the opposite direction to his small and quaint pension. We have a nice large room, but must share the toilet and bathroom. Now With free WiFi Alan was quick to log on for us while he went and showered and washed his clothes. As the sun is shining still, he hung them out to dry. Shortly we think he will take a walk into the village to find a place to eat.

God is also smiling on us because the weather is so wonderful as the view from our window shows. It is forecast to stay this way too.

We are ready for the Off!

We are as ready as we will ever be for the next grand adventure. Alan has said we cannot blog on a daily basis as he is only taking his phone and does not intend to spend lots of time in Internet Cafes either. This is probably why we are looking a bit sad at the moment. But that is all that's wrong with us.

Alan was invited to a Birthday Brunch Party today. He had a great time he said and came back telling us that he need not eat again until Paris!! Not that we believe him.

On the way back he went via the cemetery to pay his respects to a chap who had his funeral on Friday. As we all had to sit here waiting for "Send my bag.com" to collect our bags for the UK Alan could not attend the funeral. As luck would have it he met the widow at the grave side too.

He then went and sat with Hanna for quite a bit, as it will be some time before he can do so again.

Most of Friday was spent repacking the rucksack. Alan took the trouble to weigh each item again and deliberated was it necessary, could it also do two or more functions. So it was that he saved a few hundred grams overall. Enough he said, to justify taking some boot polish kit weighing 75 grams!!! Crazy bugger for we have not read any blogs where people have taken shoe polish stuff on the Camino. Many have taken shaving kit which he is not, but shoe polish?

His neighbours who are looking after the flat while he is away, even gave him a pair of trousers which were 75 grams lighter than the ones he had intended to take. So now we are packed up and weigh 13.5 kilos. This is one and a half kilos more than he had aimed for, but better than the 15 which we took on our first Pilgrims exercise.

One of the last things he did today was to down load an audio book on to his phone. George, who you may remember came with us to the USA, had given him last week a book by Paul Coelho, called the "Pilgrimage" in English, "Auf dem Jakobsweg" in German. The book was first published in 1987 is quite interesting Alan says and since he had not finished it, thought it might be fun to listen to it on the train journey through France tomorrow. Well he was late getting to the Brunch Party because of this and still didn't know how to get access to the book. Well V at the party gave him the clue how to do so, so you could say he is now a happy teddy bear.

He has also got a St James Bible App on the phone and  some Gregorian Chant too, to set the mood, he says, at the various shrines we will visit along the way. Alan also manufactured a set of three small laminated pilgrim prayer cards and says that by the time we get to Santiago we will all know them by heart!

Which is more than we can say for our French and Spanish which will be needed next, there are hardly any phrases we can remember in either language and Alan keeps wanting to break into Arabic instead. Still we believe that with a friendly smile we shall easily charm the pants off of everyone we meet.

We intend to Skype with Christopher, while we are away. Alan has practised with his mum yesterday. So if you can Skype do look us up. 

All that's left to say now is Buen Camino, till we meet again.

Pilgrim's Progress!

August 1971

16071 days later

 I've been a bit remiss in keeping you all up to date for which I apologise. I had thought that I had written a blog about my pilgrimage to Kleve ages ago! Getting old and forgetful!

Well I did walk to Kleve from 15th February till 19th February and had a good time doing it. As luck would have it, the week before I set off I had sinusitis, which laid me low. So I was not as fit as I wanted when I set off. However the weather was kind and all the going was flat. The major drawback was that the route was mainly on cycle paths which followed the main roads. Continuous tarmac walking leads to blisters and I was no exception.

However, they are nothing new to an infantryman and if dealt with correctly are not a hindrance. It looks worse than it felt in the photo, but no one has died from a blister. Well unless they get infected, then you might I suppose.

I had chosen Kleve to walk to as I felt it could easily be managed in five days and along the way is Kevelaer which is North Rhine Westphalia's main pilgrim destination. Accommodation was in small hotels and this was in fact the main deciding factor about how far I walked each day. Being a walking pilgrim in modern built up Germany is not that simple or cheap to organise either. They had it easier in the Middle Ages I think.

My aim was to walk around 20 kilometres per day, it was generally less and to practice washing my clothes at the end of each day. Navigation planning was done on a cycle map  and the actual navigation was then done by Google Maps on my smart phone. I carried the phone in a sleeve pocket on my left arm, so it was near my ear and the female voice told me which way to go. Now those that know me, know that I do not like being told were to go by a woman, but I have not yet found out how to change the voice to a male one! The amusing thing was, that the woman (who speaks English as my phone's language is such) was totally unable to pronounce the German street names. This caused me much amusement, but also some confusion until I realised what she was trying to tell me. Imagine if you will, an old codger all on his own, with a pack on his back walking along the road and suddenly a soft woman's voice, out of nowhere, gives him directions and the old codger bursts out laughing, not knowing which way to turn!

Hanna and Jamie Bear came too.

I stopped at most way side crosses and shrines to offer up a prayer.

In Kevelaer, V came to have a meal with me. She knew Kevelaer better than I did and on our walk to the shrine we passed a Teddy Bear and Dolls shop! Well they had a "Pilgrim Bear" with a neckerchief saying so and a little rucksack on his back. Needless to say I went in and bought him to add to my collection, plus a neckerchief for Hanna Bear. They only had one left, but I ordered one for Jamie Bear too which they sent me a week later.

Fynn

He now has a pilgrim hat too.

Hanna with her new scarf, proclaiming her to be a pilgrim.

The shrine to Mary in Kevelaer

The candle on the right I lit for Hanna.

Upon my return by train from Kleve I started to plan the next pilgrim's exercise which was to be to Aachen via Cologne. This being further was a little more ambitious, particularly the first leg which was 30 kilometres to Neuss.

Sadly fate intervened and I caught another cold and had a severe bout of sinusitis so that I was laid low one day before I was due to depart. There was no way I felt up to walking 30 kilometres the next day, so I capitulated, took to my bed for three days, only really surfacing to cancel all my booked accommodation. This time I had booked accommodation in German Youth Hostels, in Neuss, Cologne and Aachen. The fact that I had cancelled my planned trip laid my morale low too, for I do not normally give up. It has taken me a good week to get over this latest bout of sinusitis and a bit longer for my morale to return to its normal cheerful "gung ho" can do self.

Now I am in the final phase of preparation prior to departure for the Camino. I have revised my packing list and so have managed to get the pack down to around 13 kilos including a new small camera and lunch rations for the day. I have written a new Will and last letters, just in case. My only problem which is not quite solved is finding a suitable garage to store my car in. I viewed one today, but am not 100% happy with it, nor do I think the owners will let me rent it. They kept going on about receiving the rent in cash each month? Not something I shall be able to do.

I had brunch with V and A today, after which  they helped me to take the before and after photos you see above. What is really interesting is that in the 1971 photo I am carrying a Karrimor pack which at the time was the best thing for load carrying since sliced bread. It was loaded with kit for a trek in the Scottish mountains, which included cooking gear and rations for five days, the heavier part of a two man tent, a petrol cooker and a pint bottle of petrol. I did not weigh it at the time, but believe it was close to 30 kilos in all. Today's picture shows a pack which weighs 13 kilos. I for one will not be complaining about the weight of my pack while on the Camino!

I set off on 20 April by train to the South of France. Once I have walked via Santiago to Finis Terrae I shall take a bus to Santander and then a ferry to England to walk the Pilgrim's Way from Farnham to Canterbury. In France and Spain I shall not be Blogging often, but will post progress reports on Facebook and Twitter. 

You may remember from an earlier Blog that I am walking to Santiago not just for my own soul, but for that of Hanna, my dear departed. To this end I have two stones which I am taking on the journey. The first and larger stone I have inscribed with her name and comes from opposite the house where she was born. This I will leave on the Camino at the Cruz de Ferro which is atop of Monte Irago on the St James Way. The other smaller one which comes from her grave I will cast into the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Finisterrae. From where I will pick up a new one to return with.

Lord, may this stone, a symbol of my efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross of the Saviour, one day weigh the balance in favour of my good deeds when the deeds of my life are judged. Let it be so.

(traditional pilgrim’s prayer at Cruz de Ferro)

Buen Camino