I had a nice day in Leon, though it was a bit windy and cold for my tasting. It was a mere 24 degrees with a cool breeze. Which only speaks to my condition more than anything else. After walking in some serious heat I had gotten used to completely different temperatures and was sensitive to any cool air. Crazy! I do get cold quickly as a rule so this just reminded me that I actually love some serious heat. A couple of years ago I would never have said that I am a hot weather person, but I am getting to know myself a little better in this respect and I am learning some new truths about myself. Anyway, I spent the day in Leon taking in some of the sights, the Cathedral being the highlight. It was a quiet night as I rested and got ready for the next day. It was exciting! I was in new territory for the first time on this Camino, as I had not been able to walk this leg last year and I did not know what to expect, except for the details in the guide book. Having rested the day before I was motivated and wanted to make some good distance knowing full well that the next day was a 30km leg. Also, there is a beautiful medieval bridge in Hospital de Orbigo, some 35kms away. It is one of the most amazing sights on the entire Camino and I liked the idea of stopping there. After grinding it out for the entire day I finally arrived there at 6:20pm. I was TIRED! But, I was happy too and my body still intact. And seeing that bridge was all the better at that point. It is truly a beautiful sight. After the usual regimen of getting showered and organized it was time for some well deserved food. The only decent restaurant that I could find was "Los Angeles". What can I say, it is amazing how American culture finds its way into other countries in the funniest ways. And on that note, all bars play music in the back ground, and the majority of the time it is English. Yet, most people can barely speak a word of English. I am baffled by this phenomena. I like English music, but how the Spanish can appreciate it without understanding it is confusing to me. At the local store I stopped in to get some fruit and granola bars for the next day. As I was stuttering away in a horrible attempt to make myself understood the lady starts speaking, the most perfect fluent English. I was speechless. Finally I asked her how she could speak such perfect English. She told me she had lived in Hamilton, Ontario for five years. Small world. That made the shopping an easy endeavour, and the conversation a nice break from the tedious attempts to get by.
Yesterday I got up and left at a decent time, 7:30am. It was nice to be on the go before it got too hot. Except, yesterday it was already hot and there was not to be a morning break from the elements. Yikes! Another 35 degree day with limited break from the elements and rough paths to walk. It was a grind from the beginning. After about 12 kilometres as I was coming up the hill, chatting with a Hungarian girl and feeling the strain of the day I saw this field and an old barn up ahead. As we got closer I saw some people sitting in the shade and I thought about the shade and how it would do me some good too, hot and tired as I was. Then I got the biggest surprise. A woman got up and came towards us, holding a plate of watermelon. "Please, have some", she said. Well, she did not have to ask me twice, and I dug my teeth into the best watermelon ever! She kept talking and told us we had to come over and enjoy some home made cake, water with lemon, cookies, and more fruit. Stunned, we finally asked some questions and her story was amazing. This was a gift for the pilgrims, donations only. And the barn she and her husband, who walked around Spain this year (pilgrim), covering 3600kms in two months (averaging 61kms/day) with no money, plan to renovate and make into an albergue. It too is to be run in the old fashioned way, by donations only. She herself walked "the way" this spring and they are now devoted to make a positive change for pilgrims along the route. They already have one albergue (which I looked at today) in Santa Maria, about 10 kilometres past Astorga. It was the most amazing moment and I was grateful beyond words for the gift of people like them. That is truly a sign of hope for humanity.
After the short break I was walking again, and after another hour and a bit I did the long and weary walk into Astorga, through the industrial suburbs. But, that too did end and as I arrived in the old town I got a fantastic surprise. It was last day of their Roman Asturian celebration and the city was turned upside down. People were in the most amazing medieval costumes and their battling entertainment was rich. I tried to take some pictures, but realized that they fall way short for description. Because of this I decided to stay and enjoy the rest of the day in this most amazing medieval town.
Monday, July 27, 2009
A train ride to remember.
Yeah! I am finally on a computer again. I don´t know why, but it is definitely more challenging to find computers to get on and write this time. Maybe I am just supposed to have fun and celebrate the end of each day instead? Or, maybe I am just unlucky. I like the first idea best, and I can truly say I keep celebrating each day that I do well on this Camino.
After writing the last entry I went to the train station in Palencia to take the 1:20pm train to Leon. It was leaving from platform one and I was waiting with many locals as well as some other peregrinos. The train pulled into the station a few minutes early and everyone lined up to get on. So did I, and together we all rushed to find available seats in between all the busy ones. The train pulled out before schedule, by a full margin of about 10 minutes. That´s when my heart sank and I felt a knot deep in my stomach. Am I on the wrong train? Oh, no...., oh, yes! I was on the wrong train and it was moving fast along the flat but beautiful countryside. I did not know of I was going north, south, east or west. Quickly I decided to use all my tools to communicate with anyone to find out what was going on. I found a staff, working in the cafeteria (the train did actually have a cafeteria, one of my signs that something was wrong), and he brought in his colleague, who knew microscopically more English. I found out that I was right. It was the WRONG train. However, it was going in the same direction and I could get off at the next stop, Sahagun, then wait there and hop on to my train which was about 10 minutes behind. A few other pilgrims had joined in by now, having made the same mistake. That made me feel a little better. An honest mistake. Then the conductor arrived and looked at my ticket. Wrong train. Of course, I already knew that. But I asked if this train was going to Leon and he said that it was, but that it was VERY expensive. "How expensive", I asked. He told me that I could buy a new ticket but that it would cost me 16 Euros. Sometimes it is worth spending a little extra for pace of mind and a quicker ride. So I did. The young South African guy opted for the other choice and hopped off in Sahagun. I relaxed into my seat and enjoyed the beautiful countryside, peacefully knowing I was on my way to Leon and all was well.
After writing the last entry I went to the train station in Palencia to take the 1:20pm train to Leon. It was leaving from platform one and I was waiting with many locals as well as some other peregrinos. The train pulled into the station a few minutes early and everyone lined up to get on. So did I, and together we all rushed to find available seats in between all the busy ones. The train pulled out before schedule, by a full margin of about 10 minutes. That´s when my heart sank and I felt a knot deep in my stomach. Am I on the wrong train? Oh, no...., oh, yes! I was on the wrong train and it was moving fast along the flat but beautiful countryside. I did not know of I was going north, south, east or west. Quickly I decided to use all my tools to communicate with anyone to find out what was going on. I found a staff, working in the cafeteria (the train did actually have a cafeteria, one of my signs that something was wrong), and he brought in his colleague, who knew microscopically more English. I found out that I was right. It was the WRONG train. However, it was going in the same direction and I could get off at the next stop, Sahagun, then wait there and hop on to my train which was about 10 minutes behind. A few other pilgrims had joined in by now, having made the same mistake. That made me feel a little better. An honest mistake. Then the conductor arrived and looked at my ticket. Wrong train. Of course, I already knew that. But I asked if this train was going to Leon and he said that it was, but that it was VERY expensive. "How expensive", I asked. He told me that I could buy a new ticket but that it would cost me 16 Euros. Sometimes it is worth spending a little extra for pace of mind and a quicker ride. So I did. The young South African guy opted for the other choice and hopped off in Sahagun. I relaxed into my seat and enjoyed the beautiful countryside, peacefully knowing I was on my way to Leon and all was well.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Designed for joy.
Today is July 24th and I am on my way to Leon. I have to take a bus and a train to get there from the remote place of Boadilla, and idyllic reatreat on the Camino. Yesterday I walked from Hontanas to Boadilla, a 30.4km walk into the straight and unyielding prairie wind. It was an amazing day with plenty of beautiful scenery to rest my eyes on as well as alot of quiet space to let my mind wander. And wander it did.
There is a theme coming up for me all the time in these past few days; one of purpose. What is the purpose of the Camino? What is the purpose of my life? On May 17th I went for a walk along one of my favourite trails in Calgary, called the Douglas Fir trail. As I was walking along the trail with a friend of mine I saw something leaning up against the stump of a tree. Without thinking I went straight over and picked it up. It was a dvd, titled "Designed for Joy". On the back on this still unwrapped product someone had written "for anyone", which in my interpretation was a perfect message that it was meant for me. My friend had not even noticed this thing. I wondered how many others had walked by without seeing it. Yet, it caught my eye and I did not hesitate. So I got the message, loud and clear. But how do we tap into that place of ourselves that is our natural joyful state? It is something I am curious about and wanting to learn; how to be in a joyful state. Thus my contemplation during my long walks these past few days. And from it I have connected with some more of my truth.
What I first saw as a hinderance to the enjoyment of my Camino this year (my foot needing extra care and attention and never completely letting up) has turned out to be the best gift I could have wished for. There has not been one day on this trek that I have taken my ability to walk the next day, let alone this entire Camino, for granted. Thus, I never ignore the messages my body is sending and I am heeding the warning signals. In Santo Domingo de la Calzadas I took another day off and made the day special in a different way (more about that later), before I was back on the trail the next day with a foot ready to try again.
I am learning to go with the flow, to truly be present every day for whatever comes up and not to take anything for granted and not have any preconceived ideas of what a good day on the Camino should look like. Therefore I feel this intense sense of joy every step that I walk on the Camino and love the fact that I am able to do this walking that I love so much. In it all I am learning to think outside the box and find a better way for myself to achieve my goals. I have slept at Casa Rurals and other forms of accomodation and allowed myself more peaceful sleep and privacy, as well as using a service available to us which is sending our back packs ahead to the next destination so that my foot gets less strained during the walk. I sometimes ask for local help and book accomodation in the morning, which has turned out to be one of my smartest moves yet.
Three days ago as I did one of the most intense legs on the Camino so far, a 30km walk from Belorado to Atapuerca with a fair bit of elevation gain and a relentless trek across the high pine-forested hills where the temperatures hit 40 degrees, the earth heating me from below as well as a wind warmer than the air and no shelter or shade to protect me from any of these elements. After about 7 hours I got to my destination of the historical village of Atapuerca, dancing along the highway while I was listening to some great tunes on my ipod, and saw that the albergue was full! But my bed was reserved for me and my bag was beautifully placed beside it. I was a joyful camper after 8 hours on the go, expressing it by dancing along this road with the heat and the wind still relentlessly reminding me of this intense day. I was reminded of my painful walk on the same stretch a year ago, and I could not stop thinking about how I can have such a vastly different experience of the same hike.
What I realized was that I do not ever take my ability to walk for granted on this trek and thus I savour every moment that I am fully in the game. It is a blessing that I am mindful of and I love every day and every moment of every day that I get to have a good experience on the Camino. And with it comes a relaxation and desire to celebrate the success of every walk and arrival at a new destination. So I drink wine, enjoy the great company of fellow pilgrims and newfound friends and I let tomorrow be just that, a day in the future. I look at other pilgrims and think about how lucky we all are to have this opportunity to do this amazing trek. It gets in your blood and that may be a mixed blessing, but for now I can only see the good in it.
I also think about how this applies to the rest of my life. I have thought many times about how I am not 100% present all the time and I am particularly guilty of that when it comes to my time with my kids. How often am I on the cell phone or my home phone when they are with me and want my attention. How much of my mental and emotional energy do I spend worrying about things and the future? I only have the present and I know that the only way to really enjoy the present is not to take it for granted. Never take my health, family, children, friends, abundance or any other aspects of my life for granted. If tomorrow never comes I would make the most of today. I need to remember this every day and let people in my life know how much they are loved and valued regularly. Nothing and nobody is to be taken for granted. Life is what it is; what we choose to think of it and how we frame the experiences in our minds is all the difference. I want to live in a state of joy, which means I want to learn to surrender to what is, make the most out of every moment and opportunity I have and be in acceptance of what is out of my control.
"Why should I be gloomy when I can be glad? Here inside of me is a fierce force that makes its own weather, winning through thickest clouds to the shining sun."
-J.B. His Life and Works
There is a theme coming up for me all the time in these past few days; one of purpose. What is the purpose of the Camino? What is the purpose of my life? On May 17th I went for a walk along one of my favourite trails in Calgary, called the Douglas Fir trail. As I was walking along the trail with a friend of mine I saw something leaning up against the stump of a tree. Without thinking I went straight over and picked it up. It was a dvd, titled "Designed for Joy". On the back on this still unwrapped product someone had written "for anyone", which in my interpretation was a perfect message that it was meant for me. My friend had not even noticed this thing. I wondered how many others had walked by without seeing it. Yet, it caught my eye and I did not hesitate. So I got the message, loud and clear. But how do we tap into that place of ourselves that is our natural joyful state? It is something I am curious about and wanting to learn; how to be in a joyful state. Thus my contemplation during my long walks these past few days. And from it I have connected with some more of my truth.
What I first saw as a hinderance to the enjoyment of my Camino this year (my foot needing extra care and attention and never completely letting up) has turned out to be the best gift I could have wished for. There has not been one day on this trek that I have taken my ability to walk the next day, let alone this entire Camino, for granted. Thus, I never ignore the messages my body is sending and I am heeding the warning signals. In Santo Domingo de la Calzadas I took another day off and made the day special in a different way (more about that later), before I was back on the trail the next day with a foot ready to try again.
I am learning to go with the flow, to truly be present every day for whatever comes up and not to take anything for granted and not have any preconceived ideas of what a good day on the Camino should look like. Therefore I feel this intense sense of joy every step that I walk on the Camino and love the fact that I am able to do this walking that I love so much. In it all I am learning to think outside the box and find a better way for myself to achieve my goals. I have slept at Casa Rurals and other forms of accomodation and allowed myself more peaceful sleep and privacy, as well as using a service available to us which is sending our back packs ahead to the next destination so that my foot gets less strained during the walk. I sometimes ask for local help and book accomodation in the morning, which has turned out to be one of my smartest moves yet.
Three days ago as I did one of the most intense legs on the Camino so far, a 30km walk from Belorado to Atapuerca with a fair bit of elevation gain and a relentless trek across the high pine-forested hills where the temperatures hit 40 degrees, the earth heating me from below as well as a wind warmer than the air and no shelter or shade to protect me from any of these elements. After about 7 hours I got to my destination of the historical village of Atapuerca, dancing along the highway while I was listening to some great tunes on my ipod, and saw that the albergue was full! But my bed was reserved for me and my bag was beautifully placed beside it. I was a joyful camper after 8 hours on the go, expressing it by dancing along this road with the heat and the wind still relentlessly reminding me of this intense day. I was reminded of my painful walk on the same stretch a year ago, and I could not stop thinking about how I can have such a vastly different experience of the same hike.
What I realized was that I do not ever take my ability to walk for granted on this trek and thus I savour every moment that I am fully in the game. It is a blessing that I am mindful of and I love every day and every moment of every day that I get to have a good experience on the Camino. And with it comes a relaxation and desire to celebrate the success of every walk and arrival at a new destination. So I drink wine, enjoy the great company of fellow pilgrims and newfound friends and I let tomorrow be just that, a day in the future. I look at other pilgrims and think about how lucky we all are to have this opportunity to do this amazing trek. It gets in your blood and that may be a mixed blessing, but for now I can only see the good in it.
I also think about how this applies to the rest of my life. I have thought many times about how I am not 100% present all the time and I am particularly guilty of that when it comes to my time with my kids. How often am I on the cell phone or my home phone when they are with me and want my attention. How much of my mental and emotional energy do I spend worrying about things and the future? I only have the present and I know that the only way to really enjoy the present is not to take it for granted. Never take my health, family, children, friends, abundance or any other aspects of my life for granted. If tomorrow never comes I would make the most of today. I need to remember this every day and let people in my life know how much they are loved and valued regularly. Nothing and nobody is to be taken for granted. Life is what it is; what we choose to think of it and how we frame the experiences in our minds is all the difference. I want to live in a state of joy, which means I want to learn to surrender to what is, make the most out of every moment and opportunity I have and be in acceptance of what is out of my control.
"Why should I be gloomy when I can be glad? Here inside of me is a fierce force that makes its own weather, winning through thickest clouds to the shining sun."
-J.B. His Life and Works
Monday, July 20, 2009
And on I go.
Today I was back on the trail, walking from Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado. It was a pretty straight forward walk, 23.9km, mostly on gravel roads, but the idyllic scenery was somewhat compromized by the loud sounds of traffic speeding by. It is the leg that follows the highway the most on the entire Camino. So it was nice to distract myself from the noice and the elements by putting on my ipod and escaping into my own world for part of the day.
The foot is a constant element for care and concern, but it is surprisingly also a blessing. Because I never know how my foot will be by the end of the day I am always grateful for a decent day on the Camino and I love walking here again. It is very interesting; since I do not take any day for granted I am full of joy every day that I walk and I am able to be here and fully appreciate the gift I am given each and every day that I walk this path. I have amazingly detailed memories from last year and can predict quite accurately what to expect for water and food along the way. There is a calmness in this as I also know that I am here to deepen some of the lessons from last year as well as connect with parts inside of me necessary to embrace the future without the unhealthy baggage of my past. It is more that what my conscious mind can process, but I do trust that the camino will do it´s thing.
Last year I achieved some amazing changes; one was restoring a healthy sleep after years of having difficulties falling asleep as well as not getting a restful sleep. After about three weeks on the Camino I was able to go to sleep naturally and sleep soundly through the night. A new world opened up to me, and it has remained good ever since. I am still amazed at this.
Anyway, I am tired and feel like a nap. More later.
The foot is a constant element for care and concern, but it is surprisingly also a blessing. Because I never know how my foot will be by the end of the day I am always grateful for a decent day on the Camino and I love walking here again. It is very interesting; since I do not take any day for granted I am full of joy every day that I walk and I am able to be here and fully appreciate the gift I am given each and every day that I walk this path. I have amazingly detailed memories from last year and can predict quite accurately what to expect for water and food along the way. There is a calmness in this as I also know that I am here to deepen some of the lessons from last year as well as connect with parts inside of me necessary to embrace the future without the unhealthy baggage of my past. It is more that what my conscious mind can process, but I do trust that the camino will do it´s thing.
Last year I achieved some amazing changes; one was restoring a healthy sleep after years of having difficulties falling asleep as well as not getting a restful sleep. After about three weeks on the Camino I was able to go to sleep naturally and sleep soundly through the night. A new world opened up to me, and it has remained good ever since. I am still amazed at this.
Anyway, I am tired and feel like a nap. More later.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The journey is the destination.
Today is Sunday, July 19th. I am taking another day off and I did not even realize it was the perfect day of rest until I walked down the streets here in Santa Domingo de la Calzada when I noticed that all the stores were closed and saw a full church at the morning mass. Such is life on the Camino. Every day is just that, another day with another path to walk and explore. I have walked for the past three days and my foot has been ok, but yesterday it was weary and sore. Today I am using my strategies and one of them is wearing support hoses. I sure look cool in those babies. If a trend spotter saw me he may just discover a new trend. But then again, he may just prefer to look away and wish he had never noticed this "beautiful" sight. He may instead prefer my new fashion of knee high support socks for walking. They make me look like a girl scout and has some pattern to them. YEAH!
Ok, in all seriousness. These are some of the best decisions I have made on this trip and it is amazing how well it works when I keep the blood from pooling in my legs. In 35-40 degree weather it is an amazing thing, and the result is that I can walk and not get so tired, actually my legs feel great even after 20kms walk. And, to my great surprise and delight I have not gotten one blister yet. A year ago I was in full blister management by day two on the camino. I can truly say it is a new world that has opened up for me. The ticket is light and quick drying socks that leave lots of room for the toes and when the feet don´t swell too much it works amazing!!! WOW!!!
Santa Domingo de la Calzada is a beautiful and vibrant town that has a significant place in the history of the Camino. It is a town that has banned cars from the streets in the old town. The impact of that is not lost on the people who can sit in the middle of these narrow streets and enjoy a great glass of cold Rioja wine and good conversation without interruption of any loud noices.
As we were sitting on one of the outdoor patios yesterday enjoying some salad and a pizza some Spanish people approached me and said "Peregrino", adding some Spanish words that I could not get and said 2008. I noticed right away who they were and almost fell off my chair. They were a family that had walked parallell with me from St. Jean to Burgos last year. The woman came over and gave me a big hug. It was amazing to see them again!
Because of language difficulties we never had any conversations, but we saw each other regularly wishing the other "BUEN CAMINO", never knowing if we´d see each other again. Once we left an albergue at the same time and had to find our way out of a town in the pitch black morning with only our head lights to guide us. As luck would have it we did say goodbye as we entered into Burgos. They knew my friend Ilkka, who could speak a little Spanish and told us that they were done. They also said they would be back another year. If I understood them right in all the language confusion yesterday they are now doing another leg: Burgos-Villafranca. What a small world. They are not even walking yet!!!
On Thursday we walked from Irache to Los Arcos and took a taxi to Logrono. To my surprise and delight we found out that Logrono is famous for their tapas culture and that there is a specific street where they serve only tapas and that the street was right by our accomodation. I addition there was a wine festival on that night. Well, that became an evening of spontaneous fun, with great food and wine. The calamari was unbelievable! The streets filled up with locals of all ages, though the youth dominated. I felt so free and happy to be able to connect with the pulse of that vibrant university city and their flair of Spanish culture.
On Friday it was hard to get up after all the wine, and we did not get walking until 9:30am. But the weather was cloudy and there was a gentle breese so the walking was easy. After 7.5 hours of walking and 29kms later we arrived in Najera, a small town that had a heavier feel, supporting the weariness in my body. Some towns make me want to stay and enjoy the ambiance while others make me want to get up early and move on. Unfortunately, Najera was part of the latter category. Who knows if it would have had a different feeling if I had arrived at a different time of the day and if the weather had been better, welcoming me with it´s heat. I don´t know. But I think about how this also is with the people we encounter and how first impressions burn into our memories, leaving little room for our opinions to change.
Yesterday was a shorter day and we walked 21km, from Najera to Santa Domingo de la Calzada. That was enough for my tendons, but it is sure frustrating when the rest of my body is in great shape and condition. So I constantly need to change my perspective and remind myself that the journey is the destination. The final destination is Santiago, but that is only at the end of the trip. It reminds me about how we get so focused on achieving our goals that we lose focus on the fact that the most important part of our lives unfold while we focus ahead or think about the past, wishing we had made other decisions, regretting, feeling bad about who knows what, and worrying about what the future has in store and whether we can make our dreams come true. Or maybe we just focus on other people´s opinions and what´s happening around us. Nonetheless the mistake is the same; we´ve forgotten that the journey is the destination. I get to look hard at this concept for me and I am doing my best to be present and truly enjoy every moment of my journey. It is a great adventure, and I want to be vibrantly alive while I experience every part of my journey.
Ok, in all seriousness. These are some of the best decisions I have made on this trip and it is amazing how well it works when I keep the blood from pooling in my legs. In 35-40 degree weather it is an amazing thing, and the result is that I can walk and not get so tired, actually my legs feel great even after 20kms walk. And, to my great surprise and delight I have not gotten one blister yet. A year ago I was in full blister management by day two on the camino. I can truly say it is a new world that has opened up for me. The ticket is light and quick drying socks that leave lots of room for the toes and when the feet don´t swell too much it works amazing!!! WOW!!!
Santa Domingo de la Calzada is a beautiful and vibrant town that has a significant place in the history of the Camino. It is a town that has banned cars from the streets in the old town. The impact of that is not lost on the people who can sit in the middle of these narrow streets and enjoy a great glass of cold Rioja wine and good conversation without interruption of any loud noices.
As we were sitting on one of the outdoor patios yesterday enjoying some salad and a pizza some Spanish people approached me and said "Peregrino", adding some Spanish words that I could not get and said 2008. I noticed right away who they were and almost fell off my chair. They were a family that had walked parallell with me from St. Jean to Burgos last year. The woman came over and gave me a big hug. It was amazing to see them again!
Because of language difficulties we never had any conversations, but we saw each other regularly wishing the other "BUEN CAMINO", never knowing if we´d see each other again. Once we left an albergue at the same time and had to find our way out of a town in the pitch black morning with only our head lights to guide us. As luck would have it we did say goodbye as we entered into Burgos. They knew my friend Ilkka, who could speak a little Spanish and told us that they were done. They also said they would be back another year. If I understood them right in all the language confusion yesterday they are now doing another leg: Burgos-Villafranca. What a small world. They are not even walking yet!!!
On Thursday we walked from Irache to Los Arcos and took a taxi to Logrono. To my surprise and delight we found out that Logrono is famous for their tapas culture and that there is a specific street where they serve only tapas and that the street was right by our accomodation. I addition there was a wine festival on that night. Well, that became an evening of spontaneous fun, with great food and wine. The calamari was unbelievable! The streets filled up with locals of all ages, though the youth dominated. I felt so free and happy to be able to connect with the pulse of that vibrant university city and their flair of Spanish culture.
On Friday it was hard to get up after all the wine, and we did not get walking until 9:30am. But the weather was cloudy and there was a gentle breese so the walking was easy. After 7.5 hours of walking and 29kms later we arrived in Najera, a small town that had a heavier feel, supporting the weariness in my body. Some towns make me want to stay and enjoy the ambiance while others make me want to get up early and move on. Unfortunately, Najera was part of the latter category. Who knows if it would have had a different feeling if I had arrived at a different time of the day and if the weather had been better, welcoming me with it´s heat. I don´t know. But I think about how this also is with the people we encounter and how first impressions burn into our memories, leaving little room for our opinions to change.
Yesterday was a shorter day and we walked 21km, from Najera to Santa Domingo de la Calzada. That was enough for my tendons, but it is sure frustrating when the rest of my body is in great shape and condition. So I constantly need to change my perspective and remind myself that the journey is the destination. The final destination is Santiago, but that is only at the end of the trip. It reminds me about how we get so focused on achieving our goals that we lose focus on the fact that the most important part of our lives unfold while we focus ahead or think about the past, wishing we had made other decisions, regretting, feeling bad about who knows what, and worrying about what the future has in store and whether we can make our dreams come true. Or maybe we just focus on other people´s opinions and what´s happening around us. Nonetheless the mistake is the same; we´ve forgotten that the journey is the destination. I get to look hard at this concept for me and I am doing my best to be present and truly enjoy every moment of my journey. It is a great adventure, and I want to be vibrantly alive while I experience every part of my journey.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Pilgrims and the trail.
When I walk for hours on end there is plenty of time for reflection. The Camino is an amazing path and there are so many friends of the Camino that facilitate our journey that we do not even know. I am inspired as I watch fellow peregrinos walk with excitement, purpose and hope. And I know there is much good in this world as I see young people wanting to do something so meaningful with their holiday. In Zubiri I talked to a Swedish preschool teacher and I asked him why he was doing the Camino. This young man with long black hair looked me straight in the eyes and said: "Because I am angry with the world, and I needed to so something". He may be angry with the world but he is not taking his anger out on the world. Instead he is positive and friendly towards his fellow travellers and chooses to go within to figure things out. That makes me hopeful.
What is more of a concern for me is people´s lack of consideration on the trail when I see the littering much too frequently. The friends of the Camino follow behind us cleaning up our mess. For part of a day from Zubiri to Cizur Major we picked up litter and that was a wake-up call. The pace slowed dramatically due to the constant stopping. But how is this different from everyday life? In Pamplona the mess was everywhere, and it was hard to watch and not be judgmental. It looked awful and the stench of old alcohol and garbage shot at me as I entered the old town. Someone has to clean it up later. What makes us think that it is ok to violate our nature and common spaces? And how is this small scale violation different from the big scale abuse on the environment? There are these amazing people who make the Camino a peaceful and hospitable place for us to have a safe, healthy and wholesome experience. Do we acknowledge their effort? Even restaurants offer meals of great value so that we can do this trek without breaking the bank. Do we look at them as they serve us and acknowledge their contribution to our experience? They make less money in jobs that are already low paying. Do we tip them, offering a small token of gratitude or are we just too preoccupied with our own experiences? How much do we live in our little bubbles and how much are we ready to open up and connect with the bigger tapestry that we are such integral parts of?
The Camino is a rare gem in this world and I am mindful of the privilege it is to be walking this historical trail. I am also mindful that my path in this world is a privilege to travel on and that I do have a responsibility to be mindful of the mark I leave. Europeans are so far ahead of North America with their energy efficiency and I am again reminded of the inefficiency in my home and my part of the world. We definitely have a few things to learn...
For now I am grateful to be part of something so much bigger than me and again I am open to learning lessons that the Camino has in store for me.
What is more of a concern for me is people´s lack of consideration on the trail when I see the littering much too frequently. The friends of the Camino follow behind us cleaning up our mess. For part of a day from Zubiri to Cizur Major we picked up litter and that was a wake-up call. The pace slowed dramatically due to the constant stopping. But how is this different from everyday life? In Pamplona the mess was everywhere, and it was hard to watch and not be judgmental. It looked awful and the stench of old alcohol and garbage shot at me as I entered the old town. Someone has to clean it up later. What makes us think that it is ok to violate our nature and common spaces? And how is this small scale violation different from the big scale abuse on the environment? There are these amazing people who make the Camino a peaceful and hospitable place for us to have a safe, healthy and wholesome experience. Do we acknowledge their effort? Even restaurants offer meals of great value so that we can do this trek without breaking the bank. Do we look at them as they serve us and acknowledge their contribution to our experience? They make less money in jobs that are already low paying. Do we tip them, offering a small token of gratitude or are we just too preoccupied with our own experiences? How much do we live in our little bubbles and how much are we ready to open up and connect with the bigger tapestry that we are such integral parts of?
The Camino is a rare gem in this world and I am mindful of the privilege it is to be walking this historical trail. I am also mindful that my path in this world is a privilege to travel on and that I do have a responsibility to be mindful of the mark I leave. Europeans are so far ahead of North America with their energy efficiency and I am again reminded of the inefficiency in my home and my part of the world. We definitely have a few things to learn...
For now I am grateful to be part of something so much bigger than me and again I am open to learning lessons that the Camino has in store for me.
Reflections.
I am still in Puente la Reina, but will soon be going to Estella. Plans change quickly on the Camino and I am committed to listening to my body and going with the flow. Thus, I stayed another night at Hotel El Peregrino. It is such an amazing place and I just love it!!! When I evaulated my condition yesterday I decided to listen and take another day off, which by the way now is adding up to three days. Tomorrow I hope to walk though.
Anyway, I want to go back to my birthday, beacause it was amazing! I could not have asked for a better place to celebrate my day, and they even decorated the table with roses and rose petals for me. I cannot remember any time that has ever happened before. With delicious food and great company I had a night to remember. My Canadian friend had walked and caught up with me here and joined me for dinner. It is nice to be able to share these special moments with friends.
A little about his amazing hotel. It has twelve rooms only. It is the perfect place for people to come to get away from the hectic day to day life, but it is stimulating and full of decorations, art, books and furniture. It is a far cry from the current trend of modern minimalism, yet it has played with some modern elements. All the spaces stimulate the senses and I keep thinking that this is where I would come for a getaway with some friends to eat, drink wine and discuss life´s big questions and enjoy other great philosophical conversations. It is a place that encourages the mind to ponder, but also to connect with gratitude as only a priviledged life could bring one to a place like this. This point is not lost on me as I sit and savour my last moments here. Life is good!
As I was celebrating my special day, turning 45 and knowing that my mother never lived to experience this moment for herself, I felt very blessed and grateful. It was a moment I believe she celebrated with me.
I was actually quite emotional as I took stock of my life and thought about where I am at in my life, what has brought me here to this point and what is in the cards ahead. My last Camino was about healing wounds from my past, letting go of old residue, as well as learning ot be my own best friend. This year I am doing the Camino with a different purpose and focus. The past is over, now it is about the present and allowing changes within to embrace and create a future that reflects my dreams and goals.
I have been alone now for five years and I have gotten very good at being self reliant. This is what was needed to get through the challenges I was facing. The catch is that I know how to be alone and I am not good at allowing anyone to get really close to me. Boy do I have some amazing self protection structures. They are so good they even fool me. Yet I do want to move forward and eventually be in a loving relationship. Thus, time for some moments of truth with myself. In order for me to be able to create close connections I need to be able to allow myself to be vulnerable and trust that no matter what happens I am safe. YIKES! As I write this I squirm. It is easy to just be and do things the way I am used to, that way I am in control and "safe". But I know better, there is nothing safe about it. It is only a perception in my mind, and ultimately what holds me back.
I have been focusing most of my energy on being a parent and have not created a career for myself. I know I do create value, but it is not in the traditional sense that society acknowledges and I am not immune to that. I have a desire to make something happen for myself that produces abundance while adding value to people´s lives, thus creating a win win situation. In conventional business this is not a mainstream concept, yet I believe in the long run it is the only sustaining way to do good business. My fears are that I do no have the time, focus, talent or resources needed to succeed and I need to face these fears. I am ok with them being there as long as they do not keep me from pushing ahead and make things happen.
These are some of the big topics on my mind these days. Another thing that happened on my birthday was that I got so many birthday greetings from friends and family that I was completely overwhelmed. So many people remembered, and I can say I understand why so many people like facebook now. Thank you all for those loving messages!!! It is hard when I only have short moments on the computer to answer everyone, but do know that you touched my heart and I am so grateful for your thoughtfulness.
We may be physically alone, but because of our lives and our connections with family and friends we are never alone. I was reminded of this by you all. Thank you!
Anyway, I want to go back to my birthday, beacause it was amazing! I could not have asked for a better place to celebrate my day, and they even decorated the table with roses and rose petals for me. I cannot remember any time that has ever happened before. With delicious food and great company I had a night to remember. My Canadian friend had walked and caught up with me here and joined me for dinner. It is nice to be able to share these special moments with friends.
A little about his amazing hotel. It has twelve rooms only. It is the perfect place for people to come to get away from the hectic day to day life, but it is stimulating and full of decorations, art, books and furniture. It is a far cry from the current trend of modern minimalism, yet it has played with some modern elements. All the spaces stimulate the senses and I keep thinking that this is where I would come for a getaway with some friends to eat, drink wine and discuss life´s big questions and enjoy other great philosophical conversations. It is a place that encourages the mind to ponder, but also to connect with gratitude as only a priviledged life could bring one to a place like this. This point is not lost on me as I sit and savour my last moments here. Life is good!
As I was celebrating my special day, turning 45 and knowing that my mother never lived to experience this moment for herself, I felt very blessed and grateful. It was a moment I believe she celebrated with me.
I was actually quite emotional as I took stock of my life and thought about where I am at in my life, what has brought me here to this point and what is in the cards ahead. My last Camino was about healing wounds from my past, letting go of old residue, as well as learning ot be my own best friend. This year I am doing the Camino with a different purpose and focus. The past is over, now it is about the present and allowing changes within to embrace and create a future that reflects my dreams and goals.
I have been alone now for five years and I have gotten very good at being self reliant. This is what was needed to get through the challenges I was facing. The catch is that I know how to be alone and I am not good at allowing anyone to get really close to me. Boy do I have some amazing self protection structures. They are so good they even fool me. Yet I do want to move forward and eventually be in a loving relationship. Thus, time for some moments of truth with myself. In order for me to be able to create close connections I need to be able to allow myself to be vulnerable and trust that no matter what happens I am safe. YIKES! As I write this I squirm. It is easy to just be and do things the way I am used to, that way I am in control and "safe". But I know better, there is nothing safe about it. It is only a perception in my mind, and ultimately what holds me back.
I have been focusing most of my energy on being a parent and have not created a career for myself. I know I do create value, but it is not in the traditional sense that society acknowledges and I am not immune to that. I have a desire to make something happen for myself that produces abundance while adding value to people´s lives, thus creating a win win situation. In conventional business this is not a mainstream concept, yet I believe in the long run it is the only sustaining way to do good business. My fears are that I do no have the time, focus, talent or resources needed to succeed and I need to face these fears. I am ok with them being there as long as they do not keep me from pushing ahead and make things happen.
These are some of the big topics on my mind these days. Another thing that happened on my birthday was that I got so many birthday greetings from friends and family that I was completely overwhelmed. So many people remembered, and I can say I understand why so many people like facebook now. Thank you all for those loving messages!!! It is hard when I only have short moments on the computer to answer everyone, but do know that you touched my heart and I am so grateful for your thoughtfulness.
We may be physically alone, but because of our lives and our connections with family and friends we are never alone. I was reminded of this by you all. Thank you!
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 13th, and I am resting.
Today I am resting! The foot is swollen and throbbing, bringing back plenty of memories from last year. My commitment to myself is NOT to repeat the same mistakes again, thus this rest. But I have to say it is hard too, because I love to walk and the rest of my body feels great. I´m light on my feet and and walking is easy. I have NO blisters yet either, so all in all I´m doing quite well. The camino does draw you in and it is hard to resist walking. But, I am happy to rest and enjoy my birthday here in Spain. In a few minutes I am going to take a cab to Puente la Reina, where I am staying at hotel El Peregrino. I know about this place from a documentary I saw on the camino by Paolo Coelho that my friend Ilkka had sent me. It is actually a Norwegian production. Anyway, I saw the garden and it is amazing. So I am pumped!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Back on the Camino.
I am back in Spain, almost a year after the last Camino. The journey started on Wednesday after I said goodbye to my boys as they flew back to Calgary and I stayed behind. I stayed overnight at a local bed and breakfast before taking the flight on Thursday to Biarritz in the south west part of France, from where I took a bus to the train station in Bayonne, mere kilometres away, and finally a local train to the starting point, St. Jean Pied de Port. It was a full day of travelling, which was nice and smooth despite a boiling hot train ride at the end.
The scenery was amazing as the train gently brought us closer and closer to this amazing town, I felt this intense joy of being here again and knew that no matter what happens this is a great experience that I am so blessed to get a chance to have.
After registering at the pilgrims´ office it was dinner and straight to bed, hoping for a good night´s sleep before the arduous hike over the pyrenees. Fortunately I did get a good night´s rest and I was up and ready to walk by 7:30am. I had connected with a Canadian friend that is walking too and we headed out together. The day is a challenge to say it mildly and not for the faint of heart. It starts with a steep, relentless uphill climb to our first rest at Orrison, a private albergue with some simple serving, 8 kilometres away. The climb continued for another 12 km before it turned and gave way to a steep descent into Roncevalles, the first stop and the other starting point on the Spanish side. Seven hours later a happy Torill arrived without any serious issues. Yeah! The rest of the day went by quickly with showers (long line), laundry, dinner and a Catholic mass where the pilgrims were blessed for our journey. I did not understand much, but it was a nice experience.
Yesterday we walked from Roncevalles to Zubiri, 22.2km away. In Roncevalles the albergue is a large old building that sleeps 120 people and they have strict rules, lights out at 10pm and lights on at 6am, all gone by 8am. I did not sleep too well and was awake and ready to get started by the time the lights came on. Thus, we had an early start yesterday and were walking by 6:50am. It was a beautiful walk, but alot of down hill and the descent finally got to my right foot that I had hoped was truly on the mend. The truth is; it is not as good as I had hoped and I´m not sure how this will work out. I am still hopeful....
Today is my third day on the Camino and I have walked about 80 kilomteres in three days. It is such a nice feeling to be back here again, though I am a bit concerned about my foot. It did not like all the downhill yesterday. So I may take tomorrow off and rest. I am just past Pamplona now in a small town called Cizur Major. Walked 28 kilometres today because they have their annual Festival in Pamplona and there is nowhere to stay in that city: Tried to get a cab to take me the last few kiloemtres in the scorching hot sun, but to no avail. Thus the long walk. Started at 6:30 this morning and got here at about 3:30pm. A long day in the heat, that´s for sure! I have booked a nice room in Puenta la Reina for tomorrow night. It is my birthday and I want to treat myself! I look forward to it.
Last night I got to watch a bull fight on the TV during dinner in Zubiri and saw a crazy match between man and bull, where the bull finally went down. It was an amazing life and death game that was hard to watch at times. WOW! And today there was footage of this morning´s running with the bulls and there were either serious injuries or deaths and they showed all the grutesque details on tv. After that I do not have any desire to go back there and watch it live. When I walked throught Pamplona today the streets were packed with people partying and celebrating. As there are no rooms available people opt to sleep in any green space or in their cars, and I cannot count how many people were sleeping off their alcohol in the middle of the day in parks around the old town. The running with the bulls is at 8am and the bull fights are at night. There are activities all day long and the city is truly turned upside down.
As much as it was nice to see, I was happy to be outside again, back in the peaceful country side. And now it´s time for some serious sleep.
The scenery was amazing as the train gently brought us closer and closer to this amazing town, I felt this intense joy of being here again and knew that no matter what happens this is a great experience that I am so blessed to get a chance to have.
After registering at the pilgrims´ office it was dinner and straight to bed, hoping for a good night´s sleep before the arduous hike over the pyrenees. Fortunately I did get a good night´s rest and I was up and ready to walk by 7:30am. I had connected with a Canadian friend that is walking too and we headed out together. The day is a challenge to say it mildly and not for the faint of heart. It starts with a steep, relentless uphill climb to our first rest at Orrison, a private albergue with some simple serving, 8 kilometres away. The climb continued for another 12 km before it turned and gave way to a steep descent into Roncevalles, the first stop and the other starting point on the Spanish side. Seven hours later a happy Torill arrived without any serious issues. Yeah! The rest of the day went by quickly with showers (long line), laundry, dinner and a Catholic mass where the pilgrims were blessed for our journey. I did not understand much, but it was a nice experience.
Yesterday we walked from Roncevalles to Zubiri, 22.2km away. In Roncevalles the albergue is a large old building that sleeps 120 people and they have strict rules, lights out at 10pm and lights on at 6am, all gone by 8am. I did not sleep too well and was awake and ready to get started by the time the lights came on. Thus, we had an early start yesterday and were walking by 6:50am. It was a beautiful walk, but alot of down hill and the descent finally got to my right foot that I had hoped was truly on the mend. The truth is; it is not as good as I had hoped and I´m not sure how this will work out. I am still hopeful....
Today is my third day on the Camino and I have walked about 80 kilomteres in three days. It is such a nice feeling to be back here again, though I am a bit concerned about my foot. It did not like all the downhill yesterday. So I may take tomorrow off and rest. I am just past Pamplona now in a small town called Cizur Major. Walked 28 kilometres today because they have their annual Festival in Pamplona and there is nowhere to stay in that city: Tried to get a cab to take me the last few kiloemtres in the scorching hot sun, but to no avail. Thus the long walk. Started at 6:30 this morning and got here at about 3:30pm. A long day in the heat, that´s for sure! I have booked a nice room in Puenta la Reina for tomorrow night. It is my birthday and I want to treat myself! I look forward to it.
Last night I got to watch a bull fight on the TV during dinner in Zubiri and saw a crazy match between man and bull, where the bull finally went down. It was an amazing life and death game that was hard to watch at times. WOW! And today there was footage of this morning´s running with the bulls and there were either serious injuries or deaths and they showed all the grutesque details on tv. After that I do not have any desire to go back there and watch it live. When I walked throught Pamplona today the streets were packed with people partying and celebrating. As there are no rooms available people opt to sleep in any green space or in their cars, and I cannot count how many people were sleeping off their alcohol in the middle of the day in parks around the old town. The running with the bulls is at 8am and the bull fights are at night. There are activities all day long and the city is truly turned upside down.
As much as it was nice to see, I was happy to be outside again, back in the peaceful country side. And now it´s time for some serious sleep.
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