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Camino De Santiago
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Camino De Santiago

Léon to Santiago via the Frances Way Read more
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    Arzua to O Pedrouzo

    June 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    An interesting day. Started at 2:30 am when the French couple next door had an argument 😵‍💫
    The room had no AC and it hit the upper 80s in the afternoon so quite the toaster. Pack up and hit the road early and it was very quiet and peaceful. Cruised into a tiny town called Outeiro. Headed down a narrow lane, but a narrow, handmade yellow arrow pointed right. I saw a group at the bottom of the lane and assumed they had made a wrong turn. So I turned right and after arcing around the building found the eclectic Bar Tia Dolores who decorates with used beer bottles. I continued on The Way…getting increasingly nervous as I noticed an absence of the two sure signs you are On The Way…your fellow Peregrinos and the yellow arrows (flecha amarillo). But, there was one guy behind me so I carried on. After a while I came upon a map set in stone at a house gate. Sure enough, I had tracked off The Way. The other fellow was consulting his phone and we put our heads together and figured a plan, the map shows the eventual merge of our route with The Camino. We cruise along. Suddenly, we hear “Peregrinos! Peregrinos! El Camino no está aquí!” Running out of a house is a man half dressed, pulling up his trousers. He has seen us and wants to intervene. No Camino! No Camino! His fingers wag in admonishment. ‘Si! no problema señor! Mira mi carta!’ ‘Ah! Si El mapa de José Gutiérrez!” I point to where we are, “Esta aquí?” ‘Si, si!” Esta La iglesia? I point to a distant bell tower. Si la iglesia. I mime left then right…si, si, si and he brings his pointer fingers together, “El Camino!” I turn to the other Peregrino and say, “We got this!” And we hike on. Having heard my compatriots voice, I ask, Are you from Port Wenn? (Doc Martin reference) He laughs and says, you mean Port Issac! Yeh, about 5 km from there! I have met Dave! A retired psychiatric nurse with five grand kids. He learned of The Camino during a motorbike tour a few years ago. We then engage in the miraculous event of Peregrinos sharing their life story. It makes The Way pass more easily. Dave was at Cruz Ferro in A downpour and started having foot problems. We discuss the philosphies of The Way…an unexpected event…physical trial and their parallels in life. What a joy and gift. Thanks be to God.Read more

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    Pedrouzo to Vilamaior

    June 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    A bittersweet day. My last leg into Santiago is tomorrow. But a good day that I spend in fellowship with several peregrinos. Breakfast is in a little cafe next door. I make it in before the large group being led by two priests and a hired guide. I meet Laurel a psychiatric nurse from Portland and we breakfast together. She has hiked from SJPdP with a couple who have stayed at other lodgings. A quick set to the room and hike to the middle of Pedrouzo, I see the large church group coming up the other direction, we are both heading to the main N/S road to recapture The Camino. A large loud unwieldy group I beat them and turn right up the hill. My Wise Pilgrim guide has been explicit about doing this and staying off the busy main road and it is completely worth it. Quiet forest hiking.

    The Camino has been my friend and companion, though I travel alone I have not been lonely, save for a few specific people. It had brought sights, sounds, miracles, solitude, experiences, unexpected trial, fellowship, culture, history and so much more. A good friend. But, sadly, my friends life comes to an end soon and today I want to go slow and savor our last day together. How many times do we lose a friend or loved one and wish for such a day? The silence of the forest is broken by the roar of jet engines. We are close to and will pass the Santiago airport, a reminder of how other aspects of life will take over after we take our leave of each other. I am consciously slowing down and am passed by several noisy groups.

    I meet a mother and daughter from Florida and a couple form Belgium. The mother and daughter brilliantly hopped on bikes to cross The Maseta. A bit further, and I pull off at a cafe for a bite, a beer and a rest. I meet Jaeye from South Korea and Chateau from Finland. Jaeye is a happy soul. Chateau has been suffering. She tried to walk The Camino barefoot, switched to flip flops and bought a pair of toe shoes which she has taken off. Her feet are a mess. Her main complaint is pain at the tip of each big toe. I break out my first aid kit and give her two of my silicone toe cups and a Euro so she can have a soda. She spent her money on the shoes. I also meet a very chatty Jose and his brother Carlos from Columbia. They are visiting family in Spain and their mother is very pious. She has insisted that they walk The Camino. Finally, at the same cafe I meet a woman who took Chemistry from Joe Carolan at TOHS. She and her husband are from Arizona. He is a Woodbadge trained (Beaver) Assistant Scoutmaster and Eagle Scout.

    So, a new day of friends and fellowship. But also a melancholy. I do miss my home, family and friends, but The Camino has changed me. Though it dies for me tomorrow it will forever exist and we may well meet again if faith plays a role. I wonder how I will seem different to others? I wonder how I will change them?    Read more

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    The Day of Days

    June 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Started walking in Léon on 22 May
    Finished 16 June Santiago de Compostela
    Took 5 Rest days: Léon, Astorga, Ponferrada, O Cebreiro, and Melidé.
    25 days hiking
    315 kilometers = 195.73 miles
    15,245 feet of elevation gain
    Stayed at mid level accommodation in private rooms
    1 bag transported - non essential or back up gear

    Heavy rain last night cooled things off. Clear as a bell. One short uphill and then downhill all the way. Signs of civilization: a glass covered TV station reflecting the sunrise, factories humming, a city bus! Hiked a few miles with a pleasant Peregrina from Western Canada. Came upon the enormous Monte Gonzar. They are getting ready for an enormous outdoor concert. They have hundreds of living quarters that appear unused right now except for the descanso (service) area. A sea of repeating blue domes upon closer inspection are a tent city that vastly outsizes the Philmont Base Camp. We come upon a very cool yard that appears to be the home of a sculptor. Crossing a large bridge over an 8 lane freeway and the electric train tracks from the East, puts me squarely on city streets: a large round about….exhaust fumes replace the morning stink of cows.

    Deeper into the city, The Way becomes harder to follow: ancient cities do not have a Cartesian layout, and so as I get to the inner city the buildings get higher and denser, traffic (both foot and auto) increase and I have lost The Way. Bus load upon bus load of kids decked out in field trip gear adds. I break out my map app and am off. Magically, out pop Dave and Gerry Jones from Seattle whom I have bumped into several times. You made it! But you’re in the wrong place! I know! Come on! You must do this correctly and they very kindly walk me back to the Camino and through the Pilgrims Portal into the Plaza de Obradoiro. The End! Though not really, I spend a teary few moments with the Jones in the plaza, then off to the Pilgrims office to square away my compostela (the certification of pilgrimage) and my distance certificate.

    Things are not too busy but the process, which attempts some nod to social distancing, is pretty complex. Figuring it all out takes about 45 minutes, with a light crowd. I am glad I booked down early! A very pleasant volunteer from Mexico is my clerk at desk no. 17 at the end of the office. She takes me through the process very efficiently confirming my credential stamps that I have collected (almost 2 booklets worth) and giving me the final two official stamps at each end of each booklet, issues my distance certificate, and gives me a warm handshake. I go to the fountain courtyard to ogle my Documents and it occurs to me that I could help folks navigate the process. So I sit and compose a Facebook post on the American Pilgrims on the Camino page outlining the steps.

    On to find my lodging, it’s not too far away from the cathedral. My bag is not yet there but they let me check in early. I wash up and return to the bustling streets around the cathedral, find a nice outdoor table at a promising Cafe Camilo and treat myself to a Bock beer, salad and Scallops cooked in garlic and butter, then a slice of tarta De Santiago and Café Americano.

    Back to the hotel, my bag is there, but no washing machine. The room is very tiny…no way to hang a wet clothes without a mess, so I dump everything into the backpack and off to find a laundry, which is a block away, next to a fruiteria and cafe, so I can eat cherries and have another coffee while I wait. Finished I head back for a siesta.    Read more

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    The Roof of The Cathedral de Santiago

    June 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    I was able to get a ticket for a tour of the cathedral roof. After a brief tour through the conservation museum (being made of stone, the delicate features erode over time or break). We make the climb to the roof. The roof has been completely restored from 2017-2021 one of the latest revisions. The facade seen from the Plaza do Obradoiro a vast Baroque-Roccoco masterpiece, is an encasement of the smaller, older cathedral within! Which, in turn, overlies the Tomb of James the Greater. After a hike up several stories of stairs winding up the North bell tower, we reach the amazing roof. Most of the granite shingles are 2.5 inch thick by 1 meter long by about 1/3 meter wide creating an enormous durable roof encasement to protect the old cathedral below. We proceed across the entire roof viewing unique perspectives of the towers. Several towers were dismantled and conserved in the museum. We then proceeded up the north tower of the carracas. The large X shaped devices are hand cranked only during the Holy Week in place of the bells.Read more

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    The Glory inside

    June 18, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    So I woke up and had breakfast and got to the church early for The Port of Glory. The great entrance by Master Sculptor Matteo from Galicia. He was paid a handsome sum over years by King Ferdinand to create a great portal into the cathedral that houses the remains of St. James The Greater, Apostle and martyr. The work set the tone for the sculpture used in Spanish Romanesque style, it would go on to influence Gothic works. I was not allowed to take pictures or touch anything and they only let a few people in at a time. Beautiful amazing complex work it had recently undergone extensive research and conservation, hence the limits. The tradition of touching the center support by the many faithful Peregrinos over 800 years had worn a hand hold into the stone, so this has been stopped. For a full description with pictures see here:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portico_of_Glory

    I found the leering prophet Daniel. His head is angled differently from the others, eyes wide in a leer, it’s almost immediately noticeable. The bishop at the time followed Daniel’s eyes across the hallway to a statue of a female saint. She had been rendered with quite large breasts. Unhappy, the bishop required Master Mateo to modify the female saint to a more winsome demeanor. The local Galicians got word of the order and took offense, Master Mateo was their greatest sculptor having been called to places all over Spain to work. The Galician cheese makers decided to create a specially shaped cheese to voice the regional displeasure, and that is how Galician “titilla” (little breast) cheese came about.

    I attended Pilgrims Mass at high noon, going 90 minutes early to secure a good seat. I got word from my roof tour guide that a rare use of the botafumerio might occur then. The amazing glory of the altar cannot be understated. Incredible Baroque and Roccoco gold leaf works of an incredible and awe inspiring scale. The Angels holding up the ciborium (altar canopy) are over 30 feet tall.

    Sure enough the botafumerio flew. It’s seen more this year because The Pope declared an extension to last years holy year and due to the millions lost during the Covid-19 epidemic. It is a five foot tall incense thurible made of a brass alloy and plated with a 2 micrometer coating of silver. It weighs 80 kilogram and is suspended from the transcept by a mechanism devised and place in the early 1600s. It takes 8 deacons or talioboleiros to swing it. It has hit the cathedral ceiling, over eight stories up, 6 times and come untied twice.

    I concluded my visit with a trip down to the crypt where St. James’ relics lie. They no longer allow the public to climb behind the statue on the altar for a hug of the Apostle.    Read more

  • The World is Out ThereCamino De SantiagoThe World is Out There

    It’s not a hike

    June 18, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    conservationist John Muir on hiking in the mountains...

    “I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains, not hike! Do you know the origin of that word, ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Way back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, ‘A la sainte terre,’ or ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers, or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”Read more

  • Trip end
    June 19, 2022
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