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El Camino de Santiago
  • Trina Brown
  • Trina Brown

El Camino de Santiago

Camino de Santiago | A pilgrimage across Spain dating back to the 9th century. Also referred to as “The Way” or simply as “The Camino.”
Pilgrimage | A long journey, often for personal growth.
Pilgrim | A person that walks the Camino.
Buen Camino | En savoir plus
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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    3

    Body challenged ✔️ Burgos ✔️

    27 mai 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Burgos was so far away. I didn’t know how I was going to get there or if I would get there.

    Burgos is the end of 12-15 stages of walks. Up the mountains of the Pyrenees and through the vineyards in Rioja. Rolling hills of wheat and green beans. Cold, heat, wind and rain. (Thankfully not too much of any one of them for us). Big city streets and tiny Medieval villages. Grand Cathedrals intimate chapels. Blooming flowers and singing birds. Pintxos, Tapas, Vino Tinto con Limon, olives with anchovies, bull meat on bread, pork belly (torrenzos), tortilla Española (egg and potato pie, chocolate croissant, hard boiled eggs, coffee corridors y leche,

    My body got worked hard especially in the early stages and still gets tested daily. My body was broken down, my mind messed with, my soul hurt and pulling myself up from that shit one step at a time and promising myself I would at least try and take the next step. I would in fact take the next step.

    So here I am in Burgos!! This right here is enough! All the people and conversations casual and deep are all meaningful.

    For tonight I am enjoying the hotel Amy booked for us. A private room and a private bed and private shower is such an amazing feeling.

    On to the Meseta………

    P.S. will
    Post pictures of the outside of the Cathedral in separate post.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Burgos Cathedral

    28 mai 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    As I shuffled into the city of Burgos like Tim Conway on the Carol Burnett show.

    See video of Tim Conway….
    https://youtu.be/9oORj6nHc4E?si=FbAK9C2HCLHTOyzK

    As I approached my hotel I knew I was about to walk past the Cathedral. I knew I had only so much energy and so I opted to take pictures from the outside and vow to return someday to see the inside.

    I looked at my pictures and they don’t do the Building justice. Regardless take my word for it. It is massive and impressive ! I enjoyed gazing at it in the day and night time.

    A picture of me shuffling through Burgos on the way to my hotel being guided by yellow arrows. Also some Torrenzos before dinner.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    12

    Sunrise, Meseta, Castrojeriz

    29–30 mai 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This is the beginning of the Meseta.

    The sun rise was spectacular! Walked out of Castrojeriz and the town had a hologram type Camino sign. It was cool!

    It was a long hot day. Left at 6;00AM to heat the heat.

    The beginning of insanity (round 2 or 20 begins) 🤣

    People have lots of opinions about the Meseta.

    Right foot and ankle swelling, shin splints and some vascular thing. Watching it 👍. Currently wear one shoe and one sandal.🩴    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    122

    Fromista - Meseta

    30–31 mai 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I forgot to post about Frómista ….MESETA

    I think it’s because this is where I wandered off the trail and added some kilometers to my hike. I was a bit delirious. 🤣. Attached are two videos of me being bored and walking and taking video.

    There is one more video but this app won’t post it because it too long. It’s the one where I am singing and I get lost!! 🤣🤣

    After a long day of walking and getting lost off the trail, I told Amy

    There are lots of snails…. And…..

    “ I don’t think I’m on the Camino de Santiago to learn how to live my life, I think I’m on the Camino de Santiago to kill myself !! surely there is a more efficient way to do this!!!!”

    It’s a JOKE!! And I felt it!!🤣🤣🤣🤪🤪🤪

    Some
    Of
    The things I look forward to when I arrive at a bar is a hard boiled egg! FOR REALZ!!!💜💜💜

    Also I love the pickle and olives marinated in vinegar and spice. Olives especially when it’s hot. With a beer!! I drank the olive juice as well.

    we had dinner with our Camino friends at a small restaurant. We shared our body aches our toes problems. We talk about the gross foot problems at dinner!!

    Cheryl and two fellas from Spain and Uruguay. The two guys spoke little English and we managed to have some small dinner conversation.

    They were very kind men. Gentlemen.

    Cheryl and I chomped on some Iberico Ribs.

    Nice little village.

    First picture is of the detour sign I missed.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Carrion de los Condes - Meseta

    31 mai–1 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    All I remember is I was tired.

    I decided to lay in a grass ditch because I was tired.

    Somebody said don’t do that because of ticks. I didn’t care I was tired and the ditch looked good to me. 🤣😇

    It was a pretty day. Blue skies. Wind blowing.

    The walking vibe brought back memories of when I was 7 years old - ish and I would walk home from elementary school and I would feel like the 1.5 blocks was miles long and would flop down and lay on my back on the neighbors green grass and stare at the sky.

    Visually the walk was beautiful and my body was aching all over. It was tough to push through and frustrating because my mind was like, let’s do this! and my body was moving like 🐌 slug.

    My tank was empty.

    I was walking sooo slow like a drunken sailor wobbling side to side and shuffling forward murmuring … hmmm … uggghh. Oyyyy.. arrrrgggg

    When I arrived to the accommodation, they had a cute pool that was chilly in temp and I soaked my lower body for a long time and fell asleep while in the pool water. 😴

    I washed my clothes in the shower and hung them to dry.

    I fell asleep and woke up to find the village shut down for the night. There was the little store next door. Which is where I met Amy and we planned our next stages.

    I ate a hard boiled egg, olives and potato chow with red wine for dinner. It was so satisfying!

    Carrión is a neat little village.

    They have a monastery and nuns sing to you. .
    I missed it because I was sleeping. I enjoyed hearing about everyones experience with the nuns that did attended .

    There is sooo much to share about the Meseta but I feel like I need a big bag of weed to do it. 🤣😇

    Lights out! 💡    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Ledigos - Meseta

    1–2 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I don’t know where I’m at. It’s long road that seems to keep going on and on.

    Where are you Trina Brown?? I started asking myself questions. The mind started to give me topics to discuss and think about. It gave me a few songs to sing as well!

    All the days are running into each other.

    The landscape is same same and so it creates this interesting vibe.

    M-E-S-E-T-A…… I-N-S-A-N-E - UH! 🤣😉

    It feels like one of those people mover escalators at the airport.

    I’m walking and not going anywhere specific, yet I’m moving forward. A scene out of those movies where the camera zooms into the future yet you are standing still in a Wheat Field.

    Flashbacks of play as a kid. Celebrating random events that I hadn’t thought of in decades.

    Once the novelty of the scenery wears off on the Meseta the mind starts to say things to you. You get to examine and observe the conversation with self.
    There is nothing left except me and my thoughts. The silence. Nothing to distract it. Just total silence and weather. Day in & day out. Over time once all of the stimuli and distractions simmer down. You see & hear yourself. It’s cool and weird to know you are really in there and that your body is a shell.

    Sometimes I swear I flew out of my body for a second.

    I got to decide consciously whether I play with what the mind thinks and be ok with it moving around. Watch it jump around and also see it hold on to whatever it attached to.

    There it is you and your mind. At some point it settled down and there was nothing. Just cleaned out cleared out nothing. Awesome!

    It’s amazing to walk long distances day in and day out without distraction and watch what your mind does. Yes I said watch what your mind does! Watch what it decides to focus on, talk about and debate. What its default setting is. How it “thinks” it’s keeping you safe with its thoughts.

    Everyday feels awesome!😎
    Body is busted up like a cheap Piñata 🪅 🤣

    Ledigos was a quiet village:
    We stayed at La Morena Albergue in Ledigos.
    We had a very nice Pilgrim dinner
    Caught up with all the folks on the trial we have made friends with and met new ones.

    Walking on to the next stage.

    Lets do this 🙌🙌    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1111

    Sahagun - Meseta

    2–3 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I was excited to walk away from Ledigos toward Sahagún.

    I knew Leon a bigger city was getting closer! Possibly more food options.

    As I started my walk. It was hot. I could tell my body was toast.
    I was mentally pumped up to rock it and the old body wasn’t having it. Oh well 🤷‍♀️

    The Pharmacy here has great ointment to put on the joints to get the body moving. The Incrediwear knee sleeve is great also.

    Ultimately, I knew I needed some rest days.

    My shin splints weren’t going away and I could feel the tendons in my ankle swelling which made it more difficult to walk with a steady flow.

    On the way to Sahagun. We reached the half way point marker. The statues look like they belong in an Indian Jones movie.

    The day was hot which made me sweat which had me purging salt and chapping my lips. I take hydration/salt tablets to get my body back feeling good.

    I also found what looks kinda like bunkers. They call them Bodegas. They are over 500 years old. It’s Where the families that owned the wine vineyards would keep their wine, meat, supplies and sometime sleep their kids safe from the winter cold. Short video attached.

    While walking I met up with a Camino friend Cheryl from San Francisco - Philippine born. She told me how she remembers being a baby in the jungle. Imagine being raised in a Jungle and then working in San Francisco with a big corporation.

    I find myself thinking about what it took her family to get from there to here.

    Welp, my ass was tired, like you haven’t heard that before!

    I knew I needed three rest days.

    I ate a massive cheeseburger in Sahagun.

    The next morning, we took the train to Leon for some rest days.💜😇 yasssss! 🙌    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Leon - Rest Dayz 1 of 3

    3–6 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Omg!!!!

    Need rest.
    Need rest.

    Once I arrived in Sahagun, I waved the white flag!

    The Next morning in Sahagún we walked to the train station and We rode the train to Leon. My body thanked me a million times.

    It wasn’t in our schedule to have a rest day let alone three rest days but I needed it. The heat was exhausting and dehydrating.

    My ankle swollen and skin tight. Yup time to elevate for more than a couple hours.

    We had no previous accommodations booked for Leon.

    Amy found us a cute little apartment to rent. Yasss!💜💜

    When we arrived to Leon for breakfast I ate some tapas (snails & hard boiled eggs with verde sauce) and drank wine and beer while we waited for our apartment to be available.

    Jamon Serrano is usually very good (pork). They had beef sausage and it didn’t do it for me. It has a completely different flavor and texture than pork sausage. The green peppers are very good they use sea salt big chunks to flavor the peppers.

    Once in our apartment,
    I slept for hours like a little kid.

    While
    In Leon we ran into other Camino friends that were trickling into Leon and it was really nice seeing them and getting updates on their toes!!🤣🤣 Some folk went to the editorial and other got a massage.

    I went to get a Thai massage and went to
    The Cathedral León. They have awesome stained glass . I will post cathedral pictures pt 3.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    111

    Leon rest day 2 of 3

    4 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    After a great day of sleep .

    I wandered around.

    I met up with several other Pilgrims who were arriving to Leon one by one for their rest day.

    It was fun catching up!

    Went to a small bar called “The Beatles bar”. It was a nice little bar paying homage to The Beatles. Great acoustic for conversation. It was a music listening bar. Lots of locals coming in.

    The bartender was a young woman who was super fast and Bohemian Spanish vibe. She was attentive. She kept bringing us little snacks.

    First it was potatoes chips. Then it was sugar gummies candy. Then it was olives.🫒

    It was a fun nice place to chat with friends.

    My body still healing from the long walks enjoyed being able to sleep in past 7AM and Having a little more variety in food.

    That being said all I was craving was a hot dog, potato chips and pickles/olives!🤪. That’s what I made myself to eat in the apartment. We also made dinner and Amy really wanted scrambled eggs (me too!) and that’s what we ate!

    I walked down to the nuns monastery to get a new pilgrims passport from Spain. My French Pilgrim’s passport is full of stamps!

    I registered my card and now get laundry finished to get ready to hit the road again.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    111

    Leon Cathedral 3 of 3

    5 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    The Cathedral was impressive !!!!!

    This Cathedral in Leon had lots of stained glass. It was. Little loud for meditation.

    The Cathedral is set up more like a museum.

    Even though they do have service on certain days.En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Walking out of Leon to San Martin

    6–7 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    3 Rest days were good!

    I set off to walk out of Leon early~ish in the morning.

    It was nice. The Camino trail ran through the historic part of the city past some beautiful buildings. It was nice seeing Pilgrim’s and familiar faces heading out for the day.

    Wishing them all well with a “Buen Camino”

    I stopped at the bridge on the way out and saw large trout swiming up stream!

    The city of Leon transitions from historic, to working class then industrial. After the historic part it’s like walking through garden city, pooler and president street in Savannah. For my California peeps. It’s like walking through Long Beach, Hawthorne, Wilmington and San Pedro in the ports.

    There is nothing inspiring. A reminder of modern life with busy city busses and working class walking around with big trucks driving by. Smells that are particularly present and not knowing their source. Pew!

    “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”

    Have you ever tried to walk around an Amazon Warehouse? Uninspiring!

    Walking around these parts reminded me of when I was younger and we would travel through the industrial area and working class immigrant areas often as a kid.

    As I turned down a street with large warehouses. I realized I had to go pee. There was no place to go pee and believe me I can go anywhere anytime.

    As I walked down the street I saw a warehouse and a pop up tent. A man had a pop up pilgrim services stop. His wharehouse was open with bathroom use. He offered me coffee and an orange and a place to sit. He had a box that said Donativo/Donation.

    Not everyone has money for a donation. Seeing the box reminded me of a stop way back on the trail where a pilgrim pop up was on the side of the road and a Pilgrim helped himself to the offerings of the donativo pop up. The man that was running the donativo tent got mad at the pilgrim for taking items and not paying for them. The man screamed and belittled the Pilgrim for eating the food. I offered to pay. The pilgrim said it’s donativo. (Pay what you can and I gave him 10 cents) The pop up tent man said you don’t take without paying! That was a lot to process.

    Back to this post. I sat drank my instant coffee. Thinking about that previous situation. Observed all the items this man had on display for his Pilgrim Donativo tent. He had a big Baird with all the different languages to say hello. It was an industrial where house “it’s a small world after all”. Moment. He was very kind and asked if I needed anything.

    While resting a woman came and sat with me and we decided to walk together for a little while. She told me her and her friend were supposed to walk the Camino but her friend broke her clavicle and so she was solo. Her name was Maureen and she had just started today as her first day walking. She is from Canada and asked me where were the mountains and the landscapes. I told her she is still in the Meseta = Insane -uh!!🤪

    I explained this is the section people avoid. It’s too uncomfortable. It doesn’t offer a lot of visual stimulation. Happy first day! 🤣
    Buen Camino! We both laughed. It was HOT!

    We walked together for a couple hours. It was probably 45 minutes in reality. The heat was uncomfortable and with nothing to look at we were running out of casual conversation. It was a soulless walk. She opted to get rest and stop. I forged ahead.

    I find these walks to be as fascinating and rewarding as any other whether it’s realized on that day or further down the line.

    What is past pleasure, instant gratification, enjoyment, Spotify playlist and podcast, complaining and so on and what’s past that and what’s past that?

    So many things to think and play with when walking in the Meseta.

    Oh I hear foot steps behind me!! I turn and it the guy from Uruguay that we had dinner with a few stages back! I hug him and ask how he is and take a selfie! He briskly marches on.

    I never saw anyone else for the rest of the day walking. It’s the volunteer road less traveled for sure. I’m not sure if everyone is supposed to travel it. I asked myself do I belong here walking this road?
    I definitely questioned wtf am I doing here?
    It’s there if you want to give it a go.

    I made it to my albergue. It was a quiet - ghost town. It was like staying at one of those old motels on Hwy 17. There was Nada in this town.

    I sat outside on the porch and a few Camino friends walking by spotted me and screamed my name!

    What a relief! Someone knew me and I knew them. Before I knew it. We had about 5 of us. We added a few more new Camino friends who were from Italy. We all had some beers chatted about our day. Everyone agreed “that was a shit walk” 🤪

    We had our pilgrim dinner. Which was pasta & garden salad, chicken paella and non alcohol after dinner shot. It was like doing a shot of shnapps with no alcohol.

    After dinner I sat out in near the Chicken coop talking to chickens.

    I prayed that the trail tomorrow would be brighter visually inspiring and then I prayed I would see it that way.

    Lights out! 💡 😴 🛌    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Onto Astroga .. last stage of the Meseta

    7–8 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I was in the Albergue in San Martin and woke up and packed my bag for Jaco trans. Jaco trans is a luggage transportation service that will transport your bag every day. You can reserve way In Advance your pre planned locations or do day to day. We do day today because we are not sure where we will end up. I have a back pack that I carry and a small carry on luggage. The carry on is what I send to the next town that I think I can walk to.

    I get envelops and put 6 euro in them and attach the envelope to my bag and drop it in hallway/lobby of pension, albergue or hotel.

    I left San Martin a.k.a. garden city/hawthorne.

    I’m walking and walking ..

    Hmmm large trucks driving by..

    Is this gonna be the same as yesterday? I laughed and said to myself probably!

    I started singing to myself…….and played my kazoo to entertain me……

    I walked and walked and it already felt like too long and forever.

    I finally came up on a town called hospital de Órbigo

    This is where the old Roman bridge is at. It was a neat little town. The bridge was impressive with its length. The stones in the road were maintained and you could see all the grooves and definitely imagine the Romans coming through.

    I moved on to the next town and as I was walking by what looked kind of like a garage an old man was sitting at a desk. He waved me to come inside and said “Sello”. That means stamp. He had a custom stamp for my Pilgrim passport. I said ok. He asked if I wanted an orange or slice of cold pizza I said no.

    I asked if he was selling anything. He said no.

    I saw his garage walls were lined with pictures and post cards from around the world. He asked me where I was from and I said Savannah Ga. Y California USA.

    He walked me around his entire garage showing me every postcard he had been given from visiting pilgrims for USA. Then he showed me the rest of post cards from various countries.

    Then he opened a backdoor and it opened up to his back yard. He had a cherry tree and he picked cherries and gave them to me and in Spanish wishes me well and Buen Camino. Then he show me his old shed. I walked in with him and he had a pork leg on the holder and cut me a piece of Jamon to eat. Showed me his pizza stove and then showed me his other room with a bed and old cast iron stove.

    He showed me his garden with apples.🍏

    It was awesome we gave each other hugs and he told me to be on my way. Once more he said Buen Camino!

    It was such a nice human experience. I was energized. Even with the monotonous hot walk, I was good to go!!!!

    Let’s do this Trina Brown!!!

    I kept walking and had been walking for 4 hours now.

    It was hot and I hadn’t seen anyone in a long while. The trail started to go back to the farm land. I saw. A tree and went to stand under the tree for shade and as I approached the tree a woman said hello ! I was startled.

    I said “oh I didn’t see you sitting there in plain sight under this tree”. I introduced myself and the woman told me her name was Penny and she was from Canada. She told me she had walked the Camino several times,

    She said she would walk with me if that was ok and warned me she was slow. She explained she was slow because she is sick.

    She shared with me she has various ailments. She is terminal. She said she Won’t be around much longer. When she received her recent diagnosis she gave her husband one days notice and said “I need to walk the Camino again while I have a chance. “
    She bought a plane ticket and arrived without notice to walk the Camino one last time.
    She has walked the Camino several times.

    We walked and talked for a bit and then she told me there will be an oasis ahead.

    I said what?

    Then she stopped and bent down and said here have this. It was a small rock in the shape of heart. She said she likes finding heart shaped rocks and giving them away. I told her thank you!

    As we rounded the corner on the dirt farm fields.

    There was a pilgrim rest area with services!

    It was a wild bohemian vibe. Very hippie.

    People laying in hammocks.

    A huge round table with various foods.

    A meditation stone circle walking patch Shaded benches.

    I grabbed some watermelon slices and gave a small donation.

    We sat there for awhile. Penny told me to go ahead and walk on. She needed more rest.

    I said, ok and off I went.

    I kept walking and walking it was a 25 km day. The sky started getting dark and lighting and thunder began to appear.

    I could see the city in the horizon. I did my best to hustle forward.

    I eventually made it to Astorga.

    Amy booked a lovely place to stay. It had a nice courtyard. We had pizza and red wine for dinner.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Rabanal del Camino

    8–9 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Nice long walk.

    Weather is wet and cool.

    We stayed in an old Medieval cottage with creeky slanted floors. It was an interesting accomdation.

    We ran into some
    Of our peeps and had dinner with Shannon and her son From Canada. Originally their whole family of 7 planned on walking the Camiño in 2020.

    The Pandemic changed their plans and so now Shannon and her son were the only ones in their family to go.

    They are very nice people. They used to have a farm.

    We are all talking about our next stage which is to walk to the Cruz De Ferro.

    We went to church to listen to chanting religious music. I can’t remember the style to the name of it. It was in this old medieval Chapel. 💒    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Cruz de ferro

    9 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    These are the notes I took for my personal journal as I visited the Cruz De Ferro. The notes are not meant to be taken literally. they were free flowing thoughts I had while visiting the site. I share them because my soul tells me to. It’s a free form writing.

    —————-

    The Cruz De Ferro is a place that you lay your burdens down. Many people write on rock or bring a rock form home and place it on the mound to bless and release what “they believe” is heavy on them.

    Lay your burdens down here.

    Ceremonial traditions

    Create a real physical place in your garden or alter to lay your burdens down and also pray to heal the burdens of others. Pray you are stronger to take those burdens off others.

    In the mist of this pile of rocks that are in reverence to others and their own burdens a rock lays and says peace. Almost to say the letting go and having difficulties in the middle - in the center there is peace.
    Never forget that.

    Individuals visit the Cruz de Ferro . As a place to let go, lay to rest and pray away the thing that is disturbing them or the ones they love.

    I had a thought as I walked around the mound of stones that had notes written on them memorials and sayings.
    We can have our own Cruz de Ferro in any space we want. If we can have our own Cruz De Ferro and honor it in our garden/alter then we can help heal ourselves and the world.

    It’s a cool place to think this is where people are letting go to find peace for themselves and others …

    The tranquil vibe has subsided and children talking and families laughing and energy excited.

    Similar to a cemetery where it is quiet and then children come to visit and the volume increases. Instead of wishing the kids would be quiet and somber I noted them picking up rocks that were not written on and tossing them in a playful manner. I thought wouldn’t that be great if we all engaged with our burdens that way.

    Life can be way heavier than that and I thought that’s a good thought to work towards.

    Isn’t that what we want instead of our burdens ? To receive them, understand them, process them and let them go?

    As we get closer to the city that is suppose to quantify our journey (receive our Compostela ) many are complaining about Sarria and what it could look like as many will be arriving to Sarria from the other paths to join for the last 100km to Santiago.

    They complain it’s too loud, those people didn’t walk as far - it the seniors versus the freshmen. Who is to say who is more wise, more spiritual. more knowing.

    I look forward to the new energy. I’m curious

    Everyone has their burdens - mine are theirs and theirs are mine.

    I go deep within the pile of rocks and pulling out from deep under the pile of written rocks “where we lay our burdens down”

    I vowed to become someone who can remove or lighten the burden of others and myself.

    Who am I
    What do I know

    Nothing.

    I’m watching the kids climb to the top tossing around the supposed burdens .. while the somber adults look so hard to find the right size and shape of their burden. the kids they tossing them around.. ha ha that’s funny to me.

    Not carry them - pick them up every day and toss them..

    Everyone at some point in time day hour projects what should be how it should be done…✔️

    I’m good I’m going to start walking now.

    On to the next stage.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    211

    Molinaseca

    9 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After we visited the Cruz De Ferro one of the top 3 highest peaks of this walk we started our descent into Molinaseca.

    The descent was approachable yet - precarious.

    The Mountain View’s were awesome and it was a great time to reflect after visiting the Cruz De Ferro.

    Everyone that came down off of that mountain had heavy yet clean heart.

    Some had Gin and tonics (the drink of the Camino) !!! I had a big ole piece of steak AND a Gin & Tonic!!

    It was good stuff!!! 😊

    We enjoyed seeing everyone come into town after their decent. The smiles on their faces were marvelous!.

    I included a couple of pictures of some janky medieval steps and the advertisement for taxis because when you see these advertisement you know it’s gonna be a rough walk!! The descent is no joke!!    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    111

    Cacabelos

    10–11 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    The walk out of Molinesca started on the main road for quite some time.

    There are editable fruit trees planted on the camino for pilgrims to enjoy. I will say that it is very important to determine if the tree is on private property or farmland. Do not pick.

    Anyways attached are pictures of cherry trees, artichokes. I also saw apple, almond and pear trees. Lots of different plant life.

    Cacabelos walk was long and sad in some parts because there were many small villages and they all were mostly deserted.

    Spain has an issue with the young people leaving and living in big cities and the smaller villages are becoming ghost towns.

    There is also a variety of beer I tried that is like a rose’ but kinda malt.

    Also a picture of my favorite hot day tapas pickles and olives.    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Trabadelo

    11–12 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After a long walk on the streets we took the scenic route and landed back in farmland and wine country.

    I was happy to see the views again. It was nice! We also walked along the road. Long day and beautiful day.

    We stayed in a nice little place over looking the river. I don’t know why I don’t have any photos of it.

    Amy called and asked Casa Susi and asked if they had room for two perigrinas for dinner. Amy had heard that the dinner there for pilgrims was special.

    The co-owner of the Albergue said yes they would make room for two more.

    Sometimes pilgrim menus and dinners have 30 - 50 ppl sometimes 3 ppl. I wasn’t sure what to expect.

    We walked down to Casa Susi and realized this would be an intimate setting.

    We helped set the table and we all sat down. I think usually they don’t cook meals for pilgrim unless you stay there. I don’t Know for sure but it seemed that way.

    It was a table of 12. Two were the owners Susi from Australia & her husband Vermin from Spain.

    They asked everyone to be silent and told us how they like to start the dinner by everyone introducing and telling something about themselves and or the Camino.

    Susie and her husband went first.
    Susi walked the Camino a few years back and fell in love with it and then a few months later bought the building that we were in and rehabbed it with her fathers help and while rehabbing the building Vermin is walking through the village and meets Susi.

    They get to know eachother over some days and then she stops rehabbing the building and walks The Camino the rest of the way with Vermin. 💜

    Vermin stays with Susi and help her rehab the Casa.

    It is a beautiful story. They just got married. All the folks at the table one at a time shared their lives with the others at the table. When it was my turn. I took a deep breath and said it’s hard to know what to say. Start d to cry and assured everyone I was feeling fine/great. It was really nice to be at the dinner travel with everyone.

    I said a few more things and the we ate a delicious vegetarian dinner that Susi cooked for us.

    Hands down best meal we have had on the Camiño.

    Vermin was very sweet.

    💜    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Fronfria what goes up must come down pt

    12 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We made it to O Cebreiro. The views were stunning. The climb up was good & hard! There is a company that offers horse rides to climb the last third of the mountain because it is so steep. I like riding horses unfortunately they had no availability.

    So I walked it! 😅 👣

    Our visit to the top of the mountain was brief and we started out our descent over the other side of the mountain. It was equally beautiful on the other side of the mountain.

    The views were beautiful we stayed in Fronfria population 30. When we arrived to our Albergue the elderly woman in charge made us Gin & Tonic.

    It was about 5:30pm and we started to head to our room And Penny walked in! I said hello and caught with her.

    We would return to the small
    Dinning room around 7:30pm and I would order pork chops and french fries for dinner. The old woman would cook our dinner to order in a Small kitchen.

    I had a pretty view out my bedroom window.

    Not much to do in that town except rest and sleep. We went to bed early to get ready to go on more to the bottom line mountain the next morning.    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Triacastela

    13 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Nice long walk (they all are! 🤪)

    We are getting closer to Sarria which means the count for Kilometers begins to qualify for the Compenstela .

    In the video you can hear the birds. I think that is one of the top things I loved about walking is listening to all the birds sing.

    We are also now in Galicia- that means seafood. Tricastela had the scallops and octopus (pulpo).

    There is a picture of Fred from the Netherlands and an old cement Roman wheel and huge slug/snail.    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    11

    On to Sarria! Pt 1

    14 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The weather has gotten cold in the low 50’s and rainy.

    Regardless, everyone seems excited to move ahead and arrive to Sarria.

    In order to qualify for the Compostela you are to walk 100km from Sarria to Santiago. We have already walked way over that on this pilgrimage but the qualifying starts at Sarria. They require the pilgrim to receive minimum two stamps per day from Sarria to Santiago in your pilgrim credential to show your travels. They do review your other stamps to see where you have traveled from. Once you get to Santiago you present your credentials to the pilgrim office and they certify your completion.

    There are a mix of emotions, happy to be close to the end (so it would seem, Not even close! 🤣), curious about the new energy of more Pilgrims on the trail and the energy they bring to the Camino. I am also wondering what will I experience in the last 100 Kilometers, what will the terrain on the trail be like?

    The walk started out slow. I took my time because I wanted to make sure I didn’t slip on any mud or grass or COW POOP 💩 .

    Something I hadn’t mentioned is there has been cow, goat, sheep, donkey and dog poop in a lot of the places we walked through. Even when you don’t see it, it’s been there.

    So when I lay my backpack down I need to be mindful of where I put it and ensure my drinking water tube and bag are not sitting in a poopy place. Also the trekking poles that we are touching have been in contact with the ground and we are constantly touching all the areas of the sticks to adjust them. Washing hands is very important .
    🐮 🐶 🐓 🐑 🐐 💩 everywhere.

    Today’s walk would be extra poopy and smelly.

    It was a quiet walk. I was told to enjoy the quiet now because once I arrive to Sarria it will be loud and full of energy.

    A lot of Birds singing this morning. Misty cold air and drizzling rain. Cows in all colors and sheep in the fields.

    On the map it showed lots of villages on the way to Sarria so I figured I’d have a good day rest breaks consuming coffee con leche and tortilla Español, Nope!

    Each village was a ghost town. Nothing open. Some other Pilgrims and I found a vending machine in a medeivel village and nothing much in it. I said let’s walk to the edge of town maybe we just luck out.

    Sure enough there was a bohemian Pilgrim stop. There was this huge door and young man standing there. He greeted everyone that was walking by and as I approached him he said “hello my name is Oscar.”

    I looked at the table with food and saw hard boiled eggs!! Yes!!!

    Oscar said “I can make you a coffee would you like one?” I said “really? Wow ! Yes thank you!” I sat down in a make shift outdoor garage living room. The place also had a garden and lots of art work and musical instruments.

    Oscar brought me my coffee. His eyes were piercing I don’t know how to describe it exactly. My friends were ready to leave, I told them I was going to sit a little longer.

    I went to find the toilet and realized it was an outdoor toilet. There is a sign that says do not poop in toilet and you are beautiful!🤣💜

    Zoom in to read all the signs.

    I was getting very comfortable at this stop and the folks like Oscar were very friendly and kind. However, I was getting an odd vibe. Nothing inappropriate. I just kept looking around and as I observed I got kind of a cult vibe. I thought to myself well it might be a cult, but nobody wants an old 56 year old in their cult and As I took my last sip of coffee con leche …..I thought, 🤔 unless they do!!! 😳

    So……………

    I finished up and thanked Oscar for his hospitality gave him a hug dropped a few euros in the Donativo bucket and off I went walking. 👣 💜🙌 ☮️ Buen Camino!

    To be continued next post……    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Sarria pt 2

    14 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Sigh, I got lost….yikes! 😩

    I saw a cow and started talking to him (yes, I talked to a cow!) and when I was finished, I started walking off without paying attention on a road that was NOT the Camino. I was walking and noticed I was going straight uphill and I thought that odd because I was suppose to be going downhill and 20 minutes later I come to the same place I was just at. I walked in a big 2 km circle 😢 🤣. Welp, I figured out what I had done. Found the right road. Got back on track!

    Last 7 km we’re a little hard because of my detour. I was thirsty and thinking about grabbing my water bottle from my back pack and meanwhile noticed my shoe becoming lose so I bent down to tie it up and my water bottle went flying out of its holder and landed in a pile of cow poop!💩. I looked at it and for a half a second thought I could clean that off and then left it there and said “water is overrated” 🤣🤣😇

    As I got closer and closer to Sarria I was excited, tired and hopeful. The walk to Sarria almost felt like the end of the Camino because there is so much conversation about it.🦶 it felt like several chapters ending. I was about to meet lots of new people and I didn’t know who or where.

    There were two routes to Sarria that day. Where the route splits was in plain sight and I had wondered if some folks didn’t see the sign. During the 9 hour day I saw only maybe 4 or 5 people. The other route had Pilgrigms walking through a village called Samos. It was a few kilometer longer than the route I chose and was know for their Monastery.

    A Camino friend walked that Samos route and later reported “Samos is stupid!” 😇. She had been having her own difficulties adjusting to the Camino life and while her comment was negative it was funny because I could relate. From then on if I ever wanted to kid around or vent I’d say “Samos is stupid!” or “Stupid Camino”. It was a fun ironic, contradictory way to express our discomfort , laugh at myself and move forward.

    Walking into Sarria was cleansing, purifying and I could feel the feels.

    Once I arrived to our hotel - it was Gin and Tonic time! As much as we were starting to get in the heart of Galicia “The seafood capital” which I love me some seafood. I needed a hearty cheeseburger. I found one of the best cheeseburgers in my life at a place called “Hamburguesa & Beer” what more could ya ask for! 🍔 🍺

    As I prepared to sleep I could feel my new nervous energy as I prepare for the last 100km of Camino de Santiago and go for my Compostela.    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1111111

    Sarria to Portomarin

    15 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Walking out of Sarria felt like a fresh beginning! I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s the begging of the Camino for some. On paper we are in the home stretch the last days of the Camino. In reality those days are long. One day sometimes feels like a week has passed.

    Regardless of all of that. It’s good to be here.💜

    it’s one thing to walk 17,20,25 KM one time/day. When you are walking that many KMs day after day (stacking) it takes a different kind of toll on the body that I could not have ever imagined. There is a good tired, painful tired, joyful tired and spiritual happy tired. All being felt at the same time or one at a time. Most of my mornings are popping 600-800mg Ibuprofen, slathering my feet with foot glide, stretching, squatting and using my stick to keep me moving. Sore , rusty, rickety, stiff, swollen are everyday adjectives used to describe the morning routine as a new stage is started.

    As we are walking out of Sarria the voices and conversation is louder and the stick clicking the ground is noticeable. People taking photos everywhere. For me it was fun seeing the new Pilgrims get excited. I did wonder how they would feel by the end of the day. One man nervously asked me how I felt after three days. I provided tips on how to deal with feet and leg fatigue and wished him well. I also met woman who is singing in a choir that performs at the churches on The Camino and they were to perform at the church in Portomarín. I was excited to hear some live music or singing.

    Some fun stops were where a old man was pulling wild flowers and handing them out. He handed me some and it was very nice.

    I reached the 100km marker. Yay! The Taiwanese group took my picture!

    There was a big group of folks from Taiwan and they were very friendly, happy and wore bright orange backpack covers. I ended up walking with them. We would help each other navigate the rugged part of the path and take photos together! I enjoyed these folks very much they made the walk fun!

    I saw a live turkey. I never saw one before.

    There was also a part on the trail at the end and that was a little dangerous and that was fun to walk with the Taiwanese because they celebrated it!    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur
    1

    Palas De Rei

    16 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The enthusiasm and excitement of walking out of Sarria for the compostela has worn off. Boy that was quick!🤣. The walk was good and a bit weary for me.

    I felt pretty excited leaving Portomarin after getting inspired by the Taiwanese Pilgrims positive vibe and orange back packs. I enjoyed listening to the birds and having wet green climate to hike through.

    It’s not so much I walk into a walk and say, I have to think about something . Nope, that thinking for the sake of thinking is not what happens. What’s happening is I go for a walk and the mind or the soul will bring it. The source will present me with what’s next.

    Just for the record I DON’T ALWAYS LIKE IT. 😇. I have learned by now to surrender to it. Be with it, sort out what I can and keep walking to cleanse and clear it.

    This day was a good soul working walk.

    The maps show small villages with small restaurants and bars.

    I didn’t eat much for breakfast.

    As I got hungry I went looking for a bar/cafe and When I found a bar/cafe I was excited!

    I found this beautiful cafe with a shack vibe. The food looked absolutely outstanding. I was soo excited and thankful to order huevos fritas con Jamon Serrano y Patatas. Fried eggs and bacon with french fries and a beer!! yee ha!

    Women looks at me stone faced and says “we are closed. “

    I think to myself It’s 12.30PM!!!!

    I look at sign and sign and it says open until 4:30pm.

    I ask again to make sure no food can be ordered. She says she had to close kitchen to clean up and to get ready for lunch which starts at 2:30pm.

    Doink!!! 😢 I cant figure out Spanish business time!! I just sat in the chair staring/watching everyone finish their yummy meals. I could sense I was getting irritated by the situation. I was focusing on what I didn’t have. I said “calm down Trina Brown!.”
    I went outside in the rain under a porch roof and started fixing my feet and my socks.

    The place was full of people eating and she said no. Denied! Felt like rejection. I wanted to cry. AGAIN!! 😢 😆

    I thought, I’m hungry and I’m a good person damn it! Later I would find out that other Pilgrims who had their own food and rejection moments shared similar intense emotions. It was interesting to share what emotions got conjured up and how we managed with them.

    I kept repeating to myself it’s fine you ain’t gonna starve to death.
    You’ll just be hangry today. Drink some water.
    Then this led to me thinking about people who live without food many days In a row or the most nutrient food. Day in and day out. What happens when this is your everyday reality, wondering about a meal? Not knowing if you’ll receive one. What could that do to someone if it was a way of life consistenly?

    I say to myself yea you hungry and you’ll survive. Thank God for that!

    Then I arrived into the city of Palas de rei. My phone was dying and the city to my surprise was as much larger than the map shown and longer in a rectangle shape than I realized. It was going to be another 30 min walk to get to City Center. Sigh. Nothing to do but keep walking.

    I used my intuition and eventually through my sense found Amy and Fred.

    Fred is a nice man from the Netherlands. He thinks his English is no good but it’s very good! I say to Fred, if your English was bad I could not talk to you! Fred, thank you for speaking English because I do not speak Dutch! Gracias! 🙏 💜

    He has been checking in on us since Los Arcos running of the bulls. He had inspired me that day to keep walking when I didn’t want to walk. He is a gentle giant. He is also as I call him the Mayor of the Camino.

    He is a caring man, friendly interested in everyone’s life. Genuinely concerned for people.

    He has a daughter that he checks in with. He has struggled in finding inspiration to finish like I have and many others. He keeps walking like we all do.

    It’s always nice to run into him.

    Other Pilgrims love running into him as well! Video attached.

    Once I got into town I found a hotel called Hotel Trina! Fun!

    Had some Pardon Peppers for dinner and wine!🍷    En savoir plus

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  • Trina BrownEl Camino de SantiagoVoyageur

    Ribsdiso da Baixo

    17 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    OMG!!! How many more stages left?? 😣

    As I said earlier I thought I was close when I arrived in Sarria, only a 100km to go!
    My little kid voice says to me “Trina this is feels like forever!”

    It was a 25K day! My fourth day walking 20 - 25 kilometers.

    Little did I know that one week feels like one month! Dramatic, I know!

    I thought, When will I get there?

    I got to my albergue around 6:00pm.

    I ordered a huge steak, fries and Gin & Tonic. I cheers myself and laughed at my internal Temper tantrum.

    I had a great conversation at dinner with a family from Miami about the purpose of some Pilgrimages and their idea to take a burden off of the world or a person (like disease) (dis - ease) and take on the walk of suffering so someone else doesn’t have to. They were devout Catholics and I listen to them mostly. It was a fun, heavy and lengthy conversation and I am grateful for it.

    The albergue was beautiful and I slept hard!    En savoir plus

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