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David and Sean’s Camino
  • David and Sean's Camino

David and Sean’s Camino

David and Sean will fly to Paris, France on June 2, 2023 to begin their Camino de Santiago adventure--a walking trek of approximately 500 miles. Weiterlesen
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    “Mobile Community”

    28. Juni 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    I think that’s the phrase that Nancy used to describe our recent experience—repeatedly running into many of the same people, even when my dialysis schedule has us hopping around (both ahead and behind).

    The first picture you’ve probably seen before, showing Sean and our friend Brandon (middle school science teacher at a private Catholic school in Houston, TX).

    The second picture is of our friends the Colemans, Michelle and Brian. Michelle teaches communications at a college and Brian is a music teacher at a high school.

    I have literally lost count of the times and places we have bumped into the Colemans. We’ll walk by a restaurant and there they are. We‘ll check into an albergue—voila! I’ve mentioned them in many of my blogs and still haven’t covered half of the times we’ve have enjoyed spending time with them.

    The video is courtesy of Sean and shows a spontaneous community dinner the other night with Maria and Lucas from Brazil, Charlotte from the UK, the Colemans, unknown, Richard “the Gentle Giant” from Los Angeles, Brandon, and Mike from New York.

    What a blessing these friends have been to us and how privileged we have been to get to know each of them better.    Weiterlesen

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    Giving Up Cruz de Ferro

    28. Juni 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Cruz de Ferro is the highest point of the entire Camino Frances. There is a cross there where people have laid down small stones and other mementos and said prayers thanking God for taking away their burdens.

    I have carried a small stone given to my by Harrison for that very occasion. Today I laid it down at the small memorial pictured here, knowing that I will not make it to Cruz de Ferro—due to the lack of dialysis after Astorga and the climb itself.

    Still, I thanked (and thank!) God for the sacrifice of Christ and his willingness “all my sins and griefs to bear.”

    I have had to let go of many things on this Camino and not seeing Cruz de Ferro might be the least of them (and probably not the last). Still, what I have gained in drawing closer to God, drawing closer to Sean, in what I have been blessed to do, and in the friendships gained, has FAR outweighed anything I have given up!    Weiterlesen

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    ‘Cidra’ means cider

    28. Juni 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Sean likes cider, and we discovered a brand while in the Basque region that was as good or better than his favorite (Strongbow). Since then we haven’t had any luck.

    Until Sahagun.

    We were staying at the monastery, attended the pilgrim blessing with a group of our friends, then went out for dinner. And there on another table sat this cartoonish thing—which turned out to be a cider dispenser!

    Sean and I ordered one and, while the cider was only fair, the entertainment value was fantastic.

    We were cautioned by many to only dispense a little at a time and then to drink it immediately or it should be thrown out! Evidently this little device adds fizz to the liquid while also preventing the loss of something from the bottle. You push a button on the back of the little guy and it squirts cider into the glass in his arms.

    It was a hit at our table!    Weiterlesen

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    Camino in Jeopardy!

    30. Juni 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    I came down sick the night before last. Just a head cold, but a monster one. We jumped to Leon earlier than planned and I have holed up in bed with meds and lots of rest.

    But that’s NOT why our Camino is in jeopardy!

    Last night we discovered the BEST hamburger joint in all of Europe! Sean and I each ordered the Kevin Bacon burger: two gorgeous patties, American cheese, and grilled onions on a real hamburger bun!

    No lettuce. No tomato. No mayonnaise. No undercooked patty. French fries served with a perfect BBQ sauce and onion rings served with a different dipping sauce that paired perfectly.

    And now Sean has spread the word to other pilgrims! I fear that we and others will now never get past Leon! But as Sean said last night, “we can now die happy.” (Oh, and he got my leftovers for breakfast!)    Weiterlesen

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    Lack of Pictures!

    2. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Sorry about the recent lack of pictures and even posts. I’ve been recuperating and haven’t gotten out much. Tomorrow after dialysis we will be on the Camino again and hopefully get some new photos and experiences to share. We will be moving into the Galicia region soon and it is said to be the most beautiful.

    We’ve been spoiled these last few days: a hotel room to ourselves, two dialysis sessions, and a splendid breakfast buffet. Still, I am anxious to get back on the Camino and make some more progress towards Santiago.

    This week should be pretty easy. We’ve got two relatively minor climbs, but due to scheduling we also have an extra day to get to Astorga, so we’ll break two stages into three (and that’s not counting however much we are able to get in after dialysis tomorrow).

    Thank you ALL for following us, for your comments, and for your encouragement!    Weiterlesen

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    One last look at Leon

    2. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Tomorrow we leave Leon. Here’s a few more pics, including lunch at a place that specializes in paella. Sean chose the meat version, I chose the lobster version—then we were told it was “for two”, so we got meat. Sean rated it the second best paella we’ve had on our Camino! Not bad.

    And that’s the basilica again, peeking between the buildings of an alleyway. Sean and I found it to be a great landmark in terms of navigating. (That and “turn left at Han Solo”—a stencil on a wall near our hotel. I’ll be sure to get the pic from Sean.)

    Dinner tonight (maybe Mexican?), then one more time being spoiled at the breakfast buffet, then we’re off to dialysis and the Camino!    Weiterlesen

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    Cruz de Ferro!

    2. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    We’ll, here’s a post I didn’t expect to make! The picture was sent to me by Michelle Coleman. She was walking the Camino today, saw this rock, thought of me, then went back and got the rock and is now carrying it to leave at Cruz de Ferro on my behalf!

    We were blessed to see the Colemans—and ‘the whole gang”—here in Leon. Sean had messaged Brandon and the Colemans, telling them about the great burger place we’d found. They met us there and because the Colemans are “pilgrim magnets” it ended up being a party of 12. And by party I mean PARTY!

    I can’t hear well in a crowd so I missed most of the conversation, but I did NOT miss the love and affection that all these people have developed for each other over our various Caminos!

    Each time I say ‘goodbye’, I’m told we’ll see each other again. And I certainly hope and pray that’s true. God bless you Michelle and Brian! Buen Camino! You have certainly made our Camino richer and more meaningful.    Weiterlesen

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    Lions, and Tigers, and No Beds! Oh My!

    4. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ 🌙 54 °F

    Let’s start with the positive: thank you God for providing two beds for us last night… at 7pm!

    The day started out great. Last dialysis in Leon went smoothly and Sean enjoyed one last Kevin Bacon burger on the way out of town.

    Our plan was to get to the edge of Leon as we have an extra day before Astorga. Alas, no albergues or hotels before leaving Leon. So we walked to the next village. Two hostels closed, one albergue closed, another one full, and the only hotel in town full!

    So we went on to the next village where the first albergue we found was closed on Mondays! Wandered around A LOT before finally finding our night’s respite. We are now so far ahead of schedule it’s not even funny. Dialysis in Astorga is scheduled for Friday. We might dilly dally or simply get there early and explore a bit.

    Oh, and Sean officially had his worst meal of the Camino. So he’s got that out of the way!

    On the Camino, as in life, it pays to be flexible!    Weiterlesen

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    Hospital de Orbigo

    4. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Since we’re ahead of schedule we stopped early in a delightful village called Hospital de Orbigo. The pictures show coming into town across a very long bridge, the church, some of the quaint, and cobble stone lanes.

    But Sean had to explain the final photo for me because I hadn’t put together what I was seeing. It’s a jousting tournament setup!

    There are posters here at the albergue of the annual competitions and evidently it’s a really big thing—not just here but throughout the region. I’ve seen it in movies, but didn’t recognize it when I saw it in real life.

    These people take medieval fairies to a whole new level! Enjoy the pics.    Weiterlesen

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    It’s Not About the Food… But It Is

    4. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    I recognize that we have posted a LOT of pictures of food along the Camino. And I will be quick to say that in many ways we have been spoiled rotten (fresh-squeezed OJ and croissants for breakfast!).

    But the truth is, it’s not about the food. It’s about anticipating the food.

    For instance, this morning there was no breakfast so we set out without. It seemed like we’d been approaching that next village forever! In fact, it was about two-and-a-half hours and roughly 7 miles. And all that time we were looking forward to whatever we ended up eating as “second breakfast.”

    Another day we were walking with Brandon, finally found some cold drinks and he commented that it was the best he’d ever tasted. And I think it’s because we really worked for it.

    It’s the same with the albergues. When we finally see a sign it’s usually near the end of a long, hard day, our feet are tired, our backs are sore, and we’re ready to call it a day.    Weiterlesen

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    Progress, part 2

    4. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    As of today, Sean and I have walked 195.95 miles of the Camino. Tomorrow we will trip over the 200 mile marker with another 10.3, putting us in Astorga.

    Our plan continues to be to transport from Astorga (after dialysis) to Sarria and walk the remaining distance (100km) in order to qualify for our Compostelas.

    If we are able to accomplish that it will put our total Camino journey at 289.45 miles. Not quite the entire 474 miles of the entire trek, but certainly a lot more than is “reasonable” for someone on dialysis.

    Sean and I broke down the remainder of our stages at lunch today (maps and charts spread out all over the table!) and we anticipate arriving in Santiago on Wednesday, July 12th, traveling the next day to Paris, spending Friday the 14th seeing the Musee d’Orsay and whatever else we can take in (riots permitting!), and then catching an early flight home (as in earlier than originally planned) on Saturday the 15th.    Weiterlesen

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    Correction

    4. Juli 2023 in Frankreich ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    In my last post I said that Sean officially had his worst meal of the Camino. Boy did I misunderstand!

    He enjoyed last night’s dinner very much—a soup-like mix of green beans and Gorgonzola beans (correction: garbanzo!) with bread for sopping it up.

    His worst meal was technically before our Camino even started, back on Orthez, France where he ordered a hamburger and got some sort of Frankenstein’s monster burger on a bun that didn’t deserve to be called a bun!

    He has especially enjoyed the soups with bread for sopping up—much like his Grandpa C. would have. (We haven’t seen “tugboat stew” on any of the menus, or maybe we have and just didn’t translate it properly!)

    Happy 4th of July everyone!    Weiterlesen

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    Westbound

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    For the vast majority of our Camino we have been westbound. (If you don’t believe me, just check out the tan on the back of Sean’s neck, legs, and arms! He may have to walk back to St. Jean just to even out his tan. Lol! Just kidding, Sean!)

    One of the joys of walking westbound has been the fields of sunflowers! I’m certain that we were seeing fields of them early on, but didn’t recognize them as such because they hadn’t yet flowered.

    But due to the season and how long we’ve been walking they are now in full bloom. And because they always face the sun, they are also facing us as we walk westward.

    I apologize that I don’t have a picture of a full field to do justice to this article. I was struck by how many fields we saw yesterday (without thinking to take a pic), decided to write this during the night, and then didn’t see a single field today! Just this one lonely, but beautiful sunflower.

    Sean assured me we’ll still see more, and I hope he’s right, but not in Astorga, and perhaps not after we make the jump to Sarria, so I’m posting this now just in case.

    If we see another field I’ll be sure to take the pic and post it. They are SO bright and joyful!    Weiterlesen

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    Astorga

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    We’ve just arrived in Astorga. Wow! If you’ve looked at the pictures you know what I mean. And those were taken just entering the city, following the Camino, and looking for an albergue to spend the night (last photo).

    Tomorrow we’ll explore the city a bit more, hopefully find a round table cloth to take home for Nancy and I to enjoy on our patio, and check in to the hotel nearest the dialysis center.

    So, expect more pics from Astorga!    Weiterlesen

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    What’s Your Love Language?

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    I’ve read the book. Thought I knew what mine was. Then Brian Coleman made the statement at dinner the other night that he thought his was “making food for others.”

    That thought really resonated with me, because I get great satisfaction and joy from doing the same. So I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

    I think mine is broader. I think mine is making things for others; whether it be cooking, or a play production, or something in the wood shop, or something like the raised beds or chicken coop that won’t FIT in the wood shop.

    Cooking is easiest because it’s often started and completed in a single day, whereas the other types of projects usually take significantly more time. Nonetheless, they give me the same joy and satisfaction.

    I know it’s not one of the five love languages defined in the book, but who’s to say the book is exhaustive!

    So, what’s YOUR love language?    Weiterlesen

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    Weather

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ 🌩️ 77 °F

    We have been SO blessed by the weather during our Camino. Just check out the beautiful skies in SO many of our photos and videos and the temperatures that automatically get attached to these blog entries.

    We’ve been rained on twice while walking and even then only drips and drops. We’ve seen absolute deluges, but we’ve seen them from the comfort and shelter of a restaurant or an albergue.

    And now as I write this, sitting in our albergue here in Astorga, there is a tremendous thunderstorm roaring outside! We may even get wet popping out for dinner tonight! Oh the horror!

    Brian and Michelle Coleman (whom I’ve been missing VERY much) said that when they walked the Camino in 2017 it was called the “summer of Lucifer” it was so hot. And here we have been enjoying unseasonably cooler weather, much to our enjoyment.

    And it is VERY appreciated. Thank you God!

    (p.s. After I wrote this is was discovered that several of the ceiling windows in our top floor room were open, letting a literal flood of water in! Sean and I were fortunate to have picked beds NOT under the deluge, but pity those people who are going to lie down later tonight to find their bed is wet!)    Weiterlesen

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    First Fall!

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We’ll, I’ve lost my balance many times on the Camino, but until just now I haven’t fallen. And truth be told, my first fall wasn’t so bad.

    Sean and I are checked in at an albergue in Astorga and they have a “foot pool” where you can sit on a small stool and soak your feet in the “healing” (rather cold!) waters.

    As I was sitting on the little stool it slipped out from under me (so a fall of about five inches!), partly due to the rain water on the slate tiles beneath. Scraped my leg a little bit and got the bottom part of my pant legs wet, but absolutely fine otherwise. More embarrassing than hurtful. And the waters may not have healing properties but they sure felt good on our travel-weary feet!

    Sean and I took the picture primarily to share with Nancy, She and I took a very similar photo, I believe in southern Spain (turns out it was Italy!) at a place that had been visited by Charlemagne and was also believed to have healing waters.

    Somehow I managed not to fall that time.    Weiterlesen

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    More Astorga

    5. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    More pics from Astorga. First pic is of the scallops I had for dinner last night. And yes, I kept the nicest shell as a momento of our Camino, as the scallop shell is the most common symbol on the Camino.

    The inside pictures are of the cathedral, where Sean and I took an audio tour. Too much Catholic symbolism and architectural history for me to take it all in! One of the last inside photos is of Saint James as he is believed to have preached in this region.

    His body is believed to have been returned here and kept in Santiago de Compostela. (Sant Iago translates as Saint James. And Camino de Santiago translates as The Way of Saint James. In the picture you can see his traveling staff and possibly two scallop shells draped across his chest.

    The last photo is a gorgeous, shaded park directly outside the old city walls and directly below the palace and cathedral.    Weiterlesen

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    2

    Welcome to Galicia!

    8. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    After dialysis yesterday we attempted to make the jump to Sarria, missed a bus connection, spent the night in Lugo, then completed our jump late this morning.

    We are now in the last region of the Camino—Galicia, and it is gorgeous! After the wide open spaces of the Meseta it feels close and comfortable. Sean likened it to the Shire in Tolkien’s world of hobbits.

    We are behind schedule but really enjoying the scenery as you can see from the videos and pics!    Weiterlesen

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    “Have a Nap and a Snack”

    8. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Early on in our Camino, Sean mentioned a Bible passage where God basically told someone, “Have a nap and a snack.” He then looked it up and passed it to me, 1 Kings 19 starting in verse 5. I’ve read it many times since.

    Late yesterday, on the bus from Astorga to Lugo, I was as close to quitting as I have come. And the ironic thing is that we weren’t being challenged by fatigue, or a steep hill, loose footing, or even heat. We were just sitting on a bus.

    I remembered Sean’s passage and decided to “have a nap and a snack.” My nap was bedtime and over breakfast this morning Sean and I discussed the pros and cons and decided to press on.

    And I think this was the most rewarding walk of our Camino in terms of pure enjoyment of our surroundings (as well as being back on the Camino after far too much waiting for various things while in Astorga).

    Even if we had decided to head back home, it would have been based on the sound advice of “have a nap and a snack.”    Weiterlesen

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    Ending our Camino

    10. Juli 2023 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    After making the jump to Sarria, Sean and I walked to Portomarin, but once there decided to end our Camino. We are both exhausted: Sean due to lack of sleep for five weeks and me due to the rigors of the Camino.

    We have taken a bus to Santiago de Compostela, going to visit the Cathedral and the Pilgrim Office to see whether we qualify for our compostelas. We walked well over 100km, but we didn’t walk the final 100.

    This afternoon we hope to catch a flight to Paris, visit the Musee d’Orsay then head home.

    I far exceeded my three goals: draw closer to God, draw closer to Sean, and have a grand adventure! And Sean far exceeded his, which was to support me. He has been faithful, patient, and supportive literally every step of the way. I could not have asked for a better companion!

    What I did not expect was the friendships we made along the way; in particular Brian and Michelle Coleman (cruisinwiththecolemans on YouTube), Brandon from Houston, Lucas and Maria from Brazil, and Richard “the Gentle Giant” from Los Angeles. Each was a blessing to us and we treasure the time we had with them.

    Unbelievably, Sean and I waited over 5 hours for the bus in Portomarin and in the last 5 minutes who should come strolling up but Lucas and Maria! An unexpected joy to see them one more time!

    Thank you God for all the blessings and all the answered prayers during this trek. We will remember it and treasure it always.    Weiterlesen

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    Santiago

    10. Juli 2023 in den USA ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    End of the physical Camino, Santiago Compostela, and the end of our walking journey. Although we ended our walking in Portomarin, we caught a bus to Santiago, spent the night, then went to the Pilgrim Center to see if we had walked enough to earn our “compostelas,” the diploma given for walking at least 100km of the Camino, and sure enough we had! We also received certifications for how much we had walked (in Latin, no less!).

    And of course, we ran into people whom we had met along the way, including a German fellow we met all the way back in Roncesvalles, day one!

    The cathedral is huge (as you can see in the picture) and the plaza is equally so. It was quite a feeling, having thought and planned for well over a year, then walking (and busing and training and dialyzing) for five weeks. To reach the physical termination point of our Camino was both a relief and a letdown, of sorts. What to do now that we had fulfilled this long quest?

    Many people return to walk the Camino again. Possibly taking another route. (There are many Camino routes, though the one that we walked—the Camino Frances—is the most commonly traveled one, and therefore the one that best supported my need for dialysis.) Sean spoke of that possibility. For me, I think I’ve “scratched that itch” and pushed my physical limits as far to the edge as I can. We’ll see.

    For now, we will enjoy our halfway Compostelas, full Compostelas, mileage certificates, photos, friendships, and memories. And, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.    Weiterlesen

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    Final Thoughts

    11. Juli 2023 in Frankreich ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Our “formal” Camino is done. Sean and I received our compostelas (diplomas) both for the halfway and full journey and we have returned home safely where we are catching up on our sleep.

    So, what did we take away from our Camino?

    My goals were to draw closer to God, draw closer to Sean, and to have a grand adventure. And all of those goals were met and exceeded long before we ended our trek. What I did not expect was the friendships that we made along the way; especially Brian and Michelle Coleman, Brandon from Houston, Lucas and Maria from Brazil, Richard “the Gentle Giant” from Los Angeles, and many others whose names I have either forgotten or never knew.

    Sean’s goal was to be there for me and boy did he meet and exceed that goal! He was as patient and faithful a companion as I could have asked for and I would never have gotten as far as I did or enjoyed the journey as much as I did without his presence.

    Most pilgrims will tell you that the Camino is a reflection of life. It has many of the same qualities: ups and downs (quite literally!), joys and sorrows, successes and failures, surprises and disappointments. But it is also much quieter than life. No trash to take out, no work to go to or deadlines to meet. Mostly void of the rush of traffic and the noise of cities. It is a time to slow down and reflect.

    Sean and I were blessed to have this time together and I suspect that as we gain distance from our journey we will find that we have gained knowledge and insights that we don’t yet recognize. I pray that’s true.

    We have many people to thank. Nancy for supporting our going and for handling many logistical details for my dialysis. Harrison for handling some travel details when we found ourselves without a way home when we ended earlier than expected. My nephrologist for supporting this effort. The people who followed this blog and offered encouragement along the way—it was greatly appreciated! And most especially, God, for answering many, many prayers and for giving us the strength, endurance, and wisdom that we asked and prayed for.

    We all walk the Camino. Every day. It may not be as quiet as the one we experienced but we still have the opportunity to draw closer to God, draw closer to the ones we love and to support them, to have a grand adventure, and to be blessed with friends and as friends.

    I wish each of you Buen Camino and pray that God blesses your journey and your pilgrimage in life!    Weiterlesen

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    Ende der Reise
    23. Juli 2023
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