Madrid: Time to Reflect

Really? Time to Shop, Eat Tapas and Sleep, and sleep, and sleep....

The goodbyes in Santiago were bittersweet. We learned long ago that most friendships formed during travel are fast, furious and a whole lot of fun. Usually we keep in touch with a few folks afterwards, but the majority of people we meet return to their usual lives as do we. This time however, some of the people we've met will likely figure again in our future, at least we hope so. Time will tell. We do plan to cycle to Denmark in the next couple of years where we hope to find Marianne. We hope Ken comes west to visit, or that we at least stay in touch. There will soon be travels to Australia, New Zealand and Ireland where we will certainly connect with others met along the Way...so as usual some goodbyes were in fact that, others were more like, "until next time". A few photos from Santiago and the Cathedral...

The pillar in the Cathedral entrance where peregrinos have placed their hand on the way in for a millennium...at the bottom.

Those who know us well are aware of our history and preference for budget travel. Case in point, we each bought a €2 umbrella (bright yellow!) in Santiago and then walked through the heavy rain down to the train station...what was that all about? Ever heard of a taxi? Well you will be pleased to know that we purchased good quality train tickets to Madrid for the 6 hour travel. The ride was a blast...literally, as the high speed train lived up to its name moving along at a crisp 238 kms/hr! It didn't hit top speed of 315, but it was pretty good. The movies on board were very cheesy, but they kept us entertained trying to understand the dialogue. It rained and rained as we crossed through the mountains and hills of northern Spain, until darkness block out the dreadful sight. We could only think of our friends who were behind us on the Camino with still many kilometers to walk...Dave and Peter we hope you are both staying dry. We arrived into Madrid at a completely unexpected train station, not Atchoa Tren Statione...all the way across town on a late, wet and black night. We looked at the metro diagram,  figured out our route, then paused and said, "what the hell"' and headed for the taxi ranks. We lucked out and met a very nice fellow who drove us to Plaza Mayor where our hotel is located...but it was a long way. That said, we had a blast discussing footfall (Europa League game on his radio) and as we warmed to each other the talk shifted to famous sites along the way including Real Madrid's famous football stadium el Beurabue...which seats about 85,000 fans. A half hour later at our hotel door and a few euros lighter, we shook hands and parted, both parties having enjoyed the exchange in Spanish and English. We began to realize just how far we'd come language wise in 6 weeks...even me!

While on the train we entertained ourselves by dreaming up some of the stats from our Camino...cheesy movies, rain outside...what do you expect?

12 days with rain

39 different beds each

2,645 photos most by Annemarie 

213 poncho on and offs

47 meaningful encounters with other peregrinos

~80 vino tinto & blanco each

35 clothes washings in a sink

30 poems written and 7 more in process

185 Hours spent walking (includes breaks)

205 bars, cafes and restaurants frequented...several more than once!

43 band aides for Geoff, 35 for Annemarie 

3 tubes of Vaselino plus 1 tube of Gerwol foot cream

Minimum 800,000 steps each 

2 countries

31 churches visited +\-

63 liters of water consumed

0 bull fights

2 small tubes of toothpaste

12 Snickers bars (total)

44 beers, perhaps a few more!

18 Cokes each

~ 800 kms, but nothing adds up!

210 villages, towns visited

6 cities

2 campgrounds, 1 convent, 2 monasteries, 1 apartment

0 items lost

50 times Geoff's camera wouldn't turn on

30 tortillas

953  "Buen caminos" exchanged

1 other set of pacer poles seen

14 Canadians completing on the day we did, 0 the day before

50 times Americans claimed there were more Canadians on the trail...the number of Americans at least doubled that of Canadians

2,326 puddles jumped

1 nasty dog, 152 nice ones

2 nights in a parador

3 train rides

3 sheep herds joined, 1 cow herd

1 hospital visit, 10 pharmacy visits

3 new foot support devices tried by Annemarie 

4 credentias with 119 stamps in them

And FINALLY... 2 Compostellas!

The excitement and anticipation of the last four days, hard beds and the many days of walking without a day off finally caught up. I fell asleep twice on the run in to Madrid and I slept last night from midnight to 8am this morning...still want more sleep! Showered and laundry hung for the last time, we walked out to find breakfast with eggs and everything at a favorite cafe from a prior visit. Walls of cured, very expensive jamon!

Then it was off to shop...three hours later and I'm more sore than after any single day on the Camino! Dodging through crowds of tourists, slow walkers and oncoming folks, not to mention aimlessly walking through stores (something I thoroughly hate) and I feel like I was hit by a bus! Caitlin...Christmas crank-up has started here too...

Then stop for nourishment...

Back to the hotel to drop stuff off and check emails as we've had no weefee for a while now...I'm so linked in! Thanks Joe for contacting Trafalgar school about Mr Allen...I was very touched by your efforts. We read the school newsletter today, with a couple of tears from Annemarie, and in retrospect I think that perhaps it's my only memorable contribution to that school!! Perhaps better late than never.

Annemarie has gone out to shop some more and has left me here to write for an hour then we are going to search out some tapas for lunch. We know where to find them so they can run, but they can't hide! Fattening ourselves up as best we can before returning home. I may have lost a couple of pounds, but Annemarie has lost more I think and is very fit...though she won't discuss it! Plaza Mayor where we presently reside...

We knew we were going to cause some disruption to a few morning routines, but based on feedback, we had no idea how much. So long from Madrid.

Madrid...raining, but who cares!

We will post a final effort and photos from Madrid as there seems to be a few folks going through blog withdrawal out there...stay tuned!

Geoff & Annemarie ,

In the interim...

Finishing

For some the walk is finished in Santiago, others feel the need to carry on to Finisterre

Our journey is complete, we won't be going there

We have been to the pilgrims office and have our Compostellas in hand

Our names are written in Latin, it feels quite grand

We congratulated many who we met along the way

They arrived along with us give or take a day

A group of us went out for a celebratory seafood meal

 One last time to enjoy the community of the Camino we feel

We went to the Cathedral for the pilgrim's mass

Everyone goes...no one gives it a pass

We have left Santiago for a little rest before going home

We are already beginning to talk about where next we will roam

We are both one people who like to finish what we start

And it was particularly important with this pilgrimage that fills the heart

There were times when I doubted that I would achieve this goal

My partner did not doubt a bit, he knew it in his soul

For us this journey is now finished, but not ended

There is a sense of completion, just as intended

We will now take time to reflect on the lessons we have learned

There have been many, and we will continue to learn them long after we have returned 

Stage 35: The Final Stage! Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela, 20 kms, 4 hrs, 17C, Rain...then sun

We Can't Believe We Are Here!!!!

At a time like this it seems that one should be able to come up with something profound and world changing to expound upon...such as, "this is where we separate the sheep from the goats"' or some other statement which will go down in to the history of man kind. Unfortunately, I don't have a team of writers putting together profound one liners for me. Our arrival into Santiago was a bit convoluted and not at all as portrayed in the movie The Way. It was pouring rain, the road to the cathedral was all ripped up and we were not allowed into the Cathedral noon time peregrino mass because we still had our gear on. Surely we smelled bad enough to be allowed in so they would swing the big incense burner, but alas we have to wait until tomorrow. 

We were so up for the day that we were awake early walking through the forest in the pitch black, jumping puddles and eventually forced to just walk through many of them...it was pretty wet. Didn't stop until we arrived in the square...but we were ok with a non-stop stroll today. Evidence of flooding everywhere.

Concerning our arrival, I'll simply say that we are both presently a bit overwhelmed. The arrival is actually pretty emotional and it gets even better as others you have begun to know along the way show up to welcome you in or arrive as the day goes along. We have just returned from a most memorable gathering at a bar across from the official Peregrino Office. It was just like an old home coming event. Hugs and kisses, congrats all round followed up with endless mugs of beer. You couldn't ask for a better welcome. Truly memorable. And the celebration has just begun as we will head out for dinner with a pretty large group tonight in just over an hour. No curfews so it should be a late night if any of us have any energy left to burn. We are all running on fumes and it wouldn't take much for all of us to crash in a pile and fall fast asleep!

Still processing things and expect this to go on for quite some time. We do want to thank all who have sent us the many encouraging emails and blog messages as we've walked the past five and a half weeks. They had great meaning to both of us and helped provide laugher and support just when we needed a little pick-up. So thank you all for that...appreciated.

We will write more as time permits...perhaps on the 5 hour train ride late tomorrow as we head down to Madrid...fortunately we know the city fairly well so arriving late will be ok, and as we walk up to our hotel we will be looking for TAPAS!!

Here are a few photos from our day...hope you enjoy.

Hotel tonight...old monastery 

Geoff & Annemarie 

Over to Annemarie ....

The Trail In

Todays's trail serves as a metaphor for our journey, and life more broadly

We started in the dark, not completely sure where we were to go, oddly

We asked for directions and a helpful soul got us on our way

We started off in the woods, the trail difficult to see I would say

Last night's storm definitely left it's mark

Puddles and mud and still it was dark

Our Camino umbrella was in place, the rain had stopped

We helped each other find a dry route, around the puddles we hopped

At one point the path was completely washed away

Get wet to our knees or leave the marked path was a choice we had to make today

As usual, we chose our own way, went along a different road

And soon the path rejoined, and on again we trode

For a time the path was smooth, there were no challenges for us to see

But the rain came down, we found shelter under a tree

Then of course the ubiquitous hill appeared

We climbed it happily thinking the cathedral at the top would appear

But that only occurs in the movie there is no hilltop view

One of life's little disappointments, but nothing really new

Our reward at the end is to have achieved our goal

Which really isn't the destination, it's e food for our soul  

Stage 34: Puddle Jumping - Arzua to Pedrouzo, 20 kms, 17C, 4 hrs, rain & high winds

A New Camino Game

As earlier reported there has been some unseasonably heavy weather coming ashore off the Atlantic and its stirring things up. As we started our day this morning we walked out later than we had in some time...day light was actually in the sky. Picking walking gear was tricky with the variable weather, and we changed up adding light jackets to our t-shirts and shorts before we'd even walked a block, only to take off the jackets again shortly afterwards. Then it was poncho on, poncho off for the rest of the day. A strange day. Even had to tie down the hated Tilley, but it again performed well!

As we wandered along a new peregrino game got underway...dodge the storm cell which involves moving from shelter to shelter as quickly as possible to avoid getting wet. Some play this game extremely well...others not. At one point we ducked into a bar for a bowl of soup as the sky simply opened up...others we chatted to were not so lucky and became soaked...they have a lot to learn! 

Rain gear can only do so much to keep you dry and the rain was simply too intense.

Fortunately, Galician trails are fairly well draining which I had dared to hope for this morning. However, at some points during the walk even the well draining trails became overwhelmed. 

One more day and we are in. From what we can see on the tv news the weather should be a bit better tomorrow. I hope for all concerned that it is...too far to come to end up arriving soaked and then having to stand in a line to obtain your compestella and greet others arriving. The long distance walkers are pretty excited and there is great anticipation just below the surface...each happy to be close to the end. I can confirm that these two are. 

Buen Camino!

Addendum: Just back in from dinner and you would think it was Christmas Eve! There was a large group of us in the restaurant and everyone is completely cranked up and excited for tomorrow. Lots of fun and inspiration. We again met Beth who lives very close by us at home and she is meeting her friend Terri tomorrow in Santiago...I mentioned this in an earlier post. Beth is now hobbling badly and walking very slowly, but will complete the 20kms tomorrow although at about 2 kms/hr she won't be in until late afternoon. Apparently Terri is not walking on to the coast because the storms have made the trail almost impassible in parts, so I'm not feeling as badly about not being able to walk this part. The excitement is pretty special to watch...after so many days of slugging it out everyone had a glow tonight...the wine was certainly flowing! We have made arrangements to stay in the same place in Santiago at a very old monastery on the main square across from the cathedral and we all be together tomorrow night for a celebratory dinner. Should be a very long evening! No sign of Ken tonight, but he must be close by as he has also booked in to the same hotel in Santiago, so will see him tomorrow.

Lightning and thunder has begun...should be an entertaining light show tonight! Seems nicely appropriate!

The Camino Umbrella 

At the point when we made the decision to walk the Camino

Was when our Camino really started...we have both said this, you know

From that time there has been a sense that this walk was meant to be

And there has been something of a protective and supportive umbrella around me

 The timing proved right, and any challenges or barriers were addressed

Our preparation generally went well, and on we pressed

Even my knee injury proved a blessing in disguise 

It meant I had the right brace on as I walked, what a surprise

The last few days I have felt the Camino umbrella in a more tangible way

The storms come and go, but for the most part, it's dry we stay

Often just after we check into our hotel

The skies open up with another rain cell

Today we could see that a downpour was imminent, 

But there was a restaurant, and in we went

Others have been soaked o the skin, getting caught in the rain

For them, I'm sure the recent weather has been a pain

But for whatever reason we have been minimally affected

It's like there is an invisible umbrella under which we are protected

Flooding in Santiago!

As we walked in yesterday afternoon we were buffeted by very high winds and then the rains began. Not just normal rain, but torrential rains which have continued all night. Last night on the tv news they referenced some 80+ mm of rain in a 6 hour period. Not unaware of this volume where we live in Canada, we have some sense of what this looks like. 

Sitting here at 6am the rain seems to have eased, but the wind is still blowing...no doubt our ponchos will be an interesting sight today! At least they behave like coats which is why we selected them. The more common type will be very difficult to keep on in high winds. There has been wide spread flooding where we are headed and in also in the city of Santiago where many businesses were damaged and homes flooded. The forecast today is for more rain, high winds and thunderstorms so should be interesting. I guess no one said this would be easy...just when we thought the next two days would be.  As we've learned, the Camino gives you what you need, but not what you necessarily want!

We will see what this means for walking today as much of our route is on trails, and these could be flooded and covered in deep mud...we have seen this before, but Galicia is more set up for rain, so could well be a non-issue.  We will wait until daylight to set out so that we are visible and can try to avoid the worst of the mud. Never a dull moment. Hopefully our friends who are a day or two ahead of us are safely in and ok. I just repatriated some of the news paper that I shed from my pack yesterday...have a feeling we'll perhaps need it!

Below is a link to show photos of some of the fun in Santiago...hope it works when I post, but if not then you can just Google something like "Santiago flooding".

http://www.elcorreogallego.es/fotos/ecg/inundaciones-galicia/idGaleria-7440/idImagen-12/

Stage 33: Casanova to Arzua, 22kms, 6 hrs, 18C, cloud, rain, heavy wind!

Back On Track!

It would appear that our plan yesterday worked out the way we had hoped. Walking the extra 6 kms set us up nicely to head off early this morning without massed peregrinos and allowed us to relax and just enjoy the walk. We both found ourselves happily walking along and it became quite meditative as we moved onwards. Funny, I spent some time looking for information on meditative walking at home without much success. There is information out there, but not what I needed. Come here, walk day after day, and it just happens. Going forward it will just happen naturally when we return home. 

It was highly entertaining to watch the "race for a bed" take place...almost placed a bet on two old guys, but couldn't find a punter! Some folks are in a huge hurry to get to the Albergue of their choice and find a bed. As a result, we saw several older folks literally running when they saw us coming up behind them...in the process of putting on rain gear, but dropped everything when they saw us coming along...preferred to get wet rather than be passed. We were seen as 'bed competition'...perhaps we need to put a sign around our necks..."have no fear...our bed is already booked". It must be a terrible way to walk your Camino always looking over your shoulder in fear that someone will pass you. Fear being such a basic emotion, would never allow one the pure pleasure of stopping to walk through a small village church, take a photo, exchange greetings with locals and other peregrinos or stop for a break in a bar to visit with others. Essentially, little point in walking, but that would be judgmental on my part...something I'm working on...oops! 

Last night at the Casa was great...the only distraction from being here in the moment were two enjoyable skypes with the children units. They are all doing well and we are looking forward to connecting soon. Caitlin is on her way on her own long term travel shortly so it will be a quick hi, good-bye as she heads off just a few days after our return.  Dinner was pretty special with a tasty mushroom soup followed by a very nicely prepared piece of cod. Sampled the best of Galician vino blanco, something that I had planned to introduce to Annemarie...so I did!

A short, but pleasant break from the grind...now 12 days without a break and we are both feeling it. I was just saying to Annemarie that if we still had a long way to walk that we would be taking a couple of days off as by the time we complete we will have only taken one day off in 23 days. You have to break to recover...your body shrinks and it begins to munch on itself. Then your body weight to pack weight ratio gets out of balance...not a good thing. I'm going to toss some things after we finish lunch...but for sure we will eat the chocolate!! I'll carry even less water and will ditch Annemarie's boot...wonder what she'll say when we get home?

We met up with a Scotsman, Stewart, in a bar today...complete with a walking kilt. Been retired for two years and has already walked numerous Caminos through Spain and Portugal. Something about a hefty payout as he left his job and off he went with no regrets. Sounds pleasing! He told that once you have walked one Camino and enjoyed it...you will return because you're hooked. Couldn't argue with him...pretty sure the time will come again to pull on the boots, the pack and head off...I have permission:) A year to do whatever I want is just around the corner!! Ideas abound!!

Photos from a wet, windy   day....

 

Two lovely days of walking to go. We try not to think of the end of this walk...we know it will be emotional and we are looking to connect in Santiago with as many people as we can before we depart to decompress in Madrid. I fear it won't be a very easy process...

Buen Camino.

Stage 32: Portomarin to Casanova, 31 kms, 6.5 hrs, 18C, cloud with sun...windy!

The Times They Are A Changing:

How appropriate. Laundry done, shower (the oh so sweet shower) is finished and after a long day on our hooves it's finally time to sit and write for a bit. Gordon is singing me Don Quixote...does it get better? A bit...I'm perched on a nice big bed all my own in a Casa Rurale called Casa Blanco close to the small village of Sabriexo just about 3 kms south of the Camino. The only thing missing is a big glass of vino tinto, but I haven't had time to track that down quite yet.

I was up pretty early enjoying the full moon and feeling pretty good that I could actually see it after the heavy late rains.

A couple of hours later I woke Annemarie and as usual it was time to get ready for the day, find a bar for breakfast and climb out of Portomarin. The climbing didn't really finish for about three hours and we put considerable energy into it for the first couple of hours as we endeavoured to separate ourselves from the one of the largest masses of humanity we have so far seen on the Camino. We questioned the sensibility of this once we had found the open road again as it did take a toll on our energy. I think we agreed that it was worth it once we finally found space.

Both pretty drained at Palas de Rei some 25 kms later, we stopped in a bar for a decent lunch break and took stock of things. Turned out to be an excellent meal with Annemarie having chicken with a brandy sauce and I had soup and a plate of octopus and potatoes...the octopus is a Galician specialty called pulpo. I've eaten several times so far and it's pretty darn amazing!

Feeling well watered and fed we decided to walk on...a good hour break having made all the difference. It might have been me, but the scenery seemed to be pretty flat until we had walked 25kms then it really picked up nicely. I'm glad that we decided to walk on a further 6 kms today before calling the owner of this Casa to pick us up. Otherwise we would have missed it in the dark tomorrow morning. 

There is little doubt that the Camino experience changes during the last 100 kms. Many new faces arrive, almost all Spanish folks trying to find their own way to Santiago...in their own way. Annemarie's poem below captures some of this and explains how we are trying to stay in the moment and cope with the changes. Certainly there is a different attitude amongst the local population, and who can blame them. About 50% of the people who arrive in Santiago only walk this last 100 kms, and they must be pretty tired of people walking by their front doors and littering on the road side for months on end...I would be too! As a result, there are very few of the encouraging horn honks, waves and greetings that we had gratefully experienced earlier. Be that as it may be, we still easily spot the long distance peregrinos and there is always a friendly exchange...we all stand out like a sore toe if you know what to look for. Dinner last night was an example of this. We had all walked from St. Jean and the stories and experiences were so enjoyable to listen to...we put our heads together to try and remember the various places...with varying success...might have been something to do with the wine!

Directing us to Santiago...

Time to find a cold beer and then some dinner...hope the cook here knows their stuff! Exactly 60 kms left to walk...a stroll in the park!

Buen Camino!

Staying "Here"

The closer we get to the end of our walk, the harder it is to stay present

We think ahead to achieving our goal, beginning to be proud of our accomplishment

We have also started to think about home, and all that waits for us there

But we need to focus on enjoying these last few days as much as we dare

While we feel the Camino has given us both what we need

We know it's not done with us yet, their is still more to come, indeed!

These last few days are characterized by more traffic on the paths

And as we weave our way through,  some draw our wrath

Then we remind ourselves of the Camino spirit, and breathe deeply, just let it go

(Hopefully not while passing a farm - we are regularly assaulted by manure smells you know)

We forget to be grateful for the simple pleasures of the day

It was supposed to rain today, but the rain stayed away! 

This all has the effect of limiting our opportunities for meditative walking

Our minds go to the usual worries, and we begin talking

About the end of the trip, and what we will do when we return

So we made a pact with ourselves with the intent to turn

The train of our thoughts, to focus on the here and now

Enjoy what this day brings, not the manure, but the  beauty of the cow...