Blisters to Bliss..Wow

Once again it was a tough walk with great rewards. Blisters, shin splints and twisted ankle all plague Dian today, but just as her spirits start to doubt, an amazing town appears!  The Camino has a way of really testing ones ability. Heat, fatigue and pain all make you want to quit, however, there is no where to quit.....one can not just remove thy self from the middle of a hot open field! You must press on through, step by step until a town appears. Then when you have secured lodging and a shower your determination to finish the Camino returns. The cathedrals are once again like something from a fairy tale and our lodging is a real treat! The owner is eighth generation! The huge house is two hundred years old and is full of antiques and history. The owner is so charming and warm.....great pride to still have this mansion in the family. Our room is lovely, with a private terrace. Ahhh.....I can keep walking....lol.  Love to all our family & friends, B & D xo

Wow...Jousting!

Today we walked an excruciating 29 km, but the reward was to stop in the town of Orbigo! This town is very big on medieval jousting, too bad they are-not  having a tournament today. We walked in to town over the famous jousting bridge and grounds. only cool part of our day is pictured here. Our Accomodation is less than desirable again, but one must adjust. Lol.  21 days of walking and Dian's feet have finally caved into the blister ravaged zone. Boo hoo! Off to the pharmacy for help, shortly. We miss our privileged lives in Canada and our most precious family and friends! Thank you again for your comments, they often make Dian cry....but it's the good kind of tears.....girls you get it, right? Lol. Bye for now, big hugs to all!!! B & D xo

Leon Cathedral...Wow

Gypsy Parade!

Wow we made it to the big city of Leon! The cathedral here has some of the most amazing stain glass in all of Europe ....will attach more photos of that after this post. There was a great celebration today(Sunday) ....the whole town was out to see the old traditional wagon caravans, all decked out. So many from so many different villages. Like our floats, in modern parades. Some were pulled by horses, others by oxen or donkey. All the people walking with them were dressed in traditional costumes. Men with fine silk belts and wool leggings. The women in elaborate dresses and embroidered shawls!! Such incredible work. What a lovely day to enjoy another culture!  Bye for now, B & D 

No sword/ No kingdom

Couldn't  pull the sword from the stone so no kingdom for us! Lol. Accomodation has been a challenge the past two days, but once again we pulled through! Yesterday we walked 18 km only to find out that the B & B we reserved, had over sold and had no room for us. The lady running it felt really bad so she called a town 7 km away to find us a room. We went there and had a great time! The inn keeper was a spiked hair character who spoke not one word of English, but loved our smiles and Canadian passports, so we got on terrific! Will try to enclose a picture of him with Dian in this post. Today we trekked 18km to Las Mulas....we booked ahead but spent 30 mins. Going round and round trying to find our hotel! Asked several spaniards and all gave different directions. Lol.....turns out the hotel moved one block from its original site and does not have a new sign out side . A local Spanish guy finally took us into a bar that new where and what we wanted! Really funny now, but not at the time. The Camino is helping me learn to be way more chill about stuff and not freak out so much....tee hee, this is great! Tomorrow we walk to the big city of Leon! Should be amazing architecture there. Bye for now, B & D...P.S, miss my kids & grand babies tons. Xoxo

Emotionally taxed!

Hola....yesterday was a gruelling 24 km with list of heat, pain and terrible Accomodation . We walked a very tough section to the small town of Caldadillia. Exhausted and questioning my sanity, we were told the hostel was full and we must press on another 6 km to the next town.  Once we got there, the disappointment continued, as the filth and age of the place was very hard for Dian! The beds were too scary to even think about, we had no showers and slept in our clothes. The place looked like they converted old horse stalls into rooms. We were up before day light and glad to trudge to the nearest town that offered a hotel so Dian could regain her sanity! Lol. Even Barrie admits the hotel we found, with a real clean tub to soak in is pure joy! We are now in a town called Sahagun, we only walked 15 km today but are happy to stay in a clean place. Hope to find laundromat and food soon.  When the days are the "break your spirit" type....it is so, so wonderful to hear from all of you back home! Thank you again for posting to our blog or sending encouragement through Dee-Jay....it means the world to us! Two photos today, one being silly but fun, the other a reminder of our family on the farm! Love ya tons! B&D 

Photos

More photos

Tough haul

Hello!  The past two days have been hard & rewarding at the same time. Yesterday we pounded our feet across the meseta( rolling prairie ). 26 km in 30 degree heat, with very few clumps of trees for shade. Feet and spirits very pained. But we pressed on through ancient towns & ruins where the Roman soldiers once walked!  Today we walked another 21 km to the town of Carrion De Los Condes. We are treating ourselves to a night in the original monestary, which has been turned into a five star hotel! The rooms and food are out of this world! Darn won't be losing any fat this week! Lol I shall try to send more photos after I publish this blog. I find that more than 2 photos at one time makes posting difficult. Each day has it's good and bad.....one must be truthful.......mornings start out in the dark, walking with a small hikers lamp to avoid late afternoon heat. Each day some part or parts of the body scream....but we persist. We are tiring of everything being grilled in tons of oil, breakfast is especially challenging....greasy eggs & salty, salty prechuto ham. Every thing comes with greasy French fries....argh! But as I said earlier, the five star food here at the monestary has made us smile. This morning was cool and windy but it was a nice break from yesterday's heat. Walking does make one more phylisophical ....too many of us concentrate too hard on just getting from point A to B. We forget to find the joy of small things In between . The thousands of snails along the dew covered grass, spider webs glistening as the sun rises, a small clump of lingering corn flowers in periwinkle hue, a small town on the horizon just when my joints scream I can go no further.......these are my observations for today and I am so grateful for all that I have back in Canada. Buen Camino, hugs to each and every one of you that are reading this....love ya!!!

Hollywood lives here!

Hi to all! We have managed another 42 km over the past two days. Dian has embraced her brace, lol & knows it will probably be a permanent fixture til the end. Our stay last night in Hornillos, was a Hollywood stroke of luck. Dian just picked a place she liked the name of to stay at. The B & B had ties to Hollywood. The owner pictured beside the movie poster knows Martin Sheen and Emilio Estaves. His sister is married to Emilio's son. He had lots of pictures to prove it too! He was so awesome, said his mom & dad were in the movie for a whole five seconds! The movie, " The Way", is very famous around here. The walks have been much better these past few days, with cooler weather, but the black flies today almost drove us crazy!  We have been told that posting comments to our blog is a bit of a pain, so again we want to thank those of you who managed to figure it out and ......to those who got messages to us through Dee-Jay....we so appreciate your words and love the fact that you are checking out our blog!  Big hugs to all of you! B&D  xo

Day off ...full of history

We stayed in Burgos to soak up some of it's beautiful history. The town was founded in the 800's and one of it's 13th century stone city walls, still stands today. We still must have walked 10 km on these cobble stone streets. Such incredible craftsmanship around every corner! No more slacking tomorrow! We will be up by 6am to start our next 21km hike to the tiny village of Hornillos, it is one of the few medieval pilgrim villages still intact. With the help of our Spanish hotel front desk clerk, we managed to get a reservation at the only B&B in Hornillos. Dian is getting really good at asking for help with such matters, Barrie still needs work! Lol !!  Emails and your comments on our blog continue to lift our spirits and cheer us on....thank you so much!! It really, really helps. Bye for now. Buen Camino, B & D xoxo 

Lots of company on the bus!

Here's the update. Dian managed to hop along another 20 km to the town of Logronos. Her pack arrived at the B & B hours before. Great trustworthy courier! The Accomodation and other travellers were awesome, but by morning the knee was still swollen. Barrie is also having pain in his feet, heels mostly. So we decided to use our " express pass" lol, we took a bus to the next big city so we could rest our injuries and get a proper brace for Dian's knee. On the bus were 15 other pilgrims who also needed a break. We didn't know it when we left the bus station, but saw along the route that we missed a very dangerous section of the Camino! The path was right on the highway, very steep climbs and no shoulder. The traffic zoomed past people inches from their packs! I was now really glad to have jumped on the bus! We are now in the city of Burgos. Unbelievable cathedral here! Our hotel is right beside it. We will stay here for two nights and then get back on the Camino. Washing laundry in sinks and showers has been a bit of a challenge and being so dirty and sweaty after all day hiking is torture for Dian, but she's being a trooper. We treated ourselves to letting the hotel send out a small bag of our clothes to wash and dry, as there are no laundromats here. Dian was thrilled with that treat!!!  The pictures on today's blog are our first aid shots and the amazing cathedral! Hugs to all! B & D xo

First injury, boo hoo

Well, it had to happen. Nearing the end of our 17 km walk today, Dian's right knee decided to puff up twice it's size. So, more anti inflamitories and new inserts for runners. Also hired a courier to take her pack on to the next town tomorrow, so the 20 km ahead will be without extra pack weight.  Hope it works out. We are a a beautiful B & B for the night. The second picture included is a sketch of us in the yard by the olive trees. Bye for now, from Sansol, Spain!!! B & D 

Slower pace, so beautiful!

Last two days we only managed about 15 km a day. Very hot, must get up at 5 am and be done by 1pm to survive heat and find lodging. We have been very lucky each day getting the second last rooms each time! The picture of the two taps is from a winery along the way. One sout pours water, the other red wine. Free wine is not very good but it was funny to see and of course I had to try a bit in the palm of my hand, just to say I did! We are now in a tiny bar having fish and listening to a crowd of people very loudly expressing themselves in fabulous Spanish! Dian is missing her kids & grand babies....getting teary often! Hugs to all our friends and family. Luv ya! B&D xo

Snail away!

Hi all, just two more pictures from Sept. 12 th. The snail on the road, which I now emulate and the steel cut out art, that was featured in the movie " the Way". The movie stared  Martin Sheen and it is on the high foothills, before you make your steep, steep decent down into Puente la Reina. Those descents are killer on the knees and shins. Bye for now, B & D.

Too hot!!!

Wow....guess what? Trying to walk the Camino in 36 degree heat is really really hard, I felt like a snail.

We started out at 6:30 am this morning, walked 26 km from Pamplona to Puente la Reina. The morning was fine, but from 1 pm on was killer in the searing heat!  My feet hate me and the pictures today show that....as well a lovely picture of a shop in Pamplona with festival wear . LOL Buen Camino, B & D :-)

Ain't no bulls!

Hola, the pictures are of the famous bull run bronze & a view of the street they run on. We spent the day trying to see a few things and hoping our muscles would relax a bit. Bought some more anti- inflammatory cream and some new walking poles for Dian. Sure glad we decided to take an extra day here as we slept for 11 hours last night....really needed to re charge. Terrified of tomorrow as we have another huge mountain to climb....Dian is afraid, very afraid! Lol thanks to those of you who posted comments back as it really lifted our spirits . Bye for now.....Buen Camino, B & D

Smiling outside/crying inside,lol

Made it another 20 km today, through the ancient draw bridge gate to fabulous Pamplona Spain! Still every muscle in our bodies hates us! It was another very hard climb and decent in 36 degree sun. What idiot wanted to go on this trip?.... LOL  Pamplona has running with the bulls, but not while we are here. We treated ourselves to a nice hotel here for two nights to try and get our bodies to stop screaming. Found the pharmacy for pain killers and voltairin rub. The desk clerk said our room faces the street where the famous bulls run, we'll take a picture of it tomorrow....minus the bulls! Take care all....hugs, B & D 

Thought I'd die.....

Well, the hike over the Pyrenees was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my 55 years!!!!

Way way harder than I ever thought. I think if Barrie wasn't there to help me ( many times), I wouldn't have made it! I think I prayed to every religious head I could think of, I even asked the spirits of the mountain horses we saw,to carry me across. Lol. We started out at 7am and got to the hostel at 8:40pm.  Only slept two hours as the snoring & coughing of 100 tired souls in bunk beds was difficult.

The picture here is from that day.....not at all flattering!

Today we managed to hike 25 more painful km. So sore from yesterday! I could not take one more step when we reached Zubiri. The whole town was sold out!!  I sat on a bench trying not to cry. Another lady from Canada sat with me.....that lady said she was going to have to re a taxi to drive her the next 27 km, but wanted to get on internet to see if there were rooms there.....off she went.  Barrie and I thought we might have to do the same, But Get This......before she left I said this to her" remember a few years back when All of Canada had terrible snow storms ? Remember how people opened up their homes and took people stuck at the airport home."  She laughed and said ya....I said" man, that's what I need right now.....someone to come pick me up!

I kid you not....... 10 mins later as Barrie & I were limping up to the main town road, a beautiful Italian lady looked at my tear filled eyes and said "need room?"

"Here tonight? I gasped.....she replied " ci " and motioned for us to follow her. She took us to her rooming house, where she had four beautiful rooms for only $35 euros.  She spoke no English but we managed to understand each other.

Another English speaking women staying there chatted with me.....she asked if I was on the street near tears and that Italian lady found us....I said yes! Same here she replied.....I think that lovely Italian lady looks for pilgrims that really look in need of an angel.

We'll she was my angel today that's for sure! They really do walk among us!!!

Walking the Camino, day one!

Packs are packed, sea shells to identify us as pilgrims, walking sticks at the ready! We are in St Jean and will start our climb over the Pyrenees into Spain tomorrow morning. With us in heart and spirit all our family and friends!  I shall carry the river pebble bearing the names of our beloved children& grand children every step of the way!                    " Buen Camino" xoxo

High speed but stopped short.

Well, we got on plane to Paris and then high speed train ....we had hoped to then take a local train all the way to St Jean but had to change plans because of work being done on that local rail line. We are now over night at a hotel in Bordeaux . In the morning we will take a short train ride to a town called Cambo, then a bus ride to St Jean!  The high speed train was wonderful and comfortable. The French country side beautiful with fields of sunflowers,apple orchards and quaint stone villages. 

On our way!

In Montreal airport, waiting for flight to Paris. Once in Paris we will board train to St. Jean. We will stay there a few days to get ready for our big hike!  St. Jean is also where we collect our pilgrim passports so we can collect stamps all along our cross country journey to Santiago!!

Leaving Calgary soon.

Getting ready To go!