This will be our last posting and we shall shut this blog down soon. We are now in post-comino mode and into full swing as tourists. Saw some big palace today and hung out in a huge park. We´re both feeling sluggish and beaten up!!!! John needs to get home and get some real food. I need to stay off my feet for a week. Madrid is a ¨wow¨ city but now that we´ve been off the camino for 6 days, it´s time to go home!!!!
Thanks to all of you for reading these bytes and following us on our journey. It means a lot to us and helps us feel connected.
Plane lands in Vancouver tomorrow, November 1 at 13.20.
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Leaving Santiago
Thought I´d take advantage of the computer while we still have access to one. Tomorrow we´re off to Madrid. Took the bus to Finisterra yesterday. Saw the end of the world and stared into the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean. About 20% of peregrinos continue to Finisterra but not us. We´ve dropped our pilgrim gait and have become tourists. Santiago was built to receive pilgrims. Lots of monasteries, churches, bells, convents. In fact, we are sleeping in a converted convent. Pretty simple--stone, bed, chair, shower.
TTFN and love to all.
TTFN and love to all.
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Santiago!!!!
We have arrived! What a feeling!!!!! Both of us in perfect health and walked every single step of the way. Not a blister between the two of us. Mass this morning was amazing. Bota fumiero as in the movie ¨The Way¨was swung . It fumigates the peregrinos. Sorely needed. Thanks for all your prayers. Next stop is Madrid and we´ll be home Saturday.
Had wine and pulpo (octopus) last night. Octopus: blah. Wine--what a celebration. Vino tinto. Meeting many pilgrims as they arrive. Hugs, pictures, a few tears.
Love to you all. Thanks for the many e-mails.
Had wine and pulpo (octopus) last night. Octopus: blah. Wine--what a celebration. Vino tinto. Meeting many pilgrims as they arrive. Hugs, pictures, a few tears.
Love to you all. Thanks for the many e-mails.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Arzua 2 days left to walk. computer won´t let me compose. Only do title so here it is! rain all day. Bonding time with all the fellow pilgrims. Don´t want to leave the Camino! Feet still kill. Tired of pan (bread). Octopus--meh but it is a local specialty. Imagine us walking into Santiago on Saturday! I shall be weeping!
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Triacastela
This will be a short blog as we are on a computer that takes coin and we only have a few left. Need to find a bank! All is well. Plenty of rain but we are now in Galacia--over two more mountain ranges. Scenery is spectacular when the clouds break. Only 6 days of walking left. We will be sad to leave the Camino. No injuries for either of us. Both feeling strong. CIAO
Monday, 14 October 2013
Astorga
Have left the Mesita and heading into a new mountain range. Beautiful walk today--30 km through the remaining flats and starting a climb. Raining in Astorga. Hopefully will clear up as supposed to be stunning views tomorrow and we missed out over the Pyrenees. Ah well. It´s all good. Rain in Spain is not like rain in Vancouver.
Spending the night in a pretty sweet Hotel so at least we´ll get a good night´s sleep. Astorga is again an old city with ancient cathedrals and bells that ring all night and fascinating city squares. Found a peregrino shop to buy some rain gear.
Love to all.
Spending the night in a pretty sweet Hotel so at least we´ll get a good night´s sleep. Astorga is again an old city with ancient cathedrals and bells that ring all night and fascinating city squares. Found a peregrino shop to buy some rain gear.
Love to all.
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Leon
We are now having a rest day in Leon. Another busy, bustling Spanish city. Another cathedral to tour. People hanging out on the street. Drinking, eating tapas.
Glad to be walking again tomorrow. We have some hard walks and climbs this week. Are continuing to enjoy the company of the pilgrims. Tomorrow morning, Leon will be deserted save for the pilgrims hulking in their back packs.
Weather has turned extremely cold. Will have to trade my peregrino hat in for a toque. Have already taken out the gloves and put away all shorts and sandals.
John is turning into a stick. Food is definitely an issue. No potatoes to be found. Supper (cina) is never earlier than 7:30. Basic staple is pan, pan, pan. (Bread) Stores close from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Siesta. And today was a fiesta day. So guess what? Everything is closed all day. Oh my! Even finding a side of fries took work!
But--we are totally enjoying ourselves. I love learning some new Spanish every day. We can never get enough of pilgrim stories. Meeting so many kindred spirits from all over the world. The walking is tiring but exhilarating. We are now out of the flats and climbing some new mountain ranges and as stated previously, are already over half way. John can easily walk 30 km a day. I´m down to a snail´s pace by kilometer 20. Hey, but I get there and magically my purple suitcase does too!
Basta
Glad to be walking again tomorrow. We have some hard walks and climbs this week. Are continuing to enjoy the company of the pilgrims. Tomorrow morning, Leon will be deserted save for the pilgrims hulking in their back packs.
Weather has turned extremely cold. Will have to trade my peregrino hat in for a toque. Have already taken out the gloves and put away all shorts and sandals.
John is turning into a stick. Food is definitely an issue. No potatoes to be found. Supper (cina) is never earlier than 7:30. Basic staple is pan, pan, pan. (Bread) Stores close from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Siesta. And today was a fiesta day. So guess what? Everything is closed all day. Oh my! Even finding a side of fries took work!
But--we are totally enjoying ourselves. I love learning some new Spanish every day. We can never get enough of pilgrim stories. Meeting so many kindred spirits from all over the world. The walking is tiring but exhilarating. We are now out of the flats and climbing some new mountain ranges and as stated previously, are already over half way. John can easily walk 30 km a day. I´m down to a snail´s pace by kilometer 20. Hey, but I get there and magically my purple suitcase does too!
Basta
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Calzadila de los Hermanillos
Two more days of walking the Mesita to go! Flat country. A lot like Alberta parkland. Enjoying the journey. Meeting lots of interesting people. Lots of languages. John is holding up extremely well--no aching body parts. My feet kill me at the end of each. Something about the plantar facia. Oh well, I suck it up and get there. Usually we are in bed by 9 am! Beautiful weather. Crisp and cold in the mornings. By afternoon we´re back to t-shirt and shorts. Hotel bookings and baggage arrival is working out splendidly. Seems to be a miracle every day!!!! Many days we start in the dark! Kind of fun to find the Camino and see all these other hulking backpackers ahead.
Often we see the same people and become ¨friends¨. Have a beer or a meal together. Many people end 1/2 way so we are saying good-bye already. Yes--hard to believe but we are over half way. I think we´ll make it!
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to you all. If the children want to let us know they are alive that would be great.
Often we see the same people and become ¨friends¨. Have a beer or a meal together. Many people end 1/2 way so we are saying good-bye already. Yes--hard to believe but we are over half way. I think we´ll make it!
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to you all. If the children want to let us know they are alive that would be great.
Sunday, 6 October 2013
A message from Fromista, Spain
Today is Sunday October 6th already, and we are spending the night in Fromista. The weather (with the exception of a day or 2) has been exceptional - much sun - and the scenery every bit as beautiful as we imagined! And to see all this beauty while walking! We´ve met many wonderful people, and keep meeting many more. It´s great to meet them initially, and then run into them again and again, very randomly, a few days later at some further point on the Camino. People from all over the world - United States, Korea, Germany, France, many from Australia, we even met a girl who walked from Holland to Spain and was going to finish in Santiago (some 2800 km. in total!).
We spent a day resting in Burgos and had some time to visit some of its historic places of interest. We spent the better part of an afternoon touring the Burgos cathedral in the centre of the city. It is no less than stunning! It boggles the imagination to see the incredibly detailed sculpture, artwork, and architectural design contained in this one structure! The aim of the builders was to create awe and wonder. So much history and beauty in one place, dating back to as far as the 13th century. It is truly almost unimagineable to see the incredible beauty and handiwork that the human imagination can create, and with so much skill and precision!
After spending a day or so in the city, we look forward to getting back to the quietness and relative solitude of the countryside. For the last 2 days, we've walked across some of the Spanish meseta - vast open spaces with very few trees, mostly pasture land and rolling hills, and every couple of hours we´ll come across a small medieval-looking town or village. Today marks the 15th day of walking, and we have another 16 days of walking to go. Even though the pace of life is slow, the time still goes very quickly.
We are remembering that this weekend is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. And we are remembering in our prayers the group that is travelling to Mexico.
Much time for thought, and much time for prayer, and much time to contemplate the beauty of the world.
"All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life....."
Sent from Fromista,
with our love.
John.
Today is Sunday October 6th already, and we are spending the night in Fromista. The weather (with the exception of a day or 2) has been exceptional - much sun - and the scenery every bit as beautiful as we imagined! And to see all this beauty while walking! We´ve met many wonderful people, and keep meeting many more. It´s great to meet them initially, and then run into them again and again, very randomly, a few days later at some further point on the Camino. People from all over the world - United States, Korea, Germany, France, many from Australia, we even met a girl who walked from Holland to Spain and was going to finish in Santiago (some 2800 km. in total!).
We spent a day resting in Burgos and had some time to visit some of its historic places of interest. We spent the better part of an afternoon touring the Burgos cathedral in the centre of the city. It is no less than stunning! It boggles the imagination to see the incredibly detailed sculpture, artwork, and architectural design contained in this one structure! The aim of the builders was to create awe and wonder. So much history and beauty in one place, dating back to as far as the 13th century. It is truly almost unimagineable to see the incredible beauty and handiwork that the human imagination can create, and with so much skill and precision!
After spending a day or so in the city, we look forward to getting back to the quietness and relative solitude of the countryside. For the last 2 days, we've walked across some of the Spanish meseta - vast open spaces with very few trees, mostly pasture land and rolling hills, and every couple of hours we´ll come across a small medieval-looking town or village. Today marks the 15th day of walking, and we have another 16 days of walking to go. Even though the pace of life is slow, the time still goes very quickly.
We are remembering that this weekend is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. And we are remembering in our prayers the group that is travelling to Mexico.
Much time for thought, and much time for prayer, and much time to contemplate the beauty of the world.
"All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life....."
Sent from Fromista,
with our love.
John.
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Burgos
Second rest day! We are in the historic city of Burgos. 12th century cathedral, monastery, castle, etc.
Amazing thunderstorm last night. More than one strike per second. No one on the street seemed to pay the least bit of attention.
Currently using a computer at the public library. Internet cafes are a thing of the past. We never could figure out our iphone even though we are lugging "iphones for dummies" around.
Bodies are holding up well. Walking gets easier every day. Meeting lots of great people.
Messages to various people:
Happy Birthday Piet and Doreen.
How is Annie Pool doing?
We can pick up gmail. So if you wish to send us a message address is jpdenhaan@gmail.com
We´re off to tour the cathedral. This church is more impressive than Notre Dame in Paris or St. Paul´s in Rome.
Amazing thunderstorm last night. More than one strike per second. No one on the street seemed to pay the least bit of attention.
Currently using a computer at the public library. Internet cafes are a thing of the past. We never could figure out our iphone even though we are lugging "iphones for dummies" around.
Bodies are holding up well. Walking gets easier every day. Meeting lots of great people.
Messages to various people:
Happy Birthday Piet and Doreen.
How is Annie Pool doing?
We can pick up gmail. So if you wish to send us a message address is jpdenhaan@gmail.com
We´re off to tour the cathedral. This church is more impressive than Notre Dame in Paris or St. Paul´s in Rome.
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