The purpose of the Stones and the Camino de Santiago de Compestella .

There a number of historical reasons for Pilgrims to carry and leave stones on the Camino. Many are actually carried for others who are not on the journey. You may also bring one for yourself.

If you recall just a couple of days ago I shared with you a conversation I had with a young German man who told me that he was walking the Camino as a sacrifice which at the end in Santiago may, he prayed, produce a blessing. In his case he wants the blessing to remove the conflict between his sister and brother and in doing so bring all of the family back together. I agree with this interpretation.

It is also true that a pilgrim can bring a stone for the departed in an effort to lay the stone and ask for that persons forgiveness of sin and that person will then have eternal peace. I also agree with that.

I also believe that a pilgrim can place a stone along the way and ask for His help in making 

a difficult situation improve, a cure or allowing that person and his or her family peace while the trial continues. I agree.

So with that let me share with you a little about the stones I am carrying. I should also point out that I recieved a request just last night for another stone which has not been selected.

I am currently carring seven stones for eight people. One of the stones has two names on it as they are related. The stones being carried for those who have departed include a friend of Robin who's Dad Merlin, pasted away a few months ago at the age of 95. Cherie, Robin's cousin's Donald's wife who lost a tough battle with Cancer shortly after retiring. 

A stone from home for Betty Young, Beth Moore's mother who passed away just two years ago this month. Another stone from home for Lori. It has two names on it, her sister Diane who died as an infant and for her Mom, Jeri who has recently had a difficult accident. 

Three other stones for those in need of a medical or personal blessing. Bill Howe who is back in Cape Cod and facing a challenging life change. For Bill a blessing of peace in the process. A stone for Johnny Mac, a friend who has been waiting for a kidney for more than two years and has never once complained about it, for John the blessing of a new kidney. The stone which will be added is for Ron Nichols my niece's father in law who is fighting the good fight against cancer ... A blessing of a cure.  

And last but not least for my younger brother Rick who has Prostate Cancer currently under observation, a blessing of a cure or at worst a life long dormant condition. 

So there you have the story of the stones I am carring. As I place the stones I will update everyone. I know where at least three of the stones will be placed, the others I'm working on.

Buen Camino.

The passengers are recovering and today's short walk of 13 miles will help.

I slept all night for a change and it was at a good time. I'm a bit worn out, just sore. Today is a walk of 13 miles and the terrain will be dry and flat. The weather forecast is good as well. I go to have the usual carb fest and I wish I could say it was not but that's what is was.

Dinner last night was very good. I ate alone because my hotel is out of the way from the Camino and I don't want to walk back to the center of town. The passengers need a break. The only others eating at the Hotel is a group of ten women and two men. They are German. I've seen them before and my best guess is that one of the men is a Minister because I saw them after dinner a couple of nights ago and he was in front of the group lecturing about something but i don't think he's a tour guide. At dinner he sits at the head of their long table and holds court. Not what I would expect from a tour guide.

Surprise, surprise! The food is excellent. I sat there for about an hour taking my time before heading back to the room to finish the blog and to send out the photos. I went to the Farmacia on my way into town and doubled up on bandages and foot cream. After I take care of all of the passenger need's I'm dead to the world but I did get the blog posted by around 11:00. I did my best on the proof read but if I missed a bunch of errors please cut me some slack. I sleep all night and don't wake until 8:00 which is a near record for me. When I get out of bed the passengers are very quite. After breakfast and packing I head for the Camino.

When I first walk out of the Hotel I am surprised by the weather. It's foggy and cool, almost cold. I stop and make a change. The head scarf is now on duty. The weather actually is perfect for walking. It's stays that way for about the first hour and then it starts getting warmer. Another wardrobe change is needed. Speaking of wardrobes I also reduced some weight today. I left behind the go to vote shirt, it's just to heavy and a worn out pair of shorts. There will be others soon.

The walk today is really easy. Most importantly it's easy on the passengers. Flat, dry and very few Spanish Potatoes. I have lots of water and an apple so I'm good to go. I'm about half way to Carrion when I passed a young couple. Buen Camino and of course where are you from? They are from San Francisco. He started in St Jean France and she joined him in Burgos. I asked what the thought about the storm and they said that they just stayed in their hotel for three days and skipped ahead. Am I the only fool who walked that day? No, because I walked with Bill from Alaska. As I am starting to move ahead  of them I also notice they have those lunch only packs. Is it me or are we all just getting soft? These two are in their twenty's. While I also agree that you do the Camino your own way there may be limits.  Would it count if you drive the 500 miles? I think that's going to far afield of what the real meaning of walking the Camino is. Am I wrong?

I'm about half way and I can hear a loud voice behind me.  He is getting closer. Finally he catches me. He is a big guy. He asks me where I am from and I tell him California. He says oh Californis loves the Camino. He then asks me if I have seen the film Six Ways to Santiago? Yes I have. His next question is what did I think of it? I really did not think much of it but I'm not sure if he is connected so I just go neutral and say it was okay. 

He tells me that I will see the film differently when I complete the Camino. I then tell him this is my second Camino. He stops dead and just looks at me with a smile. Before he can say anything else I show him the picture I have on my phone of the snowstorm on day two and he just wants to hug me.

 He then turns around and tells me to take a picture of his backpack. It turns out that he has produced, written, directed and stared in his own Camino film which was shown at a film festival in Italy. The name of the film is, Are You A Pilgrim? A film by Gian D. Ceccato.

Before he moves on he tells me to buy the movie and write a review. The next time I see him he is working the crowd at a cafe. Interesting. I will send the photo and probably buy the film on Amazon just out of curiosity. There are very few photo options today because every mile looks exactly the same.

I arrive in Carrion in less than five hours just walking at a quite pace. Time to find the hotel and get things done. I'm at the very end of town so when I do finish I walk back to town and I bump into my friends from Nova  Scotia. They arrived here at 10:30 having left at 6:00am. They did find an Albergue which is managed by the Nuns. 

I'm walking along with them and there is a Camino store and it's open. Rare for a Sunday. I buy my new poles. We walk across the plaza and sit for a drink. They have not yet decided but they may go on to Rome and walk part of the Roman Camino! It all depends on her hip which has been a problem since coming down the mountain on day two. Mark on the other hand looks like he could walk home from here. I'm going back to my hotel to chill and get rid of the new poles. I also bought a Camino hat. Walking around in the Calloway hat just isn't cutting it. Because I'm so far from where they are staying its unlikely that we will meet for dinner so we agree that we will catch up down the road.

 

I return to my hotel and take care of the passengers, antiseptic, new bandages and the Spanish version of Bengay. My plan is to just stay here for dinner but when I check the menu is not all that great and dinner does not start until 8:00, it's now 5:30. So reluctantly I start to walk back to town. I find a little restaurant which I had dinner in before and take a seat. The waiter comes and I order. At that moment a women stands in front of me and says may I join you? It's the Camino and I say sure. Her name is Vickey and she is from New Zealand. We chat about today's walk and it leads always to the same place. She asks me ...why are you here? I explain it's trip number two and then go on to tell her why I'm here. Okay your turn. 

She says she does not know why she is here hesitates for just a moment and goes on to tell me that her daughter died at the age of seventeen months many years ago and then recently her sister, mother and her nephew all died in a short time. I think she just told me why she is here. With that the next thing I know is that Vickey has offered another women, who is alone, to join us and she does. Her name us Susan and she lives north of Portland. Susan than then tells us it's her second Camino. I ask when she did her first and she says May of 2013. I show her the picture on my phone of the snow storm and it turns out she started two days after me and just after the snow storm. Small world. We compare notes about this one and the first and both agree on several differences. She is using the Donkey service this time because of a back problem. 

Vickey is in sandles because her blisters are acting up. She also skipped the storm days days back around Burgos. It's a fact Alaska Bill and I are just not smart enough to come in out of the rain!

It's late, I am tired so I will say good night. Tomorrow the walk will be from Carrion to Terradillos a walk of nearly 17 miles. The good news is that it's flat but there will be no shade. Oh well, it is what it is. By the way tomorrow will also bring me to the half way point!

Buen Camino.

I could not find Mick last night for dinner, I'm looking in the wrong places ... He's in the Hospital.

More about Mick shortly but first lets wrap up yesterday. The walk between Hornillos del Camino and Castrojeriz is thirteen miles. I decide to go to the Pilgrim dinner because it's just fifty feet away at the restaurant which is part of the Hotel but in a seperate building. It also starts at 7:30 so I will not have to wait long. I can sit alone or just wing it. 

I'm on the patio and a couple comes over and sits with me. They are from Nove Scotia. My father was born there. They are just going from place to place starting at 6:00 am because they are competing for the beds at the Albergue's. It's crowded. I am booked all the way to Santiago so I'm spoiled but they use the Donkey service. It's just about time to go to dinner and another couple they have met stop by to say hello. Of course it always starts with the where are you from? It turns out that this second couple are from Long Beach just about forty miles from where we live. It's time fior dinner and they ask if I would like to join them. Yes that would be great. 

The food is not very good but the company is. Both couples were smart enough to stay in Burgos in a Hotel and miss the storm. I guess I'm just not that smart.  Bill and Karen from Novia Scotia have one son and a granddaughter who is three. It's there sons's second marriage. That comes up only because Ken says I have one son but I'm now working on my second daughter in law. Okay.

Mike and Theresa from Long Beach have two sons both in their thirty's, neither married and no interest in changing that. Theresa explains they are both Police Officers, one in Buena Park and one in Los Angeles. She goes on to say that they both date really nice women but it does not take long for the women to bailout because they know it's not going anywhere. So now it's my turn.

I start by telling them that we have three children, two girls both married to really terrific men and my son is engaged to be married to a really beautiful young lady in February. The the debate starts about which is more difficult to raise .. The boys or the girls? Of course because they only have boys they are focused on the way boys just don't seem to grow up as quickly as the girls but they believe that because of this the boys are more challenging.

My turn. I tell them that when the girls were in high school I was pretty rough on the boys they dated. Frankly I did not like them and I did not attempt to hide it. I didn't need any new friend as especially some sixteen year old dating my daughter.

I told them one of my favorite stories. I was rough on the boys, yes I don't debate that. We had a neighbor Mike, who was a really great guy who apparently heard some stories about how I treated the boys who were dating my daughters. He said to me that I should lighten up on them and things would be better.

Really Mike? I asked him this. Mike do you have a daughter? I knew he did not. He had a son who was  Ryan's age and they were friends. Of course he just looks at me because he knows that I know he does not have a daughter.

I asked him to pretend with me that it's a Friday night and it's six o'clock when the doorbell rings. You open the door and there he is ... Some sixteen year old who's dumpy car is now in your driveway leaking oil and he says " hi I'm here to pick up your Ming Vase. I will have it back safe and  sound to you at 11:00 tonight. I promise".

 

So Mike, let's pretend you actually have a Ming Vase. Are you going to hand it over to this sixteen year old stranger and hope he brings it back as promised at 11:00 pm? If the answer is no then consider this, the sixteen year old who rings my door bell wants me to give him my daughter! Not a Vase, my daughter. I won that debate easily and he never mentioned it again. I'll win that debate every time. Dinner was fun and I enjoyed the time with these new interesting peo

Now for Mick. I get up this morning and go to check out and have a cup of coffee. I also need water especially because of what lies ahead at the start of today's 16 mile walk to Fromista. The cafe does not have any bottled water or a power drink of any kind. That means I will need to go up the stairs and go backward for a short distance to get what I need at the market. I find what I need and I have my backpack off as I filling my permanent bottle and packing  away a small package of cookies for the trip. I look up and walking toward me is Mick.

He apologies for not making dinner and then tells me that he was at the Hopital having all his wounds lanced because they are infected. The damage was done on the first day when it took him twelve hours to go over the mountain. Not only did he push on but he abandoned his boots and was wearing tennis shoes that did not fit. His attitude is just amazing. He's making fun of what took place and tells me that he will be back on the Camino tomorrow walking with new boots that have not been broken in!  I won't try to describe what his feet look like. He is now wearing only flip flops under Doctors orders. It hurts just to look at his feet. His plan is to start walking each day at 4:00 am or earlier to get out of the heat. He says his problem stems from the fact that his boots were fine for Ireland but were not good in the heat. 

He tells me that he will catch up to me. He has my email and says he will let me know where he is. I wish him well and head to the Camino. The weather is good it's going to be warm. It's 10:00 when I get started. I can see it off in the distance, the hill. It's long and it's all uphill. I remember it and I know what I need to do. Take my time and stop as often as you feel the need to. I also remember the memorial at the top put up by the family of a Spanish Pilgrim who died of a heart attack at the top. I'm sure both Pat and John wil remember both the climb and the memorial.

I make it to the top without a problem taking about five stops just to catch my breath and not push it to hard. When I get to the top I really feel good. I take off my backpack and sit and drink some water. There is also a young Spainard selling fruit and snacks at the top. I buy an apple. Just about everyone wants to take the picture looking back to get a sense of what the elevation change was. I am taking a couple of photos when a guy who just reached the top stops and asks me if I would like to have him take my picture with the village of Castrojeriz down below as a backdrop. He takes the picture which I will include in today's photos. I make a comment that it's a pretty tough hill and he says yes but wait until you do it when you are 76! He's German, with his wife and two friends all about the same age. Amazing.

The balance of the day's walk is fairly flat but long and hot. The trail is not in good condition and it's warming up. I will soon arrive at the village of Itero de la Vega the last chance to get water and anything else for the next four hours. I stop and order a boccidillo and a Coke Zero. The Coke Zero is fine the boccidillo is not. It's all bread and it's not today's. I just leave it and return to the Camino. They also had wifi but it's not working. I get about four miles away and it the dawns on me ... I left my poles in the cafe. I did not need them because it's flat and because of that I just never realized in time to go back to get them. I will find a new pair of poles. Tomorrow is a day where the poles won't be needed so that's good. Okay if you are keeping score put the poles in the forgotten or lost column! 

That's it for now. I'm really tired and the passengers are not well. I need to rest. Good night and Buen Camino.

Okay I'm not missing in action ... It's just a lack of wifi. I'm on my way to Castrojeriz a walk of about thirteen miles.

I have no reason to leave early today . Today is a relatively short walk with only one real uphill challenge which comes early but is not significant. Having said that the climb is worthy of the poles to be engaged. My feet are killing me. The blisters are under contro, they are just sore and today's walk won't help. The weather is about as good as it can be but the trail is a mess.

I am only about a mile from the start and I just can't convince myself that I have packed my sleeping device. It's driving me crazy. I have to stop and look in my backpack. If I did not pack it I can turn back, it's only a mile or so. I unpack and I do have it. I double check all of my critical items, passport, credit cards, cash, my credential and all is good but ... I knew I left someting and I was correct. I forgot my bungey cords, aka the clothes line. Not critical, I'm not going back and adding two more miles for a bungey cord. If your keeping score you can add that to the list. Not bad. Its been several days since I lost anything.

Lots of erosion and occasional mud with of course the daily diet of Spanish Potatoes. It's just not possible to walk in a straight line. That also means you are always looking straight down. Today when you are looking down you really are not missing much. The walks first stop at Hontanas is nearly seven miles from the day's start. I need to eat something, resupply the water and get access to wifi to post yesterday's blog, check email and send photos.

It's getting warm so I will also need to make a wardrobe adjustment. Most of the walk today is in the sun, no shade until the final mile on the road into town. No other stopping points. The cafe and Albergue is doing a booming business. Lots of people checking in as I arrive. I'm not sure if it's in their plan or it's because the weather is good but it's crowded. I go inside and order a slice of pizza. It's different but good. I can now sit and use the wifi. I ask for the password and it's not as complex as some so I'm on line quickly.

There are a number of emails asking me where I am? Am I okay? Thanks, all is okay it's just a lack of wifi that's keeping me out of touch. I even got an email from Robim that she has called the Hotel to see if I chedked in or out. All is good, just really sore feet! Thanks for the concern.

I am supposed to meet Mick for dinner in town but that does not happen. The town is about a half mile long end to end. That's not a problem but there are two streets which run parallel to each other, one upper and one lower. Mick is staying at one of the Albergue's in town and there are a number of them. They are all over the place. I'm staying in a place on the lower road which is fifty four steps below the upper road. I know because I went up and down them a couple of times trying to find my hotel and I counted them. I'm not going up again in search of the Irishmen. I'll find him in Fromista or somewhere else on the Camino.

I check in and the room is fine with one weird addition. The shower has no curtain or shower door. The result is there is water everywhere. I'm thinking that the room below me may have a problem but it is what it is. 

I need to find a shop to buy socks. The three pair I have are getting long in the tooth and that's not going to help my passengers. I do find a shop and they do have one pair that will work for me. I then head back to the Hotel to check on the Pilgrim dinner. It's at 7:30 and the menu is okay so I sign up to avoid the steps to the upper road in search of an alternative.

As I'm walking out of the hotel which has wifi I get an email from Robim to turnoff my airplane mode on my phone and she will call me. We have not spoken since I left almost three weeks ago. Robin is in Germany on the final leg of her trip. She calls and we get a chance to catch up. All is good but we are both ready to go home. I will not be going for quite a while yet, she will be flying back on Monday. As it turns out next Mondsy is when I will reach the halfway point. 

It's time for dinner and I am seated with two couples, one from Nova Scotia and the other from Long Beach California. Nice people. More about that tomorrow. It is 4:40 am, I have been awake since 3:00 and I need to try to get back to sleep. I fell asleep at 9:30 so I did get in five and a half hours.

Good night or good morning I'm not sure which makes more sense. In a few hours I will begin walking to Fromista. The walk starts straight up hill and then is fairly flat. The distance is about sixteen miles, not a short day.

Buen Camino.

It's Thursday and I now have two hundred miles behind me.. On to Hornillos Los Camino a walk of thirteen miles.

Let me start by telling you that there will be no internet access from Hornillos so this post will not be sent until Friday. They do have a phone booth.

Today was a really good day. The wind disappeared, no rain and it was cloudy and cool. Perfect for the Camino. I have a normal breakfast today not just the usual bread feast. I'm ready to go. I have dressed for rain and cooler temperatures but I'm only out for ten minutes walking past the Cathedral and I'm cold. I get lucky. There is a Camino shop open and I buy a pull over scarf.  It's like a large headband which can cover your face, most of your head and can be pulled up over your nose or just be kept around your neck.  I had one on my first Camino and it was a good investment. I buy it for two Euro. I'm ready to go. 

Unlike yesterday's impossible conditions today feels like a vacation. The Limos are dry, the passengers are firmly bandages and I am dressed correctly. I'm thinking it's going to be a good day. I wil be correct.

As I leave the city I take a couple of photos of the Catherdral and of the most famous statue in Burgos, the statue of El Sid. I will walk to Rabe de las Calzadis which is about seven miles from where I started before I take my first break. I need to slow down. The trail is flat and mostly dry. There are segments, which have mud from yesterday's storm but for the most part its just easy. The break will slow me down. I walk into the first cafe and it's packed. There is only one person trying to get everyone what they want and I quickly realize that this location will not work so I move ahead. Not more than two hundred yards around the next corner I recognize the little cafe where I had coffee with Michel, Nelly and Fernando for the first time. I go inside and there is only one other Pilgrim and a few locals at the bar having coffee. I order a coffee and while I'm waiting the only other pilgrim there turns to me and says "where are you from". I explain and he tells me that he is from Germany. He mentioned the city but I could not hear him.

With that he jumps right into the what he wants to talk about ... " why are you walking the Camino?". No chit chat let's just get right to it. Okay. I begin to  answer the question by saying that I did it once before and I enjoyed it and he just cuts me off before I can finish what I would have said. He just wants to tell me why he's here. This is what makes the Camino interesting for me.

He tells me that he is walking the Camino as a sacrifice to God which he sees as an exchange of hardship for a blessing. He then looks at me and says that yesterday's walk was a true sacrifice. I agree but I don't say anything.

He goes on to tell me that the blessing he wants to trade for the sacrifice and discomfort he will endure walking the Camino will be used to bring his brother and sister together again. He goes on and tells me that he can no longer watch the two destroy the family and create such problems. In addition he tells me that he fears his death will come before he can make them come back together. So he walks the Camino. I don't even remember if I got my coffee. With that he picks up his backpack and tells me that he must leave to go ahead and secure a place at the nearest Albergue. 

I never did get to answer his question but I get it. I can only hope to see him in Santiago to ask him if it worked?

This is turning into a very nice day. I take a few photos and walk into Hornillos Del Camino in less than five hours. As I walk into the village It starts to come back to me from the first Camino. This is the town where we called Emma's estranged father from the bar on his birthday and sang happy birthday to him from the only phone booth still working in Spain or perhaps the world.  I find the bar, walked in and order a beer and took a picture of the phone booth. 

That day with Emma which I wrote about on my first Camino will always be a very special day for me. It is what the Camino is all about.

With that I take a seat and two minutes later a guy with his own beer wearing a hat with a shamrock on it sits with me. Another really interesting person. He's from Dublin his name is Mick and he is a riot. I only wish I could understand more of what he's saying. He tells me that it took him twelve hours to complete the first day! He goes on to tell me that in the middle of the climb up the Hill of Forgiveness, which was day four from Pamplona, he sheds his boots and walks in sandles. Just took them off and left them there.  I look at his feet and he is wearing a pair of bright blue tennis shoes with no laces. I can't help but ask ... Where did those come from? He tells me that his sandles gave out and he bought the blue shoes a couple of days ago and that they are the wrong size but it was all they had at the shop which is why he has thrown the laces away. He plans to replace them with a new pair of walking boots as soon as possible. His story goes on but he needs to leave in order to secure a bunk in the Albergue before it's sold out. We agree to meet at the next town, Castrojeriz where I know a good restaurant. We will meet at the Plaza Mayor for dinner. Should be fun.

So that's it for today. All good after a very difficult day. Tomorrow on to Castrojeriz a walk of about thirteen miles. Weather looks good and the terrain is very manageable . I am over the two hundred mile count. One step at a time. Good night and Buen Camino.

I just arrived in Hontanas where I am having a slice of pizza and now have wifi! Buen Camino. 

A very difficult day. The wind is worse, it's very cold and it's raining. Add to that the passengers have grown some new friends. But there is good news ...I have met some interesting people!

A very difficult day but first Belorado. The walk is boring to say the least but it keeps your interest because of the endless line of very large triucks coming directly at you all day. Much of the day is on the road as they come racing past you with little room to spare. Add to this the final destination is just not a place anyone would travel to and you and you have a day worth forgetting. 

I check into the Hotel Jacobeo and soon thereafter I am on my way to the only restaurant in town. I am worn out from the fourteen miles into a very strong wind that is in my face all day and never relents. The good news is I order the chicken stew and it is very good. The bad news is I go back to the hotel. 

The room is warm so I leave the window open. My room is in the front of the hotel which is thirty feet from the raceway and it's trucks nonstop all night long. I can't wait to leave. I am back on the Camino at 8:30. The wind is significantly stronger and yes it's a head wind and it will remain that way all day and it will get stronger. It will take me eight hours to reach St. Juan.

I got an email from Pat this morning warning me about the forecast. He is correct. As I leave the hotel it's cold not chilly,  it's cold. It now turns out that the"go to vote wool shirt"  I bought in Santo Domingo for six Euro is rapidly becoming my best Camino investment thus far. I am wearing shorts. Not a good decision.

I stop at Villambistia which is about three and a half miles into today's fifteen mile journey. The sky is lookng worse, the wind is picking up and it's just plain cold. I stop for coffee but more importantly to make a wardrobe adjustment. It's starting to rain. Just spinkles but it gets your attention with more than nearly twelve miles to go.  

I have a coffee and take out my rain jacket and rain cover for my backpack. It's also time to get everytnig else in the bag like my cell phone which I normally have in my pocket to take photos. There will be very few photos and all will be before this stop. 

I reach Villafranca Montes De Oca which is about half way to St. juan de Ortega. I'm freezing. I stop for another coffee and someting to eat. The cafe is packed and for good reason. Lots of the Donkey folks are trying to get taxis to wherever because it's really starting to rain and immediately ahead of us is a very, very long uphill challenge complete with all of the Spanish potatoes. There are two taxis there when I arrive and there are far to many willing customers. The cafe calls for reinforcements. I find a place to stand and have a muffin. One guy asks me if I'm going on? I simply say yes and he then asks me if I know what is directly ahead. I'm not sure where he is from and I just shake my head yes.

I am out the door and the conditions are really nasty. The climb is very difficult. I stop many times and just try to get through the wind. I finally reach the top and a short distance from there I catch up to a women who is walking alone. We walk and chat for the short flat part of the trail and she tells me that she is from Denver and that she went to the Hospital at the end of the second day because of blisters. They were so bad that the Doctor told her to take a taxi to Pamplona and stay in a hotel for at least three days if she planned on going on. He also told her that at the end of the three days to take a taxi ahead to Najera and to avoid the hill climb out of Pamplona to the turbines . She has been back on the Camino for one day. She started on August 30th and this is her forth day of walking. Not a good day to get back on the Camino.

So I reach San Juan and there is little doubt that the passengers have new blisters. I'm not really to happy. Pat and John will remember that everything operates out of one very small cafe/ bar and that there are only eight rooms in the town. The wifi is outside in a seperate little hut and you pay with coins to get on line. If you read my first blog you might remember the Weather Girl ... This is where I first met her.

So I'm standing at the  bar and I'm dripping wet like everyone else and there is a young guy trying to get the inn keepers attention. When he finally does he orders two boccidillo's. Strange I think he's alone and I'm right. They deliver two enormously mostly bread things and yes they are both for him.  I ask him where he is from? Interesting person number one.

He tells me that he is from Poland and that he started his Camino more than 700 miles ago! He is going to the ocean so that means a distance of more than one thousand miles. Add to that that he is walking nearly thirty miles a day which at least twice what I'm doing and throw in that he's carrying his own tent etc and I have now found my first interesting person. He also tells me that he has lived in London for the past nine years but after doing research on the Camino he quits his job and goes back to Poland and then onto the Camino.

I asked him what he did in London and he simply said computers . Going on I ask him what he will do after the Camino and he says he does not care as long as it allows him to stay close to home .. No more wondering to other places because of work. I ask him how old he is and he tells me forty three. He looks like he is twenty nine and could walk to Califonia. 

His reason for the Camino? He wants to get back to being closer to God. He tells me that his work in London left him empty and away from the things that were not important and that he was not going to allow that to happen again no matter the money. Wow! A Camino pilgrim in the flesh. He also speaks six languages. 

Finally a small table is open and we sit. I need to because my feet are killing me. In short order a women and her husband ask if they can join us and it turns out that she is from Scotalnd and she also is trying to reconnect. She also says that she is trying to "drag him with her to a better place" . He says nothing. Out of no where she looks at me and says your on a journey for others! I tell her what I'm doing and she simply again turns to her husband and says you need to walk with Jim tomorrow? We all laugh but I think she is serious. With that they have to go. There is no place to stay and they walk back out Into the storm. Robert from Poland says he needs to move on to find a place to settle and with that they are all gone. Katherine says to me "we will see you in Santiago and he will be a changed man" . I don't even know his name.

My feet are killing me and tomorrow the wether forecast is much worse. Heavy rain and winds at 28 mph! I really don't know what to say. Tomorrow to Burgos a walk of sixteen miles if it's worse weather than today I just don't know.

Good night and Buen Camino. 

On my way to Belorado a walk of about fourteen miles ... It's very windy.

Before I cover yesterday's end and my visit to the Church of the Two Chickens I want to write about a question I got yesterday asking me how I would compare this Camnio to the first at this point. First let me just say that's it's early. I still have a very long way to go. The question was asked of me yesterday and it did get me thinking about a comparison. I prepared better for the first Camino and I believed that before I left for St. Jean two weeks ago. Would that lead to more problems which would place this Camino in a negative light? Compared to many others I've met along the way I was much better prepared. Were they unaware of the difficulty especially in the first two days? Deprived of the time to train? Poorly equipped? Were both the Limos and the Passengers ready to go?

For me the comparison of the two is not at all about preparation. Yes the physical part can and will make a huge difference. If you end up with the wounded I'm sure your opinion of the Camino won't be all that good. 

For me it's about who you meet along the Way. I have met many nice people on this my second Camino. The weather has been terrific, the accommodations just fine and Inspite of some minor blister related issues I'm good physically. So what's the difference so far that makes me think that Camino number one was more enjoyable? Interesting people . I met lots of interesting people on Camino one but I have not yet met anyone on Camino two who I would call interesting. I'm not giving up. There is still a long way to go. Time will tell.

Now back to yesterday. My walk to Santo Domingo. I made great time and all is good. I will check in, take care of the chores and then I will walk to the Paradore where I can sit in the comfort of the Hotel's  generous lobby sitting area including the really large comfortable leather chairs. I will just take the time to sit, relax, have a glass of Rioja and start the day's blog. The plan wil be to have dinner at the Paradore before I return to the Convent. By the way both Pat and John stayed at the Convent on their Camino. They loved it!

Okay great plan. I will also visit the Cathedral because it is directly across from the Hotel. I'm looking forward to a steak. I have not eaten much and today was no exception. I'm hungry. At about 6:30 I walk from the lobby to the dining room to check out the menu. When I get there it's empty. I find a staff member and he tells me that they don't serve dinner until 8:30. That's two hours from now so that won't work. Bummer. 

I decide to go to find a pharmacy and when I did it's closed. There is however a small Camino type shop which is open . Good, I need a new tee shirt. The shop has nothing that works except a shirt that looks like a plaid shirt you might see on a farmer when he goes to town to vote. It's actually wool. I do need a shirt I can wear to dinner. I can wear it for just an hour or so and then just throw it into the backpack for the next day. I buy it. It's on sale for six Euro. Try that at Nordstrom.

Now to find something to eat. I ask the shop owner and he sends me one block away to a street I have never seen before. It has at least a dozen street side cafés. The sidewalk is fifty feet wide and all of the cafés are sheltered from the wind with plastic. It looks like something you would find in Paris. I stroll down the street lookng at menus which are all very much alike. Lots of people, it's a happening place on Sunday. I pick an Italian place and order pasta and a salad with a glass of Rioja. This will work just fine.

I'm just starting my salad when in walks the largest human being I've ever seen and that includes the circus! I think he selected this restaurant because it has a bench seat against one of the walls. He must be five hundred pounds. I don't think he's on the Camino. Ten minutes later he is screaming at the waiter and all I can understand is that they are arguing about what "medium" is. He has ordered a steak. He is pounding his fists on the table and screaming at now two waiters. Not quite the Parador. I'm now in a hurry to leave.

My visit to the Church of the Two Chickens. It's a stunning Cathedral. I took some photos which I have sent out. I hope everyone who wants to see them got them. If not send me an email and I will do my best to make sure your on the list. My visit is fairly brief. The Rooster does not crow while I'm there and I don't find a feather. 

I leave Santo Doming at ten. It takes me six hours to reach Belorado. It would have been sooner but every step, all fourteen miles is dead into a very strong headwind. It just wears me out. Add to that the walk is along lots of freeway. It's noisy to say the least with semi's screaming by constantly. I am no longer walking in the Vineyards or Rioja. I am now walking through the farm land most of which has been plowed under and just waiting for the next planting. It's brown for as far as the eye can see. 

I arrive at the Hotel Jacobeo. There is nothing else in this town ...nothing else. There is one restaurant so I guess I'll just wander over there and see what is available. It will be another early night. 

Tomorrow a walk of fifteen miles to San Juan de Ortega. Lots of elevation change and the weather looks ominous. Good night. Buen Camino.