Jane: we both feel really remiss as we have not yet said any thank-yous for all the kind and funny comments you have all been leaving for us. We loved the song suggestions (in fact Charlotte had already been singing the Hippopotomas song as she trudged through the mud), and thank you Eddie and Mark for giving us the full words. We feel very connected with home when reading the comments. We appreciate the efforts you´ve made to put comments on as we understand it can be a bit complicated. Unfortunately, we cannot always read the comments when you post them; it very much depends on whether the computer system is state-of the art or from-the-ark. However, we catch up when we can.
Before we forget, in our last blog we wrote about Michael and Ann and we forgot to tell Maria that Anne´s family come from near Assisi (and she speaks Italian!)
Top Gear:
There are some things we just would not be without on this trip. Walking poles, obviously as the it is not just the two ancient women who have to cover the mileage, it is also those flippin´packs. The poles really do help save the back, legs, hips, sanity. They are so important that after about 100 kilometres we had to purchase specialist attachments. As good pilgrims we had been holding up our poles through all the urban areas and all the villages as they make a terrible click-clack noise on tarmac. This coutesy was doing no end of damage to our backs. We then fell across a little shop (yes, it was open!) and we bought rubber bungs that can be put on and pulled off the end of the poles very easily. We are now the silent pilgrims through all built-up areas.
Pillow cases from home -- lovely for keeping goodnes only knows what from ones face , but also they are a bit of home.
Ear plugs and black-out masks -- give some chance of catching a little sleep in the mixed dorms.
Ponchos -- well say no more -- you´ve seen them!
In fact, everything is important and increasingly dear to us. There are couple of things we have yet to use. Charlotte is still looking for a horse that needs a stone removed from its hoof, and both of us have failed to find the courage to use our she-wees.
Top flora and fauna
At the moment we are blown away by the storks, the size of some of their nests, the bizarre locations of those nests and their clacking courtship rituals. We are accompanied most days by the sound of cuckoos and today actually saw one perched in a tree. The swifts and swallows in the evenings perform arial acrobatics, sweeping enmasse to the ground and around buildings like some sort of Red Arrows team.
The variety of different wildflowers is amazing, but perhaps the best has been the brilliant red, but small poppies and the gorgeous tamarisk trees. We frequently accidently release wild herb scents as we walk as so many herbs, thyme, lavender, rosemary, wild rocket, santolina and others we cannot identify abound on the verges.
We wont mention the Great Peacock moth again, but it is up there at the top of the list.
We have seen relatively few farm animals, but we have a favourite - a Pyreneean Cow, so melancholy and gentle.
Charlotte insists I mention the too-numerous-to-count pretty little, white and ginger ferral cats, often with ice blue eyes.
We´ll put the pictures on next time as this computer only has one USB port that operates the mouse.
Short but sweet. catch up soon. Lots of love, J and C xx
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Monday, 20 May 2013
None So Queer As Folk
Charlotte. I am now awake having had a snooze, I was going cross eyed due to lack of sleep. We thought we would tell you about some of the people we have encountered along the Way. We have said before that one of the extraordinary aspects of this journey is the brief friendships that are formed each day, some last a few days as our paths criss cross. we have some pictures of the most memorable and lovely pilgrims we have spent time with and some we did not get pictures of, for instance two lovely Canadian men, Leo and Bill who we met in Orrisson and also Cecelia and Suzy two seventy year olds who are walking from Puy in France. We are still crossing paths with them.
This is Ingo who was from Germany and whom we met at Biarritz and who we shared a taxi with into Beyonne and whom we met again in Orisson. He was very friendly, travelling on his own and made us feel confident in making friends along the Way. We assume he is streaks ahead of us now.
We first met Ann and Michael from the USA in our posh hotel in Pamplona and our journey forward coincided with them for some days, they were very funny, friendly people and it was always a pleasure to meet up with them. They had sent all their cold weather clothing back home and were regretting their decision as the weather was so much colder than they had anticipated. We assume they are ahead of us as we have not bumped into them again.
Francoise on the left and Claude on the right, both French women were travelling on their own and we met up with them individually and then we all met up at a lovely Albergue at Villafranca, Jane had great opportunity to speak French, Francoise had very good English but Claude had none. They are both ahead of us as Francoise was speeding towards Leon and Claude took a train to Sarria. Though a transient meeting we really connected with Francoise in particular and it was sad to say goodbye.
Bethany (left) and Jenny, Bethany from Hawaii was travelling on her own and we first encountered her walking out from Roncevalles, her pack had been so heavy that the Pilgrim´s Office in St. Jean advised her not to attempt to carry it. She was having it portered till she could post a huge parcel back home. Bethany was a vivacious, funny, charming person who made friends easily and called us "The British Ladies", We bumped into her many times along our way. She met up and travelled with Jenny from Germany, a kindred spirit. But both are now walking seperately due to their own personal timetables. We have had many a laugh with these two and we are still seeing Jenny now and again.
Our latest encounter was in Burgos at the hotel, Terrance and his wife Kate from Australia were at breakfast and we thought they were British until Jane spoke to Terrance. They were both academics researching cultural aspects of the Camino Way for their Universities. Kate had travelled the CW herself in 2010. They were tremendous fun, we had our last evening meal with them and it was , we all agreed, delightful. Two incredibly interesting folk it was hard to say goodbye and in other circumstances we could imagine longterm friendship would/could form.
These are some of the more significant encounters. We also have fleeting conversations, eg a lad from Telford today, who packed his job in and is walking the CW and then continuing to Lisbon. His journey inspired by "The Way", Martin Sheen´s film.
In contrast there have been a few po faced unfriendly people who you cannot help but wonder why they are on the CW!
Thats all for now, love to everyone and more blogs soon.
This is Darren from South Africa, our lovely companion who we crossed the Pyrenees with, he was worried about doing this bit on his own and called us the "English Ladies". We are still following him on his blog when we can, however he is definitely following us geographically!
We first met Ann and Michael from the USA in our posh hotel in Pamplona and our journey forward coincided with them for some days, they were very funny, friendly people and it was always a pleasure to meet up with them. They had sent all their cold weather clothing back home and were regretting their decision as the weather was so much colder than they had anticipated. We assume they are ahead of us as we have not bumped into them again.
Francoise on the left and Claude on the right, both French women were travelling on their own and we met up with them individually and then we all met up at a lovely Albergue at Villafranca, Jane had great opportunity to speak French, Francoise had very good English but Claude had none. They are both ahead of us as Francoise was speeding towards Leon and Claude took a train to Sarria. Though a transient meeting we really connected with Francoise in particular and it was sad to say goodbye.
Bethany (left) and Jenny, Bethany from Hawaii was travelling on her own and we first encountered her walking out from Roncevalles, her pack had been so heavy that the Pilgrim´s Office in St. Jean advised her not to attempt to carry it. She was having it portered till she could post a huge parcel back home. Bethany was a vivacious, funny, charming person who made friends easily and called us "The British Ladies", We bumped into her many times along our way. She met up and travelled with Jenny from Germany, a kindred spirit. But both are now walking seperately due to their own personal timetables. We have had many a laugh with these two and we are still seeing Jenny now and again.
Our latest encounter was in Burgos at the hotel, Terrance and his wife Kate from Australia were at breakfast and we thought they were British until Jane spoke to Terrance. They were both academics researching cultural aspects of the Camino Way for their Universities. Kate had travelled the CW herself in 2010. They were tremendous fun, we had our last evening meal with them and it was , we all agreed, delightful. Two incredibly interesting folk it was hard to say goodbye and in other circumstances we could imagine longterm friendship would/could form.
These are some of the more significant encounters. We also have fleeting conversations, eg a lad from Telford today, who packed his job in and is walking the CW and then continuing to Lisbon. His journey inspired by "The Way", Martin Sheen´s film.
In contrast there have been a few po faced unfriendly people who you cannot help but wonder why they are on the CW!
Thats all for now, love to everyone and more blogs soon.
None So Queer As Folk
Charlotte. I am now awake having had a snooze, I was going cross eyed due to lack of sleep. We thought we would tell you about some of the people we have encountered along the Way. We have said before that one of the extraordinary aspects of this journey is the brief friendships that are formed each day, some last a few days as our paths criss cross. we have some pictures of the most memorable and lovely pilgrims we have spent time with and some we did not get pictures of, for instance two lovely Canadian men, Leo and Bill who we met in Orrisson and also Cecelia and Suzy two seventy year olds who are walking from Puy in France. We are still crossing paths with them.
This is Ingo who was from Germany and whom we met at Biarritz and who we shared a taxi with into Beyonne and whom we met again in Orisson. He was very friendly, travelling on his own and made us feel confident in making friends along the Way. We assume he is streaks ahead of us now.
We first met Ann and Michael from the USA in our posh hotel in Pamplona and our journey forward coincided with them for some days, they were very funny, friendly people and it was always a pleasure to meet up with them. They had sent all their cold weather clothing back home and were regretting their decision as the weather was so much colder than they had anticipated. We assume they are ahead of us as we have not bumped into them again.
Francoise on the left and Claude on the right, both French women were travelling on their own and we met up with them individually and then we all met up at a lovely Albergue at Villafranca, Jane had great opportunity to speak French, Francoise had very good English but Claude had none. They are both ahead of us as Francoise was speeding towards Leon and Claude took a train to Sarria. Though a transient meeting we really connected with Francoise in particular and it was sad to say goodbye.
Bethany (left) and Jenny, Bethany from Hawaii was travelling on her own and we first encountered her walking out from Roncevalles, her pack had been so heavy that the Pilgrim´s Office in St. Jean advised her not to attempt to carry it. She was having it portered till she could post a huge parcel back home. Bethany was a vivacious, funny, charming person who made friends easily and called us "The British Ladies", We bumped into her many times along our way. She met up and travelled with Jenny from Germany, a kindred spirit. But both are now walking seperately due to their own personal timetables. We have had many a laugh with these two and we are still seeing Jenny now and again.
Our latest encounter was in Burgos at the hotel, Terrance and his wife Kate from Australia were at breakfast and we thought they were British until Jane spoke to Terrance. They were both academics researching cultural aspects of the Camino Way for their Universities. Kate had travelled the CW herself in 2010. They were tremendous fun, we had our last evening meal with them and it was , we all agreed, delightful. Two incredibly interesting folk it was hard to say goodbye and in other circumstances we could imagine longterm friendship would/could form.
These are some of the more significant encounters. We also have fleeting conversations, eg a lad from Telford today, who packed his job in and is walking the CW and then continuing to Lisbon. His journey inspired by "The Way", Martin Sheen´s film.
In contrast there have been a few po faced unfriendly people who you cannot help but wonder why they are on the CW!
Thats all for now, love to everyone and more blogs soon.
This is Darren from South Africa, our lovely companion who we crossed the Pyrenees with, he was worried about doing this bit on his own and called us the "English Ladies". We are still following him on his blog when we can, however he is definitely following us geographically!
We first met Ann and Michael from the USA in our posh hotel in Pamplona and our journey forward coincided with them for some days, they were very funny, friendly people and it was always a pleasure to meet up with them. They had sent all their cold weather clothing back home and were regretting their decision as the weather was so much colder than they had anticipated. We assume they are ahead of us as we have not bumped into them again.
Francoise on the left and Claude on the right, both French women were travelling on their own and we met up with them individually and then we all met up at a lovely Albergue at Villafranca, Jane had great opportunity to speak French, Francoise had very good English but Claude had none. They are both ahead of us as Francoise was speeding towards Leon and Claude took a train to Sarria. Though a transient meeting we really connected with Francoise in particular and it was sad to say goodbye.
Bethany (left) and Jenny, Bethany from Hawaii was travelling on her own and we first encountered her walking out from Roncevalles, her pack had been so heavy that the Pilgrim´s Office in St. Jean advised her not to attempt to carry it. She was having it portered till she could post a huge parcel back home. Bethany was a vivacious, funny, charming person who made friends easily and called us "The British Ladies", We bumped into her many times along our way. She met up and travelled with Jenny from Germany, a kindred spirit. But both are now walking seperately due to their own personal timetables. We have had many a laugh with these two and we are still seeing Jenny now and again.
Our latest encounter was in Burgos at the hotel, Terrance and his wife Kate from Australia were at breakfast and we thought they were British until Jane spoke to Terrance. They were both academics researching cultural aspects of the Camino Way for their Universities. Kate had travelled the CW herself in 2010. They were tremendous fun, we had our last evening meal with them and it was , we all agreed, delightful. Two incredibly interesting folk it was hard to say goodbye and in other circumstances we could imagine longterm friendship would/could form.
These are some of the more significant encounters. We also have fleeting conversations, eg a lad from Telford today, who packed his job in and is walking the CW and then continuing to Lisbon. His journey inspired by "The Way", Martin Sheen´s film.
In contrast there have been a few po faced unfriendly people who you cannot help but wonder why they are on the CW!
Thats all for now, love to everyone and more blogs soon.
Town and Country Mice
Jane: Charlotte is having a snooze so I am whiling away some time blogging. Friday afternoon and Saturday we stayed in the beautiful city of Burgos. Sunday and today, Monday we have begun walking on the Spanish meseta, a very high plateau that one reads much about. In Summer it can be very hot with little shade; in Autumn it can be uniformly brown. However, in Spring it is verdant green with many hedgerow flowers and, at this early stage of our long walk across it, it is varied and undulating. Oops, I forgot to mention -- it can be muddy - an abiding motif at the moment.
Burgos is a lovely city and as Henry had found an ideal location for us we were able to watch from the window traditional Spanish wedding dancing and brides galore having photos taken with the cathedral as their backdrop. The dancing and singing was brilliant (short video for you lucky people who will be invited to our Camino Way meal and slide show!).
All around the city are statues - old people sitting on benches, a policeman directing traffic, a pilgrim nursing sore feet and so on.
This was a bit of a busman´s holiday for Charlotte and I had to tear her away eventually when the two old dears refused to remember "money, apple, table".
Anyway, we had a lovely break (and a couple of proper baths) then it was back on The Way- guess what-- in the rain. Cue fashion shoot photos!
This is us in our new ponchos (thank you Burgos). We look quite normal from the front, but check out the side view! Honey Monster eat your heart out! (We donated the other, plastic ones to an Albergue. Not sure we were doing anyone any favours!)
Mankiest bed I have slept (no ladder so getting up in night was tricky.)
But at least it wasn´t the gym!
Today was a lovely walk and we even had some sunshine towards the end of the walk. We booked ahead and got a room with shared access to a proper bathroom (all part of a campsite complex) and with very kindly helpful Spanish people. (More on that in a later blog, but we are finding the Spanish to be a little like Europe´s Yorkshiremen - bit brusk.)
In contrast to the lovely statues in Burgos, the rural ones are a little more primitive!
Charlotte sitting infront of a Tau cross, the cross of the pilgrim apparently.
All is well with us. We are finding 20 kilometres a manageable distance.
Might blog again later if we have the energy.
Burgos is a lovely city and as Henry had found an ideal location for us we were able to watch from the window traditional Spanish wedding dancing and brides galore having photos taken with the cathedral as their backdrop. The dancing and singing was brilliant (short video for you lucky people who will be invited to our Camino Way meal and slide show!).
All around the city are statues - old people sitting on benches, a policeman directing traffic, a pilgrim nursing sore feet and so on.
You can see the pilgrim´s backpack with cockle shell (we all have cockle shells dangling off our packs to show we are pilgrms).
A rather creepy, warty, naked man!
Anyway, they worked. Although you do tend to develop your own micro-climate in there. Despite the fairly poor weather, it was a good day´s walking in fresh air and the rain let up periodically. We arrived at a place called Hornillos del Camino. This place is in desperate need of some time-and-motion study advice. It took an hour to be allocated the dirtiest bunk bed you can imagine in the overspill room. Charlotte and I "itched" all night wondering what was creeping out at us. However, at least we didn´t get allocated to the gym over-flow, which did in fact overflow with rain water, was very cold and drafty and you had to sleep on mats on the concrete. We were so eager to escape we joined the 5.30 rustle-and-dash brigade and were on the road by 6.20 this morning.
Mankiest bed I have slept (no ladder so getting up in night was tricky.)
But at least it wasn´t the gym!
Today was a lovely walk and we even had some sunshine towards the end of the walk. We booked ahead and got a room with shared access to a proper bathroom (all part of a campsite complex) and with very kindly helpful Spanish people. (More on that in a later blog, but we are finding the Spanish to be a little like Europe´s Yorkshiremen - bit brusk.)
In contrast to the lovely statues in Burgos, the rural ones are a little more primitive!
Relaxing at Castrojeriz.
Charlotte sitting infront of a Tau cross, the cross of the pilgrim apparently.
Might blog again later if we have the energy.
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Where we rest our weary heads
We thought you might like to learn a little about where we have been staying and the life in pilgrim hostels. Actually, as pampered pilgrims we have now interspersed our albergue stays with three hotels (four if you count where we flew into).
It took us some time to get into hostel rituals and routines but we have pretty much got it sussed now. We can pack our rucksacks in the dark, which it often is at 6.00 am. It takes a brave soul to turn the light on even when it is obvious there is only lazy so-and-so still in bed. Then the stampede for the bathroom facilities begins - these can be minimal. This whole routine can start even earlier as there are groups of very early risers (are they walking 40 K or are they determined to get the two sheets of toilet paper that are left in the one toilet?) You lie in bed, watching the torch-light show and listening to the dry sacks rustling as people try to creep out and in fact everbody is just being woken up!
We often stay in large mixed dormitories and the snoring can fairly rattle the Windows. Earplugs are an essential Camino Way asset.
One of the lovely things about this comunal living is the camerarderie that can develop and it is great when later you bump into those familiar faces. Here are a few pics of places we have stayed. Guess which are the albergues.
Friday, 17 May 2013
Mud, Mud , Glorious Mud!
Today we set off in our plastic ponchos as it was raining again. The rain in Spain clearly falls mainly on the pilgrims. The ponchos worked after a fashion (although Charlotte's Hood was tearing off after about 10 minutes) and talking about fashion, I think we might soon set a new trend - what do you think?
This is Charlotte´looking like Bin-bag Betty.
Here is Jane -- "The bells!The bells! Must see the Osteopath when I get back.
We are not promoting Shell; this is the Camino Way symbol.
It was a hard slog today through a lot of claggy red mud. After 10 miles we decided to get the bus through the suburbs of Burgos. We had just missed the bus and were stripping off layers of filthy wet-weather gear when a man and women approached us and offered to take us to the City Centre. White slaver or Camino Angel, thought Jane as Charlotte leapt into the car. As you can tell they were Camino Angels and asked us to pray for them in Santiago de Compostela as he had once been a pilgrim himself.
Before we began this trip, the web sites gave the impression that the hot topic in the albergues was the state of people's blisters. In fact there is far more discussion about the effectiveness of different styles of poncho and where to stay that night. First thing (after a glorious bath and the usual laundry) was to find an outdoor activity store and purchase two state-of-the-art ponchos, Taylor made for pilgrims with an integral back-pack compartment. Will model for you when we are back on The Way.
In the hotel that Henry booked for us we have the most amazing view of Burgos catedral from our 4th floor bedroom window. It is a wonder to behold.
We shall definitley do flora and fauna son.
love to all J and C xx
This is Charlotte´looking like Bin-bag Betty.
Here is Jane -- "The bells!The bells! Must see the Osteopath when I get back.
We are not promoting Shell; this is the Camino Way symbol.
It was a hard slog today through a lot of claggy red mud. After 10 miles we decided to get the bus through the suburbs of Burgos. We had just missed the bus and were stripping off layers of filthy wet-weather gear when a man and women approached us and offered to take us to the City Centre. White slaver or Camino Angel, thought Jane as Charlotte leapt into the car. As you can tell they were Camino Angels and asked us to pray for them in Santiago de Compostela as he had once been a pilgrim himself.
Before we began this trip, the web sites gave the impression that the hot topic in the albergues was the state of people's blisters. In fact there is far more discussion about the effectiveness of different styles of poncho and where to stay that night. First thing (after a glorious bath and the usual laundry) was to find an outdoor activity store and purchase two state-of-the-art ponchos, Taylor made for pilgrims with an integral back-pack compartment. Will model for you when we are back on The Way.
In the hotel that Henry booked for us we have the most amazing view of Burgos catedral from our 4th floor bedroom window. It is a wonder to behold.
We shall definitley do flora and fauna son.
love to all J and C xx
Thursday, 16 May 2013
The Pilgrim Menu
Jane: Hi Everyone! I know we said we´d write about flora and fauna, but we´ve had a special request from Maria to write about Spanish food (I think Maria may believe it is not as good as Italian; she may be correct!)
Anyway, we are actually eating very well. Usually we have to be a bit independent in the mornings as bars are not always open and most hostels don´t provide breakfast. A banana, bread and water is the normal start then we stop for coffee as soon as we find a bar -- maybe not for many miles. Lunch is a cheese and tomato sandwhich prepared the day before. Yesterday when we were frozen and wet and discovered the hostel we´d booked at was in fact closed, we had tortilla-- delicious! It gave us the energy and courage we needed to sort our problem out. We ended up in a lovely hostel, behind a 3 star hotel and run by the man who owned the hotel who wanted to give something back to pilgrims having done The Way himself when younger.
In the evenings we tend to eat The Pilgrim Menu, which is offered by many bars and restaurants in the towns and villages (not the cities, I think). It ranges from 9 to 12 euros. Sometimes you get a choice of dishes for the three courses, sometimes you get what you´re given. So it is veg.soup, or mixed salad, or pasta of some sort. This is followed by fish, pork, chicken, meatballs -- always with chips. This is followed by yoghurt, icecream, rice pudding, caramel cream, etc. Bread, red wine and water are all included (never white wine -- shame! Portions can be huge, so unlikely to be losing weight!
We haven´t yet experienced tapas or any other tradional foods; perhaps we will when we have our rest day at Burgos on Saturday. Oops, I forgot! Charlotte had a fish soup in Logrono - full of many sea creatures. She said it was delicious - I just had to believe her.
This was a very over-the-top starter in Bayonne, in France.
This is the typical mixed salad, very varied and tastey.
These were enormous bags of live snails being sold in a veg shop. So, if we get desperate, we can always scrounge along the hedgerows!
Our very simple breakfast.
Anyway, we are actually eating very well. Usually we have to be a bit independent in the mornings as bars are not always open and most hostels don´t provide breakfast. A banana, bread and water is the normal start then we stop for coffee as soon as we find a bar -- maybe not for many miles. Lunch is a cheese and tomato sandwhich prepared the day before. Yesterday when we were frozen and wet and discovered the hostel we´d booked at was in fact closed, we had tortilla-- delicious! It gave us the energy and courage we needed to sort our problem out. We ended up in a lovely hostel, behind a 3 star hotel and run by the man who owned the hotel who wanted to give something back to pilgrims having done The Way himself when younger.
In the evenings we tend to eat The Pilgrim Menu, which is offered by many bars and restaurants in the towns and villages (not the cities, I think). It ranges from 9 to 12 euros. Sometimes you get a choice of dishes for the three courses, sometimes you get what you´re given. So it is veg.soup, or mixed salad, or pasta of some sort. This is followed by fish, pork, chicken, meatballs -- always with chips. This is followed by yoghurt, icecream, rice pudding, caramel cream, etc. Bread, red wine and water are all included (never white wine -- shame! Portions can be huge, so unlikely to be losing weight!
We haven´t yet experienced tapas or any other tradional foods; perhaps we will when we have our rest day at Burgos on Saturday. Oops, I forgot! Charlotte had a fish soup in Logrono - full of many sea creatures. She said it was delicious - I just had to believe her.
This was a very over-the-top starter in Bayonne, in France.
This is the typical mixed salad, very varied and tastey.
These were enormous bags of live snails being sold in a veg shop. So, if we get desperate, we can always scrounge along the hedgerows!
Our very simple breakfast.
Anyway, I think we can safely say the Maria´s reputation as cuocero bellissima is quite safe.
PS I nearly forgot! We have been walking now for over two weeks and have done over 160 miles! (H. will probably correct me on my additions!) Only one sore toe between us -- Charlotte´s , and that is only a little one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)