So I´m not sure if every pilgrim does this, or if it´s just Sarah and I, but we´ve been talking about "If we owned an albergue" We´ve said that our albergue (the places where pilgrims stay) would have toilet paper, and toilet seats, it wouldn´t have bunk beds that were pushed together, like at some places, and a bunch of other things. But my big thing is that the bunk beds would be attached to the wall. I say this for 2 reasons. 1. when the bunk isn´t anchored, you can feel whenever the other person in the bunk moves. One night I felt like I was in an earthquake, the girl on the top bunk moved to much. The other reason I want the beds anchored is because I was climbing down from a top bunk one day and almost tipped the bunk over, not fun.
I weighed myself on the morning I left for Paris. I weighed myself just a few days in Burgos. The result was a loss of 12 kilos! That´s like 26 lbs! It´s crazy. I don´t know if the scale was off, but it told Sarah she hadn´t lost anything, so it might be right. If this keeps up, I´m looking at a 36 kilo loss, I could deal with that.
We´ve gotten onto the Meseta, the flat middle section of Spain. On the day we went from Burgos to Hontanas, we walked through the high meseta. There were no trees, just some kind of grain. It was so hot. We renamed that section of the camino "the valley of death" I ran out of water that day, 3/4 of a km outside of town, so I made it. We later found out that 3 pilgrims have died this month on the meseta from heat/dehydration/exhaustion. That´s scary.
Today I am resting because my feet are yelling at me. I will be taking a bus from Carrion to Terradillos del Templario. I need to listen to my body, and my body is telling me, don´t you dare walk 26km today or we will strike.
Speaking of Carrion. In the church here is the tackiest thing I´ve ever seen. It is a minitaure animatronic Bethlehem. Complete with a light that comes on to illuminate the birth of baby Jesus, and Angels that fly across the back wall. I will post pictures later, if I can figure out how. It was cute, and would have stayed cute had it not been IN the church. It looked like something you´d see on the "Birth of Jesus" ride and Disney World.
Well I guess that´s all for now, my internet time is almost up. I´ll try to write more often from now on.
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
Monday, June 28, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Well we made it one more day. After 20km we are in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Today was supposed to be an easy day, only 20km with a couple of hills to make things interesting. Ah the best laid plans
So we started today in Najera, after waking up and getting ready we went to a cafe for breakfast, this is not normal usually we have breakfast at the next town we come to, but today is a special day, it´s Sarah´s birthday! YAY! So we serenaded her with happy brithday in 3 different languages, and the guy who owns the bar/cafe gave her a free package of chorizo. Not a bad start to the day.
Then we actually started walking, and the first thing we do is a hill, not a little up and over kind of hill, but a walk around a bend and find more up, kind of hill. That´s not the best way to warm-up if you ask me. But we made it, just like we´ve made it everywhere else.
We stopped at a little cafe in the next town (I can´t remember the name right now) and I had an orange juice, I´m so addicted to the fresh Spanish orange juice, it´s amazing, I don´t drinkt he stuff at home, and what I do drink at home (diet coke) I haven´t touched since the airplane. Go figure
After our mornign snack we walked, and walked and walked, and climbed a LAGRE hill. This hill was insane, because first of all we could see it for proabably the last 6km at least and we kept saying "oh that won´t be so bad" WRONG, the first part was very steep then the middle was not horrible, but the last part was really steep too. At the top was a pretty little sitting spot with these cute cement chaise lounge type chairs, heavenly! The next "town" was scary. We passed a golf course, mom, trevor, that made me think of you, then we walked through a housing development. But not just one, like 8! And it was really creepy because no one lived in barely any of the houses, and they had the customary for Spain metal gate style shutters on the windows. It never seemed to end! We just wanted to be done with that place because it was so weird.
After this "town" we finally got back on dirt path and found, guess what, another hill! This one wasn´t as bad, but when you´re tired, any hill is a big one. I made my way slowly to the top only to find ANOTHER HILL! I can´t wait until we get to the meseta with no hills for like a week. Though there is also no shade there.
Finally we arrive in Santo Domingo. We´re at the Albergue run by the Spanish confraternity. It´s VERY nice, the mattresses are thick, the showers hot, the toilets have seats (the last place didn´t, and we´re only like 20 people to a room, which isn´t bad by camino standards.
Tonight is Sarah´s birthday so we´re going out. Of course it´s hard to go out too much when the doors lock you out at 10:00...
Well everyone that´s it for today.
Until next time
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
PS Excuse the spelling the keys on this key board are a little sticky.
So we started today in Najera, after waking up and getting ready we went to a cafe for breakfast, this is not normal usually we have breakfast at the next town we come to, but today is a special day, it´s Sarah´s birthday! YAY! So we serenaded her with happy brithday in 3 different languages, and the guy who owns the bar/cafe gave her a free package of chorizo. Not a bad start to the day.
Then we actually started walking, and the first thing we do is a hill, not a little up and over kind of hill, but a walk around a bend and find more up, kind of hill. That´s not the best way to warm-up if you ask me. But we made it, just like we´ve made it everywhere else.
We stopped at a little cafe in the next town (I can´t remember the name right now) and I had an orange juice, I´m so addicted to the fresh Spanish orange juice, it´s amazing, I don´t drinkt he stuff at home, and what I do drink at home (diet coke) I haven´t touched since the airplane. Go figure
After our mornign snack we walked, and walked and walked, and climbed a LAGRE hill. This hill was insane, because first of all we could see it for proabably the last 6km at least and we kept saying "oh that won´t be so bad" WRONG, the first part was very steep then the middle was not horrible, but the last part was really steep too. At the top was a pretty little sitting spot with these cute cement chaise lounge type chairs, heavenly! The next "town" was scary. We passed a golf course, mom, trevor, that made me think of you, then we walked through a housing development. But not just one, like 8! And it was really creepy because no one lived in barely any of the houses, and they had the customary for Spain metal gate style shutters on the windows. It never seemed to end! We just wanted to be done with that place because it was so weird.
After this "town" we finally got back on dirt path and found, guess what, another hill! This one wasn´t as bad, but when you´re tired, any hill is a big one. I made my way slowly to the top only to find ANOTHER HILL! I can´t wait until we get to the meseta with no hills for like a week. Though there is also no shade there.
Finally we arrive in Santo Domingo. We´re at the Albergue run by the Spanish confraternity. It´s VERY nice, the mattresses are thick, the showers hot, the toilets have seats (the last place didn´t, and we´re only like 20 people to a room, which isn´t bad by camino standards.
Tonight is Sarah´s birthday so we´re going out. Of course it´s hard to go out too much when the doors lock you out at 10:00...
Well everyone that´s it for today.
Until next time
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
PS Excuse the spelling the keys on this key board are a little sticky.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Audrey Hepburn Lied
Well day 2 of walking, and we are in Larrasoaña. We are approximately 40km along the camino of 800km more or less. Today was tough. It rained literally all day, in fact it´s raining as I write this. I walked without my rain jacket for almost 20 minutes today.
We left Roncesvalles at about 6:45 and had a wonderful breakfast in the next town, which I forget the name of. Casa Juan, it was amazing. I ordered Orange Juice, and watched the woman cut an orange in half and juice it, then give me the glass. It was so delicious, like eating an orange, but without all that pesky chewing.
Then we walked. today was another mountain day. It was really tough going especially with the rain. Though I discovered something about myself. Right after breakfast, walking out of the town, on the outskirts are a bunch of cattle farms. The smell instantly brought me to the Carstens farm. I thought about Uncle George and Grandma Carstens. I will always associate the smell of cows with Uncle George, in a good way.
Today there were 2 major climbs then descents. The walk up was strenous, but the walk down was more so. The first descent, was hard because they paved it with some kind of formed concrete which made the way kind of trecherous. It wasn´t slippery, but I was too careful to find out if it was slippery anywhere. The second descent was brutal. It was very rocky, quite steep, and muddy. Not a good combination.
To add to the interest of the day, there were a lot of bicigrinos (pilgrims on bikes) I have no problem with doing the camino on bike, but SLOW DOWN! I stopped once to rest and looked back up the pàth, and luckily I did because there were 6 bikes hurtling toward me at breakneck speed. Not fun.
I made it to Zubirri. It was another 5km to Larrasoañn, but I knew I would not make it, so I took a taxi, and I´m so glad that I did.
Tomorrow we go to Pamplona, only a month early for San Fermin and the running of the bulls.
Well until later folks
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
We left Roncesvalles at about 6:45 and had a wonderful breakfast in the next town, which I forget the name of. Casa Juan, it was amazing. I ordered Orange Juice, and watched the woman cut an orange in half and juice it, then give me the glass. It was so delicious, like eating an orange, but without all that pesky chewing.
Then we walked. today was another mountain day. It was really tough going especially with the rain. Though I discovered something about myself. Right after breakfast, walking out of the town, on the outskirts are a bunch of cattle farms. The smell instantly brought me to the Carstens farm. I thought about Uncle George and Grandma Carstens. I will always associate the smell of cows with Uncle George, in a good way.
Today there were 2 major climbs then descents. The walk up was strenous, but the walk down was more so. The first descent, was hard because they paved it with some kind of formed concrete which made the way kind of trecherous. It wasn´t slippery, but I was too careful to find out if it was slippery anywhere. The second descent was brutal. It was very rocky, quite steep, and muddy. Not a good combination.
To add to the interest of the day, there were a lot of bicigrinos (pilgrims on bikes) I have no problem with doing the camino on bike, but SLOW DOWN! I stopped once to rest and looked back up the pàth, and luckily I did because there were 6 bikes hurtling toward me at breakneck speed. Not fun.
I made it to Zubirri. It was another 5km to Larrasoañn, but I knew I would not make it, so I took a taxi, and I´m so glad that I did.
Tomorrow we go to Pamplona, only a month early for San Fermin and the running of the bulls.
Well until later folks
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
Friday, June 11, 2010
Well that´s the Pryenees for ya
Holy Bajeezus.
We´ve made it to Roncesvalles. We are staying at the municipal albergue. It is 1 giante room with 120 bunk beds. ...yeah.... Not exactly thrilled with the set up but hey it´ll all work out.
We took a taxi to about half-way up the mountian and walked to Roncesvalles, we walked 11km, don´t ask me how many miles that is, I don´t have my converter with me. Also the trek up the mountain sucked, but the trek down was worse. Oh my dios. My knees we literally shaking from overuse.
Tomorrow we might make it to Larrasoaña, or we might only go to Zubiri, we´re gonna play it by ear.
I´ll post more later, right now we´re going to go to dinner and maybe the pilrim´s mass.
Later
Buen Camino
Carrie
PS. Mom I love you! Trevor or Ann, give Meredith a kiss for me!
We´ve made it to Roncesvalles. We are staying at the municipal albergue. It is 1 giante room with 120 bunk beds. ...yeah.... Not exactly thrilled with the set up but hey it´ll all work out.
We took a taxi to about half-way up the mountian and walked to Roncesvalles, we walked 11km, don´t ask me how many miles that is, I don´t have my converter with me. Also the trek up the mountain sucked, but the trek down was worse. Oh my dios. My knees we literally shaking from overuse.
Tomorrow we might make it to Larrasoaña, or we might only go to Zubiri, we´re gonna play it by ear.
I´ll post more later, right now we´re going to go to dinner and maybe the pilrim´s mass.
Later
Buen Camino
Carrie
PS. Mom I love you! Trevor or Ann, give Meredith a kiss for me!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Quick note
We made it!
Almost 24 hours of traveling, but we're here in St Jean, just had a wonderful dinner, and now it's off to bed, we're exhausted.
We've decided to stay in St Jean tomorrow to rest instead of starting right away. I think it's a good call.
More later
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
Almost 24 hours of traveling, but we're here in St Jean, just had a wonderful dinner, and now it's off to bed, we're exhausted.
We've decided to stay in St Jean tomorrow to rest instead of starting right away. I think it's a good call.
More later
Adios and Buen Camino
Carrie
Friday, June 4, 2010
Santo Mono! Where did the time go?
We leave in 3 days. 3 DAYS! For so long this camino journey has been very academic. This is what we're going to do, and this is how we will train, and this is what we will prepare, and I find that now that the time has come, I'm freaking out a little bit.
The guidance counselor where I work just had a baby (like 1:00 yesterday). I was talking to her about the baby coming and about my camino. and we realized that we were in the exact same situation. She'd had 9 months to prepare for this baby coming, and now that her due date was approaching, she just wanted it to be there, even though she felt totally unprepared. I have been planning this camino for almost 2 years, and all through the last quarter of school I've been saying, I just want June 8th to be here. And I find that now that it's June 4th, I'm scared. But a good scared. A "this is the most important, most exciting thing I've ever done" kind of scared.
My list of "shoulds" is a mile long. I should be packing, I should make certain that I have everything I need, I should be out walking, I should be doing this or that, or the other. But I'm not I'm taking an evening for me.
It's so hard for me to believe that next week at this time, I'll be less than a day's walk out of Pamplona. PAMPLONA! I've wanted to go there ever since I started studying Spanish. Of course I'll be a month early for the running of the bulls, but that's ok with me. I will have to get a lot of good pictures for all of my classes for when I return.
I'm finding that the hardest thing for me to deal with, isn't the walk. It isn't anything physical about the trek. It isn't not seeing my parents for 7 weeks, because I'll be able to talk to them on the phone (skype whatever). It isn't leaving the US for Spain, though I'm seriously doubting in my Spanish abilities (don't tell my students). The hardest part of my whole camino trip, is being away from my baby niece. She'll be turning 1 this summer and I'll be missing it (though if all goes according to plan we'll reach Compostela on her birthday.) I can't talk to her on the phone, and I'm sure that my brother and sister-in-law will forget to e-mail me any new pictures. She's going to change so much and I'm going to miss it. I know that she wont realize I'm not there for her birthday, but I'll realize it. She will have many more birthdays and many more years for me to take her picture and squeeze and love her to bits. I can give-up 7 weeks for a worthy cause. Sorry this got so emotional, I'm just kind of rambling.
Well to everyone reading, wish us luck. We board our plane to Paris on Tuesday. I hope we'll be able to update a lot along the way.
Buen Camino
Carrie
The guidance counselor where I work just had a baby (like 1:00 yesterday). I was talking to her about the baby coming and about my camino. and we realized that we were in the exact same situation. She'd had 9 months to prepare for this baby coming, and now that her due date was approaching, she just wanted it to be there, even though she felt totally unprepared. I have been planning this camino for almost 2 years, and all through the last quarter of school I've been saying, I just want June 8th to be here. And I find that now that it's June 4th, I'm scared. But a good scared. A "this is the most important, most exciting thing I've ever done" kind of scared.
My list of "shoulds" is a mile long. I should be packing, I should make certain that I have everything I need, I should be out walking, I should be doing this or that, or the other. But I'm not I'm taking an evening for me.
It's so hard for me to believe that next week at this time, I'll be less than a day's walk out of Pamplona. PAMPLONA! I've wanted to go there ever since I started studying Spanish. Of course I'll be a month early for the running of the bulls, but that's ok with me. I will have to get a lot of good pictures for all of my classes for when I return.
I'm finding that the hardest thing for me to deal with, isn't the walk. It isn't anything physical about the trek. It isn't not seeing my parents for 7 weeks, because I'll be able to talk to them on the phone (skype whatever). It isn't leaving the US for Spain, though I'm seriously doubting in my Spanish abilities (don't tell my students). The hardest part of my whole camino trip, is being away from my baby niece. She'll be turning 1 this summer and I'll be missing it (though if all goes according to plan we'll reach Compostela on her birthday.) I can't talk to her on the phone, and I'm sure that my brother and sister-in-law will forget to e-mail me any new pictures. She's going to change so much and I'm going to miss it. I know that she wont realize I'm not there for her birthday, but I'll realize it. She will have many more birthdays and many more years for me to take her picture and squeeze and love her to bits. I can give-up 7 weeks for a worthy cause. Sorry this got so emotional, I'm just kind of rambling.
Well to everyone reading, wish us luck. We board our plane to Paris on Tuesday. I hope we'll be able to update a lot along the way.
Buen Camino
Carrie
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