From Astorga to Rabanal del Camino
"Brother, thou shalt not stand still / Thou hast 100 miles before thee and many a hill"
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
12 September - Day 25
En coche a la playa, Sopelana - mar Cantabrico
Coche a lo largo de la playa
El castillo de Butron
Carretera el alto de Sollube para bajar a Bermeo
En Bermeo caminamos por el rompeolas a la punta donde esta el faro y comimos
Compre en el mercadillo un chal
Direccion Mundaka pero no pudimos aparcar
Seguimos a Gernika
Caminamos y vimos el parque, el museo de la historia, el arbol de Gernika y despues el Museo de la Paz. 70 años del bombardeo de Gernika. Una exposicion de Picasso. Video virtual.
11 September - Day 24
Guggenheim Museum
Caminar a lo largo del rio
Helado
cruzamos el Puente del Arenal- ayuntamiento y escultura de Oteiza
10 September - Day 23
Attempt at Guggenheim and Museo de Bellas Artes.closed
Walked to Plaza Moyua- fuente redonda y edificio bonito
Bus ride to Plaza del Sagrado Corazon- jesus
Bus ride to Plaza Circular renfe station
Saturday, September 8, 2007
8 September - Day 21
Today is the end of 3 weeks. I have lost a week so far. I don´t think I will be able to do the whole Camino even if I could start tomorrow. I think it actually hurts worse,yet the inflammation looks less. Hmmm. I am now caught up with my blogging.
7 September - Day 20
Nothing to tell. My foot hurts. I have tried massages, creams, nothing. What can I say? My thoughts are pretty negative on getting back on the Camino. ALl I did today is sit around, blog, rest. I have decided to go to Leon and get my things. I will do that Monday.
6 September - Day 19
Went out with MariaJesus and Sabino and their friends. MariaJesus took me to her massage therapist´s office. OMG, she should be arrested for assault and battery!! LOL. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Now I know good massages... I have had some wonderful ones....therapeutic, relaxing, sensual... and I know how to give prety good ones. But... OK... she does a little bit of chiropractic adjustments, some pretty vigorous rubbing over my lower back and thighs. Then she takes my legs and shakes them, she puts her elbow into my buttocks, which now are probably indented permanently or at least must have some beautiful purple spots all over them. She placed her foot at the end of the table and took my foot and pulled in a jerking motion, let´s see.... she shook me side to side to "loosen my pelvis". The torture went on for a loooong time. 50€ later I got out and went walking a bit with the crew.
They took me for a too long walk. My foot hurts worse now. Nevertheless, we went to some very nice areas and had an excellent lunch, which I rightly deserved after that I don´t know what session.
We ran into Nerea´s best friend and got a pic to mail to Nerea. Bilbao is quite the artistic place. Architecturally (is that a word?) it has magnificent buildings. Many green areas.
ANd the Camino del NOrte goes through it as well. I saw the scallop shells here and there. Maybe another time I can do this one. Many mountains on this walk. We saw Bilbao from high above.
I like this place.
5 September - Day 18
Woke up to music. The 2 Israelis were gone. I watched again as everyone got ready. One by one walking out, "Buen Camino" people say to each other. I say it as well, many times. Sue has new bites across her chin. She leaves. "Buen Camino". I am envious. I want to be walking away. Instead I dressed and decided to goto the hospital and find out what this could be. I walked. Maybe I shouldn´t have. I shed a few tears. I register and they call me back. I tell them what´s going on and first thing is to take X-rays. I wait and shortly the doctor tells me that nothing is broken. That I just have an inflamed ligament. He has the nurse wrap my ankle, gives me some anti-inflammatory meds and says good luck. OK. I take a taxi back. I decided to go to Bilbao. On the way as I went to the bus station, I ran into my new friend from Iran who feels sad for me. Oh, yesterday Didier came into the albergue. He said he did see the graffiti that Niall wrote on the tunnel wall. We laughed. I show him the pictures.
I spoke with MariaJesus who said get here now. I got the bus and left for Bilbao. Sabino and MariaJesus, these are Nerea´s parents. Nerea from Tallahassee. How kind they are.
The Guggenheim Museum.They drove me to their home and had a bedroom for me. They also had friends from Leon coming to spend the weekend with them. I felt a little guilty. I was the fifth wheel. They were all cool about it. I told them to go do their thing, I just want to stay low. We ate lunch together and later when their friends arrived a big dinner was made.
4 September - Day 17
The hospitalero and I discussed a plan and based on his 7 years experience he thinks I should keep resting my foot and decide tomorrow. I am feeling less positive of a quick cure. Still thinking of my possibilities. It is getting colder and my warmer gear is in Leon. Maybe I could go there and be seen by a doc while there. Or grab my stuff and go to either Bilbao or even to Madrid and be seen there. I am sad. I am also bored like hell! I went online, layed down. Went for a walk while JoseManuel fumigated. No concern for toxicity he says. Right! UGH.
El Cid and his wife.
I hobbled down to the Plaza del Cid, walked down the Rambla. Took lots of pictures.
The chestnut vendor. I remember those hot chestnuts in winter in Madrid. Buying a little packet of them from the street vendors. Yum.
I sat on a park bench and watched people walking by. Several benches had groups of men having animated discussions. They probably do this every day.
I got back and ate 2 eggs and bread with sobreasada and an orange Fanta. Online. Helped translate as a new wave of peregrinos arrived. No Spaniards. Algiers, France, Germany, Australia, Slovenia, Israel, Iran, Me. Sue from Australia has been bitten by bedbugs (chinches) in the last albergue. I gave her my itch cream. Ate the same as lunch.
JoseManuel got his guitar. Same songs. Everyone enjoys that. The old French couple danced.
Hehe. To bed
El Cid and his wife.I hobbled down to the Plaza del Cid, walked down the Rambla. Took lots of pictures.
The chestnut vendor. I remember those hot chestnuts in winter in Madrid. Buying a little packet of them from the street vendors. Yum.
I sat on a park bench and watched people walking by. Several benches had groups of men having animated discussions. They probably do this every day.
I got back and ate 2 eggs and bread with sobreasada and an orange Fanta. Online. Helped translate as a new wave of peregrinos arrived. No Spaniards. Algiers, France, Germany, Australia, Slovenia, Israel, Iran, Me. Sue from Australia has been bitten by bedbugs (chinches) in the last albergue. I gave her my itch cream. Ate the same as lunch.
JoseManuel got his guitar. Same songs. Everyone enjoys that. The old French couple danced.
Hehe. To bed
3 September - Day 16
Bad news! My foot hurts just the same. Everyone was up using the bathrooms, getting dressed, repacking and moving out one by one. I just sat on my bunk and watched somewhat sadly. It would not be me today, walking away.
The hospitalero and I chatted: Well, he chatted. Used all those words that tear me up, but meant them well. "The Camino does not give you the answers, they are within" Yeah, yeah, I know. "This happened to you for a reason" Yeah yeah. How about I stepped down the wrong way. I did not ask for this, hello??? SO he recommended I stay. I knew it was the right thing to do. I really cannot walk.S o here´s the plan: I stay today/tonight and re-evaluate tomorrow morning. Then 1- I stay another day, or 2- Get on a bus and to to the next stage 3- I go to Bilbao and hang with MariaJesus or 4- Go to Leon and pick up my stuff and rest there. Then backtrack to any point I would like to restart at. Well, that remains to be decided. So today I went to a couple of grocery stores and bought veggies to make a soup. The store owner will not let you touch the veggies. You tell her what you want and she picks it for you, weighs it bags it. Got some other items and came back and boiled up some soup as well as some eggs. Stayed inside the rest of the day, reading, internet just a little (compared to what I am used to) and chatted with JoseManuel, the hospitalero. And only a little with others. I notice people now are mostly to themselves or they are traveling with a partner. Maybe staying in a smaller place might make more acquaintances. The Spaniards are mostly gone. Their month of vacation is typically August. JoseManuel got his guitar and sang for us.
A little mix of styles. Good player. I dined: 1 egg, half a tomato, bread with sobreasada and water. It´s bedtime. My foot still hurts.
The hospitalero and I chatted: Well, he chatted. Used all those words that tear me up, but meant them well. "The Camino does not give you the answers, they are within" Yeah, yeah, I know. "This happened to you for a reason" Yeah yeah. How about I stepped down the wrong way. I did not ask for this, hello??? SO he recommended I stay. I knew it was the right thing to do. I really cannot walk.S o here´s the plan: I stay today/tonight and re-evaluate tomorrow morning. Then 1- I stay another day, or 2- Get on a bus and to to the next stage 3- I go to Bilbao and hang with MariaJesus or 4- Go to Leon and pick up my stuff and rest there. Then backtrack to any point I would like to restart at. Well, that remains to be decided. So today I went to a couple of grocery stores and bought veggies to make a soup. The store owner will not let you touch the veggies. You tell her what you want and she picks it for you, weighs it bags it. Got some other items and came back and boiled up some soup as well as some eggs. Stayed inside the rest of the day, reading, internet just a little (compared to what I am used to) and chatted with JoseManuel, the hospitalero. And only a little with others. I notice people now are mostly to themselves or they are traveling with a partner. Maybe staying in a smaller place might make more acquaintances. The Spaniards are mostly gone. Their month of vacation is typically August. JoseManuel got his guitar and sang for us.
A little mix of styles. Good player. I dined: 1 egg, half a tomato, bread with sobreasada and water. It´s bedtime. My foot still hurts.
2 September - Day 15
People were up and making noise, so after a while I got up as well. I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday, so I didn´t take long to repack, wash up and leave. It was light out, the fog thick. Much cow poop on the road.
I can hear their bells. The walk was rather easy. There was a section of large rocks, more like lava jutting from the ground. Out of the rocky terrain came little purple flowers, and someone had told me they were there to tell me, "Look up Lillian"
Came to a clearing where a cross stood, looking solemn and glorious as the fog enveloped it.
I passed Atapuerca and would have loved to have gone into the archaelogical dig, but it would be closed this early in the morning. This place had been dug for the railroad company and what they found was evidence of human life 800 thousand years ago. Look this up.... it is very interesting.
The way down wasn´t bad either, but suddenly I got a pain under my ankle. Lucklily I was a pproaching a village. At the bar was Niall and Shelly. He said he and a German woman were the only guests at a very nice albergue. GGGRRRRRR!!!! The 3 of us walked and my pain slowed me down. So a little cream and Niall´s bandage, we moved on. I told them to move on, which they did because my pain was worsening. I reached the fork in the road. I had seen Niall and Shelly take the left. A German couple arrived at the same time as me and we took the right. Maybe it was shorter, I don´t know. What I do know is that the pain was getting severe and I was relying more and more on my sticks and limping rather severely. Smaller steps. This road took me along the highway and through industrial areas. I kept looking at each individual car as it passed by hoping they would pick on my discomfort and offer help. I just could not stick my thumb out. No one stopped. I had cried/bawled at times. I am worried this is bad. At a gas station I was told there were no buses on sunday. That taxis don´t go by, they would have to be called. I went on. Desperate now as the pain was sooo bad. And a taxi appeared. Empty. He took me into Burgos, which took only a few minutes. I was already on the outside of it when I got into its back seat.
I passed by the cathedral on the way to the albergue. Enormous beautiful. And found the albergue, only a block form the cathedral. I got the last bed. Too many people bathing and washing so I went for food. Stood in line at a popular restaurant the hospitalero told me about. Gambas al ajillo (with heads), morcilla (a little heavy on the rice), bread and Shandy. Now I am in the rambla, next to a little fountain. It is a perfect afternoon. Yet I am worried. The feeling in my foot is not minor. I decided to do the cathedral´s full tour, paid my peregrino price of 1€ and went in.
It is enormous, there are many chapels within. This monstrous sized building is an incredible sight. Anywhere you look there is an important figure, relic, carving or just architectural design that is breathtaking. It all requires gazing. It becomes so much that one goes into over stimulation. The ceilings are beautiful... each room with its theme, also beautiful.
It is 800 years old! I entered into one of the halls and found ... Niall! LOL.
Here´s StUrsula, whose name assists women in childbirth. Her 11000 virgin followers were beheaded. Columbus named the Virgin Islands after these women. At least that´s what we always heard in the VI.
The remains of El Cid Campeador are here as well. I remember that movie as a child. Loved it.
Art everywhere
We toured the rest together then once finished we went for a snack, or rather he snacked on morcillas, and beer. We chatted about circumcision. (!) He was very interested in the information I provided.
We went for a walk down the rambla and there was an outdoor salsa concert. As long as I step a certain way I can walk, but I would not be able to go long distances. We found a table and had sangria. One neat thing to see- here it is sunday afternoon- is the amount of people strolling.
People of all ages with their children, dogs; generations together. FULL of people. As it was a sunday afternoon people were dressed up. Every cafe table was taken. It is quite lovely. One of those things I missed about Spain.
Niall was hungry again so we strolled/limped :) to a bar. We ate a little and I had to go. 10pm curfew! We hugged, a little awkwardly... I forgot people here do not hug (sigh). I wonder how people greet/leave each other in Ireland. He mentioned we would probably see each other down the Camino. I´m not too sure right now. I will email him the pics I have. Tomorrow he will be able to use his camera again. I went to bed. Damn! That top bunk has a ladder with skinny rails. Lights out but outside was so noisy. I could hear children playing. Ironic isn´t it? The crashing of bottles being dumped into large containers, the tables being stacked, people yelling, I heard it all. Eventually I went to sleep. I felt cold
I can hear their bells. The walk was rather easy. There was a section of large rocks, more like lava jutting from the ground. Out of the rocky terrain came little purple flowers, and someone had told me they were there to tell me, "Look up Lillian"
Came to a clearing where a cross stood, looking solemn and glorious as the fog enveloped it.
I passed Atapuerca and would have loved to have gone into the archaelogical dig, but it would be closed this early in the morning. This place had been dug for the railroad company and what they found was evidence of human life 800 thousand years ago. Look this up.... it is very interesting.
The way down wasn´t bad either, but suddenly I got a pain under my ankle. Lucklily I was a pproaching a village. At the bar was Niall and Shelly. He said he and a German woman were the only guests at a very nice albergue. GGGRRRRRR!!!! The 3 of us walked and my pain slowed me down. So a little cream and Niall´s bandage, we moved on. I told them to move on, which they did because my pain was worsening. I reached the fork in the road. I had seen Niall and Shelly take the left. A German couple arrived at the same time as me and we took the right. Maybe it was shorter, I don´t know. What I do know is that the pain was getting severe and I was relying more and more on my sticks and limping rather severely. Smaller steps. This road took me along the highway and through industrial areas. I kept looking at each individual car as it passed by hoping they would pick on my discomfort and offer help. I just could not stick my thumb out. No one stopped. I had cried/bawled at times. I am worried this is bad. At a gas station I was told there were no buses on sunday. That taxis don´t go by, they would have to be called. I went on. Desperate now as the pain was sooo bad. And a taxi appeared. Empty. He took me into Burgos, which took only a few minutes. I was already on the outside of it when I got into its back seat.
I passed by the cathedral on the way to the albergue. Enormous beautiful. And found the albergue, only a block form the cathedral. I got the last bed. Too many people bathing and washing so I went for food. Stood in line at a popular restaurant the hospitalero told me about. Gambas al ajillo (with heads), morcilla (a little heavy on the rice), bread and Shandy. Now I am in the rambla, next to a little fountain. It is a perfect afternoon. Yet I am worried. The feeling in my foot is not minor. I decided to do the cathedral´s full tour, paid my peregrino price of 1€ and went in.
It is enormous, there are many chapels within. This monstrous sized building is an incredible sight. Anywhere you look there is an important figure, relic, carving or just architectural design that is breathtaking. It all requires gazing. It becomes so much that one goes into over stimulation. The ceilings are beautiful... each room with its theme, also beautiful.
It is 800 years old! I entered into one of the halls and found ... Niall! LOL.
Here´s StUrsula, whose name assists women in childbirth. Her 11000 virgin followers were beheaded. Columbus named the Virgin Islands after these women. At least that´s what we always heard in the VI.
The remains of El Cid Campeador are here as well. I remember that movie as a child. Loved it.
Art everywhere
We toured the rest together then once finished we went for a snack, or rather he snacked on morcillas, and beer. We chatted about circumcision. (!) He was very interested in the information I provided.
We went for a walk down the rambla and there was an outdoor salsa concert. As long as I step a certain way I can walk, but I would not be able to go long distances. We found a table and had sangria. One neat thing to see- here it is sunday afternoon- is the amount of people strolling.
People of all ages with their children, dogs; generations together. FULL of people. As it was a sunday afternoon people were dressed up. Every cafe table was taken. It is quite lovely. One of those things I missed about Spain.
Niall was hungry again so we strolled/limped :) to a bar. We ate a little and I had to go. 10pm curfew! We hugged, a little awkwardly... I forgot people here do not hug (sigh). I wonder how people greet/leave each other in Ireland. He mentioned we would probably see each other down the Camino. I´m not too sure right now. I will email him the pics I have. Tomorrow he will be able to use his camera again. I went to bed. Damn! That top bunk has a ladder with skinny rails. Lights out but outside was so noisy. I could hear children playing. Ironic isn´t it? The crashing of bottles being dumped into large containers, the tables being stacked, people yelling, I heard it all. Eventually I went to sleep. I felt cold
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