Day 10-August 31: dedicated to my 7 nieces and nephews

Day 10- Nancy left with someone else's walking sticks. Full moon again leaving Navarette but soon cloudy. Extremely humid- crushing. Topography changing - flat top mountains surrounded by vineyards for 360 degrees. Wine appellation of this region- Rioja. Not as striking or beautiful as  other vistas have been.

The first young man I met at 7:00 on the road today,  was William from California. His story brings me to today's dedication. 

From Paris, William took a train to the wrong St.Jean, which is the departure point for the Camino Frances. So he doubled back to the closest linking point which was Biarritz. He arrived too late to take the train to Bayonne and didn't have 100€ for a taxi, so he WALKED all night from Biarritz to Bayonne. He arrived to take the first train from there to the right St.Jean Pied de PORT. There at 9:00 am, he then proceeded to hike up the Pyrenees - almost 30 km and at some point fainted. Got up and made it to Roncesvalles as the hostel was about to close, which is at 10:00 pm.  He was on his feet and without sleep for over 48 hours! Now that is determination! And because he is young, he was fearless. We older people can be just as determined but we are maybe not so fearless?

Day 10 (yesterday)  was a weepy day for me. I cried on and off all morning, as I hiked mainly by myself. I really don't know why; a few things.  I was a little lonesome too I think. I hadn't had any emails from family, and ... you just have to have a down day once in a while I guess.  No sun, so no sun salutation for the first time. There were no towns to stop and eat breakfast in, after we left Navarette, so I didn't get to really eat until 11 am.

So in the less than perky mood I was in, let me tell you about some of the people I have met on the Camino, who put my little " Pity Party" to shame.

Marina is a beautiful Arménien refugee who was living in Syria. She was raped at 13 and saw her mother raped by Syrian army soldiers. Armenians are a minority in that country.  She and her family have since moved to Sweden, but she is doing the Camino, to help her move forward in her life. She cannot sustain a healthy relationship with any man, because of what happened to her, and what continues to happen to Armenians.  She bared her heart and soul to speak of this to a fellow Canadian, who shared it with me. I think he felt he had to.  

Gilles, un canadien de 68 ans, a récemment perdu sa fille de 42 ans, à ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. Elle avait trois enfants.  Gilles a senti la présence de sa fille, dans l'église à Los Arcos.  Cela l'a soulagé.

A German lady my age, whom I befriended from Day One, with my little bit of German, shared on Day 8 that she is terminally ill with brain cancer. It had been in remission. She goes to the hospital as soon as she returns to Pottsdam, for surgery, but the doctor's hold little hope. She has less than six months to live and is hoping for a miracle by walking the Camino.

I met Martin on the hottest day, two days ago. He had no backpack, no food and no water. His head was covered so we could only see his eyes.  His feet were wrapped in rags, which barely covered his feet.  e were walking on small stone paths that day. He refused any and all offers of food and water. Someone told us his name was Martin and he was French, because they had walked with him earlier, when he was speaking.  As one person said "Un vrai pèlerin  - c'est l'abandon total".  And it was. For some reason, I just cried for the next two km, thinking who am I to call myself a pilgrim.  I don't know the meaning of the word.  I gave him a little Canada pin, which he accepted with a gesture of thanks, taping his heart. And I went on my way, pondering what I had just seen and experienced.

Then there is Nicole, again a woman my age, whose partner threw her out in Feb. She is homeless and jobless, and is hiking the Camino on very little money,  trying to get through this huge loss, financial as well as emotional, because she has nothing. Common law in France counts for nothing, apparently, when it comes to division of assets. 

A very apropos ending to this day, was the huge, violent storm that came through Azofra forty five minutes after Nancy and I checked into that hostel.  It was frightening, with hail the size of marbles and when they hit the clay tiled roof and all those windows, it was horrific.

The storm broke the heat wave though, and the air cooled considerably.  I drank two glasses of wine with my Peregrino supper, and went to sleep in a room that had a window: it was so nice and cool.

So nieces and nephews, carpe diem! You are young, you are invincible and the world is your oyster. Go and conquer.

With love and gratitude from Azofra, Spain.  Ma tante Joanne

Such a fraternité- met a Dutchman who wrote a small book on the best 50 albergues on the Camino. 

MY CAMINO: Day 9 -30 août: dédicace à mon oncle Jean-Marie

Day 9 - Viana to Navarette- 22.7 km - full moon as we left at 6:17 am. We saw no other pilgrims for an hour. Ce jour est dédié à mon oncle Jean- Marie, qui a fait mon beau bâton. J'ai eu beaucoup de compliments et les gens, en majorité, quand j'ai dit que c'était mon oncle qui l'avait fait, on dit "Alors, il est fait avec amour, non? 

We organized supper for 8 different nationalities tonight, at our local restaurant in Navarette.  We were three French Canadians - Québecoise, Acadienne et Franco-Manitobaine, one German lady, a couple from Reunion whom I mistakenly said in a previous blog were from Madagascar, when they are from south of that island. Our waiter was German. I met my first Dane at that dinner and Marie-Claude from France rounded out the group. At another table was an American veteran with  his dog Lischka- like a seeing eye dog but for people with PTSD. They had their eight year old son Adler with them. A very interesting and really likeable couple. We did not pry by asking about the PTSD. We assumed he was an soldier from some missions.

Albergue Pilgrims in this small village of Navarette has the best food on the Camino. John from Missouri- always says we are so kind ¨Canadians"  if we ask if he is doing this or that with us, he always says he will do whatever I tell him, no problem!  I invited him to join us in Viana at dinner, when I saw he was by himself. Albert from Germany- we see on and off every day - just beginning to crack a smile and talk to us. Alone and so serious. Two women from Slovenia- separately. Too bad I couldn't hook them up. More women alone than men- someone said it is because women have more hope. Hope for everything? Hope for a better world maybe.

We also met a French Canadian who has quite a reputation on the Camino already, as "She who knows everything" and "Talks a mile a minute ALL the time". She is sweet and tries to be helpful, but everyone who has met her once, gives her a wide berth after that.  I am not making this up.

Nancy's been a trooper through less than feeling 100%, and with more foot problems than me. I am fit as a fiddle; knock on wood.  I have had two small blisters that don't even countas such.  I just wish I could sleep. We get up around 5:30 and are on the road by 6:30.  This heat

wave is supposed to end soon.  It saps your strength. We can't hike as many km as we would like.  We think we have done about 25% of the Camino.  Alleluia!

Bonne nuit mon oncle Jean. Merci encore pour Fidèle.  Malgré le fait que je l'ai laissé ici et là, en oublie, j'ai toujours pu aller le retrouver. Chance a Nancy aussi, qui me demande souvent ou est Fidèle.

En reconnaisance et amour de Navarette, en Espagne.

Day 8 - August 29: dedicated to my former neighbour in Baltimore, Maryland, and dear, old 91 year ...

friend Lucy Poling,  now living in Florida, whom I adore and who for over 30 years of friendship, still makes me laugh. The extreme heat today made me think of when we lived in Baltimore, with the high humidity often giving us temperatures close to 100.  It was like that today.

This has been the hottest day so far, 35 degrees. We left Los Arcos at 6 am and hiked 18.6 km.  We started out under a beautiful full moon. We were in Viana by 1:30.  A pretty uneventful day, except for a big conversation in Spanish with three guys who gave us some figs fresh from a fig tree, so we gave them some Canada and US pins, only to find out they were from Brazil originally and now living in the US.  That was funny! Such is the Camino.

I am still hiking ahead of Nancy, especially in the morning, as I like that time for reflection, and total silence.  Plus when you are walking in the dark, you need to pay attention to where you are going. Even with a headlight!

I am finding each day is getting harder, because of the crushing heat but once we have put in our day and arrive at the albergue, I am ready for anything.  We met up with Sari and Katherina, and our German friend from day 1, Bärbel.  We have our first really, lovely, expensive meal in a hotel dining room.  24 Euros with wine!  Well worth it. My first real beef, since getting here.

Our albergue (municipally run hostel) in an old monastery again, was excrutiatingly suffocating. We had no window, no breeze, and Nancy had a totally naked Frenchmanin the bunk above her.  She noticed this when she got up to go to the bathroom, and she is frankly fed up with twigs and berries, as she calls them. When she came back, someone had covered up his privates with a facecloth.  I wonder who did that?

Spanish people are ever so helpful, and kind, but in the service industry, it is a different story. Service industries are understaffed and their staff overworked, especially during siesta time - between 2 and 5 each day. It is often very hard to get served.  However, we aren't starving, and do appreciate when we get to eat.

We have decided that tomorrow we are splurging on a private hostel, with our own room, so no more naked men every where you look! :)  Plus no symphony of snores.  For a few Euros more....

Good night my Lucy! Hope Nancy is reading you my blogs.

With love and gratitude for where I am, the beautiful city of Viana, Spain.

Jour 7 - 28 août: dédicace à mon petit frérot Pierre.

Estrella to Los Arcos- hiked 21.5 km in 30 plus degree heat. By five o'clock it was 35 degrees but we were enjoying ourselves at the town plaza- eating and drinking with our fellow peregrinos as they arrived. My day is dedicated to my little brother Pierre, who is a good, tall, fit 50 year old father, who reminds me of the men I have met on the Camino - men like him. Martin from Germany, Jordan from Holland, Joel from Calgary,  Richard from Ireland, Martin from France, the list goes on!

We met up again with Sari and Katherina from Day 1 in Orisson- our Swedish/Dutch cum Aruba gay couple whom we have connected with on all levels. K has the biggest dimples, laughs and smiles all the time.  Sari is a smart and sassy businesswoman who has a consulting business with offices all over Europe. We have the most fun with them!

Ju ditched us for a 30 year old male named Sebastien from Geneva. She wanted to tell her hubby back in San Francisco that she had "slept" with a 30 year old. Outrageous Ju!

I walk very fast for a short person- so let me share what I have been called recently, and I quote. Powerhouse, ball of fire, Speedy Gonzales, and about my personality, cheeky and did you know I am considered a Hobbit? That comes from Sari, who is 5 ft 10, we think.

One Québécois whom I walked with a bit, said I obviously was fit, because my one calf was bigger than his two together. Was that a compliment?

I have only fallen once on the Camino. Minor scrapes and bruises. A cyclist passed me and I looked up at his "tush" , no I mean the flag on the back of his bike, to see if I could identify his country, and I hit the dirt! There are a lot of mid-life crisis 40 year old Italian/Portuguese men cycling the Camino, and they are mostly courteous. There is the odd one who likes to see how close he can come to taking out a Peregrino (Pilgrim). Poor Kevin from England was almost a victim. I told the cyclist he was an "idiota.
Buenas noches querido hermano!

Love and gratitude from where I am, Los Arcos, Spain.

Jour 6 - 27 août: dedicated to this person because of what happened before sunrise...

We left Puente la Reina at 6;30 am. It was still dark, me in the lead. Suddenly Ju yells for me to return because someone is telling her we are going the wrong way. She doesn't understand more than that. The man, who has pulled to the side in a roundabout,now pulls his car right up onto the roundabout centre island. To make along story somewhat short, I listen and tell him we will turn around. We can't see a thing because it is pitch black. We only have our headlights. He jumps back in his car, goes back from where he came, parks, puts on his flashers, and waits for us. God bless this angel that St. Jacques has sent us. We could have stumbled around and been lost for a while, which brings me back to today's dedication - which is for my middle brother Jean-Marc. This is something he would never hesitate to do, help people, and especially those like us who didn't know we needed help. My thoughts were with this angel and Jean-Marc, during Day 6.

We hiked 22.4 km in 7.5 hours. I was alone much of the day, which was good. It tested my mettle, to be alone. Our hotel type accommodation that night was great. We three wanted our own space. No Symphony of Snores during the night. Only we found out Genghis Khan worked there and he was just a nasty, rude man. It was the first time I cried since I left Canada. He wouldn't help me so I just went back to our room and figured out a solution to our problem - getting our big backpacks to our next night's lodging - all by myself. I don't have fond memrories of Estella, but I did get my first good night's sleep. Plus we had a fan. The weather is getting hotter and hotter. We have to stop earlier each day.

Ju will be leaving us soon, as she is on a tighter schedule.  Here are a few jewels from Ju and I quote without quotation marks:
Why do you have to pick the hotel at the farthest end of town, every time? Where is my bedbug magnifying detector? You should write a book, Joanne, entitled, " The EffinThings They Don't Tell You Aboout The Camino" like all the men walk around with their boys hanging out. (She used another word, not so nice!) All Spanish towns look the same. I only hang around with you guys because you speak English. (Never mind French and Spanish as well!) I had to take anger management classes cause I stabbed my boyfriend with a knife. Well, he put his hand in front of the knife! Last but not least - there are four types of people who do the Camino:
the young and the restless; the old and the useless; the fat and the hopeless; and the stupid and fearless!

There - I am done with Ju stories. We have had so much fun with her. They say the first week is the hardest?  Well, she has made our hearts lighter by making us laugh. God bless her!

On a more solemn note, there are many memorials on the Camino. People have died,and their families have set up these simple crosses, as memorials.  Many were in the Pyrenees- because of weather conditions and hazardous passes. One simple cross just said - Fin del Camino,the name and the year.  How sad! Another had the same, but also a picture. He was a young Belgian man in his forties, and he died after climbing a long, but not steep hill out of the town of Cizur Menor.  It makes me stop, think and reflect upon my own physical fitness. There are many, many people struggling on this journey.  I have seen blisters that look like wounds.

We are happy, healthy and reasonably fit, Nancy and I.
Bonne nuit - my dear brother Jean-Marc, another good Samaritain on earth.  Papa would be proud of the good man that you are!
Love and gratitude from where I am.

Jour 5 - August 26: dedicated to my brother André.

Day 5 - We left Cizur Menor for Puente la Reina.  My brother of the generous heart is the first person I thought of when we headed out in the dark for the first time- using the wonderful headlights he gave us both. 

We did 20.7 in 9 hours. I put one foot in front of the other and the heatwave continues. Of course our hostel is clear at the other end of Puente la Reina AND up a steep one km climb. Well worth it cause we have a POOL! The place looks like a former prison, but our little cottage for three is wonderful and the staff friendly. 

It has been a wonderful day. I head the pack, Nancy is in the middle and Ju, our Taiwanese American new friend, brings up the rear. I am like the rabbit, Nancy the, and Ju the slow but steady turtle. We catch up to each other at rest places. At our first we eat breakfast at one cafe and then go to the next right beside, cause it has bathrooms and Wifi. We order lunch to go. Ju disappears, and when she returns we tell her - there is the lunch you ordered. I don't want that she says. I just wanted a $&))!

She gives her food away to two young Koreans named Yoon and Jun, who were at the same hostel as us the night and whom she befriended, finding out they are eating on 5 £ a day. They were starving. She told them she would buy them dinner that night. 

So they walk up that long hill to eat with us. I think they are kind of sticking to her so she takes off to the bungalow. We bring them to say goodbye to her. They leave, she comes back in and says. "I gave them 50$ and told them to stop following me! God I laughed!

Trop d'histoires, si peu de temps.

Bonne nuit frérot Andre.

With love and gratitude from where I am.

Day 4 - August 25th I think - dédiée à tous mes cousins Morais...

57 en tout et tous mes cousins Duguay- 37 en tout. Je suis la première à faire El Camino, mais je ne serai pas la dernière de tous mes cousins et cousines, sûrement?

I made a mistake in my previous blog. August 23rd was August 24th!

I put one foot in front of the other and hiked 27.3 km. We left Zubiri at 8:00 am and arrived at our hostel north of Pamplona at 6:00 pm. We hiked in 30 plus weather. It has been our longest hike so at. We hiked from one end of Pamplona to the other- from the suburbs, to the newer downtown, to the upper, beautiful walled city of Pamplona where the "Corrida de Toros" takes place every July. Pamplona is gorgeous - beautiful parks, clean, modern yet old, historic area. I was truly surprised!

When we finally got to our hostel Attila the Hun, the woman at reception, was not in a good mood. She had been fine with me over the phone when speaking Spanish, but with the other two she had to switch to English , and she wasn't a happy camper. When Ju hit her head on the top bunk, she said "Be quiet! People are trying to sleep!"

It is getting hotter in Spain. You get into a routine quickly- up early, start hiking, rest, drink water, eat, walk, think, reflect, chat with fellow pilgrims and say Buen Camino every time you meet or pass someone. I have taken to saying "igualmente" just to change it up, and just keep doing that over and over until you get to your hostel. Then you take the most awesome shower you have ever had in your life, hang out your clothes to dry, eat a "Peregrino" supper for 10€ and hit the sack. Next day same thing all over. I am LIVING it and LOVING it. Every single minute of it. A German woman named Elke hugs me every time we meet up. She loves how I am always smiling. Who wouldn't be smiling?

Nancy and I had a FA moment (A EQUALS AWESOME-you can figure out the F) when we had an encounter with a humongous turkey in this courtyard in the middle of nowhere. I have a video I can't download, but let's just say Nancy has a very unique talent. You can't tell her call from the turkey's, I swear! I laughed for half an hour on this trail high up another Godforsaken mountain until...

I saw a lone man up ahead, who wasn't a Peregrino and was acting furtively. Nancy was a bit behind, and I thought "Great... a flasher!" I saw him move what looked like a jacket, from in front of him. I lift "Fidèle" (my walking stick), just in case I need to whack him. He greets me and points to his jacket on which he had arrayed fresh fruit and drinks. Did I feel like a schmuck? Oh yeah! I ate a delicious orange from the Canary Islands.

I must tell you that we are climbing ALL the time. I ask Spaniards about the next day's trek and they all assure me that there is very little climbing: it levels out. It doesn't! Their idea of flat is DEFINITELY not the same as mine.

No blisters yet. I really am in good shape and feel great- not so much Nancy and Ju, who have had
stomach and other problems.

I know this post is disjointed, and I apologize. I am exhausted but happy.

Bonne nuit chers cousins et cousines- all 94 of you!

With LOVE and GRATITUDE for where I am, Cizur Menor, Spain.