Santiago

Well, we walked into Santiago days ago. I tried to blog just after getting into town but the internet was not working for me. Jess and I walked in on a cold and wet day. this was not as we had imagined it but you cannot order the weather you want. We walked 20k the last day and stood in front of the Cathedral at about 11:30. We then went into the Cathedral for the noon mass, then got our compostelo´s and spent the remainer of the day walking the streets and celebrating with those we met. A great day all around. Jess stayed out a bit later celebrating with a few of the younger pilgrims.

The next day I took a bus to Salamanca and have been taking it easy relaxing in the plaza Mayor with Marla. Gary,Marla´s brother is walking from the south of Spain and should meet us here in a few days, Jess is walking to finestera and will also meet us mid-week.

I´ve learned a few things about myself of this trip, I am clearer about what is important to me and I think what is important for my life as a priest. I look forward to my return and to our conversations.

Enjoy the summer and I will see you all very soon,

Blessings, Michael

Santiago tomorrow

We made it to Arco De Pina today is good time, about 4 and a half hours. We will wake early tomorrow and walk into Santiago by noon for the noon Pilgrim Mass. This means we will get to Santiago about 5 am Minnesota time, if you find yourself up at that time, please think of us and I will be thinking of all of you.

Today´s walk was pretty. Nice sunny day, forrests and wooded areas with the occasional crossing of a stream or a busy roadway. tomorrow takes us close to the airport and I remember last time being in what seems a big forrest and then hearing the sound of planes overhead and thinking that they were landing feet away. It has gotten cloudy now and we are all wondering if it will rain tomorrow and hoping that it will not.

Jess and I met a canadian woman last night at dinner and spend a nice evening discussing the Camino. She began her walk a week after we did but she has problems and bused across several days walks to relax and recover. We have left many of the people we have come to know behind us and we are hoping they will catch up or come into Santiago the day after we do. It feels strange to be walking with so many strangers after getting to know so many people along the way. One of the reasons for the strangers is that many people walk only the last 100k and that works out to about one week of walking, so we see a lot of short timers walking and we have not had a chance to really get to know any of then. tomorrow may well be the same.

Many thanks to all of you for your prayers and attention to the blog. I will report from Santiago tomorrow and then will be going on to other things on my sabbatical. I do miss you all greatly and look forward to seeng you again in the fall.

Thanks again to the staff for all of their hard work while I am away. Blessings to all,

Until Santiago,

Michael

Santiago soon

Jess and I walked some 26k today and are in a small town with a great refugio and a good diner. We just had something to eat and will spend the rest of the day, relaxing, talking to others and doing the chores. that is washing the clothes and such. We walk to Arco De Pina tomorrow and then to Santiago the next day. the road is full of pilgrims. Many people just walk the last 100k so we are meeting many new people as well as connection with those we have walked with for days.

My thoughts and prayers are with you this day as we begin the last few miles. I feel good about the walking and the time with Jess. this has been good for me and I hope that my blogging has helped you to walk a bit with me. I thank you for your prayers and good wishes.

Until tomorrow,

Michael

Thanks

Thanks to all the kids for the comments on my blog. thanks for thinking of Jess and me and our dog. I look forward to seeing you all again in the fall. I hope you have a great summer.

with love,

fr. Michael

Palas Del Rei

We walked 26k today and the walk was good. The weather was nice, the countryside beautiful and walking with Jess was fun. A good day all in all.

One of the things about being a priest is that when people find out what you do for a living they tend to put you in a clergy box depending on their experience of clergy in the past and whatever other ideas they have about those who are clergy. So... I do not normally tell people what I do except when specifically asked. When I do let people know we often have good conversations about religion. Sometimes I surprise people because they do not think clergy are real people with real emotions and feelings. Someitmes I surprise them by holding ideas that they thought clergy would disagree with. All sorts of interesting things happen... like last night.

I pilgrim heard I was a priest and told me that he did not believe Jesus ever existed. I then asked him why he was walking the camino in that case. He likes to walk and he is spiritual, and he is still searching. I than asked him what difference it made to him assuming that Jesus did not exist. He was not sure. We talked more and it became clear that he had answers to all the standard questions he had been asked. Why was everything written about Jesus and the like. Of course I did not convince him of the truth of the gospels but we enjoyed the conversation and as many on the Camino say, ¨we are all on our own journey¨

I always enjoy these conversations and wonder whenthe next will come...

three days to Santiago, I hope all is well with all of you,

blessings,

michael

portomarin

Walked about 22k today through great countryside with no rain and even a little sunshine. Jess and I walked together, had great conversations and stopped at several small eating establishments along the way. A great way to travel. We saw several old churches along the path, were pasted by several cows, sheep and goats and walked in several streambeds.

In town we got a small pension which is a small room with a bath and we will sleep well tonight, clean and quiet with a good bed. Before getting here we had not been able to wash clothes for several days and smelled like old pilgrim. Tonight we will say hello to friends we have met along the way and share some good food and stories of the road.

today I again knew that this walk is really about the walking. Everything we do is centered around the walk, we eat to fuel the body, we sleep to rest up, we manage our affairs and use our time mostly so that the walking can happen. I do love the walking, the land, the people the food, the time to reflect and to pray.

Whenever I see a pilgrim hurting I say a silent prayer for there ills and wish then well on the journey. My little contribution to the day,

blessings on your day,
Michael

Sarria, soggy pilgrims

Jess and I are soggy pilgrims today. The last few days we walked up and over two big mountains and then walked down into the galacia valley. It has been very rainy but most days we have been able to get in our walks without being really drenched. One day we did get really wet and right in the middle of the storm we walked by a garage where an older spanish couple had set up a bar! We had wine and got to sit by their space heater to dry out.

Yesterday I was walking in the rain and after having a coffee in a bar I began to walk again thinking to myself, ¨I whould have had something to eat¨Just a few minutes later a woman came out from her home with a plate of spanish pancakes and began to give them out to the pilgrims who were walking along. It was wonderful.

Today while it rained I walked with a british woman and when I asked her what she did for a living she told me she was a professional storyteller so we told each other stories for a hour and mostly forgot about the rain.

As we keep saying of the Camino, it provides.

Now, if we could only get it to provide some sun and warmer weather!

five walking days left to Santiago!

blessings, Michael

Villa Franca del Bierzo

We walked all day in the rain. got so wet we could not get worse without taking off the rain gear that was keeping us a little dry on top. The walk was long and for some people jsut a little to much. An irish woman has decided to go home and is looking for a bus but it might not come today. she is very unhappy. Also ahother woman came into the refugio, looked at the fact that only top bunks were available, and she tossed her backpack to the ground in frustration.

Idealy pilgrims should be grateful for whatever hospitality is provided and for the most part that is the attitude of most of us most of the time. but at times we all have bad days when we want to feel entitled. I spend 6 euro´s on the bed, I should get the bunk I want.

this morning I was ready to hit a pilgrim with my walking stick. I was asleep in my top bunk when at 6:30 he decided that we should all get up and he turned on the overhead light hitting me right in the eyes. I thought I was seeing the bright lights of heaven or of a police interagation.

Oh, well. It was time to get up anyway and I was grateful for the nights sleep.

Buen Camino

Michael

p.s. I may not be able to post for a day or so as we go up to a small mountian village tomorrow. should be beautiful and difficult, especially if it rains like today.

Ponferrada

Jess and I just finished dinner in Ponferrada. It has been a good day. I was very close to the city from my walk last night so I took a very slow pace the 12k to the refugio. I was there by 10:30, spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon looking around the city, at the cathedral, at the restored castle... I also got food at the supermarket, (nothing like cub!) and eating a small meal at a local bar. (that really is where everyone eats!)

Life in Spain is very different from life in America. the shops open at 10ish and close by 2 to open again at 5ish. then dinner begins, yes, begins at about 9pm! that is the time I am going to sleep! The shops here are, by and large, very small. A shop may sell only fruit, or veggies! A few are like dollar stores in th states. wine is sold in many places and many people seem to drink it all the time. Vino Tinto! it is almost a national saying!

tomorrow jess and I will begin the last 9 days or so on the Camino. We have a day of walking on mostly flat road and then a day walking up a mountain to a very beautiful little community in the mountains. I look forward to this. Most of our days from here on out will be about 20k with a few longer ones as well.

I hope all is well for you as you read this. I look forward to sharing this experience with you when I return, and yes, staff, I look forward to returning and thank you for your work while I am away.

blessings to all.
Michael

Cruz De Ferro

I carry stones today to the cross of iron. I begin at 7:30 to walk our of rabanal, one of my faviorate stops on the Camino and begin to assend. Purple, yellow and white flowers line the dirt walkway. Jess and I walk in silence, I´m listening to the music of Chant on my ipod. Mist appears sometimes so thick visability is down to less than half the length of St. Christopher´s nave. People appear out of the mist and disappear again. It takes 2 hours to rise the 350 meters. Mud occasionally obscures the path. We cross and recross a roadway. Occasionally we see a car in the distance. Powerlines hint at the cross but disappoint. then, suddenly out of the mist rising from a 15 foot pile of rocks and ext5ending 30 or more feet into the sky is Cruz De Ferro. People stand at the top of the rock pile and examine the wodden pole topped with a simple cross. Attached to the pole are many symbols of peoples grief. Photographs, childrens toys, cigarrette lighters, hankerchiefs. As I watch other items are added. A piece of slate with a name and words in spanish. A photo is taken. It is quiet here as people move about the cross.

I have been thinking theis morning of the rocks I carry. for Frances, my mom, for Lloyd my father in law. dorothy. fro those who added a stone to my pile. For pain and suffering, sadness. Hopes unrealized. for those we have loved and lost for those who have blessed our lives and taught us lessons. for those who brought us joy and helped us experience joy. for family pets and for all of the ways in which we have been blessed by life.

We walk away, occasionally looking back into the mist.

michael

Astorga

We walked some 30k today and are very tired and we both have new blisters. My back hurts. Jessica´s sholders hurt. the wonderful thing is that with a good nights sleep we will both be good in the morning.

one funny thing. I went to wash my clothes in the albergues wash room this afternoon. this involves washing them in a sink, rinsing them in the same sink, ringing them out and hanging them on a line to day. With 3 pair of socks, two shirts and one undershirt this takes some time. All the time I was doing this work three older german man were trying to get a clothes dryer to work. I lef them at it to go to dinner with jess. such is life.

I am working on a blog about the roads we travel and the different kinds of surfaces we walk on. Hopefully I will post it in a few days.

love to everyone,

michael

mazarife

The day dawned gray, cold and wet. We packed our things in the hotel, had coffee and started out of Leon. It was a wet and cold walk some 9k to a small town where we again had coffee and a bit of a rest. Out of the twon we had to decide, do we walk an extra 4k to a town I had stayed in 7 years ago and hated or do we go the other way along the road. Our guidebook suggested the longer way. We decided to go the longer way and soon the rain stopped, it got a bit warmer and we were walking through beautiful countryside instead of along a big highway. It was lovely.

The refuge I stayed in last time was kind of scary 7 years ago, exposed wiring, bad beds on the floor, and an ugly courtyard. As we entered the twon there was a lovely looking alberge on the right but we wanted to see the one I had stayed in before... I was not looking forward to Jessica saying she wanted to stay in it becaude the cost was the cheapest of the 3 places in to town, ( I do love my creature comforts) We walked up to the place and what a difference 7 years makes. A beautiful front with much artwork lead to a clean and hospitable albergue with bunk beds, tow kitchens and internet! I told the people I had stayed there 7 years ago and they found my name in the record book!

Just goes to show you that you never know what to expect. Tomorrow we walk some 30k to Astorga, it is our longest walk of the journey so keep us in your prayers.

Blessings, Michael

Camino thoughts from Leon

We are staying in Leon today and taking a kind of vacation from the walk. this is the first day without walking since we began. feels kind of good.

Camino thoughts:

1. We have more than we need
2. pleasure comes in small things like showers in a room you can lock.
3. strangers often help without really knowing it.
4. a breeze can be a blessing
5. others work for our good fortune.
6. Sleep will come to all, when tired enough
7. On the road friendships come and go quickly.
8. Just doing nothing is good at times
9. resoursefulness is helpful when traveling.
10. tired feet can keep you from important things.
11. it is good to travel with a friend and most people will find one on the road.
12. planning helps but not too much.
13. walking early in the day is wonderful.
14. a common language is a good thing.
15. laughter almost always helps.
16. small towns can bless as big as large towns.

blessings,
Michael

Rain in Leon

When we got into the town of Leon it was a good day with some sun and a good deal of clouds. We sat and had a drink while we watched the people go by for a good long time, having a little snack as well. We said hello to many pilgrims who also walked by. Our hotel is near the Leon Cathedral and we will spend some time in the church tomorrow. We did not go in today I think because we thought it would be good do see the church on a sunny day and becasue jess has her birthday tomorrow.

Leon Cathedral is a gothic structure well known for its stained glass. I am hopeful that tomorrow will have a good bit of sun so that we can enjoy the light in the church. We shall see. One thing I have learned again on the Camino is that you cannot plan to far in advance. But I also know that the Camino provides. yesterday Jess was feeling poorly and just when her energy was kind of low we met a pilgrim who we knew and who walked the rest of the way into the town with us, taking Jess´s mind off of her poor feelings. today we did the same for another pilgrim who had misjudged the distance she had to travel and was sitting beside the road no knowing where to go. she is dutch and was very happy to walk into the town with us. the way, the Camino, life, provides, we just do not always see how life provides for us because we are too busy to notice.

Have a good rest of your day,

Michael

Leon

Jess and I walked 24k to a town just outside of leon today and then took a bus into the city. the 18k walk we missed was very ugly and we were joined by many pilgrims who did not want to walk that section of the route. such is the Camino in modern times.

We will stay the night here and all day and another night tomorrow to celebrate Jessica´s birthday and then we will walk on to Santiago. all is well. I will write some blogs about some things I have been thinking about in the next few days.

all is good

michael

Sahagun

Today we walked 21k to Sahagun. It was a great morning with sun shining and birds singing. We met may of our pilgrim friends along the way and had several towns to stop in for coffee and such. We started around 7:30 and all was great until the last hour or so. The sun began to let us know that it was capable of making us hot as well as giving us needed morning warmth. We slogged in the last few k´s to the Albergue. This pilgrim hostal is associated with Cluny and is housed in a very old building. It must have once been a church and now serves to give shelter to many pilgrims each night. We feel happy to be here. Jess is rsting and I just may have a rest as well in a little while. We will make our own dinner tonight and talk to friends we have met.

One group we have been walking with is an alstralian couple and his mom and step dad. A nice fun group. She is leaving for England tomorrow to do a bit of work and then she will rejoin them in a week or so. He calls me the cheeky american because I tend to tease him from time to time.

Another person we have walked with most of the day, Martin from Ireland is also leaving today. He intended to go only 2 weeks but loved it so much he extended his stay another week. I think he would like to stay til the end but his life does not allow him to be gone longer. We will say goodbye to him tonight as well.

Others come and go alone the way. I think this refuge will be a good place to talk, to meet people and to enjoy the evening.

michael

Monday walking

We just walked about 17k today. it was all in one long walk with a break becasue there were no good places to stop along the way. We got in at 11:30 just in time to watch a lot of sheep move along the road to pasture. Jess loved it. We also saw a group of 4 people with hourses walking the camino and a dog with a pilgrim shell around its neck.

We are walking a bit shorter today and tomorrow because I want to go to a specific place tomorrow, Sahagun, and jess wants to make sure we end up in Leon for her birthday on the 9th. A great plan altogether. We are saying a kind of goodbye to some people as we see then today becasue we might not see them again as they walk fouther, you never know when you will say your last goodbye to someone on the road.

I have been thinking about the camino and will try to write a more serious piece in a day or so. Hope you are all well and enjoying yourselves. We are well and happy, living as jess calls it a ¨Hobbits life¨for the next few days. I will leave you now to go to the courtyard and read.

Blessings, Michael

comments welcome

your comments on the blogs are welcome. Have a good day whenever you read this.

michael

Sunday

It is Sunday and we spent the morning walking 20k, (1230 steps per K) to the next town. We then got a sandwich, did our laundry and visited the church. It was an interesting scene. As we sat at a bar and had our lunch we could watch the spanish people all dressed up going tot he church, then they would leave church and come to the bar for a beer. Old people, couples, parents and children, teens, all walking around to town in their sunday best. The church bell rang 12 when we entered the town. The church is a beautiful one and much like all the others along the way, but in good repair.

Tonight we are in a monasetery. twelve beds to a room, and very close quarters, not my love but it will do and is cheap. In a few days we will reach leon and celebrate jessy birthday with a hotel.

blessings,

michael

Saturday in Fromista

Jess and I walked 25k to fromista today. it was a good walk, a bit hot but really beautiful in places. We took some time to relax and to tell dog stories with other pilgrims yesterday and that helped the sadness we had at the loss of gyspy. Marla told us that she had cancer and that the vet suggested the best thing to do at this point was to let her go. So Marla had to do the hard work of being with her as the vet took care of things. I was sorry not to be with her. All of you who have pets know the pain you feel at the loss of a friend.

so, Blessed moments:

Pilgrim masses, and beautiful statues. walking with my daughter in the woods. sleeping in an alberge and waking in the middle of the night to the sound of snoring! sitting with pilgrims and talking in many languages. showering in tight spaces. laundry to dry on the line. Hawks on the wing and farmers plowing. repairing a small stone wall. churches old, cold with flowers and loving care. Hospilator who cooks dinner, three courses. explaining america, watching spanish tv. the cathedral in Burgos. El cid and his wifes grave. side alters to st james. Irish beer with jess, talking together, listening. the kindness of strangers. eating strange and wonderful food, chinese dinner. sleeping in bunk beds up and down. hardwood floors worn out with time and use. sunlihgt laughing. feet up, no pain, sleeping, getting good advice on the next days walk, new and old friends. The Camino is made up of all these things and more... much much more.

michael

Walkin

Jess and I have been walking for 2 days without being able to get to the internet. All is well, we went through Burgos and are in Castojeriz tonight. The weather has been good, the walking fine, the conversations good as well. We ate chinese the other night. Today we are in a small town and we will be eating spanish style tonight, I´ve no idea what we will have.

I will write more later but we just received news of the death of our dog from Marla. Jess and I need some time together.

life goes on even when you are on the road.

love to all,

michael

moving again

Jess and I are in Belorados today. We walked 20k the 7k than 16k in the last three days. It felt like a vacation after spending two days walking 27k and 29k in the heat. We are staying in a kind of motel 6 refugio today. strange. My blister is better and Jess has only one on her toe. it only sometimes slows her down. Last night we stayed in a very wonderful place. Granon. We slept in the bell tower of the local church, has a group meal with some 50 people speaking some 6 or more languages, night prayers in the choir loft and a morning breakfast of coffee and toast. We helped make dinner, helped pilgrims as they arrived, read a lot and mostly just enjoyed ourselves. Tomorrow we take one most step towards Burgos which is some 48 miles away. I hope and trust you are all having a good spring, although I did here that snow fell yet again.

blessings,

a pilgrims day, Saturday April 26

Wake to packing, flashlights first then full overheads. mumbled conversations in many languages. bathroom, toothpaste, packing up and out the door. Yellow arrows on old buildings, tree lined path, red clay and rocks, rescue snail, vineyards, olives, hay, flowers, 5k. A small friendly town, three bars, 2 with breakfast, cafe con lache, rolls, naranja, groups of pilgrims, locals smoking, hola, buen Camino. Down the road to long hot stretches with blue sky mountains in the distance and small hills to climb, dog poop, beetles, flowers and road. BLISTer hurts, birds on the wing, heat. gold course?, beer and back to the road 6k to go, hills and rocks and moving slower, power lines and a view from a distance, lost ,regained,city with church in the center. destination. Park, toes wiggling, hotel, shower, nap, wake to cathedral bells and famous chickens, a walk, conversations, dinner, bath, sleep...

blistering day

Today was a blistering day. It was a long, hot walk to Najera. We walked about 29k and almost all of it was on hardpan. I developed a blister on the footpad of my left foot. it is very tender. We will walk less tomorrow and I am staying off of it tonight as well as doctoring it. Aside from the distance and the blister it was a wonderful day. we began early and walked about half the way in beautiful tree lined lanes. Once outside the city it was wonderful and we loved the quiet and cool of the morning. it was only the afternoon that took its toll. I think 29k is just not good.

We met an older couple today who are just hitting the highlights of the camino as they walked the entire thing in 2006. This time they were going to do the pass from St. Jean to Ronsevelles but they got into bad weather and the woman almost died of hypotherma. She tells the story noting how easy it was to slip into a state of not caring about living or dying. she says the near death experience has given her a calm about death she did not have before.

The Camino gives each one the lessons they need perhaps. Her husband is glad that is over!

blessings to all of you this day.

michael

A long day

We walked 8 hours today, 27K. The road was good but it was hot and we had to take a number of breaks along the way. All in all it was a good day but tiring. We are in Logrono tonight and will be looking for food shortly. Dinner in spain does not start until 9 pm, so we will not be dining out as the refugio closes at 10 and I do not want to be locked out!

It takes a lot of energy just to walk as much as we have been walking and we find ourselves with just enough energy to clean our clothes, take a shower, eat and relax for awhile before bed around 10 pm.

When you walk this long and far it is easy to feel all the aches and pains of your life and to think about your mortality. Not in a bad way but in a way that simply makes you appreciate your life at this moment in time. I am very happy to be walking here at this time. And, No blisters or other health problems. All is good and God is a blessing.

Michael

Sorry to hear the news from home

I learned of the death of Joub Erickson yesterday and am sorry to here this bad news. Joub was one of the first people I met at St. Christopher´s and as he was deeply involved in the finances of the parish at the time I got to know him well. He will be deeply missed by his family and by so many others. I will hold him in prayer tonight at the pilgrim mass in Los Arcos.

Blessings, Michael

a night to remember

Jess and I had a night to remember last night. Late in the day we decided to take a short side trip to a small town called Enuete. It is basically a 12th century church related to the knights templar and a small hermitage attached. The hermitage is a refugio and holds only a few people each night. We arrived at about 2 and decided to stay and wait the 3 hours until the refugio opened. Shortly before 5 three spanish people arrived in a car and started to talk very quickly and basically to confuse Jess and I along with a Swiss woman who was waiting with us. then at 5 a french man named John, (jean), arrived, opened up and let us and one other pilgrim stay the night. The other pilgrim was a man from chile. 4 pilgrims! John cooked a three course meal for us and took us at the end of the evening to a the church for night prayers. We all had a part and the atmosphere inside the old church was electric. the sound went off the walls and bounced back to us. the prayers were wonderful. We then slept soundly and woke refreshed. Breakfast was served by John and we were off, feeling very much cared for. We were invited to pay what we felt we could and that was that.

both of us felt blessed by John and by the conversation with both of the other pilgrims. As jess said, a once in a lifetime experience.

today we are in Estelle, having walked a long way. We will rest and eat a good meal and then it is off to the next stop. No blisters so far and only a small amount of pain in my legs. A blessed camino to this point.

michael

a good short day

Today was a good short day on the Camino. We walked about 13 miles but it did not seem like that far because it was mostly level walking. We did get into some mud and I fell twice but caught myself enough that nothing bad happened. At the end of the walk we found ourselves in a medieval street fair and felt right at home. we got some bread and had that for a lunch along the way. Today we also spent a good deal of time walking with other pilgrims. The eraly part of the wak was with young people from America and Germany, and the last was with an older Irishman and a brit. all in all it was a good day. tonight we are in a good large refugio and enjoying ourselves. We think of you often and hope you are all well. Life is good and my hips are sore!

Michael

April 19 first walk

yesterday we traveled bymetro and bus to our starting place, Roncevalles. We began the bus ride at 10:30 and arrived at 7 pm. We checked in to the refugio and went to the pilgrim mass. The priest said Eucharist, invited us all to recieve and then gave us a traditional pilgrim blessing. it was a good blessing. Statues of the Virgin Mary, St. James, and Jesus watched as we participated in the very ancient tradition. Today we walked our first walk. 13 miles to Zubiri. Ϩt was a good walk, kind of cold and just enough up and down to let our legs know that they had work to do. We were the first to reach the refugio and found good beds for the night. since then we have eaten, read some, and talked to the other pilgrims. many germans are with us and several speak both german and english. it has been fun to converse and laugh at the challenges we faced like a lot of mud.

I want to say a word about gratitude. I found myself being grateful for small things more than usual today. grateful for the people who waymark the train and for those who helped make a way in the mud or over a small stream. I think I often forget to be grateful because most of the time I am not having to do difficult things like walk so much. Tomorrow we go to Pamplona. We may take a rest day after that, we will see.

All is well. Blessings to all of you.

Michael

April 17 in Spain

We made it to Spain today. the flight was good and we had no trouble with the metro system. Once off the train we were assisted to the hotel by a nice Spanish woman. She spoke Spanish and we listened, then tried to find our way using her hand signs, mostly. A few minutes later she saw us again, floundering and she walked us most of the way to the hotel. A Blessing. Later in the day we tried to stay awake by walking and at one point I was looking in a store window when a Spanish man who seemed less that all put together began to make gutteral sounds around me. then he shoved me. Jess and I decided to walk around the block and avoid further trouble. sometimes walking away is the best solution to a problem.


Spain is lovely at this time of year. the trees are fully leafed out and flowers line the streets. It rained on and off today but only once did it mean we had to take cover. We are in the old part of town and all of the buildings are very old with much history. If today is a sign of what is to come, we should have a very blessed Camino. Tomorrow we travel by bus to our starting point and the next day we begin to walk.

blessings from Spain.

Flying

Jess and I fly to Spain today. It's going to be a long day. As we begin I am reminded of something I read in a Cultural handbook for the Camino by Gitlitz and Davidson:

The Road has no beginning,
and the Road has no end.
The towns they run together
and they run apart again.
right now is the only moment,
and Time is the time to go
and make yourself a pilgrim
on the Road to Santiago.

Buen camino

Pilgrim Credentials

It's Sunday night and I've just packed my backpack yet again! Each time I pack I have to really ask myself, are the items I've chosen the best for this trip? This morning I weighed the pack, it was 17 pounds which is the outside of what I want to carry. Tonight I looked for ways to reduce the weight. I tossed a few small things but unless I want to make very different choices, I think I'm going to be near 17 pounds. The pack felt good today as I walked for about 2 hours. I'll be walking Monday and Tuesday and leaving for Spain on Wednesday.

I have my pilgrim credentials from the American Pilgrims on the Camino and the back of the little booklet contains this prayer from the Codex Calixtinus, (12th century pilgrim guide):

"God, You called your servant Abraham from Ur in the Chaldea, watching over him in all his wanderings, and guided the Hebrew people as they crossed the desert. Guard these your children who, for love of your Name, make a pilgrimage to Compostela. Be their companion on the way, their guide at the crossroads, their strength in weariness, their defense in dangers, their shelter on the path, their shade in heat, their light in darkness, their comfort in discouragement, and the firmness of their intentions; that through your guidance, they may arrive safely at the end of their journey and, enriched with graces and virtues, may return to their homes filled with salutary and lasting joy."

With just a few days left before traveling to Spain, I pray this prayer with deep felt wishes for a blessed Camino. Soon the road begins...

books

I've recently read two good first person accounts of pilgrim walks to Santiago. If you are interested the first one is available, (I got it in a local used book store), the other would be difficult to find.

1. fumbling by Kerry Egan. she is a young woman who walked the Camino in 1999 a year after her father's death. the subtitle says a lot about the book, "a Pilgrimage tale of love, grief, and spriitual renewal on the Camino de SAantiago.

2. El Camino De santiago: rites of Passage by Wayne Chimenti. Wayne is a boat captain in Washington state and I think the book was a small print addition. My brother-in-law met Wayne and got a signed copy for me.

there are other interesting and at times strange books on the Camino, you might want to do a amazon.com search if you are interested.

a week til we fly out... walking every day now. all is well

blessings

c.s.lewis

Yesterday while reading a book on classical devotional material I ran into a quote from C.S. Lewis that I though I might share.

Speaking about developing a spiritual life Lewis says: "...the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to tat other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in our of the wind."

As I continue to get ready for Spain, walking, planning, packing, ETC. I want to remember shove back at the fussing to enjoy the grace of God.

Michael+

Walking and walking

Well, I've been doing a good bit of walking the past several weeks, but not enough! I got a cold right at the start of my sabbatical and it's been hanging around giving me fits! Also, the weather has not been really good but looks better for the next week. I plan to do several long walks with my pack this week.

Along with walking I've been enjoying "talking" via the web with many others who are taking the trip this year. If you are really interested in this walk and might someday want to do it your self I suggest you get on the web and go to the following website: http://www.csj.org.uk/. It is for a group called the confraternity of St. James and is based in England. the discussion page is the best place to find information. I have also found a lot of fun information on youtube. Just type in Camino de Santiago and see what you find.

Well, better get walking again.

Michael+

my walk to santiago

Welcome to my reflections while walking on the Camino de Santaigo.

I'll start the walk around April 19th so I do not think there will be a lot of posts until I get to Madrid in mid April. I will, however, most likely post a few notes about what I read prior to the walk between now and the start of the walk. That way you will have something to read as I travel to Spain!

I hope you will come back to this blog in mid April for updates.

Until then, I'll be walking!

Fr Michael