Frens on Foot

  Soooo… We heard from all of our helpful friends about the Covid status change requirements for travelers abroad within a few hours.  We were delighted for everyone else stuck abroad of course, but really?   Now?  Why couldn’t it have been last week and saved us 11 days, a billion dollars and a whole bunch of angst? We tried to change our airline tickets to fly out earlier, with no success.*  The United agent we spoke with offered to book us through Mallorca on an unspecified airline with unspecified cabin class, then to Frankfurt and Chicago with impossible connections for a mere $5000 additional fee.  She was admittedly sheepish when she told us the price and agreed it wasn’t a good idea.  However, after we hung up, we found that while United had us still confirmed with Lufthansa on our original flights, Lufthansa now has us going to Mallorca and then to Newark on a flight that doesn’t seem to exist anywhere except on our itinerary.  When we ( ...

 On Thursday morning we masked up and took a 31/2 hour bus ride to Altea and the AirBnB we rented on the Mediterranean.  The scenery was beautiful, we rode through citrus groves and farms.  Flowering shrubs and trees lined the roads.  Bougainvillea, giant lantana, wisteria, purple jacaranda, and lots more that I can’t identify, but thoroughly enjoyed.  I am mourning my garden at home, by the time I get back the forget-me-nots, iris, spiderwort, alliums, peonies and bachelor buttons will likely be done flowering. And if the Rhodies decided to actually bloom this year, I will have missed them as well.  But I have certainly enjoyed the beautiful flowers of Spain!  As we neared the coast, the mountains increased, and the ride got pretty curvy for this weak stomach, but fortunately we hadn’t eaten much and I didn’t embarrass myself. We did stop in every hamlet, village, city and rest stop along the way, the 130 km ride stretched out for most of the afternoo...

 Took a bus to Porto.  And just like that we are in Portugal!  Different culture, different language, and a very busy place!  I was surprised at the size of the city but I don’t know what I expected.  And our hotel is in the old city, so we have views of a cathedral, and old houses and shops built into the hills going down to the river.  We thought we were done with ascents and descents, but we still have Camino legs, so it is fine.  Many if the homes and buildings are covered in porcelain tile.   Beautiful but kind of odd…the cathedrals are gothic in design but look like they are covered in delft tiles!  It actually was influenced by the Chinese, and the Portugués are known for their tiles. Barb wasn’t feeling well, so Jim and Barb stayed behind while we took a hop on hop off bus ride around the city.  It was very interesting, took us out to the ocean and through the old city, into some of the more modern areas.  We had lunch in a ...

  It was quite lovely today not to have to think about walking.  We slept in a bit, then ventured out for coffee and to try a pastry or two, as we have heard they are delicious!  (But you knew that) We then wandered a bit through the old city, and visited the fish and meat market.  It was incredible! I don’t like fish or seafood, but Dick was entranced.  So fresh, the crabs and prawns were still quivering.  (Cockles and mussels, alive, alive- o). And don’t even start on the barnacles!  A Dutch visitor told Dick they were delicious and he should try them.  He should. Then we headed to the Cathedral for the noon pilgrims mass.  We heard that about 1200 pilgrims arrived in Santiago yesterday, and most of them appeared to be at the mass.  It was very crowded.  Although the mass was in Spanish and Latin, it was very moving and beautiful.  I was able to pick up a few words, but Ron understood more, the homily was from Peter where Jes...

  From Dick…. As we sit here in our smallish European hotel room (meaning really small,😎), my good wife has asked me to contribute to the blog. Please don’t expect the same high quality prose she has given you, she’s in a different writing class than I am! In any event, we have finished our journey over about 40 % of the entire El Camino, or a touch over 200 miles and just under 500,000 steps. It seems odd to not be on the path walking, but mind you, I’m not really missing it. Frankly, I’m amazed that I’m even here! I much prefer trips taken on a motorcycle, stopping at nice hotels. When we decided to take this trip, I thought, “how hard can it really be?” Well, it was hard! From nearly being blown off the mountain the first day by winds gusting to 55 mph, to 20 degree inclines that went on forever, to gully washer rain squalls, to 85 degree hot sunny days resulting in significant electrolyte imbalance (which lead to really painful hand and foot cramps)….did I mention I can be a b...

    Under 20k, HOORAY!     The path meandered through the tiny town of Lavacolla, which literally means “wash private parts”.  Apparently pilgrims bathed infrequently - or never, so would stop at this little town with a convenient stream to clean up before presenting themselves at the Cathedral.  Having showered this morning, we just took a picture. We passed through an area of beautiful homes, with this interesting sign on the fence…we haven’t seen much litter or vanadalism, but there are always a few who spoil things…                                        Mural on a factory wall Only 5 k to go!!   Walking through the streets of Santiago towards the Cathedral.  The sidewalk shells mark the way.                                     And we are here!!!  Over...

    Today is a shorter day and we are grateful, actually we are a little giddy!   We did however encounter rain, rather heavy rain in fact.  And a thunderstorm in the distance.   Lucky hikers that we are, we managed to get soaked a few times.  Did I already tell you rain is wet?  During the stretches of heavier rain we stopped in cafes and ate and talked, it was a wonderful time to engage with other pilgrims. We met a delightful young couple on their delayed honeymoon, who are taking a break before heading to Mayo Clinic, a residency in ENT for him, while she plans to work as an OT and do further training.  There are some bright and beautiful souls in the younger generation!  It was also another opportunity to indulge in the wonderfully comforting Spanish tortilla, which is a potato, egg and cheese tart.  Delicious!  And of course a pastry or three…we feel obligated to help keep the small cafes in business.  And we are alw...

  Every town has its church, graveyard and religious symbols. We started the day in sunshine, but the radar told a different story, so we packed rain gear just in case.  Turned out to be a good thing! The trail led through old old forest with stands of eucalyptus.  The air was fragrant with eucalyptus and mint.  Not so many wildflowers, but lots of foxglove!    Not sure if this is the cheese makers statue we heard about, looks more like a pilgrim.  Photo op nevertheless! We connected with several perigrinos we had met along the way including Rita and Ghermain.  It is so nice to sit in a little cafe with cafe con leche or fresh squeezed orange juice and connect and hear people’s stories! It started to rain in earnest about noon, and we geared up with ponchos and raincoats, but it was sporadic and the gear is hot, so we probably donned and doffed our gear about 10 times. We had to cross a little stream over some slippery rocks.  Ron was carryin...