Portomarin

Somehow the film gang found us and We decided to split up the walk. Rebecca and I would head out first and sit in the line at the Hunta until it opened and register all of us. (What do they say about plans?) First off, because it was such a long walk, we decided we would go to Portomarin first and then I would walk back to pick up Phil's pack just to make it a little easier on him. Rebecca and I  made good time. so when we got to Portomarin it was only 11am, still 2 hours before the Hunta opened. I dropped my pack with hers and started back. I had thought I would only have to go back 5 kilometers since they certainly would be further than that. They were not, but I found a nice little bar, so I ordered some food and sat back and enjoyed watching the pilgrims go by. After half an hour, still no Phil and crew, so I decided to go another kilometer. What's this?, there was another bar at the other end of town too! Well met, we walked back to Portomarin together.

Portomarin used to lie at the bottom of a deep valley.  It is now half filled with water and you cross a long bridge over the reservoir. So, for every meter you walk down to the bridge, you go to put up to the town.  There is an imposing structure at the top. It is the church that used to sit in the town that the reservoir now covers. So, stone by stone, it was dismantled, hauled to the top and reconstructed. Then a new town was built around it.

Hold on, no registration! Rebecca said they needed the passports as well as the credentials we left with her. That was the bad news. Good news? Rebecca found an empty apartment we could use. It cost 100 €, but worth it. We each had a separate room, almost. And after we had figured put the hot water, we had hot showers!

Barbadelo

I read an advert for a nice hostel just outside Sarria named Barbadelo. The next few days will expose us to a range of inns, But This hostel had a swimming pool! How cool is that ?! Pretty cold as a matter of fact. Maryka wanted to use it almost immediately. When I joined her later, she was only wet up to her knees! But the sun was out and working on your so is a good option too.

A note on English translation

For some reason, since I'm in Spain, my internet blogger app thinks it has to end in "es". Go figure. Consequently anything I write has to be "translated" and I'm getting some strange results. Strange Capitalizations, for example, Strange word ordering, for example.   Strange translations: like when I 'write "he" it comes out "I" When I type out my daughters name "mar", it is translated "sea", but That almost makes. sense. I do not know why this is, but I'm beginning not to care!

Samos

I left Triacastella in Peter's hands and off Samos dude, what the first third of the Camino was preparation for: the second third of the Camino. It was not a long walk and I got there early. I got a couple of cafe con leches at a local bar  Appropriately so i was   wired by 1:00 am, the time to check in. checked me in Michael. I is a volunteer from California and I continued my practice of Inglés.   i told him the story of Phil and I said I would save two more beds near mine.   

I had emailed Maryka to take a cab when - if - she got to Sarria, so I Looked  expectantly at every cab came by. One finally stopped in front of the hostel and I saw someone waving from the back seat. I was crying to see her again. But, the hostel was starting to fill up. Her bed was saved, but Michael was not confident That he Could save one for Phil. We went across the street for a while we where waiting cervesa Maryka read Phil's blog. She was convinced They Were on their way and had me run across the street to talk to Michael again. As I was walking back to her, I heard "Hey, Rick." Phil was sitting in the sun looking at me.  He made ​​it !! And he HAD been here long enough To have ordered a beer  in Neighboring bar !! I do not know how he missed seeing Maryka, but he was not expecting her so she would Have Been Spanish just another girl to him. We went over to His bar and the whole gang was there. Rebecca, Jessica and Todd, Phil's film crew. All gracious kids, all smiles, all welcoming. Rebecca wanted to know of Phil Had Seen Maryka yet. He HAD not of course so i told Phil I was going to get my beer and be right back.  We spirited Maryka while film was rolling over. stood to greet her not soon Phil said "I've got to sit down." It was a true surprise that worked out just the way it should. What a rush.

Triacastela

Just a lot of walking today. Just another day in paradise. Just another day of gorgeous clear forested Weather With dappled shade.

I met Peter once again at the edge of town, just above the lodge to Hunta. It looked like it was going to fill up and everyone was milling Quickly acerca. We decided to go down the road, and for only € 9 we got a room at the Horta Able to 'priv' hostel. Then dinner. We met Brian from New Jersey, a young man who quit His job and hit the road. Do you know how many there are walks similar to the Camino? I did not either. He's done one Peru and there is a 640 km walk in western Australia.

OCebreiro

Peter beat me out the door but I thought I woulld be reliable to catch him. Talked acerca We had Pradela taking the steeper route instead of the route Pereje along the road, so when I '' came to the split in the road, I went up ... and up ... and up. . Brierley says it's only 400m, but I think it has-been quite a while since I've been this way's I'm going to say 3k, six times as long. Another stairway to heaven, but it was heavenly When I got to the top. About 4 or 5 kilos along a ridge line with views of the way highways below. I Could not even hear the traffic.

Spain has a little bush-tit sized bird That seems almost tame. Several of them at various times along the path Accompanied me. The sun came when i was hiking the ridge and lit up the heather and broom.

I never caught Peter. I dropped down to the road route and I did not see him until I go to OCebreiro a long way away, and another hike Pradela-like, only longer and steeper. The 3k before La Faba was incredible.

I checked into the Hunta at OCebreiro and we watched the sun go down over our beers.

Villafranca Del Bierzo

This is one of those lost days where no matter how much you try you can not remember. Perhaps one reason is that I was traveling with Peter Pesci. An Australian with a giant sense of humor. He kept telling joke after story after  joke and the time and the trail just disappeared. Then weather was beautiful, but it could not touch the company I was keeping.

Toward our destination I Told Peter about a bedbug issue at the muni and he agreed to join me at the Ave Felix. We arrived before it opened so we dropped our packs and walked down to the plaza for a beer and some company soon from Peter's early days on the road. A couple of luxurious French girls and young Rowan and sharing of stories.

Ponferrada

Goal: learn more Spanish words than the six and two questions. You know them, right? Yes, no, hello, goodbye, thank you, and please.  The first question is   , where is the bathroom?  I forget the other question.  But my current problem is,  I can not understand the answer.

OK, so that's the goal, and why. On the road to Ponferrada I found myself starving to speak English, since I only know English. Imagine my delight as I was walking in the mist above Foncebedón hear too Inglés. A young couple (Ed and Claire) from Manchester qere walking ahead of me so I fell in with them and we went to Molinaseca where we had lunch. They are Both musicians and play a lot or Gaelic music. Another young man, studying at Mastrich Also joined us. My need to speak satiated, I left them talking and went to the muni in Ponferrada. 

This was a fantastic muni. The folks at the San Nicolas de Flue offer foot rubs, message, spiced with smiles, lots of smiles.

After León

I arrived 'in country' almost a week ago: Madrid airport.  First challenge?  Get the attention of a Metro official to get a ticket to the train station.  This was almost not possible when there were so many buxom young Ladies with tights in line.  Well, I don't blame him too much.  At the train station, my second challenge was to get the attention of a totally disinterested official train sitting at the information booth  ? (Like, what are they there for? Look, I'm a progressive, but I draw a line. Some jobs just shouldn't  be cradle to grave. Wait, is that a progressive position?) I finally got his attention, got a ticket, got onboard, and I was on my way to Leon, via Valladolid. 

I arrived in Leon late, and sleepy as I was, opted to hotel room at the Affonsov. The next morning, since the bus and train station are near each other in Leon, I checked schedules and took the bus to Astorga where I had a small breakfast (desayuno) and I was soon, finally, on my way.

It was a pleasant walk out of town on a path next to the road. It was an incredibly beautiful day, light wind, sunny, and I made great time, passing folks With An 'Buenos dias' and 'Buen Camino'.  My legs in such great shape that I passed Rabanal for the next village up the mountain, Foncebadón.

Brierley's description of the town is 'semi-abandoned' and 'stirring back to life.'  Well, the town was full.  It has stirred back to life.  There were four albergues and an inn, and they were all full.  The yoga albergue, however, had tents out back for any overflow. I took it and crawled in one just as the rain started and the wind picked up.  I do not think it got to gale, but it pushed the walls of the tent pretty hard.  Interesting evening, let's leave it at that.  The wind and rain stopped around 3 and I was ready to get out of Dodge at 5.  

And, here's me

Yep, that's me.  Time is getting short now, only a week away and there is a lot of work to finish around the fort before I go.  I call it a fort because we have surrounded our nursery with a deer fence and it has a certain kind of foreboding look.  I just wish it looked that way to the deer, because it hasn`t been doing its job of late,

I'm entering the Camino at Leon.  Actually, I'll be busing forward to Astorga and starting there.  I need to be in Samos by the 17th, because that's where I'm meeting Phil.  His doctors just didn't give him enough time to do the whole Camino, so Kelly and I are shuttling Phil between us.  He is on the walk now with Kelly and they are probably past Navarette as I write this.  I don't know how far they will get, but on the 17th, he's on a bus to Samos.  We'll stay in the Monastery for the night and then walk to Santiago, hopefully arriving by the 24th so we can attend Mass the next day, and then he's on a plane back home.  I'll have almost a week left in Spain, so if Kelly and I manage to stay in touch via email, I'll bus back and accompany him for a couple days.

Don't have much to add to this blog until I'm 'in country'.  See you then...

Here's Kelly

This is Kelly, of fame from the previous blog.  We've been friends for a very long time.  Uff Da, I hate to think how long.  I think Kelly suggested to Phil that they should do the Camino together.  Kelly had spent so much time walking Phil's Camino that I think he was anxious to do the real thing.  Besides, he was planning on a trip to Europe this fall - Italy, France, where ever - and he saw this as a great opportunity to do something that would allow focus since Europe wasn't fleshed out yet. This would be a nice stretch for him and perhaps to some degree, he needs and wants more focus at this point in his life.  His wife Joanne passed a little over a year ago and maybe he sees this walk as transformative.  A movement, a new page, a new chapter, a defining point.  You'll have to ask him.  I just remember his telling me about their plans with such joy in his eyes... kind of like the picture above.  He was clearly thrilled.  I was happy for him  but I admit that is was a bit envious too.  And then Phil asked me to do his walk with him and along the way popped the question: would I like to come too.  I was overcome.

Here's Phil

Here's Phil.  Pretty good pic, huh?

Our local newspaper did a nice story on Phil, so I'll just insert some snippets from that:


Earlier this month, Volker completed 909 laps on the trail, effectively walking the distance of El Camino de Santiago, a famous Christian pilgrimage in Spain. If his doctors give the final approval, this summer Volker will go from backyard pilgrim to actual pilgrim when he flies to Spain to set off on the popular trek.  "I wanted to experience it … but if I don’t get to go, I’m going to be happy with what I got here,” Volker said. “It’s more than I thought I could do."   Volker’s journey began three years ago when he was diagnosed with colon cancer, something he now calls the first “C” in his life.  The diagnosis led him to the second “C,” the Catholic church, or more specifically the St. John Vianney church. At the local parish, Volker, a longtime islander who owns a construction company and is a veteran involved with the American Legion, says he’s found meaning, support and friendship as he battles cancer.  “Having a life-threatening obstacle, it straightens your priorities out,” he said.  ...  Commonly called el Camino, the ancient path across northern Spain became Volker’s third “C.” Translated as the Way of St. James, the 500-mile trek ends at what is believed to be the burial site of the apostle James and has been a popular Christian pilgrimage for over 1,000 years. ...  Kelly Burke plans to finish the length of the route, but Volker, who doesn’t have as much time to spend in Spain, will skip some legs in order to see the entire trail. “God willing and doctor willing,” Volker said, he will walk the final 100 kilometers to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a stretch required to receive a certificate of completion. “I think it’s going to be a wonderful time to reflect on life,” Burke said, “thinking about our busy life here and what’s really important in living. I think I’m going to be changed when I come back, and I think Phil will, too.”  Volker is looking forward to what the Camino will hold, but at the same time says he’s already been changed on his own backyard journey.

I owe this trip to Phil

I leave for Leon in a week - August 10, 2014.

I owe this trip to Phil: caminoheads.com.  This is his gift to me.  Oh ya, I've wanted to do the walk for a long time, but his invitation to join him, and Kelly, on the walk was too much to resist, so I didn't.  This is also a gift from my wife, Carole Lynn, who supported and encouraged me to do this walk with Phil, in spite of the fact that our nursery, robinwoodnursery.com, does not slow down even in August.  My deepest thanks, Phil and CL.  And Kelly, who accompanied me on many early morning walks to town to break-in my boots (and pick up coffee).  He had already broken in his footwear, but he graciously joined me anyway.  What a nice guy.

I didn't mean to start another blog.  Like how many blogs do you need?  I'm a techno-luddite and I value my privacy, so why another blog, especially about the camino, since so many have blogged about the camino all ready?  I don't know; I can't tell you; except or the fact that Kelly didn't call.  Phil and Kelly left about a week ago - they have a two and a half week head start on me - and Kelly was supposed to call me when they got in Roncesvalles.  No call.  I knew they were there via caminoheads, but no call!  What's significant about the call is that we were supposed to keep in touch on the camino so Phil would know where I was and we could schedule a meeting - maybe this will become more clear later - and Kelly was charged with calling me with his telephone number.  Instead I get an email.  His phone won't dial out and we have to communicate via email.  That meant I had to take my tablet, a Nexus 7, which I was loathe to do both for the added weight and power issues, but since I would now take the 7, I thought I ought to use it for other things, like a blog.  Yet another blog.  So, add me to the top, or bottom, of the blogs you follow.   Your choice.