Barcelona and Madrid...the grand finale to our Spain travels

long winding mosaic seating at Parc Guell

Parc Guell - all designed by Gaudi

We have now been back in the USA for several weeks (Boston, Cape Cod, Long Island NY and now North Carolina). I did not want to miss reminding myself (and the rest of you) of our last days in Spain where we enjoyed Barcelona, Madrid and Toledo.

After winding down in Santiago for a few days we headed by plane to Barcelona. It is a very lively, beautiful city full of interesting architecture and art. Unlike the time on the camino, we stayed in city hotels which for us was disconcerting. We had been used to albergues with kitchens and very low prices and now in the big city got more luxury, paid more but with much less service. We love being able to make our own tea and snacks without having to go out for meals all the time. On the other hand, we found some really great vegetarian restaurants in both Barcelona and Madrid. Always two sides to everything.

Gaudi architecture

More Gaudi architecture

Neither of us knew much about the architect Gaudi before coming to Spain and in Barcelona discovered his amazing, creative and very different work. It is a very walkable city and so we just went from one great museum or park to another to see his work. The best for us was the "Sagrada Familia" - a church started just about one hundred years ago that is still unfinished. There are no photos that could do justice to this awesome Cathedral.

Sagrada Familia

Sculpture in Sagrada Familia

Impossible to capture this church

Sculpture in Miro Museum, Barcelona

Amazing Water show to Music with lights

Water show to music in Barcelona

We went to both the Picasso Museum as well as the Miro Museum. No matter where you walk in the city there is music, art, water fountains (see pictures) and activity. As in much of the rest of Spain, there is an afternoon siesta and then most of the dinner restaurants open after 8pm and stay open late. By the time we were in the big cities, we were used to the late night eating schedule.

our favorite - roasted peppers with sea salt

going up to Monserrat

A view from Monserrat

our favorite...apples!

We discovered that Monserrat was a 1 hour train ride from Barcelona so we went there. It is a Monastery built high in the mountains among rock formations. It has been another pilgrimage site for many in Europe for centuries. There was a beautiful walking trail, church and views. Gave another view of mountains in Spain that we had not seen before.

in the church at Monserrat

Market in Barcelon

The beach in Barcelona

Right in the city is a beautiful beach for swimming, etc. As it was the summer, it was filled with people and activity. Right along the beach was this Fish sculpture by Gehry (whom we learned about while in Bilbao),

For me, one of the great things about traveling is the artists that I have heard about during my life but whose works I have never seen. Spain is filled with such art.

Gehry "fish" commissioned for
the Barcelona Olympics in 1992

On the waterfront in Barcelona

Prado in Madrid

Madrid is another example. I have always heard about the "Prado" museum. We spent some time visiting the Old Masters....amazing art but not my taste or style. I am glad that I am able to see some that I like and some that I can appreciate for technical expertise but am able to walk away from. (Probably not a statement that will make me popular among my many artist friends!)

Jewish temple which has now been converted
to a church in Toledo....home of three
religions - Islam, Jewish and Catholic

From Madrid we took a day trip to Toledo which was interesting as it was a city that was the home of Islam, Jewish and Catholics for many years....living peacefully together. I wish it could be like that again in this world.

typical jewelry made in Toledo

Madrid

Madrid

After several days in Madrid we decided that we had enough of city life and really were "travel weary". All together this has been 4 months of travel with nearly different places most nights. We decided to head back to USA one week early which was a good decision for us - we needed a little rest before doing the USA family and friends travel along the East Coast.

Mostly we are grateful that we were able to do this incredible trip, see so many things, walk most of the walk that we had intended, returned to the same physical condition as we left, had such wonderful support from all of you, learned some good personal lessons and are here to tell the story.

FYI, we head back to San Miguel de Allende, MX in August and will probably stay there for most of the next 6-9 months.

Movies of the Botafumiero in Santiago

These are three short videos that really capture the Incense burner called "Botafumiero" in the Cathedral de Santiago on June 9th and 10th. Each video shows different views of the church and the swinging incense burner. We were lucky to see it twice as it does not happen everyday.

Santiago de Compostella

Entering the outskirts of Santiago

The last day walking into Santiago was cold and rainy and seemed longer than some of the days before but still a great experience. Passing the airport and outskirts of the city was a reminder that our camino was not the one of the pilgrims of hundreds of years ago. Still, it was solitary for most of the way and for me, a prayerful time of gratitude for all the things in my life that have taken me this far...especially my health, wealth, Ricardo, family, friends, fortitude, higher power, determination, creativity, flexibility....I guess I could go on and on but these are some of the major highlights that I thought about. There were also several alters to persons who died along the camino which brought the family and friends who have passed on into my mind and I thought of each of them.

I arrived and just before starting to look for where we had reserved a hotel, Ricardo was waiting for me in the street. We had a nice simple hotel with the luxuries that we had missed along the way....sheets, towels and comfortable bed with no sleeping bag and it was nice to spend a few days in one spot.

At Monte do Gozo just outside

 Santiago

The Cathedral in Santiago

Butafumiero

Our friend Charles from Spain who read during the service

 

 

 

 

releasing the Butafumiero

During the Sunday mass

Santiago is a great small city and the energy was very high with hundreds of pilgrims walking in on Saturday and Sunday. There are several rituals that become important for all of us and we did it all...getting the compostella which is the certificate of walking at least the last 100 K. Not sure why all the ones before do not count but that is the rule of the camino. They check our credencials for stamps along the way and we had to get at least 2 for each day of the last 100K. I got a compostella and Richard got a different certificate as he had walked over 300K but not the last 100. I loved getting the stamps and each small bar, restaurant and albergue as well as all the churches had their own stamp. This is a great souvenir for us to remember our "Way".

My Compostella and Richardś certificate

my passport or "credencials"

Next it is on to the Cathedral which is an amazing place, again with the energy of pilgrims, tourists and locals. There is a large statue of St. James and we all walked behind the alter to place our hands on him. It is suggested in some of the literature that St. James may, indeed, have been a brother to Jesus, not only an apostle. ¿Quien sabe? (Who knows?) Anyway as a non religious person with my own spirituality I was quite moved by all this ritual and connection to some form of religion and spirituality of many. For me this was not an end to my journey but a beginning of trying to be an even better person than I have been and to remember my connections to my own internal spirit and to the spirit of my "god" which shall always be with me.

There is a crypt below with the body of St. James which we visited as well. We attended a mass on Sat. night and then again the special pilgrims mass on Sunday at noon. Each time we were able to see the special "Botafumiero" which is the very large incense that swings from one side to the other of the sides of the church. It takes about 5 men to release the rope that it swings from. In todays times it is an event but in the olden days it was used to coverup the smell of the thousands of pilgrims who had been walking for days with no means to shower or clean their clothes. I am grateful that I walked the camino in the current situation as even that was less than the normal of situations of our lives.

Our friends from "down under"

octupus (pulpa) which we did NOT eat

scenic village on the coast

small granaries that hold corn

We had time to catch up with our friends from Australia on Sunday evening and then went on a tour of the lower estuaries (coastline south of Santiago) to several cute fishing villages and other little towns. It was a nice restful way to end our trip before heading to Barcelona and then to Madrid. More about that trip to come.

June 8...just one more day until arrival in Santiago de Compostella

My first morning out before daylight

At the 100 K marker

The countryside in Galacia

Granaries in Galacia where we are now

I have so much to say but first will note that it is me, Susan writing of my camino. I shall leave it to Richard to write his own thoughts as we are now on slightly different paths. A bit of review since my last post. We started out after our rest without packs and walked for one week from Leon to Villafranca and things were going very well for me but Richard was having discomfort due to his sciatic problem in his leg. The last day was a very hot day and very long and I guess it was just too much so after a few days off we decided together to take the bus to Sarria which is the closest point to the last 100 kilometers of the Camino. Here are pictures of our last week walking together. From Sarria we decided together that I would walk solo and he would take the time off for himself and that we would both be OK with not having to do what the other wanted. If he walked, he would have done it for me and if I did not walk, I would have done it for him. This compromise was perfect as we could be ourselves and follow our own camino.

A view on the way to Cruz de Ferro

friends along the camino

one of my new friends from Spain

Cruz de Ferro ... the place where
pilgrims bring stones from their
home towns to place in this now
very large pile of rocks. It was
a moving moment as one could
feel the spirit of the thousands of
pilgrims who have walked this path

Richard placing his stones

my two heart stones....one from NC and
one from Mexico

typical small town....one of so many
we have walked through

We are in cherry country in Spain

Richard´s red bandana

Villafranca

massage in our albergue in Villafranca -
painful but helpful for sure. No pain since then!

Rose garden in Villafranca

Dance fiesta in Villafranca

Monestery in Sarria

For the last few days I have left the albergue very early...usually before 6 so that in case it was hot I would be finished before it was too hot. Instead, it has been cool and one morning pouring rain. Each morning brought me a new adventure as it was a bit earie being alone in the dark. It is also hard to find the yellow arrows when it is dark (though I do have my headlamp). As I have mentioned, the camino always provides what is needed so each day a different camino angel appeared and we helped each other navigate the darkness until daylight. The first day was Marcel from France who spoke no English and had no headlamp. Since it was my first day I was really nervous in the woods in the dark so we walked together silently for over one hour and then when off on our own. The second day was another man from France, though much older than me (probably close to 80). He did not have a clue where to go but with my headlamp we found our way and then smiled and thanked each other in French and Spanish and we have seen each other for the next few days and always a smile for each other. Then yesterday I started out and within 5 minutes came a big downpour and I came upon Elizabeth from Spain and we walked together for several hours. We almost got lost at first but she had a phone and called someone to help us figure out our way out of Palas de Rei. Now we see each other and I have met her friends and she has met Richard and we feel very connected because of our rainy morning together figuring our way in the dark. So....my lessons....I love adventure and have looked forward to each morning and what it will bring; I am not afraid as I have faith that things will work out; I like being alone on my walks as I can go at my pace and talk when I want to and be alone when I want to; I am stronger than I thought I was and my determination to finish this camino was important to me (as long as my body was able). I have completely recovered from my earlier shin problems and arrive every day feeling great with no aches or pains. I am grateful for this, for sure.

I am also very grateful that Richard has given me this gift to travel my own camino as it was important to me. We have much to talk about each day with regards to letting go as he needed to let go of his worry about me and I needed to let go of  my worry about him. Now we are stronger as a team as we are learning a few new things about ourselves and each other.

I feel sure that more lessons are coming after more thought and some time of rest. I have written a journal everyday and look forward to reviewing it for my important thoughts. Right now I am excited for tomorrows arrival and for the Sunday mass for Peregrinos in the large cathedral. We have made some new friends from Australia and will see them in Santiago as well. In fact we hope to see several of the folks we have passed along the way. We will head to Finestere (the coast) for a day and then go meet our friend Helen from NC in Burgos and travel with her to Barcelona before returning to US at the end of June.

Stay tuned for Richard´s thoughts and for our final days of this trip in the next blog.

Thanks to you all for sending updates about your lives as it is so important to us to keep connected with all of you. We love you.

Back on the camino again

Early mornings have great shadows

In the plaza in Burgos with Santiago

Our new daypacks

one of many photos in the Burgos Cathedral
It was an amazing edifice but I continue
to wonder why the churches are so grand
and people suffer so much in the world. This
was one which was "over the top".

The cloister in the basement of the
Burgos Cathedral

 I just thought I would update all of you who are wondering what happened since my last post. We are happy to say that we are back walking again but now walking without our packs and just a little one for our snacks, water and jackets. We ended up taking 6 days off to rest ourselves and then took a bus for many kilometers from Burgos to Leon (both big cities on the Camino). I also saw another doctor who explained to me that it was not a knee problem but an overuse of the muscles on the shins caused by walking too long and with too heavy of a pack. We started back slowly on Saturday for a short day and then have done 20K Sun, Mon and today and without a pack it is great. We are still tired at the end, but not killing our bodies. THANKS to all of you who have written and expressed concern for us.

One view of Burgos Cathedral

A Gaudi building in Leon which
is now an apartment building

We have already learned a few things....you cannot plan life on the camino (or elsewhere) and it is better to just go with the flow. 

We are not as strong as we might have thought we were, and that is OK. Taking a bus, or having our packs transported is OK and we are still pilgrims. Judging others caminos (or other parts of life) is no good. I had thought before coming that I would not feel successful without carrrying my pack but now feel completely different. People do the camino in so many ways...bike, with suitcases on wheels, with gigantic backpacks, on horse, with bare feet, by bus, with small backpacks....just like life....we all do it differently. I am grateful that we are doing fine and can

Richard´s new "best" friend in Leon

walk and though I would say now that we will plan to go the rest of the way to Santiago, I also know that we might not walk every inch of it. Listening to our bodies has been good for me. Richard has been wonderful and though I did not realize it at first, my troubles were a gift for him as he had some physical discomfort and fatigue and needed time off as well. We are a team and we have promised each other that either can call for a day off, or a change in plan when necessary.

My art journal...I have continued to do
a little drawing about every other day.

Happy feet resting on my bed!

typical church tower in the countryside.
We have seen one almost every day and usually
with stork nests.

Jose Luis ... our backpack angel who
transports mochillas to wherever
we ask.

hayfields

Cathedral in Astorga

My favorite item for the camino is my bandana! Here are the many uses:
headband, handkerchief, napkin, placemat, hold the ice on my leg, soak with cold water and wear around the neck, eye mask for light rooms at night, hand towel, belt. That is what we know today and maybe more uses will appear. I am so glad that we each brought one.

Now...enough from us. We look forward to hearing a bit of news from all of you as we continue our travels. We do miss everyone very much and have good time to think of you as we walk "our camino".