Buen Camino

In Boston ready to leave for the airport

Our Camino has begun. We arrived in Spain on Wednesday and took a train to Pamplona for the first night. So far Spain is beautiful and the people are very friendly. It is a little hard to understand their spanish when they speak quickly but we are getting more used to it each day. Then we took a cab to Roncesvalles on Thursday and began walking a short way that day to get the ¨feel¨of the Camino.

At the beginning...from Roncesvalles only 790 K (a little under 500 miles)

I will write a few thoughts of travels along the way. Mostly I am writing so that I remember what we have done as each place becomes a memory as we enter the new town, alberque, day. The pictures will give you all a feel of what we are doing and more will come for sure.

Before I go too far...I want to thank a few very important people who have helped to get us to this spot. First there is Carolyn Patten who came up, along with me, of this idea to do the Camino several years ago. Then our friends in SMA; Meredith and Jerry helped us plan as they did it 2 years ago. They were instrumental in our training and packing as well as purchasing items. As far as physical strength and stamina...thanks go to Jill Gottlieb who helped both of us to train while we were in SMA and Mari Osa who gave me private pilates classes. (I am trying to power from my core). I am sure this training helped but I must admit after 3 days we do have some sore spots!  Rosey and Allan lent us their walking poles which seem to be very important as well to save our knees and our strength. Andrea spent several days walking with us in SMA.  Lastly...thanks go to ALL of you for being so supportive of our plans and to listening to us endlessly as we planned this trip. We are carrying all of you with us along the trip in our hearts.

One of the many beautiful scenes along the way

Pamplona...where we arrived and then where
we are now, Satuday after walking here

Hostal Hemingway - in Pamplona

Little village along the way

Hostal for our first night

• Planning was important but living in the moment is even more important. We are never really sure what the day will bring and are staying open to the Camino providing whatever we need.
• Got our credentials (like a National Park passport book) and we get a stamp at every hostal or alberque that we stay at. If you know me well, you know that this is a very important moment each day.
• Trying to learn the Lord´s prayer in Spanish as well as the new version of this prayer sent to me by my sister, Nancy.
• Beautiful lilacs along the camino make me happy.
• Fun to talk on skype....we have wifi in most places. Our iTouch is very important to us.
• A new German lady that we met  calls me ¨Frau Vogel¨
• Met a woman who has already walked 9 weeks from Holland and will go to Santiago. Her husband died in 2010 and she is carrying him with her.
• An angel peregrino Derek seems to appear and give us advice when we need it. We did not see him today, though. People go at their own pace so sometimes are behind and sometimes ahead.
• Sleeping with others has ups and downs....great camraderie but also a concert of snoring and other rustling at night. The older ones (us) get us early and the young ones like to sleep a bit later, but also come in later at night. We have not stayed at any big alberques yet. We will, but not sure when or where.

amazing scenery every almost every step

muddy shoes at Alberque in Zubiri

today along the river

The Scallop shell denotes that we
are pilgrims (peregrinos)

Pizza after walking many kilometers.
I will talk about the food at another date

So, that is enough for our first few days. We will keep you posted. If you have any particular questions, please email me. Thanks for ¨walking¨ with us in spirit. Love from the two of us.

The sign for the camino - always
appears when a choice for walking
needs to be made.

Sometimes the villages are visible from afar