13thMay

Getting into a routine. Up at 7 15,  get dressed, get coffee for Gail and a Cola Cao  for me. Pack, breakfast in room, luggage downstairs and start walking at 8 45.  

Cecilia struggled along, 'lento, lento.' 

Drizzly morning and cooler than yesterday. Difficult rocky paths to Mercadoiro. From there to Vilacha was easier. It was quite sad to see the for sale sign on Gordon Bell's albergue, Casa Banderas.  Stopped for a slice of pizza at Restaurant Vegetariano in Vilacha.  

There are 3 options to Portomarin. Right - on a tarred road steeply down to the river and the bridge.  Left is a bit longer with a difficult section near the end but with a detour around the  difficult  section. We opted  to go right, down the steep path.

Instead of climbing the steps into the village we walked along the road to the right and then steeply up a side road to the main street.

Sat outside Arenas and had a drink. A big crowd of people came streaming out of the church. They filed into a municipal hall where they sang and danced, celebrating the feast day of a local saint.

We walked up Rua Deputation to Ultreia. Louisa was there to meet us and she called Luis and Carmen to come and say hello.  It was a great reunion as I haven't stayed there since I was with the Caracoles group in 2013.

Checked in and Gail and Cecilia went back to town.  I had a sower, changed and went to the church. Joined the girls for dinner at Peter.  Back to the albergue where we offered everyone amarula and shooters.

Went to bed at 10pm 

14 May

We had 13 km to walk today so I got coffee and hot chocolate from the vending machine, ate yoghurt and a banana and said a fond farewell to Carmen  and Louis.
Long climb today -almost all the way to Gonzar and beyond.  Cecilia struggled and even though we opted for the shoulder on the road instead of the gravel path alongside the road we slowed down even more - 4 hours to do 8km.
We stopped for a snack and said goodbye before continuing, then 2 hours for 2.5 km.
We were relieved to get to Ventas de Naron.  They only have matrimonial rooms so we each have our own room - with heaters! Showered, washed some clothes, phoned Iberia again about Gail's missing case. They said it will be in Santiago tonight.  Gave them the albergue address in Palas de Rei.
Our rooms are in an outbuilding alongside the cow sheds and the cows were very vocal until late,  mooing,  bellowing and trumpetting like elephant late into the night

12 May

Our alarm is set for 7 45. When I went to get coffee there was blue sky and sunshine. By 8.30am the clouds had rolled in bringing drizzle.

This will be a great place to use as a base for a few days for the Nilsen-Leaver family Camino next year in July.  It has accessible rooms and a large swimming pool which Emily will love.

We walked with a German couple for a while.  She carried a backpack  and he had nothing to carry. He said she didn't trust sending her stuff ahead and prefered carrying it herself.  I told them that they looked like a typical rural African couple.  The man striding ahead and the women trudging behind  carrying the load!
We stopped  for a while and shortly after saw a young woman taking short stiff steps on the side of the path. "Are you alright?" We asked. "Yes.  No.  Not really," she said.  Cecilia from Los Angeles told us that she'd  had a knee op a year ago and was OK to walk the Camino. She started in St Jean with a friend but some time on the meseta the knee 'Blew ' and she couldn't bend it or walk on it properly.  She took a train from Leon to Sarria and was planning on walking 5 km per day so that she could earn the Compostela and meet up with her walking friend at Monte de Gozo.
We offered to walk with her. She said she was walking 5 km to Ferreiros.  She was upset when we told her that we were also going to Ferreiros which was 9 km away. She had missed calculated the mileages between villages.  We offered to stay with her and walked the rest of the way at a snail's pace.
Met a couple from Vredendaal at Morgade.  I rembered sitting there in 2011 waiting for Christine  and Judith to arrive.  Zuretha  and Theresa  walked back about 3 km down the road to meet them and carry their packs for them.

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It was another 3 km to Ferreiros and we walked slower and slower.  She had booked a room in the albergue and we in a private room.  This new albergue y Casa Cruceiro wasn't here in 2007 when Finn walked the Camino.  I had planned that when he met Marion, Analise  and me, we would only walk 14 km from Sarria  to Ferreiros on his first day.  We planned to stay in the albergue so we stopped at the cafe-bar, Finn and Analise for a beer and Marion and I for an ice cream.  Then we saw that there was a sign on the albergue door that said if you had only walked from Sarria you should continue to the next albergue as this on was for pilgrims who had started further back or at least 20 km.  There was a list of taxi numbers in case you were injured and couldn't walk any further.  Finn was devastated as he'd had 2 beers and an  ice cream by then.  We had no option but to walk another 12km to Portomarin,
We had dinner in the cafe bar and afterwards I helped Cecilia book rooms a few days ahead.  Her phone doesn't allow for phone calls only data.  I can't believe that people with smart phones don't buy airtime so that they can make calls in times of need,
I went to bed at 9:30km.

I arrived at King Shaka airport at 2.15 and checked in after having my small suitcase plastic wrapped. "You must collect it in Johannesburg " said Finn.  I disagreed. I didn't want to have to go through to baggage claim and then to departures when the case could be checkted straight through to Santiago. He was worried thst the case would go missing snd never make it to Spain but I checked it through.  My Camino clothing and paperwork was in my backpack which I took as carry-on luggage. Odile was on the same flight. She said that Robyn was on an SAA flight.

I phoned Gail after landing at Oliver Tambo airport and we met at Capello's where she was having lunch.  We checked in together, asking the ground crew to seat us together even though we both already hsd seats assigned. They were very accommodating and found us seats at the back of the plane. We were told that we must collect our luggage in Madrid and check it in for the onward flight to Santiago.

Whilst waiting at boarding we met Hillary, Gwen, and Odile. Robyn arrived and then I saw Sandra and we exchanged gifts - hers to go to Angela in Logrono and mine to San Anton.  Nice new aircraft - we had a three seater to ourselves so Gail was able to lie down and sleep across 2 seats most of the night.

When we arrived in Madrid at 7.30am we went to baggage claims but none of our stuff was on the carrasol.  The Iberia desk told me that in Europe one collects luggage at the final destination so it had gone to Santiago.

We parted ways with the amaWalkers ladies and got our flight to Santiago while they all flew to Pamplona.  When we landed at Lavacolla  airport only my pink case arrived. Gail's wasn't  there.  I took mine through customs and found Sonia (Santiago taxi driver) waiting for us as arranged.   I told her that Gail's case hadn't arrived and after reporting it to Iberia we left the airport at 11 am together with Nick from Connecticut who had also reported a piece of luggage missing.

Sonia dropped us off close to Pension Escalinata and we checked in, warmly greeted by Jose and Be lin the owners. Gail needed clothes so after a hot drink and toast, we went to Pregrinoteca to look at hiking pants, shirts etc. She couldn't find anything there but the Chino shop across the road had black tights a cheap t-shirt, socks and panties. We got Spanish Sim Cards at Moister and bought salad, cheese, chips, rolls, yoghurt and cold drinks at a Froize supermarket and cherries and peaches at a fruit and veg shop.

After a rest in our room we went back to the river and had a couple of drinks. We went  back to the pension and had chips and guacamole and drinks.  Jose had phoned the Iberia help desk to enquire about Gail's missing case but it was one of those automated reply numbers where you didn't speak to a person.  I sent a whatsapp  to Jon and he said everyone had collected their luggage in Pamplona.  So, only Gail, who had checked hers in at Johnnesburg, didn't have her luggage. At 9.30 we showered  and went to bed. The door to our room had glass panels and the light from the passage shone in.  We were too tired to care.

Gails  suitcase with her special stash!

A SPECIAL CAMINO - SLOW WALK FROM SARRIA TO SANTIAGO

Last year my younger brother and his wife Gail were supposed to fly to Rome with Finn in July to meet me after I'd lead my group on the Via Francigena. (Gail walked with my Caracoles group on a Slow Walk from El Ferrol to Santiago in 2014). The plan was to spend a night in Rome and get a train to Viterbo the following day.  We would then do a slow walk back to Rome on the last 100km.

My brother was unexpectedly diagnosed with an illness in May that required surgery and months of post-operative treatment, so he and Gail had to cancel their walk at the last minute. Finn, Jenny, John and I did the walk without them.  I promised them that I wouldn't book myself to lead any groups in 2017 so that I'd be available to walk with them on any route in Spain, France or Italy.  

Due to a heavy workload my brother has decided to wait until next year to walk the Camino but Gail, desperate to get away and walk the Camino again, decided that she would like to do a short walk before the end of May.    We leave South Africa on 9th May and arrive in Sarria the following day.  We will take 12 days to reach Santiago where we will spend 2 nights. We have booked train tickets to Ponferrada, Burgos and Logroño.  From there we fly to Madrid on 27th May for our flights home

This will be the 10th time I walk to Santiago.  I walked to Santiago in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011 (twice) 2013 (twice) and 2014.  (In 2015 I walked the meseta with an amaWalkers Group, served at an albergue for 2 weeks then flew into Santiago.) 

This is the first time I'm not walking for me, or leading a group.   This is a special walk, for a number of reasons.  I am walking in memory of a wonderful woman who was, and still is, well-known on the Camino, who passed away at the age of 92 in 2002.  I will request a memorial Compostela for Felisa when we arrive in Santiago and will take it to Maria and her daughter Feli in Logroño.

Felisa used to sit under a sprawling fig tree outside her modest home on a sandy path leading to the outskirts of Logroño.  She offered passing pilgrims figs, love and water and her special stamp was much sought after.  Since she passed away her daughter Maria continued serving passing pilgrims and although not in good health and 83 years-old, she still sits under the fig tree offering pilgrims figs, love and water

I will also be carrying the photograph of Wayne - son of a friend killed by a hit-and-run driver a few weeks ago.  His mother, a Camino pilgrim, always hoped to walk the Camino with her son.  I will light a candle for Wayne at all the churches we visit including the cathedral in Santiago.

Gail and I will also be doing a recce walk in preparation for a family Camino next year.  Mark and Tammy want to walk the Camino with Emily in July.  Mark is in a wheelchair, Emily has fragile bones, so this is going to be a challenge!  Gail and I are going to write lots of notes about the route and where the difficult sections are for someone in a wheelchair.

Besides the fact that I am walking with Felisa and Wayne close to my heart, and doing a trial walk for Mark and Emily, this is primarily Gail's Camino. She has had a tough year and needs this time-out with nothing to do but walk, sleep, eat, drink and walk again!  We know that the Camino in busy, especially from Sarria, but we are going to embrace the crowds of pilgrims and if we get the opportunity to sing, or dance with groups of pilgrims, we will join in!

Counting the sleeps - 3 to go and we are off!

amaWalkers Camino Foray into Italy

12 months of planning, thousands of hours pouring over blogs to choose the best possible routes and daily mileages; Google searching for accommodation for 42 people for 24 nights = over 1010 beds bookings. (Plus the usual Camino Frances groups' bookings in Spain in May and September) 
amaWalkers Camino will stay true to its original mandate of friendly, well organised, no-frills but great accommodation, group walks. 

In July 2015 Jenny and I  planned on taking a group of pilgrims to Rome in 2016.  Within a week of putting it out on Facebook and on our website, 56 people asked to go on the walk. So we made it 2 groups (we would each take one) then 3 (Marion would take a group) and finally a 4th group (was to be Kathy's group) to cater for 8 South African women who wanted to all walk in the same group. After the initial excitement of trying the new route, people change their minds due to financial constraints, not enough leave, unexpected family reunions.  Some cancelled, some postponed, others changed groups.  [The group of 8 women decided to go it alone, using our planned stages over the Alps and in Tuscany.  We wish them a happy Via Francigena.]

Hundreds of emails sent to hotels, pensions, agriturismos, apartments and osterias for single, double and twin rooms.  Many places don't have twin rooms and can't guarantee two beds so we have to change our search for alternative places.  Some don't reply - could be that they only open in the summer, like the Hotel Italia at the Gr San Bernard, which is closed for most of the year.  Relief when we finally get an acknowledgement of our reservations for 4 Gruppi on consecutive days.  We realise that it must be a headache for a small hotel to have to change linen and towels in 7 or 8 rooms day after day. 

Many Italian hotels are B and B, but what time is breakfast?  8:30 is too late for eager pellegrini hoping to avoid the worst of the mid-day sun by making an early start.  Will they prepare breakfast earlier for our groups, or provide a take-away picnic breakfast?  We have vegans and vegetarians, some don't eat red meat, others don't eat pork; some have allergies, to honey, nuts or seafood.  All has to be planned for and hotels alerted.

Some hotels want full payment upfront, sent via bank transfers.  We tell them that we need an invoice, SWIFT code, IBAN number, name and address of hotel.  (South Africa is paranoid about money laundering or sending money to overseas accounts).  Information received is often incomplete - wrong SWIFT code and insufficient numbers in the IBAN number.  It takes hours, sometimes days to send the money.

Booking.com is our best friend!  Safe, secure bookings which (for the most part) can be changed or cancelled within days of arrival.  Beware the non-refundable bookings.  They are not only non-fundable but in many instances cant be changed so you could be stuck with rooms you don't need.

We are walking in the Swiss and Italian Alps for four days.  How to get the 4 groups from Aosta to San Gimignano in northern Tuscany - 500km away - without involving them in multiple bus and train changes?  Hiring a private bus and driver for  €1295 for each group (€130 pp) might seem excessive but of you add up the bus and train ticket costs for 12 people there isn't much difference.  And, the journey is about 5 and a half hours instead of 8 - 9 hours on public transport.

What about arriving in Rome and visiting the Vatican?  Groups can be pre-registered here - www.im.va  - so that they don't have to join the long queues at the Vatican waiting to walk through the Holy Doors. Our Four Groups have all been registered to walk through the doors at specific time slots. 

Group one starts at La Douay on 23rd June:  Group Two on 24th June:  Group Three on 25th June. Group Four on 26 June.  We will arrive in Rome one day after each other and will each have two days in Rome. 

For the past three days I've been fighting a rotten cold - Mrs Potato head type cold and cough.  I leave on Tuesday afternoon and am hoping all the fluids, hot med-lemon, cough syrup and Corenza-C will clear it before then. 

2016 VIA FRANCIGENA

Yeehaa!  6 more sleeps and Jenny and I fly to Geneva.  Our other two group leaders follow a couple of days later. Four groups walking to Rome, starting in the Swiss Alps on consecutive days.  We will hike from La Douay to Bourg St Pierre, then to the Gr San Bernard Pass, Etroubles and Aosta.
From Aosta a hired bus will take us on a 6 hour bus ride to San Gimignano in Tuscany.  We will walk to Rome from there.

A couple of days after arriving in Rome, I will lead another, smaller group, from Viterbo on a Slow Walk to Rome (10km per day with a back-up vehicle).

In June 2006 when I walked the Via Francigena we walked long distances (over 30km per day) because there were no guide books in English and all ...we had were a few blogs and maps that, although very pretty, were mostly misleading! 

The hike from Martigny to La Douay was on a scary ledge, clinging onto chains bolted onto the rock face. The climb from La Douay to the Gr San Bernard was gruelling - 28 km in 11 hours.
This time we will start at La Douay and will take two days to the Col - 2473 m. We will send our small bags ahead, carrying only a day pack. Longest day will be a 24.2 km near Rome (hopefully we'll all be fit by then!) 

For years I said, "I don't think I'll ever do the VF again" but I am really looking forward to this slower, more gentle way of walking to Rome. After all, I'm 10 years older, am osteopenic and losing eyesight and don't have anything to prove anymore! 

 [Three of the five who walked in 2006 are leading groups to Rome]

Can't always rely on long-range forecasts but the weather doesn't look too bad next week when we will start walking from La Douay to Aosta.

Gr San Bernard pass snow report is for light falls above 2756m (200m above the Hospice) and rain below.


 No snow is predicted for lower altitudes. It is a relief to see only light winds predicted.
First picture is for Bourg St Pierre when our four groups are there on 24, 25, 26, 27 June.

300 KM TO SANTIAGO INSTEAD OF 100 KM?

The recently formed Fraternidad International del Camino de Santiago (FICS) has made a proposal to extend the minimum distance required for pilgrims to earn a Compostela from 100 km to 300 km.  (So far the Cathedral is not impressed and has said that they will not be dictated to by anyone or any organisation.)

The document was signed by Anton Pombo [FICS] and translated and circulated on Facebook by Rebekah Scot  "Read, consider, and inwardly digest. And SHARE! The latest from FICS: (my clumsy translation. Sorry)"  

'Debate' and 'discus' was not included and I'm doubtful that it is welcomed.  After reading through the document a few times, I posted a few questions on the FICS Facebook page today and the flame-throwers started taking aim almost immediately! 
I feel that all healthy debate should always consist of opposing opinions and that it is the subject that should be debated, rather than attacking the messenger.   I was taught that the basis of any good science is to prove a concept wrong, not try to prove it right. 

Much of what is written in the proposal makes sense, but there are also glaring inaccuracies, and a lot that many might not agree with.   Although I have written comments on each section of the document, this time I will keep my opinions to myself.  If anyone is interested in reading my opinions you can contact me.

Why do pilgrims have to walk the last 100 km to earn a Compostela anyway? 
There are two reasons.  One, included when the 100 km distance was introduced by the Archdiocese in 1993, is to ensure that pilgrims put in some effort and sacrifice for the expiation of their sins before being awarded the Compostela.   

“El esfuerzo y sacrificio en expiación de los pecados"

Two, is that pilgrims wanting a Compostela must actually walk to the shrine containing the tomb of the saint.  Walking 3 500km from Bulgaria won't earn you any kudos unless you walk the last 100 km to the cathedral.  

FICS' reasons are a little more obscure.  Many pilgrims presumed that it was to relieve the ever growing problem of overcrowding on the last 100 km, but the aim is to make pilgrims walk longer distances so that they can:

"reclaim the long distance Camino and the values that make it unique: effort, transcendence, searching. reflection, encounters with others, solidarity, ecumenism or spirituality, all of them oriented towards a distant, shared goal."

We know that this proposal came out of a meeting of FICS big-guns in Sarria.  Rebekah called them 'Camino heavyweights' and their combined knowledge, care for all things Camino and their integrity is not questioned. But there are unsubstantiated claims made, assumptions, negative terms used to describe particular pilgrims.   Were they unanimously accepted by all the esteemed and learned delegates, or are they just personal perceptions of a few people? 

To read what others think - visit this link:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/fics-forum-why-change-the-100-km-rule-to-300-km.39220/

 

EXPONENTIAL RISE IN NUMBER OF PILGRIMS ON THE CAMINO AND VIA FRANCIGENA

In 1986 (30 years ago) 2491 pilgrims received a Compostela. This has increased by over ten-fold.

Between 1996 and 2015 over 2.5 million pilgrims earned a Compostela.

1996	17138
1997	25179
1998	30126
1999	61418
2000	55004
2001	61418
2002	68952
2003	74614
2004	179944
2005	93924
2006	100377
2007	114026
2008	125141
2009	145877
2010	272135
2011	183366
2012	192488
2013	215880
2014	237812
2015	262000
	2516819

The total number of pilgrims who have received a Compostela so far - January to November - is 260,396.

In December 2014 the number was 1870 so we can assume that at least that number will be reached by the end of the month. 262,266 for 2015.

With Pope Frances announcing an Extraordinary Roman Holy Year of Mercy in 2016 and appealing for cathedrals with Holy Doors to open them next year, I reckon that the numbers will go up exponentially. The Santiago Cathedral is opening their Holy Door on 16th December.

A previous pilgrim office Dean calculated that only 1 in 5 pilgrims walking the Camino routes during the year obtain a Compostela. Many Europeans walk a week at a time; some walk shorter routes that do not end in Santiago; others do not apply for the certificate. If that is still valid, there were over a million pilgrims walking the Camino routes this year and the numbers will rise in 2016.

The number of pilgrims walking to Rome is also expected to rise. There are now dozens of tour companies offering various distance walks on the Via Francigena and although we started booking accommodation for our groups a few months ago, many places are already full. The same can be expected on the Camino, especially the last 114km from Sarria.

A LETTER FROM ANGELA

Angela is a Camino angel.  She served in the albergue in Castrojeriz for 9 years and when they started charging 4 years ago she moved to San Anton where she serves every September. 

 

From the first day she arrived we just clicked, like women sometimes do.  She thought my black solar shower bags were a hoot but was happy when she had her first lukewarm shower instead of a freezing cold shower.
She loved the pilgrims and they loved her.  She was always kind, cheerful and supporting.  She was fascinated as I assembled all the ingredients for a Durban curry, with a home-made Spanish style chutney made from apricot jam, finely diced onions and balsamic vinegar.  "Mermelade en currie?" 
She was always generous and when we went to mass at the convent of Santa Clara she introduced me to the sisters as the hospitalera who had introduced a prayer request box. 
I had been home two weeks when I received this email from her.




Querida Silvia
Me alegro mucho de haberte conocido,gracias por lo considerada y amable que fuiste conmigo.
Quiero que sepas que me encantaría volver a tenerte como compañera hospitalera porque eres la más trabajadora,entregada,amable y amorosa que he conocido en los 13 años que llevo de hospitalera.
Es verdad que en tu afan de hacerlo lo mejor posible, te escediste en lavar todos los días las sabanas, cuando realmente no hacia falta, ya que se podian llevar cada semana a la lavandería del hotel.pero bendita seas por el amor que pusiste en ello.
Nunca olvidare tu exquisita y amable atención a los peregrinos, las veladas de hermandad y unión que creabas cada noche despues de la cena, pidiendo a los peregrinos que cantaran una canción de su pais, que dijeran como se sentian en el camino y que leyeras cada petición que dejaban escrita.Fue precioso y lo conseguias tu cada día con la mayor sencillez.
Que dios te bendiga Silvia, espero verte en logroño cuando vengas, no te olvides de llamarme y mandame las fotos.
Un fuerte abrazo
Ángela

Google Translation:

Dear SilviaI'm glad to have met you, thanks for how considerate and kind you were with me.I want you to know that I would love to have you as hospitalera partner because you're the hardest-working, dedicated, kind and loving I have met in the 13 years I've been in hospitalera.It is true that in your eagerness to do your best, you exceeded, to wash the sheets every day, when it really was not necessary, as it could lead to the laundry each week hotel. But be blessed by the love you put into it.Exquisite and never forget your kind attention to the pilgrims, veiled brotherhood and unity you used to create each night after dinner, asking the pilgrims to sing a song of his country, to tell how they felt on the way and for them to read each request that left precious escrita. It was beautiful and conseguias your every day with great simplicity.Silvia God bless you, I hope to see you when you come Logroño not forget to call me and send me photos.A hugAngela