We are here!!!! Santiago!!!!!

Santiago!!! We arrived yesterday, the 2nd, about 1:30pm...emotional, exciting yet it hasn´t really set in that we are finished walking...although our "journey" will not end. We have such wonderful memories that we will be thinking about this for a long time to come. We went to the pilgrims office upon arriving and received our "compostela¨", a certificate that we have completed the camino. Today we attended mass at noon...the pilgrim"s mass in the gorgeous cathedral to Santiago...we have run into lots of other pilgrims, all walking around with a smile on their faces. It will be sad to say goodbye to them, to Santiago and to Spain but we are looking forward to being back with our families. We are spending our last three nights in a Parador, a historic hotel...it was built in 1492 by Ferdinand and Isabella to care for the sick pilgrims who arrived in Santiago. It is a beautiful hotel today and it is taking good care of Gene and Susu. We will leave here Tuesday morning for Madrid where we will spend one night and then back in the USA on Wednesday. Again...thanks to all of you for your support, prayers, comments, etc. It has really meant alot. Gracias! love to all...gene and susu

In Galicia

Hola! Lots has happened since we last wrote but were never near a computer. OCebreiro was steep but we now are part mountain goat so up we went. It was a beautiful day so the views from the mountain were breathtaking. Had lunch at the top and headed down again. We are now in Galicia, the western most region, which some say is very much like Ireland with its Celtic influence. The land is pastoral with stone fences, lush canopy of trees line the trails, lots of cows, some sheep and the constant sound of roosters. Towns are very small...always cows and elderly people maintaining the traditions. Several mornings we began our walks in fog and mist before the sun came out late morning. It is really peaceful and serene...one day our walk took us to Samos where there is a huge Benedictine monastery...once over 500 people there and now only 15 monks. We stayed at an Albergue that was part of the monastery...very basic...had a tour of the monastery and cloisters...gorgeous..and that evening we went to vespers to hear the 15 monks sing (not the morman tabernacle choir). Last night we were in a hamlet...our albergue and many 5 other houses and a small church, of course. Our place was a rural home...slept with 6 others and had a really nice meal with 2 Spaniards, Mario and Jose. Mario was a Spanish lit teacher in a high school in Madrid. What a coincidence. What we have really loved is that we are getting the opportunity to see a part of Spain that few see. We have been to several big cities but much of what we have seen is definitely out of the loop. It has allowed us to get to know the people and interact with them even if it is just an exchange of a few words. The Spanish people along the way are so hard working, proud and very warm and generous. We have had so many wonderful experiences but we are now anxious to get to Santiago....we are only 2 days away!!!! We should arrive Friday afternoon...it is very exciting. Today we had a fun experience...at a cafe in the middle of nowhere, we ran into 3 different pilgrims that we hadn´t seen in several weeks. We feel like we have run into long lost friends. We will all be in Santiago together which will really be special. Our last blog will be from Santiago so....thanks again for all your comments...we have looked so forward to them each time we get on line. love to all....susu and gene

at the foothills of O´Cebreiro

Hola! Left Astorga for Rabanal del CAmino...stayed at an Albergue run by the English...had tea and biscuits at 4 pm...went shopping in the late afternoon for food to cook for dinner at the albergue with our Australian friend...the next day we walked to the Iron Cross, the highest elevation on the Camino. There is an iron cross on top of a long pole with rocks all around it. It is here where pilgrims add a rock from home usually as a memory or blessing or as a burden that you leave behind. It was incredible...beautiful day and very meaningful. Gene and Susu left their rocks, one from Seattle and one from the Cheatwood´s back yard. Hope our prayers, wishes are answered. The scenery leaving Astorga for the next day and a half were spectacular...mountains, green valleys...maybe the prettiest of the camino so far. The towns have changed...stone buildings with black slate roofs. We have also entered the region of Bierzo, another wine producing area so we have seen many vineyards with mountains in the background. We walked through Ponferrada with its Knights Templar Castle looming big in front of us. We spent the night in Cacabelos....hard to describe where we stayed...little mini 2 bed boxes surrounding the old church. This morning we walked from Cacabelos, thru Villafranca and then up a path...one of the steepest to the highest point in the region...you could see all of the valley below...absolutely gorgeous....then thru a grove of chestnut trees. It was a difficult route but well worth it...except that Gene was swarmed by flies and bees....too much nice smelling lotion. We are now staying at a Brazilian albergue and the hospitalera who is brazilian prepared dinner for 6 of us....we sat outside in a lovely patio she called Camelot and it was the best meal of the CAmino. Tomorrow we hike up to O´Cebriero...the steepest of the journey so far. We have put in some long days...it is actually very hot...high 80´s in the afternoon but beautiful skies. We are entering the final stages of our journey...hard to believe. Keep praying for us as we get closer to Santiago....we love you! susu and gene

Astorga

Hola! the concert in the Leon cathedral was beautiful...thought of you, Kimberly Logel,because the highlight of the concert was the flute....you would have loved it! the music was beautiful but just thinking about hearing it in a 13th century gothic cathedral surrounded by 125 stained glass windows at night was pretty moving. The next morning we walked about 5 miles to get out of the city and hit some desolate countryside again, and then some green appeared and then acres and acres of corn fields. we have run into sheep on our path...helped the shephard along the way. it´s not fun to follow the flock...our shoes will never be the same. our weather has been beautiful...especially with a nice wind and cool. it was a big day for us...we walked 22 miles!!!! we were rather proud of ourselves....although our legs did throb throughout the night. we walked to the town of Hospital de Obligo...entering over one of the longest medieval bridges in Spain. our albergue was really cute...nice, colorful courtyard with painted mural and flowers and we only had to share our room with two young men and one other woman. slept late today and didn´t get going til 8. about 2 miles out, two men met us in this little village and directed us to a house where a pilgrims breakfast was being served...every year for the past 9 years on Sept 20th, this family invites pilgrims into their home for a wonderful spread of food. Apparently the grandmother walked the camino and then the parents and this is their way of giving back...the true pilgrim spirit. when the father heard we were from NC he came running over to speak to us in his excellent English...says he studys all the time. he had visited Charlotte...it´s really a small world, no?? after our breakfast and visit we continued on to Astorga over a natural path of rocks, of course, through pretty countryside with the mountains getting closer and closer. Astorga sits up on a hill, surrounded by a Roman wall and is very pretty...different architecture than we have seen before. We had planned to visit the cathedral, museum, etc but it being Sunday, everything was closed so we sat and ate chocolate (Astorga is famous for its chocolate so we had to try it). We never go hungry. From here to Ponferrada is suppose to be one of the prettiest parts of the camino so we are looking forward to it but we know we will be climbing again. We are closing in on Santiago...if all goes as planned we should arrived in 12 to 13 days. keep praying for us. love to all, gene and susu

out of the meseta...into Leon

hola! We arrived in Leon yesterday afternoon after spending a few more days walking the desolate plains of the Meseta. The towns throughout the Meseta were few and far between and semiabandoned and desolate like the meseta itself. our last albergue before we got here was an old 16th C parish house in the town of Bercianos de Real Camino...the albergue was bascially all there was in the town except one little bar and tiny grocery. our albergue was two story with wood beams (would never meet the fire code in the USA)...one toilet for men and one for women. it was a challenge in the morning. our meal was communal...prepared by the pilgrims from the monetary donations left by pilgrims from the night before. The meal was pretty good...salad, lentil soup with sausage from the region, bread and fruit. we brought our own 3 dollar bottle of wine to contribute to our table. there were 47 pilgrims and 3 hospitaleras at two long tables. at the end of the meal, several Italians started singing and then another woman stood up and we were treated to an italian aria. Gene wanted to stand up and sing a song but she didn´t know enough words to any song. it was a lively group. after dinner there was a small chapel in the house where about 20 plus pilgrims went...we discussed the pilgrimage, said a prayer and sang...everyone introduced themselves in their own language. other experiences on the meseta....we left one morning at 6:30 am by the light of the moon and stars and our little flashlights lighting the way. the sun came up about 7:30...beautiful. one morning we expected rain so we put on our gear and it never rained...a gorgeous morning. after lunch on a park bench, we started out again and it started to hail...gear back on for a short period of rain...gear off, sun came out and it was windy. we had a little of everything that day. As we entered Leon, we started to see green again, mountains in the background and crops, and people. Leon is a really beautiful town...the Cathedral is known for its stained glass...they say, the prettiest in Europe. Tonight we hope to go to a free concert at the cathedral with music by Vivaldi. We are in a cute hotel in the old quarter...great place to walk around. we have run into several people we started with that we haven´t seen for 2 weeks...lots are staying here for a break. We have added lots of nationalities to our encounters...Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Holland...and more. We head for the hills again tomorrow with lots of tough walking ahead but we look forward to seeing what many considered to be some of the most beautiful countryside. up bright and early tomorrow...we figure we have at least 14 more days of hard walking to get to Santiago. Packs are still too heavy and our feet are still sore but...maybe getting better??? thanks for the support from all...love, susu and gene

The meseta

hola...we had a nice afternoon in Burgos...took a local bus to LasHuelgas monastery and took a tour in Spanish. It was very pretty. Dinner in the plaza that night...pizza and vino. The next day we entered the Meseta... sometimes a very difficult part of the trip for many because of the monotony and the heat but we have been very lucky. we have loved it so far (2 days) we have had a nice breeze and the sky is a beautiful blue. It is a very solitary place...at times we see no one...there are no animals, trees, only an occasional bush, some rocks....mosty plains of harvested hay or wheat fields...a honey yellow...and relatively flat. it has a very unique beauty...it must be brutal in the heat and so harsh in the winter with the cold and the wind. We had a big climb today and we could look out over the meseta...we both thought it was a beautiful contrast of land and sky. We definitely feel alone at times. We walked 19 miles through the meseta yesterday and ended up in Hontanas...a small little pilgrim town and we ended up staying in a very cute hostel. Our inspiration to walk was a young man from Seattle who we have encountered along the way who said if we actually made it to Hontanos he would buy us a beer. He was the first one we saw as we entered the town at a little cafe and he was true to his word. We only walked 12 today....beautiful weather and scenery and are staying in an albergue in no mans land....nothing here...we are going to get up early tomorrow and try for a long walk. Still have heel and blister problems...there is a 3 star hotel in Carrion so maybe that will inspire us to get there. besos y abrazos....gene and susu

in Burgos...1/3 of the way!

since we last wrote....we left azofra and went to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.... a really pretty town with an interesting history and cathedral. A miracle happened that involved a hen and a cock and today in the cathedral there is an ornate cage that houses a live hen and cock 24 hours a day. there is a hen coop in the back of the albergue where we stayed - a really nice place - and we were awakened by the crowing of the rooster very early but it was time to get up and on the road again. We walked 14 miles to Belorado thru hay fields, little villages, and more harvested hay fields and then a long hot sunny few more miles into Belorado. we stayed in a small albergue run by the swiss confraternity and two little old ladies welcomed us. gene swears they are ex nuns. our room looked like a womens prison dorm...10 people on bunks with a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling... but...the people were very nice and that night after a short mass, the pilgrims were called over to a small Santiago chapel where a French, Engligh , Italian and German pilgrim read a pilgrim prayer and then the priest talked about Santiago and the camino and gave us all a blessing. It was a nice way to end the evening before lights out at 10:00pm. up again at 6 and walked 15 miles, our longest yet. It was a steady uphill with several very steep climbs - looked like 90 degree angles to us...we took pictures. we went thru forests and purple heather and then the last 7 miles we thought we were walking thru the reservation at Ft. Bragg....a dusty road thru pine trees, no shade and lots of sun...it was endless...but we made it in good shape to San Juan de la Ortega. Another nice church there. Susu has entered EVERY church that she has passed...those who know her will not be surprised. We made a last minute decision while having a refreshment in San Juan to take a cab into Burgos rather than spend the night there in the over crowded albergue...we knew we were going to take a bus the last part into burgos anyway because of the traffic. So...here we are in Burgos...not a 5 star hotel but nice and clean...we can sleep on the sheets here instead of in our sleeping bags for a change. Burgos is a beautiful city...took a choo choo train ride around the city late yesterday afternoon and walked the lovely promenades and went to a restaurant last night...no pilgrims meal. After a nice, peaceful sleep, we went to the Cathedral this morning. It is gorgeous...and huge...also where El Cid is buried. We met up with several pilgrims in front of the cathedral that we hadn´t seen for a while. most were recuperating from blisters, sore knees, etc. and our young friend from Australia is headed home...too many physical problems. We are hoping that we get nothing worse than the blisters and sores we already have. Just another tidbit....we follow the Camino by looking for yellow arrows or scallop shells..they are on the road, the side of a building, on a post....sometimes it is just a dap of yellow paint. We have used our flashlight in the early mornings to find the arrows. We only missed our trail once for a few minutes. we noticed no one was following or in front of us...a sign. We are headed out tomorrow. hope to make Leon in 7 or 8 days. love the comments and emails...thanks Cailtin for the card - loved it! hasta, gene and susu