Nice Place to Stay

Hi everyone
Am now in Viana just about to enter La Rioja countryside..
This is a view of my bedroom for the night !!
In the Parish Albergue, which even includes mass, communal dinner and mattress on the floor!!
I've done 311 kms so far, in lovely weather for walking, although cooling down in the evenings to about 20C. !! Only one half day of intermittent rain in Pamplona and now into my 3rd week of walking !!
I've stayed in lots of differing shared accommodations , not really luxurious and highest price was €12... Tonight's is Donativo, run by the parish and contributions up to individuals !!
Lots of the villages put on special masses in the evenings, where all the pilgrims receive a special blessing afterwards- very special and welcoming...
The other pilgrims are as you may expect from all walks of life, mainly my age..and lots of Americans !!
Apart from a continuing strain on my left leg my body is holding up well, and am now used to the Rhythm of the Camino...
From 0600 wake up
0700 start walking
1030 second breakfast
1300/1400 finish walking, find accommodation,eat, shower,wash clothes, snooze look round where I am
1800/1900 mass, dinner
2200 at latest bed !!
So, all's well, hope you all are too
Ultreia
Joe

So Far .... So Good

Hi everyone
I've limped into St Jean de pied a Port today, the end of my seventh day walking..and the beginning point for the 'Camino Frances' which I'll be following all the way to Santiago de Compostela..
It's been very hot and humid all week, with afternoon temperatures normally getting into the 30+C, whilst walking there has been about 5 spots of rain ! Although at night thunder has frequently crashed around the mountains!!
I've stayed in various refuges, one with the parish priest cooking, others all to myself !
The last couple of days I've been with French and Brazilian lads, who start later... And finish earlier !!
It's been a wild and quiet route I've followed, which changed as soon as several routes joined up earlier today, I was then ' deluged' with other people( well at least 10 !)
I'm climbing a mountain tomorrow up and over the Pyrenees, although I'm stopping in a refuge half way up for the night to ease the pressure !!
Once in Spain I won't be able to keep in touch as easy , so maybe some time before I respond to emails, although I will be able to receive texts ( and answer in Emergency !!)
Anyway as the title says... 150 kms done, only another 950 to go !!
I keep putting my little saying in various churches or refuge books... I may be on my own .. But never alone '!!
Sent by Joe 'On 'The Way''

Every Journey Starts with the First Step !

Dear all
I've had a great day and lots of good wishes have been washing over me
So forgive me I can't answer everyone... I'll be up all night and I'm pretty tired...
The day started at 6 am, with the Hospitaleros and 1 other pilgrim singing Happy Birthday to me ( in English) and presenting me with the signed shell to accompany me to Santiago..after a quick breakfast they all sang and bade me 'buon Camino' (first tears of the day ) before I set off for mass at the Grotto in Lourdes at 0645( in Polish !) lit my pilgrim candle for everyone..
I then set off around 8 am on my pilgrimage
- it's been a long hot day with messages all day long ( thanks)
Through the foothills of the Pyrenees to Betharam where I had a nice lunch ( only 4 courses & wine !) and finished the day at Asson, at around 4 pm, it's been a 25 kms walk, good clear trail markers of varying descriptions and now in a parish house refuge at Asson- even got the place to myself...and 10€ for the night, cheaper than lunch !!
Thanks for everyone's cards and presents, most of which remain in England for my return... Although I did bring my badge, and a smaller shell to leave on the Way..
It just goes to show I may be alone, but I'm not on my own !!
So I'll leave you with what I was sung this morning 'ultreia' (keep moving on) I've done 25 kms, only another 1075 to go !!
Love and thanks again
Joe

From ‘Here’ to ‘There’

Monday afternoon the 8th September saw me really setting off across London, with all my clothing and equipment for the next couple of months on my back ! – It felt heavy, would I manage ? time would tell !

Firstly I met up for lunch with my niece Rebecca, who reminded me i was next door to Kings Cross, famous site of the Platform 9 3/4 in the ‘Harry Potter’ films..so here I am !

Then it was into St Pancras for my Eurostar train journey to Paris.. I was ready… I think !

I travelled into Paris, then transferred across Paris to catch the overnight ‘sleeper train’ to Lourdes – this was a journey ! -6 people in bunk beds in a hot,hot compartment chugging across France, and I arrived in Lourdes at 7-30 a.m. the next morning… and walked to my first 2 nights accommodation – a Pilgrim hostel La Ruche , where I received a lovely welcome, and breakfast http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2013/08/03/1683491-de-lourdes-a-saint-jacques-de-compostelle.html I left my rucksack there, and spent the next couple of days immersed in the sanctuary of Lourdes, and building myself up to the big day…

Late on on the evening of the 10th, with trepidation I took one more look at what as to become a familiar sight to me…my clothes and articles strewn out, ready for the following mornings walk..

I didn’t do a ‘blog’ as I walked, and I’ve no intention of trying to re-create what I did. However I did send out an email every week or so, which I will include as my ‘blog’ – hope you enjoy them, they’re raw at times…but ‘live’ from the ‘Camino’…

The Great Journey… Begins

My ‘secret’ can now be revealed…not that anyone didn’t know what I was up to !!

I’d heard about a great walking Pilgrimage, the Camino to Santiago de Compostela http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago in North West Spain.. -Read the Wikipedia pages, it tells you all about it, and I’ll presume you now know as much as me !

I’d also decided that as I reached the grand ‘old’ age of 60 this year… I would celebrate by starting my pilgrimage that day – the 11th September ! However, as usual I didn’t want to do things like everyone else, and decided my pilgrimage would start in the famous pilgrim centre of Lourdes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes , I would journey from one great pilgrim place, to another…

Walking in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims before me… and after me … and it all started on the 4th September as I stood at the village bus station, pack on my back awaiting the bus into Stockport… the journey begins…

I was setting off early , as I had decided to spend the weekend in London, at the ‘Tall Ships’ regatta,meeting my sister Kathleen, and generally taking it easy before I headed off to France….little did I know !

I’d put my things at Joseph’s new Wimbledon home, and went into London City  to meet him, we walked into a Spanish restaurant….to find… lots of the family there to greet and surprise me….they don’t like missing out on a party !!   Sisters,Sons,Grandsons,nephews,nieces and friends !! What a great surprise, I was overwhelmed … and for once speechless ! We partied on into the night, and in a pub across the road , Thanks everyone !

Over the next couple of days we visited the Regatta, went biking in Richmond Park, and a fun Sunday afternoon on Wimbledon Common…

Jetting Around with the Jet Set !

Mid August saw me flying out to Tenerife, to join my daughter Anna and her family… they were out there for 3 weeks,so I was joining them for the middle week..anyone that knows Tenerife knows its hot,hot and hotter in August - and it was ! Not something I’m particularly used to, but I soon got into it, helped by air conditioning, swimming pools …and cooling drinks ! Even little Sebastian , still only 2 months old, seemed to enjoy it !

So, what do you do when it’s so hot ?…go for a long walk along the seafront, watching the waves crashing on the rocky shoreline,relax in the pool… go on a whale watching boat trip, and then when it all gets too much, take the boys climbing on Mount Teide

http://www.spain-tenerife.com/UK/teide.html great fun on the rough Lava rocks,and we even managed to bring some samples home with us !

Not surprisingly we also had lots of meals out in the nearby excellent quality bars and restuarants , with fun filled games on the beach in the cool of the night, Tristan even managing to get on stage at a Karaoke bar , singing ‘Let it Go’ !!

All too soon it was time to fly back from this peaceful spot, back home to complete my final preparations… for my next trip !

Although I’d only been back a week, before we all met up again, for little Sebastain’s Baptism, even Great Grandad managing to get there, and join his youngest Great Grandchild !

so now I was ready, all my plans and training had finished,all my family commitments had been completed and I was ready… for what ?