tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-368406782026-10-14T21:19:07.544+02:00Welcome to my blog! I am a born-again walker and this is a journal of my wonderful walks. I'm planning on many more. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Teilhard de Chardin (amaWalkerscamino.com)Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-91933681626285269452019-07-27T20:00:00.028+02:002026-08-21T17:29:27.121+02:00

Every year a few pilgrims die whilst on the Camino.  Some have heart attacks, others die of existing conditions, some risk crossing high places and are trapped in snow or blizzards; others risk shortcuts that might lead to precipes or dangerous places where accidents happen and many more are killed on the roads by vehicles. The numerous memorials erected by the loved ones

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-81890301842440676162017-05-18T12:05:00.000+02:002017-05-23T12:09:38.553+02:00

It was drizzling when we left the farm.Jos dropped us at a crossroads that lead to the outskirts of Melide.  We walked through a sleepy Furlong to Meliden. Showed Gail the octopus at the restaurant Exquisite and then we climbed up to the church and the old Galicia way cross. Gail went down the steep path to the road below and I took the low road, meeting her on the road.when we reached Radio

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-16894045636947765472017-05-16T11:47:00.000+02:002017-05-23T11:48:32.756+02:00

It was cloudy to start.  We stopped at San Xulian but was told that Manuel wasn't there.  He, like Gordon, has also had some health issues. Met Nancy and Sandy from the USA.  Gave them my contact details - they are interested in our 10km a day itinerary. When we got close to Leboreiro we missed the sign to Coton and continued left on the path, then on the No 476,  until we

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-88969468616635763642017-05-15T11:26:00.000+02:002017-05-23T11:27:05.122+02:00

The cows started their bellows at 4km so neither of us had much sleep. Iberia phoned. They can't deliver the suitcase because we are in Lug and today the are delivering in Coruna.  We decided to walk to Palas de Rei, check in and get a taxi ti Lavacolla to collect the case ourselves. I went to get Gail' s coffee but our Casa wasnt open so I walked to the one down the road and got one there

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-89662080185886828592017-05-14T18:42:00.001+02:002017-05-14T18:42:42.136+02:00

 It is my job to take Gail a cup of coffee in bed so that she can get going in the morning.  She packed her travel kettle and coffee in her suitcase but that is missing.  At 7 45 I go down 3 flights of stairs to the bar to get a cup of  coffee.  It's a small cup and I carry it back up to the room. We start getting ready and Gail needs another cup of coffee.  I go

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-70011317834827263842017-05-14T16:19:00.000+02:002017-05-21T16:20:49.362+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-19403700739604038992017-05-14T11:12:00.000+02:002017-05-23T12:11:10.298+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-84363776997422003662017-05-13T15:45:00.000+02:002017-05-17T16:50:51.013+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-38553754523270858222017-05-10T17:35:00.000+02:002017-05-14T17:51:08.629+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-995743220819430032017-05-06T13:26:00.000+02:002017-05-06T13:40:09.657+02:00

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.

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-56220461958661622752016-06-19T11:22:00.000+02:002016-06-19T11:23:28.430+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-81528977703132927172016-06-15T21:08:00.003+02:002016-06-15T21:08:48.111+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-83940111900563426532016-03-26T20:53:00.002+02:002016-04-07T21:06:53.606+02:00

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 

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-51198192547622656992015-12-09T11:23:00.000+02:002015-12-09T13:32:57.837+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-91048755898934020202015-10-15T16:52:00.000+02:002016-01-17T17:19:41.851+02:00

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

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-37359835083918605202015-09-27T18:56:00.000+02:002016-01-17T16:52:08.563+02:00

I opened the gate extra early this morning because two pilgrims wanted to leave before 6am.  The moon was low in the sky and shone through the open circle with the TAU at the top of the gate.  The walls glowed in the moonlight and I thought, 'How am I going to manage going back to cities and noise and closed spaces after living in a place with the sky for a roof, moonlight for

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-21055894668097647142015-09-26T15:30:00.000+02:002016-01-17T16:38:12.910+02:00

I suggested to Angela last night that she take Kristine with her to mass from now on.  After we leave, Kristine will be on her own and won't be able to leave the albergue again.  She agreed but said that we would visit the sisters in the afternoon to discuss the idea for the prayer box so they went off after breakfast and I started the daily cleaning routine. A tiny, elderly Mexican&

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-90959469181498694842015-09-25T14:07:00.000+02:002016-01-16T22:06:20.699+02:00

Today was my turn to go to mass at Santa Clara and a small group of us left after breakfast, walking in the early dawn towards Castrojeriz.  There were at least a dozen prayer request in the box this morning and by the time the pilgrims left, only a few remained.  It was gratifying to know that the pilgrims' prayer requests were being taken to Santiago by other pilgrims.  I had an

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-61889499030742095422015-09-24T13:45:00.000+02:002016-01-17T16:33:57.801+02:00

"Don't you think you've cut too much bread?" said Mrs Bossy this morning at breakfast.  "No problem," said I, smiling, "we can toast and left-overs tomorrow or have it for lunch."  There was none left over.  After breakfast, a small group of pilgrims were ready to accompany Angela and Kristine to the Convent for mass before continuing to Castrojeriz.  https://

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-3760362949631452422015-09-24T12:44:00.000+02:002016-01-16T22:00:46.070+02:00

After breakfast Angela and I walked down the path towards the Santa Clara convent.  The convent, which is run by a closed order, the poor sisters of Saint Clara, is the one Marion and I had visited in 2007.  They sell cookies and preserves via a wooden revolving serving hatch.  When Marion and I visited, we put our money on the hatch and it turned, but when the nun behind the hatch

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-37641877667286418772015-09-22T13:20:00.000+02:002016-01-16T21:58:20.172+02:00

Angela and Kristine left for the convent of Santa Clara at 7h30 with a few of the pilgrims who also wanted to attend mass.  It is still dark and day breaks around 8am. I blew out all the candles in the bathroom and mopped and scrubbed in there first, barricading the door with broom and mop as I walked out.   Then I stripped the beds.  Angela had suggested that

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-68362970665423315542015-09-21T12:22:00.000+02:002016-01-16T21:56:03.324+02:00

With no electricity there are no lights to read by.  With no network , iPads and tablets are kept packed away.  Cell phones come out only to check mileages or information already stored but there are no network jingles or ring tones breaking the silence.  People write in journals, or talk to each other.  At the dinner table, there are lively conversations in

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-48780519378380469302015-09-20T10:33:00.000+02:002015-10-20T09:28:45.834+02:00

In May 2001 Ovidio Campo signed a contract with local farmer Don Eliecer Ten Temino, owner of the land and the ruins, to rent the space in the monastery.  In July 2002 they opened a donativo pilgrim shelter, created in the spirit of austerity with 6 double bunks donated by the army.  In 2007 the Department of Development of Castile y Leon invested €300 000 to

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-38584901852213708392015-09-19T12:37:00.000+02:002016-01-16T21:52:00.521+02:00

Justi came to visit us this morning and we asked if he would take Kristine to the supermecado to buy provisions.   We were told that the hospitaleros could have a hot shower at the Hotel Jacobus so she could visit the hotel at the same time, have a shower and ask for more Tau crosses which were sold out at the albergue  We also asked him to try to find candles as we were now using

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36840678.post-3792436591651589432015-09-17T13:27:00.000+02:002016-01-16T21:41:11.210+02:00

17 September  Robert left yesterday.  "Watch out for that one" he whispered to me as he left.  He'd found Kristine a bit bossy and controlling but I wasn't concerned.  She'd told me that her mother was a bossy and controlling women and that they had never gotten on.  I am not afraid of bossy women and will kill her with patience and stoicism!.  Kristine and I

Silhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14206993775726151899noreply@blogger.com0