update!

since my last post, which was a while ago, i have enjoyed:
- the beaches and sun of San Sebastian Spain
- the wine, cheese and foie gras of Bordeaux France
- a celebration with the national championship rugby team in Toulouse
- a moving candlelight procession in Lourdes
- the vibrant energy of Montpellier
- my first sight and dip in the Meditteranean sea
- yummy cheese, jazz music and the beautiful old town of Lyon
- lazy days along the lake in Annecy
- a visit to the former capital of the Savoy region, Chambèry

more to come....

Guernica-Gernika

Guernica by Picasso (thank you Wikipedia and Picasso for this image)

Gernika is about 1 hour by train from Bilbao. i took a little day trip there yesterday and walked through the lovely village, bought some local bread and fruit, saw a few pilgrims traveling along the Camino del Norte, visited the Euskal Herriko Museoa (Basque history and culture museum), and found myself speechless following my visit to the Museo de la Paz de Gernika (the Peace Museum of Guernica).

a recap on the significance of Guernica: the village has long held special significance to the Basque people,  as an administrative center, a leader in industry-agriculture for the region, and holder of Basque culture-traditions. because of it´s importance in the Basque region and the resistence of the people and/or the threat to Franco, on Monday April 26, 1937 the city was attacked by the German Condor Legion, the Italian Air force and Franco´s army. it was an all out assault on a town and it´s people. 

though small, the museum provokes thought and emotion from the start. the images, the audiovisual displays, the design all make it a museum for the present and the future. it is not a museum of history. you do not walk in and observe, you are pulled into Gernika, then and now. what i found  most complelling was that while you are emotionally impacted by the events of that day you are pushed to consider the importance of understanding and reconciliation not only in healing but in the process of movement towards a healthy and holistic future.

the museum literature says, "the story of Gernika is the story of strength, of those who faced a most horrific event and with great dignity have turned the act of inhumanity that was visited upon them into a monument to our common humanity." 

the mayor of the city recently said, "the city has not forgotten it´s past but seeks to advance towards a future of peace and reconciliation"

it was yet another memorable experience.

if you ever find yourself in Bilbao or San Sebastian or anywhere in the north of Spain, go to Gernika.

want to know more? visit these sites: 

lhttp://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/glevel_1/1_bombing.html

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/guernica.htm

http://www.historytoday.com/paul-preston/bombing-guernica

Basque country = Basque language

i always wanted to visit the Basque country, both in France and Spain. the history, culture, traditions...i find it all very interesting; you can read about it in books but there is something very different about real life experience. this trip has provided me with ample opportunities to explore, observe and enjoy the Basque coutnry both on the Camino and off. like entering Galicia felt like entering a different country, this holds true for entering Basque country. it really does feel different.AND there are still more to come because i will be heading back to France soon!

ok so clearly i appreciate this culture, and am curious, and in the last few days a few things have come up...

1. does anyone actually play pelota? i believe it is the national sport. every Basque village we walked through on the Camino had at least one court, i have pictures to prove it. yet each court is empty, no one playing. ever. i have watched a match (or is it a game? ugh i don´t know) on tv and saw a simulated almost 3D version today but nothing live. not even small children or a bunch of random people playing.i am not asking for a professional version, i am not even asking for a specific type (there are many you know)...just a few minutes of people playing...

2. Basque language, aka Euskara, is apparently "one of the oldest in Europe and it has no known relationship to the indo-european family of languages" (yes i took that directly from Lonely Planet Spain). it is the language of choice here in Basque country. awesome. glad you are taking back your language and able to speak your native tongue without fear of reprisals (as in Franco´s time). but can someone take a moment to update the maps then? all Euskara maps would be helpful. streets with two names, one in Spanish and one in Euskara, can there be a vote? can everyone just call it one or the other? or go ahead use both, but then can you print both on the map? i am ok with that, i would be happy learning both names of the street where i need to get out of the tram or go to the market.

3. oh and Lonely Planet guide...can you maybe make a note that your map is using the Spanish street names and not Euskara. you don´t have to change anything, just say, "hey we don´t know Euskara so we can´t give you the correct names but please ask and someone will help you." and i promise people will help because i have found people to be really helpful even in my most idiotic (aka tourist) moments.

4. Euskara lesson for all:
    (English - Spanish - Euskara)
     street - calle - kalea
     center - centro - erdia
     apple - manzana - sagar
     toilet - baño, servicio, aseo - komuna
     today - hoy - gaur
     open - abierto - ireki, zabal
     closed - cerrado - ixti
     coffee - cafe - kafe
     next - proximo - hurrengo
and just as an added bonus-
excuse me i didn´t understand you correctly = barka, baina ez dizut ongi ulertu.

thats all for now...bihar arte! (roughly translated, see you tomorrow!)
   

note to self: hours of incredible art may feed the soul but not the stomach

yesterday i went to the Guggenheim. i was standing in the atrium, in awe- of the curves (the only un-curved surface is the floor), the mix of light as it bounced off of the metal and glass, the way it all sort of comes together as a flower at the top. the architecture, the design of the building is astounding. it could have been empty, void of all art in the galleries and i would have been happy still. Frank Ghery is a genius. i understand that many here in Bilbao were less than thrilled with his creation, but now those feelings seem to have dissipated. people are proud. as they should be. i read that when Ghery does his first sketch he just freely draws and does not take his pen from the paper. amazing. as i was walking on the metal staircase, watching the people below and noticing how the building flowed right into the bridge over the Bilbao river, i had this moment "this is real. i am in the Guggenheim and in Bilbao!"

i walked through Richard Serra´s work entitled The Matter of Time, basically mazes of metal. i watched a documentary once on the building of the Guggenheim and the introduction of Serra´s work. it is nutty to walk through something you saw on tv. it was immense and brilliant and somewhat overwhelming as it can get sort of claustrophobic lost among the metal that seems to envelope you.

Serra said about his work: "it is a diversity of durations of time...the meaning occurs only through continuous movement, through anticipation, observation and recollection."

i feel this same description could be used about the Camino.
i have more time to reflect these days, the Camino is constantly on my mind.

speaking of the Camino, i had an interaction last night, it went something like this:
(3 of us getting to know each other-where are you from, what are you doing here, what do you do, etc? so of course i say i just finished the Camino and the male dorm-mate is really interested as he is doing a 1 act play that is based on the Camino)
male dorm-mate, "so how do you feel now?"
me, "hmm good and i suppose a bit confused"
female dorm-mate, "oh well, come out with us tonight and we will get you back into reality."
me, "thank you maybe i will. but it´s all good, i think this is how i am supposed to feel."
male dorm-mate, "are you supposed to feel all cleansed? anyway, come with us and we will fix you up."

they were lovely and interesting young people. theatre kids, here as part of an international festival. many of the people in the hostel this week were in the festival. these two were from Germany, another in the room from Spain and still 2 more from France. funny, energetic and highly enthusiastic about their work. and i didn´t end up going out with them that night. i just couldn´t. whatever sort of "reality" they were inviting me to, it wasn´t what i was looking for...and maybe still isn´t. but for that moment anyway, for last night, it definitely wasn´t.

back the the Guggenheim for a moment. there was a huge David Hockney exhibit. i haven´t really had an opinion of his work, sort of the take it or leave it kind of opinion i guess. now i am a fan. not necessarily of his work so much as of him. there are some pieces i do really really like. there are others...meh. it is his continued desire to try new things and use new mediums. for the last few years he has been using the IPAD in creation of his works. there were demonstrations of how he creates these pieces, i recommend you look for videos on youtube because it is good stuff. what will he come up with next?

final thought of the day: a hot baguette and fresh fruit taste divine, sitting next to the Guggenheim.

crazy making?!

there are so many stories to tell about the Camino. so many reflections to share and photos as well. and yet life moves on...and so i am going to attempt to share both the present moments, and the many moments and highlights of the Camino. i am not sure this is the wisest decision but i fear if i don't keep up with the present moment i will be stuck trying to recreate it all later. 

so here goes.

we did it. the Scientist, the Healer, the Officer, Ovi and I got to Santiago de Compostela, TOGETHER. it was a week ago today. we were together the last 100 kilometers. we walked, talked, met new people, reunited with old, shared memorable meals, witnessed beautiful sunrises and sunsets...and we walked through the arch to the sound of bagpipes and shared emotional moments in front of the Cathedral. yes the same Cathedral some of you saw us in front of with the webcam. 

the Officer was more outwardly emotional than the rest. with good reason, he shouldn't have been able to accomplish this. his doctors told him not to do it. his body was wracked with pain and illness throughout the weeks.he had every reason to say, "i will complete the Camino another time." 

it was his dream and he did it. 

and each of us, with our own doubts, injuries, worries, fears, or whatever else could hold us back...we did it too. all of us came to the Camino for our own reasons, different and personal reasons. our arrival in Santiago was shared and still deeply personal...for me it was memorable because both were in balance.

we stood in front of the Cathedral. we walked hand in hand up the steps to enter the same cathedral that has seen millions of pilgrims through the decades. i sat in awe and gratitude not quite sure it was all real. even when holding the Compostela in my hands with my name written in latin it didn't feel real. during the noon pilgrim mass as they read out all the pilgrims (they read the home country and starting point of the pilgrimmage, no names) who had arrived that day it took everything i had to translate the mass and most importantly the homily which may have been one of the most powerful i have ever heard. still it was all sort of surreal.

we stayed in Santiago for another day and then went to Fisterra, literally what the Romans believed was the end of the earth (in latin, Fini terra). then it became real. when i saw the water and that there was nowhere for me to walk, i knew and could feel my pilgrimmage was complete.

in the week since we arrived in Santiago there were many celebratory and goodbye dinners. we had days of goodbyes which for me were bittersweet. it was sad of course. sad to say goodbye to people who shared in this incredibly special and unique experience. sad to recognize that i may not see some of these people ever again. sad to say goodbye and so very happy to have shared even a moment of my life with them. because whether i see them again or not, whether we are facebook friends or skype buddies or friends for life via email, whether we visit each others homes or we reunite in another country or another camino...i know i am better because i knew them and i know my life has been greatly enriched because of what we shared.

so, while yesterday was strange and a bit sad...waking up without my friends, a new city (A Coruña), a new part of Spain and just myself....it started the next phase of my travels.

the road to Santiago

the last time i posted it was questionable as to what would happen with the Officer...would he meet us in Sarria? would he be able to continue? and what about Ovi and the Scientist?

the Healer and I left Fronfria with a new addition to the Camino family. we first met him in Astorga with his father. as the story goes, the father walked the Camino with his friend 5 years ago and this time the two decided to invite their sons. and so the Spirited Son, a recent college grad and teacher-to-be is on the Camino with his father, his father´s friend, and the son of his father´s friend (a firefighter)...ah and they are all from Arizona, the Phoenix area to be more specific. as happens on the Camino we met this group in Astorga and ran into the Spirited Son again in Ponferrada. this time he was with a friend of his from college who was walking the Camino with her father! they had hoped to meet up on the Camino and spend a few days walking together and then the Spirited Son would meet up with his father again. As it turns out we kept crossing paths the next few days and soon enough the Spirited Son was walking with us to Sarria.

not far from Sarria we came across the Scientist, literally on the road! what a happy reunion! we knew we were just behind her and Ovi but not quite positive how far so it was a happy moment. but Ovi, he was not there and to our surprise the Scientist explained, "i don´t know about Ovi, we lost each other at O´Cebreiro!" somehow they started the day together, got into the town and somehow separated. so this was the day before and so we wondered, "will Ovi meet us in Sarria? is he ahead of us? is he behind us? did he get my emails or the Officer´s text messages?" but the Camino works in funny ways and always provides ;-)

upon arriving in Sarria the Healer and I discussed possible alburgues and both our books recommended a few. we decided on one and then upon reading a bit about the other changed our minds. we arrived at Don Álvaro, a private alburgue to find they had beds and as we gave our names the hospitelero said, "oh you have a reservation"...hmmm we didn`t make a reservation. ah of course, the Officer found a way to Sarria and made the reservation for us. but no, the reservation was for the Healer, myself and the Officer. strange. and then we were told, "the Romanian waits for you."

our response was almost in unison..."OVI!!!!"...imagine our surprise! and imagine his when he saw the Scientist! we then came to find out that he had been texting back and forth with the Officer about arriving in Sarria and the alburgue location but the Officer never mentioned that he was not with us! so Ovi thought we all were together, the Officer was still in Fonfria, Ovi and the Scientist didn´t know where the other was, and the Healer and I had added the Spirited Son to our family and were just hopeful we would all find our way back to each other. and there we all were...together, well almost. the Officer was still in Fonfria. we wondered would there be a bus to bring him to Sarria? will he be feeling well enough to walk 27 kilometers we needed to walk that day?

the next morning, a few minutes after 8am the Officer walked triumphantly up to the Iglesia de Santa Mariña!

screen shot from Santiago!

thanks to the dad for capturing this! here we are...the Doctor, the Officer, the Healer, myself, the happy Canadian, the Runner and some additional friends. hurray!!!

see us on the webcam!

we just found out there is a webcam in the main plaza in front of the cathedral in Santiago. we will be there at 6pm tonight (Sunday) in hopes that family and friends will see us all! so do the math if you can...6pm in Spain...


http://www.compostelavirtual.com/webcam/camara-web-plaza-obradoiro-santiago-compostela.html

if this doesn´t work, maybe do some searching for the web cam in plaza obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela.

more to come later on the days leading up to our arrival in Santiago, our arrival and our visit to Fisterra. hope to see you tonight!

Sarria

after our day of rest in Astorga we knew we would be behind our friends and Camino family but with each day we hoped we were getting closer as we would walk just a little further. last night i sent an email to Ovi and the Scientist while the Officer tried a text message to Ovi saying, ¨sunday in Sarria?¨ we got no reply last night or this morning at 6:15am...the Healer and i figured we would see them in the next day or so. the Officer is struggling with intense pain in the non-reconstructed ankle. it could be a ligament, it could be a muscle, it could be anything really. all we know is that each doctor he talks to offers the same advice, rest. but the Officer is a warrior and is determined to get to Santiago so he continues to walk. but since we all started in San Jean he has only walked a few days before needing rest for one ailment or another. the Camino is surely testing him, in truth it appears to be a battle from within that is waging in front of us all and the best we can do is support this young man in figuring out what the Camino means to him.

after an exciting day of incredible beauty as we ascended into Galicia the Officer was unbelievably happy to have walked but in significant pain by night. he decided to take today to rest and as there are no buses from the small villages into Sarria on a Sunday he will arriving early tomorrow morning and join us. you see in Sarria we are at the 100 kilometer mark and you must walk from this point to Santiago to get the compostela...the grand document of your journey. hopefully he will be able to do it. we are all hoping...

to be continued...

Galicia Spain

we entered into Galicia Spain this morning and it was like entering another country. not only is the terrain-landscape entirely different, the language is familiar but not the spanish i know, and the weather is just nutty. literally turning the bend into Galicia and we were welcomed with cool air and gusts of wind. soon enough it was rain and a bit later it was fog-rain-snow. mind you i left this morning wearing shorts and a long sleeve shirt. wow.

the celtic roots are so obvious i feel funny just typing it. it is going to be an exciting next few days as we explore the region. what i can say is that we are among green rolling hills, stone buildings, wood carvings with celtic features...gone are the storks i was almost getting used to seeing soaring high above or peering down from church towers...

a whole new world...again.