Madrid - Porto - New York - Halifax

OK, the Camino is finished and it will take some time to reflect on just what sort of experience that was and what sort of effect it had on me overall. But my trip was not over. I had expected to take a day a week off on the Camino and left myself some slack for injuries and possible health issues (food/water). I have mucho time. Will visit my friend Lisa in Madrid, then hang a few days in Porto, waiting for my flight. Will also be in New York to see daughter Emily and some relatives.

Madrid

Not a big fan of Madrid. When someone says Paris, I can think of 5 things I want to see just off the top of my head. Not so, Madrid. But big cities get that way for a reason, and my friend Lisa lives there, so off I go.

I met Lisa and her friend Dominique in a *** Casa Particular *** while backpacking in Trinidad, Cuba a few years ago. We got along well, she had done quite a bit of travelling, was a runner and raced competitively. Conversation came naturally. We kept in touch with email and Facebook.

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Casa Particular

Cuban gov't has started allowing private citizens to host people in their houses...of course they don't tax these enterprising people 50% of their earnings, they tax them 50% of a month, regardless of whether the room is booked. If you only book 13 nites, you go out of business. Socialism doesn't work, because the talent does not rise to the top and personal initiative counts for naught.
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Last year, when I started my big round the world trip, I found myself travelling close to old friends. Made the decision to visit everyone that I could, if possible. It has turned into a very good decision.

Lisa was running the Madrid Maraton during my stay, so we got in a training run (my first after 30 days of walking) and a chance to catch up on the past few years. Her parents were in town from England as well, so I got to meet them and we got to a few bars and restaurants. Also got in a bit of live music, one of my favorite ways to spend time. To say that I enjoyed hooking up with someone 1/2 a world away from where I met them would be an understatement. Feeling very global these days.

Porto

After Madrid, I flew RyanAir to Porto, Portugal (bastards dinged me for a bag that was 11 kg (1 kg over the limit. Lesson learned). A gorgeous city, built on hills over a river that runs into the sea. I was in walking heaven.

In Madrid, because I booked late and the Maraton, I ended up in a hostel down in the ranking. Your basic bed and hopefully bathroom. Nice roomies in the dorm, but essentials only. In Porto, I booked in time to get a highly rated hostel, the Rivoli Cinema. Easily one of the better hostels of the 80 or so I've stayed in the past 2 years.

What makes a good hostel? Clean sheets, small rooms, lots of bathrooms, hot showers, kitchen, balcony, secure entry and rooms, lockers, free internet, free breakfast, 24 hr staffing, big common room, beer fridge, downtown location, friendly staff. The Rivoli has this and more. I stay in hostels and dorm rooms to save money and meet other backpackers. A common room and kitchen are essential. Even better is if there is a large single table to sit at and interact with people. Not a bunch of tables, one big table.

The Rivoli staff has one person dedicated to putting on a nightly social gathering that includes food and wine (thank-you Katarina, Natalia? and Joanne). So easy to meet people when everyone is sitting in the same space, sharing food and alcohol. I really enjoyed myself and met mucho new people.

One night, one of the staff took us out to what was supposed to be live Portuguese folk singing. Ended up being a folk dancing club...which ended up being a lot more fun, if quite embarrassing at times. Even with alcohol, my feet don't move that well and complex steps are beyond me on a good day. That being said, the evening was seriously fun.

The pic below is Claire, Saba and Nisha, tho not at the club. That pic is yet to come and won't be as pretty as my silly, slightly intoxicated face will intrude.


In Porto, I got to the beach, a walk on the river, a few museums and little cafe/restaurants. The locals were very friendly, the prices cheap and I thoroughly enjoyed myself for the few days I was there. Hope to go back and walk the Portuguese Camino (12 days to Santiago).

Noo Yawk

I love New York. Have lived and worked there a few times and visited at least once a year for 30+ years. Love to visit my mother-in-law Sara, even tho my wife and I have split up. As she says, I'm still the father of her grand-daughters.

I also get to see my daughter, Emily, who left home after university 6 years ago. She has had quite an interesting life already, and has done quite a bit of travelling. She is currently with Amnesty Intl and getting lots of hands-on events coordination experience.

We went to see live music a few times, once with her co-workers at a bar that has a different band every hours Rockwood Music Hall and a concert at Mercury Lounge (Eliza Doolittle)


Halifax

OK. Back in the home town, the house. Takes a week or so to settle in, rest up, fix little broken things, meet up with the old crowd, soak in the tub, pay old bills, etc. I'm here for 6 months and then off again, hopefully teaching special needs kids in the Middle East or West Africa.

The health is good, finances workable, family situation stable. I'm the right guy at the right time of my life and am enjoying the luck as it comes my way.

Camino HeadSpace

The Camino was quite an experience. Physically easier than expected, weather much nicer and warmer, and a much more social experience than I expected. You walk 900 kms in 30 days with basically the same bunch of about 60 people, there are some changes in your head and attitudes.

Still working on that and the last post for this blog will be in a few weeks once I get a chance to figure out just why I enjoyed myself so much.


No, it's not the wine (altho that made the trip a lot of fun)

The pic below is the 100 kms to go mark near Sarria, which is the minimum required to get a Compostella in Santiago. They bus people into the hostels to get this done.

What's odd is that after walking almost 700 kms to get here, the 100 kms left seems like a cakewalk, barely worth putting on the shoes. Imagine thinking of a 100 Km walk as pas grand chose. Too cool, eh!

FinisTerre - The End of the World

...and the end of the walking. There was some talk about going for 1000 kms, but once I dipped in the Atlantic after so many kms of walking, the motivation dropped to zip.

Santiago Signoff

The rest/party day in Santiago was about as much fun as one body can have in a 24 hour period. The loose crowd of 30+ people that I have been walking with the past few weeks all conglomerated on the Cathedral Square the same day. So much hugging and kissing and smiling and laughter...and then of course, beer. The local police ignored us till about 2 AM, which is pretty good. A few of us tried to do the Paris to Dakar rally (pilgrimage). So silly, I can´t tell you. The earlier part of the day was spent as a late sleep in a bed with sheets, a 2 hour breakfast, Pilgrim mass in the Cathedral (they don´t call out your name, but they call out your pilgrimage (...from Canada, walking from St. Jean Pied de Port), a long soak in the tub, a nice nap and a free Pilgrim meal (1st 10 people only) at the oh, so swank Parador Hotel on the main square, the the Square. Lot of very happy, emotional people.

One of the coolest days of my life.



FinisTerre

The hike to the End of the World is about 90 kms. Barely worth putting on the shoes, eh? We re-connect with old friends and make some new ones.

When you leave people on the Camino, it is rarely a serious goodbye. It is a small Camino, only so many places to be at walking speed. But once you get to Santiago, the goodbyes get pretty emotional. Some people you have been seeing, chatting with eating with, sharing albergues with for a few weeks. Now in FinisTerre, a even smaller crowd and the goodbyes are likely the last ones. The tears are flowin.



Camino Signoff

My little diary has over 70 names of people I have shared time/experiences with on this Camino. When I get time, I´ll type them all up to keep the memory. A bunch of new Facebook buddies and a group to share some of the party pics.

People ask me if I am travelling alone. I think of it as travelling solo. I am open and enthusiastic about meeting new people. I spent 80% of my walking time on the Camino alone with my thoughts. The rest of the time (you only walk about 6 hours a day) was the most gregarious experience I have ever had, not unlike living on a kibbutz in the 70´s, but the whole crowd moves every day at various speeds and for various distances.

My 30 kms a day pace matched up with 20 or so people, and these people I shared the last few hundred kilometers with. The ones at 20-25 kms a day I left in Burgos.

Walking all day outside, your head is filled with the beautiful scenery, the amazing smells of Spain in full, glorious spring (cow dung a free bonus) and a wide variety of very cool people to meet and greet with.

Your walking is usually doen by 2 PM, then it is get the Pilgrim stamp, a shower, little laundry, some lunch, maybe a nap. Supper is Pilgrim menu is some local restaurant with anywhere from 2 to 20 people. So much fun.

Walking the Camino is an extremely cool way to spend time in your life.

Camino, Camino, Camino!!!!

Like daugher Sophie said when I retired and decided to travel around the world...Well, at least you will have new stories.

I have walked the 800 kms Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago, no breaks, no stops, on foot.

It is a nice feeling of accomplishment.

As always, I am fully aware of just how lucky I am.

Camino 400-800 kms

DROP-INS

Everyday, the crowd walking grows. Entire alburgues fill up after supper as groups descend on the Camino´s last 100 kms to get their Compostela. Other night I went to sleep with 9 other Pilgrims and woke up with 65 !!! in the dorm. Yikes.

LEATHER AND SILK

No, not a kinky way to pilgrimage, just a realization of how cool old gear materials are. The top I wear everyday is Merino wool. It has amazing range, I wear just it most days, it keeps you warm even when wet and it does not retain odor. You can get a few days walking out of it before it needs a wash. Try that with a techie top.

My sleepwear is my silk jammies from MEC. Again, quite a temperature range of comfort, no odor retention and hang dries in a few hours. Really amazing stuff.

I am wearing my Tech Amphibian warer shoes, but really wish I had a nice pair of Vasque Sundowners (full-grain leather with leather liners) plus 2 sets of insoles. The people with this setup are doing the best in these wet, muddy conditions.

As for techie gear, the rain shell works great and the fleece top keeps me nice and toasty at night and hides some of the grubbiness.

MUTTERING

I caught myself muttering as I walked along the other day. No big deal by itself, except that the day before, I had met a woman who has done the Camino more than 4 times. As I talked with her, she seemed very coherent, but as she continued aboout here business, she was muttering. Not just a sentence here and there, a full blown mutter that lasted as long as she was in the room and even as she walked about the albergue.

I can assure you that the next time I caught myself talking to myself on the Camino...I stopped right away...I think

THE SUN

As we always walk West, the sun sits over my left shoulder in the morning and as long as we don´t try a 40 kms day, we stop before the sun gets in your eyes. Very cool to have this as part of your day