GIEU Camino de Santiago 2006

An entry which is neither quick nor final

2006-08-20T16:43:00.000-04:00

Today is August 20th-- more than two weeks since I awkwardly taped my boots to the outside of my backpack in front of a line of impatient Madrid travelers using borrowed packing tape-- two weeks since my departure, and longer still since I assured Annie in Santiago that I would post 'quick final blog.' My delay is without doubt, due in part to my penchant for procrastination. Yet the real problem lies superficially at least, in the realm of semantics.

"Final," to me, is a formidable word. It demands wisdom, perspective, and most of all, it calls for knowing. My trip and my reflections have without doubt brought me modicums of each, yet I can't seem to get myself to issue any final report. If I understand anything about my experience, it is that it was and is one of dynamic and un-ending learning, rather than static knowing. Today I feel as though I am only partially through the learning of my journey, and in this light, I have decided to share a journal entry of mine from midway through the Camino.

With this entry I had planned on creating a cumulative list of things learned, one which I could constantly add to as I saw and understood more about my companions. For many reasons, most trivial, I never continued the list, and today I am left instead with just one set of observations… a foundation put in place for future learning too dynamic and complex to put concisely on a list. The content of this entry still resonates strongly with me to be sure, and its focus on learning is one which I hold more than ever today. Yet most importantly, it strikes me with a sense of incompletion... its observations seem too neat, too simple, too final to be the whole and complete picture, a sense exacerbated in me with a glance at the date of the entry. Ironically, it seems my list’s reach toward finality and complete understanding proved to be the most blatant indicator of its nascence and incompletion.

This exhibition is not one meant engender condescension towards a younger, less-learned past, nor is it aimed to scoff at or devalue observations from a time of ‘not knowing.’ Rather, for me it serves as a celebration of the purity and truth in unfinished learning, and as a reminder that ‘knowing’ is the mark of a stagnant search--an indication that simplifications and modifications have been adopted to make an infinitely dynamic experience conducive to the sorting, indexing, and categorization the human brain depends upon to construct its neat world of generalizations.

So, without further adieu, I give you the truest account I can of the learning I derived from my closest companions on my journey…an incomplete one…

“Wed, July 12
Carrion de los Condes
Paul – Paul has taught me of resilience. Of unfettered spirit and eagerness.
Ti-Yanna – Ti has taught me of fiery strength and of resolute self.
Ryan – Ryan has taught me of quiet wisdom and of profound creative talent.
Caryn – Caryn has taught me of unassuming athleticism and of indiscerning kindness.
Perry – Perry has taught me of unhindered spirit of adventure and of confident independence.
Kate – Kate has taught me of honest, open self-reflection, and of uncompromising acceptance.
Casey – Casey has taught me about the joy of singing, and of radiant kindness.
Allie – Allie has taught me of humble talent and that a smile can outperform 100 years of diplomacy.
Annie & Andy – Annie and Andy have taught me of Zen and the Art of Undergrad Group Leadership.
Holly – Holly has taught me of uncomplaining resolve, and about the zing of a wit so precise and quick you almost didn’t catch it.
Chun Yi – Chun has taught me of easygoing companionship and of disarming confidence.”

Thanks for everything my friends. I may never know what you’ve given me, but I’ll never stop learning about it.
Love,
Alec

My Photos

2006-08-19T15:29:00.000-04:00

I've posted my pictures online.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72598258@N00/sets/

Hope everyone is enjoying the rest of summer.
Caryn

Kate sola o con leche?

2006-08-12T14:47:00.000-04:00

Wow, so i am still in this crazy, amazing country. Traveling alone is overwhelming, incredible, scary, and beautiful. Barcelona was a culture shock after small town northern Spain, but by the end it had lived up to all, if not more, of Perry's stories and i left running to catch a bus to Granada. Granada is my favorite city so far, nesteled within the mountians with old stone streets and people that would actually speak Spanish back to me when i spoke to them. After Granada, i was off to the coast, which happened to be the land of Indalo....his cave image was everywhere and so was his name. I spent two days at the beach and learning about cave life and now i am in Sevilla. Today I wandered around in the heat, seeing the palace that Ferdinand and Isabella lived in a one point. Being a lone traveler is nothing like i imagined. Sometimes the lonliness crowds around me in such a way that i hardly feel alone at all and sometimes it is a serene sence of being alone that i love. It was an odd transition from intense group dynamics to being completely on my own. I've had to become my own doctor Allie, my own jefes, my own Pablo reading the paper, my own Chef Chun Yi, my own trooper Holly. I've had to sing Les Mis to myself without Casey and write in my journal more than ever without Alec to talk to. I can't rely on Caryn for toliet paper or principes or Ryan for money. I've had to adopt Ti's turbo get-out of the heat quick mode, and Perry¨s traveler,s spirit. However, i am never that alone unless i choose to be. My hostel mates tend to take some kind of pitty on me and there is always someone to chat with. However, I cannot wait to get home and eat a hamburger...yes a hamburger and i dont even care how terrible that cows life was. I miss you all and cant wait to see you on september 1st. Love, Kate

There and Back Again, A Pilgrim's Tale

2006-08-06T01:36:00.000-04:00

I arrived home on August 4th after a long journey from Madrid via Amsterdam and a 10 hour layover, which was completely my fault and completely unnecessary. But it gave me time to read and think and sleep a little before the airport energized at 3:30 in the morning with bustling international travellers eager to board flights to exotic corners of the globe. In the spirit of Camino camraderie, I was invited to Tenerife by the businessman sitting next to me on the plane. This all was very fitting for the end of a camino that brought me from my home in Jonesville, Michigan, across the Iberian Peninsula, and back again. This was my Camino.

I have one final thought, and I would like to share an idea that I have been entertaining for some time, an idea that is probably quite different than what most others are now thinking. But we all have our own opinions of the Camino, and there are no right or wrong answers. In fact there are probably no answers at all. Therefore, I take the Camino as what is was to me and nothing more; it was an education in untraditional terms, an education I have never had before. It was not a major life-changing revelation or moment of personal insight. It was what it was, and it was very good. Unfortunately, it all had to end on August 3rd as we parted ways and said good-bye. Now we must face our own journeys, but ones that are no longer marked by yellow arrows and guide books. We neither share the same goal nor take the same path. I think we just went parallel for 33 days.

I want to thank everyone in GIEU who made this trip possible, from A.T. Miller and the administrative staff, to all my fellow pilgrims and friends, and especially to Annie and Andy, the Jefes. We know how excellent they are, and I hope they know as well.

Chapter 11/Epilogue. Camino Ellipsis

2006-08-04T15:53:00.000-04:00

It comes as no surprise that I've waited 5 days since completing the Camino to post my final blog. As I stand in the same Hostel in the great city of Madrid from which my Spain adventure began, I am able to channel all of the feelings that I felt before even knowing what the Camino would be like, before getting to know my 10 team members as well as I have, and before realizing all that I'd learn about myself.

When we entered Santiago on July 31 a weird feeling crept over me. It was over. No more walking, no more albergues, no more camino. During the two days that we spent in Santiago I heard from more than one of my teammates, comments regarding feeling disconnected from the pilgrimmage and other pilgrims. Indeed it was a strange feeling to recall that the camino was no more. We went out with a bang the night of our arrival with a strangely perfect concert of Beatles covers that saw us singing until two in the morning, the sprit of the camino still deep in our hearts. As long as the Camino remains with us in this way, as long as we don't forget the arrows that pop up in life every now and then to tell us which way to go [some less visible than others], and as long as we remember the feelings of meditative simplicity that we felt for a month as our only objective was to get to Santiago, the Camino will live on in our minds. We went big for 770 kms and now we can go home mentally and physically stronger than we were before...

adios Spain, hola Portugal

2006-08-04T04:13:00.000-04:00

In the last 48 hours, I have spent 20 travelling on a train. But, at long last, I have entered the final stage of my trip and arrived quite smelly, but safely in Lisbon, Portugal.

For what will most likely be my final blog, I figured I'd share part of a journal entry I wrote in O Cebrero, also our first day in Galicia:

"I cannot believe my time together with this group is coming to a close, and such a rapid one at that! We have entered Galicia, and with our physical crossing into this region, so is it our metaphysical crossing into the final chapter of our journey. It is always a dark and mysterious moment as you enter the final chapter of a novel, and though the darkness is beckoning, in its enticing ways it is the most beautiful moment of the story: you never wish to see it end, but know it must and with such knowledge, you can only tingle in anticipation as to how the author ends his masterpiece. And so, as I flip the pages of my journal left and look west to St. Jean, Zubiri, Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and all the memories each step holds, I can only simply sigh and smile, and then I look east into the valley of Galicia and the empty pages I still have left to write with thoughts, poetry and prose, and giggle to myself, knowing the last chapter of any story worth reading is always the most satisfying."

Our last chapter was indeed the most gratifying. I remember laying on the floor, the cathedral we had been walking towards for 33 days directly in front of me, and feeling as though I was on a mountain pass. Although surrounded by pilgrims and tourists, I was in absolute solitude; though laying on the cold plaza ground, I was thousands of feet up, way above the tree line after a 33 day ascent to the summit. And then, I put my pack on and walked to our hotel, no longer a pilgrim but once again a citizen, thus making the fastest descent of my life, and it was perfect in all its imperfections.

Now its off to the beach I go!!!!!!!!!

peacin' out for the final time,

Perry

"No place is ever far"

2006-08-03T06:45:00.000-04:00

Our camino is over, and we are now back in Madrid. Last night I slept in the very same room, the very same bed that I slept in before we left for St. Jean Pied de Port to begin our walk. Needless to say, there were a lot of thoughts running through my head -- none of them calm or organized. How have 77o-ish kilometers under my feet changed me? I think I am smarter, more experienced, and also more driven. In Santiago, the day after we finished the camino, we were shopping around the historical town and came across an artist selling her paintings on the street. She specialized in cartoon-like drawings of children doing very cute, often inspirational things. She usually included a fitting Spanish quote on the top of the drawing. A painting of a little boy pilgrim skipping along the trail and the accompanying quote translating to "No place is ever far" struck me as the perfect piece for this trip. I think it begins to sum up how the camino has affected my outlook on life... if we can walk across a country, what can't we do?

Leaving on a jet plane

2006-08-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

So I will be catching my 430 cab in about 5 minutes. Back to the states I go. I'll never forget you Espana. Hasta Pronto Mom and Dad.

Casey

Hail! Hail! To Michigan...

2006-08-02T04:28:00.000-04:00

I take a lot of ribbing from students for my loyalty to my alma mater, the University of Kansas, especially during basketball season. Those years in Lawrence had a lasting impact on my life and that institution will always hold a special place in my heart. Having said that, these past 30-plus days have been so rewarding, I must admit humming the tune of The Victors on occasion and feeling quite the sentimental attachment.

Hail! To the victors, valiant,
Hail! To the conquering heroes
Hail! Hail! To Michigan the leaders and best

Yes, we did not conquer anything but our own doubts and the only thing truly valiant about our adventure was our devoring the mystery meat served at the occasional lunch BUT, oh Michigan (and Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Colorado & Singapore) be proud of your sons and daughters. Be proud because they rose to every challenge as a team of 11 individuals with a sincere caring for others both in and outside of our group. In the words of our dear Ryan,¨I´m not gonna lie¨, these 11 students have had (and will continue to have) a lasting impact on my life.

On July 22nd, we set out from Rabanal del Camino on a long and difficult hike very early in the morning. The presence of two high school student groups made our previous night´s sleep less than restful, yet all of the team was ready and waiting for me as I finally (and five minutes late, mind you) made it outside the albergue to start the day´s hike. No second wake up call was needed. There was no need to remind them how much time was left until our departure. No one had to tell them to pick up the trash left behind from breakfast. Quitely, sleepily, they waited. When I passed through the gate to the albergue and saw them huddled, ready to hike 30 km, I said to myself The Leaders and the Best, indeed.

the journey itself is home

2006-08-01T12:16:00.000-04:00

There are times when the body knows things before the mind does. As we hiked into Santiago my mind was scattered with thoughts...hardly believing that we would shortly be arriving at our destination...but my body sensed the end. It felt the momentum of walking foward in one direction for over a month inside and it was as if my stomach was doing backward summersalts trying to prepare for stopping. Now there are no yellow arrows to point our way, but we will continue to journey and set forth in all kinds of new directions. As a sign painted on the wall at Jesus´s albuergue said, "Every day is a journey and the journey itself is home."

Finally...

2006-08-01T09:40:00.000-04:00

I'm here!!! It seems to have taken forever, but I overcame much to get here. I'm just thankful to God for being Almighty and giving me his traveling grace to make it here safe and sound, as well as all the other peregrinos. I am truly blessed not to have incurred any blisters and illnesses and I was also fortunate enough not to cave into the boys antics about urinating outside, lol. When all is said in done, I just know I couldn't have ever made it through this journey without the goodness of my God!!!

Santiago and beyond

2006-08-01T05:38:00.000-04:00

Of course, I never thought we had designed a program that students would not be able to finish, but it wasn´t until a plane leaving from the Santiago Airport flew over me yesterday morning that I realized what we had just accomplished. This year we set the bar high and students rose to the challenge. We are, as far as I know, the first university program to walk the entire trail in 30-some days starting from St. Jean Pied de Port.
These last two days have been a wave of emotions and reflection for me.
First I am happy with the fact that we all made it in to Santiago. Repeatedly this group of students amazed me. Each person has brought something unique to our group; yet, collectively grace, kindness, and curiosity is what comes to my mind when I think about the 11 of them. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this challenge with them. Too often I forget that many of these students don´t speak Spanish and are unfamiliar with the culture, until I see one of them tied up in a linguistic knot with a local and then I am reminded what this experience must be like for them. Thank you all for being so fantastic and making this trip for me so enjoyable.
Now my thoughts turn to going home. Unlike most of my students, I have been feeling nomadic now for about a year, so home to me is a bit unclear. I have spent the last year living out of my backpack commuting between Paris and Berlin--a great experience, but one I am glad is almost over. A few more days in Berlin and a short trip to Italy will end my time in Europe. Now I have to begin thinking about finding an apartment in Ann Arbor and moving my stuff out of storage.
Lastly, thanks to all the parents who offered their comments. I really enjoyed reading them. I hope to have the chance to get together over lunch or a coffee sometime when you are in town. I would love to meet you all!

The Start of an End

2006-08-01T04:59:00.000-04:00

The camino has finally come to an end for us. However I have been constantly thinking about the lessons it has tried to teach us. Thus after a night of fireworks and concert I got it out straight. Just like the camino, we all have a goal in life that we would someday love to reach. Sometimes we have easy days, sometimes we have hard days. Sometimes we like to increase the pace of our life just like being the first on the trail, and sometimes we would like to lay back and enjoy the scenery. Somtimes we get lost in life, but as long as we find our own little yellow arrows, we will know where to go again. Therefore, just like walking the camino, we should never stop walking forward in life.

And they lived happily ever after...

2006-07-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

On Monday, July 31, at 11:15 AM, I completed the Camino de Santiago, from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a distance of 774.7 kilometers (480 miles), in 32 days.

the 100th entry

2006-07-31T10:03:00.000-04:00

fittingly with such a monumental mark in the blog we arrive in santiago. did we ever really think we´d get here? probably. but even still, to be here is well, for now, indescribable. waking up this morning seemed like just any other. walking, walking, and more walking. suddenly we had reached our finally destination, descending from the hill with the city in sight, it was hard to believe this was actually the infamous santiago. success. and more.

The Final Countdown

2006-07-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

Just two more days left before we arrive in Santiago. The entire Camino just seems like a huge blur to me...the details are too numerous to make sense of now. I clearly remember St. Jean, Roncesvalles, and Zubiri, but after that, all of the albergues, all of the towns, all of the hikes become one unforgettable experience. With time running out, I feel prepared to finish. I always thought the finish would be the best part, but the opposite is true. With about 5 or 6 days left, I began counting down, something I had never done before. What made the Camino so great was the rhythm of daily life...waking up early, hiking, eating, napping, journaling, exploring, talking, meeting new people. For the first time in many years, time became irrelevant.

the End, wherever that is

2006-07-29T16:04:00.000-04:00

We can feel the end coming. Along the trail we pass ¨mile¨markers that have only two digit numbers. Our talk comes around more and more to questions like, ¨What´s the first thing you´re going to eat when you get back?¨Even more serious are discussions about how we think we´ve changed since our first day back in France when we started this walk. While some of us can articulate specific ways we are different, I can´t really think of any certain except a sense of being wiser... somehow. I think we can be pretty sure, however, that when Santiago appears on the path, no one is going feel like the journey is over. We will stop walking but our answers to ¨how have you changed¨are not going to be fixed for a long time to come -- therefore the end really isn´t in Santiago. It´s coming and we all feel it, but it won´t be here for while yet.

camino fruits

2006-07-29T15:55:00.000-04:00

When we first started walking we would pass tight green grapes on leafy vines...toward the middle of the trip Casey and I tasted sour half ripe fruit from the sides of the trail, now the grapes that cross our path are bright almost ripe orbs and the fruit hangs heavy on branches. We too have rippened along the camino. Steeped in sunlight, rain, sweat and dirt we have grown along this crazy fertile trial.

Today it hit me

2006-07-29T15:47:00.000-04:00

Today on the trail I felt my course change. In an earlier enterview, Ryan had asked if the Camino was about the journey or the dintination. Without hesitation, I quickly realized that, for me, the Camino is all about the journey. The relationships I will carry for a lifetime, the emotions which seem to be playing on shuffle in my internal Ipod, even the adversities which myself and the group as a whole has had to overcome throughout the trip. All of these things will never be forgotten, and I can honestly say that this has been one of the most rewarding steps I have taken towards personal growth and happiness.
But today, it felt as if someone had switched my internal clockwork, and I finally felt myself moving towards a destination. I´m finding myself running through an emotional gauntlet, and I´m not sure how I will fully be effected by the journey at this time. But perhaps none of this will be truly realized until I have finally reached that point. I´m looking forward to having time to disect what the Camino means to me, and what the Camino may have meant to so many others who have traveled the journey before.
Love you Mom and Dad
Casey

Melide: 2 days to go

2006-07-29T15:05:00.000-04:00

Today we made it to Melide. Last year the group was almost bored because we walked such short days and fatigue was no longer an issue by the time we reached this point. This year that is different. Since we walk about double the distance (both in terms of daily distance and overall distance) we walked last trip, we are always more tired. I had expected that after a month of walking, we would all have more energy at the end of these last few days, but that isn´t the case. After lunch, most of us slip away for a 2-hr. siesta to rejuvinate our bodies. What is amazing though, is that after a nap or after an 8-hr sleep, one´s body can feel just about like new. Today for the first time, talking to Kate I began thinking-talking about what it will be like when we stop walking in two days, what happens the day we wake up at say 8, instead of 5.30, and the furthest we have to go is around town? I am already feeling nostagic and we still have two days to go.

Chapter 10: Another Brick in the Wall/Sarria Sandwich*

2006-07-27T15:57:00.000-04:00

*preface: Today on the trail to Sarria Alec and I were talking about puns and witty blog titles (note his attempts). The title of this blog is a response to a challenge posed by him to create good titles. While I don´t feel that I have suceeded please note the effort.

We all know that the sign of a particularly bad sandwich is when the slices of bread taste better than the contents held between. The past couple days have been very much like that for me. A few days ago I experieced an awesome hike during one of the most visually beautiful days that the camino has offered. I think that everyone that walked that day felt the same way, that the camino was showing some sort of appreciation for all of our hard work thus far. A couple days later I hit the proverbial wall when at the end of our hike we hit a few steep hills. After barreling up the first one I found myself pitifully stumbling up the next two, falling to the very back of the group when I had previously been in the front. The next day I was still out of gas, unable to walk beyond a snail´s pace. Maybe it was only a mental wall, but the more I tried to push myself the more I slowed down. It was an unimpressive day both in terms of my effort and the visuals (we walked along a road for most of it). The next day (yesterday) brought the hike to O Cebreiro, one that saw us hiking uphill for pretty much all day. We got up extremely early (forgoing breakfast) to catch a sunrise that ultimately left us unfulfilled. The pangs of hunger hit me almost immediately once we began to climb at which point I decided to go all out to take my mind of the hunger. The air was cool and it felt good working up a sweat not induced by a persistent sun attack. It was an awesome day to follow the two previously crappy ones. Thus the sorry sandwich was completed as I write to you from Sarria today.

Leon con Leche

2006-07-27T13:52:00.000-04:00

I recently understood a little bit of Spanish humor. Not particularly good humor, but it made me feel special nonetheless. First I shall give you the background information:

At one particular point in time, Castilla and Leon were regions of their own. Today they are a province with the ever-so-clever title, ¨Castilla y Leon¨. Throughout the province, there are some individuals who think Leon should be an independent nation. These dorky high-schoolers write in spray paint on the wall, ¨LEON SOLO¨. We´ve seen this often.

Coffee here is simply with milk or with out it. You get a ¨Cafe con Leche¨ (with) or a ¨Cafe Solo¨ (without)

Now, last week we saw the usual ¨LEON SOLO¨ on the wall. Only this time, someone had added underneith, ¨¿O CON LECHE?¨ (Or with milk) Get it? Leon con leche? Ha-ha.

The Worst Breakfast

2006-07-27T13:46:00.000-04:00

Several Days Ago: Molinaseca AM

The crossaints were stale. The magdelenas crumbly. The bananas were green as our sick friends who remained in bed. When we heard the news that Allie too had gotten sick overnight, I cringed at the liklihood of it not being the last we saw of that breakfast.

Epilogue: Everyone is okay. Only queezy stomachs remain.

A matter of perspective

2006-07-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

The other day we reached a marker that indicated we were 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Santiago. At that point walking our last 160 kilometers seemed like a piece of cake, which is strange because if you were to ask me to walk, much less drive, 100 miles, I would grumble. The truth is I don´t even like walking much, I prefer taking my bike places. But now, after having trekked some 400 miles, suddenly walking another 100 miles more seems like nothing. I guess it is just is a matter of perspective.

confessions of an anti-blooger

2006-07-27T11:27:00.000-04:00

so after living in the wilds of Maine for 6 weeks and then rushing off to Spain, i only learned about the concept of BLOG after a few days on the trail and have yet to disocover the various wonders it contains. Before the wrath of Santiago struck i decided that i would venture into this unknown blogging world....and now that i am mostly recovered, that time has arrived.
In every village we come to no matter how small and crumbling or large and busy around 4 o´clock every afternoon old people come out of thier houses and sit on benches in plazas and steetsides and stare off into the distance clutching thier canes and chatting occasionally with one another. Their presence has interested me from the beginning, so a few days ago i decided to join some old women as they sat on a bench in the shade. After a few minutes with them more and more came out of thier houses to chat. At first they were confused by my presense...but then as our conversations progressed i got to get the inside scoop on the secrets that pass along the benches each afternoon on the streetside of Ambosmesetas. They told me stories of each of the villiagers that walked by....stories about thier dead husbands and the houses that lay crumbling on the hillside...but the basic take home message they had for me was that i should learn to speak spanish better so that i can meet spanish boys becuase they are attractive and easy. i thanked them for the advice. later when i journaled about the stories they had told me i wondered how different people in my life would tell my life story.

ok, so i guess blogging isn´t soooooooo bad

Camino rapping???

2006-07-27T10:35:00.000-04:00

So...me, Casey, Pablo, Ryan, and Alec have all decided to become rap artists. After I told them my touching story of me coming up in the game of rap at the tender age of 10, they were all inspired. I know they loved my song ¨You Go Girl.¨ So now...we have all decided on our stage names: I am Tenacious, Casey is Castrophe (you have to whisper it), Ryan is Phenom, Paul is P.O.XX and Alec is Trick-A. We haven't decided on a group name today or started our album, but when we hit big...just remember you saw it 1st on the Camino. We are going to go global! Until then...Casey and I will try our best not to get lost again, lol. And...I will be outdoing Master Chef Chun in the kitchen tonite! Oh Chun...it's on! Especially after you hurt my feelings so many times. You know how sensitive I am, lol. (Inside joke, but feel free to laugh). That's TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE!

Sorry to Landis

2006-07-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

This blog is way overdue. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for ever doubting Floyd Landis and his abilities to overcome adversity, and I wanted to recognize the perserverance he showed in taking the Tour de France home for America for the 8th year in a row.

The Dangers of Cruise Control

2006-07-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

So this is now my third strike with taking the wrong trail to Santiago, and each has occurred with a different group member. So guys take a note, Don´t Hike With Me. It´s bad luck. Quick explaination...
Kate and I took a slight detour about 2 weeks back which extended a 30 K day to about 34. Pablo and I were off walking in the wrong direction when the faint screams of other Pilgrims finally forced us to turn around and find the right track. And then today....Ti-Yanna and I were hauling it today trying to get into Sarria to relax. You´ll have to trust me but we were blowing away the competition. No breaks, no time for dilly dally, we just pushed on through the driving rainstorm (more like a slight mist but you get the picture). We had distanced ourselves about 15 minutes from the second group when we glided into cruise control and slipped into a great conversation. Throughout the day we kept complaining about how poorly the trail was marked beacuse we seemed to be going for long periods of time without a marker to guide our way. We went so far as to predict that someone was going to get lost today. To make a long story short..after like 2 hours of walking alone, we realized that the group in front of us was in fact the group which had once been far behind. Obviously they had not passed us, so we quickly tracked them down to inquire about the situation. Turns out they had taken a 20 minute break and still managed to beat us. So lost in conversation, Ti and I had lost atleast 40 minutes wandering in the wilderness. I guess we should have been less worried about others and more concerned about following the trail. But at the end of the day, Ti and I had a great conversation and made it safely to Sarria. Can´t ask for much more than that. But parents, I promise to be more careful with your children from no on.
Love you Mom and Dad.

Casey

Some observations about Spain

2006-07-27T07:48:00.000-04:00

We´re in Sarria now and just four more days of hiking left! It´s hard to imagine; we were on a bus to St. Jean exactly one month ago.

I have a couple cultrural observations I find interesting and worthwhile. The first is the separatist movement in the province of Castilla y Leon. I saw literally hundreds of graffitied signs saying such things as ¨Leon without Castilla,¨ or¨Leon Solo.¨ Many also incorporated a type of bilingual play on words using Spanish and Leonese. For example, ¨Pais Lliones Llibre¨(free leonese country). I don´t know much about the origins of this movement, but it goes back centuries to when Spain was not yet unified.

Another observation concerns the press and the current Middle East crisis. The newspapers and TV stations here are much more favorable toward Lebanon than the U.S. press. For example, the TV stations show more coverage of hospitalized women and children, explosions, and other negative effects of the bombing. The newspaper editorials that I have read are rather critical of Israel. In the Galician paper today, a cartoon showed an Israeli dagger stabbing Lebanon. Seeing alternative viewpoints like this is one of the most beneficial aspects of world travel, and being able to read the Spanish press makes my semesters of foreign language study more than rewarding.

Fast times Osobrero high

2006-07-26T16:39:00.001-04:00

So I´ve been informed we´re now in the process of transitioning from fun super-cool mountain land to smelly super-wet cow/coastland, something which sounds worse than it is because is implies flat hikes and cool (albeit dung-laden) days. The camino funk seems to have passed us after reaching somewhat epidemic proportions, and all that remains for me is a daily post-meal stomach ache and a trenchant distaste for sausage and cheese bocadillos. Our rooming schedule for the remainder of the trip was just solidified today... somewhat ahead of the usual schedule because towards the end of the camino people tend to jump on the trail and clog up the Albergues-- weak-sauce peregrino wannabees. Anyway, my softer side is getting a bit anxious to take this bad-boy home and enjoy the perks of a static residency, while a good portion of the rest of me really wants to stay in Spain for a lot longer. It´s definitely a strange emotional pull in opposite directions I think we all feel on endeavors such as these. I suppose there is little to be done but ride this crazy Camino thing as far as itíll take me. So long.

Fast times Osobrero high

2006-07-26T16:39:00.000-04:00

I Blame Alec

2006-07-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

Saint James, Saint James,
Why must your pilgrims suffer so?
Their hearts as pure as gold,
Yet from their bodies, bile and excrements flow.

No Campbells soup, no mother who consoles.
How will they reach the ancient relic?
No one knows, but if they don´t,
I blame it all on Harris, Alec.

Just kidding about blaming Alec, but I would like to call to attention the fact that Alec is responsible for introducing the terrible plague which has been dubbed Santiago´s Revenge to the group. Furthermore, I would like to assure to all that the plague has been conquered, and we are all on the mend.......although I am pretty sure that Alec and I will never speak again. While I was sick, I did miss my mom, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all of the loving care in past sicknesses, surgeries, and things of that nature....I love you Mom.

Today has been a very relaxing day in Ambasmestas, Holly and I had a chance to hang out by the river for a couple of hours. I tried to relax on the swing set earlier, but it turns out my butt will no longer fit in such places. Tomorrow should be a really beautiful hike into O Cebreiro. Believe it or not, 11 college students have agreed to rise at 4:30 in the morning in order to capture some amazing scenery as we ascend toward the pueblo. Should be a great day filled with great pictures and amazing memories. Love you Mom and Dad.

Casey

another 5 bite the dust...

2006-07-23T02:20:00.000-04:00

yesterday was unquestionably the worst day of my life. as we climbed the pass, a mild nausea slowly began to overtake me. i dismissed it simply as altitude sickness, or acid indigestion, or my mind playing tricks on me--it had to be anything other than Alecs horrible disease. Well, I was wrong.

As Casey, Paul and I came down the mountainside, Casey said he was feeling sick. I immediately said the same and we agreed to rest for a short while. After sharing some indigestion tablet stuff, we continued on. After only another 10 minutes, Casey and I both pulled to the side of the trail and within two minutes, Casey was throwing up. Five minutes later, I did the same.

After making it into town, this horrific pattern continued every half hour for the next three hours. We were literally on a five minute delay from each other. As the rest of the group slowly made their way into town, we found out that Kate and Chun-Yi had been infected too. Then I wake up this morning to find Allie had thrown up in the middle of the night as well. Santiago´s revenge is slowly striking us all down.

At the moment, I believe I hold the record of throwups with 10, although I forgot to ask Alec how many he had when he was sick. But, all you folks back home, please don´t worry; all of us that had gotten sick over the last 24hours are almost back to 100%. Kate even managed to walk today (which I am very jealous of and as a result, we can no longer be friends).

Well, time to catch a taxi to the next town and try eating something.

Astorga

2006-07-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

Astorga ended up being a great town for a rest day. A chocolate museum, a Gaudi house that hosts a Camino museum, and a tour of the Roman ruins were all available. I skipped the first but took in the other two. The Gaudi building was the second we have seen on the Camino, but this one was certainly more interesting than the other two. But by all accounts, his best stuff is still in Barcelona. Besides a collection of Camino artifacts and Roman ruins, the museum also featured an impressive gallery of contempory Spanish art, mostly from the last 20 years. After Gaudi, the group went on a tour of the Roman ruins. The highlight was definitely the walk through the sewer system. The tunnel was only about 5 1/2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Definitely worth the 3 euro.

Afterwards we headed for a bar and had an official Camino meeting. Everyone discussed things that could be done better, both on an individual and group level. I left feeling that we had really made some progress, and the Camino is only going to get better.

We have had a stomach virus hit some of the members, but only it seems to be a 24 hour thing. I pray that everyone remains healthy for the rest of the Camino. Only 10 more days of hiking!

On the road again

2006-07-21T07:28:00.000-04:00

Goodbye Astorga. I will miss your Roman ruins, your historic museos, but most of all, I will miss your chocolate. Delicioso!
Upon entering today´s albergue, we were immediately and enthusiastically greeted by high school age girls from Madrid. They are full of energy and really epitimize the term ¨teeny boppers.¨ I have been talking with them a lot already, especially one of the girls who has visited the states. She has even been to Michigan. But we told the girls we want to speak Spanish so we can practice and this girl gets so excited that she can´t help but slip into english (what a show off.....just kidding but she is really good). So her friends and Pablo and I have been tuning her up a bit. So hopefully today will be a great Spanish lesson, and maybe I will learn to say a lot of Spanish words about really important things like teenage boys and Brittany Speers......One can only dream to be so lucky.
On a darker note, I am trying to avoid the terrible sickness which had drifted into camp. It is a dark, painful monster that actually does leave its victims cold and shiverring in the night as I suggested in an earlier blog.
Can´t believe the Camino is almost over. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

Check out ¨where we are¨

2006-07-20T10:49:00.000-04:00

On the right of the blog,directly under the contributors list, is a links menu that contains a new feature Mike (a.k.a. Annie´s husband) created. It will take you to a pop up window that shows where the group is on a map of the Camino. If you then click on the shell, it will take you to an external site with details and photos of the town we are scheduled to be in for that day.

Today´s link (Astorga) has a virtual tour of the town and all of the places Casey mentions in his last post on our rest day. This is a great way to see what the students are experiencing on a daily basis.

A very heartfelt thanks to Mike for putting this feature together. We hope it helps family members and friends back home visualize some of the remarkable experiences the team members are describing in their blogs.

Ready..break!

2006-07-20T09:52:00.000-04:00

Yes folks, its break time on the Camino. One day off in scenic Astorga before we take it all the way into Santigo. After a spell of long days we have of late (the past 3 days) adopted a more relaxed pace, and today´s rest has been the culmination of a trend which has re-energized us for the final push.
In other news, the group is progessing nicely...we´ve all become mosty accustomed to the Spainish lifestyle (meaning we are all terribly dependent on midday naps along with diabetes-grade sugar overloads for breakfast, among other things), and have begun to talk pretty regularly and in-depth with new pilgrims.
I myself have become quite fascinated with the idea of keeping a journal...definitely a first for me, but one which has helped me to take a more focused and precise stance on my thoughts. As ususal, I´d love to share more, but little time remains in my paid foray into the digital world, and laundry beckons. Love.

Chapter 9: The Poem Project and the Rest Day

2006-07-20T05:56:00.000-04:00

As the rest day in Astorga comes to an end and the final ten days of the hike begin, I realize that there are a number of things that I can talk about that I haven´t yet touched upon in my few blogs. Whether I draw from my experiences and thoughts on the many cathedrals that we´ve visited or any of the significant conversations that I´ve had with my teammates on the trail. However, the one thing that I haven´t talked about much and that I´d like to share regards a personal project that I´ve tried to accomplish that requires me to sum up each day´s experience in an 8-16 line poem so that when I look back through my journal I won´t have to sift through pages and pages of incoherant stream of consciousness and can instead read what I thought on any given day in one minute. I´ve missed at least ten days of this project and haven´t shared much of what I´ve written, until now.

The day that we walked 37 km from Sahagún to Mancilla de las Mulas was a significant mental and physical milestone for the team and proved that we could take whatever the Camino could throw at us. This is the poem I wrote that day:

Long Day

One point noted away from the mind,
Consigned to exile shackeld unbound,
Without centrality focus unwinds
In crooked straight lines, when freedom sounds.

The ground whispers with each step
Eloquent insight, repititous wisdom
As dust drifts downward the breeze drips red
From sun tinted sweat when the long day is done.

Blue skies fall from nonexistent clouds
Below feet plow beneath stretching trails.
Left of center the pale path bends
Looking for the end, I´m looking for the end.

I´m Too S*xy For My Shirt

2006-07-19T14:43:00.000-04:00

So everyone is pretty jealous of my Brazilian shirt. Today was the first time I whipped it out for display. I´ve already been offered some serious cash, but I could never let it go. We have finally reached Astorga (which I have just spelled correctly for the first time)and it has been a very relaxing day. Fo anyone who is keeping up on the Tour de France, you will understand my state of depression do to today´s unforseeable, terrible events.......... our mighty Landis has fallen........Fatigue makes cowards of us all.

Tomorrow we will be visiting a chocolate museum, the museum of the caminos, and we will be visiting some Roman ruins........aren´t we the cultured bunch.

Today I met a girl from Australia whos father is an Ambassador to Hungary and has pretty much traveled all over the world and is only 22 years old...........I´m jealous, but at least i have a Brazil shirt. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

Lazy days

2006-07-19T01:18:00.000-04:00

My wife asked why I don´t blog more and all I could say is I´m busy. This, of course, is not a very good excuse. The truth is I do not enjoy blogging because it takes too much time and I´d much rather quickly write something down in my own diary than publish it online. So, dear reader, please be patient.

It seems like life has slowed down a lot the past few days. In order to keep with our schedule, we have been walking shorter days and staying in unexpected towns. This has meant walking only 15-20 km and having longer afternoons in each stop. To be perfectly honest, it couldn´t have happened at a better time. This mini-break has allowed many to rest tired feet, cure blisters and catch up on much needed sleep. While the stories might not be as exciting, these lazy days will be much appreciated when we enter the mountains and encounter longer and more challenging hikes.

Ti Picaso....

2006-07-18T15:10:00.000-04:00

so...wondering about the name huh? well...i discovered i am quite the artist today. i painted a lovely picture today after having a great talk with indalo who works at this beautiful albergue we are staying at. i would have to say this is probably the best thus far! to continue...we took a long hike to a river today...that is...me, casey, paul, kate, and indalo....where we assisted in creating beautiful art work! it was truly amazing to walk in the river and add beauty to an already masterpiece! well done indalo! the artwork yesterday at jesus was just as gorgeous! i cant wait to see what future masterpieces i shall see next on the camino! in the meantime...i will continue to eat this horrible stuff made by the ïron chef¨ otherwise known as casey. i mean to tell you...he says it was good...but you had to be there to know otherwise! lol...no, but i would have to say well done today cas. the soup was great!

Broken Window

2006-07-18T15:02:00.000-04:00

I know this happened a while ago, but I have just decided to blog about it since it still pains my heart. It was a nice sunny afternoon one day in a small town and I was having my usual afternoon naps. But I woke up to my horror to find my camera screen broken and showing me streaks of black lines instead of my pictures. It took me a long time to come to terms with my new situation. It has no doubt dampened my spirits and made taking photos that much harder, but I have made up my mind to try. Thus folks, be prepared to see some new photos of mine posted online soon!

life is good.

2006-07-18T14:44:00.000-04:00

not too much to say really. after my near week long reprieve in leon, my blisters have been a little more gentle on me since my time back with the group, amazing what a good scrub down at the ER, some amoxicillin, and time off the feet can do. it´s good to be back. on the road again, sleeping under the stars on occasion, and just sitting by the river sharing a coke, all with the best of people, couldn´t really ask for more.

Fotos

2006-07-18T14:41:00.000-04:00

Old folks in Leon.
Leon.
Perry and Chun. Painting in Hospital de Orbigo.
Last night with our Danish friends, Peter and Markus.

Painting on the Rocks and Landis Takes the Yellow

2006-07-18T14:15:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. We´re in Puente de Orbigo (which is also called Hospital de Orbigo for those looking us up on a map or website). The albergue here is the best so far. One of the most interesting features is the huge collection of paintings done by various peregrinos. Some are excellent. We also really like one of the volunteers here. He´s a native of Canada but has been all over the world, going where the spirit takes him. He goes by Indalo. This afternoon he took Kate, Ti, Casey, and I to a special spot along the river where he goes to paint on the rocks. We all took turns puting on our own special touch. After painting, we sat by the river and drank a special tea that comes from Uruguay and Argentina. Called ¨mate¨(ma-teh), the tea is drank by putting the leaves in a small cup or guard and then adding water. A special metal straw is used to sip up the tea. I´m not much of a tea fan, but the process itself was worthwhile.

In other news, Floyd Landis took the yellow jersey again and has a significant lead. Watching the tour in the Spanish bars is one of my favorite ways to emerse myslef in the language and culture of Spain. Of course the race is always accompanied by a cafe con leche.

Iron Chef

2006-07-18T08:01:00.000-04:00

We said goodbye to Jesus today, but he will always be in our hearts. Caryn, Andy, Chun, and I just made a delicious meal which I am about to go eat in about 5 minutes. So I am hoping some of the others will write about the amazing meal they are about to eat. Today and tomorrow are shorter days because we are actually a day ahead of schedule so we had to slow our arrival into estorga. time to eat. Love you mom and Dad.

The Shirt off of his own Back

2006-07-17T10:38:00.000-04:00

I am the proud new owner of a 2006 FIFA World Cup Brazil shirt. It´s probably my favorite shirt, even though I´ve never actually tried it on. The truth of the matter is that my friend Sergio and I began talking about what a nice place Brazil is (Sergio is from Brazil and is very proud of his heritage...he invited our entire group to come and stay with him in Brazil next summer) Before I knew it, Sergio had ripped the shirt he was wearing right off of his back and handed it over. I protested, but in the end I have to admit that I am 100% excited to have such a meaningful article of memorabelia to remember our friendship and the trip in general. Tomorrow, Sergio and our Luts want to have a fairwell party in Estorga because they are on the accelerated (Camino on steroids) for the next two weeks.

Quick note about today...we are staying in the ¨Albergue of Jesus¨, and this place is like Heaven. Swimming pool, big lawn, lifeguard chair atop Noah´s Ark (there´s seriously a big wooden boat you can crawl into so I´ve been herding up animals just in case), and we even get to sleep outside.

Loving Spain. Love you mom and dad.

Casey

Larga y Fea (Long and Ugly)

2006-07-15T13:26:00.000-04:00

We just finished our longest hike of the entire camino: 37 long, hot kilometers (23 miles). We started at 5:45 and didn´t finish until 2:00, 2:45 for the latest group. The Camino guide book we have described today´s hike as "larga y fea," which was not very beneficial for team moral. But we also had a good laugh about the book´s comments. The other day, the title was ¨muchas opciones, ninguna buena¨ (¨many options, none of them good¨). So we finished today´s hike successfully, although slightly dehydrated and very tired.

keep the comments coming

2006-07-15T12:56:00.000-04:00

It seems like I can´t stop blogging these days. I just wanted to let those of you reading that we love to read the comments. They are a fun way to hear from our fans back home. So keep them coming. On a similar note, please understand that we can´t always get to a computer everyday, so if we are absent a day or two (or more), don´t worry, we haven´t forgotten about you all. Sometimes the lines for a computer are long, the computers are broken, or the albergues don´t have Internet.

A Look at the Bikers

2006-07-15T12:43:00.000-04:00

Though we have opted to walk the Camino, many pilgrims chose to complete the journey on bicycle. I can honestly say that this is an honorable feat. Though you move at a faster pace, biking the Camino is much more intense physically than walking it. Personally, I know that my legs could not pedal up the rocky slopes without rolling back down again.

So, as these admirable, athletic souls pass me by on the Camino, and call out the friendly greeting ,¨Buen Camino!¨ why do I have a sudden urge to reply with the finger?

Now don´t get me wrong. I wouldn´t actually flip a fellow perigrino the bird. I politely reciprocate, ¨Hola, buen camino!¨ But nevertheless, the feeling is there, and the time has come to look at why. Sometimes you don´t hear a biker coming up from behind you. You realize they´re there when they either ring their little bell, or someone yells out, ¨Guys, bikers!¨. Once you know of their presence, you´re not sure which side they´re coming up on, so there´s a moment where you look back to try and figure out which way to scoot. By that time they´ve zipped passed you, missing you by an inch. They basically disturb the peace. And often they genuinely scare you. Then again, maybe we just have a twinge of jealousy that they are going to have their next cafe con leche much, much sooner than we are. Either way, it is interesting that the most prominent divide among pilgrims is not one of race, class, gender, or age, but one of bicycle or foot.

Hasta pronto.
Caryn

37 down, 380 to go

2006-07-15T12:40:00.000-04:00

We made it, 37k, 380 to go. Today was one of our toughest days, but everybody made it in pretty good shape. I think we all added to our blister collection a bit and we will sleep a bit harder tonight, yet we can all go to bed feeling great about what we just accomplished today. I am amazed with everybody in the group and their ability to walk so far every day in such good spirits. Sometimes I worry that the idea to walk so far in such a short amount of time is crazy; then, I see 60 year-old French people who are able to keep up perfectly with us and sometimes arrive before us. Tomorrow we reach Leon, the city where we started with the first group we took. I find that reassuring somehow. I feel like it is downhill from there.

The Products of Spain

2006-07-14T15:26:00.000-04:00

I´m telling you this in confidence. I´m going to make it big one day, you know. I´ll tell you how, but don´t go stealing my ideas.

Alright. So there are some products here in España that we need in the States. I know there must be a way that I can make that happen and cash in. Our Danish friends, Peter and Markus told me that in Denmark they have a little store that sells American products, and it´s the only place they can get root beer. I told them how to make a float. In any case, I plan to do a little importing myself, and I´m going to start with these products:
Principes. Perhaps someone has already blogged about these little edibles from heaven, and if so, I apologize for being repetative. Principes are circular sandwich cookies composed of two light, crispy, buttery slabs of goodness filled with chocolate creamy creaminess. No American elven could make these puppies in some silly tree! They come in a roll wrapped in blue plastic, with a picture of a little cartoon prince on it. They cost a Euro or less and are a simply fabulous snack after 20 K or so. But then again, just about anything is simply fabulous after 20 K, so that is a bad example. But trust me, they´re the best!
KAS. The slogan is, ¨Bebe KAS y nada mas¨. That is, ¨Drink KAS and nothing else¨. Oh KAS, why would I bebe any beverage that is not your fizzy fizziness of refreshment? KAS is a fruity soda in Naranja (orange) or Limon (figure it out). I prefer limon, personally. It´s like lemonade with the perfect proportion of carbonation. Delicious!
Maxibon. A product of Nestle. Half ice cream bar, half ice cream sandwich. You hold on to the sandwich part and eat the bar part first. Hello, America! Where is Maxibon?
Hasta Luego.
Caryn (future business woman)

Chapter 8: Mental Preparation

2006-07-14T14:48:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow marks what can arguably be called the most intimidating day of the camino. 37 kms. When called upon earlier this evening by Andy to sum up the thoughts of the team I decided to bypass the trepidation and uncertainty that accompanies thoughts of tomorrow in our minds, instead claiming that the team was ready and willing to take tomorrow head on. Of course I quickly received reactions from my fellow teammates denying this summary but it helps for me to think that we will show all 37 kilometers of the camino no mercy tomorrow. This way when we finish it can be said that we knew all along that we´d get through it in tact and unscathed. Putting blisters, body aches, persistent sun exposure, and the extra weight of the backpacks out of our heads for eight hours tomorrow and narrowing in on our will to finish the day is key. In the (paraphrased) words of Coach Casey the camino experience thus far has only been preparation for tomorrow, thus we have no reason to dread it. Mind over matter...

time to blog

2006-07-14T12:59:00.000-04:00

Recently I was asked by one of our readers why I don´t post. The answer is pretty simple: time. A typical day for us starts at 5.30am. Most of you reading probably can´t remember the last time your kid got up that early. Here on the Camino we do it most every day. Today we were lucky and got to sleep until 6.30. This is to keep us from walking in the heat. Right now we are in the middle of one of the hottest parts of Spain, so finishing before 1.00 is our goal. When we arrive, some of us take a small nap and wash clothes before lunch at 2.00. Sometimes lunch can be a two-hour affair. We need to organize a couple of people to go to the grocery store and prepare food for 13 people. After lunch another nap is usually an order. Right now our bodies are not worn out from any one day of walking, but rather an accumulation of days--something that we have been warning the students from the beginning. After a nap, we check out the towns we are in, which often involves a visit to the local medieval monastery or church.
If Andy and I didn´t work on some of the logistics earlier in the day, it gets done in the afternoon usually when students are still asleep. In general, we have to work through two types of planning: expected and unexpected. We review the route we are going to walk, what we are going to eat and where we are going to stay for the next day. Sometimes that includes a few phone calls to reserve albergues if possible. Then there are the unexpected logistics, which might include any of the following: getting a sick student to a clinic, finding alternative lodging if an albergue is no longer open or likely to be full,and making sure all the students are doing ok in terms of cultural adaptation. Some days the planning takes thirty minutes, most days it takes an hour or two, on bad days it has taken up to four hours. Sometimes we do tag-team work: one person works on one thing, while the other works on something else. We´ve become a very efficient team.
By the time that gets done, it is usually dinner time. We tend to eat at around 8.00, but have eaten as late as 9.00, due to the limited space in the albergues--there isn´t room for everybody to eat at the same time. After dinner most of us head to bed. Some of us spend some time on our feet making sure that our blisters are properly cared for. By 10.00pm most of us are asleep.
Today, being such a short day has been a luxury. Today I found a bit of time to blog and shoot off some emails. Yet it is already 7.00 in the evening and I still need to get to the pharmacy before dinner time, get my clothes off the line,try to call my mom (it´s her birthday today) and do some journaling. In what seems to be such a bucholic life out here in in the Spanish countryside, days seem to fly by.

Four Requests from a Catholic Priest

2006-07-14T07:35:00.000-04:00

Back in Los Arcos (this was over a week ago but it´s been a long time since we´ve had regular Internet) five of us went to one of the many peregrino blessings at the local church. These blessings are just a short 30 minute service and are available at almost every town along the Camino. The priest spoke very clearly, and I was surprised how much I understood. At the end, the priest invited all the peregrinos forward. He had four requests:

1. Pray for peace in the world.
2. Pray for the priests in the Catholic church.
3. Pray for the sick.
4. When you get to Santiago de Compastela, give the statue of Santiago a hug on behalf of the priest of Los Arcos.

I´ve already done the first three, and I´m not going to forget the last.

perplexed in oh so many ways

2006-07-14T06:05:00.000-04:00

although today is not listed on the itinerary as a rest day, it sure feels like one. after sleeping in until 7am, we hiked a mere 15km, arriving in our destination around 10:30, and waiting for tomorrow to begin. one of the many reasons i feel so perplexed is i do not fully understand our logic behind our choice in towns tonight. i understand we are in a large town, with internet and a grocery store--all of which are huge benefits--but now tomorrow we face the daunting task of hiking 37km.

we all feel intimidated by this task, and are handling it in our own individual ways. personally, i plan to spend a solid amount of time alone today, meditating and reflecting in preparation for what is sure to be our most challenging day yet. we have had a stroke of good luck the past few days with the weather, and can only pray that it holds out for us tomorrow. if not, well, either way we will pull through.

as far as being perplexed in the other ways, ive found myself hiking solo lately, grooving to the meditative trance of the trail, asking questions of myself i´ve feared to ask for so long, and finding few answers except that the answers do not exist. in the end, there is nothing left to do but keep on keepin´on...

... ain´t no time to hate, barely time to wait...

perry

Camino Concert

2006-07-14T05:54:00.000-04:00

So I feel kind of wierd when my blogs occur twice in a row without interuption, but I am going to go ahead and post anyway. Last night was an amazing experience as a whole. After speaking with my two older Spanish friends for some time about their itinerary as well as my own, it began to hit me that these kind men might be the next fallen pilgrims on my list. This probably hit me harder than any other loss so far because these men have really shared a lot with me and are so patient and understanding with my broken spanish mumbo-jumbo. In any event, I asked them if I could have a picture with them, and then some of our film students asked if I would interview these men about their Camino experience in case we were unable to catch them in the future. The interview errupted into another hour long conversation, and soon after all of the pilgrims gathered around a Brazilian who had brought out a guitar. Music.... a language known in all nations. So the guitar was passed all night, even myself and some fellow group members contributed a little to the evening. When I was going to bed, I gave one of my Spanish friends a hug goodbye and he gave me the double cheek kiss. It was a great night, and I´m sure there will be many more to come. Love you Mom and Dad.

Casey

El Camino

2006-07-13T07:29:00.000-04:00

The Camino is a cruel mistress who leaves you cold and shivering in the night. When the painful chil is at its worst, you pull the covers to find comfort, even an ounce of warmth. But pull and pull as you may, nothing dulls the bite. Cloth can never cover the scars.....

Haha so I am completely kidding about that whole dark Camino thing. Don´t worry parents we are really having a great time. But now that you´ve seen my dark side, I might even show a little sensitivety. My real blog is about losing fellow peregrinos along the trail. It may seem a little bit rediculous, but I honestly find myself missing some of the pilgrims who have fallen a day or two behind or have raced a day or two ahead. I often find myself thinking about these individuals along the trail and wondering if we might somehow meet again along the trail. Only time will tell. But in the meantime, we are all trying to play nice and make new friends. Love you Mom and Dad.

Casey

"The Long Un-winding Road" (ba ba...)

2006-07-13T06:45:00.000-04:00

So we just finished an extrodinarily straight, flat, and dry hike today, and I think we´re all getting pretty accustomed to the 27 km day as a (metaphorically speaking) comfortable average. Long gone are the two-group, different starting time days, and I´m definitely glad to be able to move in and out of the larger group as I choose. Also, being in less than spectacular terrain has pushed me into some really worthwhile conversations with my fellow pilgrims. Thus far my experience has been very profound, and I´m continually amazed by the things I have always pondered but finally have time to think and discuss thoroughly. It definitely strikes me as ironic that my most powerful experiences have revolved around thinking and talking about my life from home given that I came all the way toSpain to do it, but I think there is something to be said about distanced reflection. Anyway, Spain is amazing and I definitely feel like I´m ´soaking it in,´something I don´t think I´ve ever truly done in a foreign country. I send my love to you all.

P.S. - the title is a pun (think Beatles) that Paul has just informed me is not self-evident.

Futbol de naranja

2006-07-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

A few days ago we were in Belorado, a fairly large town compared to our recent stops, and were hanging around the Plaza during our daily playtime -- between lunch and dinner. After having cafe con leche and beer in a small bar and catching a bit of the Tour de France, we found ourselves in a small toy store. Admittedly, we overwhelmed the two-aisle place stocked with every kind of toy you could ever want, or not want, and let our loud English flow as we found all sorts of things we used to play with or were considering buying. Then we saw it: Our futbol de naranja. It was bright orange, thin rubber and cost only 1,85 Euro. He was the perfect buy. We threw together 50 cent, 20 cent, 2 cent coins and a peregrino from Ohio, who was also in the store, even offered to pitch in some money. We took our new futbol out into the Plaza and immediately began a small pickup game with a few other peregrinos. Later, a two-year-old Spanish girl named Victoria came over to our group as we sat in the Plaza and she and I had a fun, wordless (except for frequent shouts of ¨Yay!!¨) game of catch... rather, kick and I fetch. It was great. The next day, our futbol de naranja was nearly forgotten under a bunk bed but Ryan the Tried and True remembered him and managed to find room in his pack for the ball. That day we arrived in San Juan de Ortega, a tiny community with only the albergue, a church, a bar and a couple houses to speak of. The futbol came out right after our post-lunch nap and a large game of pickup was quickly underway. Aside from many from our group, other players were Peter and Markus from Denmark, Phil from Zimbabwe, David and Tomas perhaps from Spain? (someone correct me if I´m wrong), and Will who was probably our best player. A few othere peregrinos were transient players, as they walked by on their way to or from the bar. Both Spanish and English were used as we strugged to score on the other team. Water bottles formed the sides of our goals and we took breaks to drink from them as the sun beat down on us. We made a number of great friends that day, and I feel really fortunate that we had our futbol de naranja to get us yelling in Spanish, learning names, making mistakes together (I fell in the gravel and am generally a bad soccer player all around!), but also celebrating when we scored. Not knowing any Spanish, it is these kind of situations that make me feel really accepted when I can´t verbally make connections with people. All through a little futbol de naranja.

Chapter 7: Just Over that Ridge

2006-07-12T10:38:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago I experienced what was arguably the most testing day thus far on the camino that furthur challenges the first day as the hardest. It was around 93 degrees and the trail provided no shade, the sky no shield from an unrelenting sun. The landscape was less than inspiring for 29 km with wheat fields as far as the eye could see. Each step seemed to progressively sap more and more energy as the day got hotter and hotter. The hardly picturesque landscape was accentuated by taunting ridges that accompanied the better part of the last half of our walk. Approaching the horizon exhausted and in real danger of dehydration we were sure that the town was over the next ridge. To our disappointment it wasn´t. This happened on no fewer than four separate occasions causing inevitable frustration with the camino and with ourselves. When we finally reached town the crew breathed a collective sigh of relief as the frustration eventually turned into a universal sense of accomplishment upon realization that the day was finally over. Witnessing this day transpire is something that I will most certainly never forget as it demonstrated the amazing strength of the human will. Another revelation of the camino...

A Wrestler´s Focus

2006-07-12T09:53:00.000-04:00

So these last couple of day´s have been somewhat painful (but luckily I feel as if everyday is getting better ad better). When we arrived in Burgos the other day, my left shin was feeling destroyed. Something told me that, having been caused by walking in the first place, this wasn´t the kind of thing in which I could ¨just walk it off.¨ The next morning, I was in serious, serious pain. Funny enough, I found myself rehearsing my routine before a tough wrestling match. I just tried to calm myself and focus completely upon the task ahead. Many of the thought´s my dad had shared with me in the past during wrestling practices sprang to the surface.....¨Any one can work hard when they are feeling good. But the true measure of a man is the amount of adversity it takes to discourage him when he isn´t feeling at his best.¨ So I walked slow, put one foot in front of the other, and eventually I made it to the next town. Along the way, Annie, Alec, and Kate stuck with me as I hobbled like an old man.....I am so very grateful. But shin splints won´t slow me down and I am still having the time of my life.
On a lighter note, I won the FIFA World Cup Challenge against kate, and she will therefore be my back/foot massage slave for the next couple of days. As you can imagine, I´m pretty excited but I feel really bad for Kate because my feet have a terrible and inescapable stench. Bueno Suerte Chica!
Mom I sent you a postcard today, and I might even call soon. I love and miss you.

adios madrid

2006-07-12T09:23:00.000-04:00

yes, i know we left madrid about two weeks ago, but madrid never did much for me. this adios is directed to my wonderful madrid friends who left us two days ago in burgos. if any of you are reading this, it was poliorgasmico to chill with all of you!!

on another note, we have finished what is considered the most physically challenging part of the camino. in its wake, are group is battered, but not nearly close to beaten. now we have begun the mental challenge of hiking about 30km a day through landscape similar to kansas. everyday is nothing but a barren wasteland of corn and wheatfields, with nothing in sight but boredom for miles and miles.

although the first day we faced harsh conditions with the temperature reaching close to 95 degrees and hiking around 33km, since then, it has not been nearly as bad. in fact, i´ve finally been able to find the solitude i´ve been seeking this entire trip. although it can be mildly depressing to see nothing but wheat fields for miles, if you pause and listen to the wind rustling through the stalks, it sounds like a mother whispering to her troubled baby.

enjoying spanish kansas,

perry

Pictures

2006-07-07T15:51:00.000-04:00

These are some pictures that I have taken along the way, hope they add some visual to your imaginations. And the first picture is taken on Kate´s birthday, proving that we did not forget to hold a celebrations for her!

the hungry hungry kate (a meaty story)

2006-07-07T13:24:00.000-04:00

on the first day the hungry hungry Kate only ate veggies. on the second day she ate through one whole slice of turkey. on the third day she at through two slices of chopped up animal sausage. on the forth day she ate through three hunks of chicken skin. on the fifth day she ate through a slab of fried baby cow. on the sixth day she ate through the check of a cow. on the seventh day she crawled up inside her bunk and in the morning she blossomed into a beautiful carniverous butterfly. the end.

GIEU Camino de Santiago 2006

2006-07-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

So this morning I really wanted a bocodillo or sandwhich along the trail. I asked if they had them at this little bar and was dissapointed to realize that I would go hungry. But then the kind lady informed me that there were indeed bocodillos at a different location as she pointed me in the right direction. I walked into this little dining area with only two women, and kindly asked for a bocodillo. After kind of a strange look, the two women ran to the store for bread, made me a delicous tortilla, churiso, and queso bocodillo and offered me a pitcher of water. It was about this time that I realized there was no cash register at the place. A little wierd. Near the completion of my meal, the generous women brought over a plate labeled donations. It was about this time I realized that I had entered the dining hall orf a local albergue, not a bar or restaraunt at all. I left a nice donation and thanked the women for their generosity. I later learned that the kind woman from the first bar had actually told me to walk around the highway to a different place. I felt a little dumb, but I was also overwhelmed to realize the generosity the two women had offered me when I stumbled in and interupted their coffee break. The people here have hearts of gold. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

what goes around, comes around

2006-07-07T12:42:00.000-04:00

i should have known better than to constantly jest at my fellow peregrinos regarding their blisters and my lack of. today while walking, i realized that although my feet may be indestructible, my shins are not. and so, i have come down with the first case of shin splints in the group.

they are not terrible, a frusteration more than aynthing else. i am slow and in pain in the initial hour, but then a sprinter in good spirits for the rest of the hike. hopefully they will not continue to worsen as we are only 11 days in.

if anyone out there has any interest, i have posted many of my pictures online. you can check them out here under the eurotrip part 1 album.

Perry

2006-07-06T15:36:00.000-04:00

So I hate to disappoint, but my goal of adding pictures with every post has been precluded by the technology readily available... Lo Siento. With that out of the way, on to a brief recap of the past days. By far my most memorable moment was my encounter with a local motorist who decided the best way to get around was to hit full throttle on a small dirt road for pilgrims. I, `perhaps unsurprisingly, was lost in my own head when I heard what sounded to be a weedwacker on wheels quickly approaching. One step left, one step right, and our motorist friend made contact (with mostly my backpack..she was coming from behind), flew off the road, into the shrubbery, and made herself comfortable in the fetal position. Upon reflection, I think she must have hit me with her handlebars, deflecting driver, scooter, and a whole bunch of momentum into the bushes.
Needless to say she was not in the best spirits upon coming to, but I was definitely surprised by how displeased she was. After refusing my help in every way, she embarked upòn a expletive-rife tirade explaining to my that it was my fault for failing to choose a side. Given the more than generous time she alloted me with her speed (about 2 seconds) I was eager to calmly explain to her that she had just hit me from behind at a high speed with her scooter on a dirt path for pilgrims. Needless to say my spainish did not allow such an explanation. Luckily my companion Andy supplied her with an adequately passionate substitute.
Anyway, we were both fine in the end. There is much more to say about the days past, but I must go.
Peace

My Rant

2006-07-06T15:27:00.000-04:00

So here is a quick rant on some of the events of the past 2 days. 4th of July was rather uneventful. I missed watching the fireworks with my family out on the Lake but I did manage to sing every single American Patriotic song I know to keep the American spirit alive alond the Camino. Yesterday we also got to swim for free, too bad it was the only rainy day we have had the entire time here and after swimming in the freezing pool the showers were just as cold. Oh well, I´m not going to complain about free swimming. Anyway, I was praying for a little bit of cold last night as I lay in bed sweating and desperately trying to fall asleep.
Today was a shorter day- We got into town around 11:30 , and Chun, Andy, and I cooked lunch. Chun is quite the chef. I would work for that man any day. We also toured a church here in Santa Domingo, and I was fascinated. Having taken a couple of art history clñasses, I foulnd a lot of the material absolutely stunning. The symbolism behind the work is what really gets me fired up.
It was Kates birthday today ánd we just finished our celebration. It was a blast. I´m having such a great time here, and I´m so grateful for this opportunity. Without the Camino I may never have met any of these amazing people, and I already feel like I´m creating some friendships that will last. Sorry for the rant. We are having a blast in Spain. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

Chapter 5: The Great Band-Aid Debate and the 28K Day

2006-07-04T15:07:00.000-04:00

Today saw the group walking 28 kms in the persistent sun to the city of Logrono. Each day we find newer and better ways to pass the time and I can honestly say that we are becoming more and more efficient at it. As it would happen in any conversation initiated by me, today Allie, Holly, Perry, Ti, and Annie, challenged me in an intense debate about brand names used as product names. I got myself into this mess by correcting Caryn last night when she said she needed band-aids. I implored that she call them bandages because band-aid is a brand name not the product name. Long story short the group grilled me on this conviction and at the end of it all I found that arguing issues that challenge common human practices (like calling facial tissue kleenex) is something that one can come under fire for if not careful. The lessons of the Camino...

Songs and MORE songs

2006-07-04T14:51:00.000-04:00

It is a long walk from Estella to Longrono. But I did not fear the long and arduous journey because I knew there was a group of highly talented singers with me to lighten the trip. The main singers, Casey and Kate, Oh their wonderful duets on Les Mes. While the rest of the ¨singers¨ ( Alec, Allie and myself ) tries our best to contribute. Before we knew it, we were already at the gates of Longrono.

Sad 4th of July...

2006-07-04T13:58:00.000-04:00

So as if not having my delicious barbeque isn't enough....THERE'S NO EL CORTES INGLES HERE! I'm soooo sad! :-( I was really looking forward to this. I just don't understand. I saw the signs miles away from here saying El Cortes Ingles this way...and I even SAW it while I was walking! It's like it disappeared into thin air! But it's okay...I guess. I did enjoy my time in Pamplona when I got to see a wonderful African group perform. I wanted to dance but my knees told me NO! I do talk to my body often to make sure it still loves me after all I have put it through...and it does! I loved the food we ate yesterday in Los Arcos...some pork loin, patatas fritas, and some sandia (watermelon). I had a pretty nasty fall today on another note. My shoelace came off the hook of my boot and I slowly saw myself fall in sloooowww motion. My hand doesn't like me very much right now...(it told me so)...but it will get over it. I told it I will make it up to it. I do miss my family and friends and hope to see you all soon. Continue to pray for my strength and endurance because this hot sun is not very nice during 20 miles of walking! Love y'all. Muah!

happy 4th

2006-07-04T12:58:00.000-04:00

Last July 4th I was setting off (and dodging) fireworks in northwest Montana. This July 4th I will probably be asleep before it even gets dark. My body aches, my mind barren of any intelligible thoughts, and I can barely muster teh energy to write. As luck would have it, the sun has disappeared behind the clouds for the tiem being... of course, this was not the case today as it whipped our skin (and my spirits) in the open plains between wherever we were last night and Logrono. Ahh, how I wish the world would pause just for a moment so I may catch my breath...

As my Madrid friends would say whom I seem to meet up with at the end of every day of walking (but their grandmothers would never dare say): Cojon!!

Naps Are Amazing

2006-07-04T12:28:00.000-04:00

So today was only my second nap of the entire Camino. This said, today ranked in the top two of my favorite days on the Camino. I´m glad to see that Allie has already to cleaverly posted about the question game. The funny thing is that after you have played the game for an hour or so, your mind only thinks in questions, and it takes some time before you can function as a competent human being once again.
All in all, today was a great hike. At one point we stopped tomake ¨bocodillos¨with cheese and tomatoes, and we washed them down with mini ice cream bars we found at the supermarket. I had been waiting in line for like 20 minutes to get some cheese from the deli and all of these old spanish woman were jumping in front of me and getting helped. I was so confused because I was sure the woman behind the counter saw me( I was atleast a foot taller than most of these women). Finally, one of these women asked me if I had taken a number.............I had not. I was a little frusterated until all of these sweet grandmothers conferred and decided that I could order next. So my thanks to las abuelas de espana.
Also along the trail I saw a man I had met a day before who had been involved in a car accident and was in a coma for six months. We talked the other day about how his doctor told him he should no longer smaoke, but he does not listen. If you heard him breathe, you would know this is good medical advise. To make a long story short, yesterday he told me he was done smoking and today I saw him smoking undr a tree. So I stopped to scold him in Spanish. What a day. Now I´m off on a tour of logrono and I´m going to Corte Ingles to purchase more bandades. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

What is The Question Game?

2006-07-04T10:28:00.000-04:00

How do you stay entertained during a seven hour hike across the Spanish countryside? Is it possible to be distracted from thoughts of aching feet and greasy sunscreened arms? What if we played a game in which everyone has to ask only questions? Don´t they play something like that on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Which order should everyone go in? What are the criteria for a question to be valid? Shouldn´t the questions have to be related to the question asked by the previous person? What if someone goes out of turn accidentally? What if we play it like ¨HORSE¨, where you get a letter for every mistake you make? Could this be fun? How long could we play for? Would we start asking silly questions like ¨Don´t you hate it when old ladies call hot dogs weiners?¨ and ¨What is the meaning of life?¨ Doesn´t this sound like fun?

The Fountain of Wine

2006-07-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

Something new is always happening on the Camino, and Estella was no exception. On the route out of town is the famous Fountain of Wine. If you don´t believe me, go to www.irache.com and watch the live webcam. A group of us started out early from the Albergue, but Andy was on a torrid pace. How could he possibly maintain this speed for 22 kilometers? None of us could keep up, and he was out of site in no time. But about 15 minutes later, there he was enjoying himself at La Fuente de Vino. The moral of the story: anyone can walk fast; you just need a little motivation.

Pablo el matamoscos

2006-07-03T11:28:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time there was a terrible fly infestation within the walls of the quaint little pueblo known to the locals only as Los Arcos. It is in this pueblo in which our story begins. After years of struggles to overcome the tenacious beasts roaming the streets, the people of los arcos finally realized that if they were going to have any peace during thier albergue naps they were going to have to call in a professional. But where could they turn? What mighty worrior could overcome this ancient foe? Just when all hope seemed lost, a night in shining hiking clothes and a kickin backpack gallantly strode into town along with his loyal worshipers. Of what mighty worrior do I speak? Pablo el matamoscos, aka Paul the killer of the flies. Upon hearing the plight of the towns folk, Pablo took a little break from the events of the world cup which often dominate his attention and bagan his ferocious assault. The flies fled in fear, but none were quick enough to escape the deadly hands of the fly killer. I shall spare you the details, but you must no that none were spared, and death was intantanious. In the end, the people of Los Arcos prased Pablo el matamoscos, and his fellow pelegrinos slept in peace. And they all lived happily ever after.

Pleasure to the Ears

2006-07-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

The time was five fifty in the morning, when everybody was still sleeping from the previous night of partying. And in the albergue in a small town of Puente La Rena, pilgrims are already readying themselves for another day of walking. I am just one of them. But this morning was a little different. Just as Kate, Perry, Paul and myself approach the outskirts of the town planning to start our little journey, we came across a group of choir preparing to sing. It was of pure coincidence that we met them, but it was a blessing anyways. Their voices were beautiful and the song clear. I was awakened and freshened. It was a good walk.

The Minister´s Cat

2006-07-02T12:24:00.000-04:00

The other day we played a word game while walking called ¨The Minister´s Cat¨. What this game entails is using a letter such as ¨a¨ and going around the group thinking up adjectives beginning with the letter to describe this cat. They do not, however, actually have to describe a cat. So. Let´s say it´s my turn. I go, ¨Acrobatic¨. Then Ryan´s like, ¨Ample¨. Casey goes, ¨Agile¨. Kate: Ailing. Ti: Acidic. Chun Yi: Afluent. Etc, etc. This entertained us for about an hour (not bad, right?), though we exhausted the game before reaching ¨b¨.

Chapter 4: Toughest Day (D)one (revisited)?

2006-07-02T12:09:00.000-04:00

The last two days saw us walking from Pamplona to Puenta de Reina and from Puenta de Reina to Estella. According to Andy´s handy Camino book these days had difficulty ratings of two boots and one boot respectively. The first day warranted a three boot rating. However, as I was walking today and felt the hot sun burning in a cloudless sky and my legs beginning to feel the wear of a daily 20+ kilometers I was totally covinced that these days were harder. But aside from tired legs and a persistenly sore shoulder I´m still in pretty good shape and find myself thinking thoughts more and more interesting each day. There is no better meditation than walking...

Socks and Soccer

2006-07-02T09:16:00.000-04:00

Old news, but a pair of my socks was stolen back in Roncesvalles. They disappeared after a load of laundry.

We´ve been watching some of the World Cup matches in the local bars, and each one has gone to a shootout. Casey and Kate have a series of bets going; each picks a team and the winner gets a back massage. Casey is up 4 to 2.

The weather here has been extremely hot. I haven´t seen anything official, but it´s probably somewhere between 90 and 100 during the afternoon. Yesterday knocked everyone out, and we were all napping after lunch. The only way to beat the heat is to start really early at 5:45 or 6:00.

We´ve met all kinds of great people here. Everyone is doing basically the same thing and moving at about the same speed. There are two brother from Ireland here that bring a lot of great energy and excitement to the albergues. Other peregrinos come from Hungary, Australia, Canada, Italy, and many more. The diversity is extraordinary.

Today We Entered The Mountains

2006-07-02T08:03:00.000-04:00

Just kidding with the title there. That was a shout out to my man Mike who had to leave the Camino early to research for his dissertation. We miss you here Mike. In reality, today was only a one boot day based upon the three boot scale with which we have become familiar. I don´t really have anything exciting to report today. Kind of a dull day on the trail, but I do suspect that tonight should be an interesting snore fest based on the large room packed full of peregrinos in which we will be sleeping. One interesting thought that passed through my mind today was the little things that somehow remind you of home. Here´s the story: Any loses the ¨foot-like¨end to her walking stick in a mud puddle as she pòle vaults across. We start digging through the mud on hands and knees. We are unsuccessful. We all smell like muck. So my family lived on a canal for a long time and that muck smell was with me all day long, dragging back old memories from that house and the countless times I left the water marred by the stench. So to the family, I´ll have you know that I was thinking about you all day long and I miss all of you. Love you.
Casey

Dr. Allie

2006-07-01T12:01:00.000-04:00

So I´m pretty sure Allie is the next up-and-coming surgeon. I´m basing this assumption on 3 important observations: 1. Her absolute fascination with the blister situation which seemed to dominate our evenings last night 2. Her stringent attempts to maintain a sterile environment at all times (something which is never a top priority in my book) 3 Her willingness to dive into a new and smelly situation like grabbing the foot of a smelly 200 pound peligrino and not letting go until the proper medical care had been provided. In short, we should all be investing in this young woman´s future. I have set up an account in which donations can be collected. Simply make checks payable to Casey Emerson Joseph White...... no but seriously she the next up-and-coming thing so chech her out. In any event, the blister situation is under control, my thanks go out to Andy for the needle and thread suggestion........it is so amazing becasue it keeps you from having to drain the blister over and over throughout the day. Sounds wierd but really works.
Tried to take a nap today but the flies were all over me. I felt like a horse (I must smell that delicious). So instead i´m up meeting some people from all over the world and getting ready to leave to watch the soccer game. I feel like this is an interesting part of the camino because we are starting to form some genuine friendships with certain groups and individuals whom we seem to meet up with every other day or so. It´s been a great ride so far, so let´s keep the good times rolling. Love you Mom and Dad.
Casey

Chapter 3¨: Pamplona (What Else Needs to Be Said?)

2006-06-30T16:35:00.000-04:00

The lazy title of this entry may or may not tell what kind of day it´s been in the tremendous city of Pamplona where the running of the bulls is set to take place in only a matter of days. I hiked with the group headed by Andy for the first time today and while the pace was significantly increased with respect to the last two days, I still feel like I´m in pretty good shape and taking it one day at a time. I am really lucky to be able to carry on in the condition that I have been. I say this after witnessing a blister treatment ritual that saw Casey and Allie using a method vouched for by Andy entailing a needle and thread (use your imagination to fill in the rest) to exterminate the blister. Pamplona will probably go down as the city with the most inter- group confusion in this young Camino, but walking out on the town after lunch/dinner, watching awesome African drummers and dancers perform, and witnessing the sunset over the hills, has ensured that I will take nothing but positive vibes from this town and will regret not seeing more of it...buen camino.

the misfortune of miscommunication

2006-06-30T15:39:00.000-04:00

Warning! this will be long...

everyday we start out in two groups. group a (led by Andy), which moves faster, takes fewer breaks and leaves earlier, and group b (led by Annie), which does all the opposite. Today, Holly, Alec, Caryn, Pablo and myself were in group b.

Our hike was great. We took our time, had wonderful conversations, enjoyed the remaining views of the Pyrannes (I know I totally messed up that spelling). However, when we arrived in Pamplona, shit hit the fan.

At precisely one o´clock, group B arrived in Pamplona. Also at precisely one o´clock, group A and B were supposed to meet up at our pilgrim house (also known as an Auberge). Unfortunately, group A was nowhere to be found. After about 45 minutes of sitting around, Annie left to take a taxi to the other Auberge. Five minutes later she returned, saying Andy called her and they were already at the other Auberge. No worries though. We picked up our bags and were off once again, hiking another 30 minutes across Pamplona to the other Auberge... i sure hope I´m not spelling Auberge wrong...

30 minutes later and we find out the other Auberge is no longer in existance. By this point it was 2pm and the sun was beating down on us hard. All of us ate very little that day, expecting to arrive in Pamplona early for lunch since it was only a 22km day (personally, I ate a little chorizo and bread, half an apple, and a few handfulls of trailmix)... so, by this point, we were getting weary, quite pissed off, and thoroughly exhausted.

After 30 minutes of hanging around the non-existant Auberge, we got another call from Andy and he told us the address of the place they were at. Annie decided to toss us exhausted peregrinos in a taxi, but when we told the taxi driver the address of the supposed Auberge, all he said was ¨esta aqui! esta aqui!¨(for those nonspanish speakers, you are here! you are here!¨ Clearly though, we were not there.

After another phone call from Andy, we decided to meet in the main plaza. So, we hiked another 20 minutes back through town to meet up with our other groupmates. By this point we had been in Pamplona for 2.5 hours, our stomachs eating their insides out in starvation, and smelled like complete ass.

Finally, we meet up (3 hours after arriving in Pamplona), shower, eat lots of food, drink lots of sangria, and learn a valuable lesson in communication.

This was long. I am tired. Pamplona is great. After dinner I saw an incredible jazz trio that played Route 66, met some locals and shared a cigarrette, and now I must leave because my time runs out in 2 minutes.

With the understanding that this is way too long of a blog post, but with much love,

Perry

How to learn Spanish

2006-06-30T10:37:00.000-04:00

So I am tryinhg to make it a serious priority to practice Spanish while I´m here, but I often feel nervous and intimidated (fortunately my confidence grows with each day). In any event, Yesterday I spoke more spanish than I may have in my entire life combined. The reason...... I love little kids. Kate actually discovered the Spanish children in the river in Zubiri, but I quickly swarmed to cash in on the fun. By the end of the day, I was soaking wet from water fights, had learned the named of countless river-related terms (congrejo is like a little lobster that the kids wanted me to pick up which I refused declaring ¨tengo miedo como una chica pequena), had lost both of my sandals (running on the rocks did not help tender flesh and a swolen ankle I am nursing)and I had also been on the winning side of a local soccer game in the plaza. These children were all between the ages of 6 and 8, but they made me feel so comfortable with them and were genuinely excited that I was speaking spanish with them. In short, it was the best Spanish lesson of my life( no offense to Andy) and I have decided that the only sure-fire way for me to learn Spanish is to stay in Zubiri for the next six months. Goodbye America and I will see you in the winter. No just kidding mom. But I do want to give a shout out to my little boy Javier for returning my wallet when I left it by the river. Cooleset 6-year-old in Spain. In any event, I am here now in Pamlona with a swolen ankle and some grosse blisters on my two smallest toes on my right shoe which I will be nursing until tomorrow. Love you mom and Dad. Until next Post.
Casey

Taking It Home for the Team

2006-06-29T17:14:00.000-04:00

So back in Madrid we were at a bar watching a soccer game. Someone hadn´t finished their beer, and Casey mentioned to them, in a coach-like manner, that they should ¨take it home for the team¨. Later on, the next day perhaps, we were eating lots of meaty goodness at the Museo Del Jamon. I couldn´t finish my sandwich, and so Casey says, ¨Take it home.¨ I thought he meant for later, and so I said, ¨Yeah, okay.¨ and I put it down. ¨No,¨Casey said, ¨Take it home.¨ I think I was jamoned out at that point, and Allie took it home for me, but in any case the phrase stuck.

Soon we realized that ¨taking it home¨ applied to many aspects of our trip, and we have more or less adopted it as our team motto. For example: We´re on the trail, we´ve got 5.7 K left. What do we do? Take it home, of course. Breakfast? Take it home. Wine? Take it home. Mountain? Take it home, duh. I feel better if I think of the trip in mini-accomplishments this way, taking it home one day at a time.

Chapter 2: Iron Chef Zubiri

2006-06-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

I took my assignment of cook for today´s dinner with nervous assurance when Andy handed me the job assignement card this morning. Luckily the store in Zubiri was slight on the selection and my chef duties involved no more than slicing bread. This probably sums up my whole day. I have a looming fear that I´ll eventually reach a point where that wall will be hit. My right shoulder has been hurting me a little along with my right big toe. But I made it through the day blisterless, not sore, and can only complain about that knot in my right shoulder. So despite the nerves that accompanied the beginning of the day and that will probably accompany me at the beginning of each day this first week I can say that I am Ok and that the Camino inevitably continues on...

So...soo...sooooo...sooooooore!

2006-06-29T13:41:00.000-04:00

Okay, so as if I didn't get the point across before. I'm freaking hurting! Going downhill on rocks is not exactly walking on carpet. The soreness shall pass though. I felt this during training of track season. However, I'm a little concern about messing up my adorable feet, busting a knee cap, and breaking my shoulder from my backpack. Nevertheless, there has NEVER been an obstacle I can't overcome. I made it through a terrible bus ride...hiked from France to Spain in a day...and after chasing down my shoe in a fast pace upstream (which has caused even more unbearable pain on my feet)...I still count my blessings. I have stayed in really great hostels...nice beds...access to internet and phone...laundry facilities cause Lord knows I'm sooo tired I don't feel like washing...and most important...hot Private showers! Oh...way another important one....GOOOOD food. I was really worried about the food. I'm probably the world's pickest and weirdest eater, but I have actually tried some things I haven't before. I had some brie cheese in France...and I HATE cheese..but I was being a team player. It wasn't so bad. It tastes like butter. I had some delicious soup, trout, and Ore-Ida...yes! I said Ore-Ida (AMERICAN FOOD, LOL) after a long hike yesterday...and today I had some paella with rabbit in it, or so I think, and some pork loin. The flan that everyone got was awful, so I just had some helado(ice cream), which hit the spot! I'm guess this trying new things isn't so bad. And I also got to talk to someone very special to me today...which really helped in getting my day going. All and all...I know the pain and soreness will past...and I can really enjoy all these beautiful cities we pass, like the one we are in now, Zuburi. Well...that's it for now. Miss all my loves back home...see you soon though.
Deuces

Hiking underway...

2006-06-29T07:14:00.000-04:00

So we´ve begun the Camino at last. After a rather harrowing bus ride into France we hiked back through the mountains to Spain and now ride the hills downward to what I belive to be the plains of Spain. The hikes have been great so far, and so beautiful I fear the most scenic portion of the Camino will be past before we reach our half way point. Not to worry though...plenty more adventures to come. More precisely, lunch beckons, so I´ll leave you with an image of yesterday´s lunch in the pyrenees.
I send my love to you all.

El segundo dia

2006-06-29T06:57:00.000-04:00

We had another great day on the trail. We started out in two groups, one at 6 and another a little while later, but we ended up together because the bakery didn´t open until 7:30. The hike took us out of the Pyrenees and into flatter terrain. I finished in about 5 hours. Andy and I took off to find us a restuarant for lunch while the rest of the team finished up.

Spain is so beautiful, and the weather has been absolutely perfect. Today was sunny but not too hot. I´ve sincerely enjoyed every moment. Great views and wonderful company.

Chapter 1: Toughest Day (D)one

2006-06-28T12:17:00.000-04:00

Waking up at 5:30 this morning to begin what can understatedly be called a long day began the first day of the Camino. When Annie and Andy told us about the 1200 meter climb in the Pyrrenes I could only imagine it, now with experience I can say that it was actually pretty difficult. But we made it to Roncevalles in about eight hours and the toughest day is complete. My probelmatic right shoulder is hurting a bit, but other than that I´m in good shape. On goes the Camino...

In Pain...

2006-06-28T11:57:00.000-04:00

OMG! Today was really rough. I had to leave this absoulutely beautiful town in France to head out on the by far...TOUGHEST work out of my life! I would have thought all that training would have made this a breeze...or even the fact that I ran track all four years in high school and cross country one. But what a mistake I made! It seems as if I was walking uphill forever! My legs were burning so bad and I prayed to God to go downhill and when that finally came, I was in pain again...this time...my toes were getting. Nevertheless, I overcame all obstacles and I made it through this rigorous day. I'm so happy to say I did it. And the pay off was amazing. I saw so many beautiful sceneries...But I will be back at this again tomorrow. So I was told this was the roughest day of them all...I pray to God this is true, lol. Until then...

what a ride

2006-06-28T11:48:00.000-04:00

so we all wake up at 5:30, our bags all packed and ready to go, and we hop on the bus to deal with a driver who drived like Neal Cassady (for those of you unfamiliar with Neal Cassady, he hugged the turns like a prostitute coming to you on a random street, cracked out outta her mind) That was our driver.

Personally, I read the entire trip. But as we got into the Pierrenes and I was nearing the end of my book, I looked up and noticed the entire bus had gone quiet and all the faces had turned a slime green. Casey, who sat in front of me, had his head in his hands... the gentle giant holding down the most immense amount of puke. Finally we arrive, sleep in our pilgrim house and began hiking this morning.

Our hike could not have been any more perfect. We woke at 6 and were on the trail at 6:30. The morning began with fog covering our path. As we climbed higher and higher, it eventually dissipated to reveal the most incredible view; at the highest pass, one side we could see the rolling farmlands of France, and the forests of Spain on the other. We get in, Andy and I had some beers (which I am most definitely still feeling) and now I feel like signing off.

So... peace. Time to eat, drink and be merry in Spain.

- Perry el Peregrino

Day One

2006-06-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

Today was one of the greatest days of my life. ¨5:30 came early, but getting going early was key on such a grueling day. Caryn and I were on Caboose crew, so I was able to take the entire hike through the Pyrenes nice and slow. In all honesty, I am so glad that I was assigned to the back because this really allowed me to enjoy the scenery and the atmosphere. While some of my fellow peligrinos may not agree, I felt as if the fog made the entire day unbelievably sureal. I was literally and figuratively walking on the clouds today. At several different moments, I actually found myself peering down into the clouds.......crazy. When we finally hit the top of the Pyrenes (1200 meters of beauty and sweat), the sight was breathtaking. We sat down, ate our second sanwich of the day, and actually took a nap atop the beatuful peak overlooking our destination. In town, I met up with a man named Marcos from Portugal, and he showed me his entire plan for the camino along with some pictures. I was overwhelmed by his generosity and his willingness to share his story. Later I am going to be sharing my pictures with Marcos as well. He plans to complete the Camino in 27 days, so I fear we might be running a little behind our blistering pace. Another day, Another hike tomorrow. Mom and Dad, I love you.

Casey

We are in Spain

2006-06-28T11:31:00.000-04:00

The first (and toughest) day of hiking is over and the group is all here except for poor Chun Yi who is meeting us in Pamplona given the snafus presented in his air travel. Today was absolutely amazing so friends and family, await the posts from your loved ones because they will be contributing soon.

GIEU Camino de Santiago 2006

2006-06-26T18:21:00.001-04:00

GIEU Camino de Santiago 2006

So...this place is pretty beautiful, but it also seems so small. Weird...right? I feel like I have walked this city like 50 times and now know it like the back of my hand! Holly and I were just discussing how these past two days have felt like a week! Please dear Lord, don't let this time go this slow, but don't let it past either.
Chao

GIEU Camino de Santiago 2006

2006-06-26T18:21:00.000-04:00

i hate titles

2006-06-26T14:56:00.000-04:00

Seeing as we begin our adventure on the camino tomorrow, it seems appropriate that I finally post on this blog. I have had a little different of a training experience than everyone else; rather than walking in Ann Arbor or the Sand Dunes like Alec, I´ve been hiking around Paris, the Swiss Alps (actually, LOTS of Switzerland), Barcelona and Madrid for the past 3 weeks.

Now, after a schizophrenic, ethereal experience through Europe, it is a pleasure to be around familiar faces from home, rather than familiar faces from the hostel bar last night. I´m really unsure as to what to expect from our upcoming adventure, but I know that I hope to be pushed to the precipice of both my physical and emotional limits... and then shoved over.

- Perry

Happy Endings aren´t just for movies

2006-06-26T13:46:00.000-04:00

So here´s my story.....I arrived at Detroit Metro Airport with Madrid on my mind. I was ready to face the world as my mother drove away (with a few tears streaming down the face). Full of confidence and excitement, I patiently awaited the arrival of my dependable, responsible partner in crime, The Miss Ti-Yanna. Miss Ti-Yanna was important to operation Madrid because I had no clue what was going on. I am not exaggerating when I say this. Hostel reservations, directions.....pretty much everything you need for a successful operation. For time´s sake, let´s now jump to our layover in London.
NO Ti-Yanna. At this point I have given up hope that she and I might have missed eachother somehow on the plane, but I am trying to keep my cool, and act as any mature, able 20 year old might.........so I started to cry. Just kidding but i wanted to. Fast forward to Madrid.
No Ti-Yanna. Backpack Lost. No directions to hostel. No clue what the name of the Hostel even is. I´m trying to get online to use the computer but my card wont work. I am realizing that I have no clue where I am staying for the first time in my entire life. My Spanish is much worse than expected. So I do what any mature, able 20 year old might do........I call my mom. And she informs me that Ti-Yanna missed the flight but gives me the info I need to get to the hostel......Man I love my Mom. Fast forward to today.
Washed my clothes last night for the first time. It felt really good to slip into clean underwear after a three day tour. My bag arrived in Madrid over night and was delivered finally moments before this post. Saw some amazing art at the museum. Had a great time on my whirl wind tour of Madrid, and I am beginning to realize that everything worked out wonderfully as at always seems to in the end. Thank you to everyone who helped with the back pack fiasco, and I can´t wait to get going tomorrow.´

ps. Ti-Yanna, you´re still my go to guy