Day 5: Joan's Musings

A highlight of today was meeting Jacques from Australia. He is walking the Camino after having both hips given new life via surgery, like me. His wife encouraged him after doing her first Camino last year and now she's doing the Northern route. Jacque is here reflecting on retirement - is he ready for it or not?  

The "why are you here?" question is big. 

Doing much reflection on symbols since we started with the shell symbol that guides our way. Decided one of my symbols is a '64 Mustang with 300,000 miles! 

Mastering the art of sitting in cafes after walking  

Day 5: Susie Stork Spotter

Seemingly every town's cathedral has at least one stork nest. Nearly impossible to photograph with dinky ole iPhone, but super awesome to watch. Many (most?) have babies within them. The parents take turns with the babes. When one returns to the nest they make a racket and rub necks. (Is this where the term "necking" comes from?)

Fromista

Boadilla del Camino

Itero de Vega

Day 4: Hills and Flowers

Leaving Hontanas

Left Hontanas, wandered through ruins of monastery at San Anton and lovely Castrojeriz before a serious uphill hike. Flowers all along the way.

Ruins of monastery at San Anton

Approaching Castrojeriz

Leaving

Big climb

And down the other side into more fields of green wheat 

Day 3: 70 Years Old

We arrived in Hontanas, our third stop on the Camino. The morning was amazingly fog-drenched. The noon day on the "meseta" got pretty intense once the sun broke through. Celebrated Joan's 70 at multiple stops along the route!

Camino from Rabe de las Calzadas

Joan very touched to receive secret stash of cards from friends and family

The Meseta with endless fields of bright green wheat  

Arriving Hontanas

Birthday donut in the village 

And night before at our Albergue other peregrinos sang birthday songs from Denmark, Sweden, Holland and Scotland (and the Italian promised an aria..,)

Day 2: Joan's First Camino Lesson

Today's lesson: Let it go!  Second pair of shoes accidentally left behind in Burgos.

Shoes that remain

Day 1: Soy Peregrina

The pilgrims (peregrinos) on the Camino de Santiago are identified by carrying a seashell (often dangling from a backpack). The way itself is marked with shell images as you go. haven't found much research on the why of the shell image, but nonetheless, Susie is carrying two shells. One is from daughter Hattie (that she drilled with a pump drill when learning about the Ohlone Indians) and the second one is from her expert shell-collecting grandmother (who died at 97++ in 2014). Feels great to walk as mother-daughter and to have the additional grandmother (to Susie) and grandaughter (to Joan) on the path too. Matrilineal pilgrims are likely not who have historically walked this route, but we're proud to do it now.

Susie's shells

Day 1: Burgos

Arrived in Burgos on Sunday noon after bus ride through rolling hills of vineyards and tumbling stone fences. Everyone in town is out on promenade along the Paseo Del Espolon along the river. We spotted hundreds of families biking for Dia de la Bici. Had vegan tapas (who knew!) at cafe. Ready now for our first cathedral.

Dia de la Bici

Peregrino at the Cathedral

Getting real...

Let the magical mystery tour begin. Both of us feel like we are jumping into the unknown and ready to let it unfold.

Joan and Susie reunited at Chicago O'Hare

500 Festival 13.1

Becky joined Joan to do the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon as a send off. Mike finished just ahead of them to grab the pic. 

California ready too

Susie has been hiking in California to prepare. Happily Hattie has joined in too.

Coyote Hills, East Bay Regional Parks