Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[KiwiNomad06]

Hi there everyone! I have just been enjoying a few days in Paris, getting over jetlag, and also getting surprised by sunburn, although they had snow here just last week!

Today I explored a few Parisian bits of the Chemin de St Jacques that I am about to begin. I saw the Tour de St Jacques, which I first saw two years ago. The bottom third is still swathed in sheeting, under renovation, but the top two thirds looked magnificent in the sunshine, against a blue sky. When I finally get home I will post a photo! I sat quietly in a nearby garden and thought about all the pilgrims who have gone before. I then briefly visited Notre Dame before heading across the bridge to the Rue St Jacques. I walked up the hill past the Sorbonne and finally reached the Church of St Jacques Haut Pas. There was a wonderful old statue in there of St Jacques, as well as a superb carved wooden plaque. So I feel like I am on my pilgrim way now!

Tomorrow I will catch the train to Le Puy, where I plan to spend Sunday exploring; then to start walking on Monday. I do have a blog but am not sure I will get to update it often in France.

[sillydoll]

Bon Route - bon chemin and wishinbg you sunshine, clear skies and a wonderful walk Kelly.

[Deirdre]

Wishing you all the best on your journey. Keep us posted when you can...lots of people are with you in spirit.
Buen Camino,

[KiwiNomad06]

Have been walking for nearly two weeks now and it is a wonderful experience. Am currently in t-shirt and using sunblock here in Conques (where I am resting for Sunday) but a week ago it was very very cold and wet crossing the Aubrac Plateau. I have met many wonderful people in the gites and the countryside is incredibly varied and beautiful.
There is hardly anywhere to use the internet en route. Will catch you all up with photos on ,y bog when I get home I think!
Margaret

[windeatt]

Hello Margaret

Glad to hear you are enjoying the walk and having a bit better weather than we did (well, recently anyway). Yes, we found it very difficult finding internet connections too. Susan went off to Pamplona on Monday to finish off our half-completed pilgrimage. She's somewhere on the way to Logrono now. I guess you won't manage to catch up with them (are you going all the way?) unless you walk incredibly fast or they walk even slower than planned.

I'm enjoying being on the other end this year and just reading her blogs - apparently they have the Internet in Spain!

http://www.suzielda.com/camino/index.php

I guess there will be photos when she comes back. Will look forward to seeing yours! All the best,

Sandra (at home this year digging my allotment)

[KiwiNomad06]

I think I have had much better weather! It is raining this afternoon - a good day to find the internet- but it has been warm and sunny most days. I have reached Condom so am into the long curve south west towards the Pyrenees. I hope to cross them in about two weeks.
Margaret

[windeatt]

Hi Margaret

We walked from Condom to St. Jean in a bit less than two weeks and we are not fast walkers so you should be there easily in two weeks. Susan and friend are currently in Hontanas on the Meseta where it is green and pretty (it's still quite cold and rainy there apparently). But the camino is incredibly busy. Hopefully it won't be so packed by the time you arrive (it seems to have been a May bubble). How busy has it been for you?

We found the stretch from Moissac to the Pyrennees quite refreshing in that most pilgrims had, like ourselves, done the previous bit from Le Puy and weren't going mad trying to cover too many kilometres in a day so we tended to meet up with the same people as we progressed - which was very pleasant. On the previous stretches everyone had (a) overtaken us after a day or so or they (b) dropped off like flies with various ghastly pulled muscles etc. We also found that the only rather ugly bit from Eauze to Navarrenx was compensated for by people being really very nice and providing benches, drinks and good wishes along the way.

Did you enjoy the Cele variant? Did you go to La Romieu on the way to Condom? I had wanted to skip La Romeiu but my daughter insisted and it was well worth it - a lovely village with friendly people - the lady opened the shop specially for us and made us a sandwich when it was supposed to be closed for lunch. Also - if you get to read this before it is too late - the detour to Larresingle on the way to Montreal du Gers is very well worth it.

Well done and best wishes for the remainder of your journey!

Sandra

[KiwiNomad06]

Sandra, forgive my lack of reply as internet time is short. It has been very busy here the last week with big groups making it hard to find a place to sleep; but it is easing off now! I didn't do Cele as there was too much mud in other places to even think about it!
I am having a rest day in SJPP in a few days then have reserved in Orisson so getting up that mountain will be a little easier!
Margaret

[windeatt]

Hi again Margaret

No need to apologise - we remember how difficult it was to find a computer in France. And, when we did, their keyboards and general ricketiness caused us enormous problems. Yes, you were wise not to do the Cele in wet weather.

We did exactly what your are doing - had a rest day in SJPP - lovely town - and reserved in Orisson. Several people had told us we wouldn't find the hike over the mountains too bad after coming from Le Puy and, despite our nervousness about the climb, we found they were quite right. It was really not too bad at all (especially after the break at Orisson) - it only took us five and a half hours and we are not fast walkers at all (and that included a long chat with an Italian lady in a car when we hit the road at the bottom - she wanted to know all about the camino for a friend).

With best wishes for good weather and wonderful views!

Sandra
(and Susan - currently approaching Leon: http://www.suzielda.com/camino/blog.php)

[KiwiNomad06]

Thanks Sandra! I have arrived in SJPP and it feels a little like a miracle to have walked so far!!!!! I got someone to take a photo of me as I arrrived at the Porte de St Jacques< Then they wished me happy holidays and I thought .... if you only knew!
I have a rest day here then am in Orisson on Thursday, to break the climb,
>
Margaret

[windeatt]

Well done!

[sillydoll]

Congratulations Margaret! Take care in the mountains - especially if the weather deteriorates.
Having cycled so many thousands of kms - are you enjoying the walking more or do you sometimes wish you had cycled again this time?

[KiwiNomad06]

Thanks sil! No, this is definitely a track for walking, and I have met so many good people along the way each day and each evening. There are quite a few cyclists here in SJPP and it seems strange that they will finish so quickly! I am not sure if I will walk the whole of the Spanish Camino... it depends on how hot it gets. We will see1
Margaret

[KiwiNomad06]

I have been in Spain for a week now. I had a night in Orisson en route over the Pyrenees, and we were lucky to get great climbing weather with superb views as we crossed. At Orisson we had the best rainbow I have ever seen in the evening, stretched out across the hills.
The rain waited until Spain and it was pouring as we left Roncesvalles - hard for the new pìlgrims just beginning. It has been cooler in Spain so far than in France but I don´t mind that, as I am worried about it getting too hot before I finish. Got my photo taken with the sculptures on Alto del Perdon so will post that when I get home. In Navarrete this evening in yet another beautiful historic building for a municipal albergue.
Margaret

[windeatt]

So glad you got great views over the Pyrennees - it makes you feel as if you are really going somewhere . . . . P.S. Susan is almost in Santiago -

[KiwiNomad06]

In just three days more I am expecting to walk into Santiago. After more than 70 days walking, my muscles are definitely looking forward to some well earned blobbing-out time! But I am enjoying Galicia very much... so green and leafy, and undulating hills to keep the interest up. Lots of traces here too in the last few days of the historical Camino. On Sunday, leaving from Sarria, I found the crowds on the track quite a shock, but it has not been so bad since: we must have hit some of the weekend crowds. I thought it might be hard to get accommodation this end, as we are into July now, but so far so good: there seems to be a little lull before all the main Spanish holidaymakers hit the trail.

It has been quite an experience... and it has changed along the way. I met Brendan in Rabanal, which was a very welcoming place to stay and I recommend you all manage to make it a stop! Thanks to various people on the forum who have encouraged me along the way - Brendan, Sil, Windeatt and others. And thanks to Rebekah Scott who hosted me in the wee village of Moratinos!
Margaret
Kiwinomad

[Rose Louise]

Margaret,

From your mails I can see that it has been a very positive experience for you. With only a few days to go until you reach Santiago it is appropriate to say well done. Best wishes on a fine achievement.

Rose Louise

[KiwiNomad06]

I am in Santiago now! On Friday we arrived in Monte de Gozo in misty drizzle that made it hard to find the albergue! Walked into Santiago feeling fresh on Saturday morning in much better weather and got our Compostelles! Now resting and off to Finsiterre by buis in the mornng!

[sillydoll]

CONGRATULATIONS MAGGIE!!! Well done peregrina.

[Rebekah Scott]

Well done! Thanks for sharing your journey with us lot!

Rebekah

[Janeh]

congratulations margaret! I have been reading your blog as you've travelled and made notes in my own list as to places you liked etc so that I have some more facts at my finger tips! Well done! You must be so proud of yourself! cheers, jane

[KiwiNomad06]

Thanks Jane! Yes, standing in front of the Cathedral in Santiago early in the morning of Saturday 5 July was a very special moment. Then getting my Compostela was also a proud moment. But best of all was banging into some people again that I had met along the way.
Monday I took the bus to Finisterre, and am glad that I reached the coast, even if it was as a tourist! And now I am at home, resting after a long journey, and thinking about all the wonderful experiences I had along the way.
Jane, I hope your preparations continue to go well.
So I guess that marks the end from me of this "live from the Camino" thread!
Margaret
Kiwinomad