Well - we are almost ready to depart, again...it has now become our annual pilgrimage and we anticipate this all through the winter months! This time, it will be special, because Beni, Julia's son, will be accompanying us. While he and Julia will be starting the walk travelling from Germany-Bilbao-San Sebastian-Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port (Aqquitaine, France) on the 15th, and walk up the Pyrenees into Spain, I will be starting two days later, travelling from New York - Madrid - Bilbao - San Sebastian - Pamplona to Roncesvalles, the official starting point in Spain, where my pirgrim passport will be receiving the first 2011 credential (stamp). Still packing, still monitoring the weather forecasts that are showing- incredibly - 25 degree (Celcius) (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the mountains of Spain, while we are still trying to shake the winter blues in New York.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Nuestro Camino 2011 - English
Well - we are almost ready to depart, again...it has now become our annual pilgrimage and we anticipate this all through the winter months! This time, it will be special, because Beni, Julia's son, will be accompanying us. While he and Julia will be starting the walk travelling from Germany-Bilbao-San Sebastian-Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port (Aqquitaine, France) on the 15th, and walk up the Pyrenees into Spain, I will be starting two days later, travelling from New York - Madrid - Bilbao - San Sebastian - Pamplona to Roncesvalles, the official starting point in Spain, where my pirgrim passport will be receiving the first 2011 credential (stamp). Still packing, still monitoring the weather forecasts that are showing- incredibly - 25 degree (Celcius) (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the mountains of Spain, while we are still trying to shake the winter blues in New York.
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ReplyDeleteFinally, a year after our last Camino walk of 2011, am I able to write down the happenings of last year....the memory still is filled with pain, not because of the Camino and our walking, but because during that time, we lost our dad....
ReplyDeleteNow, in 2012, and a week before our last leg of the Camino Frances, where we will walk from Santiago to Muxia and on to the End of the World in Fisterra, I need to have this text in the blog...for the sake of continuity and to honor our dad.
Bilbao - taking bus to San Sebastian
Arrived in San Sebastian, to find mom with anxiety pains which are making breathing difficult, and dad resting on the sofa, appearing more fragile than I have ever seen him; dad, my strong dad, the rock to all of us...now shrunken and frail...tiring himself out by just walking from the living room to the kitchen. I had to swallow back my tears to be able to cope with both their situations.
Dropping my backpack on the living room floor, I called an ambulance for mom, while trying to locate my elder sister (who, being a nurse, would be better able to assess the situation; but she was on her way back from a conference in Madrid). Finally the paramedics came, I covered dad on the sofa with a blanket and left some water and fruit on the table for him, while I climbed in the ambulance to accompany mom to the emergency room, where she was admitted to undergo a battery of tests, while I had to sit in thw waiting room and wait.. wait.. wait.. After an 8-hour flight from the US, another several hours between airports, flight to Bilbao, and bus ride to San SEbastian...I was physically drained...How was I to start my Camino...meet with Julia and Beni in Roncesvalles tomorrow? I cannot leave mom and dad in this state...
Finally, my older sister appeared at the hospital and she took over, while I got back home to see that dad had not moved from where I had left him...When I asked him if he was hungry, he expressed that he wanted a "tortilla de patata", the Spanish potato omelette...he had always loved eating it.
When I helped him to the kitchen table to eat dinner, I knew that this was the beginning to the end...and started crying, feeling a dark cloud overcome me and trying to ignore the premonition creeping and chilling my bones....He knows, I thought, he knows that he does not have much longer. When I helped him walk, this shadow of a man I had known all my life, I was feeling every rib, every bone on his body. After I put him to bed and covered him with extra blankets because he felt frozen, I cried over him, the life he had given us - over the father he had been to me - and I was unable to sleep that night.
How was I able to leave for the Camino with my parents in this state? When Julia called the next morning form St.Jean Pied de Port, I explained the situation to her and Beni. I wanted to stay with them an additional day or two to be sure they were stable.
Mom arrived with my sister shortly after that, her anxiety attack now lifted and feeling much better, but dad did not want to get up that morning. My sister said that I should plan to leave the next day since she was now there and had everything under control and there was nothing I could do at this point. I called Julia and agreed to meet with her and Beni at the Albergue in Pamplona.
Monday - Pamplona
ReplyDeleteI took the train to Pamplona,riding through lush valleys and mountains high and majestuous. I saw shades of green everywhere! This is what I envision Ireland to be like, though I have never been there - and to think we have it right here in Spain, the most beautiful country in Europe - so many different landscales, mountains, hills, plains, fjords- incredible!
Once I arrived at the Pamplona train station, I had to take the #9 bus to downtown, past the "running of the bull" monument. What a beautiful and vibrant city! Got a glimpse of downtown and city hall, where the San Fermines are proclaimed every year on the eve of July 7th, tracing the streets of the famous run while getting closer to the Albergue, a wonderful building next to the river's edge, run by the Camino Association from Paderforn, Germany.
Walking past the media-luna park, I crossed a stream by means of man-made stepping stones, and promptly arrived at the albergue, where from the outside I could already hear my sister's laughter - very distinct and contagious. Of course she knows no stranger, everybody is a friend to her, which is why we are like to peas in a pod. I am so surprised to see Spring has sprung everywhere; I see daffodils, crocuses, tree's early blooms, and smell the sweet spring air, so intoxicating!
I briefed Julia on the happenings back home, and we decide to play it by ear and head straight back to San Sebastian, if we are needed or if things become worse. After doing some grocery shopping and getting some supplies for the next day, we sat at the outside terrace with all the other pilgrims (most German-speaking), and we had a shared dinner on the deck by the water - Lots of laughter and shared stories, also accompannied by the hospitaleros' many stories of their years at volunteers at that shelter. This Albergue comes very recommended by us, we give it 5 stars.
Unbeknownst to both Julia and I, something wondrous and beautiful was happening: Beni was walking across a medieval bridge near the albergue and, fromthe other side, a blond angel met him halfway on the bridge; they looked at each other,and have not parted since (This year, 2012, they have already walked the Northern Camino along the Northern Coastline of Spain - we will surely meet them in Santiago ). Meike, a beautiful Dutch girl walking the Camino (twice), while elaborating her Master Thesis on the motivations and reasons of pilgrims on the Camino, asked to interview Beni, and it was love at first sight. They walked alongside of us, and yet in their own bubble of love, finding hearts aling the way in many different spahes and forms. Julia was a bit miffed, because Beni no longer cared to walk with us, but with Meike; but I was so excited and happy for them, recognizing sings of kindred spirits meeting.
Tuesday - Pamplona to Puente de la Reina
ReplyDeleteThe landscapes were breathtaking, juicy green and yellow fields wherever you looked, the path bordered by long lines of almond trees, and we already saw our first glimpes of the famous Rioja wines and their grapes. Sunshine all the way through the last hour, with a slight sprinkle of rain to wash the pollen in the afternoon.
We are now at the Albergue "Santiago Apostol" in Puente de la Reina, a very beautiful medieval town with a famous arched roman bridge spanning the river and taking us to the Albergue. We arrived dead, at least me, and I crashed for an hour before I could even start regaining my personality. The sun shone again and after a refreshing shower and great conversation with a multitude of people here (believe the have about 85 pilgrims checked in for tonight), I feel on top of the world again, since dinner will be served soon, and Julia has promised to go easier on me tomorrow.
Cannot post the pics yet, but between Beni´s and my cameras and the Flip, we have captured the essence of this beautiful Navarra and Rioja region of Spain - love it, love it! Julia and Beni will of course post their experiences with wild horses on the Pyrenees and their impressions during their walk from St. Jean Pied de Port all the way to Pamplona - I promise to then translate it into English and Spanish.
Wednesday - Puene de la Reina to Villatuerta
ReplyDeleteEarly the next day, I was finally rested and able to take some snapshots of the famous arched bridge. And then we started on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Camino I have seen over the past few years of walking. Stepping through whispering fields of green so bright it hurts your eyes, bordered by poppies, bluebells and yellow flowers called Calsa. Even the rain coming down feels soft and welcoming, so enchanting - it both cleans my face and my fears about what I had left behind and what we may encounter in the near future. This enchanting path brought much healing to me,the rain was mingling with my tears and I was feeling easier of heart.
Arriving at "Casa Alegre" in Villatuerta was an experience onto itself; we we pleasantly surprised upon entering this very special albergue run by a couple who had previously met while walking the Camino (he fromSpain, she Brazilian).
The have capriciously decorated the 300-year old buinding with whimsical Brazilian hammocks and cozy sitting areas for the pilgrims...SOOO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - and we could not have encountered nicer hospitaleros. We easily could have remained here for a few more days! Strangely, the hospitalero took one look at me and expressed: "Eres una meiga (you are a witch/healer)", to which I smiled a nodded. Again, all pilgrims shared in a wonderfil dinner of shared pasta, fruit, and all sorts of leftovers, headed by Beni and his by now inseparable Meike, what an enchanting evening!
Thursday - Villatuerta to Logroño
ReplyDeleteWhen we left Villatuerta, we encountered a multitude of snails on the paths along the meadows, and nearly broke our legs trying to avoid stepping on any of them. They were probably doing their morning jog. We promptly babtized this "the path of a thousand snails".
We now found that, as opposed to the other camino stretches, the villages on the routes hardly offered a rest for pilgrims, no cafe or bar providing the wonderful toast rubbed with tomato and olive oil. During this walk we met Brigitte,a German girl from PAssau walking off her very own demons (everybody has a story and reason for walking). When we eventually parted ways with her, we gave her (as we have so many other pilgrims along the way)one of our angels (this one for energy) to accompany her and encourage her to find her way.
We arrived at the village of Azqueta, where we were to wait for the bus taking us to Logroño, and we encountered a wonderful old man named Pablito Sanz, who came out to eet and gret us, as already done with thousands of pilgrims over the past 40 years. He offered to give us pilgrim shells and gourds to take with us. We went to his house and he showed us his garden filled with supples that he patiently would leaborate and prepare to figt to pilgrims: walking sticks, shells, and gourds. He represents thouse special peopleyou meet on the Camini who guide you with their light and warm your heart...Unforgettable!
Finally, the bus arrived and took us to Logroño, the capital of the Rioja; a mid-size town with a charming old downtown quarter.
Since we now received word that our dad had been hospitalized, we knew that this would be our last stop on the Camino. But, as always, with the promise to continue next year - there is always next year of walking together, washing away worries and sharign life's burden as only sisters can.
Ultreia!
Post-Script to 2011
ReplyDeleteReturning to San Sebastian, we spent the next week sitting at my dad's bedside at the hospital. He was now in a lot of pain,suffering from renal insufficiency.
I spent the saddest 10 days accompanying mom to see him each morning and remaining there all day through evening; seeing life's force draining off him.
Giving him daily Reiki energy healing sessions enabled him to rest temporarily, but then he would again be in pain. Two days after we returned to San Sebastian, Julia had to leave to return home to Germany, and my heart broke at seeing her saying her last good-bye to our dad - I can still hear her sobs.
When it was time for me to leave the following Saturday, it was my turn to say good-bye to him. I looked at him and thanked him for having been my dad and the force which througout my life enabled me to fly high. He was looking at me and crying, and so was I.
On my train ride all the way to Madrid, sobbing uncontrollaby and listening to a song over and over again (Paul Cardall's "Time"), I re-lived my life as his daughter, wishing him well on his next journey, knowing I will never see him again in this lifetime, never be able to speak to him, ask for advice, opinion, or counselling; never, never, NEVER - such a heart-breaking word!
A week later, while planting the spring flowers in the garden in New Jersey, and wondering why the Whistera vine suddenly had sprung amazing white blooms after 7 years of nothing but green, I received a call from Spain,confirming my worst fears. I took the next flight back home again, only to find him gone this time.
Gone, gone...like a ship leaving our harbor, getting smaller and smaller as he vanishes...and yet, wat of those who will be seeing him arrive on the other side? They will exclaim:"here he comes!" while I sob:"There he goes!". But he is not gone - he lives inme and in my sons, and will live in their son's sons - this is what makes ut eternal.
Papa, cumpliré lo que te prometí!