Got My Ticket Today!

Well, today my new passport arrived and with that in hand,

 I bought my ticket to Madrid. 

And the price was fantastic!

I paid only $980 on United to fly round trip to Madrid.

Kowabunga!

So I'm a real girl.

Now, I have to decide on one of two routes to take before meeting up with the others in Pamplona on May 18/19:

The Ossau Route beginning in Laruns, France, and walking down through the Pyrenees into Jaca and onto the Camino Aragones, then directly into Pamplona.

OR…

Picking up the Via de la Plata in Caceres, where I left off last year and continuing on to either Salamanca or Zamora.

The VDLP route is about 100-150 euros less expensive, and I like the thought of continuing on and completing the route perhaps next year.

But that Ossau Route is spectacular!

From http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/ossau/ossau_etp04_gabas_sallent.php

Oh decisions, decisions…

Any feedback from prior pilgrims?

An Umbrella for the Camino

Here's a photo to show you my top loading pack.
Can you see the straps on the side?
That's where I stuck the umbrella

There is some discussion about umbrellas on the Camino today and my vote is YES! 

By all means, carry one!

Up until last year, I thought it was funny to see people with umbrellas on the Camino.

Then last year, on a very hot day, I bought one.

And now, I'm addicted.

It's one of my favorite pieces of Camino gear.

First of all, I bought a bright purple one last year, 

so the color was cheerful on dark rainy days.

Second, when it DID rain, I stayed absolutely dry.

Last, on hot days, I bet it was 20 degrees cooler under that umbrella.

The sun would be baking other pilgrims,

who would be sweating and sucking down water.

I would be walking under cool shade,

very comfortable.

I'll never go without one again.

I don't take my umbrella with me.

I will buy one in Spain.

I bought the last one for 8 euros.

And not a folding one.

Those will break in the wind.

Nope.. a sturdy regular old umbrella.

Stood up the entire route.

I left it in Santiago when I came home.

Didn't want to mess with checking it on the plane.

Walking the Madrid route, I had shade all the way.

This is how I store it when I am not using it.

I have a top loading pack, so I stuck the umbrella in the side straps on one side,

and my bread or walking sticks on the other side.

It was great.

I could just reach back when I needed it.

Another photo of my backpack.
See where I have my walking stick in this photo?
That's where I put my umbrella.

So.. think about it.

You don't have to decide until you reach Pamplona.

There will be plenty of places to pick up an umbrella there.

Buen Camino!

PS: In Spain it is called a "paraguas"
para-aguas = for rain
as opposed to a
parasol
para-sol = for sun

I love Spanish!

Shoes for Camino 2014!

Yesterday, I got a call from Joe telling me there was a coupon from New Balance for $15 off any pair of shoes at their Tigard store.

That was good news since I am due for a new pair this year.



So Emma and I drove over and I looked at what they had.  In the end, there were only two pair that felt good.

One was this pair of brown walking shoes. I liked them. I liked the color.  They felt fine. The backs felt a little high, but that will correct when I add the Motion Control inserts.  I am a bit concerned that the tread is not hefty enough.  I bought them so I'd have a pair of shoes to train in. But I'm ordering another pair for the Camino.

The pair I really liked were the trail running shoes WT1210.   They are described as "trail runners."  These are not only comfortable, the tread is excellent.  It's much heftier and deeper than the others.  The only problem with them is they are not built on an SL-2 shoe last, which is what I like, but the size 7 wide seemed to fit ok. That was without the Motion Control insert, so I'm ordering a 7.5 online today.

Then, I'll decide which ones I will take on the Camino.

I think that is the only piece of equipment I need this year. I did purchase another Macabi skirt for the trip, because I sold my old one. I'm sorry now, because I really liked the charcoal color and this year, the only one on sale that would fit me is a dusty blue. It's 'ok' but I'm not a blue person…I'll probably sell it when the trip is over.

Today I am spending time with my granddaughter, who returns to school on Monday.
Next, I have one Nativity set to complete.
Then, I'll be getting out the final bills for the Anniewalker's 2014 Camino.

April is coming up quick!  Joe and I have been talking about which route we'll walk BEFORE we pick up our pilgrims in Pamplona.  I think we have decided to walk the Ossau Route from Gabas, hook up to the Aragones in Jaca, and then down into Pamplona.

It should take about 2 weeks, and it looks like a spectacular route! Check out this photo from the website:

 Here is a link:

Ossau Route

We walked some of this section of France when we walked from Lourdes. I'd like to scope out the area and perhaps offer this for others to walk next year, so I need to check on accommodation as well as difficulty.

Well, that's it for now.
I'd better get busy!
Buen Camino!
Annie

Starting to Train for Camino 2014!

Today, Patty invited me to a 9 mile walk in Vancouver.

We left Portland about 9:30 am.

It was overcast, foggy, and COLD!

Brrrrrr!

This was a Volkswalk and was very well attended.

There were 3 sections, and each section was 3 miles.

That's 4.82 kilometers, for those of you who think in metric.

I walked two sections, so just over 6 miles or 9.65 kilometers.

That's about half of what I usually walk in a day on the Camino.

It was enough.

It was so cold, that the hip I injured a couple of years ago

really began complaining.

So I decided I'd take it easy my first day out.

I think these cold Oregon winters are not going to agree with me.

I miss the desert heat.

But, for this year, I'll continue to walk and train with Patty.

The Volkswalks are very convenient.

And I am happy with myself for getting out of the house.

Looks like the next Volkswalk is on January 18.

It's the Hillsboro Loops and Soup walk.

It's a 10k walk, so should be perfect.

Between now and then, I'll walk on my own,

as well as start some classes at the community center.

Time to get in shape!

If you're looking for walks in your area,

check out www.ava.org

Buen Camino!

China Teacups

"You have hidden Your face from us… Yet, O Lord, 

You are our Father; we are the clay, 

and You our Potter, and we all are the work of your hand."

 (Isaiah 64:7-8)

* * *

A couple went into an antique shop one day

 and found a beautiful teacup sitting on a shelf.  

They took it off the shelf

 so they could look at it more closely, and said, 

"We really want to buy this beautiful cup!"

Suddenly, the teacup began to talk, saying

 "You know, I wasn't always like this.  

"There was a time when I was just a cold, hard,

 colorless lump of clay.  

One day my master picked me up and said,

 'I could do something with this!'  

Then he started to pat me, roll me, and change my shape.

"I said, 'What are you doing?!  

That hurts!  

I don't know if I want to look like this! 

Stop!"

"But he said, 'Not yet…'

"Then he put me on a wheel and began to spin me 

around and around and around,

 until I screamed, 'Get me OFF! 

I'm getting dizzy and sick!'

'Not yet.' he said.

"Then, he shaped me into a cup 

and put me in a hot oven. 

I cried, 'Let me OUT! It's hot in here! 

I am suffocating!'  

But he just looked at me through the glass and smiled 

and said, 'Not yet.'

"When he took me out, 

I thought his work on me was over, 

but then he started to paint me.  

The brush was cold and wet and the colors were dull.

It was not a pleasant experience at all!

"I couldn't believe what he did next!  

He put me back into the oven! 

I cried, 'You have to believe me! I can't stand this!

 Please let me out!' 

But he sighed, and said, 'Not yet.'

"Finally, he took me out of the oven 

and set me up on a shelf 

where I thought he had forgotten me.  

"Then one day he took me off the shelf 

and held me before a mirror.  

"I couldn't believe my eyes!  

I had become the most beautiful teacup 

that everyone wants to buy!"

* * *

I love this story I read in Joyce Meyer's book, "Beauty for Ashes."

The message?

Sometimes that is all we have left to do

is submit to the Potter's hands.

Just relax, 

stop fighting, 

and let the Universal Power take over.

If we can do this, 

we may wake up one day and realize

 after all the pain we've endured, 

we are no longer cold lumps of clay,

but are like a rainbow of beautiful teacups.

Another Death

I'll tell you, it's been a heck of a year.
This will be remembered as
"The Year People Died."

I just got word that my cousin died.

To add insult to injury,
his 96 year old mother is in a nursing home,
and my cousin's wife has decided not to tell her until
AFTER he's cremated.

This is cruel to me.
I have three sons.
I can't imagine people not telling me
if one of them died.
In our family,
a mother has the RIGHT
to say goodbye to her dead son.

My Aunt Vena lost her youngest son
a few years ago.
It was very hard on her.
Now her eldest has died.
Her last son.
And even if it kills her,
she has the RIGHT to know
and to see him.

Bad enough, they're cremating him
and not having a funeral.
Funerals are, after all,
for the living, not the dead.

But to keep his mother from saying goodbye.

When I say she's 96,
don't get the wrong idea.
My last aunt lived until she was 105.
Aunt Vena could have another 10 years.
People in my family live long lives.
My last grandmother just died in the past two years.

My aunt Vena is sharp as a tack.
She's not in the nursing home because of mental disability.
She's in there because she can't walk.
There's nothing wrong with her mind
that you wouldn't expect from a 96 year old.

Yes, she sometimes repeats the same stories,
and on occasion she dreams she's talking to her dead sister.
But she knows me each time I visit,
and she's very "with it."
She remembers names and dates and events
that I've long forgotten.

I think this is the most horrendous decision
I can imagine.
I'm just sick about it.

I may be out of email reach for a week or so
while I go to California
to pay my respects.

I ask those of you who pray
to pray for my aunt,
and to pray for the daughter-in-law
to make the right decision
before it's too late.

Thanks,
Annie

MCS and My Camino

I haven't posted much about MCS lately.

Although part of my healing process is NOT focusing on the MCS,

I don't want to lose track of the reason I do these trips on the Camino.

Life for many people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) can be nothing short of Hell until they find a safe place to live and become very aware of which substances trigger their reactions.

Once they know that their "brain fog," "emotional distress," "fibromyalgia," "rheumatism," or "mysterious migraines" are all symptoms of MCS, there is little that can be done to make life normal apart of staying away from the trigger substances (which you learn to identify over time), and chemical chelation or long-distance walking to chelate those substances.

After being diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, I was given two choices.

I could undergo chemical chelation, where they give you an intravenous chemical 

which causes your muscles, bones, and tissues to dump the toxins all at once.

Or I could do it more naturally, by long distance walking.

I chose long distance walking 

because research showed that chemical chelation 

led to damaged liver and kidneys 

more often than it helped.

* * * * *

What is MCS and how does it affect a person?

Well, pretend you're walking along a wooded hiking trail.

It's a beautiful day and you're looking at the trees and enjoying the sunshine.

You come around a sharp bend and suddenly, 

right in the middle of the trail,

is 

a HUGE RATTLESNAKE!

YOU ALMOST STEP ON IT!!!

This is what happens next:

1. Sequences of nerve cell firing occur and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are released into the bloodstream.

2. These patterns of nerve cell firing and chemical release cause your body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes:  

3. Respiratory rate increases

4. Your blood is shunted away from the digestive tract and directed into muscles and limbs

5. Your pupils dilate

6. Your awareness intensifies.  Sight sharpens. Smells are much more discernible. Light becomes almost unbearable, as do loud noises.

7. Your impulses quicken.

8.  Your immune system mobilizes with increased activation.

9.  You become prepared - physically and psychologically - to either fight or escape.

10.  You begin to nervously scan and search the environment, looking for "the enemy."  

11. You  tend to perceive everything in your environment as a possible threat to our survival.  This fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind and moves us into "attack" mode. 

12.  Your fear is exaggerated.  Your thinking is distorted as you see everything through the filter of possible danger.

AND THEN YOU REALIZE 

THE 'SNAKE' 

WAS ONLY A STICK 

LAYING ACROSS THE TRAIL.

IT DOES NOT MATTER.

THE CHEMICALS AND HORMONES HAVE FLOODED YOUR BODY.

YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT/FLIGHT REACTION.

There is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones in your body. 

If not properly metabolized, 

this stress leads to disorders of your autonomic nervous system 

(causing headache, irritable bowel, high blood pressure) 

and immune system

 (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, depression, 

and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies.)

* * * * 

What Comes Next...

For my body, the next four days are miserable. 

It's like a bomb went off next to me. 

My muscles ache, my head aches,

 I'm super sensitive to sound, smell, and light. 

Depending on the severity and cause of the exposure, 

I may be in bed for several days with these flu-like symptoms.

Long term affects include a life of total reclusiveness,

 out of fear of a reaction. 

You are afraid to go to the market. 

You cannot go to the movie theater. 

No more dinner dates. 

No family parties. 

Church is no longer possible, 

nor are dances.  

Why? 

Because the 'snakes' which cause the reaction 

(which we all agree is an amygdala response) 

are common everyday substances such as perfumes, 

colognes, scented detergents and fabric softeners, 

FEBREZE, scented lotions, scented candles, 

scented make-up, 

and the horror of horror, 

scented house sprays and plug-in fresheners.

And frankly,

it's impossible to avoid those

in public buildings.

When my specialist suggest long-distance walking 

to chelate the chemicals that are so bothersome to me, 

I looked far and wide for an appropriate trail. 

There was nothing in the United States 

that was safe enough for a woman walking alone. 

There was nothing in the United States

 that was well-enough supported for a sick woman walking alone.  

So, I continued to search, 

and eventually found the Camino Santiago.

After my first Camino, 

I felt better than I had felt in years.

This was great, 

but I couldn't afford to go back each year.

So I began trying to figure out how I could do it.

I was offered the opportunity to walk with a group of pilgrims, 

helping them along their way.

In exchange, 

the cost of my trip was covered.

This worked great, 

and I've continued to do it since.

I make it clear, 

this is not a tour.

I simply facilitate.

For the most part, 

you're on your own.

You are free to walk alone,

or with our group.

You have a clean bed booked in a private shared double room 

each night when you finish walking

so there's no need to rush for a bed.

You can walk some of the best sections of the route.

And I get to do my prescriptive walking.

So how about it?

Want to come along?

You'll feel so much better if you walk those toxins

out of your system!

This year's trips are full.

But you could join us in 2015

for a mixed group 

or a Crone's Camino.

More information on my website 

at www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

Until then . . . 

Buen Camino!

Annie

Internet Along the Camino

When I first began walking the Camino, 

the whole world didn't carry a cell phone. 

 If you wanted to get in touch with family back home, 

you had few options.

Some of the albergues had computers that were available to the pilgrims. 

You would pay a Euro and get 15 minutes on the computer. 

If the computer was lined up, or did not work,

 it was a matter of finding a locatorio if you wanted to send an email. 

Most larger cities had locatorios. 

You just had to keep an eye out for the sign.

Locotorios are places where you can sit down to a computer 

and pay by the minute. 

They often also had telephone services 

where you could make international calls home at a very good price. 

Whether or not the computers are secure is a good question,

 and doing online banking in a place like this

 is probably not a good idea.

The booths are for telephone calls.

You can still find locotorios in large cities, 

but many have been put out of business by the cell-phone mania.

Today, everybody and his brother carries a cell phone or tablet 

and free wi-fi (pronounced wee-fee in Spain)

 is pretty much everywhere!

Almost every village will have someplace 

where you can sit and use your device. 

Sometimes there are signs posted. 

Sometimes you simply have to ask. 

But the Camino is definitely wired.

Is this a good thing?

I don't know.

I'm not convinced. 

I remember the freedom in NOT having to carry a phone.  

In NOT having to find a place to plug it in each night. 

In NOT having to worry about someone stealing it. 

These days I must carry a phone

 because I accompany groups of pilgrims 

and they need to be able to get in touch with me. 

But do I like it? 

Not really...

The phone is like a tether preventing full freedom. 

And really, if there is an emergency, 

there are 50 other pilgrims that will pass you in the next hour 

and most will be connected.

So yes, 

there is internet along The Way.

But do you REALLY need it?

Think about it. 

It can be refreshing not being available by telephone 24/7 

and it wasn't so many years ago when people waited 

until we checked our message machine at home 

before returning their call.

There's much to be said for being unconnected.

Especially on a spiritual journey…

How can you hear the voice of God if your phone is ringing?

* * * * * * * * * *

If you MUST carry and use a cell phone, please be considerate of your fellow pilgrims. 

Turn the ringer OFF in the albergue.

Turn the ringer OFF in churches.

Turn the ringer OFF in restaurants.

Do NOT talk on your cellphone inside the albergue or right outside windows

Do NOT talk on your cellphone in churches.

Do NOT talk on your cellphone in restaurants.

Do NOT hog the electric plug when charging your unit. 

Do NOT walk away from a charging phone - you may return to find it gone.

Do NOT put electronics in bag transported packs

If you use the internet in a bar, BUY SOMETHING.

If you can't connect, ask them to write down the contrasigna (password)

Consider getting a Spanish SIM card for your unlocked phone. 

Remember, roaming charges can add up, so using your phone on the trail is not advised.

* * * * * * * * * *

My advice?

Unless you have considerable health issues 

or a burning desire to contact home every night, 

consider just not taking the danged thing…

Please?

Love, 

Annie

Doing Laundry on the Camino

I've had a few folks ask about doing laundry 

while on the Camino.

I think I've blogged this before.

But I can't find it so here goes…

If you are walking on your own 

and staying in albergues, 

there will almost always be a place 

for you to do HAND laundry 

and hang it out to dry.

If you are walking with us on our Best of Both, 

here is a list of what I know to be true:

SJPP:  Hand laundry in bathroom and racks to dry

Roncesvalles:  Hand laundry in laundry room and racks to dry. Also washing machines (lavadoras) and dryers (secadoras)

Zubiri:  Hand laundry and dry on line in back yard

Pamplona:  May be possible to wash small loads in sink and hang on balcony

Puente de la Reina:  Lavadoras and secadoras. Also a line to dry.

Estella: Hand laundry and dry on rack

Los Arcos:  Our hospitaleros will do your laundry for very little cost

Viana:  Wash in sink and dry on lines on balcony

Logrono:  Not sure. Hotel may offer service.

Burgos:  Not sure.  Hotel may offer service.

Astorga:  I washed clothes in the sink here and hung out on balcony BUT this is an expensive hotel so they may complain.

Rabanal:  Wash in sink and dry on lines on patio

Acebo:  Not sure but I assume they have hand washing facilities

Ponferrada:   Hotel will do laundry for a fee

Villafranca:  Hospitaleros will do laundry for a small fee

Sarria:  Not sure but assume they have facilities

Portomarin:  Albergue has lavadora/secadora and hand washing options. Lines to dry outside.

Palas:  I washed in sink and dried in window

Castaneda: I assume they will have a sink and lines to dry outdoors

Pedrouzo: Sink and lines to dry outside

Santiago:  Hotel may have facilities - otherwise wash in sink and hang in window or bathroom

Washing By Hand

Oh my! This is a lost art, isn't it?

Well, you're about to learn to do it just like grandma did!

First, buy yourself some hand washing soap. 

I use Fels Naptha but there are others, like Lirio.  

Go to the market and look in the laundry aisle. 

You are looking for a BAR of soap, not a liquid. 

 If in doubt, ask some nice lady,

 "Este es para mi ropa?"

It looks like this inside the wrapper.

Or, another brand might look like this.

Sometimes they have really nice gentle soap for baby clothes.

Once you get the bar, cut it into 4 or 5 pieces.

Share with friends! 

You don't want to carry all that weight, 

and soap is very inexpensive 

and easy to find on the Camino. 

Remember to bring a baggy to keep the soap in.

So now you have your soap.

Next, locate the laundry sink.

It is most likely outside and looks like this:

Grab one of those plastic bins 

that are usually stored under the sink 

and put your clothes in it.

Those are also good to soak your feet in,

by the way!

Fill it with some COLD water. 

You won't have a choice.

 It's always cold! 

Now, rub the soap into your wet clothes.

Then rub them together, squeeze, etc.

Keep working until you make some nice suds!

Rinse.

Empty the water.

Put fresh clean water in the pan.

Rinse again until all suds are gone.

Wring out as much water as possible.

One thing you will find useful are laundry spin dryers. 

They're like an electronic salad spinner 

and they spin your clothes nearly dry! 

You must BE CAREFUL to balance the load.

 If they start jumping around 

and knocking against the sides loudly, 

STOP and re-balance the load.  

When you use these, 

your clothes dry in as little as an hour.

Your clothes are clean!

Now hang them to dry.

You might find a regular clothesline outside.

You might find a line right outside your balcony window.

More often, you will find a rack that looks like this one:

I always take safety pins instead of clothes pins 

to hang up my clothes.

They are less likely to blow off the line

or to walk away.

They also weigh nothing.

So there you go.

Don't be offended.

I know most of you probably already know 

how to do this.

But you'd be surprised how many people

have never hand washed their own clothes.

Be aware that if you have the hotel do the laundry,

it could shrink into something unrecognizable.

They use HOT HOT HOT water to wash 

and HOT HOT HOTTER air to dry.

I prefer to do my own laundry.

Good thing my Macabi skirt only requires washing 

every few weeks!

Buen Camino!

Annie

Joe does laundry in SJPP

PS:  I just found my old blog. 

Here is the link if you are interested.

There are some fun photos there:

doing-laundry-on-camino.html

Buen Camino!

Annie