The MYTHS of the Camino Santiago

There are several myths that have been and are being generated that there is ONE path and ONE way to walk to Santiago and there are "rules" that must be followed in order to be a 'real pilgrim." There are several definitions of the word pilgrim. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a pilgrim can simply be a person who travels on long journeys.

So what constitutes a "real pilgrim" and what are these myths I'm talking about? One myth is that in order to be a "real pilgrim" you must carry your backpack. That is simply not true. People who could afford it have sought shortcuts and ease, and have hired transport for themselves and their luggage from the beginning of the pilgrimage. There were no "backpacks" originally. Some pilgrims walked with nothing but a cloak or blanket and water, and a staff or stick to help them. Some carried a bedroll. Some did not.



Some think the Way should be affordable for pilgrims, and that merchants, restaurants, bars, and lodging owners should cut pilgrims some slack. Sorry, not historically true. Pilgrims have been targets of $$$ stings from the beginning. Expect it. It's no different than any other place in the world. It's very much a commercial enterprise for many who live along The Way.



Yet another myth is that the Camino "should" be a spiritual experience. Though it often is, and perhaps began as such, there is no rule stating that. There used to be a spot on the Credential, and still is on some, asking if your journey is religious/spiritual. Historically, some walked with great feelings of religious or spiritual purpose. However, others walked because they were ordered to by a judge or court as payment for a crime.

The reasons for walking the Camino these days are legion. Kyung -Mi Im and SuJung Jun, in their interesting paper, The Meaning of Learning on the Camino Santiago Pilgrimage, state, "The Camino de Santiago itself is a spiritual way and a way of self-mortification that engenders physical and spiritual pain while walking for more than a month... many people have gone on this route of self-mortification in the past. It is because this way leads to the unknown world and is the way of experience of life that offers them the feelings of loneliness, longing, warmth, rumination of regrets, recovery, consolation, and self-discovery. For many participants, the Camino de Santiago leads to maturation. Furthermore, various people pursue communication and coexistence, reconciliation, and sharing for national and international peace on the journey...The travel on the Camino de Santiago is not a simple voyage, but a learning experience that consists of transformative learning. It also brings passion to life and catalyzes spiritual awakening and development."

Another other myth is that you must walk every step along the guidebook's stage, and stay in the villages suggested, whether it be Brierley or otherwise. Wrong again! Pilgrimages are often taken on horseback, or in carriages.


Modern pilgrims traveling via cart to Roccio

Some will tell you, "You MUST begin in St. Jean Pied de Port!" 

But where is the "beginning" to the Camino Santiago de Compostella? Is it St. Jean Pied de Port? Is it Roncesvalles?

No. The Camino Santiago begins at your front door. You get to the whichever route you are taking, however you get there, whether you fly, take a boat, or walk. You can take the high road or the low road, whatever suits you. You can walk on the designated route, or you can choose your own route. You can walk the "stages" or "etapas" stated by guidbooks, or stop and start anywhere you wish.

And must you sleep in a municipal albergue with coughing, snoring, farting pilgrims surrounding you?  No! You can sleep in a village albergue, refugio, municipal, or you can sleep on a park bench or in a church or a barn, or you can book a room in the Parador.

Sleep in a Hay Loft

or

The Parador

The point of the pilgrimage is simply to arrive in the sacred city of Santiago de Compostela. There is no specific starting point. There is no mandatory sleeping place. Historically, because it was safe for people to walk together, common paths and roads were created. However, those paths have changed over time. And people sleep wherever they can afford.

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church encouraged people to make pilgrimages to a shrine, believing if you prayed at these shrines, you would have forgiveness of sins and have more chance of getting into heaven. Some went to shrines hoping to be cured of an illness 

from which they were suffering.

Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages; notice horses.

Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela reached its peak during the Middle Ages. By the 12th century, the Camino had become quite organized. What is widely regarded as the world's first travel guide, the Codex Calixtinus from around 1140, provided the would-be pilgrim with the rudiments of what he or she would need to know while en route. Book V, the famous "Liber Peregrinationis" ("Guide of the Medieval Pilgrim") provided practical information, while Book II, the "Book of Miracles", would surely have provided encouragement while underway. (From American Pilgrims on the Camino)

A massive infrastructure developed to support pilgrimage and, not coincidentally, to gain commercially from it. Bridges were constructed across rivers to draw pilgrims to certain cities and they prospered. Pilgrim hospices were chartered by religious orders, kings and queens and they gained favor in heaven. All manner of commercial businesses were established to both take advantage of and to support pilgrims. Cultures mixed, languages merged and history was affected.

The routes we walk have been changed over time by war, new construction, natural disaster, re-routing TO some villages, or AWAY from villages that didn't want to be bothered by pilgrims.

An excellent example of a current route change is the path going down the hill before you get to the river at Portomarin. I much prefer the older path, and that's the one I take! Or the crazy dip down into Lorca. I ignore that dip and stay on the road - and enter the village at the exact same spot.

An example of a larger change is the village of Portomarin itself, the original village which you can see at the bottom of the water below the bridge.  When the water was dammed up, the village disappeared below the water. The church was brought up, brick by brick, and reconstructed. (For some great photos of the original village, and stories about that change, visit the wonderful hospitalera at Albergue Ultreia in Portomarin. )

Original Village of Portomarin and Original Bridge

These steps are not required!

So for those, for example, saying you MUST climb the steps UP into the village after that long walk, instead of simply going around them (a much easier way), because you must stay on the original Camino, sorry, they are way off base. Those steps have only been there since the 1960's when I was a wild teenager! Well within my lifetime! They are not part of any "original" Camino. I have climbed them once or twice. Never again!  

I turn right at this staircase and walk up a gentle hill until a park, where I turn left and walk right into the village.

So what is the Compostela? It is a document that certifies a pilgrim has completed the required last 100 kilometers of Camino de Santiago (and only the required last 100 kilometers!) 

Appearances of the Compostela
have changed over the years.

The Compostela was sought for the forgiveness of sins for those who walked as Catholics. The Camino was originally a Catholic pilgrimage (though some say it was a pagan pilgrimage long before - but there are no records I know of supporting that theory.) 

The Compostela is awarded by the Catholic Church authorities. A pilgrim collects it at the Pilgrim Reception Office. The Compostela was created in the 9th and 10th centuries. Originally the scallop shell was used to certify you had walked, and was picked up at the END of the pilgrimage, but that was an easy thing to forge, and so in the 13th century, the Church replaced that with cartas probatorias, the direct predecessor of today's Compostela. 

There is also a Certificate of Distance available, which is also very nice, for those who do not want or do not qualify for the Compostela.

Unlike today, people couldn't afford to just stop their lives and go on pilgrimage! They didn't just go walk the Camino Santiago unless they had been instructed to by a judge as punishment for a crime they committed, or because they wanted their sins forgiven, or because they sought healing, physical or spiritual. And those people were most certainly Catholic. 

Today, you don't have to be Catholic. You don't have to walk to have your sins forgiven. You can walk for many reasons. You can just walk for exercise, to see the country, to honor someone, to raise money for a charity, and a hundred other reasons.

If you are walking the Camino, the ONLY rule I know of is that you must be walking for a spiritual/religious reason and you must walk every step of the last 100 kilometers IF YOU WANT THE COMPOSTELA. 

That's it. 

It does not have to be from Sarria. 

It can be from ANYWHERE 100 kilometers out from Santiago. 

And there is nothing in the rules 

about carrying your pack 

or walking a particular street or path.

The only thing that remains true 

is the pilgrim goes towards Santiago de Compostella. 

The road you take there is of no matter whatsoever.

So go on your pilgrimage, whatever that word means to you, and enjoy it.

• Walk from wherever you want to begin. 
• Carry whatever you wish to carry. 
• Stop wherever you wish to stop. 
• Sleep wherever you wish to sleep... 
• And don't let anyone dictate to you any myths they believe are "the rules," because they just don't exist. 

Buen Camino! 

Annie

Ways to Avoid Blisters

 

This will be a LONG post, 

so grab a cup of your favorite beverage

and get comfie.

If you ask me what is the most important thing you take on the Camino,

I will tell you it is

YOUR FEET!

Without your feet, 

there will be no Camino.

So be sure to take very good care of them!

1. SHOES

Begin by purchasing the correct shoes.

I have several blogs on this topic.

I suggest a lightweight trail runner

with good traction,

and a deep, wide toe box.

Your feet ARE going to swell 

unless you are athlete

because we just aren't used to walking 

6-8 hours a day on the type of track

you will find on the Camino.

So be sure and get those trail runners

a size larger than you usually wear.

You can always put on a second pair of socks,

but you cannot make your shoes larger.

Trail runners trump boots, in my opinion,

UNLESS you are an avid boot wearer

and your boots are completely broken in.

There is no terrain on the Camino 

that warrants hiking boots, 

in my opinion.

One thing is for sure,

unless you are walking in high summer,

THERE WILL be rain.

And rain means wet shoes,

and wet boots mean BLISTERS.

Trail runners will dry overnight.

Boots will not.

If possible, stuff your wet trail runners

with newspaper,

and they will be dry and ready to walk in

by morning.

I do not suggest waterproof shoes.

Waterproof shoes hold the moisture IN

as well as keeping it out.

Moist feet mean BLISTERS.

2. SOCKS

Wear the correct socks.

One option is to buy double layer socks,

like Wrightsocks

Another option is to wear thin sock liners

with your wool socks over.

You can purchase expensive liners

from a sporting goods store,

or ladies can just buy inexpensive white socks

like the ones we wore in the 50's

and wear them under your trekking socks.

You can pick those up in any China store

(which is like a Dollar Store)

in the larger cities of Spain, like Pamplona.

In summer, I do not wear two pair of socks,

but my New Balance trail runners

almost never allow blisters.

I have heard of other folks wearing socks with toes in them.

I tried it one year, and it really hurt my toes.

The extra fabric can really take up a lot of space 

in your shoe.

But if it works for you,

go for it.

I certainly would try it at home first.

In fact, I'd try any of these solutions at home

before heading out for Spain/France.

3. TUBES

One problem I DO have with blisters

is with my small toe,

which overlaps the one next to it.

To keep this toe from rubbing against the other,

I buy gel tubes like the ones below.

You can buy them already cut

or you can buy them in longer tubes 

and cut them to size yourself.

These work great for me!

You can also get these

in almost any farmacia in Spain or SJPP.

4. LAMB's WOOL aka Hiker's Wool

Another option is to use lamb's wool.

You can find it on Amazon.

It comes in small packages and is very lightweight.

You just pull off a piece,

and wind it over and around the toes

that are rubbing together.

Works GREAT!

5. RESTING

When you first start out

you are not used to walking so long each day,

and your feet are going to complain.

Be nice to them!

Every couple of hours,

I stop, 

take off my shoes and socks,

and give my feet a nice rub.

I air them out and rest them for 5-10 minutes

while I have a snack or a drink of water.

Then they are good to go another couple of hours.

6. NO SHOWERING IN THE MORNING!

Get your shower at night before you hit the bed.

That way, your feet have all night to dry out

and harden.

Showering in the morning,

as much as your HEAD may like it,

will lead to BLISTERS!

There is no way to get your feet completely dry.

They will be moist and soft,

and you are more likely to get blisters.

It's amazing the difference this will make.

7. STOP THE MINUTE YOU FEEL A HOT SPOT.

If you are walking, 

and feel a bit of a hot spot starting on your foot,

STOP NOW!

Don't wait until it becomes a blister.

Stop, cover it with Compeed 

or some other dressing before you take another step.

This could keep you from getting a full blown BLISTER.

8. CREAMS/POMADES

People tend to get blisters on places where 

a) their shoe rubs/pinches, 

or

b) their toes rub together.

Some people have great success by rubbing their feet with 

Vicks VapoRub or Vaseline

before putting on their socks.

I have done this between my toes,

and it HAS helped on occasion.

I think it's worth a try if your toes are rubbing together.

You can buy small tubes of Vaseline

in any Farmacia in Spain.

9. TIE SHOES CORRECTLY

Believe it or not

there IS a way to tie your walking shoes correctly.

Check with your manufacturer.

As you can see from the first photo I posted,

on my very first Camino,

my shoes were tied too tightly

across my high instep,

causing a BLISTER.

Since then,

I'm careful not to tie them too tight.

Also, if you are DESCENDING,

be sure your shoes are tight enough around your ankle,

that your toes are not rubbing against the front of the shoes.

This may mean you need to stop and adjust.

10. BE SURE INSERTS FIT

Inserts can be a great help.

I use Motion Control inserts in my New Balance trainers.

They cushion my foot and keep my ankles 

from turning in.

However, be VERY careful when cutting inserts to size.

If you leave just a tiny space between the shoe and the insert,

you are asking for a BLISTER,

as your foot will be pinched with each step.

So cut those inserts carefully. 

11. SOAK FEET AT NIGHT

Most Albergues will have plastic dishpans

that you can fill with 

ICE COLD WATER AND SALT

to soak your feet.

Buy salt at the market if the albergue doesn't have it.

You can also take every opportunity to 

stop at streams and rivers

and soak your feet.

Some Albergues will have ponds,

such as the one at San Bol,

with icy water in which to soak your feet.

This really helps harden your feet,

especially if you use the salt,

and will help swelling

as well as help you not to get blisters.

Plus, it just feels SOOO good!

Soaking at Ligonde

Joe found a stream to soak in.

Find a soaking pan at the albergue!

San Bol has a wonderful pool for soaking

12. ALCOHOL CON ROMERO

Some people, me included, 

love Alcohol con Romero.

It is rubbing alcohol infused with Rosemary.

Yes, it's a bit heavy to carry,

but it is quite inexpensive and 

WONDERFUL for massaging your 

feet and legs after a long day of walking.

Find it in any Farmacia. 

It comes in a variety of bottles,

so just ask for it.

Worth even taking a small empty bottle with you,

so you can carry some along.

13. TO POP OR NOT TO POP?

That really IS the question.

I DO pop my blisters when I get them,

thought I get very few.

Relieving the pressure, 

then covering the blister works for me.

However, I usually do NOT get blisters,

because the minute I feel a hot spot,

I cover it with Compeed.

You then MUST leave the Compeed 

to fall off on it's own.

Removing it will remove a chunk of skin,

so before using Compeed, 

please read my blog post

so you understand how it works. 

You can do a search to the right.

I've heard of people pulling a thread 

through the blister and leaving it.

I don't personally like that idea.

I think that could open you up to an infection.

The Camino is covered with cow manure

and sheep manure

in many place, 

and I think leaving a wet string 

for bacteria to crawl up

might not be a great idea.

So these are some of my suggestions 

for avoiding BLISTERS~

If you have others,

please feel free to list them in the comments below.

Buen Camino!

Annie

Do You Speak Spanish?

 I hear a lot of new pilgrims lamenting, "But I don't speak Spanish!"

Honestly, it's not a problem.

Trying to learn just a few important phrases in Castilian will be very helpful.

Try to learn the following (plus more if you can) and you should be fine:

 Can you help me please?

Where is the bar?

Where is the taxi?

Can you call a taxi for me?

Where is the albergue?

What time does it open/close?

Is there a bathroom nearby?

Can I use the toilet?

How much does that cost?

Please

Thank you

One thing that will NOT help is asking your question in your home language S>L>O>W>E>R and LOUDER and assuming that will help! 

MOST people along the Camino do speak a bit of English, German, French, but if you ask, they will say "No!"  Think about it. Even if you speak high school Spanish, if someone asked you, "Do you speak Spanish?" you probably would answer, "No!" even though you DO understand and speak a bit. It's the same there. Just do your best. The locals will REALLY appreciate your effort and will do all they can to help you. 

There will also ALWAYS be other pilgrims around who speak Spanish. 
You'll be fine.

I promise.

2022 Holy Year!

 

Last week I received from Spain 16 brand new Credentials for the 2022 Holy Year!

This makes it real.  We're going! And I just can't wait.  This last couple of years have been trying for everyone, including me.  So many roadblocks, but we've busted through them all and there's light at the end of the tunnel!

The new Credentials look like they were designed for people walking from Sarria to Santiago. Only one side of the accordian-style booklets have spaces for stamps. So if you are walking an entire route, you will most likely need a second Credential, especially since you will need TWO stamps every day from Sarria.

I finally, after much agonizing, research, and anxiety, got my first COVID vaccination. I chose the Pfizer. The only issues I had with the first round was a sore arm and some pretty impressive exhaustion on Day 2. Not looking forward to the second shot, but AM looking forward to it being over and being able to fly!

Joe and I each have a full group for 2022, and they seem like a great bunch of pilgrims! I have nearly all my reservations made, though not in the larger cities, which appear to be cautiously holding off until later in 2021 to book their 2022  rooms. In fact, Gite Makila, where I HAD booked rooms for 2022, asked me to cancel my reservations until later in the year. So I've been exploring the option of staying only one night in SJPP and staying in a Gite near Orisson on night 2.This means for the first 3 nights, we will stay in "regular" pilgrim lodgings instead of private rooms in SJPP, Orisson, and then Roncesvalles. Honestly, it sounds like fun and I think it would be a great way to begin our Camino. It would mean not having to rush on Day 1 - having a leisurely breakfast before walking. It would mean having the family style dinner with pilgrims from all over the world on Day 2. Then, again, a shorter walk on Day 3.  Then, from Zubiri forward, we would switch to private and double rooms. We'll see how it goes. Several gites have been hurt by the COVID mess and lodgings at the bottleneck from SJPP are not as bountiful as they were before this all began. So we'll just make the best of it - like true Pilgrims - and "let the Camino provide!"

That's all the news for now. I'm in Dallas, Oregon, about 1.5 hours south of Portland and we're going to have two days of record-breaking 100-111 degree weather this weekend. CRAZY! So I'm hunkering down indoors and doing some more planning for 2022. It's making me want to walk sooner so don't be surprised if I don't take off for a few weeks this Autumn... the Camino calls...



 

To Córdoba then ???

I tried updating this post from 2016, and it popped it up here into June 2021.  What the heck!?  Anyway, I don't want to lose the information about Tony and I'm afraid to try to update my Malaga posts, so here it will stay.
*******
What a day!

My new Camino Angel showed up last afternoon in the form of a Peregrino named Tony, an Australian from Antequera (now). Tony is walking to raise money to buy wheelchairs for sick children in Antequera. He s a survivor of a usually fatal leukemia who was one of the few saved by bone marrow transplant. I learned his story over a bottle of wine he shared with me and also learned he too had been snubbed by the French guy!

In the late afternoon, Tony took a short nap and the others were horrified to hear his very healthy SNORING!!! They then, apparently, told him he would have to sleep on a mattress on the floor in the kitchen! When they told me this, I just said, "Gee guys, that's nice of you. He survives death to sleep on the floor!"

But I don't think Tony minded. I know I must sound evil but it gave me great pleasure to hear Tony's LOUD SNORING not only echoing, but amplified up the stairs all night. It literally shook the roof, like a big friendly bear!! I had good earplugs but the French guy woke me up several times tossing and turning. I know it's mean, but it just felt like Karma.

This morning, Tony and I were in great spirits and he had coffee while I waited across the street in the dark for my bus.  I've decided to jump up to the Madrid route to finish the sections I missed last year.

The minute the bus picked me up, I saw Tony leaving and I felt he had been keeping an eye out for me. Bless you, Pilgrim, wherever the Camino takes you!

My bus took me back to Antequera, my only option to get out of town, as it was a fiesta day. I had made a Hostal reservation at Lucena, thinking I might continue walking from there. However the ticket counter was closed today and I was forced to use a cranky machine. I bought a ticket to Lucena, then tried to get a ticket to Córdoba for tomorrow. The ticket machine told me that if I went to Lucena, there was absolutely no option to get to Córdoba from there!!! None. Zip.

I tried a dozen combinations and it said no bus to Córdoba from Lucena. I would have to backtrack to Antequera AGAIN and go to Córdoba from there. At this point it was like the Universe was telling me to just move on. And so I bought ANOTHER ticket to Córdoba, where I knew I could get to Madrid, then Vallodolid.

Imagine my frustration when the damned bus took a 15 minute stop at Lucena!!!! My Canadian friends and I just laughed. This Camino is kicking my butt this year.

So I lost €€€ on the room in Lucena plus I was out for the cost of the one ticket. I complained to the bus driver but he just shrugged and at this point I felt laughing was the best option.

Sooooo... I have already seen Córdoba and am really wanting to walk, (after a day of rest, now) so I got a train ticket to Vallidolid. It was spendy, €82, but so much faster than the bus would have been. It was already turning into a 12 hour trip! Met another angel on the train who helped me make the jump from Atocha to Chamartin in just enough time to catch our train! She was going to Vitoria.

Arrived here starving, stinky, and weary. Found a hotel for €40. Didn't have the energy to look further. I'd like to get onto the Madrid route tomorrow if possible but I don't know. I'm going to shower then check bus schedules. I have not seen Vallodolid but at this rate I am going to run out of funds and I will still need to find a place to hunker down for two weeks from June 1-15 until time to pick up my group.

Ok. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

One thing is for certain, life is an adventure! Isn't it great?!

Annie

 

My first hamburguesa!

 

Making Peace with my Buddha Belly

My entire life, I have kept fit.

I've always looked younger than my years.
I've exercised, watched my weight, and worked out.
My stomach has always been flat, right up until my breast cancer.

Now all that has changed.

Since my double mastectomy, I've had what most women survivors call a "Buddha Belly!" There is a layer of what I can only think is lymph fluid that has taken up residence right under my scar line. It looks like man boobs! And below that is a rounded gut that protrudes like a beer belly! And the frustrating thing is no matter how much I exercise, stretch, work out, the damned thing won't go away.

I guess at my age (68) I shouldn't worry about it, or about my appearance. I mean, I'm not in the market for a husband or even a partner at this point. But I do want to be and look my best, so it does bother me. Plus my clothes are tight around that protruding abdomen.

While finding, fighting, and surviving breast cancer was challenge enough, the resulting lack of estrogen from treatment seems to have fast-forwarded the aging process, and that's almost more difficult dealing with than fighting the cancer.  My skin has aged 20 years. I've traveled my entire life and the roads I've traveled are nothing compared to the roadmap now residing on my face!  I look in the mirror and see tucks and wrinkles and wonder, "What happened to you?!"

The REST of my skin is sagging too!  I mean, what the hell!? When I bend over and look at my legs, they look like my grandmother's legs!

Then there's the arthritis, which came on with a roar while I was taking the Letrozole that was prescribed before and after my surgery. Letrozole is an estrogen blocker and it brings on old age in a matter of days, not weeks! Your skin ages overnight.  Your mind gets foggy. You lose your balance. And Holy Hell, your joints become swollen and hot. It's a bitch, in a word!  My feet were so painful at one point that I would cry putting them on the floor, even after a short rest. 

It got to the point that I dumped the Letrozole. Whether or not that was wise is yet to be known, but it was so negatively affecting my quality of life that made the decision after about 6 months to quit. With my type of cancer, my ONCO score of zero, a biopsy done with a vacuum apparatus to keep cancer cells from spreading, paired with a double mastectomy, there's a very low chance of recurrence of cancer. For me, the side effects of Letrozole weren't worth the extra months it might give me to live in misery.

So now, why am I complaining about a Buddha Belly? 

Well, because I'm a woman and I guess I'm more vain than I thought.

I remember myself being young, sleek, and in shape.

Now I feel (and look) my age.

And I don't like it.

Getting old isn't for sissies. 

Nope.

However ...

I guess if a Buddha Belly is the price I have to pay for another 30 years of mornings waking up on this beautiful planet, another 30 years of enjoying my wonderful family, of traveling to new and exciting places, making new friends and learning to become a better person, then I guess I'm ok with it. I'll just keep moving, keep working out, walking, stretching, enjoying the sunrise and sunset, hearing the birds, watching my garden grow, walking the Camino, and being grateful for life.  And I'll carry that Buddha Belly with me proudly. After all, it's a part of this body that fought like hell ... and won the battle of a lifetime.

"Peace, Belly."

"Peace."

Walking With Annie and Joe

I want to talk to you

about how Anniewalker trips

usually go.

We are not tour guides.

We are simply two pilgrims

who love the Camino

and enjoy helping others

achieve their dream of walking it.

From the time we arrive in Pamplona,

travel to SJPP,

and walk over the Pyrenees,

our pilgrims usually stick pretty close to us.

By the 3d or 4th day,

they often break into smaller groups;

the "hares" who walk fast

and the "tortoises" who walk slooooow.

Some continue to hang with us,

but that is entirely up to you.

We want this to be YOUR Camino

as much as is possible in a group.

You are not expected to walk with us,

though you are more than welcome to.

Stop and rest when you need to.

No need to rush;

you have a clean bed and a shower waiting.

Eat when you're hungry.

Drink when you're thirsty.

Take a taxi if you get too tired to take another step. It's ok. You can do that.

People might judge you.

That's ok.

That's THEIR problem, not yours.

The only requirement if you want your Compostela is that you walk every step from Sarria to Santiago.

Those days are fairly flat and easy walking.

The rest of the route is up to you.

This 2022 Holy Year Camino will be special.

Not only is it a Holy Year,

but we have all had the darned pandemic

to deal with.

It will be a time of thanksgiving

for those of us who survived it.

It will be a time to offer up prayers and thoughts for those who did not.

This Holy Year Camino

will most certainly be different.

We may be as surprised as you are

at some of the differences.

There will be changes, and challenges -

you will do best

if you can roll with the changes and the challenges.

The first lesson of the Camino is to "travel lightly" and the second lesson

is to "let go of expectation."

This can be painful for some,

hilarious for some,

refreshing for others.

You will meet pilgrims

from every country in the world,

and every walk of life.

Some will be grouchy and tired.

Maybe you can uplift them?

Offer a smile?

Pay for their beer?

Give them a foot rub or carry their pack?

Some will be giving.

Allow yourself to receive.

One thing is for certain,

the Camino will provide,

and not always in the way you expect.

And if there's anything I can promise you,

it is that you will come back home changed,

in ways you never imagined.

Have a Buen Camino!

Love,

Annie

China Stores in Spain

The China Stores in Spain are wonderful variety stores run by Asian immigrants. While in the USA, some might bristle at the name, in Spain it is very common to ask "Donde esta la tienda Chino?" It is what the Asians have named their stores.

 
I would compare the China Stores to Dollar Stores here in the USA. They carry "literally" anything and everything, from electronics to inexpensive clothing to luggage to (you name it). They are your first stop if you need a pair of flip flops, a phone charger, or Tiger Balm for sore muscles. This is also a great place to get a "China Bag" to carry your transport items in if you'd like to wear your backpack and transport items you don't need on the trail. 

Nearly every larger village or town or city will have a China Store, but ALL the big cities will have one, including Pamplona, where we begin our Camino. 

Things I've purchased here include socks, panties, tee shirts, Tiger Balm, phone charger, clotheslines, tweezers, bandaids, plastic bowls, forks, and China Bags.
Worth poking around in!