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On the Camino: One Day at a Time, one Photo at a Time 6.0

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Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
So we were walking through the woods between Villeguillo and Alcazarén (Camino de Madrid) when we noticed a pair of jeans nailed to a tree. 'That's odd' we thought, 'why would anyone nail a pair of jeans to a tree in the middle of a forest, miles from anywhere?'. We lifted them up and found a bat underneath. To this day, I have failed to even imagine a likely scenario that finds a bat to be lurking underneath a pair of jeans nailed to a tree. Anyway, we left it there and hurried on.
 
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mspath said:
Anik2001,
For earlier posts re these and other circles see this earlier thread
Happy research!
Click to expand...
Thanks, although I am not the OP, for this link, mspath. I have not got time right now to read through it. At first sight I thought of the labyrinths of popular spirituality, and from my superficial spaghetti grasp of history I would say a variation on the trials and tests of Greek endurance/ initiation events. The best storytellers use the natural environment as their instruments.
 
kirkie said:
At first sight I thought of the labyrinths of popular spirituality,
Click to expand...
Pulling the thread of this to go way off topic, just to mention that a good many of these are based on or copies of the 13th C labyrinth of the Cathedral of Chartres. These have become very popular again, so lots of variants have sprung up.
 
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Playa de Barro, Norte. After an absolute nightmare in Comillas, my sister was urging I give up on the Norte and move ahead to my next planned camino: walking doubles didn't work if Romeos took taxis. I'd stayed in roadside hotels before on the Norte when I decided to stop for the day, since few albergues were open in April anyway, so decided to stay in accommodations NOT in any guide, a sort of truck stop in La Franca, and by Barro I turned toward the beach and found the most amazing place. I got a great price since it was late in the day. I checked in and went upstairs to my room.

Views from my balcony and from my bed:
yes I could hear the ocean at night

I immediately consulted Renfe, FEVE, and bus schedules, and ran back downstairs to ask if I could book another night. I was told yes, but they might need to move me to a different room (goodbye balcony), and I replied it was fine, that I would have all of my belongings with me when I left in the AM but would return by train that night and any room would be wonderful. When I returned from Ribadesella my same room was waiting for me! The baked Dorado was spectacular also. The next AM I continued my commuter-grino period by taking transportation back to Ribadesella to continue my walk to Sebrayo.

But for two nights and mornings I enjoyed coffee on the terrace watching the waves on "Sparrow" beach.
 
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Echoing the others in wishing your daughter a speedy recovery and to note, whatever she’s going through she’s blessed to have a mom who would come be at her side during such a trying time.
 
CF September 2013 then again April 2016, (photo was taken in April) after Roncesvillas. The time stamp location says Auritz. This photo reminds me of my first Camino when walking through this area I came upon an elderly local man taking his morning stroll. I was all smiles which attracted him to me and as he stretched his hand out to shake my hand he pulled me in for a kiss. Not just a peck on the cheek, he was going for full on mouth. hahahaha! I pulled back, released his grip and shook my finger in his face, repeating the word “no”. A couple weeks or so down the way I was in a secluded area on a narrow path when a large local man came around a bend walking towards me. I puffed up, put a stern look on my face and charged forward. As he approached, he reached out his hand. I immediately had flash backs to the wet bandit and started shaking my finger at him saying “No, no, no, I learned my lesson”. LOL He kept walking in his direction and soon was gone. Whew! Boy, I'll tell ya.......................
 
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We all take lots of photos of sunflowers, but not usually looking like this. In my diary I wrote that they looked like a beaten army. The story I was told (and I think it is the correct explanation) is that farmers plant sunflowers to be sold to make cooking oil but without knowing what the state of the market will be when they are ready for cropping. At some point during the growing season, it may become apparent that the farmer will not have a buyer for their crop. They then stop irrigating them, water is obviously very expensive in the middle of the dry meseta, and eventually plough them in. This was on the Francés, just before Sahagún, Sept 2018.

 
Revenga de Campos
mural

photo taken November 6, 2011



Going your way

On a wall facing east in Revenga de Campos this mural can be seen by pilgrims walking west on the CF path parallel to Palencia route P-980.

Actual pilgrims and the solitary painted pilgrim
united in purpose share the same goal, eventual arrival
at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostella.
 
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They do look like weary soldiers. Quite emotional if you let your mind drift.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

CP. On the way to Barcelos. Where the Camino runs parallel for a while with the GR11/E9. .

The European long distance path. The GR in the typical red/white marking.

With the lockdowns we had the last year it was remarkable to see how many Belgians rediscovered their own country and walked our local GR paths and went from place to place.
One of our longest paths here crosses the country from the Northsea all the way to Nice in France.

GR 5 Noordzee - Middellandse Zee | Vlaanderen

Tijdelijke trajectwijzigingen Kaart 23 : In Herselt is er in het Provinciaal Domein Hertberg een beukendreef tijdelijk afgesloten, wegens risico op vallende takken of omvallende bomen. Ter plaatse is een omleiding door ...
www.groteroutepaden.be
 
Much as I love the flechas amarillas, whenever I've followed a GR I've found it works very well and is a better system.
 
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Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
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Theatregal said:
Morning. July 30, 2013. Leaving Campiello on the Primitivo.

View attachment 109635
Click to expand...
I look at that photo, and for a fleeting second, I'm there. I've been reading Nancy-Louise Frey's 'Pilgrim Stories'. She is an anthropologist and walked and worked on the camino collecting material for her Phd. It was written in the 90's and gives a marvellous snapshot of the camino and an incredible insight into the pilgrim experience back then.
 
I've stopped to look at this photo each time I've scrolled through the thread today.

It's the rare photo that looks like a painting; a painting I wouldn't have sought out, but would likely buy as soon as I saw it.
 
Alto de Mostelares

photo taken February 18, 2009



On top at last

This was a brief, perfect moment during my 5th CF at age 70. The climb up had been steep but the view from 'the top of the world' was worth it.
I then could see widely; to the east the path taken from Castrojeriz and to the west the path to take.

...

If today I could look north I might glimpse the location of Mota de los Judios, a "lost" 13th c Jewish settlement recently excavated. Archeological finds from the site were published 2018 in this scholarly overview .

Vista de La Mota de los Judíos en Castrillo (Burgos). Recuperación de la riqueza patrimonial de una comunidad hispano judía en la Castilla Medieval | Miscelánea de Estudios Árabes y Hebraicos. Sección Hebreo

revistaseug.ugr.es
 
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On the path towards Caldas Del Reis on a warm September day 2019, stopped at a bar on the left and sat down for a cold Estrella lemon beer. In the court yard old mate had his drum of water bubbling away cooking his pulpo. A few people were taking photos of his octopus coming out of the drum, at one stage he said he was going to charge for the photos(lookers....not enough buyers).

Someone here will know the establishment I'm sure.

After another couple of beers I purchased a plate, 10 euro by memory. Sprinkled with salt and covered in olive oil, serenity was fantastic just chilling in the shade watching the Pilgrims stroll by. Shared it with another couple of Pilgrims.

Could have just sat there all afternoon relaxing enjoying the ambience but reluctantly continued on to Caldas Del Reis with the beers and pulpo powering me on.
 
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...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Now, did you or didn't you? There was also the shadow photo, wasn't there?
I recently removed all my photos onto a usb. I was getting warning messages about my space being all used up and I do not want my stuff in anybody's cloud. So photos from now on will be random par excellence! This was definitely on the CF. By the look of the shoes, fairly near the beginning!

 
Kirkie,
Those very clean shoes "show" that your camino had just begun and it was not pouring rain: hence it was a great time to start! Lucky you.
 
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Gernika (Guernica), Norte April 2012


The Gernikako Arbola represents the freedom of the Basques. The "Father" oak, planted in the 14th century lived 450 years. The "Old" tree seen yesterday, from its acorn, lived from 1742-1892; it's replacement survived the bombing of 1937 but died of disease in 2004. This "new" tree, from an Old tree acorn, was already sick when I took this picture and was replaced with another sibling in 2015. The spirit lives on, but I think it's asking a lot of an oak to grow in that location
 
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Plaza, Léon. 24 Sept 2018. Both times we passed through Léon, we've taken a rest day: lots to see there, some very pleasant bars and cafés and places to eat. Spain is incredibly lucky that practically every town and city has a plaza. The plaza is a car free, human space and outside of a beach on a tropical island or a mountain top, the peasantest place on earth to just sit. Plus the Spanish seem to know how to take full advantage of it. UNESCO should list them like it does the caminos.

 
I love the contrast of light and dark with the hint there’s something more just out of view. I want to wander through and find out. Somewhat mesmerizing
 
Vila Nova de Gaia
Port lodge interior

photo taken January 2012



O Porto is on the Camino Portugués. Across the Minho river at Vila Nova de Gaia are many winehouses which produce Port wine.

For various reasons I've always enjoyed Graham's Port; they did a great tasting visit on this frosty January day.
 
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Is that the one with a wide open clearing at the top? I was very curious to see how the French pilgrim walking along the same stages would manage, the one with the trailer attached to his body. Not a problem, he was like a mountain goat!
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Actually, it's the Douro River, or Duero when it is in Spain. Further up the valley, the grapes are grown to make port wine. A Gaia means seagull in Portuguese, so new town of the seagull. O Porto literally gave its name to the drink. At some point in the 14th century the English (or rather the English crown) lost control of their territories in southern France and could no longer import wine from Bordeaux so they replaced their supply with wine from Portugal. To keep it drinkable on the longer voyage, it was cut with brandy. The English aristocracy thought this was a jolly good idea so kept on drinking it even when straight red wine was available, they just drank both. So Port wine means wine of Porto (which means port in Portuguese, naturally). The England-Portugal connection has persisted over the centuries. Several of the port wine lodges (not winehouses) have both English names and English as well as Portuguese owners even now. We lived there for three years way back so we know it well. A provincial backwater then, trendy cheap flight destination now.
 
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dick bird,
Thanks for your correction. Probably I was too tipsy to know the Douro from the Minho. Lucky you living there. Hopefully you still have favorite bottles in reserve.
 
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mspath said:
dick bird,
Thanks for your correction. Probably I was too tipsy to know the Douro from the Minho. Lucky you living there. Hopefully you still have favorite bottles in reserve.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid I struggle with the concept of 'bottles in reserve' - but many fond memories. We worked at a British Council sponsored school in Oporto and some of our colleagues were from old port wine families. We'd have a function at work and they'd bring in an unlabelled bottle of pure nectar casually informing us 'oh this is from the quinta just behind the house'. Then there were the sardinhadas washed down with deceptively refreshing vinho verde and the plangent tones of the guitarra inglesa with the haunting voice of Amalia Rodriques. Saudades, saudades.
 
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(extra pics but I will be away from laptop for a couple of days)...
I was impressed and grateful that Spaniards would let us tromp across their property, asking only that we leave gates open or closed as we found them. For someone raised on the beach, then lived in big cities or military bases, I took countless pictures of animals to send home. I sent one of a bovine with horns and my sister, who'd moved to a small rural town, tersely replied "those are cows not bulls"

so every few days I'd send another picture from the Norte or Primitivo labeled:

not bulls

not bulls

not...wait, zoom in...

shuffle through photos....

not bulls


God watches over drunks and sparrows...when I walked the only time I noticed a bull was the Hospitales, and even that was later that night when getting ready to send emails. Pulling up pictures for this post I found I'd wandered past a couple more but they were little.
 
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Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
VNwalking said:
Not bulls, too. Plus a busy dog and some unperturbed hens.
Likely a cat somewhere, too, if we look hard enough.
View attachment 109755
Click to expand...
Rush hour. I like the pilgrim just waiting for the parade to pass. I was surprised to read most cows have horns (a few bred without them). They are remove from young cows in modern dairy farming to prevent accidental injury to calves but if open range the horns provide protection to the cow and her calf from predators since they can’t run fast or kick effectively)
 
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Muruzábal
Iglesia de Santa María de Eunate
albergue
"tea"

photo taken January 31, 2009



January 31, 2009, I was the first pilgrim of the new seaon to stop and ask to stay at the Eunate albergue near the Camino Frances/Camino Aragones junction.

Jean, the French hospitalero, remembered me from 2008 and graciously invited me to join him and his friends for "tea". We ate delicious goodies and shared camino gossip in French !

That cold night I slept upstairs in the tiny dorm. One of the delights of the albergue, now unfortunately closed, was falling asleep in the dark while regarding above applied to the dorm ceiling a phosphorescent band of stars, the Milky Way, leading westward...Magic.

.....All these years later when falling asleep I still try to glimpse those stars.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
mspath said:
All these years later when falling asleep I still try to glimpse those stars.
Click to expand...
It's a real pity this albergue closed.

Theatregal said:
I can't tell if the guy in the orange vest is holding the hay or if the sleepy cow has it dangling from it's mouth
Click to expand...
The more I look at it the more I see - things I missed at the time. There's another person right behind the steer that the dog is dealing with - you can only see his disembodied head.
 
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OK, not one photo, but one theme, and hey, I didn't start it! Personally I find it hard to dislike cattle, (cows or bulls). Contrary to popular opinion, bulls are not necessarily aggressive although some are bred that way. Bullfighting is one aspect of Spanish culture I find it hard to accept - the way it is portrayed on TV merely seems to accentuate the obscenity of it. Anyway, here are my favourite shots of both cows and bulls in less threatening contexts.

 
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Two today. CI April 2018. Variation on the theme... .Enchanted forest and then this quiet track.
I had to stop my first Ingles years before due to a minor illness so this track was new for me.
I did not see any other pilgrim that day when I walked from Sigueiro to Santiago until I reached the last two kilometers into the old town.
The Ingles is still my favourite short Camino.
 
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Train on the 4-day Catalina Camino
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
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JimDerry said:
October 2014....was able to walk again with my adventure partner one more time in 2015...Next one alone as she passed away in 2020.
View attachment 109839
Click to expand...
A beautiful photo Jim, thank you for sharing this magical memory with us. Our condolences to you.
Buen Camino for your next Camino, we (any of us)
may bump into you along the way.
Anne & Pat
 
Burgos
cathedral
interior detail

photo taken November 8, 2012



Within the magnificent riches and richness of Burgos Cathedral
is this simple, almost charming
memento mori
featuring a child/putto
holding a skull

Thus the themes of this infantile combo are not playfulness and childhood but life's fleetingness and the universality of death.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.


Five years ago today, 26 Sept.

Travel rest day and exploration of SJPdP I didn't have the opportunity to do on first Camino; the beginning of our father/son Camino.

Fresh out of the military and having been around the world and seen some hard places, it was good to watch my son explore such a beautiful place without needing to be on guard about what was lurking around the next corner.

CF, Sept 2016
 
Phoenix,
This is a beautiful shot looking north along the Nive Béhérobie river with the rue d'Espagne, ie. the Camino Frances, bridge mid-view. Many pilgrims miss this view since they hurry WEST on the Camino Frances and never look about.
 
Train on the 4-day Catalina Camino
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
mspath said:
Many pilgrims miss this view since they hurry WEST on the Camino Frances and never look about.
Click to expand...
In 2015, I was coming from very far away, so planned to spend 2 nights in SJPP. I was wonderful to wander with no agenda, other than getting my first stamp at the Pilgrim's Office, buying a few last-minute things and to simply land. It's a beautiful little town.
 

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Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Mezkiritz, on the CF




Seventeen years ago today, September 27, 2004, I began my first camino.
Thankfully my memories still remain.

"...But to have been,
This once, completely, even if only once:
To have been at one with the earth, seems beyond undoing."

Rainer Maria Rilke, 9th Duino Elegy,
(translated by Stephen Mitchell).
 
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because isn’t enough
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.


Lots of words for this small alleyway. Villavante.CF 2013.
This village belongs to Santa Marina del Rey.The main village we know the best here is San Martin del Camino.

Los Pueblos del Municipio -Ayuntamiento de Santa Marina del Rey

www.aytosantamarinadelrey.es

Villar de Mazarife - Astorga | Camino Francés | Gronze.com

Hasta Hospital de Órbigo la etapa sigue la misma pauta que la de ayer; luego, tras interminables días de llanura, caminamos por fin por un terreno algo más ondulado. Nada comparado con lo que nos espera. En la bonita Astorga, la Asturica Augusta romana, podremos admirar la catedral y el Palacio...
www.gronze.com
 
Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, between Celorio and Ribadasella. I think one of the most photogenic churches on the Norte. We stayed that night in the youth hostel, a restored beach front 19th century mansion and woke up at 5 in the morning to watch a total eclipse of the moon. 27 Sept 2015.

 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
More 2024 Camino Guides available
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
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