Poorly feet and avatars

[Bridget and Peter]

Anniesantiago wrote:
Oh yes, the other things I purchased in Spain that I fell in love with and that made the walk more pleasant:

Compeed! They do not have it in Oregon, or at least I've never seen it. But it is WONDERFUL! Buy it ahead of time and slap it on any hotspots you have on your feet as soon as you notice them, BEFORE they become blisters. It's amazing -- stays on for days -- even in the shower. And keeps you from getting blisters.

We also found these weird little tubes. They were part gauze-like and part jell-like. You cut it and slipped it over your toes to keep them from rubbing together. We got both the Compeed and the tubing at the Pharmacia (look for the GREEN CROSS) for reasonable prices.

I have been meaning to use a painting of St James from the wonderful church in Chaource (north of Vezelay, south of Tonnerre) as an avatar - reading Annie's advice about feet reminded me as the artist had obviously used the painter's equivalent of 'Method acting' to explore and identify with his subject and the effects on the body of pilgrimage.

Either that, or he / she was rotten at doing feet.

Whichever, St James' feet look awfully uncomfortable and I think he might have benefited from a visit to a Spanish pharmacia or chiropodist. See below for the whole painting.

Also Annie has added a lovely avatar of scallop shells - where from, Annie? - so, inspired, I have managed to resize the picture and add it as my avatar.

What is the source/meaning/story behind others' avatars?

 

[Anniesantiago]

My avatar comes from a stained glass window at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Cincinatti, Ohio.
Here is what is posted about the image:

St. James, Greater - The three scallop shells are the symbol of pilgrimage and stands for this apostle's zeal and missionary spirit.

I thought it was a beautiful image.

Here is the website:
http://www.sainti.org/church/stainedglass/index.htm

Other wonderful images can be found by doing a Google Image Search on the words "Scallop Shell"

 

[Telluridewalker]

Anniesantiago wrote:


What is the source/meaning/story behind others' avatars?

My avatar (if I've loaded it correctly) is a picture I took of the sunrise as reflected in a palloza window in O Ceibreiro. I was packed up and ready to head out and was taking a photo of the entire palloza when this gleam caught my eye...

 

[Telluridewalker]

Ivar,

I suppose I could PM you, but I'm sure others have wondered this as well...

What are you about to eat in your avatar photo? I'm guessing pizza?

 

[ivar]

Ivar,
What are you about to eat in your avatar photo? I'm guessing pizza?

Yes, in Rome last year. Very good...
Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Telluridewalker]

Sometimes a thread withers and goes away that you think is a particulary good idea- this is one of those that I'd like to try to re-invigorate with this posting. Can you give us some insight into your particular avatar (i.e. the picture above your name)? :?:

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Sometimes a thread withers and goes away that you think is a particulary good idea- this is one of those that I'd like to try to re-invigorate with this posting. Can you give us some insight into your particular avatar (i.e. the picture above your name)? :?:

Mine is simple - me, standing on the steps of SdC cathedral at the end of my first camino!
Ultreya! And here's to the next one!

Stephen.
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[grayland]

My avatar is a photo I took at the Pilgrim statue at Alto do Polo. The sun was raising behind it.
Interesting is that I took the identical picture in both 2009 and 2010. Must have left O'Cebreiro at the same time both years.
In 2009 it was snowing hard but does not show in picture.

 

[SabsP]

Mine is a pic of some tapas. Taken at Sagardi in Barcelona. http://www.sagardi.com/restaurantes/
Food and walking : my favourite activities...

 

[canadiandude]

I am now in training for my first Camino next June and during my training, developed bad foot pain in my left foot. Doing a bit of research on the net, I found that I have what is called Morton's Toe where the metatarsal bone in the large toe is too short resulting in the second toe (beside the big toe) appearing longer. The pain comes from that second toe having to bear all your weight which it was not intended to do.

Now, the reason for this tidbit of information is that Morton's Toe is also called Roman or Greek Toe and was used by artists and sculptors as an example of what a foot should look like hence the foot you see in the painting. Notice the longer-appearing second toe. Another interesting piece of interest is that most statues also have Morton's Toe, including the Statue of Liberty.

 

[AJ]

What is the source/meaning/story behind others' avatars?

My current avatar is Brother Percival who can be found on the Pilgrim's Way near Harrietsham, Kent England.