It seems as though every popular European cathedral has a sad-looking woman at its door soliciting donations. You feel the tug at your heart-strings and you just want to help such a desperate soul.
I have no problem with charitable giving, but I don’t like to be scammed or have my items stolen.
We enjoy the wonderful people we have met across the globe, but some precautions are necessary. We have found value in dressing down (no flashy or expensive items showing), saying no when needed, being aware of people/surroundings while making any money transactions and keeping passport/money secure and under wraps.
Travel is not a reward for working, it’s an education for living. ~ The Travel Channel
The journey only requires you to put one foot in front of the other …again and again and again. If you can find beauty every step of the way, you are truly blessed.
An early start to a thirty kilometer walk today with random conversations and historic villages along the way. I arrive at the steps reaching the bridge into Logrono catching the tourist information office gentleman at the top just as he is about ready to close. The excellent map he gives me makes my journey to tonight’s lodging a piece of cake allowing me time to pay it forward and help another young pilgrim find the municipal albergue in time for her to get a bed.
Seems like I’m just getting my trail legs and this Camino has ended. The departure process now begins with a bus, three planes, my very first Uber ride until my little red car takes me all the way back to the border of Minnesota/South Dakota.
It may be time to go home, but it’s never too early to start planning the next adventure… I am truly blessed.
Short video featuring moments along the Camino de Santiago: Puente La Reina – Los Arcos:
A few highlight photos:Puente la Reina Crossing this 2,000 year old bridge, we step back in time upon the best example of a Roman road on the camino, .Music always adds to the day …
Cold, rain and fog accompany us as we walk through the Pyrennees from Refuge Orrison to Roncesvalles. The thumping sound of large, raindrops pelt against my rain gear… a constant drumming throughout the day. Soaked gloves offer no protection from the cold resulting in numb fingers and toes. Large flocks of sheep hunker down together, staring at the passing Pilgrims as if to say, …and they say sheep are dumb. We later discover that the mountain was closed to those leaving St. Jean that day.
Maybe I do feel like a hiking beast…
The following stretch from Roncesvalles to Larrasoana provides a much better day for hiking with plenty of photo opportunities due to the pleasant weather. I am much more appreciative of this wonderful weather today due to the rough weather yesterday. Minnesotans learn this lesson early in life.
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” Maya Angelou
2016 Rigdon/Meyer Camino (Unfinished Business) blog post links are available in chronological order on one page. Several posts include a short video of the day and we are relieved that we aren’t still looking for Randy somewhere in France!
So, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, click on the photo below and travel along with Randy, Joyce & Joan. ~Buen Camino!
Camino de Santiago 2016 – “Unfinished Business” starts in Zubiri, Spain.
For more of our escapades, including hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland, go to rjmeyerarts.com
When I first started hiking a number of years ago, a fellow hiker gave me some important advice, “Don’t forget to look back.” When I see a memorable view I capture it with a camera so that I can revisit this moment in time. If the view is mediocre I turn back and resume hiking along my merry way with camera packed. As a photographer I have found this advice helpful, but even more I find it applies to life.
We all know life isn’t always pretty and we may stumble and step in crap from time to time. Learn, move on, without dwelling on these unfortunate moments. Likewise, there may be some unattractive elements in an image, but look beyond and see the beauty…
Looking back on Hospital de Orbigo, Spain. Image by Joyce Meyer
September 26, 2016: Down we go… Joan was missing this section of the Camino from El Acebo to Ponferrada, so descending down this mountain path was necessary to finalize the journey.
After a taxi ride speeding up the dark, winding mountain road, the driver drops us off at El Acebo and at first we are amazed at the changes in this charming village. A huge, new albergue greets us complete with swimming pool, restaurant and a deck overlooking the valley below. Where is the quaint little village we remember so well?
We wait for daylight, slowly making our way down the mountain and I now remember why I love this stage of the camino. The scenery is becoming greener and the mountains provide layers of beauty which makes it difficult to believe this is our last day of hiking. Seems like we should keep going. We arrive back in Ponferrada later that day and go in search of an establishment willing to provide us with a celebratory meal even though it’s much earlier than the usual Spanish meal time.Thankfully, family owned El Portiel Meson adjusted their schedule just for us and cleaned out their refrigerator to provide a hearty meal complete with wine and a complimentary after dinner liquor. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
I will confess that I am a camino addict and a large part of me doesn’t want the journey to end. I love the simple life… get up, put the backpack on and start walking (To my first cup of coffee). But that isn’t real life, is it?
I’ve been choosing my top three picks for photos from each day of this camino and to wrap things up I’m also choosing three words I hope will provide meaning and impact in my daily life.
Top three photos and top three words to bring it home:
1) Acceptance ~ It is what it is.2) Endurance ~ Personal growth from experiences no matter how difficult.3) Appreciation ~ Live in the moment and enjoy the journey…no matter how long it takes.
Camino de Santiago March 2013Camino de Santiago August 2014Camino de Santiago September 2016
Third time’s a charm…Thank you to my sister, Joan, for all of the planning along with her meticulously designed spreadsheets, and especially for including me in these adventures.
September 23, 2016: Two options today ~ follow the highway path or take the longer alternate path. We naturally opt for the longer route since we rarely seem to do anything the easy way.
Short video of the day featuring the inspiration for our morning mantra ~ …Coffee Town:
As usual, we follow an arrow to proceed straight ahead. What’s this? A set of large railroad tracks loom ahead and we are hesitant to cross since neither of us like to break rules. Hmmm…? Turn around and back we go to find this little arrow pointing to a road that winds us through town, up and over a pedestrian railroad crossing. Safety first and it’s a good thing we like to walk.
Image from Galicia Guide
The 13th century bridge taking us into Hospital Orbigo is the longest one on the Camino at 204 metres long (approximately 670 feet) and has 20 arches. The river that it crosses doesn’t seem to appear to warrant such a lengthy bridge, but prior to a dam being built at Barrios de Luna the river was a lot wider. ~Galicia Guide
This bridge has facilitated trade since Roman times including the passage of livestock as part of the cattle trail Camino de la Canada, as well as sweaty pilgrims. ~John Brierly
I see our albergue! A sign can be spotted from the bridge so we have finally arrived. The albergue tonight is connected to a bar/restaurant which means we have a zero kilometer walk tonight. Yes!
Puente la Reina
Crossing this 2,000 year old bridge, we step back in time upon the best example of a Roman road on the camino, .
RJMeyerArts 
