Hand to Mouth...

A thought has been coming to my (Ivy) mind a lot as we walk each day. This has been the time in my life when I have been most aware of God´s provision. I can see the daily hand-to-mouth relationship so clearly. It is always there. He provides daily, but somehow the simplicity of this walking lifestyle allows the pilgrim to SEE God provide. Amazing. When I feel as though I cannot go on, an old man comes out and gives each of us an apple and a plum that he picked from the trees in his backyard. Provision. Encouragement. When we walk and walk, and run out of water, a fountain with drinkable water comes at the moment when we are so tired that we can´t stand it. Grace. I see it so clearly. What a blessing. All of the pain in the journey is worth it to see this Love in action.

Day 21 on the Camino

We are in Astorga, around 275 km to go to Sanitago. Hard to believe. We are leaving the meseta ("little table") and entering the foothills of the mountains of León. The next few days are up and over the mountain, the highest point on the Camino Francés.

We are doing well, my (PC) ankle and knee hurt in the morning most and it warms up after about an hour or walking. Ivy has some pain from blisters, but she is learning all sorts of great taping techinques.

Aldo, our friend, who in three stages, walked from Mt. St. Michel in France to Santiago (and Finisterre) told us what he learned about the Camino. "Eight hours of pain, 15 min. of pleasure with a shower, and joy with a beer." So far, so good. ;-p Sometimes it is 20 mins.

But also, he said that we would experience everything in life in a very short time span. He has been right. There have been excitement of a new day, a new place to go, the routine of packing up and taking care of our feet. Hunger, sadness, happiness, thirst, companionship, and so much more. Also, he said that we could learn about living modestly, and when you are a stranger in town carrying all you have on your back, you learn to appreciate the smallest things. A smile, a welcome, a fountain to drink from, a place to sit in the shade.

Some Highlights

Ventosa: An amazing albergue...the nicest building in the whole town. A plaque in the town square described Ventosa as a town that reached its height in 1367. he he he!We think that they were right.

Hontanas: Small town in a valley on the meseta. you walk all day until you step down into a hole...Hontanas. No store, but a meat van comes daily. Honks as it enters town, and the people come a runnin´for blood sausage and chorizo. (yes, blood sausage is made of pig´s blood and rice...yuk!) When the church bells ring, a donkey near the refuge brays with the ring of the bell. We´re not sure if it was a bray of annoyance or if he was competing.

Leon: Walked into town and into a festival with cattle carts, bagpipes, and lots of chorizo. The poor cows had large rounds of bread hung on their horns...hmmmm. Took some contraband pictures of the cathedral...very pretty! Ate at 2 kebab restaurants in the same night (for variety...and because we were starving!). Stayed in a hotel...it was amazing. We did not have to see anyone in their underwear at 6:30 in the morning like all other mornings while staying in refuges. A BIG plus!

Half way there

Hard to believe, but if you put one foot in front of the other long enough, you´ll go a long way. We are 25km from Leon. The previous few days have been over the meseta, a mostly flat, hot, arid yet beautiful part of the country. It is so much different than the first week. Check out the pictures on picasa.

Our feet hurt, but its not terrible. We are learning our limits and to not push them. Still headed west.

Internet connections in rural Spain are as hard to find as fresh spinach (man, I miss that stuff). But I´ll try to keep you all as up to date as possible.

Hola a Todos!

We are in Logroño, and this is the first place that I have been able to post some pictures, see them in the picasa link to the right. Things are going well. It is hard but rewarding. Here´s a typical day:

Up at 6am, groan some and then tape up feet

7am, get packed and out of the refuge (a dormitory type place with bunkbeds)

Breakfast of some fruit or muffins while walking

Walk

Walk

Walk

Sit in the shade

Walk

Get a drink of water from a fountain

Eat lunch of a baguette and salami and chocolate

Arrive at another refuge around 2 or 3 pm

Shower and wash clothes (sometimes at the same time)

Find dinner, either at a restaurant or cook in the refuge´s kitchen

Sometimes talk to other pilgrims, play cards, massage feet

Earplugs in (for snorers), facemask on (for lights), and sleep like a rock!

We are really enjoying this, we have never done anything like this before, so it´s all new. We have walked out of our first province, Navarra, and into La Rioja today. It was a cool feeling. I really wouldn´t trade any of this first 8 days, from the mountains to the valleys, the people from around the world to the solitude and time with my wife, from the cities to the small towns and countryside, from the physical pain to the excitement of what is down the road and what I have just seen. God continues to provide and has been very gracious to us, and we try to commend Him to others when we can. We think about you all often. I hope to stay in touch!

And if you are wondering, yes, that is a wine fountain in the picture.

Towards Santiago

We are headed to St Jean Pied de Port, a traditional starting point for pilgims into Spain; we have already begun to see signs of the routes here in Toulouse (in the churches, museums, etc.).

My feet hurt, my pack feels kinda heavy, and some of my clothes stink. I think that I am ready!!