A Walk On The Roman Wall – Lugo, Galicia

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So fun going through emails and finding pictures of special times shared with pilgrim friends.  Such was the day, more than a year ago, when my German friends, Sabine, Marie, and their husbands Michael and Theo, went for a walk on the Roman Wall in Lugo – There’s something different about this walk when you think that you are walking around a city that dates back to 13 BC.  You can just picture the Roman soldiers marching and everyone in roman dress and actually we get to have that more authentic and real life experience in June when Lugo celebrates its famous Arde Lucus – Romana and Celta Festival.  But for now I am remembering walking this beautiful wall with friends I met on the Camino who were willing to change there plans and come and visit me for a couple of days.  After a great Galician style meal which is known as the “Menu del Dia” or Menu of the Day served all over Galicia and along the route of the Camino is famous and a tradition that I have come to truly enjoy.

The “Menu del Dia” is more food than you really need but it is always fresh, local, and traditional. It consists of two plates a starter and a main course and dessert served with bread and a bottle of wine.  So what better way to spend the afternoon than to take a  walk on the roman wall, the only fully intact roman wall in the world, and enjoy with pilgrim friends this ancient and historic town taking in some of the architecture and beautiful Galician countryside. I think it is time to enjoy this more often.  Thank you Sabine, Michael, Maria, and Theo for a very special Camino Primitivo memory.

Xornadas Castrexas In Cambre – Near The English WAY

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A little historical Castrexo Connection Conference in Cambre.  Just 69 KM from Santiago de Compostlea and 15 KM from Betanzos on  The English Camino they will be discussing history and culture of the region as experienced through some of the first people to inhabit the area known as Castrexos. Long before the pilgrims came to Galicia to experience this magical land it was home to a most interesting people.  At the XI Xornadas Castrexas en Cambre October 19 and 20 you can enjoy many interesting talks and excursions in the area learn more about this fascinating and beautiful culture of Galicia.

Thank you Fiestas de Galicia: https://www.facebook.com/FiestasGalicia

Faro de Finis Terrae – Fisterra

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The Faro’s of Galicia are an impressive site scattered along the Galician Coast. The breathtaking scenery of the varied coastline leads the soul to ponder and reflect on the immenseness of life and the ocean.  In the Costa Da Muerte known as “The Dead Coast” because of the dangerous seas and jagged rocks that claimed so many ships and lives taking them deep into the silent waters we witness both its peaceful beauty in contrast with its incredible natural power and force.

Finis Terrae or as it is known in Gallego Fisterra “The End of The World” one can imagine how it came to be named in looking at the picture for the vastness of the ocean just beyond the cliffs looks to go on forever. A truly magical and inspiring place that has been a most important symbolic camino site for millions of pilgrims, a tradition for many, to reflect on their camino journey’s and the adventure that awaits them upon leaving. Many will return as the Camino Call is hard to let go after you have answered it once it remains inside you having forever transformed your soul and your life!

“I am alone and impenetrable I watch the navigators intentions in silence as they stare back at me in their uncertain course to reach the far away port when they come to visit me in Finis Terrae”. Fisterra Lighthouse, A Caruña Province.

Festival de Cotobade near the Camino Portuguese

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If you are enjoying some time on the Camino Portuguese and are near Pontevedra you might enjoy taking a little Gastro Camino within your Camino and visit Cotobade for their festival that will have the whole town enjoying traditional recipes of the area, music,  horse back riding on local trails and much more.

Sunday October 13, 2013 you can visit Cotobade south of Santiago de Compostela 84 KM or from Pontevedra 22 Km northeast.  A great Sunday outing with family and friends to enjoy some wonderful gastronomy, music and beautiful landscapes.

Thank you Fiestas de Galicia: https://www.facebook.com/FiestasGalicia

 

Camino Connections & Experiences

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Reflecting on the Camino more than a year after having my second experience of this magical and transformational journey.  I have been re-reading messages from my fellow pilgrim companions – people I met and shared sometimes just a few moments and others a walk, a coffee – tea – beer or wine, or others a lunch or dinner – All were amazing connections sharing the spirit of the Camino and what it means to each person.  Some reflections echo a similar theme and all have their own importance and extra special significance as this is a personal inner journey, as well as, an outer bonding among all who share in its beauty!

“Dear Friends,

It’s been over a month since we returned from Santiago to Lebanon, and we went straight back into the vibrant and extraordinarily busy daily life we lead here. Despite what you may be hearing on the news, we are all well, enjoying our summer from a tranquil apartment in the mountains close to extended family. Tony goes down to Beirut every day for work, and I luckily commute through the mountains to my office. While the general situation is not what we’d prefer, we are hopeful that it will improve.
Assaad and Nadim have started their 10-day Scouts summer camp higher up in the mountains, and Nour will start hers on Friday, 7 September, their birthday. They turn 14, and none will be home to celebrate! They prefer we don’t show up to their camps (Please don’t come!), as we have in previous years. But we do have a plan to drop an enormous jar of Nutella at each camp, big enough for 50 kids to share!
What a nice time the Camino was for us! We talk every day about our experience and appreciate it even more as each day passes. What a fantastic time we had!  How blessed we are.  We’re thankful for having met you and hope that, in the future, we can get a group to walk the Lebanon Mountain Trail. Next week, we’ll be meeting with some of the founders of the LMT to see how we can become involved.
Yesterday, Tony also appeared on a television program to talk about our experience. When the video is on YouTube, we’ll send the link.
Please stay in touch. Our door is open any time you decide to visit.”
Warmly,
Ellen Feghali  (aka: Tony’s wife; mom to the triplets; twin to Tre…)
 September 2, 2012

“I Took All The Signs The Camino Was Giving Me” – Ruth Riley

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The Camino has brought me so many incredible experiences and the blessing of meeting wonderful and genuine people.  My heart and life have been forever changed from the Camino calling me through years of wildly SYNCHRONISTIC events and I am grateful to my spirit, my family, and friends for helping to follow this amazing journey.  Meeting Ruth Riley through one of my incredible synchronistic experiences while I was in Madrid (in another blog post I will share how it unfolded – Ruth shares a little bit below) we were able to meet just two days later when Ruth was finishing her Camino.  We enjoyed an fantastic breakfast at the Parador Hostal Dos Reis Catolicos with a view of the Cathedral just outside our window while Ruth shared some of her passion for the Camino and her travel journeys – it was a very special and memorable day for me.  Thank you Ruth for sharing some of your Journey as it is an inspiration to me and I know it will inspire others to make their own Camino Adventure!

“When I first heard of “The Camino” I was 38 and my family was young so there would be no way I could get away to do the walk. I thought maybe that would be a good goal for when I turn 50.  I never hear about “The Camino” again in any conversation and actually forgot the name of it!  10 years later I was walking in a fundraising walk for Cancer and met a fellow walker and he said he had completed “The Camino”.  He told me all about his experiences and of course this got me to thinking again about the pilgrimage!   I went home that day all excited and set my goal to do the walk when I turned 50.  From that day forward I could not stop thinking about it.  As soon as I started talking about my plans I was bumping into people everywhere who had already done it or had a friend that did it.  I was at a golf tournament and the prize was a book on “The Camino” so I took all the signs the camino was giving me and said why wait until I am 50, why not go now!  I started training right away and set my date for September 2011 (when I was 48).  For a person who does not travel this was a big deal!!  Some thought I was crazy to go off alone and walk 800km across Spain, but I just knew this was something I had to do.  I never once had any doubt that I could not complete it.

I was only a day into my walk when I discovered that the head light that I brought was not strong enough so I had to make sure when I headed out in the morning I tagged along with someone with a stronger light.  A few days later when I booked into an Alberge I went to my assigned bed and on the pillow was a headlight.  I asked all the people around me if it was there’s and nobody claimed it!  Lucky me, the camino provided for me.

While I was on the camino I missed my friends daughter’s wedding back home.  The newlyweds were travelling to Spain for their honeymoon.  On their travels the met a women from California that was actually doing a documentary on the Camino and they told her that I was doing the walk.  The day I arrived in Santiago de Compostela I received and email from them asking if I would be willing to meet this woman and tell her about my experience on the camino.  Within an hour I was meeting Susan Mann. I was so excited and amazed at how the camino connected us, small world.  Susan even treated me to a real sit down breakfast that I did not have to walk while eating.  Thank you Susan, I totally appreciated your company and generosity.

After my return home I was asked to do a workshop on the Camino.  I am not one to stand in front of people and present at all but I said yes right away as I have so much passion on the subject.  The most exciting thing about doing the workshop was I got to pack my backpack again and put my boots on.  My feet were so happy!!    Once again I was in my element as I was sharing my journey/pictures on the camino.  I am hoping that I pulled it off and that the attendees now have the camino on their minds.   While I was preparing my notes all one morning I thought I should take a break and go out for a walk.  I live in the country with not many houses around.  I walked out my door and there was a person walking by with a backpack!  I caught up to him and said “I bet you are training for the camino”.  He said yes, he was leaving in May, now what are the chances of that happening (only the camino knows)!  “What luck” I said, I am having a workshop next weekend, you should stop by.  He attended the workshop now I am just waiting to hear how his trip went.

I was not doing the camino for any other reason than a physical challenge for myself.  I was so in my element walking every day and my body and mind were in heaven. Meeting people from all over the world that would become your Camino Family was very moving. I feel that the camino did change me in some ways but I am unable to figure out what the change is exactly.  All I know that the camino provided for me and it is now in my blood. I hope to some day in the future return as I can hear it calling me every day”. – Ruth Riley

Camino Quote – Madeline Yoste

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German Limeres has taken many fantastic pictures of pilgrims as they pass his families historic country house at 108 km to Santiago and so his pilgrim register is called rexistro 108 vilei. German took Madeline’s foto when he was just beginning his project in summer of 2011.  Madeline Christine Yoste is 24 from New Orleans, Louisiana USA and walked her camino from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela. Sharing in one word what the Camino meant to her she said: Grounding.
“It was transformative to live a life for four weeks that focuses solely on a physical existence surrounded by nature. Waking, seeing the sunrise, walking, eating, resting, connecting with others – it is a simple life with such profound beauty that everyone should experience. It led me to my current profession of organic farming”. – Madeline Yoste
Thank you German for your inspiring pictures and project and to Madeline for sharing her thoughts of her Camino.  Wishing you all the best on your new journey – Bo Camiño!
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Castro en el monte de Santa Tecla, Pontevedra

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There are many Camino Journeys to make your way to Santiago de Compostela and all of them have incredible experiences sharing Spain and Galicia’s history, culture, nature and traditions.  One you might enjoy discovering is the Castro of Santa Tecla in Pontevedra on the Camino Portuguese. You can visit to experience for yourself some of the ancient architecture and ways of life of the Galician people and their Castro culture.  There are petroglyphs made 2,000 years before the occupation of the fort at Santa Tecla. Have fun making your own discoveries on your Camino Travels!

EQUINOX on the Camino

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The Camino is a great teacher of BALANCE – learning the right balance for each person as they make their way.  Each day the Camino provides another opportunity to be more at one with ourselves and nature.  Finding a balance of our energy, time needed for rest and reflection and involvement and sharing with others.  Today celebrates the Equinox equal periods of light and darkness – a perfect example and special time to reflect on ways that we can find the balance we are seeking within ourselves and the world.  Happy Equinox to All. Thank you Lucia Solas Frasquet for posting this inspiring picture.

 

“The equinox today- equal periods of light and darkness around the world- the spring equinox in the southern hemisphere as new life germinates & warmth returns- autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere as the leaves change colour and begin to fall & the scent of coming coldness is carried on the wind. May we use the energy of this pivot point to bring balance into our own lives, into our way of living on the earth, into the world. Blessed be dear FB friends. ~Oriah — with Majella Brennan and Loredana Camardo.

1,000 Year Look At Map Of Europe – Camino Country Connections

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For more than a 1,000 years millions of people have made their way from around the world to experience the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  As the pilgrims made their personal journey they were venturing across many different countries experiencing the changes of each area as it was in its own time of transition.  The transformation of the pilgrim through their own journey while they were witnesses to the every changing cultures of different countries as they too merged and flowed together.

VIDEO –  MAP OF EUROPE 1,000 AD to Present Day – Click on Link Below:

Map of Europe 1,000 AD to Present Day

http://LiveLeak.com – Map of Europe: 1000 AD to present day

Thank you Live Leak and Scott Onstott for posting such a great visual for experiencing some of the country land transitions over 1,000 years (www.liveleak.com)