SeniorPilgrimage.com

My Camino Journal, 2021

Welcome to my Camino journal 2021. I have made very effort to avoid changing anything in the conversion from pencil notes to Microsoft Word to seniorpilgrimage post process. Misspellings have been left in place. A very small quantity—a few words, really—of highly personal information has been redacted. A few, hopefully modest and clearly marked, [insertions within square brackets] are intended to provide some context or explain what may otherwise be an obscure comment.

Hopefully these “raw data posts” will give you a tiny taste of el Camino de Santiago del Norte. They will form the core of the “My Camino Day” posts to be developed “soon.” Those posts will expand these notes, add photographs that I took along The Way, and provide links to day-specific videos on my YouTube channel.

My Camino Journal Entries

[7/30 Home]

[This was the height of the pandemic. Travel was disrupted. Masks were required. Many places were closed for the emergency and finding out which ones were still open could be tricky. Recent COVID-19 test results were required to get on an airplane.] [Despite extensive planning, the decision to go ahead with the Camino portion of what had been intended to be a huge trip with family and friends—as described in my “My Camino Day the lost years” post—made my packing last minute.] [Importantly, things had changed. I would be alone rather than with family. All other plans—vacation, massive celebration—were put aside, it would simply be me and el Camino.] [Thus, I would be carrying everything with me. But not in my carry on backpack—which, of course—is not allowed for some things. My trekking poles and Dime multitool are good examples. My solution was a tiny red backpack—it folds into an (almost) pocket sized self-contained stuff sack—that I had accumulated somewhere for a dollar or two. It would carry my “baggage check required” items and be entrusted to the airline’s care.]

7/31 Washington [Reagan] National, JFK [Kennedy Airport, New York]

Honor flight pictures [Honor Flights take veterans, primarily of the Second World War and Korea, to Washington to see the various memorials that honor their service. These flights are met by groups to honor the veterans with bands and salutes.]

• Very affecting
• Same gate [as my flight]
• Medal of Honor displays [at Kennedy] with those who were awarded it was very impressive

8/1 Madrid

• Hard to handle the hours between leaving the airport & Airbnb check-in
• Nap on a park bench [that is The Bench on the right]

8/2 Zumaia

[No notes. My 2018 Camino came to an end in Zumaia, so that seemed like the place to start in 2021. Two days were planned, and needed, to deal with the jet lag. I stayed in an Airbnb that was very nice.]

8/3 Zumaia

[No notes]

8/4 [Zumaia to Albergue Izarbide Aterpetxea]

First day = Deba

• Leave Zumaia for Deba
• About 9 km & significant uphills.
• The two albergues [An albergue is a hostel for pilgrims. Many are for pilgrims only, but most accept anyone. Bunk beds and shared baths are the norm.] in Zumaia are closed due to the pandemic
• The day begins as a rainy morning, more mist than rain
• Some very difficult uphill and trail conditions, slippery, uneven
• Thorns tearing at my cape, no rain, packed it away
• At 5 miles & significant grades, I was quite pleased with my strength and condition Little did I know [emphasis in my journal is an underline, which this WordPress template does not appear to support]
• Moving on from Deba in the hope of finding a spot to try out my tiny tent, I found an albergue [Albergue Izarbide Aterpetxea]. The lady said “closed” due to the pandemic. No camping across the road. I prepared to move on [probably showing my fatigue and disappointment] & she said “but I’ll give you a bed.”
• About 15 other perigrinos as well. Half capacity. Wonderful dinner & good wine.

8/5 [Albergue Izarbide Aterpetxea to Monasterio de Zenarruza]

Second Day

Out of the albergue for Markina. Guesstimate 20 km [12 miles].

• Very difficult terrain
• Uphill, steep, poor trail conditions
• Exhausting but liberating. My mind is able to concentrate on two extremely important issues: how to [redacted]; & the Fingy story [a novel that I was working on at the time]. Peace, calm, clarity, focus.
• Markim = albergue closed. No vacancy in the hotel. Thinking about where to pitch my tent when Axel & Anna (spelling question) [not sure how she spells her name], two peregrinos, come walking along.
• They are in the same spot
• [Axel and Anna asked a man walking along for options.] A local fellow checks for beds with friends. No joy. He suggests a monistary [My spelling is terrible] 10km further along the path.
• We choose to go. Anna and Axel slow their pace for me. Uphill. Challenging. Steep.
• All the beds at the monistary are full but they turn no one away. I am prepared to spend a rainy night in my tent on the great lawn. Another peregrino—Juan? Jose?—suggests a more sheltered spot. Anna, who has adopted me, says the [stone] floor is available inside [the church]. I jump at the chance.

8/5 to 8/6 [Monasterio de Zenarruza; it appears that the albergue was closed in 2021 or is far improved today]

• Anna negotiates a bed for me. How? I don’t know, but the fellow who chose the floor vs. a mattress was insistent. So was Anna.
• A bunk bed in a crowded basement. Basic. A mattress on a wood frame. [That’s my blue sleeping bag liner in the bottom bunk of three]
• The brothers / friars held a “Blessing of the pilgrims” service in the church. I attended [despite being an atheist who does not attend church services]. They are lovely, caring people.
• They gave us dinner [spaghetti, red sauce, French bread, red wine]. Alex, Anna & I were thinking about options [Until we learned we were to be given a meal, we were thinking in terms of what we had with us. This was the first time this happened to me but would not be the last]. I had my freeze dried stuff [2 breakfasts, 2 dinners as part of my “be prepared to camp out if necessary” plan]. They had bread & cheese.
• Slept very, very well after one of the most strenuous days of my life.

8/6 [Monasterio de Zenarruza to Guernica]

I donated €100 to the monistary. The fellow I gave it to was overwhelmed. Axel & Anna had many km to cover so they pushed quickly ahead. While we will never talk again, the shared Camino experience will be part of me for the rest of my life.

Hike to Gurnica.

• Again, very difficult but perhaps “only” 18 km [11 miles].
• My ability to focus on the “big stuff” is wonderful. Getting a real understanding of what I want to accomplish [Redacted] & how to proceed. Much still to understand, but there is light ahead.

It was a bit sad to see Anna & Axel disappear into the distance, but necessary for them (they have a schedule) and for me as the company eliminates the solitude needed for self-examination.

This was, again, a demanding hike. Lots of elevation, less than good trail conditions.

Coming into Gurnica, I actually caught up with another peregrino. Colum, a Scott, a bulky fellow with a heavy backpack going down the slopes at an angle to reduce the strain. Nice guy. We chatted about the world & his tenting experience in the rain at the monistary. It wasn’t fun. Had lunch together, then parted as I had a hotel room & he was tenting next to a hostel. [Folks who choose not to spend the money to sleep inside are not uncommon as I would learn from Colum and other perigrinos I met along The Way.]

8/7 (not sure of day) [Days off in Guernica]

[Not sure of what happened when on the days 8/7, 8/8, 8/9 as they are not well documented in my notes. This is compounded by not having taken a lot of photos.]

Museum of Peace

• Went to see this with limited hopes. They make their point very well:
  • Peace good
  • War bad
• Gurnica’s place in history, the first use of general terror bombing as a political / social war effort (vs. military / economic) is hardly to be celebrated but the point is an excellent one: shall we kill the innocents to intimidate the guilty? Does that work? I am reminded of Orwell. Homage to Catelonia is [this is where my notes stopped.]

8/8 [No notes]

8/9 [Guernica to Bilbao]

[Adding some information for later; I walked a few miles with a Camino friend named Maria. She is from Scandinavia—Denmark, I think—a wife and mother who was hiking el Camino in fulfillment of a dream of many years, something she and her husband saved money specifically to make possible; both her money and time budgets were very tight. Her husband was at home with the kids. She had almost instantly run into schedule trouble by hurrying enough to injure a knee badly enough to require medical attention and a couple days rest, so now she was a bit behind. Hers is a very long story.] [The two fellows on the right make for a very fun story for this senior pilgrim. It will be told when I get to My Camino Day August 9 2021]

8/10 [Bilbao]

Staying a few days in Bilbao because of limited sleeping choices ahead gives time for exploration &c.

Went back to the Guggenheim in hopes of seeing the tryptic once again. [Janis and I had visited the Guggenheim once before while vacationing with Julian and Mercedes. I had been much taken by one particular—and huge—piece of art, a multimedia tryptic in tans, blacks, and greys that stood 20 or 30 feet high.] Unlikely? Sure. Possible? Yes. Success? No.

But

The exposition on the roaring 20s, which I did not expect to be interesting was incredible. The best day I’ve ever spent in a museum. [In preparing this, I am kicking myself for not taking pictures of the museum’s exhibition on the roaring 20s. It was fabulous and not having any pictures is painful.]

The 20s

• The horror of the Great War was brought home with a slide show of men with facial wounds. Horrific.
• That was followed by the pandemic of ’18 through ‘20
• The art of the next decade was presented in that context: wildness; desperation; relief; exploration; sex, drugs, & the rock & roll of that era.
• Huge social change: the role of women in society & work; beginnings of plastic surgery for war wounded moving on to what we know today

8/11 [Bilbao]

Woke up slowly this morning. Second day at the Residencia & better organized to take advantage of the day off.

Microhonda [microwave] water for instant coffee & pills.

Will do laundry this evening.

8/12 [Bilbao to Portugalete]

Sitting at a café with a delicious tortilla con champioñes [A Spanish tortilla is made of eggs and potatoes and bears no resemblance to the Mexican version. This one was served with mushrooms.], coffee, and juice combines with watching the garbage pickers lining up at the recycle place an hour ahead of its opening is a graphic insight into just how good my life is.

The hike from Bilbao to Portugalete was much more demanding than expected. I was expecting a flat route along the river, 8 or 9 miles total. The yellow arrows led me up significant hills and steep climbs. Total distance more like 12 or 13 miles. [This is the “official” route. There is an alternate that runs next to the river according to Gronze.com. This is far from the only time something like this happened along The Way and it generally stopped being worth noting.]

By the time I arrived at the albergue, energy was running low. The proprieter, however, was a grand guy, a shower refreshed me. And a taberna [tavern or bar] just a few meters away provided vino tinto [red wine] & outstanding pinxto [Slightly larger, fancier version of the tapa or Spanish snack. Pinxtos sell, typically, for 3 or 4 Euros. These are delicious and widely varied. Two is plenty for dinner.].

Not much social at the albergue & most beds empty

8/13 [Portugalete to Hotel Haya; leave the Basque Country and enter Cantabria]

A pretty easy hike to the next stop at Hotel Haya. A dozen or so miles, but no major climbs. A few short, sharp ones but not major altitude gains.

Spectacular views along the coast.

There was a peregrina, a middle aged woman, who was having foot trouble and had neither Spanish or English with which I could work the problem. I felt bad for her, gave her most of my Compeed [blister care] bandages & did my best to explain their use. I don’t think she understood. She was going into a significant stretch with limited services so I hope she’s ok.

Seeing that woman reminded me of Maria. Again, I hope she’s ok. The knee would have suffered quite a bit with the terrain I’ve covered since since [sic] parting with her after lunch.

8/14 [Hotel Haya to Islares]

It was to be a bit long & end with camping out, but I’ve found a room (I think) in another hotel between here & the campsite. With rain in the forecast for tonight … [The hotel did work out fine.]

8/15 Sunday [Islares to Santoña]

Even now, I continue to underestimate the difficulty. While today was entirely along the coast in general, and following the road route rather than the inland (extra 10km [6 miles]) or the coast (dangerous at best and worse in wet conditions according to Javier yesterday), it was strenuous with over 11 miles and 1,400’ altitude up & down.

It was very wet. Not really rain, not really mist.

My cape kept the outer moisture out & the perspiration in. Not sure how good the net was.

The highway route was not marked as Camino until relatively late. Then the path turns off onto some tiny lanes. Steep as usual and slippery. I fell. First thought was damage to the right knee, which buckled under me. Turned out ok. [Camino markings are different in the different autonomous communities of Spain. In the Basque Country, yellow arrows—which can point in two directions at an intersection— are the key. In Cantabria, brass markers embedded in pavements and walls are the marks. In Galicia, a very formal set of small monuments with direction and distance both shown makes navigation a snap.]

Confusion on the ferry from Laredo to Santoña. Two different ones. One tourist excursion, one ferry. I picked the wrong one, of course. Time probably the same as the “back & forth” version was 5km [or 3 miles added walking distance] along the beach. Found the albergue & checked in. Dinner. Shower. Organize for tomorrow. Two “roommates for 6 bunks. Haven’t seen either of them yet.

8/16 [Santoña to Güemes (Albergue La Cabaña del Abuelo Peuto; Earnesto’s Place)]

“Roommates” got up early to an alarm & moved efficiently to get out of Dodge quickly. The albergue (Juvinal [nominally for youths]) seems deserted and, while vast, ill equipped. No dishes that I could find, only a few paper towels that seemed left behind by the cleaning crew.

A less than auspicious start on my way to [This just ended this way.]

Words fail me in an effort to describe how difficult and dangerous I found the climb / trek around the headland leaving Santoña to be. The locals seemed unphased, except for one being helped down by two compatriots with an ankle swollen to grapefruit size. [The three were trail running. They had passed me going uphill like antelope. The uninjured two passed me again, later.]

The trail was as narrow as 6 or 8 inches in some places, not level, and next to a dropoff that looked like serious injury or fatal in an accident.

The walk was easy after that with new friends made and no serious climbs. The albergue at Guemes is legendary for a good reason. [That’s Earnesto in the white shirt, me on the right]

8/17 [Güemes to Santander]

Last one out of the albergue, 40+ peregrinos, but for excellent reasons.

An easy day’s walk except for an extended stretch along the beach. Hard to walk in soft sand and very narrow section firmed up by the water.

Went into Santander, hopefully cancelled east side of the water reservation. Saw Ricardo twice, once on the trail and a second time here in town. Followed a group from the albergue in Guemes and the ferry thinking they were going to the albergue here. Nope. Reservation in a small, but Camino centric place that appears to be a converted flat. I got lucky & have a private room for €25!

8/18 [Santander to Barreda]

A breakfast worth lingering over and I didn’t. 30km [19 miles] today? Navigation will be harder as the Camino is not so well marked here. [Cantabria has plenty of markers, but they often blend into the background due to a lack of contrast. The yellow arrows I had grown used to in the Basque Country are much easier to see.]

Writing on Thursday, WOW, what a day. [This will be one Doozie of a My Camino Day post when I get to it.] Old and new Camino friends, a very long hike, and a 3 mile “sprint” to get a hotel room for the night. Along the way, crossing a railroad bridge between trains [A very bad idea, but one I embraced at the time. A video will be included in my YouTube channel if I find the courage to post it.] and a picnic in a sunken road so that Eddy & Ronan could grab cigarettes. I had bread, cheese, and sausage, Roman had Bimbo bread (which is not what I think of as bread) and some squid in sauce. Eddy had a better stove than mine and a tent with a ring in it that served as a table. I had instant coffee. Eddy had some plants he had picked with which he made tea. Roman also had some roadside flowers he ate for their curative properties.

I should note that 1) we were lost at the time; 2) we didn’t care; and 3) Roman’s prediction that by stopping we guaranteed that we would find a taverna soon was fulfilled about 1 km later.

The albergue we planned to spend the night in was closed so we convened a planning session over a beer in a taverna across the road. I found a hotel room 3 miles away. One hour hold for a phone reservation led to a “full airport” sprint and the night indoors once again. [My wife, Janis, claims that I walk much, much faster than usual when in an airport.]

8/19 [Barreda to Santander]

And now, the turn toward home. There is a train station within spitting distance of the hotel. This narrow guage will take me back to Santander today; Renfe to Madrid tomorrow.

I am sad to see this adventure end but there is important work at home and I am anxious to begin it.

Next Year

Back in Santander after an easy local train ride. It was cheap and efficient. [Crossing that railroad bridge going the other way in the train was surreal. My recollection is that I have video of this as well and will be posting it when I get to it.]

Got a ticket on the 7 AM to Madrid tomorrow. The later morning trains were sold out and I didn’t want to cut into my margin as yet.

Next the albergue turistico here was sold out before it opened.

Decision: save money or stress. 170€ room next to the train station. 3★ hotel. A bit pampered.

Got an Airbnb for Friday / Saturday nights in Madrid. Near Chamartín. Cheap (relatively) and should be convenient. [It was not as close to Chamartín as expected, but well located overall given that all my local travel was on foot]

Interesting self comment. Went to the Cathedral to get a sello [literally “stamp” as in using a rubber stamp to make an image; sellos show where a pilgrim has been and are used to prove one’s Journey when asking for a Compostela or certificate of completion of the pilgrimage.] for my credential but it was closed. Found an information center to ask “where?” and they had one. Next sello in Santillana Del Mar “next year.”

8/20 [Santander to Madrid]

Early (7:05) train to Madrid.

It was still dark when we pulled out of the station and I was both tired from a fitful night and a bit disoriented by the return to the world. A quick, but tasty, tortilla [This is a Spanish tortilla. It is an egg and potato dish that has nothing in common with the Mexican food of the same name.] and coffee helped.

A lengthy cola [line] to check in, but it moved with wondrous speed. No luggage x-ray or other such enhanced security. But cleaning wipes were part of the package and mask use looked like 100%. [As noted earlier, this was at the height of the pandemic and masks were seemingly worn whenever two people were near each other throughout my trip.]

Cart with coffee on the train. Cold, two “shot glass” portion.

It seemed like we were going through dense fog a bit ago, but now (8 AM) the sun is coming out and the day looks lovely.

In and out of the clouds, then bright sun.

Now clearly out of the coastal zone with its greenery and entering drier, far less rugged country.

All the stimulations of modernity are already hitting me. A movie (Spanish subtitles, which I can follow?) playing on a small screen at the end of the train car, Internet, arrangements in Madrid.

Now to hold on to what I gained on the Camino.

The train passes into the foothills of the Central Plain. Huge fields replace the small farmsteads. There are few trees. While not arid, this territory is dry, unlike the verdant coastal mountains.

Farming still, but analogous to the “factory farm” of the American Midwest rather than the personal lands of the Basque Country or Cantabria.

Fields of wheat and corn and sunflowers.

“Sun baked” Spain. Old villages, fortifications, churches. A very Catholic country. With this is juxtaposed modernity writ large: windmill electrical power farms seem ubiquitous.

Function vies with beauty in design and repair. Practicality leaves some buildings abandoned, some maintained, some enhanced. Many residential areas scream “money” for repair and maintenance, especially landscaping.

Sitting motionless in this seat has let my legs stiffen from my sprint a couple days ago. Not sure how long I’ll be paying for that.

Found my way easily to the Airbnb. Elsa is delightful and accommodating. The piso [literally “floor,” but really “flat” or “apartment” in this context] is far more than expected. Not certain about privacy as she is using part of it for her business (see pics & card), but it’s far more than expected.

Demonstrating a lack of learning about the effect of hurrying on my legs in general and the right one in particular, I did a hurried walk of 4km (9 or 10 [6 miles] round trip, but only rushed for 4) to get to a testing lab despite having plenty of time. Nose is swabbed. €135! [This was the height of the pandemic and a negative COVID test was needed to get on the airplane.]

Nice dinner & 2 cervezas [beers] at a taberna nearby.

8/21 [Madrid]

Fell into bed last night, and “fell” is literal, and slept for about 12 hours. Exhaustion and relief knowing that getting to the plane on time is easy from here.
Coffee machine in the bedroom is wonderful. Shower “shortly” & then breakfast.

With nothing to do for the day, I found a flamenco show & generally wandered in that direction until it was time. I am now fully reminded of why I am a flamenco fan even with no knowledge of the art.

8/22 [Madrid]

Good night’s sleep. Packing up to find my way to the hotel near the airport.

My plan was a walk to Chamartin train station and a train (I think) or cab (backup) to the hotel at Barajas [Madrid’s airport]. Map app says ~8 miles walking. I have nothing to do today …

So, after 5 miles, FINALLY, a restaurant.

I had breakfast with Elsa this AM. She stays in the small back bedroom and is almost invisible. She gave me 2 slices of toast with butter & jelly. We had a wonderful chat in Spanish.

The wondrous calm of the Camino was not able to withstand a small return to the “world”. The TAP check in and health / COVID process was more than it could withstand. Jan saved me!

8/23 [Madrid to Home]

An anticlimactic end to a wonderful adventure. Easy morning with lots of time. Ended up walking to the airport because the promised shuttle did not exist. Dumped the last of my fuel cubes as not good for the airplane’s safety. [This is not as easy as it sounds. The terminals are some distance from the hotel and there are no sidewalks, making for a dangerous walk.]

Madrid terminal outside the sterile zone is VERY limited.

The overall airport experience was “meh” at best. Duty free focused on stuff I don’t want or need. Restaurants almost non-existant, the usual wait, a very utilitarian place with poor signage / passenger traffic flow.

Had a nice chat with a woman in the check-in line. All in Spanish. Nothing complex. Harder to understand her than to talk. Hearing issue & mask blurring sounds.

Flight out of Barajas was late leaving. The short connection in Lisbon was exciting, it included a bus from the plane to the terminal and passport control, but I made it with minutes to spare. [I have since put the TAP airline on my “let’s find another alternative if possible” list.]

8/24 [Home]

[While my own, personal, pink body made the connection in Lisbon, my little red backpack with the “you can’t carry that onto the airplane” things did not. The trekking poles are expensive. My Dime (a tiny but extremely useful multitool) is not expensive, but I’m dependent on it.]

8/25 [Home]

My little backpack with the trekking poles, dime, &c. is still not here. At 6:00 PM, someone answered the phone and said “arrive tonight, deliver tomorrow”

8/26 [Home]

The little red backpack arrive home!