Month: April 2018

I guess this post will sort of be all over the place. First, I need to clarify some confusion from almost a year ago.

Anyone who’s wasted their time reading my blog knows that my first day on the Camino last year was hard and I struggled, as did most Pilgrims on that climb over the Pyrenees.

After I blogged that day, my mother (happy birthday!), a friend and Susan emailed me with encouragement and told me that “you can make it”. After rereading my entry from that day, it became clear that some thought I was going to quit because I said that Orisson was the last place I could “bail out”. I meant that if I went past Orisson, I was committed to the high route (Napoleon) versus the low route (Valcarlos). There was no way at all that I was going quit, I would have crawled over the top…had it been much further, I may have had to.

I have 3 friends that are going back to the Camino this May-June, the Professors (Chris & Steve) leave in June to do the Camino Frances again but taking more of the alternate routes. Chris is blogging, you can follow her at http://andtheuniverseconspires.blog/ . My friend Katja is going back for her 4th time to do part of the Norte and Primativo. What I wouldn’t do to be joining them. I wish them, Buen Camino and I look forward to reading Katja’s blog. If you’re interested, it’s in German but Google translate does a good job: https://vagabunterleben.net/ .

I’m really looking forward to our vacation, Iceland looks both fun and expensive. Besides looking around, we’re going to do some glacier climbing and will relax on our final day at the Blue Lagoon, a natural geothermal spring and spa, https://www.bluelagoon.com/ .

Ireland got much better than expected. My friends, Bernie and Nigel have offered to show us around the south and west of the country, they have gone far beyond my original thoughts of just visiting them while we were in the area. Thanks to them both.

Germany follows with visits to Frankfurt and Berlin for quick visits with Katja (fresh off the Camino) and Alex.

Hopefully, our remodel job will be done when we return, maybe not, who knows?

So, sorry about rehashing the Day 1 story, sometimes I just a little slow.

Last year on the Camino, I met a lot of people, many for just a moment, some I will not forget but I know that I will never see them again and then, there’s another category, those I now consider to be my friends.

Some of these people live close by, like Leo, my first Camino friend. The Professors, Steve and Chris Mark I’ve seen on multiple occasions including last week in Colorado Bend as they prepare for their second Camino. There are also the A&M (former) students, Greg, Madison and Sarah, I’m glad that I’ve been able to stay connected with each of them.

Another group are my new international friends. Dawn and Nallie from South Africa, Alex from Berlin, Katja from Frankfurt and Bernie and Nigel from Northern Ireland.

Susan and I were able to meet Dawn and Nallie last September in NOLA and I hope one day to visit them in South Africa. I genuinely like them both.

Alex was always one of my favorites because he was so open and honest. He’s incredibly complex and he’s just a good man, I wish he were not 5000 miles away. We will see him this summer on our vacation when we visit Berlin and I very much look forward to it.

Mi Amiga, Katja, we’ve stayed in touch via email and have even done a couple Skype sessions. Her love of the outdoors and especially the Camino is both shared and appreciated. Susan and I will also see her while we’re in Frankfurt this summer. She is one of the people that apparently I was supposed to meet on my journey.

There are two people that I was also supposed to meet apparently, Bernie and Nigel. I met them early on my Camino but, I think our friendship began at a bar in Estella, the day I parted ways with my first friend Leo, I wrote before about one door closing and another opening.

B&N were also the last friends that I saw as we all left Santiago, I was concerned that I would not see them before I left and poof, they magically appeared and, they were a site for sore eyes.

I contacted them about maybe visiting while we were in Ireland on our vacation, they graciously offered to let us stay with them and then, they went so far beyond that I struggle with how to thank them. Nigel wrote back offering to pick us up in Dublin and show us the western part of Ireland, Kerry and the Dingle peninsula, sharing their love and knowledge of the area.

Being dumbfounded by their generosity is an understatement. Two people that I met a year ago on my Camino offering to take the time to do this is hard to comprehend in this day and age. I want to let them know in public and in writing that I will never be able to repay their generosity but, as a friend, I will never stop trying.

Like my last meeting with them in Santiago, I know that my reunion with them in Dublin will for me be a memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Treasure your friends and let them know what they mean to you.

Obviously, I have not been posting for quite some time. Since leaving the Camino, besides rejoining the “real world”, I’ve not been motivated to either train or write. For 2 years, I worked hard to get into shape for my Camino, when that ended, I lost my focus.

I’ve gotten back into the habit of training, the Dallas Pilgrims, sometimes supplemented by some of the Texas Pilgrims I met in Spain are now once again doing our first weekend of the month walks. This coming weekend, we’ll be back at Colorado Bend State Park, one of my favorites.

I’ve worked hard to stay in touch with many of the people that I met last year. I’ve seen the Professors (Chris & Steve) on several occasions. Dawn & Nallie (South Africa) were in NOLA and we met them there. The A&M Kids (Sarah, Greg and Madison), now all graduated are in touch and I’ve seen the all, except Madison, who I will see this weekend.

My friend Katja, mi Amiga is headed back to walk the Norte & Primativo this May/June, Susan and I will visit here on our vacation this summer when we travel to Germany. Friends are funny, you know them when you meet them or, at least I do. I wish we were all going back with her.

I will also see Alex while we’re in Germany, Alex is young enough to be my son and in a way, I look at him that way but, he is also my brother.

Our vacation this year will take us to Iceland, Ireland and Germany. I’ve never been to Iceland and I’m really looking forward to that visit. Bernie and Nigel (N Ireland) have graciously offered to show us some of the west coast of Ireland, County Kerry. I heard that it’s beautiful and having locals show you the area is always special.

I’ll have more after the weekend, weather is supposed to cooperate so it should be a great adventure.