Month: July 2018

Essays from the Camino

Several months ago, after I came back from Spain, I wanted to try to capture my experience on the Camino in written form. I continue to try to get that organized but, it if a very daunting task.

Instead, I started to write an essay about a very difficult time for me that happened while I was on the Camino, I wanted to explore those thoughts and feelings. I also thought it would maybe be a bit like dipping my toe in the water.

As I started writing, it occurred to me that most people probably have similar stories or thoughts so, I challenged them to contribute. My idea was to take a moment, person, place, occurrence or whatever and put that into words, a collaboration. I’m happy to say that several have accepted the challenge and the first results are included.

If you would like to contribute, please submit your essay at thepilgrim@juspassinthrough.com . I believe you’ll find the effort rewarding.

Coming Home/Wohin? – Nach Hause (Eng-Ger)
Storms
My Camino Tears

Inanimate Objects Coming To Life

How is it that things seem to take on a life of their own? By things I mean inanimate objects that really don’t mean much in life’s big picture. It could be a car, your boots, or in my case, my trekking poles.

For some reason, we’ve always named boats. There was the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria, the Minnow, the Titanic and of course, the Love Boat. Airlines name their planes, Wow Air has some very interesting names I noticed. Some people name their cars, my daughters named the ones they drove, one was Hubert.

In my case, my trekking poles have a name, not individual names but, collectively they’re “The Girls“. I can’t remember why they chose to name themselves that or why they chose to have a unified identity instead of insisting on being known as individuals. Why not Thelma and Louise for instance. But no, they’re The Girls and apparently they’ve chosen, for their own reasons, to remain a team.

The Girls and I near Sarria, Spain.

When we first met, shortly after Amazon delivered them, they were just poles. Clean, shiny carbon-fiber and titanium collapsible poles. As we got to know one another, they began to exert their individuality. For instance, one doesn’t like to be forced into the locked position, she’ll do it on her own and when she pleases. Another seems to go through her shoes (tips) faster than the other.

Somewhere in early 2017, they declared that they were, The Girls and I began to think of them that way. On the Camino, if they’d been moved, I’d ask if anyone had seen The Girls. While walking, I’d sometimes talk to them. And, do not judge until you’ve walked across the Meseta, it will do strange things to the most rational person.

The Girls amused me by allowing me to twirl them like batons, sometimes in tandem like airplane propellers. They supported me as I walk by insisting that I sling them across my shoulders and hang my arms on them. When I’m too lazy to bend down, they scratch my foot for me.

This question came to mind when a friend found a new walking stick, she has poles but apparently this stick needed to be found and she needed to find it. Not so much for it’s ability to assist her as she walks but more to ground her and to help her restless mind focus. I asked her if she had a name for it and she told me for now, it’s just Friend, a very good name I think.

Being found by a trekker is not that uncommon. On our last day into Santiago last year, Rick left his poles in the albergue but, a tree branch found him and walked him into Santiago where it immediately broke. Why there? Why not an hour before or in the previous town? There are no answers to these questions and I think that it is just meant to be.

The Girls are just who they are. Rick’s tree branch was intended to get him to Santiago and, no futher. Katja’s new Friend may or may not name it’s self, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Link To a Better Blog Than Mine

My friend Renee sent me a link to a blog that is far better than mine, clearly this young woman has mad skills and I bow to her blogging prowess.

Now that I’ve stopped fawning over a person I’ve never met, you should check her site out. Everything that I’ve read is interesting, there’s one post in particular that anyone considering walking the Camino, whether it’s your first or tenth time, should read. My rules for walking the Camino — and “Never take a bus” is not one of them I encourage you to explore her entire site.

Good job Jes, keep up the incredible work!

Wanderlust

Having just returned from vacation, I thought I’d post this poem that I wrote a few months ago. For me, it sums up the desire that some of us have to travel, to wander and to enjoy the sense of freedom that it instills in us. It was inspired by a friend, a true Vagabond and restless spirit. She once said that she would like to walk out her door and just keep walking.

The Vagabonds Poem. You may notice that the opening line is where the tag line of my blog comes from.

You don’t have to travel far, sometimes it’s only in your mind but, even that trip takes you far from where we are now. Thanks to all the people who inspire me. I told a friend, it’s not Shelley or Whitman, more like Shitman but, I like it, so…

Looking Over My Shoulder

As I try to clear the jet-lag cob webs out of my head, I started thinking about this last trip while I lay wide awake at 0430. What did I like or dislike? What would I do differently? Would I go back or not to these locations?

So, what did I like? The very best part was seeing friends again and, getting Susan introduced to these people. I’m thrilled that she enjoyed meeting these distant people who are forever in my thoughts. Meeting our Dallas neighbors in Dublin and getting to meet G’s family was an unexpected surprise, sort of an unexpected gift at an unexpected time and, in an unexpected place. People are what make travels special for me.

I liked Iceland even though it has a way of sucking money out of your pocket. The very raw and lunar like landscape is somehow very interesting and either hides the beauty or highlights it depending on your eye I suppose, I want to see more. If I were to return, I would spend very little time in Reykjavik and get out into the countryside to explore. If you don’t like being in the elements, Iceland may not be your place but, if you don’t mind what Mother Nature throws at you (wind, mist/rain or cool weather) I’d say Iceland is worth visiting.

Ireland, one word…stunning. We were lucky to have friends to show us around, thank you for this gift Bernie and Nigel! I would definitely go back to Ireland. The Dingle Peninsula and the area around Kilorglin are beautiful, even with bus loads of day-trippers. I would love to go back and do the Dingle Way and/or the Kerry Way, especially with people like Bernie & Nigel and/or Katja, people who truly love this type of adventure.

Germany was about friends. Seeing my friend Katja and visiting her town were special for Susan and me. I would go back for that visit anytime. It’s unfortunate that we could not see Alex in Berlin but, that’s life, we’ll do it another time. Berlin, as I posted earlier, is a place to visit for other reasons as well.

I liked my REI pack very much! I wrote earlier about that. Now that I’ve used it, I would highly recommend it. I’m going to write later about some packing tips for this bag.

I liked the smile on Bernie’s face when Susan gave her the quilt that she made while we all walked the Camino.

Susan and Bernie with her quilt.

I like Guiness!

I didn’t like my long layover and delay at the Keflavik Airport but, who does? I would probably find some way to avoid that stop on the way home if I were to do a visit as we did this time, getting in bed at 0230 on a 24 hour day was no fun.

I didn’t like the down comforter things that seem to be the norm for German hotels. It wasn’t bad at the Dorint-Oberursel Hotel (which I liked!), it had A/C. In our un-air conditioned room in Berlin, it was very hot. No top sheet, just me and my -30 down sleeping bag.

I’m a glass half full kind of guy so, while there were things that I could do without, food and drink that I can pass on (apple wine) and things I’d do differently. But, I’m glad I don’t sit around thinking of reasons not to go find out what they are because, I find far more things that I like, people that are unforgettable, places that I want to return to than I ever find the opposite. We’re here for such a short amount of time, I hope to make the very best of my allotted time slice.

When Wow Air Becomes, Whaaat Air

I am trying to figure our Wow Air, after 3.5 flights including both long and short flights, I still can’t quite wrap may head around them. I have no real complaint about the airline, I just can’t figure them out.

The first thing that confuses me is just what you get by paying to be a Premium passenger. I know that you get to choose your seat and on the longer flights there are Big Seats (First Class from 25 years ago) and there are XXL which is a standard Coach seat with more legroom.

You also get to pick a meal, generally a salad, sandwich or some sort of noodle dish. Another perk is Priority Boarding which is nice because so many people are trying not to pay for checked luggage that if you don’t have that early boarding, the small overhead bins are filled very quickly. Speaking of luggage, you do get 1 checked bag (20kg max) and one carry-on bag.

So, I know these things but, many of them are never delivered. On 3 of the 4 flights, the seats that I booked are not the seats that showed up on our boarding passes. They were in the right section except for our flight from Berlin to Reykjavik. Instead of XXL seats on the bulkhead, we got row 3 with XL seats. When you ask the flight attendants, you’re told those are the seats available.

I thought it was only us until, people on every flight were asking about their seats, sometimes because they were separated and other times because they were in middle row (3 seats) instead of on the outside (2 seats). How can this happen with regularity?

Another issue is the food that you select while purchasing your Premium ticket. I chose things that Susan could eat on every flight. When I got my check in email, it said that one of us had selected a meal and the other had not. I know this is wrong because I selected meals for both of us and would not have not selected a meal.

On board, it really didn’t matter as they didn’t have the selected meals from Dallas (never pointed this out, found it in the small print on their website) for some reason. The meals were also hit of miss on all of our flights.

Generally, it seemed quite hap hazard and there was a regular air of confusion. Quite honestly, the flight attendants may be as confused as the passengers are regarding these situations. They’re always very polite but really confused.

My final question has to do with drinks. Are drinks included in the Premium service? DFW to KEF, yes. BER to KEF, no. Still waiting to find out on KEF to DFW as the drink cart has disappeared.

Wow Air otherwise seems to be a good option when flying to Iceland or on to Europe. While they have some new planes, the A330s were acquired from some other airline(s), these are their long-haul planes for markets that the 320s can’t fly due to the distances. Be aware that the overheads on the A330’s are much smaller than most travelers are used to on international flights.

The planes were clean and cleaned inflight by the flight attendants. I’ve seen this on other international airlines, but I can’t imagine an American Airlines flight attendant even considering cleaning a lavatory inflight.

We’ve had no experience yet with baggage handling as we’ve carried on until our return flight to DFW so, we’ll see how that goes when we arrive in Dallas. I’m hoping that our luggage did not sit in the rain in KEF while we endured our 3.5-hour delay.

All in all, I’d give Wow Air a 6.5. They get you where you’re going it seems, they offer some confused comfort and the employees seem to be very polite. On top of this, they offer some very competitive fares. I’d fly them again, especially now that I know what I know.

Back in Dallas now and I have some final thoughts on Wow Air based on my complete experience.

I commented earlier that they announced that cabin service was about to begin. We were seated on the left side of the plane and one cart went down the right aisle…never to be seen again! No other cart came down the left side, ever!

Food was distributed to some in the front, presuming that these were other Premium passengers, as were we. Even though we’d preselected a meal, none was offered and certainly none was delivered. We did get a bottle of water though.

About an hour before landing in Dallas, I asked one of the flight attendants if I could get a cup of coffee, she of course answered yes. She came back to me with a credit card machine and told me it would be 3€ to which I asked if Premium passengers had to pay for coffee, she responded with “your Premium?”. To which I said, Yes. She apologized profusely, the attendant that I presume was the #1 looked at my seat number but said nothing to me. So, two things, they had no idea that we’d paid for Premium and, I did finally get my coffee. If you fly Wow Air, I would make it known from the beginning that you are Premium.

There is obviously a huge disconnect between reservations and the information that ends up on the plane, this was clear from our first flight. I don’t know if I would pay for Premium now as it seems they have no idea that you are Premium or, what’s included as a Premium passenger…I certainly don’t. There are other less expensive ala carte options that I would consider.

In the end, Wow Air got us to and from on our vacation. Can they and should they improve their cabin service, YES. I will be speaking with their customer service later today to see if they have any insights.

Would I fly Wow Air again, probably! Would I pay for Premium, probably not.

ONE FINAL COMMENT AND THIS IS A COMPLAINT!

Our scheduled flight from KEF to DFW was delayed for almost 4 hours, this was on top of the 3 hour 25 minute layover. During that time, you’re spending lots of money (not hard to do in an airport or Iceland). Wow Air announced that they would be passing our food vouchers, which they did. The total of our 2 vouchers was 12 euro or 1500 Krona’s. In the Keflavik airport, I went and got 2 wines, a sandwich and a cookie. This totaled 4000 Krona’s, about $40 of which Wow covered about $15. A mini-can of Pringles cost 560 Krona’s. On top of this, we were talking to other passengers that were not Premium, they got 1/2 the amount we got. Basically, there was no “meal” that you were going to get for what they offered. Even better, the card was called “Travelwelfare“, it felt like it. We’re gonna give you some money but, not enough to feed you. Sort of like food stamps.

Headed Nowhere, Fast!

Departing Berlin this morning was a breeze.  Around the corner from our hotel was the Oranienburger station for the S-Bahn which we took to the Friedrichstrasse station where we caught the RE-7 to Schoenfeld Airport.  About 40 minutes and it cost 3.40€.  The US needs to wake up!

Three and a half hour flight to Iceland, mostly a non-event except figuring out what’s included as a Premium passenger on Wow Air still befuddles me, them too I think.  I will write more on that as the trip comes to an end.

We’re now sitting in the Keflavik Airport, waiting to find out what’s going on with our delayed flight.  I’ve been travelling long enough to know that when they take your flight off the Flight Board, that’s probably not a good sign. I thought that I’d share exactly what they sent to me: “The reason for the delay are operational restrictions that are preventing us from operating in accordance with our originally scheduled departure time“. To that, I say no shit Sherlock. But hey, it’s Wow Air, let’s see if they Wow us.  Ariel is going to be pissed if we don’t show up tonight…so will I.

Nothing to DFW

More on our adventures later, I needed to semi rant, more on that too…probably.

Lessons From Berlin

We’ve enjoyed our three days in Berlin and we’ve seen all the tourist sights.  We walked from the Brandenburg Gate all the way across the Spree River.  We could not get in to the Reichstag, we did not make reservations, and none were available for several weeks.  If you plan on coming to Berlin and you want to see the dome, make a reservation well in advance.

Reichstag Berlin
Brandenburg Gate

You may know that Volkswagen owns a lot of different automobile brands, Porsche, Audi, Skoda and many more. We stopped in their Drive VW showroom which was impressive and I’m not much of a car guy but, this was just too much to not take a picture of. 1600 HP of Bugatti sexy!

1600 HP Bugatti Engine

We left some money at the Galeries Lafayette, saw the French Church and the Book Burning Memorial.  Across the River Spree, the Alexanderplatz is probably one of the most chaotic and confusing public spaces I’ve ever seen.

Having had enough German food, we ate at a very nice Italian restaurant, Vino & Basilico, some of the best Italian food I’ve had outside of Italy.  I had Fusilloni with speck, radicchio, rocket and pecorino cheese. Outstanding!  Two glasses of wine washed it down nicely.

Yum!

Our second full day was a bit more somber and it was a reminder of the horrors of WW II and the Soviet occupation, there are still lessons to be learned from this period Mr. Trump.

Our morning was spent at the Berlin Wall Memorial which still has sections of both walls built to try to keep East and West separated.  It didn’t work then and anyone who thinks building a wall in America is smart or effective, it’s neither.

The memorial tells the story to the history of the wall, how it evolved in a continuing effort to divide the city, the killing fields between the walls and those who died trying to escape tyranny.

Ultimately, we know of the total failure of the wall and the regime that used it as a weapon against free people.  I will repeat, it did not work, and it is now seen as an abomination and criminal.

We continued our tour by going to Check Point Charlie, now only a re-creation but, people of my generation grew up with this as the focal point of the Cold War, we all knew what it was and what it looked like.

We finished our tour by visiting the Topography of Terror museum which unlike many exhibits, this one tells of how the horrors of the Nazi’s became a reality.  It shows and documents a very deliberate process of demonizing groups deemed inferior and blaming them for all the ills the German people felt as a result of losing WW I.

It documents how people followed blindly as their neighbors were first ridiculed, then robbed of their possessions and finally relocated…another word for worked to death or out right murdered.  They themselves participated in the Master Plan, the execution of millions of people all over Europe, by turning a blind eye.  Never questioning their leader who could “shoot someone on 5th Avenue and still be elected”.

Lessons to be learned now, eighty years after a monster named Hitler came to power by promising all will be well and only he can lead them to a better life.  All you must do is mistrust the press, allow me to divide the country into those who are worthy and those who are not and to say nothing as the country turns on itself and becomes isolated from the world.  Ah yes, many lessons indeed.  Martin Niemöller I believe said it best:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Sorry, probably got a little heavy there but, these things happened and, they can happen again.  Blind faith, denying truths and choosing to believe “alternate” facts that only serve to reinforce your beliefs is a dangerous path to follow.

My next post will be more positive as I plan to discuss lessons not learned from the American Civil War…just kidding…maybe.

World Cup tonight!  Go France!

Friendship

I started writing this post by telling a long and boring tale of what we did while in Frankfurt.  After reading it, all I could think about was what rubbish it all was.

Visiting Frankfurt was about friendship.  Katja has become a friend on the same level as my old friends like Leighton, Renee, Meg Nancy, or Bob.  It’s odd how that happens, I can’t explain it.  How do you know that someone will be your friend?  I knew it from the very beginning.

I told her the day after we arrived that I knew we would be friends, she said “you did?”.  I don’t know if she was surprised by my statement or if she thought I was out of my mind, maybe both.

I think that the Camino accelerated the friendship process for me.  Often when you meet people, there’s a sort of invisible wall that goes up, instinctively probably.  We don’t want to expose ourselves for fear of being rejected or hurt in some way.  A month on the Camino, for me, dropped those barriers.

I’ve told my friends over the years how important they are to me and how much I love them.  I believe that personal candor has been rewarded with friendships lasting in one case, over forty years.

I’m happy that Susan got to meet Katja, I wish she had more time to see what a wonderful person she is.  I believe she knows that she’s an important person in my life and that the Camino allowed that to happen.

Who can explain how a random meeting on a lonely hill in the northwest of Spain with a total stranger would lead to a friendship that has now spanned a year, even though the Amigos are separated by land and sea spanning 8000km/5000 miles.  As with my oldest friend Bill, distance doesn’t seem to matter, surely not to me.

The best part of our visit, for me, was the evening we all spent over dinner at Katja’s home.  Visiting in someone’s home is very personal, they feel comfortable enough to allow you into their space and, she made us feel like we’d been there many times before.

We talked about books and travels.  Susan allowed us to do a Camino binge, I’m forever grateful for that as I was dying to hear about Katja’s adventures on her latest Camino.  The pictures made it even more real.

Katja made a simple but wonderful meal of pasta with a sauce a ’la Katja.  It was quite tasty but, as I’ve written in both my blog and in my essay, it was the people around the table that mattered to me.  Moment’s like these are what I will always remember.

Susan and I departed Frankfurt and our friend Katja drove us to the Frankfurt train station and like the little sister, mother hen…friend that she is, she delivered us to our coach safely.

Katja & Me

As she was checking on the web about our arrival station in Berlin, I walked out to the entry to the coach to see if there was a problem and she told me she’d just texted me that our station in Berlin was very near our hotel.

I thanked her again, for all that she’d done, and I hugged her again and told her hasta luego, I could not say good-bye, adios.  The same sadness that I’d experienced a year before when I departed Spain, leaving my Camino family behind, rushed back into my mind.  In this case, it’s a member of my Camino tribe who’s become a friend or, maybe even a family member.

Since the Camino, I’ve tried to become more open and honest about my emotions and feelings.  As I was writing this post, I needed to take that to heart.  I will miss my friend Katja and I look forward to maintaining our long-distance friendship.  I hope that we can pull off a return to the Camino next year to walk the Inglés.  If we’re lucky, we’ll have a merry band of Pilgrims from around the world joining us.

So, for my friend Katja, thank you Miga for this past weekend.  Thank you for allowing me to walk up that hill in Finisterre with you.  And, most of all, thank you for being my friend!