[Gocamino] FW: 3 ladies walking suggestions

[Judy Nollar]

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From: Sil <sillydoll at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 16:53:05 +0200
To: Judy Nollar <jnollar at caltech.edu>
Subject: Re: [Gocamino] 3 ladies walking suggestions

In 2007 we kept bumping into a young Irish woman who was staying in the
hotels and transporting her baggage ahead because she'd had a spinal fusion
and couldn't carry a heavy pack.  She walked every inch of the way from St
Jean to Santiago, through the same towns and villages, visiting the same
churches and monuments as we were.  We were really proud of her!  We often
had a cafe con leche or a picnic lunch together.  The only difference was
that we were staying in the pilgrim shelters so we never saw her in the
evenings.  
For me (someone who avoided the shelters on my first camino) there is
something almost gospel-like about a group of pilgrims sit tingtogether in a
garden or field sharing blister plasters, wine or breaking bread. 
We stayed in a few casa rurals and hotels (Leon - so that we could stay up
till midnight to see the lights come on in cathedral and in Sarria because
my husband was joing us too late in the afternoon to secure a refuge bed)
but when we did stay in a hotel it felt as though we had left the camino,
and our camino friends, and had stepped back into a more modern world.  I'm
not sure if others have felt the same way but we were always pleased to be
back in the albergues the next night.
As Judy says, there are many 'camino styles' - always have been, with Lords
and Ladies, Knights and servants, mendicant pilgrims and the indigent - and
we must all find the one that suits us best.
Sil
2009/8/3 Judy Nollar <jnollar at caltech.edu>
> 
> --
> -- Six of us post-sixties in age walked the C. Frances in Sept. We support
> Rosina in recommending  the small inns  for older walkers­ you can easily
> plan ahead moderate days of walking to arrive at a village with an
> inn/hotel, and it does make for a much more relaxed and enjoyable day to
> know that bed is secure and waiting, along with a clean shower. We met many
> other peregrinos along the way and in the inns, so we were certainly not
> socially isolated. We also had that extra energy to go out and see the
> sights because of a good night¹s sleep in a quiet space.
> We also support Robert in his advice about keeping your necessaries close to
> hand; we needed about 12-15 pounds in our day packs, not carrying as much
> food as he did. We mailed extra books and ³after camino² shoes & clothes
> ahead to Santiago ­ easy to do.
> There are so many ³Camino styles² - find the one that feels best for you;
> there¹s room for all. God bless the journey!
> Judy Nollar
> 
> 
> 
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Sil
http://amawalker.blogspot.com/
www.2009pilgrims.blogspot.com <http://www.2009pilgrims.blogspot.com>
www.vfpilgrims.blogspot.com <http://www.vfpilgrims.blogspot.com>
www.csjofsa.org.za <http://www.csjofsa.org.za>


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