Favorite image ascending the Pyrenees...Alexa in blue backpack...

Making friends along the Camino...

"Spain is like a shark attack"

It has recently become apparent that everything I would ever want to learn about myself, the world, or where I come from can be ascertained by travelling throughout Europe with my mother. I've always been a talker--whether with friends, strangers, or authority figures--I will invariably ask them the requisite question, "How's life?" As it turns out, I am silent on the Camino in comparison to mom. Somehow we've accumulated this group of international, devastatingly, absorbingly fascinating friends. There's Theo from Amsterdam, who started the Camino from his doorstep eighty days ago, and will end in Santiago right along with us. There's Gustavo, the most hilarious Brazilian who seems to know everything--mom interrogates him nightly for tips in the upcoming day's walk. Hesse (Or Hasse?) is a Danish man who walked with us for 6 hours today, and we talked about the economy (which was hilarious), the meaning of happiness and the precise pain in our feet. Then there's Serg and Sonia from French-Canada, who told me I spoke French like a native, and that mom looks more like my sister than my mom--we love Sonia and Serg. And Sharon and Harvey! We're instant best friends with everyone we meet on the Camino ( or as Serg says, the Kah-mEE-noh), due mostly to the fact that it's hard to be solitary in a monastery full of 120 internationals on bunk beds, dormitory-style. It's especially hard to stay distant when you're two pelegrinas like mom and I. The two of us were sitting in a little French-Basque restaurant the day before embarking, when mom declares to me, "I think I'm just one of those smiley Americans. I think that foreign men tend to think I'm interested in them, but really I just smile to say, 'You're Basque, and I'm not but I'm in your world, and I'm really happy here!' You know, Lex?" Yeah mom, I know!

The Camino is, truthfully, just a long walk. Or so I keep telling myself. There's a good chance it might kill us. It's not even the length (15 miles/25 kilometres/8.5 hours today) or the weather (torrential downpour)-- it's the damn shoes. All the pilgrims are feeling it--the feet hurt the worst. But it's almost comical, because we're all in varying degrees of unendurable pain. Hasse (Hesse?) is reading "Into the Wild" another story of a long journey into self-discovery, and we all remembered the haunting last words Alex Supertramp wrote in his journal before dying from a poisonous mushroom--"Happiness is only real when it's shared with someone." This journey is not a singular walk (though everyone wil tell you--"This is YOUR Camino")-- it's an experience that we get to be a part of. Along with 200,000 other people. The landscape alone might be enough for some (mom and I have a thing for trees and sheep), but the Camino is a walk you do with others. Each pilgrim has their own reasons, and everyone garners their own lesson, but I am so enjoying meeting all these amazing people. When talking to people who have already accomplished a fair amount or even finished the Camino, they will us that nothing is the same afterwards. It reminds me of when I was last in Spain--Kevin Buddhu told us, "Spain is like a shark attack. Afterwards, everything in your life is marked by the temporal relation to that one event. As in, 'Before Spain, I hated coffee. But after living there for a year, I drink it every day!'" The Camino is, apparently, the same way. "Before the Camino, I never considered myself spiritual. But now..." O lo que sea. I'm realizing that on addition to being non-religious, I'm also not particularly spiritual. I'm a Humanist, one who loves people. Here's hoping that I one day actually make it to Santiago (only 765 more kilometres! Yes!) and that my feet make it. Lots of love from Larrosoaña--!

Have arrived in St. Jean...

Flights all smooth from Heathrow, to Paris, to Biarritz and now spent our first night in picturesque Basque country, St Jean Pied de Port...It was pouring rain in Paris with thunder and a bit of lightning! We were lucky the hotel had some amenities and I took a Hamam steam! On the flight yesterday morning to Biarritz we met a French man and his girlfriend who kindly offered us a ride into town on their way to Bordeaux. She is a translator and he the curator of a museum in Paris...Jean Michel and Lourdes...there hospitality was heartening! Biarritz was beautiful..big rocks jutting out of the ocean with a view of the Pyrenees in the background. We spent the day enjoying the beach, and strolling through the city. We took the bus to Bayonne in the afternoon and visited an 11th century cathedral and learned some things about the French Basque. Basque food is quite excellent... Also found the most amazing almond macaroons which are known in this area. I was really interested in the Basque symbols, their famous font, and the language which has no traceable foundation...Some words are recognizable in French and in Spanish but barely! Alexa and I are off to explore St Jean this morning before the impending rain. The weather conditions will be an important consideration for us due to lack of visibility, rainfall and possible thunder and lightning! Sounds a bit ominous I know but we are headed to the pilgrims office where we will get the lowdown on what to expect and advice about best departure time, etc. We have our maps and are mentally preparing. Will be in touch...thinking of Rich and Cole...we are constantly reminded of so many travels togther as a family...the cobblestone streets of Spain, Italy, Amsterdam...the Jutenheimen in Norway and our big trek across Bukkelegrat...love you boys!

Today's the day...Ultreya!

Ultreya is a Spanish medieval word meaning "Onward!"
Today is departure day. I have to wonder how our lives will be altered by this upcoming experience. To shed the daily life and routines we're accustomed to, to live without material excesses and pare it all down to what is absolutely necessary...to live in the moment and to keep a simple rhythm with ourselves and nature....these are the things we anticipate. Though there may be challenges, this journey offers a great sense of freedom and possibilities. It's exciting to stretch beyond probabilities and expectations! In just a few hours we'll be on the plane. It will be time to fully let go...The planning is over and now it is just time to BE!
Ultreya!

Practice hikes and saying "good-bye" to friends and family...

4 days 'til our departure...getting in some practice hikes...had a little departure BBQ at home to share our itinerary, maps, supplies, etc...lots of great wishes and sweet good-byes!

10 days and counting...

We're hiking every other day now wearing our packs (mine currently weighs 22lbs, not quite the desired 15lbs...hmmm!) We're cutting bars of soap in half, our main guidebook in half, using little plastic bags instead of regular containers, etc. Most importantly though we're tweaking the fit on our hiking boots...figuring out how to post photos remotely onto our blog without a computer...and I'm helping my son Cole, plan out his summer...basically organizing  anything that appears to happen by remote control, but really happens because of me! The boys will be busy with a trip to rock climb in Yosemite, New Orleans to build houses for Habitat for Humanity (Cole), and play time in Tahoe...Cole will have his first "real" job on a construction site in the city this summer and Rich is doing a 9 mile "Bay to Breakers" open water swim starting from the Bay Bridge, to the Golden Gate, then to Ocean beach (whoaa!!). So, as you can see...It's all good! Nobody is getting left behind! We are all happy for eachother.  BTW...my pack actually only weighs between 15 and 16 lbs...a glitch with the bathroom scale...whew!!