Right it took me a while but I have put up some photos of the trip for your viewing pleasure.
people photos
http://s305.photobucket.com/albums/nn216/julianbenson/Camino%20de%20Santiago%20de%20Compostela/People/
pick o' the bunch
http://s305.photobucket.com/albums/nn216/julianbenson/Camino%20de%20Santiago%20de%20Compostela/pick%20of%20the%20bunch/
Jules
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Saturday, 15 November 2008
All good things (and painful things) must come to an end
WOOOLOO!
We´ve made it to Santiago! All in one piece.
It feels very weird to be sitting in an internet cafe chillin all morning rather than thinking´how many km have we covered? Is this a good pace? When can we stop for hot chocolate?´
Actually, I am thinking about hot chocolate. And I suspect Julian is too. But now we have all the time in the world for it.
We will be meeting my dad this evening and exploring the city and surrounds from the comfort of a rented car. Bliss.
We´ve been to the cathedral, a little disappointing, but I don´t think anything but an apparition of the Virgin herself could have lived up to our effort to get there. It was also a bit weird when we discovered on arrival that the central refuge is closed, so we have to stay 5km out of town. Because of this, we may not see and congratulate some of the friends we made along the way which is sad. Why don´t they provide for pilgrims? This is Santiago! It´s like once you get here, they don´t care about you anymore.
But it´s not all bad. It´s a nice, cheap refuge and we can stay multiple nights. Last night we got our first motorised transport since 14th October- the bus out of town to the refuge. It was moving so fast! I felt a little ill.
Anyway, the cafes and cake shops of Santiago are laid out before us, and we have a lot of calories to regain.
So, until we see you all again in wonderful, rainy England.
Amy x
p.s. to all you doubting types who may not have sponsored us cos you didn´t think we´d make it, now you can! We´re getting close to our target, go on, help us out! That website again is www.justgiving.com/iwillwalk or we´ll come get the money off you with sticks when we get back
We´ve made it to Santiago! All in one piece.
It feels very weird to be sitting in an internet cafe chillin all morning rather than thinking´how many km have we covered? Is this a good pace? When can we stop for hot chocolate?´
Actually, I am thinking about hot chocolate. And I suspect Julian is too. But now we have all the time in the world for it.
We will be meeting my dad this evening and exploring the city and surrounds from the comfort of a rented car. Bliss.
We´ve been to the cathedral, a little disappointing, but I don´t think anything but an apparition of the Virgin herself could have lived up to our effort to get there. It was also a bit weird when we discovered on arrival that the central refuge is closed, so we have to stay 5km out of town. Because of this, we may not see and congratulate some of the friends we made along the way which is sad. Why don´t they provide for pilgrims? This is Santiago! It´s like once you get here, they don´t care about you anymore.
But it´s not all bad. It´s a nice, cheap refuge and we can stay multiple nights. Last night we got our first motorised transport since 14th October- the bus out of town to the refuge. It was moving so fast! I felt a little ill.
Anyway, the cafes and cake shops of Santiago are laid out before us, and we have a lot of calories to regain.
So, until we see you all again in wonderful, rainy England.
Amy x
p.s. to all you doubting types who may not have sponsored us cos you didn´t think we´d make it, now you can! We´re getting close to our target, go on, help us out! That website again is www.justgiving.com/iwillwalk or we´ll come get the money off you with sticks when we get back
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
This is Julian
quick update:
We´re alive
Expansion of the above update:
We´re alive in Leon
Further expansion of the expanded update:
We´re alive in Leon and celebrating the entrance of the last 300km. We´ve now left the Meseta which is one of the toughest parts of the trip due to it´s length and flatness. When people talk of the psychological aspect of the walk what they really mean is you get bored of whistling the Adam´s Family Theme tune 14 times an hour and realise your friendships is hollow and empty.
An elaborate look at the further expansion of the expanded update:
We´ve had a few slow days due to injury (not me before any of you begin to worry!) but are now back on track. The blog has been slow to update because internet has been scrace (that´s a lie, free internet has been scarce would be more accurate). Since our last update we have passed through Burgos a pretty major city and should be easy to find on a map of Spain. Walked through 4 degree climates, snow, rain (which coincedentally does fall mainly in the plains) and are headed towards more mountains. This time the moountains are in snow and we have to sleep up there, there is also no heating.
I ahve one minute of internet left so I´ll say this. We´ve
quick update:
We´re alive
Expansion of the above update:
We´re alive in Leon
Further expansion of the expanded update:
We´re alive in Leon and celebrating the entrance of the last 300km. We´ve now left the Meseta which is one of the toughest parts of the trip due to it´s length and flatness. When people talk of the psychological aspect of the walk what they really mean is you get bored of whistling the Adam´s Family Theme tune 14 times an hour and realise your friendships is hollow and empty.
An elaborate look at the further expansion of the expanded update:
We´ve had a few slow days due to injury (not me before any of you begin to worry!) but are now back on track. The blog has been slow to update because internet has been scrace (that´s a lie, free internet has been scarce would be more accurate). Since our last update we have passed through Burgos a pretty major city and should be easy to find on a map of Spain. Walked through 4 degree climates, snow, rain (which coincedentally does fall mainly in the plains) and are headed towards more mountains. This time the moountains are in snow and we have to sleep up there, there is also no heating.
I ahve one minute of internet left so I´ll say this. We´ve
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
A Description of the Walk from Pamplona to Puente la Reina comprising 50 words
Sadly left awesome hostel. Basque terrorist bar cheered us. We climbed a ridge. Windmills everywhere- East, West views were best. Descending (Jules practising accents), farmland totally contrasted mountains before. Worthy detour to Eunates- an octagonal church. Boots off= BLISS! Cooked with Roland. Shared cheap wine and conversation with Aussies. 2PM bedtime- naughty pilgrims!
Come to Pamplona, the surrealist´s city.
Walk through our confusing mess of alleys, plazas and civic buildings.
Witness the reintroduction and incorporation of criminals and the insane into Pamplonian society. Such as back alley knife throwing, E.T.A friendly taverns and a metanlly challenged boy with a stick!
Want a little risk in yor life? Why not pull a face at an old woman. Only joking! Run with testosterone dosed bulls in an enclosed street race.
Want efficiency and fun? Who doesn´t? well all our hostels are run by Germans.
Why not sample the culinary delights of our fine city, the chestnut.
Tour our wide range of churches, museums and gallerys. Now closed 23 hours a day. That not enough culture for you? Visit our tourism office, it´s so new we haven´t even employed staff yet!
Want to relax for a quiet drink in the pub? Tough, as noisy stag partys are in town an they´re here to stay.
Visit Pamplona, the surreal city!
Julian
Walk through our confusing mess of alleys, plazas and civic buildings.
Witness the reintroduction and incorporation of criminals and the insane into Pamplonian society. Such as back alley knife throwing, E.T.A friendly taverns and a metanlly challenged boy with a stick!
Want a little risk in yor life? Why not pull a face at an old woman. Only joking! Run with testosterone dosed bulls in an enclosed street race.
Want efficiency and fun? Who doesn´t? well all our hostels are run by Germans.
Why not sample the culinary delights of our fine city, the chestnut.
Tour our wide range of churches, museums and gallerys. Now closed 23 hours a day. That not enough culture for you? Visit our tourism office, it´s so new we haven´t even employed staff yet!
Want to relax for a quiet drink in the pub? Tough, as noisy stag partys are in town an they´re here to stay.
Visit Pamplona, the surreal city!
Julian
A Poem Entitled ´Roncesvalles to Larrasoaña´ by Melissa ´the Pilgrim´Geere
Woke up today
Thinking ´27k?´
I really don´t want to walk that today
So off we went
And by áll descent´
I really don´t know what our relief map meant
But wonderful views
Canadian girl blues
Her pack was too heavy and her feet were too bruised
Progress was slow
A snakes by Jules´toe
How we manged without peanut butter I don´t know
Blackberry-full
Lunch watched by bulls
Suspicious red splashes on our hostel walls
The warden- a frown
The hostel- tumbledown
The pilgrims- all cheerful and talking all round
Wine- one euro paying
Rock music was playing
Pilgrims all chatting and laughing- not praying!
Spirituality
Religion, morality
Discussing with pilgrims of all nationality
On the camino
And why? Only he knows
A Dutchman called Roland carrying 23 kilos
Tomorrow, he joins us
Which can only be a plus
And now I must log out for sleep is a must
Melissa
Thinking ´27k?´
I really don´t want to walk that today
So off we went
And by áll descent´
I really don´t know what our relief map meant
But wonderful views
Canadian girl blues
Her pack was too heavy and her feet were too bruised
Progress was slow
A snakes by Jules´toe
How we manged without peanut butter I don´t know
Blackberry-full
Lunch watched by bulls
Suspicious red splashes on our hostel walls
The warden- a frown
The hostel- tumbledown
The pilgrims- all cheerful and talking all round
Wine- one euro paying
Rock music was playing
Pilgrims all chatting and laughing- not praying!
Spirituality
Religion, morality
Discussing with pilgrims of all nationality
On the camino
And why? Only he knows
A Dutchman called Roland carrying 23 kilos
Tomorrow, he joins us
Which can only be a plus
And now I must log out for sleep is a must
Melissa
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Mel and I are just over the Spanish border. Wa walked about 27km today from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Ronceville. It felt like it was all uphill. Shortly after leaving Saint Jean we met Antra. She is spending a year away from Canada travelling about Europe. We joined together to attempt the ascent.
The route wasn´t bad and the views over the mountains were incredible. We passed through the cloud barrier and walked into strong sunlight. We both have sun burn. We are assuming that all the pains of today will get worse, therefore we remain optimistic.
The pilgrim´s dinner was really good; we had expected broth and bread. Instead we had pasta for starters and trout with chips for mains. It was served on the bone so I felt superior being the only one on the table who knew how to eat it. The wine was very nice and made us look forward to the wine tap later on the camino; we will be investing in multiple bottles before visiting.
We were a multi-national table with Poles, Austrians, Germans, Canadians and even Brazilians. Though we soon moved past any barriers as the Brazilians referred to me as Harry Potter and soon everyone else did too. Melissa was jealous, though she tried to disguise it with fits of laughter, though I could see through it to the resent she held.
After our meal we all went to the monastery where Melissa received a pilgrim´s blessing. We´re going to be now because tomorrow mornign bodes for an early start.
Julian
P.S. Narrowly avoiding having to share a bed with Melissa as Antra has taken quite a liking to her. Lucky for me as it means I get top bunk.
The route wasn´t bad and the views over the mountains were incredible. We passed through the cloud barrier and walked into strong sunlight. We both have sun burn. We are assuming that all the pains of today will get worse, therefore we remain optimistic.
The pilgrim´s dinner was really good; we had expected broth and bread. Instead we had pasta for starters and trout with chips for mains. It was served on the bone so I felt superior being the only one on the table who knew how to eat it. The wine was very nice and made us look forward to the wine tap later on the camino; we will be investing in multiple bottles before visiting.
We were a multi-national table with Poles, Austrians, Germans, Canadians and even Brazilians. Though we soon moved past any barriers as the Brazilians referred to me as Harry Potter and soon everyone else did too. Melissa was jealous, though she tried to disguise it with fits of laughter, though I could see through it to the resent she held.
After our meal we all went to the monastery where Melissa received a pilgrim´s blessing. We´re going to be now because tomorrow mornign bodes for an early start.
Julian
P.S. Narrowly avoiding having to share a bed with Melissa as Antra has taken quite a liking to her. Lucky for me as it means I get top bunk.
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