To be continued...................

To be continued...................

Leon

Leon City. I've decided to take a rest in this beautiful city, recharge my batteries rest my tired feet and explore this amazing place,I've taken many photos of the center of the old city and its like a rabbit warren also so photogenic and I've uploaded the pics onto my Flickr account which is www.Flickr.com/photos/moldaviteman Yesterday I found a spa and had a well earn't sauna,steam,Jacuzzi, and then a good massage. The albergie is quiet at the mo. Apart from mammoth snoring at night so good earplugs really recommended if like me a light sleeper, the weather is lovely and sunny out but crisp like 3' degrees.3 euros deposit gives me use of one of the bicycles that the albergie owns and after my weeks of plodding toward Santiago if feel like speedy Gonzales :'0) the hostel is closed for cleaning from 10 till 12:30 so I'm sitting in a great cafe 500yards from the door enjoying a Grande cafe con leche and a tortilla Francesca contemplating life the universe and feeling very content with life. One thing I've realized along this pilgrimage is that we normally have so many luxuries at our disposal in this abundant point in space and time, and these luxuries we have somehow taken for granted, and eventually we kid ourself's in thinking these luxuries are necessities in our life.ha ha, Walking this walk I've realized we really don't need much to enjoy and live life,only good food,clean water, practical clothes,and universal unconditional love for all and everything,and if we truly trust. In this philosophy the universe will always provide exactly what we need along the way.Buen Camino :'0)

Calzadilla de la fuega to Sahugun

Camino de la Calzadilla to Sahugun 42,000 stepometer I must mention that the albergie at Calzadilla de la fuega is being run temporarily by a German lady that wears glasses and one lense is seriously cracked.Upon arrival as it was Sunday (and their is no bars or shops in the village) I decided to pay 7 euros for the bed and another 10 euros for the Pellegrino menu to be served at 7pm the past few days I've opted for the menu at other albergies and been fed good food three courses and hot food and lots of it and been very satisfied,I should have known it was a con as she was selling rotten fruit and other things like hats and clothes and stuff that people had left behind or discarded for unrealistic prices!! It smelt a bit funky too in the office when I sat in there to register!!. When 7pm came I was served sticky stodgy spaghetti with some kind of tomato sauce and lots of oil with an egg cut up into it and was cold and was far from satisfactory and tasted foul but I was hungry so I ate it. The next course was simply a cold small sardine type fish complete with its head and skin tail the lot,it was dry and well fishy!!!.and that was all I was offered.no dessert or anything else,even though she joined me at the other side of the broken plastic table with a huge cup of noodle type soup and a plate full of what looked like deep fried battered chicken and veg for herself.I really felt unhappy with what I was given for 10 euros and she's really out to make money out of the pilgrims so she can stay traveling the Camino and i had seriously bad indigestion burping up fish taste till I went to bed a bit later.the bed was uncomfortable but the only thing that was in my favour was that early eve the woman turned the heating off and left me alone but the switch wasn't working properly so it stayed on all night so when I woke up at 7 the next morning with an inch of snow outside at least it was still warm in the albergie.I obviously quickly left and started my walk towards Sahagun in the snow,the temp.outside was just above freezing and when I got a little way out of the village it started to rain,my feet seem to be aching loads today and I'm finding the track hard going I've got about 22k to go today and have my waterproofs on.I find it easier to walk along the road as it seems flatter and theirs no traffic on this road as they all use the motorway that runs parallel to it, at lunchtime I find a good bar the only one so far in the dew villages I've passed through and have a welcome couple of coffees and a big slice of tortilla I got about 6ks to get to Sahugun so go a bit slower after lunch and reach there at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon I walk all around the town only to find all of the albergies shut and the towns having a siesta so no shops open.theres a train station in Sahugun so I decide to jump on the train half an hours journey to Leon instead of the three days walk and rest here for a few days as my feet are suffering so bad.when I arrived in Leon I walked from the station and visit the amazing cathedral before heading to the albergie for a well earnt rest.I'm totally exhausted but feel so good in my head and in my heart.lets hope the rest will revitalize my poor feet :)

Carrion de los condes to Calzadilla de la cueza

Carrion des condes to Calzadilla de la cueza. 23450 stepometer
My feet were aching today so I walked slowly leaving the albergie and town at 9 it wasn't so cold today as it has been but still the fog and low visabilty, but with added damp mist so rain jacket was defiantly needed I plodded the very straight track for hours it felt like being on a no ending conveyor belt I couldn't stop for long when I really needed too as my muscles are constantly cramping in the cold when I do and my body gets freezing when I had walked for about 3 hrs a man stopped in his car and gave my a flyer for his albergie I asked him how much further to the next village and he said 5ks I wished it a lot less but it was just over an hour later I reached the village the albergie here has heating but not in the bathroom and I declined the outdoor swimming pool and I spend the rest of today relaxing my sore muscles in my sleeping bag in bed near the radiator happy,goodnight.

Itero de la Vega to Carrion de los Condes

Itero De La Vega to Carrion Des Condes 49,400 stepometer. woke up today at 7:30 and it's freezing cold in the albergie outside of my sleeping bag so I very quickly get dressed and pack my bag up and haul out the room,the freezing fog is very close today,I have a quick coffee and croissant and head out of town with all that I have in my bag to wear on.theres ice floating all around me in the air and visibility is about 50ft but the path is flat and the stones underfoot are small so I'm blessed.I suddenly see two huge foxes one chasing the other across the field ahead of me,they run across the field so fast!. A little while later I see a huge bird of prey flying about 20ft up in the air and making a screeching sound.about 8ks into the walk I reach a canal and follow this for a while and by this time all my clothes have a thick dusting of ice on and I look like an ice man now.soon I reach a town called Fromista and find a bar and stop for lunch of some tasty hot paella,I also find a pharmacy and treat myself to some silicon insoles for my boots which have the instant effect of cushioning my sore feet so I decide to push on another 5ks to the next village called Poblation de Campos here I decide that I can still Walk on its now 3:10pm I figure it's another 13ks to the next town so plod on and listen to my music for a while it's 5.50 when I reach this town. Called Villalcazar de surga only to find all the accommodation shut,ad I'm walking into town I see a small sparrow on the road not looking well so I Picked the bird up and put into the warm pocket of my jumper,theres a bar in the village so I quickly have a hot chocolate drink and a huge slice of tortilla before walking quickly the next 6k to the next town here thankfully I find a convent to stay in,the heating is on the showers are seriously hot and I certainly feel like I've landed,I'm in heaven on earth!! I'm the only pilgrim staying the night and have the place to myself I'm too tired and it's too late to go out and get some food but I'm warm and comfy and very tired,goodnight :) when I wake up the sparrow is chirping away at me and obviously rested so I open the window and as soon as I do it quickly flies away into the distance rested and warm from sleeping in my jumper :)

Hontanas to Itero de la Vega 29,500 woke up today late like 8am instead of 7 ,it's freezing inside and out I quickly dress and pack put all my clothes I have on again, and have a quick coffee from the machine downstairs and get out into the freezing fog again, I walk for an hour or so and pass an ancient derelict monastery before reaching Castrojeres about an hour and a half later.I find a shop in the centre and buy bread ham salami and chocolate it's almost too cold to make a sandwich and eat it outside but I manage too as I'm hungry and have Jo choice and really need the energy and I see a huge hill a few ks away that im going to have to climb so I grin and bear the cold. After my snack I quickly walk out of the village and start the climb up the hill it's very steep and long and by the time I'm half way up I'm well into the freezing cloud,I didn't hang around at the top to savour the victory of the climb and decide to push on down the other side much to the complaint of my poor feet.I find the last 3 or 4ks so hard and almost stumble into Itero and the Albergie,once inside I have to plead with the owner to put on the heating on as it's as cold inside as outside im hoping it warms up soon.

Burgos to Hontanas. 43,300. Woke early today and had a few cups of tea in the albergie and managed to fit my protesting feet into my boots then left Burgos at about 9am after breakfast of Spanish omelet with ham and cheese in the city by the cathedral. It's soooo cold I have all of my clothes on and two hats,every fountain I pass is frozen too, when I reached the city limits visibility was very little and I seem to be walking into a freezing fog cloud everything's in a suspended animation, every plant seems to be frozen and it's almost eery.I reach a town called tardajos a few hours latter and the sun finally breaks through I decide to have a break on a bench facing the sun and a little old lady appears from her house to join me she brings me an apple.and a wine bottle filled with water and we chat for about an hour together me talking in English and her in Spanish neither of us understanding the other but both happy to share this bench and the sunshine,I finish my break and say goodbye and walk onto the next village a few ks away here I take my shoes and socks off and let my throbbing feet have a well.earnt Sun bath. Here I decide ti push onto the next village about 8ks on called Honillas del Camino up and over a huge hill as it's beautiful and warm I stop.at the top and have another sun bath for my feet and then descend to the village below,only to find it like a ghost village with no shops or bars just the albergie that's like a bomb shelter with a temperature of a fridge!!.
I deside not to stay here ad I'm hungry and push on another 10ks to Hontanas as it's now 5:10 I know I will get there after 7 and in the dark its up and down a few hills and getting cold, every time I stop my hip muscles are locking up.it was pick black with no moon by the time I reach the village and luckily enough there is a bar and they make me some lovely food.I'm so tired I can hardly eat it but do as I feel ravenous and then I go and have a great shower in the only albergie open.the place is freezing inside with no heating and luckily only two other pilgrims staying here tonight so I wrap myself up inside my sleeping bag with two thick blankets for warmth take a couple of ibruprofens and dome valerian tincture and soon fall fast asleep.

Ages to Burgos 31,500 stepometer
This mornings walk from Ages is very clear sky and I am walking towards the moon setting over the hill in front of me there's a crispness to the air it's just above freezing and everything natural around me has a dusting of ice on. I walk up a hill that is very rocky underfoot and hard to walk on the sun comes up as the moon sets and when I reach the top of the hill I can see Burgos below and,about 15k away. I then descend the hill and make my way towards the beautiful city with its gothic cathedral and ancient architecture I prey for healing for my family my friends the world and myself constantly as I walk.I'm feeling very tired my feet are throbbing and I love the way I'm humbled every day by the end of my walk, but elated and feeling an amaxing warmth inside my heart.Thankyou so much for calling my soul to this Camino.

Santo dom de la calzada to belorado. 29,000 stepometer
Rolling hills, crisp air, beautiful villages, lovely friendly people, and good conversation with my new friends along the path today.

Belorado to ages. 37,300 stepometer
Today's walk was beautiful amazing scenery, spirits with me,I've been walking through lush forests sweet smells all around me the suns out and the sky is blue, met a pilgrim on her way to Rome from Santiago full power!! I'm in a lovely municipal albergie in a village called Ages im tired have a few blisters my corn on my little toe is sore and my ankles are throbbing but I am very happy and feel the universe helping me along,and I thank you :)

Santo dom de la calzada to belorado. 29,000 stepometer

logrono to najera.

Logrono to Najera 40,231 stepometer
Had a weird night's sleep last night even though I was the only pilgrim staying the night, I woke up three times from vivid dreams so much for the new bed I was in and the beautiful peace around me.
It was the three kings festival yesterday and I seemed to be the only one out and walking the streets apart from the street cleaners who obviously had their work well cut out today with loads of revelers rubbish just strewn everywhere.the temperature was cold and it was raining and the wind was coming at me from the front which made walking interesting to say the least,on the outskirts of the town I met three pilgrims mesong,kim,and Richard, two from Korea and one Richard from Holland.we all walk together to Navarrete 13ks away where the sun came out briefly and we sat out of the wind in the town and ate lunch.we all declined going into the albergie there and walked onto ventosa another 4ks where our list said that the albergie was open,but when we arrived it was shut!!
We had a coffee in the local bar got a pilgrim stamp then as it was now 3pm and we still had another 12ks till the next town called Najera we quickly walked onwards,so a lesson learnt that it's worth ringing ahead this time of year as many that say there open clearly are not,I should have stopped in Navarette when I had the chance,along the way I see many birds of prey and a few rainbows in the sky,and fields and fields of grape vines and I could see for many miles around me,in Najera I had to walk into the centre of town and cross the river with many trout swimming in it's crystal waters and turn left and walk along the bank for another 1/2k before reaching the albergie.I have decided to ditch my tin of dubbing my bivvi bag and a bag of wipes that i had to lighten my load,the poncho has been disregardedand my pack now feels soooo much lighter.I decided this as my rucksack has a cover and my gore tex jacket and trousers suffice and the fact Richard has travelled from Rotterdam with a very small pack with just his sleeping bag in, a book toothbrush, deodorant,and his journal book,he gets water along the way and when he needs to wash his clothes he does it as he's going along,fair play.Kim seems to have the world on his shoulders and in his pack,so just shows we all carry different amounts toward's Santiago.mesong has the biggest blisters I have ever seen on the soles of her feet bless her she's very brave,we both must have looked like a couple of pigeons waddling into Najera.
I know I'm gonna sleep well tonight!!.
Good night :)

my first blog

Hello and welcome. to anyone reading this blog,I have decided to start blogging as I was previously putting things on facebook but as this goes out to all my family and friends news feed, and maybe they do or don't like it. so I have decided to seperate them open it up to the general public and see how it goes.
A little bit about me.
I am 41 years young and if you know me and didn't know this fact you do now.
hope YOU like my blogs if you do,please let me know as I hope this to be a source of inspiration.I have listed tge amount of steps in each days walk and my stride is 75cms,so I will leave it up to you to work out the distances if you wanted.
I am a spiritual being but not a religious person but respect others and have a deep.respect for the planet its beings and our impact upon it.I have an affinity with nature and the cycles of the moon.love life and what I do.
I believe in karma " you reap what you sow"
and I've found that life is best served with a open mind and a healthy dose of spontaneous laughter.
Don't take life too seriously as none of us get out alive anyway :)

los arcos to logrono

Estella to los arcos

Puente le reine to Estella. 30,918 stepometer

Puente la Reine to Estella
It's the 18th December 2011 and my birthday it turned out I was not the only one that didn't sleep last night everyone complained of the poor guy coughing and the other guy who was snooring and their broken sleep,funnily enough everyone apart from the one that was snooring!.
Everyone set off together in the rain just as it was getting light,I decided to stop in a coffee shop and as it is my birthday I treat myself and have fresh orange juice followed by a couple of chocolate croissants and a hot chocolate drink to wash it all down with,mmmm.
The walk today was hard because of the length 22ks of ups and downs, and theres an old roman road to navigate along in the middle of it for a few ks,all old cobbles and not one of them laid flat.beautiful countryside surrounding me and by 9am the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come through the dense clouds,I even managed to get a few shadow shots of me on the path with my camera.up until now I had been using just one walking stick for support and the knee on my other unsupported leg started to get painful in the end I had to strap it up with a crepe bandage and smother it in tiger balm.by the time I was 8ks from Estella the pain was unbearable so I result to ibuprofen and singing at the top of my voice,fortunately there wasn't anyone in sight or sound to hear my primeval type screams resembling a song,in fact it's so peaceful and solitary on this walk this time of year.the assault on my senses being my main company and my inner voice constantly guiding and pushing me along.just outside Estella there's a section of the trail that's just been worked on but not finished and it had started to drizzle with rain again.the mud had a lot of clay in and seemed to just clump In my boots and by the time I was over this bit I had platform boots made of mud that didn't help with my knee pain.
It was well.worth reaching the albergie in Estella as I was given a plate a paella by my hosts.later when all the other pilgrims had arrived we all.had a lovely salad followed by really tasty chicken soup,I was then treated to a video made earlier that day by the Koreans singing me happy birthday in English and korean they even drew a birthday cake on the path in the video complete with candles.
I decided that I would not want to be anywhere else in the world than right here right now.

zariquiegui to Puente la reine, 18500 stepometer

Zariquiegui to Puente la reine
Woke up today at 6:30 and the rain is still chucking it out of the sky,had a lovely breakfast of coffee and toast with homemade gooseberry jam,mmm tasty!
It was still raining but not as hard as earlier,I filled my water container in the village outside the church and headed out and up.the path is very steep up to the ridge from here and very loose stones I seemed to go one step forward two steps backwards,and the rain got worse,the ridge has many wind turbines ontop and the strange sound was beconing ne on,I asked the universe to please stop raining at the top so I could photograph the metal pilgrims,and just as I was at the top it did!! Just enough time to take a few pictures.then the heavens seemed to open into heavy rain again.I wrapped my poncho around my rucksack adjusted my jackets hood and ploughed on down the slippery slope on the other side.all around me I could see snow on the other hills and the temperature dropped,at one point the rain was coming at me sideways.
I was loving the fact I had good waterproofs and Puente la reine was a welcome sight when I came into the town too.the hostel soon filled up with many lovely pilgrims and that night we all.put money in together and had a great meal after working out how to use the touch control cooker.many stories were shared and I retired to bed late.it wouldn't have mattered as I didn't get much sleep that night as the man on the bunk above me was coughing all night and my bed was shaking everything he did,he seemed to be having a competition with another man who was snooring really loud too at the other end of the room,and I had my earplugs in (good gel ones).I even got up in the night and gave the poor guy above me a glass of water because I felt so sorry for him.

Pamplona to zariquiegui, 9530 stepometer

Pamplona to zariquiegui is only 10k and theres a private albergie in the small village.just as I was leaving the city it started to rain so I doned my waterproofs and decided to take todays walk in an amble.
Every muscle in my legs ankles and buttocks is telling me off, but I find that after half an hours walking that normally warms them up and the aches become bearable.
2ks into the walk the rain became heavy and I could see it darker in the sky ahead.
Walking ttoday towards a huge line of wind generators ontop of the ridge ahead.
A stream ahead has broken its bank and turned the path into the stream instead.the path just keeps on climbing and the rain soon becomes a torrent,I'm loving the power of nature and it's ability to cleanse on many levels.I can see fresh snow in the hills around me and the temp is cold. I finally reached the albergie in zariquiegui and well worth the effort it was the best ive stayed in so far, and Belin the lady who runs it is an angel I was treated to a bacon mushroom an black bean soup,followed by a dish of fish in a tomato sauce (it's Friday today) with lots of fresh bread then a desert of baked custard, I was offered a bottle of wine,but as I don't drink I politely declined.
This place was like a home from homes,It was here I learnt that Basque music has very Celtic resemblance,with bagpipes and flute.

zubiri to Pamplona, 35,000 stepometer

the pension that's open in zubiri is immaculate and has a bath and bidet but alas I had to say goodbye early as I knew todays 22k walk to Pamplona was going to be a challenge mainly because if the distance and level of terain I had done over the past few days and the fact my muscles were not happy with me.
I left the comfort of the pension and ignored the bright lights of the village shop almost screaming at me to indulge and headed out I was about 5k along the walk before realising I only had a bag of raisins mixed with sunflower seeds which had to suffice for the next 10k I didn't find another chance ti find a shop for food till the outskirts of Pamplona,by which time I was shaking and slightly glaucomic.
I very much learnt that it's wise to stock up when the opportunity arises or go hungry!
the weather was good today.
Pamplona is beautiful city very safe at night and the people are very friendly.

roncevaux to zubiri, 32,450 stepometer

I wasn't relishing todays walk as the only albergie open next from roncevaux is zubiri 21.4ks but again the jump into nature was so wild the forest here is magical the path very hard as a huge hill has to be climbed 10ks into the walk but again nature helped me I spotted many falcons flying and spotted many mushrooms growing amongst silver birch and box trees.
very peaceful place.

valcarlos to roncevaux, 20,000 stepometer

Today only the second days walk started off on the road then led onto a mountain path that lead next to a river crystal clear.huge ancient beech and chestnut trees all around and chestnuts all under foot.eventually after many hours and heading into a cold wind the ridge was reached in knee deep.leaves giving a strange sense of solitude but huge sense of achievement.
it was raining and strong wild at the top so I didn't hang around too long.
the strange huge gothic monstrosity of the monastery at roncevaux felt very safe and solid and I slept well that night.

st jean-pied-le-port to valcarlos, 18500 stepometer

no amount of bag packing or pre walk advice prepared me for the anticipation felt on this first day of walking,its a day filled with many ups and downs, eventually the path I was on gets really high into the pyrannes and much achievement was felt when valcarlos was reached later that day.
I stopped at a place on what felt like border area called Vento there is a supermarket there for supplies it was a little more half way from sjpp to valcarlos.
the albergie in valcarlos is number operating and they all seem to know the combination to let me in and the bed and shower was very welcoming.

st jean-pied-le-port

H

eres where I started the walk from on the 10th December 2011 I chose to drive down through France to this point,many start from their homes simply putting a rucksack on their backs and saying goodbye for whenever!!!
on the first night in sjpp there was 5 pilgrims staying at the one albergie open I got chatting with one man Michael from chzec republic who had set off from Prague 4 months previously,and one French man john Lou who had set off from Paris three nonth back.
the town itself is an ancient bastilion and very picturesque with an amazing citadel at the top well worth exploring.
the day I arrived it was cool and scattered clouds and I could see huge rainbow trout swimming lasily in the river under the towns bridge.
there's plenty of places to park a car and leave it in the town,theirs a lidls shop and good bakeries plus a good tourist information.
the fraternity if st James office is very easy to find and they are very helpful.
they have upto date list of open albergies all along the French route from there onwards.
plus a map showing you the contours of the days ahead.they have free internet there too but it's very antiquated and slow but free so cant complain.
beautiful cobbled streets and ancient houses all set around a panorama of hills.

pictures of the Camino trail

here's the link to my pics that I'm taking along my way,enjoy
http://www. flickr.com/photos/moldaviteman/

backpack contents

55 litre rucksack .
3season sleeping bag.
silk sleeping bag liner doubles as a scarf.
emergency bivvy bag.
40litre dry bag with these contents if not worn.
lined trousers.
unlined trousers that turn into shorts.
three pairs of underwear.
three pairs of bamboo socks ( like silk) used as first layer.
three pairs of technical hiking socks.
two synthetic t shirts.
one thermal long sleeve top.
one technical mountain top.
micro fleece.
gore tex jacket and over trousers.
thermal hat,leather waterproof gloves,a snood type scarf.
poncho,with many uses!
in the bottom of My pack I have.
sunglasses, spare laces,spare feet for my poles,phone charger,headphones,continental plug,knife,spork,tin of dubbing for my boots.
first aid kit.
inside the first aid kit I have plasters blister plasters,scissors,crepe bandage,ibruprofen tablets,valerian tincture,peppermint oil,tiger balm,comfrey ointment,and a Chinese sports spray called zheng-gu-shui I life saver indeed!!
I also carry and take every day a multivitamin/ mineral mix and ginseng and gurrana tablets,and spiralina too.
I have a 2litre camelbac type bladder bag for water.
money belt with passport,money,cash card,European health card,all in separate waterproof bags.
and my boots are my leather and gore tex lined well broken in berghaus's
I walk with Nordic poles too.
I carry dried fruit, nuts, seeds,boiled sweets, fresh bread cheese,salami,and have a huge bag of organic clipper t bags with me!!!
this list may sound huge but it's the bare necessities and fits nicely in my pack on my back.

I really wanted to do something unusual so decided to embark on this spiritual pilgrimage almost spontaneously after deciding that I didn't want anything to do with the consumer madness that was going on all around me early December 2011 so this blog should say in December but I'm starting this blog in January so hence the title.
I have added the amount of steps on my stepometer next to each days walk and will be coming back every now and then to add more when I think of it or if someone asks for info fir that day.
hope you enjoy reading my adventures.
"buen Camino"