update via text

text from fran today read:  in Triacastela.  only 9 days of walking/ 85 miles before i reach santiago.  body and spirit are strong and intact!

in o'cebreiro

made the climb up to o'cebreiro/difficult but the views were fabulous!! time for a much needed siestaand then some polpo for supper. 

francesca's progress

for those who aren't getting texts. fran did a 12 mile today. and tommorow just 7 miles up to o'cebreiro.

bummer you can't blog , good thing you have the resource of the texting.

in villafranca

fran is in villafranca. tomorrow, fridayshe starts the accent to o'cebreiro.  only 13 days of walking left!!
wow fran, you must be so pumped with the end in sight!

All is Well!

Fran called this morning to say that she was unable to blog.....seems there have been some security issues that have dogged her and now she is unable to get on the site. Cary had been able to get her back on, but no more. So she asked if I would do it for her. Sure wish I knew short hand, but will do the best I can!! The surrogate blogger:

First I want to apologize for the "Hospital" scare since so many were concerned about my well being. I am fine and on Thursday was in a fabulous Albergue in Hospital de Orbigo - the name of the town. When I entered into the main gathering room there were artist canvases set up on easels and the walls were filled with the shared works of pilgrims that have passed through. I started a picture where I pencilled in a "wind" in the upper right corner, but got distracted talking to some pilgrims, so no pictures. Maybe R & L can find it!

The wind has been an everpresent force. The small hills become mountains because of the relentlessness of the strength of the wind. I am no meteorologist but would estimate 20 to 30 mph winds. If I were a kite, I would be VERY happy.

On Friday I walked the 11 miles to Astorga. I went through beautiful countryside with more wind :( but no rain :). There was about a 6 mile stretch with no villages or cafes. In the distance I noticed something or someone along this stretch. As I approached there was a man who greeted me with a big bear hug. He welcomed me to "Peanut Butter Paradise", a cart with organic peanut butter, fruit, drinks.....all free but there was a donativo jar nearby. I would describe him as a happy hippy, about 30 years old, high on life or wacky weed. He lives out there next to a run down stucture to which he has added a lean-to cobbled together from cardboard and such, that contains his mattress, nothing more, while he provides pilgrims with refreshments when there is nothing else around.

I continued on into Astorga to the Albergue where my pack would be waiting for me . One of the nice things about transporting the pack is that you have a reservation waiting for you because that is where your pack is dropped. I shared a room with an American family from Vermont... Mom, Dad and 15 year old that are doing the Camino.

Note to R: Saw Pilar today and had breakfast with her. :)

I had origianlly intended to take the day off in Astorga, but decided to walk half way to Rabinal with my pack (6 1/2 miles) today, do the 7 miles tomorrow and then transport the pack again as the terrain begins to be challenging again.

"B" update for Vincie with lots of pictures to follow: the previous "B" under the nail on right foot is completely resolved, but today noticed one on the third toe on left foot, but not horrible!!

Mileage update (ME:this is so impressive!!): to date, I have walked 260 miles which is equivalent to walking from Columbia to St. Louis AND BACK!! There are 160 miles to go in 18 days, so I should have no trouble completing the journey.

Hope that I've captured and conveyed how wonderful she is doing!

Love ya all, Mariann

All is Well!

NEW typical day.......

It all started with my decision to go with using the ¨bag ¨transport service. My new typical day goes like this:
Wake up.
Toilitries : pee, brush teeth etc.
Put the ¨magic¨gel on my knees (anti-inflamatory)that cost $35 a tube at home, and here $7 !!!
Dress for the weather: hot, cold, rainy etc.
Pack up my ¨bag¨for transport and tag it (you leave it with the alberque assistant).
Fill up my water bottles.
Pack up my back-pack. R,L, and MA - I would definitely win the contest for fastest packer !!!!!
Double check the map for the way out of town.
Find some cafe and bocadilla or other food for breakfast.
Put on my smile and off I go !! I swear I could skip down the ¨yellow ¨road.
Walk 8-12 miles.
Stop at the alberque or hostal that has my ¨bag¨.
Shower,wash clothes, and take a siesta.
Decide where I will walk to tomorrow and notify transport co. of pickup and delivery locations.
Eat, visit, sight-see or read ,journal etc.
Supper
Night-time toilitries.
Sleep.
Repeat!!!
I am one happy pilgrim !!
Love, Francesca

It´s me again!!

To my surprise their is a computer at the Alberque-unable to do pics though. Today was a 5 mile hike out of the beautiful city of Leon (I could have stayed longer) and through an industrial zone. I am at La Virgen del Camino.
I am extremely happy to report that my problem ¨B¨ is sooooo much better. I took my time and stopped at 3 cafes for cafe con leche or tea :) No familiar faces yet, taking a day off and traveling 30 miles by train yesterday have put me in with another group of pilgrims. The weather is gorgeous- sun,light breeze and temps in the 50´s !!
Only 22 more days of walking to Santiago. I am enjoying each and every day, even the ones that don´t have perfect weather, lots of ups and downs, no cafes for miles and the occasional one where I say to myself: ¨Why are you here when you could be in your comfortable home with family and all the creature comforts that surround you ?¨ I know for sure I will kiss my washer and dryer- after I hug and kiss George and the kids and grandkids. Cary, Sage and Ty will be there waiting for me too!! We will celebrate !!!!

P.S. I had a moment of weakness in Leon I must share with you. To those of you who have seen the movie ¨The Way¨, the Parador they all stay in (the American treats everyone :) is in Leon and on the Camino. This morning as I past it ,I stopped to take a picture and out walk a couple who were obviously pilgrims/a backpack on and walking sticks in hand. I could stay there- it would probably cost 200-300$ / OR I could have the contents of my pack (the 15lbs. I don´t need when I´m walking) transported for the next 22 days of walking for the same amount!!!
Hmmmmm I think I choose to lighten-my-load and walk with a big smile on my face :) :) :)
LA DOLCE VITA !!
Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy- if not don´t tell me about it until I get home - I don´t want to worry,
Love, Francesca

I´m back to blogging.......

I´ll let the pics speak for themselves!!!!!!

Reminded me of when we were kids and we couldn´t pull the plug until Mom gave the okay- or in my case the water was still clean and I had alot of dirty clothes!!!

The pic above with the spider speaks to the phrase ¨Always look down before you sit on the toilet- you never know what might be lurking in there.¨

The day I had my pack transported-

Storks nest in all the church steeples.

It was too cold, so the tee-pee wasn´t available.

The infamous ¨hill¨ that took me 30 mins to climb!!

Sign going up.

Sign going down.

A gorgeous day on the Mesata.

I kept on waiting for a funnel cloud to drop out of this one !!

I´ve become taller and thinner :)

Leon- he´s got Oma in his hand!!

Mother Nature behaved herself today :)

Having a snack on the Way.

The magic mystique of a spider web captured in the early morning dew.

Pics are not wanting to load, so these two will have to do. The landscape was from today. I´m officially at the 200 mile mark and almost half-way :)

Easy 10 miles today into Calzadilla on a gorgeous day. The clouds were amazing and reminded me of childhood-when I would lay on my back and look up at a sky filled with fluffy cumulous clouds and look for shapes and objects in them.

I have 26 days of walking left and plan on arriving in Santiago on Wed 5/9. Everything is going fine except for the dreaded ¨B¨- today I discovered one UNDER a toenail. Marianne- did you have one under a nail? I´m sure it will be fine- compared to some of the feet I´ve seen- a small blister is nothing to worry about.

Rose and Liz, tomorrow I will be in San Nicholas and will hide a note (in a small zip-lock bag) for you to find !! I will take a pic of where it is and make note of the logistics :)

Several people have asked me the following question : ¨What do you call someone who speaks two languagues?.....Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language.... American !!¨

A good day on the Mesata!!

Again can´t post pictures. Today was an easy 12 miles. No extreme weather-chilly and cloudy with minimal winds on the Mesata. I stopped at a place for cafe and they had teepees to sleep in :) Rose, maybe you and Liz could try it out- it was too cold and they were not available.
Tonight I am tucked into my own room at Saint Clara convent. They also have an alberque, but it looked cold and damp, so I splurged for a 22 euro room with a bathtub- I don´t have to tell you what I had :)
I am waiting for a restaurant to open and then I will retire early and wake up and go for another walk! Just 10 miles and I am very near to the half-way mark!!
Hope to post pics soon - I have lots!!!!!
Buenos Noches, Francesca

Mother Nature is really dishing it out on the Mesata!!

The pictures are not wanting to upload, so my words will have to do this time.
Yesterday was my first day on the Mesata, a 100 mile stretch between Burgos and Leon (haven't walked before and after today I am ready to NEVER walk it again) that is flat,for the most part, and arrid with fields of grain, no trees for shade and a village or town every 5-10 miles. It is suppose to be unbearable in summer because it is very hot and there is no shade or source of water until you get to a village. No problem, I'm walking in Spring and it should be fine. NOT, yesterday was just VERY windy and I walked to Hontanas and stayed at a very nice place where lots of peple I knew were also there. Had a great dinner with lots of choices- I had insalada mista (greens with vegs, tuna and eggs) and a hearty garbonzo bean stew washed down with excelleng red vino. Sleep was a real problem last night, our room of 8 had at least 4 snorers and one "shook the room" so tonight I am tucked into my own private room ( in Itero)with a bathroom and TV and after the day I had I needed a comfortable place to rest my weary, cold body.
This morning started out sunny and cold with the usual mesata wind in my face. Arrived in Castrojeriz and others stayed, but i stuck with my original plan on walking 6 more miles to Itero- BIG mistake!!
As soon as I saw the "hill "I had to climb I had second thoughts, but up I went. I timed myself and it took 30mins to scale (the sign at the beginning stated "12% grade and up to 1050m" and since what goes up must come down, the sign at the decent stated "18% grade and doen to 350m".
That was when Mother Nature decided to make things a little more interesting !! I could see the storm coming- black clouds and then it hit with rain and sleet all hitting my face with winds that must have been gusting 30 miles an hour! It went on for a bout 30-40 mins and since there was no place to go (remember I was surrrounded with fields of grain) I just kept my head down and struggled to stay upright!
When I arrived in Itero I was exhausted and after having a bite to eat, I went to my room-threw myself on the bed and woke up 2 hrs later. All said and done - it was a great day on the Camino.
"Bring it on- I can take it!!"
My body and spirit are still strong and intact. Kathy, I do keep a journal and will go write in it now before I go to sleep.
Love to one and all, Francesca

I set a record !!!!!!

I slept 12 hrs -a record for me!!!!!! Mother Nature gave us snow today!!

A man from France who uses a cart to transport his stuff

Yesterday on a very stoney path- this was before the rain, wind and hail came!

Yummy paella at an alberque.

A regional speciality called "Morcilla". It actually tasted better than it looked. Will someone look it up and tell me what I ate? (From Tech Mama Morcilla link)

A young couple doing the camino on horseback.

A cold,misty day in the mountains.

Typical scene at a bar- men with a cafe or cervezza watching TV.

Even a concrete lawnchair feels good after hours of walking!

Even cute little puppies walk the camino.

Whata day!!!!!

It was soooooooo cold this morning!!! I had been reunited with my pack so had some more clothes to put on and boy did I need them!! A group of around 10 left the alberque at the same time and within a few minutes we were spaced out with me bringing up the rear (my usual position in line). As we started going up to a small mountain range the rocks were relentlace- pictures tommorow/I left the adapter for the camera at the hotel. Then the temperature dropped and I could see the rain clouds headed our way so I quickly got my pack cover on (already had gaitors and rain jacket on for warmth) and then it poured and then it hailed!!! It was miserable but you have no choice but to continue when their is no shelter and you are on a mission- so I marched thru the wind, rain and hail for several hours. In my need to look down to avoid mud and rocks, I took a wrong turn and realized the other pilgrims that were ahead of me were visible on another path to my left and down. Since I still saw an occaasional camino marker(a yellow arrow ) I continued on and about an hour later there was a small village with a bar and after I looked at my map I discovered there were two options to a final destination (the village) and I took the longer one.
After 6 hrs of cold, miserable weather I reached Villafria- where I had intended to take a bus the final 5 miles into Burgos(thru industrial area). But nothing goes as planned- Good Friday is a holiday and the bus schedule was reduced- I waited for almost two hrs (could have walked in that time), but I was in a warm bar having a drink with a French couple who were also waiting for the bus. Checked into the hotel, and immediately realized it was the same one we stayed at !!!!! After a bubble bath I threw my dirty clothes in to the tub and I took a nap. AfterI finish blogging I will get something to eat and then back to the hotel to finish my laundry and plan what I want to do tommorow- I decided to take my second day off in Burgos and attend some services at the Cathederal and hit the trail mid morning on Sunday- I only have a short day of 8 miles.
My body continues to not cause me any problems and except for the crappy weather I am ¨Walking in a relaxed manner"and savoring each day and dealing with what comes my Way!!
Wishing you all a blessed Easter and may the infamous bunny fill your basket with chocolate :)
Love, Francesca

Breakfast with Paul !!

I have finished my walk for the day and will do a post without pics (I only have 20mins on computer).
Wanted to blog about breakfast yesterday morning in Beldorado. I heard noises in the kitchen (down the hall from my room ) and could smell the coffee. I knocked on the door and Paul invited me in to their tiny kitchen- his wife was still asleep. The table was set with fresh squeezed orange juice, a pot of cafe and pitcher of warm milk, on the plate was a small baquette with omelet inside, and three pieces of tostada- one with cheese and two with jam and a bowl of yogurt with fresh fruit!!As I consumed the yummy food , Paul sat across the table from me sipping coffee and for 30 mins we shared breakfast and good conversation. He is passionate about the Camino and those who choose to walk it and if they are lucky enough to discover their small alberque tucked away in a small side street, they are in for quite a treat!! The couple will even take people on tours to other sites near, Rose and Liz I have their info for you :)
Today was bitter cold in the mountains. Tommorow morning it will be 3 C !!!!!!
Burgos tommorow where I think I may take a day off and attend a service in their cathederal.
I for sure will be able to find a place where I can blog pictures.
I love starting my day off with a note from family or friends. Today it was from Georgia and it said ¨Oma be careful of the stones. I will see you in a few weeks.¨
Lots of love everyone,s way....Francesca

"A girl can get used to this..."

Today I am walking in total joy!!!! My pack has been transported ahead to my destination in two days. The alburque owner, Paul ,not only made reservations for me-places he has stayed at and knew I would enjoy too, but also is transporting my pack for a nominal fee.
It all started when I finished my walk to Burgos yesterday and looked at the terrain for the next 15 miles- in the mountains!! I couldn´t decide to walk or take the bus to Burgos- I shared this with Paul and he assured me the terrain was very doable and suggested a 2 day route that would put me in Villafranca de Oca today (an easy 8 miles) stay at a private alberque with no need for my sleeping bag, and then tommorow the Oca mountain range into Ages- again a doable thing without my heavy pack. So I put water, nuts and dried fruit, medicine and toothbrush, a clean pair of undies and socks, money and wore most of my clothes and jackets since it will be cold and put it all in a very lightweight messenger bag I brought. I will meet up with my pack in Ages and then on to Burgos where he also made reservations for me !!!!
I am now in "unchartered territory", have not walked this section in any of my other caminos. My body and spirit remain strong!!

Next post will probably be in Burgos.
Love, Frncesca

Finally back on-line !!!!

Beautiful arched bridge in Estella!!

Looked like a great spot for a siesta, but I figured other ¨critters¨were already inhabiting it.

I did get two bubble baths in at the F&G in Logrona, but I discovered last night it was a more expensive stay then I thought. I left a top in the closet - i had bought it especially for the trip- it was expensive and now some Spanish lady is wearing it:(

The farmers are all out working the fields. This one was trimming his olive grove and burning the branches. Spring flowers are everywhere and the trees are all blossoming.

My breakfast this morning- Rose it was at that very expensive place where you let each of us pick out one item for our supper :)

Two yummy enpanadas (savory filled dough) that an alberque owner made for all of us staying there. Traditional for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It was filled with tuna and stuff I didn't recognize

Rainy,cold day on the Camino. I am in Belorado at a delightful hostel run by a couple from Guatamala. The owner walked me to the Bibleoteca (library) where I am able to blog with photos!! Then I will have a hearty soup at a local cafe and bed early. Tomorrow climbing up to a mountain range and their is a possibility of snow :) I will do my usual snail-pace and only plan on 8 miles . My body continues to support me on my journey- I will probably not have access to a computer until Burgos, but I will send out a text as to where I am and how it,s going.

Thanks for all your comments and thoughts- Love ya, Francesca

Fran's text

This is the text I received a little bit ago:

"I walked 12 fairly easy miles and am staying at HOTEL CHOCOLATE!!!! Celebrating my BD with Janick, a Swiss Oma whi I walked most of the day with. Near the 100 mile point!!!!"

I asked her if she was able to blog or if she needed a surrogate blogger and she replied:

"Not right now. Please blog for me :) Do u remember the choc hotel? It is a 1.5 miles outside of Redicilla del Camino."

What a way to spend her birthday! Am so excited for her!

Goat & Liz.....was the Hotel Chocolate the place where we got to buy whatever we wanted for the next leg and Goat said she would carry it? I can't quite place it.