Susan Gilbert | Travel Inspiration

Day 4 – Akerreta to Pamplona

May 11, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 1 Comment

Day 4 - Akerreta to Pamplona | Camino de Santiago May 10th – Hotel Akerreta has been a welcome retreat of pilgrim sharing combined with great food, facilities and fellowship. Claire and Eddie from Dublin who I met in Orisson are here along with new pilgrim friends Andrew from Norway and Susan from Australia.

I step outside into the courtyard, ready for the new day and feel the sun on my skin for the first time on this journey. Donning my sunglasses and pealing off my jacket down to my shirt sleeves I am cool but know that I’ll warm up quickly as soon as I begin to walk. Pulling my backpack on once again I’m ready to step onto the path when a fellow pilgrim who I saw at the mountain food cart (on Day 2 when I regrouped with warmer clothes) turn the corner. He is traveling the Camino with his dog. Time to stop and get my doggie fix.

Day 4 - Akerreta to Pamplona | Camino de Santiago He is traveling the Camino with his dog Today will be a short day – 10 miles on an easy path through tranquil forests by the Arga River with some small villages before entering into the bustle of Pamplona.

When I was walking in preparation for the Camino I came to know each turn of the path or tree root at my feet as I covered the same ground over and over. Now each sight is a new visual banquet for my eyes and coupled with nature’s perfume I am truly in heaven here on earth as my legs sail me down the path.

Day 4 - Akerreta to Pamplona | Camino de Santiago Arga River
Entering into the suburb of Puente de Arre by crossing over the magnificent medieval bridge I see the church Convento de la Trinidad‘s exterior doors are open. A man seated next to a small wooden table beckons me in and I realize he wants to stamp my pilgrim’s passport. After doing so he extends his arm to the open church door and I step into pure peace where I sit and drink it in. Asking permission to take a photo he smiles and says “Si!”

Day 4 - Akerreta to Pamplona | Camino de Santiago | Convento de la Trinidad
Finding a little cafe I stop for coffee and an early lunch. I am the only pilgrim with locals sitting at the counter and small tables. I once again feel like I need to pinch myself as I think for the umpteenth, “I’m really here and doing this!”

Day 4 - Akerreta to Pamplona | Camino de Santiago | Puente de Arre local cafe
Leaving the cafe and walking the city street’s pilgrim path which is periodically marked keeps me on course. A tall well dressed man smiles as he passes me and holds up one finger saying “Uno kilometer”, then points to the cathedral on the hill which I realize is in Pamplona. I’m almost there!

When I started writing this blog about the Camino over a month ago it was to explain to friends what the Camino is, why I am doing it, and what I was doing to prepare. I realize now I am writing just as much for me. For all the times I have traveled and said, “I’ll remember that,” and I don’t; or, “I’ll write about that,” and I don’t – that putting words and pictures to each day will keep the Camino alive in me for the rest of my life. I am so blessed.

Day 3 – Burguete to Akerreta

May 10, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 7 Comments

Day 3 - Burguete to Akerreta May 9th – Looking out the window I can see gray clouds hanging in the sky but no rain yet. I hurry out onto the street with my backpack and poles heading to a cafe only a few doors away where I’ll grab a cup of coffee and breakfast pastry before continuing on the path. I have about 15 miles to cover today.

On my way out of the cafe I see some of my pilgrim friends from Orisson who are arriving in Burguete from Roncesvalles. Everyone wants to share their mountain pass story from yesterday and asks about mine. Everyone struggled and told me about how they ended up on their knees. They said that the winds had been 120 kilometers per hour according to some weather reports they had seen on tv. I told them about how the wind had lifted me off my feet and was blowing me to the right and off the path to the drop off on that side when I felt someone grab my right arm and pull me forward and back to safety. It was one of our pilgrims from Orisson, a French man who spoke little English and I no French. I saw him later on the still difficult downhill and thanked him profusely to which he said, “It was my pleasure”.

Day 3 - Burguete to Akerreta Today the path is rolling hills filled with ups and downs with only one steep climb at the end. Today is also the first day I will be walking from town to town as the path weaves in and out of the woods. Starting in Burguete I pass through Espinal – Linzosin – Zubiri – Larrasoana and in between each is stunningly lush countryside with farms and their animals. It is visually rich and I need to pinch myself to make sure this is real. I’m walking the Camino!

Day 3 - Burguete to Akerreta
I reach my destination, Akerreta, about 2 pm. A 1600 restored house made into a hotel about 14 years ago and seen in the movie The Way is it will be my retreat for the night.

Buen Camino!

Day 1 and 2 – Orisson and Burguete

May 8, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 6 Comments

May 7th, Day 1 – St. Jean to Orisson

I had a hard time sleeping last night. The excitement and anticipation of beginning the Camino was gurgling through my veins and mind. Each time I awoke brought with it a thought of reminders ‘to do’ before departing or an ‘oh my gosh, I’m really doing this’!

The morning is cloudy and cool which for me is perfect hiking weather and after a final run through of my backpack and a light breakfast of French breads and coffee I stepped out of my hotel and turned in the direction of the start of the Camino which is immediately outside the old walled part of St. Jean.

The first day of the Camino is notoriously the hardest – it has the highest elevation gain and goes into the Pyrenees crossing from France into Spain. I decided to break up the day by stopping at Orisson Refuge about 3/4 of the way up the mountain. There are only 40 beds available and I secured my space back in March.

I noted how my body felt as I began climbing the hill which starts on the asphalt road and I felt strong. I tuned into my inner metronome finding my walking rhythm and looked around at the magnificent scenery. Soon I was in farmland with Charlorie cows – their bells clanging, and flocks of sheep that included lots of babies.

There was a strong wind creating resistance but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Orisson Refuge up ahead after only 2hours. How was that possible?!? Dare I say it was easy? My worst fears were replaced with jubilation. I did it! And, I feel great! The rest of the day and evening were spent meeting fellow pilgrims and eating a wonderful meal together at a long farmhouse table where I couldn’t stop smiling and thinking ‘today was a piece of cake’! I hoped I would not have to eat those words tomorrow on the remaining climb and descent into Spain.

May 8th – Orisson to Burguete

Last night a storm rolled in and stayed that rocked the refuge shaking shutters and windows and doors sucked by the wind then slamming shut again. It reminded me of the storms that hit the Pacific Northwest that often leave a sparkling sunny day which is what I was praying would happen here. This morning didn’t fall quite in that category but it wasn’t still storming nor raining. We were told there would be winds as we progressed upwards but having experienced that yesterday it didn’t give me cause for alarm.

I had been enjoying another beautiful Camino scenery day for about 30 minutes when the wind came from no where and almost blew me off the path. Planting my body firmly in the ground and poles in each hand I leaned left into the wind and continued walking. The walk went something like this: two steps right and one step forward. The wind was so strong I was leaning forward now and left, two steps to the right from the wind and one small step forward. My backpack was blowing to the right creating additional force that pulled my body sideways. The temperature was dropping and while I had plenty of layers available in my backpack as well as gloves I knew that attempting to take off my backpack to get to those items was not only risking the loss of the backpack itself- I also couldn’t imagine me being able to get it back on again.

While my head was down I turned a bit to the side to see how other pilgrims were faring and they held the same strange stance as me. After about 3 miles there was an alcove where a little food truck was parked and pilgrims gathered just as the rain began to sprinkle on me. This gave the opportunity I was looking for to get what I needed from my pack. I had been forcing the thoughts of hypothermia out of my head and my relief at adding more clothing was both mental and physical. I’d like to say the wind dissipated but it did not.

There was a brief time just before entering Spain when I had cleared the highest peak and was delighted to walk thru a birch lined path with fallen birch leaves several inches deep. The wind continued to accompany me.

As we wound our way down into the town of Roncesvelles, the wind never let up. Several of us gathered in front of the Roncesvelles Abbey and shared our stories. None of us had ever experienced winds like that and we agreed that the winds exceeded 50 mph and up. Beautiful music was coming from the church where Sunday Mass was being held. We each sang our own Hallelujah that we had made it safe and sound over the mountain though wet and bedraggled.

Roncesvelles is the typical stop of this day and I leave most of my pilgrims here continuing on to Burguete where there is a hotel where Ernest Hemingway used to stayed for extended periods to write. His signature is still on the piano (1923). Before heading there I stop at the sign showing how many kilometers to Santiago for a photo op.

St Jean to Orisson length and elevation:

Orisson to Burguete length and elevation:

Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port

May 6, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 4 Comments

May 6th – Today I took the train from Bayonne to St. Jean -the official starting point for the St. James Way, Camino de Santiago.

After arriving in St. Jean my first stop in town was the Pilgrim’s Office, found in the old walled city section up a cobbled narrow road. How amazing to be here- I’m really doing this!

My passport receives its first stamp!

Then I checked into my hotel before exploring the town. How appropriate that it is called Les Pyrenees. Today is a French holiday, so the streets are teaming with local French families which just adds to my excitement and anticipation of tomorrow’s start. I had several Yorkie sightings throughout the day including this one:

Tomorrow I will Begin My Camino with the steep climb over the Pyrenees (seen in this photo) to Orisson Refuge and then continue the following day crossing over into Spain where my final destination will be just past the normal stopping point of Roncesvelles to a town called Burguete.

I’m not sure I will be able to post while in the mountains so for now, Buen Camino!

Journeying to the Camino

May 6, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 6 Comments

Departing my home on Wednesday with a friend arriving to chauffeur me to the Seattle SEA-TAC airport and my friend/house sitter saying Bon Voyage, my 5 Yorkie fur children at her feet, was surreal. I have looked forward to this day for months yet it came up too fast bringing with it a feeling of too many things still yet unfinished in my business and daily life.

I flew Icelandic Airline to Iceland with another Icelandic flight to the Paris Orly Airport. Six hours of waiting before I could take my final flight on Air France to the southern France city of Biarritz. A ten minute taxi ride to a neighboring town called Bayonne took me to my first stop on this journey -a charming French hotel – and a sought after night of sleep.

It was 9 pm and the light was fading when I had checked in and stepped out into the garden cafe for a celebratory glass of wine before going to bed. I was immediately transported into the new atmosphere of a foreign land. Dogs were barking as they ran up the winding cobbled street that bordered the outdoor courtyard, somewhere the laughter of children rang out while the cooing of doves somewhere under the eaves of the old buildings soothed me. I’m here. It has begun.

Tomorrow I’ll take a train to St. Jean where the Camino will begin the following morning.

Buen Camino!

Walking the Camino in 2016

April 27, 2016 by Susan Gilbert 3 Comments

Pilgrims have been walking the Camino de Santiago for over a thousand years; and, many things about ‘the way’ have not changed.

Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela reached its peak during the Middle Ages and it probably constituted a major cultural aspect of that period of history in Europe. By the 12th century, the Camino had become a rather organized affair and what is widely regarded as the world’s first travel guide, the Codex Calixtinus from around 1140, provided the would-be pilgrim with the rudiments of what he or she would need to know. The commitment to walk the Camino must be just as strong today and the hospitaleros who assist the pilgrims remain.

A long standing tradition and frequently spoken phrase along the Camino is “Buen Camino”. When you pass a fellow pilgrim along the way I’m told we say “buen camino”, to which the pilgrim responds “buen camino”. Within this little phrase there is a greeting, a wishing of goodwill and an acknowledgment that you are sharing the Camino.

Then and Now

Pilgrims from centuries ago did not have the equipment we have today to make our journey easier. They walked with a staff and a bag, most probably wearing sandals. I’ll have my Gregory backpack, Osprey hydration reservoir, fleece jacket , waterproof jacket and Lowa Bora hiking shoes. Tucked inside my backpack, I’ll have the small guidebook, A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierley (that has become the ‘bible’ of walking the camino) which outlines the path, the stages and towns in far more detail than the Codex Calixtinus did over a thousand years ago. Some aspects of the modern Camino are fundamentally the same as they were for the medieval peregrino: as a practical affair, the Camino is a long walk. While underway, the peregrino needs support for food, lodging and direction. Where the medieval peregrino was seeking forgiveness for sins or for the Saint’s assistance in some matter, most modern peregrinos are there for a variety of reasons: spiritual, adventure, personal growth.

I have been trying to find when the compostela or certificate of completion of the Camino from the cathedral in Santiago came into being but the answer to that custom’s time and origin is yet unknown to me. The modern peregrino carries a pilgrim’s credential or passport which is stamped in the various cities and villages passed through. This record serves as proof that the route has indeed been walked or bicycled and is presented at the pilgrim office in Santiago de Compostela to receive a certificate of completion. Here’s what my passport looks like with blank (unstamped) pages:

The Challenge

I’ve read posts by individuals in the camino forums who walked the camino prior to cell phones and social media about how discouraged they are by the entrance of technology to ‘the way‘. Our culture has changed drastically over the last twenty years with the reliance of cell phones, even when traveling in foreign countries. Yet, even twenty years ago, the camino was not walked in the same fashion as the original pilgrims. Times change.

Technology on the Camino

The are two apps that I will be using that will assist me on my journey:

Wise Pilgrim

Available for all the different caminos, I purchased the Camino Frances version for $4.99.

GPS enabled, it will help me find Albergues, hotels, pensions, and cases rurales. In particular, I think this feature will be helpful – Scrollable Elevation Map. I’ll let you know what I think of it once I am there and can use it.

RunKeeper

This app was created so that runners can track their course, their pace, calorie burn and total active time. I started using it a last week and love it. Like the Wise Pilgrim app it turns your phone into a GPS tracker.

One of the most interesting aspects for me is the Elevation Chart since walking hills is an important part of my Camino training. Here is a screenshot of the first half of last Saturday’s hike:

We now have the technology to assist us on our Camino; and, to let our friends and family know we are well. It’s still a choice to ‘unplug’ and one I will be making except as needed. I believe to not use some of the available benefits of technology would be like saying we can’t use Brierley’s guide because the original pilgrims didn’t have it. We just need to know when to use it, and when to turn it off! All my clients and staff know that I will be unplugged so that I can tune into the inner journey that will unfold.

One week from today I will depart Seattle and the adventure will officially begin. With or without technology, I embrace the unknowns and uncertainties, knowing that I am staring challenges in the face – setting my intention to stay present and trusting my journey to a higher source.

Buen Camino!

“What would it be like to open our hearts to fear,

to befriend it with wonder,

as one would a deer in the forest?”

~Dawna Markova