Want some photos?

I have been sorting out the photos and video clips I took on the Camino.

If you think I have a photo that you would like have, send me an email at
ozyazik@gmail.com

and I can send you a copy of it.

I have put some videos on YouTube here:

A Korean children's choir at Cruz de Ferro

 

Walking in Galicia, just after leaving O'Cebriero

The main square in Pamplona

Some cows minding their own business in the Pyrenees

A rainbow on the Meseta

The lighthouse at Fistera

Walk

Halfway through a 10km walk, trying to keep up the exercise. The first 5km took 1 hour, whereas I did about 3km per hour on the Camino. Why is it so?


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Location:Middle Head Road,Mosman,Australia

Camino equipment

I wanted to record the things I took with me on the Camino, so here they are:

External: backpack (35 litres), sleeping bag (the smallest and lightest they had), walking stocks, rain protector for backpack, poncho.

Clothes I wore every day: shirt, trousers etc, plus passport and spare travel money card in money belt, wallet, camera, reading glasses, mobile phone with TravelSIM card and smartphone with Spanish SIM card for calls and data.

Underwear and socks. Shorts for wearing after showering each day

Clothes I wore sometimes, plus waterproof bag to keep them dry inside the backpack. Light T shirt, warm jumper, beanie and gloves (which I never needed), neck protector, towel and sandals for wearing at the end of the day.

Gadgets and waterproof bag to protect them. Batteries for camera, spare battery for smartphone and spare memory cards for camera

Medicines, bandages, foot lotions, protection and repair, toothbrush and paste, shaving cream and razor.

Not shown above are
- the guidebook and Pilgrim Passport
- a pen and notebook.
- two 0.5L plastic mineral water bottles
- lunch snack if necessary, eg bocadillo
- chocolate bar
- comb

Weather

Having returned from the Autumn in Spain and Belgium to the humidity and heat of Sydney, I have recently been thinking often about the weather.
I just read a column by Peter Hitchens about the season of Advent where he talks about the weather in England at this time of year.
I find Hitchens a puzzling writer. As a political journalist, he can become tedious and repetitive, even if you agree with what he is saying. However, every now and then he breaks into gloriously descriptive and thoughtful prose, for example his description in this article of the weather in the season of Advent:

"Now, to Advent. Being a northern person who greatly prefers a frosty morning to a sunny afternoon, who loves to see  storms beating on the coast and trees shaken by the wind,  I enjoy this time of year, which seems to me to be full of promise and immensely exhilarating.

There is something about the long light of the low sun (when it appears)  which is particularly thrilling, and the rapid dusk of the short afternoons intensifies the pleasure of homecoming from a long walk in the crisp, open air."

As I have been telling people, every gene in my body is designed for northern winters, not southern summers. As much as dozing on a beach can give pleasure, I also thrill to the weather that Hitchens describes so well.

On the way home

On the way home on a warm, cloudy and humid Sydney morning.


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Arrival at Sydney airport

Arrived at Sydney airport an sampled the macchiato rather than flat white.


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Technical information

The enthusiastic maker of this flat white invention told me that she uses a 50/50 mixture of cream and milk to make it very sweet, and they also use a double shot of coffee to make it very strong. So it is strong and sweet.


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Flat white sighting!

Sensation! A sighting of a flat white coffee at Brussels airport!
I am told by the coffee expert at the bar that this is popular in English speaking countries, though they have only heard of it here in the last year. He is not sure whether this caffeine delicacy traveled from England to Australia or vice versa.


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Location:Belgium

Het Feest van Christus Koning

The feast of Christ the King in Sint Carolus Kerk in Antwerp.
I'm now on my way to the airport at the end of these Caminos.
Thank you everybody for the Camino de Santiago and thank you Abby and Bart for the Camino of Antwerp.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem
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Location:Kattenbroek,Edegem,Belgium

The Tower

I once worked in this building for 4 years. It has since been converted to other uses.
The shop on the right was called the "Bell Inn" in those days and was used for after work drinks and celebrations. I have drunk a beer or three there myself. Now it is a laundromat and is for sale!
Sic transit Jupiler mundi.
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Location:Suikerrui,Antwerpen,Belgium

Another point of view

I had the good fortune of spending many days of the last 2 weeks of the Camino with Joe from New York.
He has a wonderful record in his blog OnMyWay

Please go there and read the story.


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Ballon d'Alsace

On the mountain in the Alsace called the Ballon d'Alsace. The mist in the valley lies on the river and in the distance is the Black Forest.
To the right of this picture you can just see the Swiss Alps including the Jungfrau.
A magical day driving up through the mist in the valley and then out into the sun with its warmth and distant vistas.


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Besancon

A bright sunny day in Besancon.
This is a view over the city from the Citadel designed by Vauvon.
There is a lot to see here as well as the citadel: cathedral, the arch built for Marcus Aurelius, museums, birthplace of Victor Hugo ( our NZer, Russell Crow is in the latest film of Les Miserables), the streets of the old town, the river Doube, etc.
There is an enormous amount of renovation going on and it is already looking sparkling.
Thanks to the help of Patrick, we found the right bus to get to the city. He is an opera lover and said Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge are much admired here for their support of 19th century French music.
It's a wonderful city to spend time in.
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Location:Rue Jean Baptiste Proudhon,Besançon,France

Ardennes

The start of the Autumn colours in the trees in the South of Belgium are a reminder of how good it is to visit Europe in November.


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Kamiano

Earlier this week, Bart and I were offered the chance to see the work of the Sant'Egidio community in their Kamiano house.
They use this house for many works of charity, one of which is serving food to the poor every Wednesday and Saturday from 4.30 to 7pm. About 15 volunteers served 300 meals and notably this was done in a very personalized way, with individual service by the volunteers at the tables.

From what I have seen, there is a large number of volunteers coming forward to help this community. This is the same group which gathers every day at 8pm in the St Carolus church for evening prayers.

The name "Kamiano" given to the house is the Hawaiian name of St Damien, the Belgian priest who lived with and served the leper colony on Hawaii. I was also given a copy of a new book about Damien, called "The Spirit of Father Damien", by Jan De Volder, who is a member of the Sant'Egidio community. By the way, in a Public poll here in 2005, Damien was voted the "greatest Belgian of all time".


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Sinterklass has arrived

Today in Antwerp, Sinterklass arrived , or at least he was celebrated.
This seems a little early, since the feast of St Nicholas is on December 6th, but for various reasons it happened a couple of weeks early.


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The Last Stamp

Today I went to the 11am Mass at St Jacobskerk in Antwerp, where the Mass was said by Fr Donckers, the same priest at the last Mass when I set off for the Camino in September. From St Jacobskerk I received the last stamp in my Passport to the pilgrimage of St Jacob.


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Brothers of Charity

Thank you to the Brothers of Charity from Gent for letting join them in their evening prayers. They were also politely interested in my description of my experiences on the Camino.


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Haven Sprekers Toastmasters

Went to a very lively, interesting and skillful meeting of Antwerp Toastmasters (the "Haven Sprekers"). Thank for the kind invitation.


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Talk

Thank you to Father Piet, a Carmelite priest from the parish near here, for a very interesting talk on the sacraments, spirituality and Bible study. This was part of a series that Father Piet gives every Thursday afternoon.
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Community of Sant'Egidio

I have just been introduced to the Community of Sant'Egidio at their daily evening prayers. I hope to meet more of its members on Saturday, but from it's own website , and another web site it is a lay organization committed to daily community prayer and charitable works.
It was founded by high school students in Rome, and I am told has many young members.

They have kindly offered to show me more of their life on next Saturday.

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Location:Fort V-straat,Edegem,Belgium

Camino Portugese

I not proposing to do this walk, but Bart showed me some information about the "Camino Portugese", which is the pilgrimage route from Lisbon to Santiago.
It seems that this is flatter than the Camino Frances, which I have now done (taking some sinful pride in saying that!!!), but is not as well marked or provided with accommodation. It passes through Lisbon, Fatima and Porto on the way to Santiago.
I don't want to get into promotion, but I see that there are
Guidebooks to help you along this camino.
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Location:De Burletlaan,Antwerpen,Belgium

Kraainem

Yesterday I went to Mass at St Anthony's at Kraainem. This is an English speaking parish near Brussels run by Irish Franciscans. It is an active and welcoming community and I went there regularly when I lived here.


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Location:Rozenhof,Edegem,Belgium

Compostella

I remembered that I have not mentioned the certificate I received after completing the Camino. Here it is.


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Location:Rozenhof,Edegem,Belgium

Belem tarts

These tarts were at breakfast this morning and in Australia they would be called Portugese tarts. My Brazilian friend tells me they are called Belem tarts and are a specialty of that town between Porto and Lisbon.


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Location:Rua Formosa,Oporto,Portugal

Oporto

What is the name of this town?
In Portugal and English speaking countries it is called "Porto" but in Spain and some other European countries it is called "Oporto".
There was a similar double name of some places in Galicia, for example "Cebreiro" and "O'Cebreiro".
On our tour of Finisterre yesterday, our guide told us that O and A are used in Galician as the masculine and feminine definite articles, corresponding to the Spanish el and la. Thus Oporto might mean "the port".
But why then does Spanish use the Galician form?


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Location:Rua de Santa Catarina,Oporto,Portugal

Indulgence in Porto

had to travel via Porto, and I'm here with a Camino pilgrim from Brazil, so communication is no problem. So far we have been to 2 wine cellars as well as meals at McDonald's.


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Location:Rua de Santa Catarina,Oporto,Portugal

Mac

Afternoon tea in Porto


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Location:Rua Santa Catarina,Oporto,Portugal

Movie

The movie in the bus has Portugese subtitles instead of Spanish, so we must be close to Portugal.


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Vigo

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Bay close to Bigo

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Oporto

In the bus near the Portugese border.

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Fisterra

Yesterday I took a bus trip to see Cape Finisterre (or Fisterra in the Galician language), which has been considered the most Western Point of Europe.Fortunately it was a very sunny day, and rain is forecast here for the next couple of days.
Very interesting to see the sea, and reminiscent of Sydney with seaside towns and distant views of the capes down the coast to Portugal. There were also lots of gum trees to remind me of Australia. Our guide told us that the planted pine and eucalyptus forests supply a lot of the wood for Spain.

When I returned around 9pm, Bill an American I have me told me that he saw the large thurible being used in the Cathedral at 7.30pm Mass. Sorry I missed it, but I am glad that Bill`s committment to Mass was rewarded. It must have been spectacular, from Bill´s description of it.

Today I am returning to Belgium for a little while and because of the travel system I am going via Oporto in Portugal. I am spending a day there to take the opportunity to see a bit of Oporto. My SIM card will no longer work there, so I probably won´t be able to make any blog posts.

The Cathedral

Exploring the roof of Santiago cathedral after the noon Mass.
All day has been spent re-meeting people from the Camino.
The thurible was in place, but not used, the new rumour is that it will be used during 7.30 Mass tonight.
Some of us are planning to catch the bus tomorrow to within 12km of Finisterre and walk the rest.


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Location:Praza de Galicia,Santiago de Compostela,Spain

Arrival!!!

5 of us walked in to Santiago and arrived at the Cathedral at 4.30pm.
Tomorrow I'll apply for the Compostella in the morning and go to the pilgrim Mass at noon. An American woman in the tapas bar told me tonight that they didn't use the large thurible at Mass last Sunday, but they will tomorrow. We shall see.


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Location:Rúa de Mourozón,Santiago de Compostela,Spain

Pulpo

Lunch on the way in to Santiago: Pulpo (octopus), Mahou beer and bread.


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Location:Rúa de Mourozón,Santiago de Compostela,Spain

O'Pedrousa

Tonight I am staying in a small albergue in O'Pedrousa. The only people here are myself and four people I have met several times on the Camino.
I am now 20km from Santiago and 15km from the large albergue at Monte Grosso. I should arrive tomorrow and the weather forecast is for the same as today, a little rain with sunny breaks.

I haven't decided yet whether to go to Monte Grosso tomorrow and walk the rest on the next day, or to just go straight to Santiago and stay at a private albergue or hostel. There are lots of people here making the same decision, I'll leave it to tomorrow.


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Location:Santiago de Compostela,Spain

Flat white (part 2)

In my search for an explanation for the expression "flat white coffee", I was talking today to an American woman who lives in Italy. She says some people in Italy ask for coffee "sensa schuma" (if I have the spelling right), which means "without foam", since they think the froth affect proper digestion.
This could be a flat white coffee, since in my experience it is basically a cappacino without much froth.


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Location:Santiago de Compostela,Spain

Schoolgirls asking for prayers

Since last Thursday, we have kept crossing paths with a group of schoolgirls from Madrid who are walking the last part of the Camino.
Some tragic news for them has been that one of the girls from the school was injured in a stampede in a Halloween party:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9648366/Three-women-killed-in-Madrid-Halloween-party-stampede.html

They have been getting news of her condition from TVs in bars that we stop at along the way.
This afternoon, three of us on the Camino were having lunch in Melide. A group of the girls arrived to do the same, and then the news came on the TV that their schoolmate had died.
The girls asked us for our prayers for the family.

The school that some of them attend is:
http://www.fomento.edu/index.php?col=41



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Location:Arzúa,Spain

One extreme to another

It has rained steadily all yesterday and this morning, so I've been pretty damp lately.
Yesterday we arrived late (7pm) in Palas de Rei, and the only open albergue was almost full and very uncomfortable. The people there were fine, there were just too many of them.
Today I stopped a little earlier than planned at a private albergue just outside of Ribadiso. I'm the only person here, so it is like having a large private room with an internal laundry. The clothes dryer is going now with some much needed washing. The weather forecast for the next few days is better, so I might feel a bit more comfortable tomorrow.


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Location:Arzúa,Spain

Portomarin

Arrived in Portomarin, which leaves about 80km to go to Santiago. We arrived in the rain with a group of schoolgirls from Madrid who are walking to Palas De Rei this weekend, and I think they plan to do the next stage next year. Their English is excellent, even the girls who look about 13, which shows what can be done when you learn to speak a language, not just learn to pass an HSC exam, as I did with French.
Some people are rushing to get to the pilgrim's Mass on Sunday because they think the large thurible us more likely to be in action then, but I'll stay with the normal pace.
I should arrive on Monday afternoon at stay at an albergue either in Santiago or the large one 5km away. Then on Tuesday I get my certificate and go to the noon Mass.
Then.........?
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Location:Calle de Benigno Quiroga,Portomarín,Spain

All Saint's Day

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All Hallows Eve in St Mary's Sarria

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Location:Sarria,Spain

Triacastillia

Tonight I stayed at a very comfortable albergue in a biggish village after a tiring walk down from the mountains. There are now mileposts measuring the distance to Santiago, and the one here reads 130km, which means that I will probably pass the 100km mark sometime tomorrow.
It is now 6.20am and I had to get up, but I am in the top bunk tonight, so there is no point in climbing back, so I have come down to the internet PC here until the others in the room wake up.
The talk among the pilgrims has started to turn to what they will feel like when this is all over. We have all made many acquaintances on the Camino, some good, some passing, but none bad in my experience. It occurred to me that of the 7 other people staying in my room tonight, I have met 5 of them several times over the past 4 weeks.

We may stay in touch, but we will probably never see each other again after next week. The experience of the Camino with the practical details of foot maintenance, eating, washing etc, as well as the scenery and experiences which change every day and sometimes every hour, will stop for me around next Wednesday.

It occurred to me that this is a reflection of life. Things happen to us, and we meet people that are important to us, but then they fade into the memory. I suppose the way you look at this depends on whether you see the Camino as a tourist trip or a pilgrimage. If you see it from the point of view of religious faith, then experiences and people never fade away in reality, it and they have everlasting importance. Tomorrow is All Saints´ Day which, as I understand it, expresses that hope that ¨we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses¨ and life is everlasting. When we are at our best, we can see charity every day, but faith and hope are the real challenge.

O'Cebreiro

It was truly spectacular walk this morning to the top of the hills here, across the border into Galicia to the little village of O'Cebreiro.
At the moment I am sitting in the simple but beautiful little church here.
Do you think the lighting effect on the crucifix on the altar is deliberate?


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From Castillia y Leon to Galicia

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Location:Pedrafita do Cebreiro,Spain

Laguna de Castilla

Yesterday walked mostly beside the road, but past rolling green field and through the hills. The last part was steep, about 6 Awaba streets.
The photo above is this morning outside a small family run albergue in the hills. Today is a short climb and then it is pretty level to Santiago.
When I arrived here yesterday, I thought they were playing Irish folk music over the pa, but I was told it was traditional Galician music by a group called "Luar Na Lubre". I think there is a Celtic connection here.
Yesterday I walked for a while with a young German man who is deciding what he wants to study and do in his life. Such musings are fairly often one of the reasons for doing the Camino among the people I meet.

By the way, to put the walking in perspective, yesterday I met a man walking in the opposite direction. He was Voytek, who had left Poland in May and had already been to Santiago via Fatima and was walking back home. I also met Marco who was on his way back to Barcelona.

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Location:Vega de Valcarce,Spain

long, short, black, white

I was walking today for a while with an Italian woman who knows a lot about coffee (maybe not unusual).
I wanted to get to the bottom of the strange expression "flat white coffee", and associated terms, that took hold in Australia about 20 years ago. I'm pretty sure nowhere else in the world uses this mysterious description for coffee.
According to her, the types of coffee include:
cafe corto, cafe lungo, which must correspond to short black and long black.
Coffee that uses milk often uses the word "macchiato", which means stained, in the sense of "I have a tomato sauce stain on my shirt".
This is used for the types of coffee:
cafe macchiato, latte macchiato, where the word before macchiato is the largest ingredient. Thus latte macchiato is mostly milk, with a little bit of coffee.
In her opinion, the Spanish "cafe con leche" can be either latte macchiato or cappuccino, depending on how much froth the particular bar uses.
This leaves the question of the difference between cafe latte and latte macchiato. In her opinion, cafe latte is usually what people make at home because they don't have a machine to make creamy froth. What you get at a bar is latte macchiato.
This still leaves the problem of "flat white coffee". She had of course never heard this term and was understandably mystified by it. From my experience, a flat white is really a cappacino without much froth.
Can anyone throw light on this puzzle?
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Location:Calle de El Salvador,Villafranca del Bierzo,Spain

Villafranca del Bierzo

Having just passed the line of 200km to go, I'm staying at Villafranca del Bierzo. This is a wine area, and they say it has a microclimate suitable for grapes, which I suppose means the surrounding hills create the climate. Unfortunately this also means we have to climb over one of the hills tomorrow in order to continue to Santiago.
The sky was clear and blue today, which meant it was cold in the morning. If it is clear tomorrow, I'll wear my new beanie.
(Bart: a beanie is a cap to keep your head warm, such as for skiing. It is probably an American word, I don't know where it comes from).

I'm staying with some Canadians and an American that I haven't since the first week of the Camino, which is great.
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Location:Calle de Ribadeo,Villafranca del Bierzo,Spain

St Mary's, Ponferrada

Met a pilgrim at Mass last night (Marco) that I last saw at Najera.


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Location:Benavides,Spain

Ponferrada

I am now in Ponferrada (despite what the GPS location says)
This is only 8km from Molinaseca, but we made a late start at 10am and the next albergue is at least 20km away. I did some shopping here and recharged my Vodafone SIM card.
There are also some interesting things to visit here, such as the medieval Templar castle above (though I think it has been extensively).
The next big town is Villafranca and then there are a couple of hills which I am told can be difficult, especially in rain.

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Location:Molinaseca,Spain

Molinaseca

It was much harder walking down from Cruz de Ferro than walking up. The descent is further, almost 1000 metres, and the track is either rough with large, loose rocks, or you have to walk on the road, which means you have to be very careful to look out for traffic. An albergue was closed, which meant I had to walk further than I planned, then here at Molinaseca, 1 albergue was closed and the other was full. Four of us are sharing a room at a hostel here.
After all that, the accommodation is good here, as it was yesterday in Rabanal with the Englishmen from the London based Confraternity of St James.


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Location:Calle del Pisón,Molinaseca,Spain

Three stones at Cruz de Ferro

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Location:Calle del Pisón,Molinaseca,Spain

Climb to Cruz de Ferro

The weather this morning was misty and still and therefore warm. It was a peaceful climb and everything seemed close, even though we were climbing to the highest point of the Camino. Just before Cruz de Ferro, the clouds cleared, the sky was blue and we could see the mountains around us.


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Location:Calle de las Estapias,Molinaseca,Spain

Cruz de Ferro

I'll be going to the cross and stones today.
Internet access is bad here, so I don't know if I will be able to post again today.
Astorga chocolate above.


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Murias de Rechivaldo

Because I spent time in Astorga, I am now only 5km east of Astorga in a very comfortable albergue, watching the rain come down. I arrived just in time to miss the rain. After my shopping in Astorga, I now own a good poncho, gloves, scarf and beanie.
The plan is to walk 15km to Rabanal tomorrow.


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Location:Calle de los Mártires,Astorga,Spain

John Mascarenhas

Right at this moment, a meeting of the St Kieran's toastmasters club is starting in Manly Vale.
They will be remembering John Mascarenhas, who died last week. John was involved in this and many other activities where he wanted to give back to society and he will be remembered by all the people he touched.

May he rest in peace.


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Location:Av del Doctor Mérida Pérez,Astorga,Spain

Gaudi

Gaudi's "bishop's palace" next to the cathedral in Astorga, though no bishop ever stayed here.
Astorga is a wonderful place to rest and recover: big enough for all facilities, but not too big and with a rich history.


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Location:Av de las Murallas,Astorga,Spain

Cathedral S Marta

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Location:Av de las Murallas,Astorga,Spain

Ordinary

Went to 8pm Mass at St Bartholomew's at Astorga. An exotically decorated church, but just an ordinary daily Mass. For some reason it struck me that this ordinariness unites people in different countries and unites the living and the dead.

Location:Calle de Tejeros,Astorga,Spain

Astorga

View from balcony of the albergue in Astorga.


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Location:Turcia,Spain

Milepost

I saw this sign yesterday.
I just had a coffee with two Catalan men, and they told me Astorga has very good food, so no pilgrim menu for me tonight.
They also told me that there are 4 languages in Spain, Castillian, Catalan, Basque and Potugese, since Portugese is spoken in Santiago. I didn't know that.

Location:Calle Doctor Vélez,Santa Marina del Rey,Spain