Posts

Camino, Walk, Day 1 Tuesday October 11 - Leaving for Finisterre-Muxia

Image
Not a wink of sleep until well after 5 am.  Overslept & woken @ 8 am by Judi, thank goodness! The church service was all in Spanish so a bit losst on me there, but nothing was lost on anyone when the incense were lit,  a single Priest swung it while 4-5 Priests masterfully managed its rise and swing side to side/back & forth over the people and high into the ceiling.   I'll never forget it.  It was a spectacle yet holy at the same time.  The smoke wafting upwards with the prayers of the people.  The power of the magnificient massive silver ___________  swinging wasl also joyful, freeing, playful - what child of any age doesn't want to swing?  What an intersting ritual for the otherwise serious, deathly, church tradition filled with bribed loyalty, purchased forgiveness & fearful "unconditional love". After a brunch Judi & Jesse, Meg and I headed out - at VERY different paces...the former taking a firm lead!   MY CAMI...

Yarak for the Chase or for Different?

Image
  Yarak - From the book, The Hawk's Way , by Sy Montgomery In falconry, "Yarak is something central to the psyche of a bird of prey", specifically the urge to hunt...  It is a drive, a desire that must be met.  "It is the bird of prey's greatest earthly pleasure and its deepest frustration, twined tight.  Frightening and beautiful, yarak is rapture and longing, love and death married in one timeless moment.  If the eye is the mind of the raptor, then yarak is its wild soul.  Yarak is wildness incarnate - dangerous and delicious and pure.   Another word in falconry is venery, it is defined as "The art, act or practice of hunting." "A second meaning, however, is listed in the American Heritage  Dictionary .  as the indulgence in or pursuit of sexual pleasure.  The word is rooted  in the Roman goddess Venus, whose name meant desire or love." In each case, in falconry, when the bird is denied a hunt, it becomes enormously frustrate...

Saturday 8th October, 2022

Image
It was a good night, deep, long sleep.   This morning,  I moved slowly as my back was so very tight.  I imagine from the plane and walking, walking, walking the stone streets/walkways yesterday looking for a room.  I reorganized everything. Collected what I don't think I'll really need...more than I'd like but less than I thought.  I'm having more difficulty than in younger years being on my own.  I try to channel my inner Andrea doing her Camino solo...but I don't seem to have the sunny welcoming inclinations that I used to have.  I remember traveling in Germany after the Horens Festival, meeting people, finding a room, it all was so glorious...it wasl aslo my 1st trip abroad and i was in my 20's! .  40 years later, maybe i'm a bit more cautious. Ran into some Americans finally and was able to ask about food types which was helpful.  Finally landed a breakfast spot by noon, so had ham (proscuito), bread (unavoidable here) with tomato a...

Trenton Train Station

Image
So I'm sitting at the train station 20 minutes before the train supposed to arrive. I've never been this nervous or emotional before a trip.  Sarah anger, I'm AA long time friend and angel in our lives, comma meet me at the house and brought me to the train station offering reassurance in word and presents. Thank you Sarah thank you Carrie for introducing U sing us all those years ago. I left Santiago with Judy and I'm starting to cry again just thinking about it. I have no idea where I'm staying tonight or where I'm staying when I get to Santiago, But I feel like it's all in sync with the way of the Camino. I have never done anything so solo before. I'll be joining Meg but all the arrangements until we meet are up to me. I had a minor panic attack in the car about ditching my 2nd of 2 SPF long sleeve shirts and instead choosing to keep the light jacket.. What was I thinking? How am I going to pack the jacket? You already know how you're ...