Adventures of Lydia and Joe

Monday , May 13, 2013 Angel in Granon, Angel in a Taxi

Up and out bright and early (that’s about 9 am for us) and on our way to Castildelgado, population 80 About lunch time we arrived at Granon. The rolling hills are beautiful but rolling means lots of ups and lots of downs. I’ve learned that neither of these is a good thing. When we got to Granon, the first building I noticed was the church, so I went in to offer thanks. Inside was a young couple and she rushed over to me and anxiously asked,”Do you mind if I sing?” I told her,”I’d love if you sing! ” So she stepped back into the dimly lit nave and began to sing in an angelic voice a melodic tune in a language I didn’t recognize. The young man gazed at her thoroughly entranced. When she finished, I asked her where she was from and she replied,”Denmark.” She and the young man had met on the Camino and it looked like young love to me. Then she started to sing another song, explaining that it was a song they sang at weddings in Denmark. I looked sympathetically at the young man and wondered if he knew his bachelor days would soon be over. Meanwhile, Joe had come in and he told them that I sang, too. So I sang the chorus of the ancient pilgrim song, Ultreya. There were no standing ovations.
We had some lunch, the usual bocadillo of ham, cheese, tomato and lettuce. Then we headed down the Camino. When we got to Recedilla del Camino, I pooped out. My shoulder hurts and my feet are giving me fits, especially my heels. It’s a lot like plantar fasciaitis. It gets worse when I’m hot and getting dehydrated. I also get very crabby, teary, and discouraged (Did I mention this already?) The air temperature is very pleasant, but the direct sun is very hot. So I called the hotel where we are staying next and asked if he could send a taxi. He agreed and the proprietor himself soon arrived. When we tried to pay him, he absolutely refused. I asked him his name and he smiled and said “Angel”. So that was the end of our walk for the day. Carrying these packs is making the Camino a miserable endurance contest instead of a time to think, meditate, appreciate nature. So I swallowed my pride and called the transport service recommended by the hotel. I look forward to a better walking experience tomorrow.

We packed up as quickly as possible in the mornIng and were at the Hospideria Santa Teresita by 10:30 to check in and go to the 11 am Mass at the Monastery. Our room was ready and what a difference! Bright and clean with a private bathroom and as we found out later a great shower. After Mass, which the nuns sang, we went to the Cathedral to catch some of the festivities. We got there just in time to hear the band and witness the procession of banners, candle bearers, incense, and a harried priest who seemed to be in charge of all of them, followed by girls in traditional dress and boys twirling around to the rhythm of castanets, a small statue of Santo Domingo himself atop a huge silver orb being carried on a palette, followed by men and women dressed very fashionably adorned with sashes and medals and at the end several clergy including the Bishop. Where they were going I have no idea! A charming sight were the infants and small children dresses as pilgrims complete with cape and staff. Some small boys were annoying their parents by using their pilgrim staffs to play sword fighting. It was approaching 1pm and we hadn’t had breakfast so I got the brilliant idea that Joe should treat me to a Mothers Day feast at the Parador. It is very deautiful inside with much carved dark wood, brocade draperies and spacious public rooms with high ceilings. The maitre d’ assured us of a reserved place as long as we came at 1:30, no later. Because of the holiday they were fully booked for the usual Spanish lunchtime of 3-4 pm. We had a delicious menu lunch of bacalao, salad and home made rice pudding. There were festivities going on in one of the squares. We followed a b and like the Pied Piper and found many families gathered with lots of children sitting on the ground in front of a stage. Some young people in outrageous wigs were leading the kids in games and the kids were having a grand time. We wandered back to the Sisters through some now familiar squares to rest and wait for our 9 pm dinner. Then after rinsing out a few things we went to bed.

We started the day thinking we just needed to get from point A to point B to point C, etc. St. James had other plans for us. After a good breakfast at Hotel Europa, we picked up our rental car, no problem, drove to Artajona and left our luggage with Jeru after a joyful reunion with her, her husband, and daughter Sara and son Mario, no problem; drove to Logrono, returned the car, and hired a taxi to take us to Navarette, no problem. Then I started calling hotels and pensiones in the area for a room for the night – big problem! There is a national youth soccer tournament this weekend and there are no rooms for miles around. Joe likens it to the Little League World Championships The taxi driver was more than helpful with calling for us. We finally found a place in Azorfa, two days walk from Navarette. What is Santiago telling us? We will find out eventually. All The municipal albergue’s rooms are for 2 persons – perfect! The grocery store had water, bread, and cheese for tomorrow, the restaurant served a tasty dinner with good wine included, and a stork was nesting on the church’s bell tower. Thank you, Santiago. We have seen amazing displays of poppies and hope to see many more over the next few days. Buenos noches, peregrinos!

We learned that there are two trains to Hendaye and from there we transfer to the Topo train which goes to San Sebastian. We decided to spend the night here and make further travel decisions in the morning. I had called the night before for a reservation at the Husa Hotel Europa. So we got a taxi from the San Sebastian train station and arrived at our hotel only to learn that I had booked it for last night, not tonight. To add insult to injury, they charge the full night’s stay for no-shows. This was not a good start! The good news is they did not expect us last night either and we were not charged. Thank you, Santiago! San Sebastian is noted for its tapas and we fully intended to go to the old town. But it was raining and we were tired. We walked to the electronics store we remembered from the last time to get Spanish SIM cards for our phones. They directed us to the Movistar phone store where we easily got our phones working. Then to the pharmacia to refill my prescriptions – no problem. Then to see the sea, the esplanade was very nearby. The wind was beginning to howl and the rain grew more intense, so we headed back to our hotel for disappointing tapas – all he had left were variations of Tortilla Espanola. Dinner was ok, we both had bacalao. Then upstairs to our very charming room for a pow wow. We decided to ax the train option and rent a car. We called our family in Artajona and asked Jeru if we could leave our bags at her house. Decisions made, anxiety reduced, packs packed, we went to sleep.

May 8, 2013 Unexpected Adventure

Now I know what it’s like to go to a French Emergency Room on a holiday. Who knew these countries had so many days off. Today is Liberation Day, tomorrow is Ascension Thursday, and then it’s Friday so they are taking that off, too! Anyway, I wanted to know if my ribs were cracked because the pain has been unrelenting since it happened. Now I’ve had an xray and nothing is broken but, due to language barriers and anxiety which interfered with asking the right questions, I know what isn’t wrong, but I don’t know why it hurts so much. As the young doctor said, the most important thing is that I can breathe ok. She prescribed some medicine for the pain and sent me on my way. We had to take a taxi to the other side of town as only one pharmacy is open today. The service is very rapid. Each medication is prepackaged and they do not label them for the individual patient. 1 is Paracetamol which I think is like tylenol. The other is Zamudol which I’m to take every 12 hours. She said I should be able to sleep with these medications. Prior to our medical venture, we just hung out and had a bite of lunch with Tom and Janice before their train. They got off smoothly.
Now we have to figure our next move;the next two weeks are completely unplanned.
Joe is looking at a map and I’m to research the weather and the train schedule. I think we’ll get to San Sebastian tomorrow, then to Leon to drop our bags and go back to where we’re going to start. Stay tuned.

May 6, 2013 Normandy Beaches

We’re getting pretty good at getting on trains. Of course it’s a lot easier when you’re not laden down with baggage. We got a taxi to St. Lazare station and made it onto our train in plenty of time. The second class seats were a bit tight but it was only a 2 hour ride. When we got to the station, we looked for a possible meeting place for our pre-arranged tour. The restaurant across from the station had a huge sign that proclaimed English Speaking Tours Here. When we asked, the attendant waved us off once he realized we didn’t come to buy a tour from him. He said we’d be picked up at the station. So we returned to wait. As it got closer to 1 o’clock and no tour van, I asked a taxi driver. He said we might be picked up in the town square. So I went in the taxi to the square while the others waited at the station. Sure enough, there was our driver and guide, Francois. He asked if my name was Mrs. Banales, so I knew I’d found the right person. I went back to the station with him to pick up the others after we picked up a couple who was also going on the tour. The tour included the Pont du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. I expressed disappointment that we were not going to the German cemetery so he said he could include it. As we went to each of the sites, we received a lot of information from our guide. The weather was absolutely perfect so we could see along the beaches for a great distance. The German cemetery was not as dreary as I’d been led to expect, but it was very severe with dark colored crosses. A reception hall has been added to the American cemetery which greatly enhances the visitors’ experience with displays and a very moving film. It’s difficult to conceive of all the young men who were killed in defense of Europe. Our French guide mentioned that the French people continue to be grateful that we liberated them. However, they also remember how they saved us during the American Revolution. We had a very good day and returned to Paris exhausted. I was hungry as I’d had to pitch half my breakfast to go find our guide and I dropped half my sandwich on the way home. So while Tom and Janice turned in, Joe and I went across the street and wound up our time in Paris with a little pichet of red wine, some quiche, and a little ice cream. Then back to the St. Genevieve for our last sleep in Paris — for a while.

May 4 and 5, 2013 All Roads Lead to Rome but the Train from Hell leads to Paris

How to describe our overnight train ride? Awful, nightmarish, painful? All of the above? All that and more! A four bed couchette didn’t sound like such a bad idea in Pasadena. But the real thing was nearly indescribable. It was actually a 6 berth couchette so we had almost no room for anything. They provided pillows, sheets, and a quilt. What they didn’t provide was space. Even four small adults would have been squeezed. Joe and Janice managed to get into the upper bunks. How they got there I still don’t understand. Tom got into the center bunk. I started out in the lower. I strained my shoulder over and over again as I tried to get in and out and turn over to find a reasonable sleeping position. Then I got into the middle bunk which was a little better but not much. More stress on the shoulder and rib cage. I’m sure I undid any healing that was trying to take place. None of us got much sleep. The bathroom, so to speak, was only sort of clean. It was about as expected. So we arrived in Paris feeling disheveled and sleep-deprived. We got to the St. Genevieve and things began to look up. Our rooms were spacious, bright, and clean. We have a huge tub into which we have to climb in order to use the shower. Our windows overlook the school and park next door. There are several small restaurants nearby. We walked round the corner to see if there was a 5:30 PM Mass but there wasn’t so we walked down to Notre Dame. How Tom does this walking I don’t understand. I know he’s in a lot of pain. We got to the Cathedral just in time for evening vespers and Mass. Then we got a taxi home and had dinner in one of the local eateries. It was very good. Smoking is only allowed outside so if you go inside you are guaranteed a smoke-free environment. This little restaurant had an inside room which was more like a bar and, further in, a charming dining room with candles on the tables. Jan delighted herself if no one else by treating herself to escargots. Our dinners were very good and we headed back to the hotel for an early evening and a comfortable sleep!
My idea of Sunday morning in Paris is to stroll in Luxembourg Park. After a lazy breakfast, Jan and Tom headed for the Louvre and Joe and I to Luxembourg Park. We had lunch at the nearby pub, the Bombadiere. It was really fun! We sat next to a man who called himself John although he said his name wasn’t always John. We chatted about ourselves and where we’d been. He recommended several places to which we’d already been. He seemed impressed that we knew a lot about Paris.
Joe had already been up early and had a two hour walk all the way to the Arch of Triomphe.
So after thoroughly enjoying the park and lunch, we headed down to Notre Dame. Joe kept telling me about the flowers he saw in the Tuilleries so that was my goal! It’s a long walk to the Tuilleries but I made after several rest stops. Joe showed me how the new pedestrian bridge has been decorated with tiny and not so tiny locks placed on the fences. Someone told me that lovers place the locks, write their names on them, and throw the key in the river. I was rewarded by achieving my goal and viewing lovely beds of flowers.
We headed home by taxi, rejoined Tom and Janice to recap our days and had a tasty dinner.