Journey to Santiago - Day 8 and 9, Seventh and Eighth Stage

Day 8 - Viana to Logroño

Distance walked today: 9.5 km (5.9 miles)

Total distance walked: 114.6 km (71.6 miles)

Total distance left: 609.4 km (380.9 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Day 9 - Logroño to Ventosa

Distance walked today: 19.4 km (12.1 miles)

Total distance walked: 135 km (84.4 miles)

Total distance left: 599.4 km (374.6 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Finally.  A call.  I knew Murphy's Law was infallible and that as soon as I posted the previous one, he would call.

His phone turned off and when he turned it back on, it asked for a pin he did not have.  Yet he still had his iPhone.  *Deep breath*

He is currently in Ventosa, almost completing the 8th stage.  Yesterday he made it Logroño, end of the Seventh stage.  Then on today to Ventosa, about a 19.4 km trek, under a cold pouring rain.  Find the terrain info here.

I have no more energy for today.

Journey to Santiago - Day 8, Unknown

I wish I knew where he was.  I wish I knew he was okay.  But it's now Saturday, 5:30 pm, and I haven't heard from him since Thursday.  It could be he has no minutes left on his mobile phone, or he hasn't charged it, or he lost it, or it was stolen.

And this is what I was dreading about this journey: the not knowing.  The days when I would not hear from him. The minutes turn into hours and then turn into days.  He's probably fine, but it's the not knowing.

Now the calm exterior is cracking, I'm having a tough time concentrating on anything too long because I'm always checking to see if he called.  N is getting a little bit more difficult, since I don't have anyone to hand her off to.  Last night we watched the Ant Bully and I made popcorn.  It was nice and it was a nice movie.

Today she woke up earlier than during the week, when I have to push her out of bed.  She must've been up before 7 am, and bugging me to "get up, stand up, it's time to waaaake up" just how daddy sings it, except he rhymes it with "it's time to go to school."  We went to the supermarket to buy a few supplies for the week, and she didn't want to go back to the apartment.  I finally convinced her the ice cream sandwiches were going to melt, we needed to get going.

But nothing distracts me enough from the fact that I haven't heard from him.  As soon as I do, I will post.

Waiting...

Journey to Santiago - Day 7, Seventh Stage

Day 7 - Los Arcos to Viana

Distance walked today: 18 km (11.3 miles)

Total distance walked: 105.1 km (65.7 miles)

Total distance left: 618.9 km (386.8 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Adal made it to Viana, about 10 km before Logroño, almost completing the seventh stage.  So today it was a total of 18 km.  He reports his nailless toe is not bothering him at all, and looking quite good.  It looks like it is starting to grow again!

He has become somewhat of a Camino celebrity, as so many know of the plight with his toe.  And then they found out he's from Puerto Rico, so he is accosted by many to simply talk.  He arrived in Viana to the first hostel and it was full.  Seond hostel: full.  So he went to the town's tourism agency (it's quite a small town).  They confirmed that the town was very full indeed, but gave him the name of two more hostels.  So, third hostel: full.  Fourth hostel: finally a vacancy!  But at 30 Euro a night, it is definitely the most expensive hostel he has stayed at.  He did get his own room, quite a luxury on the Camino, and a bathroom.  Er, mini bathroom.  He didn't quite fit fully in the shower.  So, to get the most out of his 30 Euro, he will get up later tomorrow to rest a bit before heading out.  He hopes to make it at least to Logroño, but being only 10 km away, he will probably keep going a bit farther.

He says there are many Italians on the Camino, and all sorts of people.  Quite a busy path this Camino!  They greet him with a rotund "Puerto Rico!  Puerto Rico!" whenever they see him.  Today he was told "Man, I was feeling so tired and like I couldn't go on, but then I see you and I get inspired to keep going!"  I guess you could take this two ways: either they know about the toe and are inspired he is still going, or they see his physical condition with his healthy belly and are impressed he is still going.  Either way, I guess it is a bit funny.  One trekker suggested he should have taken the nail and made a necklace out of it.  Ewww.  As a special amulet?  But yeah, maybe he should have kept it, as a memory of the hard work it is to walk The Path.

He hasn't been able to even listen to his MP3 player because he is approached constantly by people at the hostels.  He says a lot of people carry small flags of their origin on their backpacks.  We think he should have brought a small Puerto Rican flag with him.  Maybe next time!  I'm happy he is enveloped in such an interesting group of people and experiences.

I've told him how many people send their best to him and are pushing him to go on, and he's touched.  If for no other reason, for this outpouring of support, he wants to finish.  For them, for him, for us.  Some people walk it as a religious pilgrimage, others for sport, even others for introspection, and some for the feeling of achievement, a sort of been there done that.  I don't really know why he walks it.  Not yet anyway.  But that sounds like a good question.

Journey to Santiago - Day 6, Sixth Stage

Day 6 - Estella to Los Arcos

Distance walked today: 21.2 km (13.3 miles)

Total distance walked: 87.1 km (54.4 miles)

Total distance left: 636.9 km (398.1 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Imagine my surprise last night when I saw the news of a 5.2 Earthquake in Southeastern Spain!  Even though I know Adal is not in southeastern Spain and is actually all the way north, I worried.  I immediately called him to find out if he was okay or had even heard of it.  Nope, those that travel the Camino de Santiago did not even hear about it.  Not even at the hostel.  So far 8 people are dead, but Adal did not know or feel a tremor.

News Here.

So with that worry gone, I asked about his toe.  He said it didn't bother him at all, and in fact he had someone cleaning it at that moment to keep the bandages fresh and the toe clean.  He took it easy, not making it to Torres del Rio but actually almost there to Los Arcos.  So he still walked 21.2 km yesterday!  He said he saw so much beautiful landscape and the views were breathtaking.  At the end there was no shade, so the last several km were walked in the hot sun.  He feels the adrenaline pumping that keeps him going.  As the body kicks into a pushing surge, his appetite diminishes, and he is eating very little.  Although he did "force" himself to have a hearty meal of ribs, fries, and garbanzos with sausage, so I don't think he's wasting away.

So here's the Stage he almost finished yesterday.

Today he plans to finish the stage he had pending yesterday to Torres del Rio to at least Viana, traversing this stage to about halfway, about 18 km.  Depending on how he feels he may make it on to Logroño.  The stage talks about descents and ascents to Viana, which I worry for him.  Ascents are no problem, he says, it's the descents that are difficult, on his knee and toe.  He's popping Motrin almost daily, to keep all general swelling down.

N and I are adapting well.  The bright sunlight until late in the night (for us) is giving her problems at bedtime.  Even though I have the black out shades in my room, you can still see the sun peeping from behind the corners.  How do you tell a kid to go to bed when the sun is still shining?  She came home with a gold star on her shirt, "for being quiet in music class" is what she told me.  She came home with two new reading books, at stage two!  She read both of them to me pretty well, navigating the "qu" sound quite well, as well as the "th"s.  And she helped me pick out some snack items from our local grocery store, some yogurt and fancy bread, and some Port Salut cheese.  She's been very helpful, but very hungry all of a sudden.  I think she's on a growth spurt, she's always hungry!  She enjoys hard-boiled eggs now for dinner, something I didn't know she liked.

Every night I must say to her the same words Papá tells her, which he's phrased the same way in Spanish since she can remember.  This helps her remind her that Papá still loves her from far away.  She's counting the days till June, when Papá comes back and Grandma comes to visit.  She's missing her PR family quite a bit, and wanted to talk to Titi Ile yesterday. 

I volunteered for the fourth of July celebration here, which we are celebrating May 27.  Yes, fourth of July will arrive BEFORE memorial day here in order to bid farewell to our Ambassador, who is going on to bigger things as Obama's Chief Financial advisor of fundraising.  Or something like that.  So about two weeks to go for this accelerated celebration and lots to do! 

So we are slipping into a temporary schedule, as much as a temporary schedule can allow.  I think about Adal several times a day, wishing to see photos of what he's seen, eat dinner with him, give him a hug, squeeze his hand.  Yet I am calm, destressed, because I am taking one day at a time.  And every day is a treasure.

Journey to Santiago - Day 5, Fifth Stage

Day 5 - Puente la Reina to Estella (via bus)

Distance walked today: 0 km 

Total distance walked: 65.9 km (41.2 miles)

Total distance left: 656.1 km (410 miles)

After the loss of the nail, where do you go from here?  Adal called me this morning, which I found strange since he is usually on the road way before I wake up.  I feared the worst: infection, pain, hospital, emergency, lost wallet.  But no, everything was fine.  Except he was not going to walk today to give his nailless big toe a rest.  He had no pain, no discomfort, but didn't want to risk any further injury.  So what did he do?  He took a bus to the next stage, Estella.  I thought this was smart; he wouldn't get too far behind, he could more or less keep on the road with the group he had formed a small cohesion with (including the forensic doctor who helped him pull the nail off), he would rest the whole day, and he had already seen this part of the road to Santiago anyway.

He arrived at the hostel incredibly early to lounge around and take it easy.  He found a computer with internet, and after he paid the fee to use the internet, the connection didn't work.  He informed the hostel attendant, who just kind of shrugged and said that wasn't his problem.  Boy was he pissed.  It was a shame because the hostel was actually very nice inside, but the customer service severely lacked.

I think in a way that is part of his journey, the disconnection from so much connectivity and constant communication.  He says he has what he needs, conversation with N and with me when he gets the chance.  I am calm about the whole thing, I am incredibly not stressed out about it.  If I need a break, I know I can get a babysitter.  This is such a big deal for him, he's talked about it and planned it for years, that I am completely blissful that he is able to participate in something so important to him.  I think that's why I feel compelled to write about it.  I write in his presence, not for him but in his stead, as a stand-in, as a way to share this with those that are following him virtually.  I want to remember the little things that happened around his journey, snippets of conversations and our daily life that when read years down the road, will bring us back better to these moments.  Maybe one day N will read with inspiration what her parents were like and what cool stuff we did.  Or how sappy we were.  But she will have insight into our personalities.

If he would've walked it, it would've been 22 km with a terrain like this: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-puente-la-reina-a-estella-lizarra

So tomorrow I think he will walk the stage from Estella to Torres del Rio, which is 29 km.  I am so pulling for him on this one.  This stage will be completely new, since back in 2005 he turned back from Estella to come back to Athens.  Everything from tomorrow on will be new territory and parts of the Road to Santiago he hasn't seen yet.

Keep on walking, papito.

Journey to Santiago - Day 4, Fourth Stage

Day 4 - Cizur Menor to Puente la Reina

Distance walked today: 19 km (11.9 miles)

Total distance walked: 65.9 km (41.2 miles)

Total distance left: 678.1 km (423.8 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Adal made it to Puente La Reina!  24 km from Cizur, he reports that the hill that gave him trouble in 2005 was an easy climb this time around.  Clearly due to his training after almost 3 years at the gym, it has been conquered.

His journey today included this terrain: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-pamplona-a-puente-la-reina

Some blisters have formed, as is normal, but in much less quantity than in 2005.  They have not been bothersome at all.  Yesterday evening he noticed one of his big toes were swollen, apparently a blood blister formed under the nail.  He was not bothered by it, since it didn't hurt.  In fact, this journey so far has been characterized by him as feeling very little discomfort all around, and feeling quite up to the challenge.  After his climb today, the descent apparently was a bit rough to his toe, probably due to the toe rubbing the front as you descend.  It looked bad enough when he got to Puente La Reina that he decided to go to a small hospital, like an urgent care facility.  As he described it, his toe looked like a ham!

After getting the general schpiel about how he's overweight (blah blah blah), they drained the toe of mostly blood and clear liquid.  He will probably lose his nail.  Of course I told him to take photos.  : )  Maybe he can give it a proper nail burial along the path somewhere.  He was told to rest until it got better.  Not an option! he said.  He will continue, he feels so good!  So armed with Betadyne, gauze, and rolls of tape, he will conquer.  One of the folks he's walking with, just met on the road, is a forensic doctor from the Canary Islands and has offered to help him through "The Nail Loss."  Just the type of doctor I want working on him.  At least none of his former patients have complained.

At the end of our conversation over the phone, he was called away by the forensic doctor who was going to help him pull off the nail.  !!!  Okaaay.  But you should've heard him, in such great spirits!

Let's see how he does tomorrow.  This should be interesting.

This morning as he was packing his stuff up, he came across a small stuffed animal N gave him for his trip, which made him miss N terribly.  I know what it feels like, having been there several times myself.  And she has this habit of giving us things when we travel so we can think of her, usually a dear stuffed animal or doll.  So we "don't forget about her and have someone to take care of us."  I told him he should take it out now and then and get photos of the little dog in interesting places, even if it's just in the hostel.  It would be a good keepsake for her.

N knows he won't be back until June, so "he will be gone the whole month of May, Mami."  Yes, N, and we will miss him.  "But you're still married, right?"  Yes, N, of course we are still married.  He's just on a trip.  She hasn't been missing him much because it's still recent.  She has been pining away for her grandma Abu though.  Crying at night, and telling me how she wants Grandma to tuck her in, and how far away June is.

Today was my first day telecommuting for 2 hours.  I explained to N that because I left work early to be there when she got home from school on the bus, I had to work some time at home.  "Okay, I have to work too, mami, I have to do my homework."  Ah, I foresaw this, so I was armed with practice pages for her to practice her letters.  I wasn't banking on her CONSTANT talking, and questions, and singing, and interrupting!  Good thing I wasn't on the phone, or she probably would've taken it away and started talking to the other person.  Yeah, yeah, payback is a bitch.  I KNOW.  So after her constant rattling, I told her I was done but I had to clean up and fold clothes a bit.  "I want to help, what can I do?"  I jumped on that, I mean, I never know how long that's going to last!!  So I gave her about 20 of her tiny little miniature underwear to fold.  She got to about 15, ended up kind of throwing them all in her drawer after her painstaking folding, and said, "I kind of put them in a little messy.  Okay, I don't want to do anymore.  You're not mad, right?  Are you mad?"  No, N, I'm not mad, I'm proud that you helped!  Thanks for helping.  I mean, what's a little mess when she has her heart in the right place?

And then, our guilty pleasure.  Yes, we have a guilty pleasure now.  I finally got TLC on our local cable box, and "our" show is Say Yes to the Dress.  She either yeas or nays them.  "We have to look at dresses so we can pick the most beautiful one of all for me."  Yes, N, you see how the moms are there helping them pick it out?  "You're going to help me, right?  You have to help me pick the most beautiful one of all, mami."  And then later, "When I get older, you'll probably be dead, right?"  Well, I think I'll be around, until you get really old.  "And THEN you will be dead, right?"  Yeah, maybe.  "People have to die to make space for all the people being born, mami."  Hmm, yeah, in a way.  "One of my grandmas is alive and the other is dead.  Right mami?"  Yes, daddy's mom is dead.  "But he has another mommy now, right?"  No, he doesn't.  His mommy died before you were born.  *Gasps* "Oh, that's so sad!  Aw, poor daddy.  But my other grandma is still alive.  And grandma's mom is still alive."  Yes, N.  You're so lucky.  You're so very lucky.

And we're so glad we're alive.  Even if we have to lose a nail now and then.

Journey to Santiago - Day 3, Third Stage

Day 3 - Zubiri to Cizur Menor

Distance walked today: 25.4 km (15.9 miles)

Total distance walked: 46.9 km (29.3 miles)

Total distance left: 697.1 km (435.7 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

Happy Mother's Day to all and Happy Birthday to Adal!  That's right, today is Adal's birthday, as he journeys on to Santiago.  And what better gift did I get than a wonderful call from him today!

He did indeed make it to Zubiri yesterday, earlier than expected.  He mentioned how it felt easier than last time, probably because he's been walking so much more here and going to the gym regularly for almost 2 years.  He was careful to take a short break every two hours.  His equipment is better as well, as the boots and trekking poles help.  His feet are in good condition, too, only a small water blister or two.  He was in good spirits and said that dinner with the Zubiri local was wonderful, in a beautiful house right on the path to Santiago.

Today's stage is Zubiri to Pamplona, about 20.4 km, but he's actually going to be passing through Pamplona since he's already seen it, twice at least.  So his final destination is about 5 km past Pamplona to a small village called Cizur Menor (I've also seen it spelled Zizur), for a total today of about 25 or 26 km.

More detail on the stage here: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-zubiri-a-pamplona

He told me he's been getting on the road very early, usually starting his walk around 6:15 am.  Which is smart, because it avoids the hottest part of the day mostly.  Food is readily available everywhere.  He told me he's already met a lot of interesting people, a group of Australians, a Spanish guy who's been telling him he snores too loud (which he does!), and, wait for it, another Puerto Rican.  This Puerto Rican guy from San Juan only brought one thing: his bike.  He intends to bike it to Santiago, which is very doable and some choose to do it this way.  But he came with no plan, no reservations, no expectations, no map, nothing.  Just his bike.  He arrived quite late in the night to Pamplona and ended up riding his bike around trying to find an open hostel.  Just the kind of interesting story you would expect from the people who go on this journey.

This morning the hostel attendant wrote on a card to Adal to wish him Happy Birthday.  I'm sure it made his day.  This is his first birthday since I met him 16 years ago that we spend it separated, and definitely my first mother's day by myself.  I'm just proud that he is doing what he's doing, taking one step at a time to get to where he wants.

Today N and I took it easy.  We dressed up, set up the tripod, and started playing with my new camera, my mother's day gift.  We pretended to be models, made funny and sad faces.  I got a text that two friends were at Humlegarden, a nearby park, with an invitation to swing by and bring a mat.  The day was gorgeous, about 68 F with not one cloud, so N and I changed into "normal" clothes and headed out there with a blanket, a water bottle, and the camera.  Best decision all day!  To kick off your shoes and lay on a blanket on a green field is pure bliss.  This hasn't been possible here since early October, so it's such a treat!  Stockholm is truly beautiful, green, and bright when it warms up.  If you had any doubts about visiting Stockholm, just do it when it's warm, it is absolutely fabulous!

Journey to Santiago - Day 2, Second Stage

Day 2 - Roncesvalles to Zubiri

Distance walked today: 21.5 km (14 miles)

Total distance walked: 21.5  km (284.2 miles)

Total distance left: 722.5 km (58.1 miles)

Information on the stage traveled here.

I was so happy to hear from Adal yesterday morning!  He ended up buying a cheap 29 Euro cell phone and calling cards, and texting works.  It seems that this solution was easier than trying to find a data plan for the iphone that worked with our local Swedish company.

He tells me all is well, he sounds happy and excited to start.  N and him were excited to speak to each other finally.  Yesterday he took a bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles where he will complete his first stage, from Roncesvalles to Zubiri.  A stage is basically a day's walk.  This stage is 21.5 km.

Extensive detail about this stage (in Spanish): http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-roncesvalles-a-zubiri

He happened to meet someone on Facebook that lives in Zubiri and will probably dine with him tonight.  That sounds cool, to meet with a local in their own town.

As for our life here, today N and I went downtown to buy a gift for a friend's birthday party.  The house is on Lidingo and has a beautiful view from atop a hill.  Lots of embassy kids, as it was an embassy family celebrating, so I felt very much at ease and in the company of friends.  It was a great time, both for myself and N.  It was an ice cream social, with toppings and fruits for the kids to put on their bowl of ice cream, which was a great idea.  There was even a piñata, which I haven't seen in years at a party.  And thanks to the glorious 60 deg F weather, the kids were running around outside, playing in the sandbox, playground, everywhere.  I thought, wow, it's been a long time since I saw kids running around like that so free; it reminded me of the times of my childhood, a time of less technology and more outside time.

Journey to Santiago - Day 1

Day 1 - Roncesvalles

Distance walked today: 0 km 

Total distance walked: 0 km 

Total distance left: 744 km (465 miles)

Adal began his journey yesterday to Santiago de Compostela from Roncesvalles. It is about 800 km or about 450 miles of walking across northern Spain on the Camino Frances.

Read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_santiago

This is a life-long dream of his to complete. Last time he started it was in 2005, from Athens, Greece, where he had to abandon the journey after about 5 days because I had to depart Athens quickly due to my pregancy with Inarú.

Adal left yesterday to begin his journey towards Santiago de Compostela, with a flight from Stockholm to Madrid, then on to Pamplona. Arriving at night, he would stay in a hotel. I expect today he will book a bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles, and try to find local mobile solutions for his GSM cell phone and maybe his iPhone.

I'm following his progress through the different stages using: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/frances/

This time around he started with a total carry weight of 20 lbs, which includes backpack, poles, and all his clothes, etc. That is pretty good! The lighter the weight the easier it will be for him.

The first stage he will complete is the Roncesvalles to Zubiri stage, and he already has dinner plans with a local when he arrives : ) This stage is about 21.5 km and you can read more about it here: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-roncesvalles-a-zubiri

Today is the first full day without him, and alone with N. The morning went smooth, she made it on time to the bus and I made it on time to work. Starting next week I will try telecommuting for the last 2 hours of work from home, in order to be there when N gets home from school. I think it will be less disruptive for her to keep a schedule she's used to. I miss him terribly, but I'm calm that he's okay and incredibly proud of him.

Of writing again and other things...

Why start again now? Why not? I write because I feel it. And maybe not about previous subjects. Maybe now it will be about new things, old things, spiderwebs in the closet; who knows where this will take me?

My world is different now, yet the same. My location is different, now that I live in Stockholm. But the problems, the preoccupations, the joys and pains are somewhat the same. It's difficult to pick up exactly where I left off, perhaps because there is an abyss in between. And maybe my posts will pick up momentum, and talk of the ordinary things that everyone wants to read. But not today. No, not today. Today I am submerged in shadows. Old shadows that won't go away. Shadows that block my light and make me doubt everything. Yet I WILL pull apart those shadows, with my own two hands, with my nails I will scratch at that something until I get it out of my eyes.

It's about me, yet it's not. I know you are confused about this rambling, but there it is: confusion. It's not meant to make sense; this is for me, not for you, the reader.

There will be better days, mate. There will be better days.