This will be the last post on the Camino de Santiago 2006 blog.
My journey is at it´s end and I always wanted this blog to be just for that.
Further blogging will be on my regular blog - Titus Room - www.dyrbys.dk/blog
Titus Room is a mix of English and Danish posts

Back at home again
During my next couple of days I hope the dust will settle on my camino and I will be able to get my head wrapped around the whole thing. Right now I’m just tired after about 10 hours of planes and trains and ofcourse my night in Santiago Airport which wasn’t too bad after all.
It’s good to be home, I just had a cold beer in the garden and now the hot shower and dinner will be next on my agenda.

Just to kill a little time I ddecided to write a short post on my last day in Santiago and last day in Spain tomorrow early morning my plane leaves for home.

I went to the pilgrim mass again today, and this time I stayed for when they swung the insence thingy. I wonder if that thing has ever fallen down or some other freak accident happend in the cathedral. Let’s hope not, it’s a nice tradtion and even if there is a little risk of accidents in it, I wouldn’t want them to stop doing it.

Santiago is still a strange place to be after comming back from Finisterre, I did meet a couple of people I knew last night and we had a couple of glasses of wine, but it’s still oddly lonely, it’s almost like I’m no longer a pilgrim, I’m just a guy with a backpack wandering the streets. It’s not all bad though, I have been relaxing and just hanging out, drinking coffee and watching pilgrims arrive. I bought a English thriller in a little bookstore, great for killing time and it gives me a break from analyzing my journey all the time. It get’s too much in the long run, I don’t think I’ll reach any conclusions before I’ve had a few weeks at home anyway.

I’m considering not going to a hotel today, maybe I’ll just go to the airport sometime tonight, I can just semi snooze on a bench out there, I have to leave so early anyway and I can sleep on the plane and in the train in Denmark. It’ll save me a bit of money and I wont have to worry about misssing the flight. I’m kinda freaking out about missing it. Well I’ll figure it out.

Regards
A tired pilgrim looking forward to comming home

After a few days in Finisterre I’m now back in Santiago, my flight leaves the day after tomorrow, so I have a little time to visit the cathedral again and maybe shop a souvenir or 2. Comming back here is a strange feeling, almost like the magic is gone, sure there are lots of pilgrims, just no one I know. I have been walking around town today, but there just isn’t anything for me here. I’m done, I’m camino’ed out I guess some people can make the switch from pilgrim to tourist, but I haven’t been succesful in that respect, not that it really bothers me though. It can be a bit lonely though, knowing that there isn’t any known faces around. Strange how feelings about a city can change in a few days, well I guess it’s all natural.

Tonight I’ll probably sleep at the albergue and then tomorrow find a hotel somewhere, I need to get up quite early and I think a wakeup call would be a good idea. I’ve never been an early bird and it would be somewhat of a gamble to think it changed now.

Next post might be tomorrow or it might be from when I’m back home in Denmark, we’ll see.

I arrived at Finisterre a couple of days ago, this truely is the end of the world. Costa de Morte - Coast of death is the end of the my camino, quite litterally there is no more road to walk. Seeing the ocean after crossing spain was more emotianal than I had imagined, I’m not sure if it’s the ocean itself or facing the fact that my second camino is nearing it’s end fast.

Yesterday I went to the lighthouse at the most western point of continental Europe. It’s tradition to burn your clothes here, but these days most pilgrims only burn a couple of things. Personally I burned a pair of shorts. They had made it through 2 caminos and it was time I was with a group of people there, about 8 of us, and even though it was pouring down and kind of stormy we managed to light a fire with the use of lots of alcohol and barbecue starter. One girl burned her boots and when we were done everything was gone.

Today I went to the beach wanting to bring back a shell, but there weren’t any of the right kind there, I do remember having heard something about wind and tide to be a specific way to be able to find shells on the beach, I just don’t remember how excactly. Oh well, it’s not that big a deal.

The weather is kind of grey and it’s not the sunny beach vacation I had hoped for. Costa de Morte strikes me as being a sad place, but I’m thinking it’s just for pilgrims or maybe even just me. The huge ocean and the almost empty beach and big waves washing up over it. It’s lonely and … well… sad. On the other hand, the heavy tranquility of it, opens my mind to going home. I think I’m ready to leave Spain and come back to Denmark and the real world. The last couple of days will be spent trying to grasp my camino, writing, relaxing and just wandering the shore, watching the ocean.
I might head back to Santiago tomorrow though, I want to visit the cathedral one more time and going to mass again might help me to get some perspective on the journey behind me.

That’s it for now, I’m off to get a bite of lunch somewhere

I walked into Santiago yesterday afternoon about 2 o’clock. It wasn’t excactly according to plan, but unforseen circumstances made it so. I walked through the city alone and went straight to the pilgrims office to get my compostelana. I sat outside the cathedral for a while just savoring the moment, it’s hard to believe that it’s over, even though I have tried this before, I wasn’t really prepared, maybe it’s just not possible.

I walked a bit through the streets and soon I had met people from the past 34 days, even people who I hadn’t seen since the beginning. That is probably my favorite part, Santiago is the reunion of people you have walked, talked, laughed and cried with.
My thoughts go to so many people while I’m writing this,
Kim who taught me so much during my starting days, Nicole with whom I strolled the streets of Puente La Reina, Allan who I met outside Najera and who taught me about the Now, Nick who I went to get a shave with and who showed me so much more than he knew, Tonya who translated the “rules” of the peregrino in my book, Matt and Alison, my first really hard goodbye, Bill from the states who I had so many good talks with during my middle time, the Sweeny family who just landed on my road and in my heart, Anders who I have walked with for almost 2 weeks and who I have formed a true friendship with and ofcourse Sarah for whom words will never be enough. And lots and lots more whom I’m forgetting right now, but who will stay in my heart for a long long time.

For 34 days I have walked on every kind of surface, through forrest and field, across rivers and streams, across the great Meseta, through city and countryside, under clear skies every day except 1 with rain. Sitting at pilgrims mass today it all came rushing back, an entire camino hit me and tears ran down my face. I did really own my road as I wanted to and this has been so much more than a visit, how can I ever explain what it has meant, there just isn’t words enough.

Tomorrow I will start the 3 day walk to Finisterre the end of the world, Sarah is going too, Anders left today and we will probably see him out there. This next part of road will be all new to me as I didn’t go there 2 years ago. I have booked my flight back home and on the 14th of June I will fly via Barcelona to Copenhagen. Hopefully at some point back in Denmark all this will settle down, right now it’s just so emotional that I’m having a hard time grasping everything. My first camino was amazing and the people I met I will carry in my heart for ever. This my second camino has been… well one day I may be able to describe it, right now I just can’t

According to the stones by the side of the road there is now as little as 36 km to Santiago. It feels kind of weird, I have been walking for 33 days and if I wanted to I could be at the end tomorrow. I don’t think I’m going to walk all of it tomorrow, but I might go as far as Monte de Gozo, the mountain of joy, where you can see the city for the first time. Just as when I was here last it is with mixed emotions. Yes it will be great to see the rooftops of Santiago, but it will also mean a lot of goodbyes to a lot of great people. Fortunately Santiago de Compostela is not quite the end for me, after a day or possibly 2 I’m setting out again for another 3 days of walking to Finisterre, the end of the world.

After we went on to the last 100 km more and more pilgrims are walking and both yesterday and today there was a lack of beds, I have been lucky, but it has been close. There are less people now than when I was last here, I guess that even though I was here in May and not July, the holy year had something to do with the number of people.

Since Leon I have been walking with a Danish guy and an American girl, it’s been wonderful to be in a little group and even though we often walk seperately during the day, the company is excellent during the afternoons and evenings. Both Anders and Sarah are also going to Finisterre, so that is 2 goodbyes I can wait to do for a little time longer. I think I will see Anders again back in Denmark, Copenhagen is just around the corner. Even if New York is a little further away, the chances of seeing Sarah again doesn’t look too shabby either, but that is a totally different story.

The weather is still hot, hot, hot and not a cloud in the sky, come to think of it, I have only had 1 day of rain during this trip, well one full day and one 10 minute shower. Lucky me

Well I think that’s it for now, next post will more than likely be from Santiago de Compostella. hmm still strange to think of it.

I’m having a well deserved break and cup of coffee. I’m not staying here tonight, but I thought I’d do a quick post while I’m here. I’ll probably go to Melide today and from there it’s only about 50k to Santiago, according to my list anyway.
It’s weird how the way you look at the distances change when you are down to 2 digits, it’s so hard to not start counting every little progress you make.  Ofcourse the stone that tells you how far you are from Santiago every 500meters doesn’t help either.
I’m glad to be going to Finisterre this time, it will be a nice way to sort of relax for 3-4 days after the tourist atmosphere in Santiago.

Well I best be going, I still have about 16k more to do today, and I don’t want to get in too late.

Well I’m in Portomarin now, I actually have lots to tell, but the albergue closes in 10 minutes and if I’m not there I’ll get locked out and sleeping outside without a sleeping bag is no good for a tired pilgrim.

Anyway doing well and I passed the 100k stone today. Which means about 4 days till Santiago, feel weird after 1 month on the road.

It’s been a long day timewise, I have been on the road all day and only just got in. I have no idea how far I have walked today, too tired to look into it. I don’t really care too much either.
Worst thing today: Saying goodbye to someone very special.
Best thing today: Meditating under a giant oak for an hour.
Everything else today has been somewhere between these two.

Short day today, just 22k or so. The albergue is a relief to be perfectly honest. 2 beds per room, scolding hot water and plenty of shade.

I’m not too sure what to tell, the last 3-4 days has been intense beyond words. I’m thinking this post is just to say I’m doing well and since I was checking my e-mail anyway.

All in all the camino is still the same, it still shows me what I need and it still provides. The food is still with french fries and the coffee is still strong and black. The weather is still hot and sunny, except that as I write clouds has gathered and a thunder shower is pouring down, I’m pretty sure it will be gone within minutes though and it’s nice to get some freshness to all the dust.

I was at Cruz de Ferro yesterday and dropped my stone on the pile of rocks. That place is kinda magic to me and it was a great place to revisit.

I think that’s it for now, as mentioned words just doesn’t cut it at this point.

I stayed for an extra day in Astorga, but never got around to get to an internet connection. Having a day off has been extremely nice, just to hang out, relax and watch people.

What I really want to tell about is the day I came here, my walk from Villadangos del Paramo to Astorga was an eyeopener. Somewhere along the way I missed an arrow and ended up about 5 km north of the trail, instead of going back we sort of decided to just walk in the direction that felt right, if you just have the sun in your back you are heading towards Santiago.

hmm internet time is running out and I’m out of coins, for now I will just say this, straying from the beaten path will sometimes show you more than you could ever imagine.

Unfortunately I only have a few minutes now, but I’m staying an extra day here so I hope to get online tomorrow to write some more.

Lets just say that I can’t think of any way to make things more perfect. I wouldn’t change one single thing about the days following my last post. Not even snobby french people, the hard cold wind I have walked in, not the half cold dinner I had tonight and not any of all the other things I experience every single day here. What can I say, I’m loving it.

I had an idea about sitting on a sidewalk cafe, drinking vino tinto in the sun all afternoon today, but there is no sun today. So instead I’m drinking my vino indoors. I guess it will have to do

As I just posted yesterday, there is not really a whole lot to write, I have had a fairly short day of 24 or so. The albergue is a quite little place without too many distractions except ofcourse for the noisy french people who woke me from a well deserved nap. I guess that is part of the camino I love, but why do they have to talk at normal volume with 8-10 people sleeping in the room.

The goodbyes I had to say today turned out to be harder than I had anticipated. I’m not totally sure why, maybe I just wasn’t ready for it yet. Maybe I still had stuff to learn from them or maybe I had something to teach. It would have been so easy to just walk the 38km with them, but I don’t think I was meant to do so. I still have a lot to learn by being alone and if I’m supposed to, well then I will see them again somewhere along the way.

Tomorrows destination will be Sahagun, my shortest walk yet about 15km or something light like that. Ofcourse Sahagun will be revisiting some great memories. This is where I met back up with Deb and Micha after my couple of days of running away. Sahagun will also mean a couple of more goodbyes, I guess I will learn to cope better at some point. Then again maybe the fact that a goodbye is hard just means that you made an emotional investment in someone else and I hope I never stop doing that.

I have decided to tell you about my two favorite rituals on the camino. For a lot of people ofcourse the favorite part is reaching your destination for the day, which is nice, but for me getting to the albergue is also associated with chores. Getting setup, doing laundry and trying to get an overview of yet a new town or village. For me there is something better.

The morning break.
This is my favorite break, it usually takes place around 9 depending on where the nearest bar is. First thing I do is order cafe americano, most pilgrims drink their coffee con leche (with milk) well i like it black. If they have it I also get a napolitana con chocolate. It’s a kind of danish with a chocolate center. Then, if possible, I get a seat in the sun, untie my boots and take a deep breath savouring the sensation of my legs relaxing. While drinking my coffee I ussually write in my journal, describing the evening before and the walk. The morning break has no time limit for me, I will not move untill I’m good and ready. It’s probably my calmest moment in the day and I can sit there for a second and sometimes a third cup of americano.

The ritual preparing of the lunch sandvich
Also a very important thing on my camino. If it’s possible this takes place about 2 in the afternoon and preferably using fresh ingredients. The whole thing makes me think about how the japanese can concentrate while preparing their tea. It needs silence, concentration and tranquility to prepare the perfect sandvich. Fresh bread, cheese, ham or sausage, green or red pebber, tomato and just a little bit of salt combined with the utmost respect for every piece. You may laugh, but food prepared with love will satisfy the hungriest of pilgrims.

The weather could hardly be any better. Spain has been hit by a heatwave and 5 of the bigger spanish cities has reported all time record breaking temperatures today. I’m enjoying it, but I guess I have to be careful not to get too much sun.

Today was a 25 km walk and even though it’s not far I feel battered. I think I was walking to fast and with too short breaks to get in before the sun went totally beserk. Well I did, but I’m paying for it now. Maybe I should start getting up at 5.30 with all the spanish people. Ussually I am on the road at about 7 but with this weather I may have to be out at 6 to avoid the worst heat. We’ll see.

Tomorrow some people will do a 40 km to Sahagun, that is too far me, so I’ll be cutting that in half, no matter how I do it, I want to have a night in Sahagun, even though it will mean saying goodbye to a lot of people I have come to grow quite fond of. I am doing my own thing here, but that doesn’t make the goodbyes a whole lot easier. Fortunatly every goodbye is also a hello to something new.

I have met so many fantastic people already and the fact that I wont see alot of them again is really weird, it’s probably meant to be like this for now, if it’s meant to be I will see them again somewhere on the road.

The meseta really is the time in the middle and it’s a little hard at times, the novelty of the camino is gone, most of the physical challenge is behind me. This is the mental challenge and it’s taking it’s toll on me and some of my fellowpilgrims. People are less patient with eachother and the nightly snooring, noisy people in the morning and half naked old men all the time is not quite as charming as it was. People are somewhat in a holding pattern waiting for something new to take over. Having been here before makes me a little bit of an outsider and enables me to observe, it’s very interesting how the dynamics in a group of tired pilgrims has changed during the last 2 weeks. Something new is on it’s way, but for now the challenge is more mental and emotional than it has been yet.

Today has been yet another short day. The weather is absolutely ubelieveble and walking after noon is extremely hot. At the bar after just entering town I met 2 women who are only doing about 10 km a day. Amazing, I am pretty sure it would drive me crazy in the long run, but for now I’ll stay here and see what I can learn from them. A tempo that low must really be a special experience and I might try that out for a day or two.
I’m not really in any hurry and wouldn’t mind trying another way to see if that would work for me.

The albergue here is probably the calmest place I have seen yet, there is a certain way about that just makes everybody slow down, lower their voices and relax. Then again maybe it’s me who is seeing things differently. I feel good, at peace and open to what the camino shows me next.

I’m unsure where to go tomorrow, but I’m defenitely not doing a 47 km walk like I did 2 years ago. I don’t feel any need to test my physical boundries. I did that last time, this journey is about something else. 2 years ago my knees were giving me a lot of trouble and I had tons of blisters, hell my blisters had blisters. This time I have had 1 blister and no trouble from my knees or anything else. No this journey is not about a physical test.

Looking forward to what ever comes next.

There hasn’t really been a chance to get online the past days, I have been staying in some fairly small villages, and other places the computers where down. I’ll be damned if I’m gonna start fixing the equipment down here.

Anyway compared to my last camino I have been travelling shorter distances and trying to get into albergues that I haven’t seen before. It’s great to see some new stuff and I’m also not trying to do a remake of last time. Not that I could even if I wanted to. Especially Debbie and Michael was a huge part of my journey in 2004, even more than I thought, which is becomming clear to me now.

We have had some days with really great weather, the cloudy days are really great for walking but the sunny days has lots of energy to offer. I guess I prefer the sunny ones being a scandinavian and all.

I have met some really amazing people during the last 3-4 days, I wouldn’t even know where to start telling about them. Safe to say they have had lots and lots to teach me and I have been trying to keep up as best I could.

In a couple of days I’ll be reaching the meseta, really looking forward to meeting the high plains of Spain again. First time around it had a huge impact on me and I like to think that I’m even more open this time.

My body is doing very well, my knees are a little bit sore and tired, but nothing that isn’t perfectly normal. The blisters I got when crossing the pyrenees have almost fully healed now, and no new ones have showed up. (knock on wood)

There is just so much to tell and people are standing in line to get the computer, so I’ll just say this: I’m well, physically, mentally and emotionally. The camino is treating me beautifully and people here has tons to teach. The weather is ok and the food is good. I honestly don’t know what to wish for. In this moment in time, I am happy

There are defenitely more internet access here now than two years ago. Great stuff.
It’s been a very beatiful day started at about 6.15 when it was still dark and quite cold. Only about 3-4 degrees according to my little thermometer. Seeing the light come in the morning really is fantastic. Temperature has risen to about 25 degrees now and it will get higher. Good thing I’m not on the road now it would be a scorcher.

I was in Viana already at about 11 but I decided to stick to my plan and stay here, right now I’m at the same bar where Debbie and I had a glass of vino tinto 2 years ago. This revisisting old footsteps is a really great experience. Every turn of the road brings back fantastic memories. Kim and I had a cup of coffee before he pushed on to Logroño. I’m pretty sure I will see him again before I know it. He has been a fantastic travel mate and has lots and lots to teach, but right now I need to walk alone for a while. I’m am utterly convinced that we aren’t supposed to walk together for the time being. He has stuff he needs to explore just as I do. The feeling of the camino giving us what we need is even clearer this time around and there has already been so many pieces of a puzzle which fell into place that it can’t all be coincidence.

I haven’t decided where to go tomorrow yet, I will go where my feet carry me. Hopefully towards more experiences of the same profound character that has filled my first week.

Arrived in Los Arcos today, this is my sixth day and my legs have been amazing today. Just as in 2004 for me day 5 was the hardest and I was walking slowly and carefully into Estella yesterday. I stayed just after Estella in Ayegui an albergue that is actually a sport center which is used for housing pilgrims at night. Although there is plenty of room and has descent facilities I wouldn’t recommend it due to the lack of personality. The municipal albergue in Estella is way more charming, but can be a little crowded.
We had a quiet afternoon and evening with only about 15 pilgrims there. At nine I was fast asleep and had good and long sleep.

My body is defenitely getting used to the mileage by now I feel better and more calm while walking and I am slowly beginning to realize how different this journey is compared to my last one. I am spending more time alone, writing and delving into deep thoughts about almost everything. I am quite sure that I’m supposed to walk alone and most of the people I had gotten to know are, most probable ahead of me now. Only Kim is still with me, we have had some great conversations and I have very much enjoyed his company, but tomorrow that too will come to an end. I plan to stop in Viana and revisit even more of my own footsteps, whilst Kim will walk on to Logroño.
So probably from tomorrow morning I will be alone on my camino. This will be good for me I think, there are things I need to take a closer look at and an undisturbed walk and more writing will help me get there.
I am getting stronger for every step and calmer for every day.
This is my camino and I want to own it, this is more than just visit.

I have reached Puente La Reina the queens bridge. It’s been a long day with rain almost all the time, and the hot shower was truely a gift.

Yesterday was my birthday and it was celebrated in Cizur Menor outside Pamplona, I had only told a few people about it, but one of them told on me and all of a sudden the whole dinner table began singing Happy birthday and girls rushed over to kiss me on the cheeks. Now that’s how to celebrate your birthday. Even though I only turned 30 yesterday the last 5 km every day feels like I’m 60. I wonder how the 60 year old people are feeling.

This camino is different than my last, not better or worse, but different, people say that the camino brings you what you need. It’s becomming very obvious that what I needed last I was here is not what I need now. There is lots of time for delving into profound thinking and discussion with other pilgrims and I’m more attentive to myself that I have been for quite a while.

Tomorrow I’ll be heading for Estella where I celebrated my 28th birthday 2 years ago (duh)

Wishing for some better weather tomorrow, cross your fingers for me

Well I made it across the pyrenees. Just as hard a walk as I remember it. My knees are in a lot better shape this time though. The mountains are absolutely breathtaking and the weather has been pretty good apart from some crazy wind at the summit. I walked with a swiss girl over the mountains, was fantastic to have some company.

It has been alot of really great re visists and every single step brings back memorys, especially of Deb and Michael. I’m trying to come to grips with the fact that this journey is another and letting it stand for it self. I’m moving towards it and i’ll get there.

Time is running out now. I’m doing good and loving every step.

Well this is my last post from Denmark. Early tomorrow morning I’ll leave for the airport and then I’m off.
Very excited, a little bit nervous and seriously afraid I wont be able to fall asleep
Anyway.. Wish me duck >quack< next post will be from Spain. ... or maybe Stansted Airport if I get really bored waiting for my connection

3 days to go.. I can’t wait. Backpack is packed and ready to go. I ended up with 10 kg. I might try to shave a little off that during the weekend, It’ll give me something to do instead of just waiting.
I could have done with a little more training, but It’ll be ok.
As ready as I can be, just wished I was leaving today

I’ll be setting out tomorrow morning for a 3 day hike. I need the training and longing for some outdoor life. My pack will ofcourse be quite a bit heavier than when I go to Spain as I need to bring tent and cooking gear, but it wont be the first time. I plan to walk on the old army road a well marked route with good posibilities for camping. I hope the nights wont be too cold. I’ll be walking alone as everyone I know (who would have joined) is busy during easter break. Well that wont be the first time either.

I have been browsing around the web for camino diaries and fotos and have found some texts I would like to remember and keep. Read them under pages to the left.

I had my first training walk today. It wasn’t a moment too soon I might add, my knees grew tired suprisingly fast. At least no blisters, but it was a fairly short walk, about 15 km. I reckon I will have time to put about 300km into the old legs before I leave for Spain. Hopefully some better training will save me from some of the pain I experienced the first week last time. I would love to be able to focus on something else than blisters and aching knees when crossing the pyrenees.

It’s been a beautiful day however, clouds and a little breeze, perfect for walking. Had lunch looking out over the lake with birds chirping above, how I missed it.

Just now I booked my plane tickets. Very excited, it all changed from being a dream or a loose plan to being reality. I am going back. Back to the place where I know my self the best, possibly the place where I have been the happiest. My expectations are sky high. Maybe not wise, but right now I don’t care.
On the second of May I’m leaving from Århus and via Stansted flying to Biarritz in France. After that a short bus ride to Bayonne followed by an hour by train to St. Jean de Pied de Port on the french side of the Pyrenees. Where I once again will start walking the Camino Frances.

Woohooo I’m going back.
Back to sun, rain and mud.
Back to freedom and silence.
Back to chorizo and vino tinto.
Back to Spain…
To walk my second camino