This gallery contains 1 photo.
Prayer is largely just being silent: holding the tension instead of even talking it through, offering the moment instead of fixing it by words and ideas, loving reality as it is instead of understanding it fully. Prayer is commonly a … Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photo.
I know for a while again the health of self-forgetfulness, looking out at the sky through a notch in the valleyside, the black woods wintry on the hills, small clouds at sunset passing across. And I know that this is … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
The night before we entered the Holy Site of Santiago De Compostela, we needed to be purified in order to be worthy and receive the joy of entering the Cathedral. Little did I know, our fearless driver, Pablo, is a … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
I met a man on a plane on the way to Spain. He was en route to walk the Camino de Santiago as well. Me, I was joining a group. Him, he was walking alone to turn off his mind. … Continue reading
Morning Glory
This gallery contains 5 photos.
Visiting the public market in a another country is one thing I include in my itinerary with or without the help of a guide. Here in Compostela de Santiago, before we enter the mainstream, the busyness of the daily specials … Continue reading
This gallery contains 7 photos.
Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep! A new day is dawning for all those who weep. The people in darkness have seen a great light. The Lord of our longing has conquered the night. Let us build the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 3 photos.
Travel agents provide suggested reading list and itinerary of daily activities so that we know what to expect. Did I read any of the books? No. Did I read the itinerary? A little bit. Should I have read everything given … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Layer up is the advise of our fearless leader . Make sure we have a rain gear underneath the layers of clothing we have to brave the elements of Camino de Santiago. The weather was so fickle. It cannot make up … Continue reading
This gallery contains 5 photos.
The walk to Camino de Santiago would be incomplete should I did not stop and smell the roses. It’s not about putting in 21 clicks a day. It’s not how fast I can reach the top of the mountain. It’s not how much … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
“Gratia Dei Sum Quod Sum” ~ By God’s grace I am what I am. Upon opening the window of the hotel we stayed at Burgos, the gothic Cathedral is right in front of me. We spend the night at the Hotel Meson del … Continue reading
Tranquil village of La Rioja wine district. Spain
This gallery contains 1 photo.
To reach the Mount of Forgiveness, it’s an uphill battle in an open windy country side. The sign says 4.3 km of steady incline. From the distance I can see the electricity wind generators, in short windmills. towering the sky. The … Continue reading
This gallery contains 3 photos.
Spain is filled with churches and we tried to stopped by in most of them, time permitting. When I enter a new church, they say make a wish and your wish will be granted. I have three wishes and I pray it all … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Bull! No, I am not swearing. Bull, it’s exactly the first thing that greeted me at the hotel in Bilbao. It can be an imposing figure for a foreigner like me. Speaking of bulls, Pamplona is famous with Running with … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
The Pyrenees of France. What a spectacular view. The walk started from this mountain region going downhill. Downhill? We skipped the hard part which is the “slight incline”, now we have to do the “slight decline”. Besides we are not real troopers … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Entering the narrow pathways considered as a street in Santiago de Compostela, we could see the steeple of the cathedral. The pilgrims’ steps quickened as they are getting excited to reach their destination. In front of the towering old steeple, dating as … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
This is the written itinerary. I don’t know if this would be exactly what I am doing and where I am at right now. Today our walk starts at Samos with its majestic monastery founded in the 6th century and … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
For most walkers or hikers, going up the mountain is far easier than going down . When it comes to descending, it is really hard on the knees and toes especially when the mountain is too rocky and paved with … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Unlike Martin Sheen in the movie The Way, I came to walk the earth and walking part of Camino Santiago de Compostela is just one of my dreams. If you have seen the movie, this Posada was in the movie. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photo.
Where am I? According to the itinerary, we would have walked the foothills of the Pyrenees near the French border. This is the Camino’s traditional start to the “French Route” where medieval pilgrims arrived into Spain from France after an … Continue reading
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.
Really?
Somehow this cloud does not look promising on the first morning of staying in Bilbao, Spain. The sun was struggling to break through the thick clouds.
It’s rather a warm day, the sun won, the rain lost, the clouds remained in the horizon giving a soft white fluffy cottony texture,
I found a corner bar that is open first thing in the morning. It is actually a coffee bar by morning and serves stronger beverage by night, if you get my drift. Here I decided to have my morning Java and a simple breakfast.
Ah coffee. Coffee tastes much better in Spain than Starbucks in Canada.
In the background, I could hear music playing to the tune of “It’s a Wonderful World. It seemed to me that it was coming from across the water,
After coffee, I decided to follow the music and crossed the bridge. At the other of the bridge, I found the lone player and people were passing, in a rush, and continued walking.
Well, I have all mornIng and now he has an audience of one, me. I requested if he could play the “It’s A Wonderful World” again. And he did. What a beautiful way to start a day. Of course, he deserves a good tip for making my morning memorable,
I walked away and he was playing the classical hymn “Ave Maria.”
Good Morning, Spain!
Photographs and Memories 