Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Day 1!

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
Day 1 on the Camino de Santiago - 
St. Jean Pied de Port (France) to Roncesvalles (Spain)
Sept. 14, 2010
Hello Blog Readers,
I’m writing this blog on the 15th as I am having problems finding internet cafes to send the daily blogs - so here is what happened yesterday - the first day of walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  I will have to wait until I find a compatible computer to download the photos.
Take a taxi to St. Jean de Pied de Port at 7 this morning - St. Jean is a lovely French village - with lots of ´Bonjours´ everywhere. Get the Camino Passport book stamp and go in search of a Camino walking stick. Buy a pilgrim walking stick, which says St. Jean de Pied de Port and the symbol of the Basque Region, looks like a fleur du lis. Find out the trek is over 25 kms. not 19.5 like the guide book states!  Most pilgrims take the Napoleon Route over this Pyrenees.  I decide on the trail less traveled as I want to see the field where King Charlemagne of France camped on his return campaign from sacking Pamplona during the Moors occupation. 
After a steady climb from St. Jean up the Pyrenean Mountains, pass fields and picturesque villages, get to Valcarlos (Valley of Charlemagne), the Spanish side overlooking the valley where the King camped, while, his cousin Roland, a most heroic knight, was being attacked and killed closer to Roncesvalles.  Some of you may remember the epic poem about this story- of Roland blowing his horn - Here the countryside is beautiful, with majestic mountains, rolling hills and green plateaus, bleating sheep and cows with tinkling bells around their neck. 
All is well until the last 5 kms. (later found out it was more like 8 kms.).  For some reason in all my training for the pilgrimage walk, I had only blood blisters under my toe-nails, but here on the trek, I pull a muscle in my right leg, which spasms upwards!  I want to die!
Out in the middle of a lovely beech tree forest, with the sounds of water, from the river way down below in the valley, I come to a standstill.  I see white lights and I really want to die on the spot! No place to stand level - the terrain is either straight uphill or keel over and tumble down where I just climbed.
I want to thank all those who have sponsored the RAR walk I´m on and all my friends who are ill and for whom I´m walking and praying - Thank You - if not for you I would have stopped right there and prayed for someone to find and rescue me off the Pyrenean Mountains.
All day long, snails cross my path, beautiful big black snails and slugs - I believe trekking the Santiago Road, gives you life lessons - I use this lesson to go on with my pain.  I become the snail.  I stop often - every 10 yards, say a prayer, and continue up, in pain all the way. I reach the mountain where Roland was killed.  Now it is all downhill. I finish the day’s trek, still hurting and I do a little painful happy-dance - in front of the Roncesvalles church, where each night they host the most beautiful mass on the Camino for the pilgrims.
To have you understand what I did this first day - 25.5 kms (as mentioned the guide books did not tell the truth) is farther than I expected. For those of you who use a ‘step o matic’ my walk measures 33,743 steps.  
I celebrate with the other pilgrims at the pilgrims dinner - grilled lake trout, french fries and yoghurt.  I shed a few tears writing this blog, cannot believe what I did today.
Blessings from the Camino de Santiago!
Yasmin
p.s. Raise a Reader day is September 29th.  Please donate on or before that day!
My personal thoughts for today - I did not know who St. James was when I began this trek - however, today while I was in pain I prayed to St. James to help me complete this day for myself - not for RAR or to prove to anyone I could do this - but just for myself - my thanks to the Apostle for making me strong this first day!

5 comments:

  1. Yasmin, what a fabulous day you have had...It can only get better. Sounds like there are lots of lessons on the way and thank you for sharing them as I know I can relate to some of the things you have already said. My prayer for you is for safe health and lots of fun. Thinking of you everyday. Lots of love Sharan

    PS: Roberta is in Paris; just called her hotel and she has already gone out to dinner.

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  2. Hi Yasmin, How are you? Hope all is well with you and I am sure that you are enjoying the walking. Did you speak to Christopher? I recieved a postcard from him from France and he mentioned that he will be back in Spain by the end of the month. Roberta is just arriving in Paris as I write this. It was so lovely to see her here and just spend some good quality time with her. You take care and I am sending you some positive energy for your walk... I know that all prayers will be answered.

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  3. I'm in Paris
    Most romantic city in the world
    I'll raise my next glass of wine to you!
    Hang in there
    R/

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  4. Remember father also had those terrible muscle spasms and he never walked 33,743 steps in any given day in his entire life. Come to think of it, neither have I. As a teenager I hiked over the mountains from Maraval to Maracas Beach then walked back down the mountain to the taxi-stand but that is not close to what you did. Soak your feet in warm epsom salt water before going to sleep. It should help. Better luck for day 2!

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  5. Yasmin, this is an incredible journey you are on - you are in our thoughts and prayers each day. The blog is a great way for the rest of us to vicariously share in your journey. Thank you.

    Hugs from the Agur's - xoxo

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