Bad News, Good Trip

We went back to Nurse Ana today and she was skeptical about me walking long distances.  We have made the decision to stop.  I walked around in my boots this afternoon and decided that it is foolish to stress all the new skin on my feet when the old stuff did not fare so well.  When Mary talked to the sweet owner of our Hostal she said,  in a French accent "Its always de feet, with pilgrims its alway de feet!"
I have had a great experience, and have enjoyed travelling with Mary-- we laugh and cry at the same things.  We have met great friends, seen parts of Spain I never dreamed existed.  We walked 250km in the rain and sunshine, over mountains and in river valleys and even in a river (which was my fatal flaw).  And these last three days in Zamora have been great.  The trip has been a success.
I am sad not to complete the Camino this time and hope I keep hiking at home and can come back and finish it another year!
We´ve had the best food in Zamora, and ate a really fancy restaurant last night.  Today we visited a castillian museum, that shows the history of this area--very interesting.

We love the protesting fireman exdposing their lack of clothes!

Firemen Protesting Lack of Equipment and clothes

VISIT TO THE MEDICO

Nurse Ana Maria asked the patient right before me to stay and help with translation--so nice.  She redressed my foot and told us to return tomorrow. It feels so much better, I am confident that we can get going soon. In the meantime there is no better place we could be forced to stay.
We walked around during siesta time, saw another old castle and lovely park.  I will try to upload two pictures that I took of the same street this morning and this afternoon. 

Good Internet in Zamora

I wanted her chic high heels but trying to be discreet I missed them.

Santigago

Tableau in a church in Zamora

Long view on the Meseta

I just learned how to upload photos, however selecting them takes very good vision so these were kind of guesses.  The young woman was standing outside our coffee shop this morning--a typical Spanish scene. I tryed to get a better meseta scene but this will do.  We are waiting to go to the clinic to see if I can walk tomorrow.  I think it might be possible. The distances are pretty far from here on out so wish me luck!

Zamora

Yesterday,  Mary and I walked 15 kilometers in the beginning of the Meseta, prairie like farm land with large grain operations, irrigation and tiny rural villages.  Walking was great, with grand vistas and more lovely wild flowers lining the roads.  The day started out cool and cloudy and became cool and sunny.  The villages were close enough together that we could stop frequently. I could not have asked for better conditions to begin the Camino again.
When we arrived in a tiny town with a new alburgue, it was full.  We then paid an arm and a leg for a crummy room in a hostal.   My disagreeable little toe started throbbing, so I finally stopped in at a Medico.  The Drs there said stop the Camino and go home-- so Mary and I brainstormed options.  We decided on more rest and a second opinion. 
We took a fine bus ride through more of the Meseta, and arrived at Zomora, another beautiful city, rivaling Merida. When we arrived at the plaza Mayor, looking for a place to stay, a darling little white haired woman approached us to say she has a small hostel right off the plaza.  Its darling with antiques. Gay, I took pictures. and it costs less than the crummy place in the tiny town. 
We went to the medico-- first she said stop walking-- then changed her mind.  She dressed my wounds and  told me to return tomorrow and then she will tell me more.  I think we will still walk for at least three weeks. And meantime we are in a great place.  We loved the medical staff and when I tried to pay they said it would be too difficult!

Tourists Today, Pilgrims Manana

Today we explored the old city of Caseres with a history of Visigoths, Romans and  Moors, until Isabel killed them all in the inquisition.  There are existing Roman walls, and some of the old manor houses of conquistodors have beccome museums.  Mary commented on one that looked just like houses in Morroco with the womens quarters upstairs.
Many Spanish tourists are here due to the festivals, and today the families are dressed in their Sunday best. We never tire of watching the Spanish families calm and relaxed socializing.  We saw part of a confirmation ceremony in one church, and later saw a young woman dressed in white with her extended family celebrating in a restaurant. Its another sunny day and we took many pictures.  Mary has even downloaded some--I don´t know how yet--so check hers out:  marysfootsteps.blogspot.com
Mary and I recalculated our trip, and now plan to take a bus to Salamanca tomorrow, and start walking from there.  We have learned from Michael and Paul to really see all the sights as we go, and from my blisters that we must make our days less ambitious.  Our friends leave for home tomorrow, we will miss them.

This has really been a fabulous experience, so far. 

Merida

I arrived in Merida, walking over a beautiful modern bridge that was less then a kilometer from a roman bridge still used for pedestrians.  This was a preview of  the entire city, which is modern and well maintained and filled with ruins from the Romans the Moors and the Visigoths.  The sun has been shining too so almost everything is well.
I arrived by bus to give my blistered right foot a rest.  Mary and our new family of Michael and Paul arrived by foot shortly after noon, and we started to tour the city.  I had a long story of all we saw but lost the post before it was saved.  Just check out Mary´s blog.  She tells about them.  We toured the city that afternoon and then saw a fabulous museum on the next day before heading out to Alucen, a 20 kilometer trek in the heat.  My blisters got worse, so I decided to jump ahead on a bus to Caraces, another ancient city.  The rest of the family arrived today. Paul and Michael leave for Sevilla on Monday, as Paul will be back in school on Tues.
We discovered that Extremadura means extra difficult, and is a little tougher than the Camino Frances.  We are planning a new method of attack so we can enjoy the rest of our trip. 

Is Spain Supposed to be Warm?

the last three days have been   cold and rainy along the Camino, but the people are so warm.  About ten of us have become a family: Michael and his 17 year old son who are walking during Paul,s Easter break in Germany, ther frenchmen  with their packs on two burro¨s, Iris from Germany who is walking with her Camino friend from

Madrid.  Ana and her husband from Italy stopped walking yesterday because they were too wet, but they were here for only a short time, in trainig for a longer camino in the summer.  They all speak some English, Mary does quite well in Spanish.

 The days have been challenging, hiking in the Siera Norte Mountains. The views and the flowers lining the paths are beautiful. The mountains are are not high unless you are from the prairie.  I am learnig to use my hiking sticks and how to best use my energy as we climb.  I was most eshausted yesterday after many climbs in the rain. Once in Monteserio, we had trouble finding housing and found nothing open due to the Good Friday holiday.  

Todays walk 22km walk was downhill and only half in the rain. We are in a beautiful Albergue with a free computer, so all is great.  We´re going into town now.  Happy Easter everyone.  Its going to be sunny here.

Palm Sunday

What an event!  Semana Santa (Holy Week)starts with Palm Sunday--we were in the Cathedral from 9:30-12:00.  The crowds in the city are unbelievable. Families with small children to grandparents. Everyonre dressed up and happy, but the processions are suppposed to be about pentitence, they each walk for at least four hours in funny hood and carrying floats. The crowds watching look to joyful to be pentitent.
We ate at another tapas bar tonight, we eat early foor here-- about nine PM .  The Crowds of people seem to get there at 10:00.  We wonder about sleep tonight. 
I´m going upstairs now and packing for our first walk tomorrow. I think we are ready!

Sevilla

We had good, but long flight and arrived at the hotel Simon at siesta time.  After our nap we rearranged our stuff in the packs and set off on a long walk aronund the city. Our hotol is an old villa in the historic part of the city.  Its small with a freindly and helpful staff.  We got our credentials from them and went to the nearby Cathedral to have them stamped.  We will go to Palm Sunday mass there tomorrow.
The city is full of tourists and very festive, celebrating Semana Santa.
Thae hotel staff sent us to a cheerful Tapas bar with great food and service just bar around the corner. The food and wine were wonderful! We plan to return there tomorrow. 
In the rush to leave I did not write down Kathleeen Brandenburg´s address and phone number, and Theresa´s email.  Would someone send those to me in a comment? Thanks.
Joe-- you could check my contacts-- and send it to me in my comments. I have not been able to access my email. Thanks.
I´ll keep trying with the email

The night before take-off

My sister mary and I leave for Sevilla tomorrow morning to spend six weeks walking the Via de la Plata, the Camino de Santiago from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela.  My sister Mary suggested that we walk together for her third Camino-- she has walked two different routes from France, each a thousand miles long.  We are planning a mere 600 miles this time.  I am so excited and feel so lucky to be able to share this adventure with my sister.  I loved watching her progress as she blogged the last two times, and now we get to do this together.

Everyone at the office these last few days expressed so much excitement and good cheer. I work with a great bunch of people!

I am surprised to find out how much stuff it takes  to keep things simple: lots of trips to REI and Midwest Mountaineering.  My pack seems light enough and has everything I need to stay comfortable in sun, chill and rain so I'm ready!