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!