Category: Camino Series

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Burgos​

Distance: 19.9km – 285.8km total. Shortish day.

Weather: Overcast. Forecast was for rain today but once again we missed out.

Terrain: Half over farm track. The other half into Burgos. Took the river route as it is more scenic than walking through an industrial area.

Physical condition: Still pretty good but the foot still so so

Other: Got upgraded! Were going to stay in the municipal but the que was quite long. Booked something on booking.com only to find that they had given our room away to the guy in front of us. Slight upgrade which was nice but place still a bit average. However, shower hot and good.

Burgos is a city and is a significant point on the track. A number of people walk too here and skip the next bit to Leon. Big cathedral etc. Will see how up for sightseeing we are but the track seems to go through the main bits anyway.

News from the track: Yan has recovered! Well mostly anyway. Met him on the track this morning and he is doing okay.

Lessons from the Comino #1: Walking 800km is hard enough without walking over rocks as well. Pick the smoothest path at all times!

SB 2 – God and the story are way bigger than you

• You are beyond my comprehension

• I am God not man

Not that happy with rewording but it will do for now. (Deb’s has also rightly informed me that it is hardly gender neutral either. In my limited defence it is a verse that someone else quoted to me) 

Pictures

Another cross on the way.

Feels a bit like Mordor. Grateful for no Nasgiel or having to carry the one ring. 

Street in Burgos. Note the arrows making the Camino Way

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Atapuerca​

Distance: 18.3km – 265.9km total. Shortish day. Basically a ⅓  of the way! 🙂

Weather: Overcast, chilly this morning (we were quite high) and overcast. Nice for walking. Forecast, for thunder and lightning this afternoon.

Terrain: Straight up 200m+ this morning. Quite a long way through a forest and ended up walking into town on road.

Physical condition: Still pretty good but the foot still so so. Hopefully a bit better over the next few days.

Other: Atapuerca’s claim to fame is that is has the oldest fossilized human remains in Europe. Other than that, not much else but it is quiet and the albergue is nice. Given how many were at yesterday’s one we are pleased to get a spot so easily. There is a pretty flash restaurant across the road with a vegetarian option which Crystal is very enthusiastic about.

Intro to round 2:

One of the theories about the Camino is that there are three stages. First, everything is physical. The second stage is mental (or strangely, females are reported to say emotional). Given that we are about to go through a stretch a bit like walking from Christchurch to Timaru, I can see why.  The final stage is religious/spiritual. 

In some ways I think this blog posting is a bit similar.

I am very aware that the first time round was mainly about getting the SBs down. This process was necessary to get the details out of my mind so I didn’t have to go back over and over the rational for them all the time.  Since I have downloaded most of the key points I actually don’t have much else to say about them now.

What I will do though is experiment with changing the perspective of how they are worded. In their current form they are a creed like, communal declaration. At the risk of sounding a bit loco, I will word them both as a personal declaration and as if they were being uttered by God. This is mainly a mental technique. Putting it in different ways triggers different thought patterns and ways of looking and feeling about the statements that can be revealing.

This might be all you get, or something might come to mind. You may want to try to join me with this process.

SB 1 – There is a God

You are

I Am

I rashly told my biking group that if God didn’t speak to me after 800km of walking then God doesn’t exist. Perhaps a few too many that night. But the lack of any great revelation might put the spanner in the works of this exercise to say the least.

However, I would be the first to admit that I spend large amounts of time doubting God’s existence.  I am sure I am not alone. One thing about these SBs is that they build on each other and I often find myself hanging on with fingertips to the very basis of them all.

Pictures

Table tennis outside at the alburgue. Dodgy table

Lots of people staying

One of our targets today

Blaise Pascal said that “God created man in his own image, and man returned the compliment”. Not only do I run this risk by doing this exercise, I am potentially falling into the very trap I warned about.  If only I get these sacramental beliefs right, make the list all numbered and clean, then I will have God all sorted and can live on my own terms. 

Part of resisting this is to hear what others say and think. This is the space for that. Since that is my 12 SBs you are now free to comment away.

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Villafranca​

Distance: 20.3km – 247.6km total. We were planning to have a short day and stop at Tosantos after 14km, however, felt okay so decided to carry on. Turns out Tosantos was fully booked so it was meant to be.

Weather: Nicest weather day so far.

Terrain: Very smooth path.

Physical condition: Pretty good. Feet might be coming right slowly. Here’s hoping. The owner of last night’s Albergue has walked the Camino 17 times! His advice is to “listen to the body not the mind” to avoid blisters and other issues.  Worth a crack.

Other: Nice communal meal yesterday with 10 others.  Albergue owners are friends of Paulo Coelho, who wrote The Alchemist. They have all his books and promote him heavily but are also very dedicated to the Camino and those that are walking it.  Crystal is on fire and caught us up (we started a bit late). We are staying in the same place. Quite a large albergue.

SB 12 – Everything will be made new.

Recently I celebrated a significant birthday. When trying to give a speech outlining the 10 years since the last one I found myself unable to complete. Clearly I had not dealt with my shit. 

I feel similarly when thinking about this SB.

One day all this shit will be stripped away and everything will be made new. We hold onto the promise that all this world with it’s pain and suffering will be renewed and we will all be revealed as we were supposed to be.

“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!”

(1 Corinthians 13:12)

I hope they don’t mind me discussing this but at our church we have a few children with downs syndrome and autism. The fact that their parents find Ilam Baptist a church they can attend is one of the reasons I go. I sometimes wonder what will be revealed about them when everything is made new. I like to think they will shine bright as the sun.

We may be surprised on that day. We will see people for who they truly are. What they are really like when all of life’s constraints and experiences are stripped away.

The following is a you tube link to Dave Dobyn’s “song of the years”, a song adaption of a James K Baxter poem. If feels relevant here

https://youtu.be/ws2574N2yX8

”He will give me a white stone with my true name written on”

Until that day…….

Pictures

Dinner

Our albergue last night

More vapour trails

Nice old church with stork nests

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Viloria de la Rioja​

Distance: 14.1km – 227.3km total. We are going to try using one of our rest days by doing 3 days in 4, so all short. Left around 10 o’clock today so nice and leisurely.

Weather: Nicest weather day so far. Also the hottest.

Terrain: Smooth path.

Physical condition: Pretty good but glad for a short day

Other: So first time getting lost today. Missed an marker and ended up ambling off in the wrong direction. Thankfully re directed by a random house owner. Who knows how far we would have gone! Since we left late Crystal caught us up! Had lunch with her at Gronon, which we were trying for yesterday, where she was going to stay. Decided to stay where we are because they have a communal meal which should be interesting.  Pretty cute and nice place.  Cosy.

News from the track:

• Apparently the Pyrenees pass was closed two days after we went through due to wind and snow. In general we seemed to have lucked in with reasonable weather so far.

• Yan the German is in trouble behind. Apparently his ankle is injured and he had to take a taxi yesterday. He will try and get to Burgos and then deside on if to call it quits. Tough decision but that’s what can happen on this thing.

SB 11 – Pretense is a sign of acceptance

Mimicry, Imitation, Obedience, all these are similar words with varying connotations attached. I go with C S Lewis again and prefer Pretense as it rams home for me the nature of what this is about.

In pretending to be like God we are like children playing at pretending to be adults. It is not just a game, it is a very good way to learn. But no one seriously thinks that children are in fact adults! They are free to try, get it wrong, get up and have another go, fall over again, repeat over, all in the loving and encouraging gaze of the parent.

It is like we are experimenting with things. We are are supposed to try stuff and are expected to get things wrong. That is how we learn.

But the desire to act like the adult is a sign they actually want to be an adult!

Once again I choose pretense because it irritates me. My natural inclination is to see myself in control of the process, that through my own efforts I can change myself into a better person. I may be able to do this a little bit, but on the on the God scale these changes are irrelevant.

Another word I like is align, although it is easy to assign to much to yourself with this one. Hopefully over time our desire to be aligned with God increases. We don’t do it because we HAVE to but because we WANT to.

I don’t believe that what we do changes how much we are be battered by the light of Grace. However, I do believe that we have the option to allow more light in and that will change how we experience God.

And it is just possible that this omnipotent God is surprised and delighted by what we do.

It probably doesn’t need pointing out, but this one is only 1 of the 12 SB’s on my list. And yet in the life of a Christian a disproportionate amount of time can be spent on this one. There is always this siren call that makes our role in this of overwhelming importance. I repeat, “it’s a trap!”

On a final note on this one – I also believe that we are getting a better idea of what alignment looks like over time. I think that the biblical basis provides a vision of the ideal rather than absolutes, and that the revelation is continuing. However, we still see through a glass darkly, and while it might be a touched less smudged, the window is still more defined by the dirt than it’s cleanliness.

Pictures

A bit chilly in the monastery last night. Haven’t lit a fire for ages! Very proud.

Mia the Dog is also walking the Comino. Carries her food on her back in a bag.

Lots of vapour trails in Europe

Storks! Don’t get them in NZ

Lots of different crosses marking the trial.

More scenery

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Santo Domingo​

Distance: 21.3km – 213.2km total. Were going to do another 8km to try and get to a particular Albergue. However, the bodies (and the minds) said no.

Weather: Fine, clear day. Quite a head wind though so still quite cool. Left early to try for the long distance so got some nice picture opportunities.

Terrain: Smooth path. Pretty easy walking through vineyards and farms.  

Physical condition: Pretty good but the feet are pretty sore. Think light feet Justin.

Other: Forgot to mention yesterday but when walking along I saw some boots tied to the fence. Turns out they were the same type and size as I have at home! You tend to think such things are “meant” on this walk so tried to take them off till I came to my senses and remember that someone else’s stinky feet had been in them. Weird things happen to your mind on this walk.  

Also was feeling quite pleased to pass the 200km mark until we passed all these signs saying there was still 575km to go. We have only scratched the surface of this thing!

SB 10 – There is nothing you have done, are doing, or will do that will deserve this. It is simply given! All you can do is accept.

I started this blog saying that my church could have a sermon on Grace every week. After 9 other SB’s, this is the moment!

So apparently this is where the Christian thing deviates from other faiths. If someone asks you what is unique about Christianity, Grace is it. Although given how we come across it may take some convincing.

For along time I didn’t get this and my rational for being a Christian tended to reduce to it being a good way to live and generally leadinh to a healthy and wealthy life. Now I think that to be a Christian for the material benefits is a bit like entering the Olympics to get fit, it goes with the territory but misses the point. There are easier options if this is what you are after.

It is not easy to live in a state of Grace. All of society constantly preaches a counter view. It is so pervasive that even when we are looking to do things differently we are constantly dragged back in

“If I have a better quite time …..”

“If I prayed better….”

“If I be more mindful…..”

“If I read the right book…..”

“If I walk the Camino in the right way….”

To quote The Return of the Jedi – “it’s a trap!”

It’s not that they are good things to do but you have very little control over this. You are not the maker of the gift, you are only the recipient.  Remember, you are the infant in this relationship.

I have heard an analogy that Grace is like a bright light in a room. It is always there despite what you do. Yet even this potential exaggerates what you can do (i.e. you can leave the room). Probably the most we can do is open or close our eyes.

If you need biblical passages here can I suggest Galatians 3. In fact all of Galatians would be a good idea.

The tests have been passed for you. You received an A, now let yourself learn the subject.

Naturally, I spent a bit if time humming Amazing Grace today (with an annoying tendency of putting in the Chris Tomlin addition. It doesn’t need it! Why, why!). For the record, if I don’t make it home, you can play it at my funeral.

Pictures

Some scenery

Where we are staying tonight

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Najera​

Distance: 28.9km – 191.8km total. Longest day so far and certainly know it. Roughly a quarter of the way to Santiago.

Weather: Started overcast, bit of rain, windy and ended in sun.  Good for walking.

Terrain: About an 8km walk out of town on roads. Path very flat and smooth, which was nice, although scenery a bit so so. Najera a bit of a dump but is having a bit of a revival due to number of people walking the Camino.

Physical condition: Ok, pretty good actually considering. Quite a bit of body management today.  Took a SAs advice a slowed down a bit and tried to “listen” to my body blah blah. Quite an interesting experience. Feet still sore but was practicing having “light feet”. Got through okay.

Other: Not much to report

SB 9: You are, and are being transformed into, a child of God. You have almost zero influence over this.

Apparently this is for real. As in, we really are a child of God. As in, we are little Gods! Clearly there is a paradox here – we are, but not yet. The usual analogy is that the is like we are the infant child of the king. We are the heir but not yet ready to be king or queen. We are in the process of growing into the role.

And this is happening to us as opposed to us controlling it. In comparison to God we are a non cognizant infant. No one expects an infant to deliberately grow up, they just grow up in the love of the parent. Growing up happens to them. Relax a bit.

For me this is the closest I have to the meaning of life. It is certainly now the meaning of being a Christian! This was not always the case, but I regard it as central to my conversion. Not only that the end is known, but that there is a process as well.

I feel like I should have more to say about this, but nothing is coming to mind right at the moment. But it is really, really important to remember and revel in.

I am Gods child. You are Gods child. The mantel of the heir is on us.

Pictures

The way markers developed a bit today

Spotted in Logrono. Need one of these!

An interesting way of decorating rubbish bin

So on the off chance that there are questions about doing that Camino, or what I am writing, you can write a comment here and I will do my best to answer them promptly. 

Welcome to this Camino Blog. If you are new it might be best to start with the introduction. Otherwise, carry on.

Location: Logrono​

Distance: 27.8km – 162.9km total. Longest day so far. Apparently we crossed a state border.

Weather: Started overcast, ended on sunny and quite hot. Good for walking.

Terrain: Mostly​ farm road and a bit up and down. Logrono is quite big so reasonable walk into town. Yet another pretty day walking through farms.

Physical condition: Ok, pretty good actually but quite tired. Still no blisters but I think I am bruising my feet on rocks as my shoes are a touch thin. Long day.

Other: So straight after saying that I thought my trail runners were fine I am now thinking that a bit more padding in the sole would be good. Might see what I can find if things don’t improve. Since it is a long day today we booked accommodation which takes the stress off getting places quickly to get a bed. If the worst comes to worst we can have a long lunch break and get in late. The place we booked is a significant step up and doesn’t cost much more. Feeling the luxury so might be hard to go back. Got in a bit late for long lunch so will do the big dinner thing.  Left Crystal in Viana – about 18km from Los Arcos

SB 8 – God desired to pay the cost for me (and you)

Okay, so this is deliberately worded to irritate me. For me “desire” and “irrational” are pretty much synonymous, and that is sort if the point with this SB.

I can tell you now that I am not worth anyone dying for, let alone the creator of the world! This is such an outrageous concept that I rebell from believing it. I have to word it in such a way that it keeps needling at my mind.

I have heard (or read) someone say even if I was the only one on earth, Jesus would still lived and died for me. (probably Brennan Manning, or him quoting someone else – it certainly sounds like him).

Oh come on ….

And yet, apparently this is the passion that God has for me.  Not just passion, desire! It’s​ a bit worrying to be honest.

Pictures

This is an example of the markers to show you where to go

Coming into Logrono

For those interested, this is a pic of the total number of people walking from St John Pied de Port over the last 7 years. Spot some large increases in some countries (esp the USA), probably due to the movie. Surprising number from South Korea

This is a graph of when people started the trip by month.