ensuitepilgrim's Blog

  We left A very quiet Ferrol at 08.45 and found our way easily enough, following the excellent signage,walking past shipyards and naval colleges,sometimes bordering the Ria and occasionally along forest tracks, overhung with Eucalyptus trees. 
 Parish church of SamMartin de Xubia, on the site of a 12th century,Benedictine Monastery. We came across sheep grazing on an industrial estate and curious goats on a smallholding. 

 I did struggle with recently acquired Tendinitis in my right calf,blurred by Ibruprofen and Ice spray.

Over motorways and under railways,  the occasional diversion, eventually brought us to our Hotel Kensington,Naron.  

  We received a warm welcome from the owner, who had worked for 16 years in the hotel trade,London and whose English and sense of humour were excellent.Heeven opened the kitchen to provide us with lunch, despite Sunday’s normally being the chef’s day off! Even providing us with a local speciality,a favourite of both and I,Pimientos Padron.Padrón peppers are a variety of peppers from the municipality of Padrón in the province of A Coruña, Galicia, northwestern Spain. These are small peppers, with a color ranging from bright green to yellowish green, and occasionally red.Tradition states  that  every twelfth one is fiery; my first one was!

H

Saturday 26 th and we arrived in Ferrol, the start of our Camino,after a closely coordinated journey,beginning at Wylde Green Station, on the 06.12 to Bham New Street, for the 07.10 to London Euston, thence via Tottenham Hale to Stansted Aitport, for the 11.55 flight to Santiago de Compostela.

Arriving on time, in warm sunshine, we grabbed a quick transfer, by airport bus to Santiago’s bus station,where with 15 minutes to spare we caught the 16.00 Monbus toFerrol,arriving there at 17.45.Ten minute  walk to Hotel Almendra.From where we found a Bar and enjoyed some fine beer!

  We enjoyed an Al Fresco meal and finished a hilarious evening,with a Paxaran, sloe flavoured liqueur. 
Dermot is wondering what it is….

Airvault

The Bus on site .

Having been back a week, a very busy week,have at last found time to reflect on our ten day break in France.It has been four years or more, since we holidayed exclusively in France.Lately, we have just driven through , en route elsewhere. Having studied weather forecasts for the entire country, the Deux Sevres and Dordogne looked the fairest and warmest, within a reasonable day and a half’s drive. There was the other guilty pleasure of seeing vacationers returning to work and school duties, as we sped along and dare I say it relatively child free campsites; so less danger of being mowed down by an exuberant ten year old on a bike, whilst carrying a bowl full of washing up!

France conjures up the usual cliches as figured on The Rough Guide to France, eg Rolling Vineyards * Stately Chateaux *Fine Cuisine – all of which is true. – for me there are other attractions.For example, the road system which allows you to drive anywhere either for free ,or on Toll Autoroutes. I  used to be doggedly against using Tolls, but having driven around Poitiers or Tours,circumnavigating  a dozen traffic islands,I have become more pragmatic and use both.It makes driving in the UK seem like Purgatory…or perhaps, a lottery , because you never know if the M1/M6 / M25 are going to be blocked, 50 mile an hour limited,etc.The same can be said for the Services on the motorways.The Aire at St Valery de Somme, in Picardy is the standout; always stop there as it is designed to fit ecologically into the Somme Valley Landscape. Watford Gap, it is not.

The number and good quality of campsites and Aires, is amazing; we are always discovering new places and finding ourselves saying…” This is the best site we have ever stayed on…..well this year,anyway”.Good hair drying facilities are always appreciated! As is easy access to a nearby town or village,for the daily pleasure of a coffee, buying local produce and a glass of wine. In Beynac ET Cazenac, on the Dordogne, we were lucky to have a restaurant that not only served an ice cold pichet of local white, but brewed its own beer! Both excellent, sitting under the cliffs above on a warm evening.

France is proud of its rivers and they feature heavily in both regional names and as holiday destinations. The Dordogne, where we went canoeing is a classic example.

Must mention, too, the cordiality and politeness of the people, from the local butcher to the Tourist Information.Although, beware of overstatement in local descriptions, as we found in Airvault; this is France of forty years ago,Tranquil, sleepy with one butcher and Coop – both closed because of “Fermeture Annuelle”! – and one Boulangerie, which was open, plus a couple of bars in the newer square.The town guide described Airvault’s attractions and charms, which were fair enoughly put,until I read that the town was  still “dynamic”; Airvault could be described in many ways….but dynamic it is not….thank goodness!

A great, little break typified by the factors described above and warm,sunny weather. We shall plan another trip next year, I am sure,hopefully to find ourselves in another “dynamic” destination.

From Ferrol to Santiago de Compstela

I was frustrated the other evening, trying to put together a few thoughts on the past three weeks or so. Having written a paragraph, it just disappeared ; am I not au fait with this”upgrade”, or is it too quick for its own good? This time I’ ll go backwards in time & see if it works out. Today was a picnic at The National Trust site,Baddesley Clinton, with Tom,Vickee, Jude and Martha; we enjoyed a peaceful walk around the estate, followed by a picnic – the ducks left us alone for the most part! Super weather ; idyllic place.

The loss of out Brother – In – Law, Don had dominated our thoughts; his funeral, last Tuesday in Shrewsbury was well attended and a fitting farewell to a lovely man, who suffered a terrible illness with great dignity and the indomitable support of Penny, his wife and my sister.

We had a quiet celebration for Barbara’s birthday, in Berkhamsted and enjoyed some pleasant weather, in the company of Nelly,Dan and grandsons Tom & Jake.

On Tuesday of this week,I underwent a CT Thorax+Abdo+Pelvis with contrast .part of annual follow-up.As usual, it went smoothly – hope to hear nothing as a consequence!

Have to mention meet up with Mac,Dermot & Roger,( bro-in-law), for our only planning meeting with regard to our Camino Ingles, beginning 26th September. Lots of laughs and a few reminders – augurs well…..

The WordPress Site has upgraded and has become needlessly ,I think,over-complicated’.Will now try to load a photo,which used to be a simple enough process.Will try to get my head round it because it has changed radically. leaving the beautiful Rab Island tomorrow,bound for a Spa town,25 miles North of Zagreb.

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Hannah in Rovinj on her birthday.

The WordPress Site has upgraded and has become needlessly

,I think,over-complicated’.Will now try to load a photo,which used to be a simple enough process.Will try to get my head round it because it has changed radically.

leaving the beautiful Rab Island tomorrow,bound for a Spa town,25 miles North of Zagreb.

From 5th  and up to 10th July. Left Dover for Dunkirk close to midnight.Then onward and around the dreaded Brussels Ring Road,without any delay as it was 3 am! Power nap and breakfast ( traditional cold,coked sausages,hard boiled eggs from home ) on a motorway service station.Continued the journey around 8 am and it was […]

https://ensuitepilgrimblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/en-route-and-in-rovinjistriacroatia/

From 5th  and up to 10th July. Left Dover for Dunkirk close to midnight.Then onward and around the dreaded Brussels Ring Road,without any delay as it was 3 am! Power nap and breakfast ( traditional cold,coked sausages,hard boiled eggs from home ) on a motorway service station.Continued the journey around 8 am and it was the beginning of a very warm day on the Autobahns as we soon entered Germany ,near Aachen.

After nearly 500 miles we found a lovely campsite not far off the Autobahn in the Swarbische Alb,just North of Ulm. Barbara & Hannah took advantage of their swimming pool and I took advantage of their delightfully situated bar – 

 We don’t usually do Selfies….just as well! 

 Monday and we made our way to Salzburg , still on the Autobahns. It costs 70 cents to use the loos on these , but you get a ticket with 50 cents off the  price of your coffee, which, like the facilities, was far superior and half the price of Rip-Off U.K. We were heading for Slovenia and our second night was spent on the splendid Camping Sobec, near Bled .More swimming, in the lake this time and captivated by the variety of wild birdlife.An evening meal on their terrace,which we thought we deserved  after two days of long haul.The driving had not been a problem and from Salzburg it was very scenic.Temperatures have been as high as 35*.

This was a view from a coffee stop just above Izola en route to Rovinj.  
 Camping Porton Bondi was our pre-planned destination for a week, or so and it is not too big,by Croatian standards; views of Rovinj,across the Bay,to which we walked, along the sea,in fifteen minutes.

Prices are very reasonable as the Pound is as strong against the Croatian Kuna as the Euro. 
 

July 2 nd,2015. A year to the day since the cancer removal surgery and though the above lyric is one of the lighter couplets on Shakey’s new album,I felt it was appropriate to me.More poignantly, I suppose, having spent yesterday in Good Hope Hospital ,undergoing a telescopic inspection of the inside of the Stoma – Nephrostomy Insertion,under general anaesthetic,undertaken by my consultant,MR Ibrahim. All went well apparently, and having been late in to theatre at 3.45,I came to at 5.45 in the Recovery Room,delighted ,to be told by MR Ibrahim that  I need not stay the expected night in hospital. After some delay,Barbara,Hannah & I got home, just after 10pm. 

 So, looking back over the last year in general and this month in particular,I find myself not only in agreement with NY, but on a more spiritual level with these lines,I came across when reading around a debate that never ceases to fascinate – what’s the difference between a Pilgrimage and a Long Walk? – on a simplistic level I have made a long walk since last July, but never alone and with great love, support and encouragement from family and friends.The “Hopitality” has been just that,in every sense.

A 12th century poem sings the praises of the monastery in Roncesvalle and it’s legendary hospitality:

“The door lies open to all, to sick and strong,
Not only to Catholics but to pagans too

Jews, heretics, 

idlers, vagabonds,

In short, to good and bad, sacred and profane.”

The poem is attributed to a monk in a monastery in the Pyrenees. 

Because along with the deconstructing of what makes a Pilgrimage or a Long Walk, comes the debate about identity, entitlement and motive.

And I have been enabled to walk a Camino, in Spain,visited sacred places in the company of all those described above!

  I took this photo in the   Bishop’s Garden in Wells, earlier this month; for me it encapsulates such a breadth of feeling and disturbs as great art should.
The best of all happenings was of course the birth of grandaughter,Martha and she continues to grow more enchanting,everyday. 

 To date , the garden is in order,with a new shrub bed planted last week and the allotment is just about under control; strawberries rule! What they will look like after three weeks or more away in Croatia in the campervan, I don’t want to imagine….

A hectic few days now, A friend’ s Birthday  celebration, then a wedding in Gloucestershire on Saturday 4th; to Dover for Dunkirk on Sunday,5 th.

Hope everyone enjoys their Summer, in their own way…

And to all of us that treasure walking upon the land, these verses from NY, to conclude:-

“IF I DON’T KNOW”

Lyrics to If I Don’t Know

If I don’t know what I’m doin’ 

And all my big ideas fail 

Like build a dam against the water so the river dies 

Veins, the Earth’s blood

And if I don’t know what I’m sayin’
And all the world’s dreams come true

Like finding oil and shooting poison in the ground

Veins, Earth’s blood

And if the melodies stay pretty
And the songs are not too long

I’ll try to find a way to get them back to you

Veins, the Earth’s blood

Best wishes to you from your grateful   EnsuitePilgrimPilgrim…..or Tourist?