CAN WE TALK

So what does it all mean? I won't attempt to answer that. Just let it be said that taking 3 months off work (well, in my case quite a bit longer) and travelling without much care in France and Europe can't be a bad thing.

Would I do it again? In a minute. Wouldn't it be something if I could get a job stint of 8 months and then do another camino next Spring. I would like to do the French routes from Vezelay and Arles to St. Jean Pied de Port. I don't think I would do the St. Jean to Santiago route anytime soon--though doing it in the jubilee year of 2010 when the numbers of pilgrims just mushrooms is just perverse enough to intrigue me. There is the Ruta de la Plata from Sevilla that bekons. So maybe....

Some notes:

I don't know how much weight I lost. I did weigh myself the day before I left and was horribly disgusted but mercifully forgot (I swear!) the number. I know it was over 20lbs and more like 30.

WEIRDEST PILGRIM MOMENT: It had to be the cloudy, rainy morning I took a coffee break in a bar. On the television was a Barbie commercial. I kid you not they were selling Barbie with a dog. Weird you say? Well this dog actually pooped little plastic turds that Barbie could pick up with her own pooper scooper. I think it was a combination of the inclement weather, me overheated under my poncho, mad for a dose of caffeine, the upbeat music of the commercial, and the pictures of several little girls anxious to get their turn scooping little plastic turds http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4960468. Could I have been hallucinating?

WORST PILGRIM EXPERIENCE: Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. But the last 3 miles into Moissac were dreadful. And if I never have to walk from Sarria to Portomarin again, I won't mind. I had to do it last year in a veritable squall. This year was a little better--the rain was more vertical than horizontal and less wind. But I had to do it with the only blister I got in over 1500 miles.

BEST PILGRIM MOMENT: Have to do a top 10 here (in no special order). I could probably do a top 40 without any trouble. It seems to be Spain heavy, probably because that is freshest in my memory. But all of France was incredible.

--the communal meals

--the sunny days early in Navarra after almost 2 weeks of overcast humid days

--my time in the spotlight doing readings at Conques and Rabanal

--the cocido in Astorga (with Amanda and Guillerme) at the Hotel Gaudi (see picture)

--any one of about 60 showers at the end of the day. And let it be noted that I got the first shower at Roncesvalles on the first day beating out over 70 other men.

--French cheese and Spanish wine

--tapas in Leon with my friend Miguel

--octopus and crucifixes in Melide (see picture again)

--all the wildflowers and the storks. Especial mention has to be the time Richard and I had a few beers in the square at Logrono watching a dozen storks doing aerial acrobatics from their nests in the towers.

--THE HORSEMAN (see picture--it wasn't another hallucination)

WORST PILGRIM MOMENTS:

--bathrooms in Melide

--going over the Pyrennes in fog

--the sleeping rooms in Portomarin, not fit for sardines

--the early risers especially in Logrono.

--finding out that Richard (the 39 year old un- married hunk from Tasmania) was a priest.

--the 70 year old bathing beauty in skimpy swimsuit at alburgue in Mazarife.

Well, if you want more details I intend to write up all my journal notes, add numerous pictures (from my store of over 600) and copies of some of the postcards I collected (probably another 300). I have my photo/ postcard albums already done (hint, hint).