Posted: 05 Oct 2008 11:58 AM CDTSaturday As it turns out, I gave you my marching orders for the perfect day. Today is what dreams are all about. I left Ponferrada late morning and had the best stage of the entire Camino. The weather was perfect, the landscape surreal and it was harvest day for grape growers. I walked through acres of grape fields and saw groups of people picking grapes everywhere. Farmers were bringing loads of green and purple grapes into the wineries by the truck and trailer load. As I walked through one small village around 3:00 p.m. [...]
Catch up from Mark on the Camino and nearly in Santiago.
Mark’s updates have always been important to me and for a number of reasons. Firstly, I was very excited when I first met him and he shared with me his intention to do the walk. In the past he has not ben a walker so each update has been letting me know how he’s getting on and therefore letting me feel reassured that he’s OK. Secondly, as someone wanting to do it myself, it was great to hear the stories, to hear about the experiences etc and finally , as he’s so near the end I want to know how [...]
Returned from France and Les Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle.
I’ve spent the day in the office catching up on my emails and feeling very strange not to be walking. Life is so different when you’re out on the road as I have been for the past few days. For those of you who may have missed it, I’ve been walking the first four days of the St James’ Way or the Camino de Compostella to give it a few of it’s names. You can find out more about it ….. What is the Camino de Santiago?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y45YVNxT1goWhy I am walking the Camino?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOTJHbwRj4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8qCLiYScBA&NR=1 Myself and a friend and fellow [...]
From Mark – I’m dedicating the Camino
In Mark’s latest post, this is what I found. It needs no explanation. I am dedicating my walk and experience on the Camino to my mom, Lois LeBlanc, who has been and always will be the real inspiration behind my life and work. She exemplifies what it means to lead a faith-filled life and has demonstrated in real-time, the practical power of persistence. If you ever get an opportunity to meet and visit with her, you will understand what I know to be true. I love you, Mom.Mark LeBlanc http://www.SmallBusinessSuccess.comOn Friday, Teresa and I shall be walking in your footsteps [...]
Travel Frustrations
Time is ticking away and I’m off to start my bit of the Camino tomorrow. My husband asked me last night if I was excited yet. I am in a little way but until I get the travel situation sorted, I’m a little uneasy . I booked my trip on Eurostar and then on French Railways the day before the Channel Tunnel fire and since then all rail services through the tunnel have been working to a different time table and one where my train leave over half an hour later than I booked and gets into Paris after all [...]
300 miles down, 200 left to walk!
Well it’s an update from Mark on the Camino, I get so excited when one pops into my inbox. I cannot quite believe that it’s passing so quickly although I’m sure not for Mark at times. Read on and find out what’s happening now…… Thank you for you wonderful posts and kind words. The walk is going very well and I am coming up on the final third of the experience. There is a growing excitement amongst the Pilgrims as we enter this final stage. Right now I am in a small village called Valverde de la Virgen, just West [...]
More news from Mark on the Camino
The latest from Mark……. On the 14th day….rest. Posted: 22 Sep 2008 10:47 AM CDT After walking 280 kilometers (170 miles) I decided to take a day off while staying in Burgos. It is one of the largest cities along the Camino. Last night I had dinner with a group of walkers and stayed in a refugio. This morning I checked into a hotel for some privacy and have spent the say resting. This afternoon I have been walking a bit and enjoying the city. I am in an older part of the city and the churches are amazing. It´s [...]
More news of Mark’s trip
10th full day of walking Today is my 10th full day of walking and I am averaging about 13 miles a day. It is the most amazing experience of my life and I thank God everyday for the privilege of walking this walk. On the walk it is said that you do not choose the Camino, the Camino chooses you. It is also said that it takes about ten days for your body to acclimate, then the next ten days are rather spiritual, and the last ten days are for sorting out a path for the rest of your life. [...]
Life on the Camino
How lovely to turn my computer this morning and find an email from my friend Mark who is walking the Camino in France and Spain:- This is how he’s getting on. “Well, I have walked over 50 miles and have 450 to go. If the first four full days of walking are any indication, then this will shape up to be the most incredible experience of my life. The country is beautiful, the walk is serene and my body is screaming in pain. I now have an intimate relationship with every muscle in my body, mostly hips, legs, and feet. [...]
‘Go Mark’ – have a great trip
This cool dude is my good friend Mark and I’ve mentioned him before, a few posts ago when talking about the Camino. I’m not 100% sure which day Mark actually starts the Camino but what I do know is that the adventure started on Sunday Sept 7th when he left Minneapolis en route to Paris. as he says in his blog – http://blog.smallbusinesssuccess.com/ ‘The only two details for the trip are my flight from Minneapolis to Paris and from Madrid to Minneapolis on October 13th. Everything else gets figured out along the way.’ And perhaps that’s no bad thing. One [...]