Valencia, Spain Impressions

(The Blogger App is not allowing me to include any photos for some reason so I provide you with links that include text and graphics for your viewing pleasure. Yes, I know some text is in Spanish, but the photos are all in English.)

March 16:
We had a good long ride to get here and have been busy walking around the historical part of Valencia. Visits have included the Cathedral, which is unique in that unlike most cathedrals, it includes multiple architectural styles but like many others is overwhelming in it beauty.

Pictures of these majestic buildings do not, in my opinion, convey what one experiences inside, so I don't even take photos inside. I encourage you to visit Valencia when you travel, plan to spend time taking it in.

We also enjoyed time in the Museo Nacional de Cerámica y de las Artes Suntuarias González Martí, which includes more than ceramics - there are all kinds of decorative arts on display. Then we visited the Lonja de la Seda, which means silk exchange in English, another incredible building that was a center of international trade. The building details and scale are impressive and I am always amazed at how well these places hold up for hundreds of years.
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TOJ of the Day is Samuel Serfaty, an interesting resident of Valencia.

Technical Issues while having fun

Google's Blogger App doesn't work with images or links so I have been unable to share any images with you, but I will see if I can figure it out in the next few days.

Short version is it has been wonderful. We are in the Valencia Airport headed for Porto, Portugal.

Seeing the other side of Spain . . .

There is a five Euro note hanging on the wall of an apartment in Valencia waiting for me to share a beer with my friend Pablo who had joined us on my Camino walk in 2016.

So I decided to visit during Las Fallas, a festival celebrating, well, celebration, I guess.  Festivals are an important part of life in Spain, and in my desire to learn more about my about-to-be-adopted homeland, I am taking advantage of Pablo’s hospitality to learn more about festivals.

Featured Paper Constructions around Valencia to be burned the last night

A central feature of Las Fallas seems to be creating larger than life three-dimensional art from flammable materials and burning them up on the last day.  Oh yes, it is many days of festivities, all for Saint Joseph.  Yes, that Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, the earthly father figure who raised Jesus.

An example of the finale of Las Fallas

Traveling to Las Fallas is really a good excuse to walk around Europe again, this time with my wife, Ann, and my son, Jack.

At the conclusion of our days with Pablo in Valencia we will fly to Porto, Portugal and walk about 150 miles north to Santiago de Compostela, allowing Jack and Ann to experience a Camino and  to once again allowing me to enjoy the special experience of seeing new things and new people each day, live a minimalist life and discover secrets that lay in plain view.

I invite you to follow along with us as we post our thoughts, lovely sights and portraits of beloved friends.  Our plan is to walk starting on March 22 and arriving in Santiago on Saturday, March 30 to be there for Easter morning, April 1st.

After our walk, Ann and I will be exploring a couple of towns that hold promise for our first home in Spain later in the year.  Please travel along from the comfort of your home as we fly, walk, train and bus around meeting new people and seeing new places.

Reflections: People Along the Way 1

I am now at home, transitioned from pilgrim to tourist to weary traveler to just another retired guy.  And I am ready to type. Next will be Pepe, stay tuned!

I promised a few posts about some of the special people I enjoyed on my recent travel, and I'll start with one I promised back on September 14th.

Katherine is from Florida, and admits to being 77 years mature. She started from the same place I did at about the same time. We met in the first days of walking and got to know one another.  Like me, it was her first Camino, and she was enjoying being on the Way. As it often goes, we walked at different paces and didn't see each other for some time.

Then on September 10 we met each other again along the trail. After catching up on our experiences along the way we stopped at a pilgrim information office just as we entered the town of Logroño and she happened to point out the albergue where she wanted to stay that evening, and I circled it on my map to see if they had a bed for me too.  We then headed into town across a beautiful old stone bridge with two way traffic.

We were talking as we walked and all of a sudden she fell off the curb into traffic.  It was so unexpected that she didn't even have time to put out her hands to break the fall.  I jumped out and stopped traffic but as looked I saw her face down with blood around her head.

The passenger in the first car jumped out to help and, just in case there was any doubt that God cared, he was an off-duty police officer!  Others also got out of the their cars to offer help.  I made sure she was OK before moving her onto the sidewalk. The blood was from a cut under her chin, and she was fortunate that no teeth, nose or glasses were broken. The policeman had a two-way radio with him and explained that they would get a doctor to check her out and, if needed, get her to a hospital.

I offered to go get her a bed at the albergue she wanted, which was only blocks away, and come back. She gave me her full name and I was off, knowing that it would take some time for help to arrive and that she was in good hands with the people there.

I crossed that bridge over the Ebro river and made it to the Albergue Santiago Apostle (Hostel of the Apostle James) and they had one bed left!

I paid for it in Katherine's name hoping the she would be able to get there for the night. I ran back to the scene of the fall and she was gone! Having no way to know where she was I just trusted that she'd give that place a try if and when she got finished with treatment.  I then went about finding a place for myself a little further into town.  I checked back a few times that evening and they had not heard from her.

It was Saturday night and I planned to attend a 8am mass at the cathedral in Logroño.  There was a festival in the square in front of the church that night and I enjoyed great street food and refreshing ice cream there as well.  Did I mention that the food in Spain was really good?

I returned to her albergue in the morning and she had never shown up.  I was concerned but what could I do?  So off to the cathedral I went, but found streets blocked as they were setting up for a marathon that morning.  When I got to the cathedral they were hosing down the square and there were barricades all over the place.  So I decided to just start walking, but not before getting a cafe con leche.  

As I sat in a cafe, enjoying that sweet addictive drink, in walks Katherine!  She had six or seven stitches, her jaw was sore but she was OK.  It turns out she slept on the floor someplace but was ready to continue her walk!

The picture you see at the top of this blog was taken that morning, can't even see the handiwork under her chin.  We walked together most of that Sunday and I didn't see her again until Samos, weeks later.  She was still doing great and we shared some time together while touring the Monastery of Saint Julian. I feel sure she completed her Camino though I did not run into her again.  She was a fine companion and an inspiration to me along the Way.

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T.O.J. today is Robert Allen Zimmerman, likely known to you as Bob Dylan, Noble Laureate in Literature.

Historic Istanbul: Beautiful, Flavorful, Faith Full

Hagia Sophia under moonlight

Istanbul has long been my favorite International city, based on a brief visit some 20 years ago on my way to and from a working trip to Central Asia. It is here that East meets West and this part of the city contains a concentration of historical places that appeal to me.

Now 20 years may be a long time in one's life and my friends from Turkey and who know Turkey all pointed out that "things have changed" since I last walked these streets. I am happy to report that the AND Hotel, where I stayed in 1997 is still here and better than ever. The staff are still low key and friendly, the breakfast on the roof is even better than before, the view of the nearby historic buildings clearer as a neighboring tall building was removed, and the streets are still filled with shops, restaurants and lots of people.

The Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia

The pictures show two of the most famous destinations in Istanbul as seen from our hotel room terrace: the Hagia Sophia, a 6th century church and the Blue Mosque, built in the 16th century. We spent time yesterday at the mosque, including an hour with an Imam who presents information sessions for visitors. We were fortunate to be the only two people attending this particular session as it began, so the standard 30 minute talk stretched out as we asked questions and discussed our views on issues related to the Abrahamic faith traditions.

We were joined in the middle of the session, just as we were discussing the Hajj, by a Syrian couple, the husband having made this pilgrimage, a very special time in the life of a Muslim believer. The Imam himself had not yet been able to go and was thrilled to get input from this visitor.  Having this conversation made the time even more special for me. 

Tomorrow we plan to visit the Hagia Sophia as it was closed today. This was a place that captured my heart and imagination so many years ago, and I trust that it will do so again for both of us. 

We leave this wonderful place at 6 am on Wednesday and by the end of that day will lay our heads on our own pillows in our own home. It has been almost two wonderful months of discovery for me and two weeks for Ann. 

I have more stories to tell and will add a few more blogs from home. I did unfortunately leave my main cell phone with most of the pictures of my trip in the car taking us to the airport in Paris, but I have spoken to the driver and will be getting it back somehow, but the picture sharing will be delayed for a week or so. 

We are both doing well, trying hard to put on any pounds I lost on the Camino eating wonderful French and Turkish cuisine. I love this place!

Paris: History Unfolds in the City of Lights

Our departure from Spain was eventful, and I'll sum it up with advice to get to the airport early and close it for now with the fact that I know how to get a lost or stolen passport replaced while traveling overseas.

Ann had come in via Madrid airport, and did not have a good experience, so as we traveled that way back to Paris I got to see why she was a bit distressed.

But we made it to Paris and our driver from mydriver.com was there waiting for us.  This service was way better than a cab for me. Time to clear the airport was just a few minutes thanks to the EU.

Our AirBnB apartment is on the island in the Seine River behind Notre Dame. It is called Île St-Louis and is a great location for walkers. In fact, to give one extra steps each day, it is up 4 floors, and the ground floor is zero. The building is likely 18th century, the stairs are pretty amazing. But we made it to the top and we're rewarded by being able to spend time together in the kind of space we love.

The first day was devoted to just going for a walk. Those who have been here know that almost every public building is on steroids, and shops are tiny. We found the basic necessities in our neighborhood - Ice Cream, bakery, wine, cheese and Ibuprofen. Oh, and olives too.

Then we walked around Notre Dame, the Louvre, Tuileries Gardens (our favorite spot that day), Marche des Fleur's, Sainte Chapelle and a couple of cafés. Paris is a great place for walking, we got in about 15000 steps, a lot for Ann and a day off for me.

Today we had a wonderful walking tour with Paul (and his wife Paulina) and a dozen others.  He is a French young man with international roots who is a history buff (recent and centuries back) and offers these walking tours on a 'pay what you think it is worth' basis. The photo shows Paul explaining Napoleon Bonaparte's final years with the Museum of the Army in the background. The gold dome behind that is where the tomb of Bonaparte rests, the Dôme des Invalides. That is real gold, folks.

The tour was priceless for us. I strongly suggest that you spend 4 hours with Paul if you visit Paris. More details are available at www.wegowalking.com. Oh, and he has a great sense of humor.

We followed up the tour with lunch on a street he suggested, Rue Clare, away from the tourist traps. Ann had very nice salmon with roasted vegetables and I enjoyed lamb curry with couscous. And since there is always room for Crème Brulé, we shared one of those.

Then our first Metro ride to buy warm clothes, it is much colder here than we (or the French) expected, high 40s to mid 60s. Then back to our island home for a light dinner.

Tomorrow it is Versailles on the train and   Saturday we will visit Musée de l'Orangerie and Musée d'Orsay before heading to the airport for a flight to Athens and then the next morning on to Istanbul.

This trip has been saturated with the history of Islam and the Catholic form of Christianity. I wasn't aware of that plan when I arranged the order of the places, but it is a good balance. I have learned a lot, all for less time and treasure than a semester of tuition. And I am in the best physical condition of my life.

In addition, the Camino friends have opened opportunity to visit another dozen countries. I am blessed.

Finisterre: Kilometer Zero of The Camino

Much to my delight my wife, Ann, arrived late Saturday night and we have been seeing the sights in Santiago de Compostela, a world class tourist destination judging by the hundreds of non-pilgrim people filling the streets and squares.

On Sunday we enjoyed a standing room only pilgrim's Mass followed by a lunch outside the Cathedral with one of my Camino family members, Julie.  

Ann is enjoying her time here, especially all the artistic stone carving in and on the buildings.  We lucked upon a featured exhibit of alabaster religious objects from around the world displayed in a unique area of the cathedral. It included several two and three dimensional items that were painted, something I had not seen before.

Monday we took a bus tour to Muxia (pronounced like moo-chi-a) and Finisterre, the western-most point in Europe, and hence the known world at that time, by the Romans.  For many this is the true end to one's pilgrimage.  While I got there in a bus, I can say that I would have enjoyed walking there had time allowed. I am not a good bus rider.

We are back in town resting before our last supper in Santiago de Compostela. Tomorrow evening we will fly to Paris to see how Notre Dame compares with the similar cathedral in León.

I believe that this time in Spain will remain a highlight of my life, and I feel confident that I will be back for more.