From El Camino - Nunsense

[AnneLine]

Nunsense... this may help all of us follow you better.  I hope it posts OK!

 

 

[TheresaThoma]

Thanks for posting this AnneLine definitely helpful!

[AnneLine]

Since I enjoy plotting 'virtual pilgrimages', I'll try to add some visuals and comments that might be helpful for us to visualize your journey, Nunsense!   

 

I am also offering my own minimal mileage each day for your intentions....

 

 

 

To get us caught up:

 

 

 

 

Tues June 25…..

St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Pilgrim Refuge. 

Traveled 8 kms (4.97 miles)

 

 

St. Jean Pied de Port

 

"Even if you don't have enough time to walk the entire Spanish path, I recommend starting at St. Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles, and walking to the farthest large town that fits your schedule (Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, Astorga). The first part is too beautiful to bypass.... If the weather is likely to be bad, start from Roncesvalles. Otherwise, take the route Napoleon over the Pyrenees from St. Jean, and book a reservation at the Orisson gite, 06-81-49-79-56, about 6 miles out of St. Jean, and half of the total vertical gain in elevation. The next day will be an easy walk to Roncesvalles."

 

More info:

http://www.backpack45.com/camino2p2.html

 

 

A really interesting blog with lots of good photos from someone regarding this part of the journey...

from the Pyrenees to Zubri, Spain:

 

http://www.caminomyway.com/on-the-camino-de-santiago-the-pyrenees-to-zubiri-spain

 

 

 

 

 

Wed June 26

Pilgrim’s Refuge to Roncesvalles, Spain. 

Traveled 16 kms (9.94 miles)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The monastery of Roncesvalles

"Founded in the 11th century, the monastery at Roncesvalles has always been of major importance to the Camino. It was once one of the wealthiest on the entire route and was famous for the treatment which pilgrims received here. A 12th century poem sings the praises of the monastery´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."

 

More Info:

http://www.pilgrimpathways.com/pilgrim_pathways.asp?IdSeccion=1&IdNoticia=30

 

 

 

Thurs June 27, 2013

Roncesvalles to Zubiri

Traveled 19 kms (11.8 miles)

 

 

http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.com/2012/01/zubiri-town-of-bridge.html

 

 

Nunsense, if you can keep letting us know where you will be heading for each day, I'll try to give us some visuals.

 

Praying for you!

[Spem in alium]

What beautiful updates. Thank you, nunsense. You'll be in my prayers.

[nikita92]

http://francistapon.com/Travels/Spain-Trails/10-Reasons-Why-El-Camino-Santiago-Sucks. (A different perspective)

[Eowyn]

Made it another 19kms today as far as Zubiri. I should be able to make Pamplona tomorrow, and the good news is that tomorrow is supposed to be downhaill and flat all the way! Yayy. Today was steep climbs and steeper descents, all very exhausting, but such a good experience I can´t explain it. I am a slow walker and everyone usually passes me, so I would find myself alone for stretches at a time, and I would look around and see that it was just me and God, and the most beautiful presence would fill me and make me so grateful to be alive. We are trully blessed to know Jesus and to love Him. I stop at every shrine or statue or Cross and say prayers, and there are also memorial markers along the way for deceased pilgrims, so I stop and pray for them as well. How incredible is God that He can turn something so painful as a rejection from a convent into something so blessed and beautiful? Suffering can be truly redemptive, can´t it?

 

All I can say right now is something as trite as ´Jesus is love.´

 

God blesses us every day, if only we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

 

Adios por ahora ..... :)

 

 

I wish I could give props.  Nunsense, you have a beautiful soul. 

[AccountDeleted]

Day 5 - Pamplona to Uterga

 

Walked only 17kms today but it was straight up and then straight down again, so that´s ok with me.

 

Yesterday I was in Pamplona and went to a lovely Church there where I attended Confession half in Spanish and half in English - very sweet priest. Then stayed for the Rosary followed by Mass for the Apostles Sts Peter and Paul. I have photos but there is no facility to upload them here in this little place.

 

Today I hit a brick wall physically and spiritually but have been accompanied by angels and Our Lady every step of the way. When I start to cry and wonder why I am doing this, God fills me with His presence and tries to explain to my heart the value of redemptive suffering. I almost grasp it and then it slips away again. Maybe by the end of the journey it will be clearer.

 

The muscles are getting used to it but the feet are now in agony with blisters on top of blisters. It´s ok. I feel something beyond what is happening... I can´t explain it.

 

Prayers today at the top of Alto de Perdon and again at a shrine to Our Lady as I came into town here. You are all in my heart.

 

Much love from Peregrina Nunsense.

 

 

[AccountDeleted]

AnneLine - thank you so much for posting the info for everyone. I don´t have access to uploading of photos here so it is wonderful that you can let them know where I am. Tomorrow I hope to find a Mass in one of the puebols along the way as it is Sunday. I am walking as far as Cirauki.

 

[AnneLine]

Glad if I can be of help -- wasn't sure if you would like this or not!   Remember, these aren't photos by or of Nunsense... but they are fromabout the places she is visiting about when she will be visiting them.   I've found a few walking the camino blogs, so I'm pretty comfortable we have her just about on route...

 

Be strong, Nunsense, and be sure to use lots of Vaseline and adhesive tape on those blisters.  And pray for us.   God is in the hard places... just harder to locate.

 

Fri-Sat June 28-29, 2013

Zubiri to Pamplona

Pamplona to Uterga

 

Traveled 17 kms (10.56 miles)

 

 

 

 

http://insite.religioustraveldirectory.com/pamplona-pilgrimage-on-the-way-to-santiago-de-compostela/

 

 

Pilgrims hiking through Pamplona on their long journey to Santiago.

 

See more at: http://insite.religioustraveldirectory.com/pamplona-pilgrimage-on-the-way-to-santiago-de-compostela/#sthash.TG6psa01.dpuf

 

Interior of Santa Maria church in Pamplona; many pilgrims come here to worship.

 

See more at: http://insite.religioustraveldirectory.com/pamplona-pilgrimage-on-the-way-to-santiago-de-compostela/#sthash.TG6psa01.dpuf

 

Here is some more info about that church - can't be sure if it is the one Nunsense is visiting....

 

http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/organice-viaje/recurso.aspx?o=3004&masInf=1

 

 

 

Nunsense referenced "Alto de Perdon"  - here's a photo & website about this day of the journey:

 

 

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-camino-del-santiago-alto-de-perdon-puenta-11228514.html

 

Peregrina Nunsense said she will be walking as far as Cirauqui today. 

 

"Entering the town of Cirauqui through romanic arch. Its name means nest of snakes in Euskera."

 

 

Buen Camino, Nunsense!

[AnneLine]

Hi, everyone, 

 

We haven't heard from Peregrina Nunsense for a few days.

 

Most likely she just doesn't have any way of communicating with us until she arrives at the next area with internet access. 

 

I'll post a probable route in about 12 hours if we haven't had an update from her.

 

In the meantime, say a prayer for her, and perhaps leave her a message to find when she checks in next.

 

Here's a little info about St. James and the Camino to keep you connected with her in the meantime.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James

 

 

Here are a couple of pictures from the above Wikipedia link...

 

 

Saint James with his pilgrim's staff. The hat is typical, but he often wears his emblem, the scallop shell, on the front brim of the hat or elsewhere on his clothes (it may have been lost due to deterioration of the painting).

 

 

 

St. James Pilgrim accessories

 

Here's a little more about Pamplona, where she was a few days ago...

 

Pamplona (Iruña) is the capital city of Navarra. It has a population of around 171,150, and is 92 kilometres from the town of San Sebastián, and 407 kilometres from Madrid.
 
Behind it’s impressive city walls you’ll find Pamplona’s most important building, the fourteenth century gothic cathedral, which is definitely worth a visit.
 
There are another two main Gothic churches in the old city, San Sernin and San Nicolás which were both built during the thirteenth century.
 
On the 6th July at midnight the famous Fiesta de San Fermín starts. During this festival el encierro/running of the bulls, made famous by Ernest Hemingway, takes place.
  

More information here!

http://www.spanishsteps.eu/camino-frances/towns-cities/pamplona/

 

 

 

We're holding you in our prayers, Nunsense.  Take care of yourself and know we are following you in spirit.

[AccountDeleted]

AnneLine - thanks for all the updates for me. Yes, I have been on the road with no access to Internet. I wrote out a long reply here but phatmass seemed to go down or something and I lost it all. So briefly again...

 

Day 6 Uterga to Cirauqui - thought I would die when I arrived and manager of albergue told me that I need to start earlier in the morning to avoid the heat. I started at 7.30am but that got me into Cirauqui around 2.30pm - too much walking in 30C with little or no shade along the way. I think heat exhaustion was a factor that day as well as the blisters and aching muscles.

 

Day 7 Cirauqui to Estella-Lizarra - I started an hour earlier and got into town here around 12.30pm which was much smarter. It was still a battle for me, all the hills and rocky paths and the feet were screaming when I came into town (every town seems to be on a hill and that is hard when your last few kilometres for the day are all uphill). I booked the room in a hostel instead of an albergue so I could have a single room and stay for two days.

 

Day 8 is a rest day for me and I am still here in Estella-Lizarra at an Internet cafe. I am much more rested and cooler, but the temps are expected to be in the 30s plus for the rest of the month so what can I do?

 

Spiritually I am exhausted as well. Some days are better than others of course and I think that I might be understanding something. And then I wonder why I am even doing this - is it just because I have no where else to go and nothing else to do now that my dream is over? Who knows? I suppose God has a plan for me, for my good - but sometimes it´s even hard to hang onto that. When it gets hardest, the angels step in and lend a hand. St Michael has been a close presence, and this town has a lovely church to him as well.

 

Not many religious pilgrims - or at least I haven´t met many. I have met a 70 year old woman who is trying to find out who she is now that her husband is dead, but she is not religious and I met a 63 yaer old man who had two heart attacks and just wants to change himself in some way - he skipped the first two days over the mountain but he did do Alto de Perdon which was quite hard as well. A lot of young people are here to get fit, work on their spanish language, enjoy the culture and the art and the history or just socialise. It is strange to think of all the reasons that people do this - and yet God accepts us all.

 

I ask for prayers because it is a difficult time right now. When the feet get a little better, then I think things will seem brighter. The muscles are already getting better. The heights and the heat are the hard parts for me, and with sore feet, well, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

 

My motto is   Just Keep Walking.

 

Prayers to all. Pilgrim Nunsense

[CatherineM]

When I was team mom for a baseball team in Florida, it was my job to keep them cool. We used a pump sprayer full of ice water. You could get an empty spray bottle and fill it with ice water in the morning.

If you have access to a freezer at night, you could also freeze wash cloths. Wet them down, wring them mostly out, then fold them lengthwise so when frozen they will fit around your neck. Hold in place with a bandana. It's like a potable air conditioner.

[ACS67]

Han Urs von Balthasar said the following in his book Razing the Bastions: On the Church in this Age.   Perhaps you will find some comfort and wisdom in his words Nunsense, as I did over 2 months ago when I first read them. 

 

 

Out of the continual act of walking between faith and knowledge an equilibrium between Christian and worldly truth comes into being…This equilibrium comes about when he endures and tolerates the limited character of worldly truth in himself and others– and this can be a genuine burden for one who knows about the infallibility of Christian truth…At the same time he must not confuse the “infallibility” of Christian truth with an immovability of its human position…namely to anticipate, judge, and even render superfluous all the experiences of the world–experiences gained only when one is oneself in motion.  Christ himself was “in motion”, he was not at home anywhere on earth, he was a wandering rabbi without a home.  Nor was his food a solid, supratemporal truth-system, but the will of the Father at each instant.  He walked in the light of this will just as those who imitate Him are to walk after Him…They are to “walk in faith” (2 Cor 5:7), “walk in the Spirit” (Rom 8:4). “walk in the day” (Jn 11:9), “walk in love” (Eph 5:2), “walk in Jesus” (Col 2:6)…Apart from walking there is no certainty, no grasping of the truth, no standing fast…The individual learns as he shares in the divine walking in the world, to sense God’s walking past in the changes of the world’s situation.  He learns that what counts is not the rigid synthesis of two rigid truths as perhaps he dreamed initially, but that unity is a movement problem.

 

 

[Eowyn]

:amen:  :amen:

 

 

 

And some of this for (at least comic) relief.   :icey:  :icey:  :icey:

[AnneLine]

Here are some photos and links to get us caught up before Nunsense leaves Estella-Lizarra.

 

Perhaps we will get another update from P. Nunsense before she leaves Estella-Lizarra and internet access....

 

 

Reviewing the last few days....

 

Sun June 30

Uterga to Cirauqui

 

Traveled 17.9 kms (11.12 miles)

30 degrees C 86 degrees F

 

 

 

QUOTE FROM NUNSENSE:   Day 6 Uterga to Cirauqui - thought I would die when I arrived and manager of albergue told me that I need to start earlier in the morning to avoid the heat. I started at 7.30am but that got me into Cirauqui around 2.30pm - too much walking in 30C with little or no shade along the way. I think heat exhaustion was a factor that day as well as the blisters and aching muscles.

 

 

 

Photo of a pilgrim approaching Cirauqui

 

Mon July 1

Cirauqui to Estella-Lizarra

 

Traveled 17.9 kms (11.12 miles)

30 degrees C 86 degrees F

 

 

 QUOTE FROM NUNSENSE:   Day 7 Cirauqui to Estella-Lizarra - I started an hour earlier and got into town here around 12.30pm which was much smarter. It was still a battle for me, all the hills and rocky paths and the feet were screaming when I came into town (every town seems to be on a hill and that is hard when your last few kilometres for the day are all uphill). I booked the room in a hostel instead of an albergue so I could have a single room and stay for two days.

 

 

 

Below is an interesting blog (link below) that shows where she is today and some places towards which P. Nunsense is headed. 

Includes several other photos & a different Pilgrim's thoughts... 

You can watch for the towns as she advances along the Camino.

 

 

 

http://fjalonso.blogspot.com/2012/09/spain-camino-de-santiago-frances.html

Edited July 3, 2013 by AnneLine