WanderingBrian
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Sept 2023
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I live on the Camino. My son lived in Ohio. He and his girlfriend, who is from a big Pakistani family, decided to get married in Detroit, Mich.Thought it might be fun for everyone to retell a funny Camino moment or story.
Picture it. 2018. Somewhere on the Camino Portugues enroute from Redondela to Pondvedra. Something goes kablooey on the top of my left foot on a steep descent and the foot started to swell up bad. I stopped and put on a foot compression sock I had my backpack. The last 12+km where EXTREMELY painful. My pace dropped to under 2km per hour. It sucked.
When I got to the Pontevedra albergue, I switched to flip flops and limped along using a walking pole like a crutch, to find some dinner with 2 Camino friends. I quickly realized it was impossible to walk any distance, so I sadly decided to pull the plug on my Camino
Anyhow at dinner, I was complaining that I had to end the walk and one of my Camino pals (Armando), had an idea.
He said "Here is what I am going to do. I am going to find a wheelchair and I will push you to Santiago."
I said "In no universe are you PUSHING me to Santiago. That's insane."
He thought for a minute then said "OK fine. Better idea. I will get you a horse and you can ride into Santiago! I will guide it!"
"Where are you going to get a horse. In Pontevedra. On a Tuesday..."
"I will rent one. Let me make some calls."
Make some calls?? Who is he calling, he's from California. Anyways...
"Armando. I love ya man but you are not pushing me or renting me a horse. You finish your Camino and I will take a train and meet you in Santiago."
Next morning, as I had hoped, he was gone. I moved from the albergue to a hotel so I could sulk in a private room. There I stretched, used ice, advil, massage techniques, fizzy magnesium, and crossed my fingers.
And 2 days later, miraculously, I was able to walk some. So decided I would continue (SLOWLY) onwards to Santiago. I made it and went on Muxia to Finisterre as well without issue.
Found Armando in Santiago as he waited for me to eventually arrive. I told him I appreciated his off kilter desire to help me finish. That conversation still makes me chuckle. The dude was serious! He was going to find me a horse. All I could think was what would the Pilgrim Office say?
Ah the Camino.
Wow. I’ll have to let Armando knowI live on the Camino. My son lived in Ohio. He and his girlfriend, who is from a big Pakistani family, decided to get married in Detroit, Mich.
Part of the big fat wedding celebration was the groom riding into the event on a white horse, dressed in Eastern splendor. So me, in rural Spain, went to work finding a relatively calm white horse for rent for a single afternoon in suburban Detroit.
It worked. The horse and entrance and wedding were splendid!
The moral of the story is: Never underestimate the powers of a determined American in search of a horse!
Hi,For my first Camino in 2011 I spent a lot of time training, and my dog joined me everyday (except the long days). My dog "Billie" was an Airedale Terrier and if you know this breed you know they all look alike and generally have the same personality. When I arrived in St Jean Pied de Port I decided to have a little snack by a cafe before heading up to Orisson. I sat on the edge of the sidewalk, it was a beautiful sunny day. As I was just getting ready to slide on my backpack to start my Camino a lady walks by with her Airedale Terrier, Identical in looks and personality to my dog back home. I asked the lady if I could pat her dog and she agreed, it was like getting a send off from my training buddy back home. An extraordinary start my Camino.
Ah beautiful, aren't they lovely, thanks.
I rarely had to take a top bunk, but when I did my exclamations were always "ouch, ouch, ouch"! Every ladder, no matter what the shape or material they were made of, were always killers on my feet with each step...pure torture!At bedtime people started climbing with various exclamations as they tried to navigate up, off the ladder and over the top of the rail of the middle and top bunks.
Next time, ask for "una cama abajo, por favor" (A bed down, please). It always works. If not, add "estoy retirado" (I am retired). That should do it.I rarely had to take a top bunk, but when I did my exclamations were always "ouch, ouch, ouch"! Every ladder, no matter what the shape or material they were made of, were always killers on my feet with each step...pure torture!
The Albergue Andres Muñoz in Viana is memorable for it's triple tier bunk beds. When I stayed there in 2012, there were 4 triple stacks of beds in the room. I had a middle bunk in a stack. At bedtime people started climbing with various exclamations as they tried to navigate up, off the ladder and over the top of the rail of the middle and top bunks.
Someone in the room started to giggle and then someone else and soon the room of 12 pilgrims were all roaring with laughter. Finally everyone was settled and in the morning the laughter started again as people climbed down. Throughout the rest of the camino, when any one of us from that room encountered each other, it was with great laughs as we remembered that night. I've heard that the albergue no longer has the triple bunk system
I will add them to my growing list of short Spanish sentences to learn. I usually traveled with my son and he was gracious to always take the top bunk when we were not pre-assigned.Next time, ask for "una cama abajo, por favor" (A bed down, please). It always works. If not, add "estoy retirado" (I am retired). That should do it.
Alex, "retirado" doesn't mean "retired," it means "expired," or "withdrawn from circulation!" I think you mean "jubilado," aged out of the working world. Although after walking 30 km and climbing up three stories of bunks, you may well be expired!Next time, ask for "una cama abajo, por favor" (A bed down, please). It always works. If not, add "estoy retirado" (I am retired). That should do it.
My Spanish is better than Google Translate!! I have always said "Estoy jubilado", but that "tool" said "retirado". My self esteem about my Spanish skills suddenly got a boost! Thank you!Alex, "retirado" doesn't mean "retired," it means "expired," or "withdrawn from circulation!" I think you mean "jubilado," aged out of the working world. Although after walking 30 km and climbing up three stories of bunks, you may well be expired!
I am relieved you are not my son-in-law!a plot began to take shape, involving my Mother-In-Law
We have all met similar people, I think. This is going to be a long one...In the earliest days of my Camino I was top dog in a bunkroom of six, which at the age of 69 I wasn't overly enthusiastic about however I was grateful to have a bed. Come bedtime, I was alone in the room with a gentleman of a certain nationality who saw me settling into my sleeping bag. He stopped in his tracks, glared at me and thundered "Toilet!"
"No thank you" I replied, somewhat amused at the demanding tone, but giving him the benefit of the doubt.
"Toilet!!!" he came again, even more demandingly.
Somewhat less amused, I replied, "Thanks, I went before I left home." (About 20,000km away, but never mind.)
At that he began tossing everyone's backpacks into a high cupboard, even though my tiny friend who had now entered the room protested she wouldn't be able to get hers down in the morning.
Giving up, she and everyone else took to their bunks, and we all settled down for the night. Not for long. The most thunderous snores positively rattled the bunks from guess who? Of course he had gone immediately to sleep, whilst everyone else in the room almost sobbed in despair for rest. At one point around 2am I looked across at another top bunk, where a tiny Japanese gentleman was frantically flapping his liner in an attempt to waken the snorer. By 3am both the flapper and his wife had disappeared somewhere further down the trail.
In the following days when I crossed paths again with my dominating friend, I watched carefully to see which albergue he entered, before rapidly exiting stage left!
Hello Rebekah. My two cents. That it´s not totally true. Speaking about certain professions and circunstances it´s absolutely correct to say "retirado":Alex, "retirado" doesn't mean "retired," it means "expired," or "withdrawn from circulation!" I think you mean "jubilado," aged out of the working world. Although after walking 30 km and climbing up three stories of bunks, you may well be expired!
Thank you! We all learn! By your definition, I am actually a "retirado", because I stopped working (thank you, up there) before being a pensioner!Hello Rebekah. My two cents. That it´s not totally true. Speaking about certain professions and circunstances it´s absolutely correct to say "retirado":
" Pedro es coronel retirado" if you refer to a Colonel who voluntarily lefth the military before his legal age of retirement, for example. That could be used for many professions, nor for all of them.
Hope this tip can be useful.
Hope we can meet really soon, the camino is calling for me.
Well, that`s what you, a non Spanish native speaker think.Thank you! We all learn! By your definition, I am actually a "retirado", because I stopped working (thank you, up there) before being a pensioner!
But the Spanish language is so colorful and wise, it is sometimes difficult to find the right words.
I will never compare English to Spanish, languagewise. Spanish is such a beautiful, expressive,l language.Well, that`s what you, a non Spanish native speaker think.
Do you know? I think exactly the same about English, sometimes when I´m trying to speak English, can feel like Shakespeare´s bones are stiring inside his tomb.
For me its very difficul to figure the correct pronunciation of many words. Why the hell you, English speakers do not pronounce the correct way?
Just joking, of course.
In the earliest days of my Camino I was top dog in a bunkroom of six, which at the age of 69 I wasn't overly enthusiastic about however I was grateful to have a bed. Come bedtime, I was alone in the room with a gentleman of a certain nationality who saw me settling into my sleeping bag. He stopped in his tracks, glared at me and thundered "Toilet!"
"No thank you" I replied, somewhat amused at the demanding tone, but giving him the benefit of the doubt.
"Toilet!!!" he came again, even more demandingly.
Somewhat less amused, I replied, "Thanks, I went before I left home." (About 20,000km away, but never mind.)
At that he began tossing everyone's backpacks into a high cupboard, even though my tiny friend who had now entered the room protested she wouldn't be able to get hers down in the morning.
Giving up, she and everyone else took to their bunks, and we all settled down for the night. Not for long. The most thunderous snores positively rattled the bunks from guess who? Of course he had gone immediately to sleep, whilst everyone else in the room almost sobbed in despair for rest. At one point around 2am I looked across at another top bunk, where a tiny Japanese gentleman was frantically flapping his liner in an attempt to waken the snorer. By 3am both the flapper and his wife had disappeared somewhere further down the trail.
In the following days when I crossed paths again with my dominating friend, I watched carefully to see which albergue he entered, before rapidly exiting stage left!
Now thats the definition of a true pilgrim.Thought it might be fun for everyone to retell a funny Camino moment or story.
Picture it. 2018. Somewhere on the Camino Portugues enroute from Redondela to Pondvedra. Something goes kablooey on the top of my left foot on a steep descent and the foot started to swell up bad. I stopped and put on a foot compression sock I had in my backpack. The last 12+km were EXTREMELY painful. My pace dropped to under 2km per hour. It sucked.
When I got to the Pontevedra albergue, I switched to flip flops and limped along using a walking pole like a crutch to find some dinner with 2 Camino friends. I quickly realized it was impossible to walk any distance, so I sadly decided to pull the plug on my Camino
Anyhow at dinner, I was complaining that I had to end the walk and one of my Camino pals (Armando), had an idea.
He said "Here is what I am going to do. I am going to find a wheelchair and I will push you to Santiago."
I said "In no universe are you PUSHING me to Santiago. That's insane."
He thought for a minute then said "OK fine. Better idea. I will get you a horse and you can ride into Santiago! I will guide it!"
"Where are you going to get a horse. In Pontevedra. On a Tuesday..."
"I will rent one. Let me make some calls."
Make some calls?? Who is he calling, he's from California. Anyways...
"Armando. I love ya man but you are not pushing me or renting me a horse. You finish your Camino and I will take a train and meet you in Santiago."
Next morning, as I had hoped, he was gone. I moved from the albergue to a hotel so I could sulk in a private room. There I stretched, used ice, advil, massage techniques, fizzy magnesium, and crossed my fingers.
And 2 days later, miraculously, I was able to walk some. So decided I would continue (SLOWLY) onwards to Santiago. I made it and went on Muxia to Finisterre as well without issue.
Found Armando in Santiago as he waited for me to eventually arrive. I told him I appreciated his off kilter desire to help me finish. That conversation still makes me chuckle. The dude was serious! He was going to find me a horse. All I could think was what would the Pilgrim Office say?
Ah the Camino.
Just putting it out there that I have never owned a dairy farm (although I remain very devoted to my wife).And another funny story, which I'm sure any single ladies will relate to...
I was sitting supping a sangria in Spain, as you do, when I was joined by David. David told me he was from Canada. Originally from Holland, they had the choice of Canada or New Zealand. "Oh really" said vaguely. Yes, and David was a dairy farmer and had bought one farm and then another. "Oh really?" (yawned). Yes, and then David sold the farm for eight million dollars... "OH REALLY!" Dear man, gaze deeply into my eyes and do tell me more of your absolutely fascinating life...
Alas, David did exactly that. He told me all about how much he was missing his wife who was on a tour in Tuscany, and how quickly he wanted to rush through the Camino so he could get back to her. I swear he had a tear in his eye. I definitely had a bucketful in mine, I shared his pain!
(And David, if you're reading this, I thought your devotion to your wife was absolutely lovely.)
Speaking of Shakespeare, if you can't find the right word you can do what Shakespeare did over and over again and just make up a new one.Well, that`s what you, a non Spanish native speaker think.
Do you know? I think exactly the same about English, sometimes when I´m trying to speak English, can feel like Shakespeare´s bones are stiring inside his tomb.
For me its very difficul to figure the correct pronunciation of many words. Why the hell you, English speakers do not pronounce the correct way?
Just joking, of course.
This a pre camino story but it was the most embarrassing public moment of my professional life as an architectural historian. One snowy afternoon in Canada 50 years ago before an audience of more than 1000 'ladies who lunch' I was to lecture. After being introduced when starting to cross the stage towards the podium my wrap-around skirt fell off!! Luckily I was wearing opaque dancers' tights and the houselights automatically dimmed. I quickly re-wrapped and tightly re-tied the skirt and started my presentation without missing a beat. Needless to add that at the end of that lecture I drank more than a cup of tea and would never wear that skirt again. ...Sic transit gloria mundi@Oxford Alice reminds me of the time I went to a Laundromat with the intention of washing everything, including the clothes I was wearing. I did have one clean lightweight dress I always keep in a sealed ziplock bag (in case of bedbugs).
Nothing special - except the whole of the front of the Laundromat was plate glass. And there was nowhere to hide. So I had to exercise all my Mr Bean skills to remove my walking clothes and put on my silk dress, keeping my modesty intact. I managed it.
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