Introduction from Australia

[ianmargie]

Hi we are a couple from Tasmania who have been volunteering in Tanzania. We plan to become pilgrims on Anzac day 25th April 2010

 

[hieronimus]

See you there, we starting on 24.04, having ANZAC on th go ( biscuits), provided there is no more ashes in the air that could spoil our flights from Sydney to Paris.Good luck with your plans and Buen Camino

jeremy

 

[jl]

This will be an interesting thread - I am guessing not many will know the significance of ANZAC Day on this frorum - except for we folk from the antipodes! When I walk the Via Francigena it is my intention to detour off the path and arrive at Villiers Brettenoux on the eve of the 25th of April - should be quite something.

Walking in France on the various pilgrim routes there are many moving war memorials. I remember one - very close to the Pyrennees - a statue of a woman kneeling at the foot of the memorial weeping, and there were others - a woman clutching the sick, and so on. In Bayonne the memorial is in a number of different parts, but one end is of a Basque man leading an ox, and at the other end is a soldier standing guard over his lost mates.

The only memorial I remember seeing in Spain - and it wasn't really one as such - was the mosaic of Picasso's painting "Gernika" - in the town of Gernika, on the Camino del Norte. Although the Spanish had such an horrendous time with the civil war, evidence is not seen of it, in the form of memorials in the same way it is in France (or in Aust & NZ).

I'm off to start cooking biscuits for a fundraiser!!!!! (Anzac Biscuits!)

Buen Camino, Janet

 

[lynnejohn]

Hi Janet -

As Commonwealth members, we learned about ANZAC day in elementary school (of course for me that was more than a few years ago! :wink:

Actually there are dozens of war memorials in Spain - the largest I think is Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen) just outside Madrid (Franco forced convicts to build it, and he himself is entombed there). (Scroll down to see the entire memorial)

We saw several more memorials along the Via de la Plata!

Cheers,

lynne

 

[Canuck]

If I recall correctly, there is a civil war memorial on the camino Frances between Monte de Oca and San Juan de Ortega.

I agree that they are few and far in between in Spain.

As an old soldier, I have a keen eye for those and never miss the opportunity to pay respect.

Salute,
Jean-Marc

 

[jl]

Jean Marc - As I logged onto this thread today my thoughts went to the memorial in the Monts de Oca memorial - and lo! - there was your post! That was a special place there at the top of a hill, in the quiet of the forest (if the road noise didn't intrude). I can't think of any others on the CF though - perhaps I missed them, and I don't recall any on the C. Aragonese either. (Yes, there are memorials for fallen pilgrims, but I was just thinking those fallen as a result of conflict.)

Lynne - I am sure there are lots of memorials elsewhere in Spain, but I was just thinking of the CF when I posted, and the Chemins I have walked in France. There is a particularly impressive Canadian memorial in London, and when I eventually do the Via Francigena I will, hopefully, walk through the Canadian cemetery on the Western Front in my detour.

Regards, Janet

 

[lynnejohn]

Sorry, I misread your post - I agree about the CF - I don't remember seeing the memorial to which you and Jean Marc refer, but if I walk the CF again I'll look for it. I do find war memorials fascinating - Dieppe was especially moving.

lynne

 

[Canuck]

I do find war memorials fascinating - Dieppe was especially moving.

Lynne,

If you have walked in France, you must have been fascinated a lot, for there are war memorials in every little village and hamlet. Some of them very elaborate and moving.

By the way, I noticed the ''poppies'' in your avatar. I sport one of them on my licence plate, officially delivered by the Provincial Government, as a recognition of my 35 years of service. Nice gesture!
In fact, it's the only ''vanity plate'' available in the Province of Québec and it's free. 8)

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[JEBZ]

Ola to all of you,

My name is Jane. My parents, brother my partner and I are beginning the camino from SJPDP on 24th of April . so to Ian, Margie and Jeremy, I am sure we will see eachother along the way! Although I am a bit worried about the ash too. I also hope our flight on tuesday from sydney to paris will take off. I cant wait to go on this amazing trip!


Buen Camino!

 

[JEBZ]

Hi we are a couple from Tasmania who have been volunteering in Tanzania. We plan to become pilgrims on Anzac day 25th April 2010

hi ian and margie,

I hadnt paid much attention to this forum since before the camino but, I just read back through my old posts and saw your names come up and realise that you must have been the couple in which myself, my dad and my partner had been chatting to at the memorial site at monte do gozo just before santiago. Wow, what a small world! I didnt think to look out for forum members on the way. Well I hope you had a fantastic trip!

regards,
Jane
from Sydney

 

[tanyaseagull]

8) HI Everyone,
To all of you who have recently returned, i would love some info on how many Pilgrims are on the road, did you have trouble finding a bed, etc. As my Sister and i are both in our sixties, any information would be appreciated. I leave for Madrid next monday.
Cheers Tanya
Geraldton W.A