I have now been home for almost 4 days. The patio is a welcoming riot of roses and oregano, the sun shines, and I am still dreaming of the camino at night and waking very early each the morning, often wondering where I am. Shopping in gigantic Costco yesterday was a shocking contrast to the tiny shops and open air markets in the small towns where I walked. The huge quantities and enormous size of the store reinforced my perception of American excess. In France I would buy one carrot, the smallest slice of cheese, half a loaf of bread, one small container of yogurt if I could find just one, and perhaps one apple, orange, or banana, and a bar of chocolate, because whatever I bought I would be carrying for the rest of that day and perhaps the next one, too. One day I bought a head of lettuce that bounced in a plastic bag attached to the outside of the pack until that evening. Yesterday it took three trips to the car to haul into the house what I had bought.
I've added a few pictures to to blog, if anyone wants to go back to take a look. I'll be putting more up on Flickr soon, where anyone can see them.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just got home from a cycling trip to France with my husband. We spent five weeks cycling from Nantes to Lyon and we were welcomed along the way by many friends that I made when I walked "le Chemin" in 2008. The bond that is created between pilgrims is quite incredible and it is well worth the effort to keep in touch with those you met. We had a visit last Fall from one of the pilgrims I met and I know we will be seeing more coming to Canada in future years. In re-reading your blog, I noted the many people you met from several countries, keep in touch with them, you will reap the benefits for many years to come.
Michèle (Ottawa) Canada