Raising the Roof for Rainbows

I've been to choir tonight!  Will probably go again tomorrow and again on Thursday, cos I need all the practise I can get as we have a big concert coming up (see above) when I get back from the Big Hike!!!  As I'm missing two weeks practice I shall have a binge and do all three in a week hoping that the words will stick in the memory!!  This seemed a good plan until our choir leader has said we will practice a third of the concert this week, a third next and a third the week after!  Seems like I'm going to be very proficient on the 
first third of the concert!   Nothing for it!  I'm going to have to take my words with me and have a little sing as I walk!!!

This is what I have to learn!   

Get Happy

Mad About Mozart

Let There Be Peace

The Rose

Joyful Joyful
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
We've Only Just Begun
All That Jazz
I've Got You Under My Skin

Something Stupid

New York New York
Rhythm of Life

Over the Rainbow
Going Up A Yonder
You Raise Me Up

Quite a mixed bag!   Walking five days so that's about three songs a day! 

Taa Daaa!! The Itinerary!

For over one thousand years pilgrims have travelled to Santiago de Compostela, and now it's our turn!  The above shows a series of traditional routes that led from points across Europe to Santiago de Compostela.  The routes are now known UNESCO world heritage sites as is the historic core of Santiago de Compostela.

Our Itinerary!

Wednesday, 7th May, 2014

Travel to Ashford to stay at our friends in readiness for an early start!

Thursday, 8th May, 2014

Early boarding of Eurotunnel around 8.00 am

Travelling to Chartres to visit Cathedral one of the original starting points for the medieval pilgrimage.  Possibly a visit to Orleans also on pilgrim route (Jean d'Arc) continuing on to Tours for overnight stop at 

Inter-hotel Au Relais St. Eloi 


Friday, 9th May, 2014

Travel South through France into Pyrenees to stay at St. Jean Pied de Port, the popular starting point of the 

Camino Frances.




Hotel Ramuntcho 


Saturday, 10th May, 2014

Travelling into Spain to the Cathedral city of Leon

Hotel Infantas de Leon


Sunday, 11th May, 2014


Travel to Sarria the starting point of our 

walk.

Hotel Carris Alfonso IX 



Monday, 12th May, 2014

Now the fun really starts!!! 


Walk to Portomarin - 22kms



Hotel Villa Jardin







Tuesday, 13th May, 2014


Walk to Palas de Rei - 24 Kms

Hotel Complejolacaban







Wednesday, 14th May, 2014

Walk to Arzua. -  28 Kms

Hotel Casateodora



Thursday, 15th May, 2014


Walk to Rua. -  19 Kms

Hotel O Pino


Friday, 16th May, 2014

Walk to Santiago - 20 Kms

Hotel Herradura





Saturday, 17th May, 2014


A day in Santiago! A day of celebration! We hope to collect our Compostela's! (a 
certificate of achievement).  Also we hope to join the other pilgrims in the Cathedral for the Pilgrims Mass!  

A second night at Hotel Herradura.




Sunday, 18th May, 2014


We commence our journey home. A bus ride back to Sarria to collect our car then on to Burgos a Cathedral city on the pilgrim route, famous for El Cid who is buried there!

Hotel Cordon


Monday, 19th May, 2014


Back into France to spend our last night in Poitiers.

Hotel De L'europe


Tuesday, 20th May, 2014

Travel to Eurotunnel, crossing in the evening.

Spend night in Ashford with friends.

Wednesday, 21st May, 2014

HOME !!!!!

Codex Calixtinus

Amazing the things you stumble across and learn!  

One of the oldest surviving travel guides, the Codex Calixtinus was compiled in circa 1135 by a French scholar and monk named Aymeric Picaud to aid pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela:  "There are some bad toll-collectors near the gates of Cize, in the village called Ostabat at Saint Jean and Saint Michael Pied de Port, they are frankly sent by the devil" .

I googled images for the Codex 

Calixtinus!  Wow!!!!  

Tried to copy google link over, but sadly can't get it to work!  Remember though googling can be highly addictive, and I've already lost a few hours just looking at this wonderful book!!!

Codex Calixtinus images.

Mirror Camino in Charnwood

Good idea?  Don't know until we've done it!!

Challenge is to complete 72 miles which is the equivalent we will be walking when in Spain, 115kms, with the amount walked each day corresponding to the same distance in Spain.

Saturday, 12th April 2014
Bradgate park - 15.17 miles

Next month on 12th May 2014
Sarria to Portomarin, 
24kms

Sunday, 13th April, 2014
Bradgate Park, Swithland Woods - 
16.32 miles

Next month 13th May 2014

Portomarin - Palas De Re
24kms


Monday, 14th April, 2014
Swithland Resevoir via Rothley
17.33 miles

Next month 14th May, 2014
Palas De Rei - Ribadiso (Arzua)
28 Kms

Tuesday 15th April, 2014
Bradgate Park and Outwoods

12 miles

Next month 15th May, 2014
Ribadiso - O Pedrouzo (Arca/O Pino)
19.2 Kms


Wenesday, 16th April, 2014
Bradgate Park
12.37 miles

Next month 16th May, 2014
O Pedrouzo - Santiago
19.2kms

MacAdventure estimate totals 71.5miles which is 114.4 Kms

We did it!!!!  Our mileage total 73.19miles.  YAY!!!!

Woodcuts, engravings and stars!

Woodcut of a pilgrimage (c.1490)

Walking The Way woodcut (c.1568)

The above wood engraving first appeared in Camille Flammarion's 1888 

book, L'atmosphere: meterologie populaire. The 

image looks as though it could be 

medieval, however it was probably 

Flammarion's own illustration. The engraving depicts a medieval pilgrim out in the open landscape at night, 

experiencing the night sky.  I found a 

lovely quote from Flammarion's book in 

Wiki:

"What intelligent being, what being capable of 

responding emotionally to a beautiful sight, can look at the jagged, silvery lunar crescent trembling in the 

azure sky, even through the weakest of telescopes 

and not be struck by it in an intensely pleasurable way, not feel cut off from everyday life here on earth

and transported toward that first stop on the celestial journeys? What thoughtful soul could look at brilliant Jupiter with its four attendant satellites, or splendid Saturn encircled by its mysterious ring, or a double 

star glowing scarlet and sapphire in the infinity of 

night, and not be filled with a sense of wonder? Yes, 

indeed, if humankind from humble farmers in the

fields and toiling workers in the cities to teachers, 

people of independent means, those who have 

reached the pinnacle of fame or fortune, even the 

most frivolous of society women if they knew what profound inner pleasure await those who gaze at the 

heavens, then France, nay, the whole of Europe, 

would be covered with telescopes instead of 

bayonets, thereby promoting universal happiness and peace." 

Camille Flammarion 1880

 The pilgrim in the image seems to be 

able to see through to a 'celestial 

realm'.  Today there are many 

incredible images of space which are amazingly awesome and captivate our 

imagination.  Below is a photo taken by 

Hubble of planetary nebula NGC 2818

More Wiki information reveals that there is a link between Santiago de Compostela and stars, and in particular the Milky Way.  Another Wiki quote:

The popular Spanish name for the astronomical Milky Way is El Camino de Santiago. According to a common 

medieval legend, the Milky Way was formed from the dust raised by traveling pilgrims.  Compostela itself means "field of stars". Another origin for this popular name is Book IV of the 
Book of Saint James which relates how 
the saint appeared in a dream to Charlemagne urging him to liberate his tomb from the Moors and showing him 

the direction to follow by the route of the Milky Way.

Toes!

Couldn't believe my luck at the weekend!  I've really been trying to look after my feet, and would you believe it had a heavy object dropped on my left big toe, which left me yelping around the kitchen!  On inspection the nail is broken and I was expecting a 'black toe' to appear!   Fortunately it's not too bad, but, even a sock on caused pressure, so instead I've been wandering around in my new sandals! (Well they needed walking in anyway).   We have both taken foot preparation seriously even booking into see a chiropodist! Why I've never been before I really don't know!  Our chap is great, and he really is sorting my feet out! Hopefully there is still time for my toe to completely heal before the Big Hike!

I had been thinking I would take just two pairs of shoes, my walking boots and walking sandals, but I think I may take a pair of trainers too!  This may alter, but this is my current thinking!

Walking boots

Trainers

Sandals 

oh! wonder if I dare!!  ;)

Really do hope I will be able to do this walk! Sometimes I think I can, but mostly I'm not sure. Oh the secret doubts!!! :/