On Europe, Refugees and the Rise of Inhumanity!

I just read a post in Linked In by Ban Ki Moon – putting the case for a more humane way of viewing the current refugee crisis. It makes sad reading despite its upbeat tone. The only response so far was from some right wing sounding character who only picked up on the supposed increase in sex attacks in Belgium, completely ignoring the Belgian’s own nasty habit of isolating refugee communities within their country. (or is that just my misreading of the muddied reports that come out about refugee life?). It is however depressing to see the countries who most recently joined the EU for their perceived economic benefit are the ones building Trump’s Wall in Europe while our own astonishingly wealthy, but parasitised country virtually washes its hands...

Heather’s Camino: A Short 42km Walking Day to Burgos

As Heather continues walking the Camino, she’s updated us on an epic few days of travel, a bit of stalking and the HEAT!! Burgos So, where was I? Well, what day is it?  Oh , yes, let´s take it from Thurs night.  I stop at a refuge in Viloria de Rioja, obviously a bit new-agey and ethnic and it turns out there are only two of us.  A beautiful room, with wide beds and a few bunks.  I open the shower room door and there´s Andrew!  Oh, it was lovely to see someone I knew and we were the only two in the refugio.  It was a superb night´s rest, talking to the hospitaleros who had also been hospitaleros on The Meseta for a long time. Now, if you´ve read The Alchemist, the plot thickens.  There were pictures all over the walls, of Paulo Coelho who wrote The...

Happy Camino Birthday in Burgos and a Day Off Walking

Happy Camino Birthday in Burgos and a Day Off Walking

Miles of walking and flying away from family and old friends, Heather celebrated her latest birthday with her new found “family”. Burgos Part 2 and Happy Birthday Time. Hallo,  Tuesday I think, 3rd August. And I am up to date with ALL e-mails.  That´s an achievement, and I owe its accomplishment to the fact that a) other people have siestas and b) I´m just doing short 20km days, so am arriving by afternoons.  Not all refuges have coin-in-the-slot Internet. Well, these 20km days feel like a stroll in the park as I think I´ve already said to someone.  As if I haven´t done anything. Let´s go back to Burgos – my head is full of exciting things to tell and you know how I can get sidetracked!  As you remember I collapsed into Ulrike and Alessandro´s...

Azofra Offers New Meet a Criminal Service. Get your Skull Duggered Here!

Azofra is clearly the place to go to meet the local crims.  Skulls get duggered and there’s even a demon subscription service being set up for the crossing of the Meseta.  I’ll let Heather clarify. Skulduggery in Azofra!! Hi Everyone, I not sure that’s how you spell skulduggery.  Anyway, I in (sorry, can stop laughing, this computer won let me do some letters or apostrophes)[Don’t worry, Heather I’ll sort it on an English keyboard – for a while anyhow!!].  Well you’ll have to puzzle out what I’m saying.   [In fact I’m not going to sort it – it’s far more amusing the way it arrived! ;-)] So in a village of 230 inhabitants at 938 metres, at 18.15, it appears to be rush hour. Well I blowed if I can...

Descansar in Navarette! Heather’s Learned to Chill!!

Too flippin’ hot! Hallo! And I hope it’s not as hot for you as here.  Even the Spanish and Italians can’t cope! Well,  I think I left you when I was staggering around Lograno, trying to get my hip to work properly. In the morning, it was all fine.  I followed the arrows out of Lograno (left at 8.am which is marginally better – Gill´s having a blue fit at the thoughts of these leaving-in-the-morning-times!), walked through the massive 5km park where the Spanish were out for their morning jog, run, cycle etc and on my own, when suddenly, I seized up.  To use Joe Simpson´s words, I was stuffed.  Terminado.  Finito.  What Ray would say would be. “You ok, Blue?” No, I definitely wasn´t. Well, there was a fine kettle of fish.  I...