round the world travel

Stranded in Penang after a side trip to Singapore

December 19, 2012 Malaysia Singapore Travel Tips

We’re on our way to Thailand, and have been for about a month.  The problem is that we keep getting distracted with other interesting places along the way and our side trip to Singapore was no exception.  With mixed reviews about Singapore – some rave about it while others deplore how Westernized the city has become – we decided to check it out for ourselves and are we ever glad that we did.

With a population of just over 5 million sprawled over 710 square kilometres squeezed onto an island, Singapore is the capital of the country by the same name which is comprised of 63 islands of varying sizes. Singapore is sandwiched between Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south. We travelled from Kuching to Singapore by air on a very cheap AirAsia flight (about $60 CAD each). But the savings ended there, as we knew they would, having been forewarned that Singapore is a very expensive city to visit.

This probably wasn’t the place to decide we have had enough of hostel living, but that’s how we felt so we stepped up our accommodations a notch and we splurged on a room in the Hotel Re, a 4 star boutique hotel decked out in a 70’s retro theme.  For reasons unknown to us, we were upgraded to a deluxe room with city views on the 10th floor.  Our room was large by any standard, but especially so for Singapore, not to mention the modern and spacious ensuite bathroom. Maybe we’ve been living in hostels for too long, but we loved everything about this room and enjoyed every minute of our stay there: the wall-to-wall windows overlooking the city, the complimentary snacks and drinks that were refilled each day, the cotton slippers and robes, a modern 42 inch flat screen TV with English channels, good quality linens and pillows on the beds.  Heck, we even had our own night table and lamp – we were living it up here in Singapore.  Located on the edge of Chinatown, within a ten minute walk to the Metro station, and a two minute walk to the bus stop, it was easy to get around on foot or with public transportation.

Singapore is renowned for its urban sprawl and is often criticized for the resulting loss of primary rainforest so we were impressed to see so much green space every where we went.  The 183-acre Botanic Garden was a surprising oasis of both manicured gardens and wild rainforest  located in the heart of the city.  Within the Garden, The National Orchid Garden is home to the world’s largest collection of orchids, many of which were in bloom this time of year.  Imagine, we actually saw flowers in bloom for a change!  This free public garden is a popular place to go for a run or just a meander.  The entrance fee to the Orchid Garden is $5 SGD ($1 SGD = $0.80CAD) and is probably the best bargain in town.  If you ever find yourself in Singapore, go visit this garden – you won’t  be disappointed.  Our only regret was that we didn’t have more time to explore. We spent 6-7 hours there, and barely scratched the surface.

During December, Orchard Road, a world renowned shopping Mecca that attracts thousands of visitors each year, is lit up with a dazzling display of Christmas lights.  The street  has been declared to have the “World’s Best Holiday Lights” by Frommer’s, and to be one of  “The Top Ten Christmas Markets of the World” by Lonely Planet, well-deserved accolades in our opinion. It’s best to visit after 7:00 pm when the lights go on!

Throughout our three days, we wandered through the various neighbourhoods like Chinatown and Little India, visited temples and mosques, and learned about the rich cultural history of this fascinating city.  It is indeed very Westernized in many ways, but this was something we enjoyed, feeling more at home here than we have anywhere else in a while.  For example, we stumbled upon a grocery store that reminded us of the Waitrose chain we shopped at in the UK last summer; it even carried that brand of products.  It was just so comforting to see products and food that we recognized for a change. What can I say, we’ve been travelling a long time, and sometimes we miss what is familiar.

 

The cleanliness throughout the city was notable too and understandable when we later learned there are stiff penalties for littering – $500 SGD – strictly enforced.  Imagine, education and strong deterrents work!  We also noticed there was absolutely no graffiti anywhere, not even in the Metro stations.   The city’s recent prosperity and dense urbanization has resulted in some pretty incredible architecture, yet the city felt spacious and uncrowded, unlike other large urban centres we have been to lately.

In short, we loved Singapore and could even imagine ourselves living there for a while.  It was definitely a worthwhile side trip.

The island of Penang was our final stop before heading to Thailand.  Georgetown had been described as a must-see city with its rich colonial heritage and architecture to match.  Besides, we could get our Thai Visa from the Thai Consulate in Penang so we could kill two birds with one stone (see travel tip below).  We booked a couple of nights at the lovely Hotel Penaga located right on the edge of the historic district and a few nights at the 4 star Flamingo on the Beach hotel which was located close to Feringgi Beach, another popular destination.  Still not in the mood for hostel living, we’re living it up a bit (and enjoying every second I might add) with these nicer hotel choices.

Hotel Penaga – One of the nicest places we’ve stayed in a while!

Views from our 8th floor room at the Flamingo on the Beach resort.

Georgetown had its charm but we found ourselves wondering what all the fuss was about.  Maybe we’ve seen too much of Malaysia because honestly, this city didn’t look much different from the other places we’ve seen already.  Every town in Malaysia has a “Little India” and a  “Chinatown” as well as temples, mosques, and colonial buildings, reminders of its past history as a British colony.

Perhaps our enthusiasm for Penang was hampered because we were distracted, and increasingly frustrated trying to figure out where to go in Thailand.  Our plan was to find a nice, cheap little place on a quiet beach where we could sit tight for a month or so.  But it was not to be.  This is high season in Thailand, and Christmas is probably the worse time to visit.  It seemed everything was booked solid, and what was available, was ridiculously overpriced for what you got.  Not to mention how crowded everything was going to be.  Our lovely beach fantasy was quickly swept out to sea!  Now what?

We spent a lot of time researching our options but we kept coming up with nothing.  It turns out this is the most popular time to visit Thailand, and this year in particular, Thailand is experiencing a surge in tourism.  That’s great for Thailand, but not so good for us.  This is definitely one of the down sides of not planning ahead – sometimes, especially during peak times, you can find yourself shit out of luck.  Finally, we decided we would skip the beaches for now and head up to Chiang Mai in the north where we would look for an apartment.  We both want to settle down in one place for a month or two to take a break from travelling and to spend some time focusing on a couple of projects we have in mind.

Once our destination was decided, all we needed to do was book our train tickets to Bangkok and away we could go.  Naively, we thought we could purchase our tickets a day or two ahead which is generally true but not in high season.  When we arrived at the ticket office, the lady practically laughed at us – the train was booked solid for the next two weeks! So how were we going to get to Thailand?  Back to our hotel for more research, and a request to the hotel to stay another day to give us time to sort out our transportation.

We had two options – bus or plane and in the end we opted for both.  The bus trip would take more than two days including two overnight bus rides.  And there were no direct flights either.  The best we could find (and it wasn’t cheap) was with a 10 hour stop-over in Bangkok.  So we decided to fly direct to Bangkok (1.5 hours) and then take the overnight bus from Bangkok (9 hours).  With our transportation figured out, we enjoyed our final day in Penang hanging out by the pool and the beach.  Thailand, here we come!

Travel Tip: Getting a Thai Visa while in Penang is super easy. You will need your passport, two standard passport photos, a photocopy of your passport and 110 ringgits (about $35 CAD).  No need to fill out the Visa application form in advance as they will give you one when to complete when you arrive.  You can even get your passport photos (20 ringgits for 4 photos) and have your passport photocopied (2 ringgits) from the guy working out of his car turned office  just outside the Consulate gates.  Or you can go to the Komtar shopping complex in Georgetown and get your passport photos and photocopy there (12 ringgits for 4 photos).  But be sure to have enough money with you as the Consulate is located in a suburban area where there are no ATM machines.

The Royal Thai Consulate is located in the suburbs at:  1 Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahma which is a little out of the way but it is still easily accessible by bus.  Take bus 101 in either direction (from Georgetown to Feringgi Beach, or vice versa) and get off at the corner of Jalan Burma and Jalan Cantonment.  Tell the bus driver you are going to the Thai Consulate – just about everybody knows where it is.  If you need money, get it from one of the many ATMs in this area as there are no ATMs near the Consulate.

It’s a pleasant 20 minute walk along Jalan Cantonment to Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahma where you turn right and then left at the first street.  The Consulate is on the right hand side of the street, opposite a school.  The roads are well signed, but the Consulate isn’t.  Just follow these directions and you should find it without too much trouble.  Of course, you can just take a taxi which will probably cost about 25 ringgits each way.  But it’s much cheaper by bus – only 1.40 ringgit each way.  Or you might get lucky like we did when we asked a guy how to get to the Consulate from where the bus deposited us on Jalan Burma and he gave us a drive there.

When you arrive at the Consulate, you will be asked to sign in at the guard desk where they check that you have everything you need for your application.  You are then directed to another wicket where you are given the blank application form.  After completing the form, you submit it along with your passport, photos, passport copy and the fee.  You are given a receipt and told to return at 3:30 in the afternoon at which time you simply line up and collect your passport which now has a 60-day single entry Thai Tourist Visa pasted into it.  Note that you cannot get a multiple entry visa from this Consulate.

If you’re applying for anything other than a tourist visa, you may want to  verify that it is possible at this Consulate as our experience is limited to getting a tourist visa only.

A pseudo jungle experience in Borneo

November 27, 2012 Malaysia

After spending five days in the Peruvian jungle a few years ago, we thought we were prepared for the jungles of Borneo.  With visions of wild orangutans, herds of pygmy elephants and troops of proboscis monkeys dancing in our heads, we made our way to the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge where we planned to spend 3 days and 2 nights exploring this natural wonderland. The area has been touted as a must see attraction so understandably our expectations were set quite high.  We were prepared to suffer through unbearable heat and humidity, attacks of tenacious mosquitoes and whatever other discomforts nature sent our way with hopes of being rewarded with seeing some amazing wildlife in their natural habitat.

The first thing we noticed when we took the small motor boat across the river to the Lodge was how close it was to other homes and lodges. It was anything but remote. The Lodge itself was very comfortable, in fact far more comfortable than we had expected. Our private cabin with ensuite bathroom would put many of our recent hostel stays to shame.Tasty meals were served up in the communal dining room; they even had wifi available although it was pretty slow. We were definitely not roughing it on this jungle journey.

Our program included four river boat excursions, two night walks and one three hour trek through the jungle.  It was a full schedule, and I found it a challenge to keep up as I was still sick with what I was sure was another throat infection.  On each outing we saw lots of monkeys, mainly long tailed macaques and proboscis monkeys.  It didn’t take us long to spot the monkeys as we cruised down the river.  The rustling of leaves in the branches was a sure indication monkeys were about.  I loved watching them leap through the trees fearlessly as they raced from one tree to the next.  Often they just sat quietly in the tree branches, grooming each other meticulously.

Long tailed macaque staring at us from the riverbank.

Proboscis mother and child getting ready to leap to another tree.

During one of our outings, we saw a mother/offspring pair of wild Orangutans chomping away on fruit in a tree high above us.  But the highlight for me was seeing a newborn long tailed macaque; it was still wet from its birth.  We witnessed its tentative first steps along the branches, with mama watching close by.

Wild Orangutan “toddler”.

Newborn long tailed macaque.

Baby long tailed macaque with its mother.

Typical pose of a proboscis monkey.

There were a few bird sightings along the river, the most impressive being the Hornbill.  There were lots of eagles, colourful kingfishers, and we even saw an owl at the start of one of our night walks.  The night walks were rather disappointing as there wasn’t much to see in spite of our best efforts to walk quietly.  We saw a few birds sleeping on low branches which was something I had never seen before, a few insects and a frog.  That’s it.  During our three hour jungle trek where we traipsed through mud as high as our rubber boots, we saw nothing, not a single form a life.  It was a complete bust.    And no, we did not see the pygmy elephants either.  Apparently they were somewhere upstream, about 70 km away.  All in all, it was a rather disappointing experience in terms of the minimal wildlife we saw.

Male Hornbill eating berries in a tree.

Male and female Hornbills.  Can you see the difference?

Kingfisher seen during our night walk.

Both the rainforest and its inhabitants have been severely affected by human activity.  The rainforest itself is second generation meaning it had previously been razed by humans. There are signs of Palm Oil plantations everywhere, encroaching more and more on this natural habitat.  What was once a vast forested region, is now a forest corridor along the Kinabatangan River, connecting the coastal mangrove swamps with the upland forests.  At least the area is now protected under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment which went into effect in 1997.  Hopefully as the forest regenerates itself, its inhabitants will have the chance to flourish once again.

Video:  Monkeying around in Borneo
 

Meeting the man of the forest in Borneo

November 27, 2012 Malaysia

After exploring the underwater world off the coast of Borneo for three days, we were ready to discover the natural wonders of the jungle.  Our first stop was the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre where orphaned Orangutans are rescued and then nurtured to maturity in a 23 sq km protected area at the edge of the Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve.  Each year many adult organ utans are killed because of illegal logging and deforestation activities, leaving their young offspring to die.  Others have been illegally caught and kept as pets.  Today, there are about 25 young orphaned oOrangutans living at the centre in addition to those living freely in the reserve. The centre is open to tourists who visit during the twice daily feeding times in order to catch a glimpse of these adorable creatures.

It was an easy 4.5 hour bus ride from Semporna to Sepilok Junction where the bus deposited us on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere. We had been told it was a 3 km walk to our hostel (Sepilok Jungle Resort) which was next to the Centre, but if we were lucky, a car might offer us a lift for a few ringgits.  Luck was definitely on our side that morning.  Not only did the torrential rain stop as soon as we were dropped off, but a car approached us within minutes to offer us a ride.

We had two nights booked at the Sepilok Jungle Resort which allowed us a full day to visit the Centre and the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre.  After reading mixed reviews about this resort, we were pleasantly surprised with our very spacious, comfortable room tucked amidst a lovely, tropical garden setting.  It turns out we were staying at the more posh end of the resort with prices to match.  The other end offers up basic, hostel-like accommodations at more reasonable rates.  At $50 CAD per night for a large double room with ensuite, we were paying about double the rate of our other accommodations in Malaysia.  But it was worth every penny!  The hotel restaurant served up tasty, reasonably priced meals too.  There was a very inviting pool which unfortunately we didn’t have time to use.

By the time we arrived at the resort, I was feeling sick again.  My sore throat had returned with a vengeance and my energy was very low.  I pushed myself since we only had the one day to visit the Orangutans and I didn’t want to miss it because of a stupid cold.  The Centre cannot guarantee that visitors will see Orangutans because they really are living in the wild and may or may not choose to visit the feeding platform for some free bananas.  The day of our visit, they were out in full force, including a huge male who rarely comes to the platform.  Apparently, he’s looking for a mate, so he has been showing up about once a month lately.  In the afternoon, another male, much smaller than the one we saw in the morning, found himself a female to his liking, and mated her right there and then as we all watched in amazement.

Before the feedings began, I had a close encounter with a group of long tailed macaque monkeys.  After walking ahead beyond the feeding platform towards the exit, a dozen or so monkeys appeared on the railings about a hundred feet away from me.  I was alone and to my astonishment, they all started walking towards me, pausing and staring at me with as much curiosity towards me as I had for them.  I got a little nervous when a large male stopped beside me and glared with piercing eyes, baring his teeth like he meant business.  There was really nowhere for me to go because I was surrounded by them, so I carefully avoided eye contact and stood still to let him pass; after all, these monkeys are wild and have been known to be aggressive, especially if they feel threatened.  I got some great video footage which you can see at the end of this post.

In between feedings, we walked to the Rainforest Discovery Centre  about a kilometre away. While this environmental education centre is geared towards teachers and students, it is open to everyone. Their mission is to create public awareness and appreciation for the importance of conserving forests, as well as the sustainable use of forest resources. Arriving in the middle of the day, when it was stinking hot guaranteed we would see no animals.  They were all taking a siesta which we should have done too.  The only animal we saw was a long tailed squirrel, which looked exactly like a squirrel in Canada, except it had a long tail.  Even though we didn’t see any wildlife or birds or flowers for that matter, we did enjoy the 300 m long canopy walkway, which was 25 m above the forest floor, giving us a great perspective of the rainforest from above. There is a vast network of many kilometres of well kept trails throughout the rainforest too. The dense forest canopy kept us surprisingly dry when it poured rain a few times during our visit.

The highlight of our day were the Orangutans, which we saw again at the afternoon feeding back at the Rehabilitation Centre.  These endangered apes only live in Borneo and Sumatra so it was a real thrill to see them up close like we did.  Their numbers are declining because their habitat has decreased rapidly, mainly because of the conversion of large areas of the tropical forest to palm oil plantations.  Everywhere we went, we saw miles and miles of these plantations, visible reminders of the shrinking forest.  Sharing 96.4 % of our DNA, it’s not surprising that these apes act so human-like and are so endearing to us.  These gentle primates are highly intelligent and have the ability to reason and think.  In Malay, Orangutan means “man of the forest”, a fitting name, don’t you think?

Our next stop is at a jungle lodge on the Kinitabangan River where we will spend three days and 2 nights exploring the wildlife along the river banks and into the jungle interior.  We hope to see Orangutans in the wild as well as the funny looking proboscis monkeys. If we’re lucky, we might even spot a pygmy elephant.

Video:  The Man of the Jungle and a Troop of Macaques
 

Playing with sharks and turtles in the Celebes Sea

November 22, 2012 Malaysia

Sipadan Island is reputed to be one of the best diving spots in the world, some even say it is one of the top three, but as we found out, it can be hit or miss during monsoon season.  When we learned that Sipadan Island is in the center of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, teaming with more than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species, we weren’t going to let a little rain get in the way of our fun. Besides, people usually book months in advance to secure a diving spot because there is a strictly enforced daily diving limit of 120 people on Sipadan Island. This government imposed regulation is in place to protect this fragile eco-system.  When we managed to snag a couple of dive spots at the last minute, we decided to go for it.

But first we had to get there. Sipadan Island is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the seabed, located in the Celebes Sea off the east coast of Sabah, about 600 km from Kota Kinabalu. There are two ways to get there – by road or by air.  Almost immediately, I regretted our decision to travel by bus.  We thought the bus would give us a chance to see some of the countryside. I didn’t anticipate getting car sick as the bus rocked from side to side as we twisted our way through the mountains. It took 11 hours to reach Semporna during which time I slept most of the way thanks to Gravol. Again, our trusty medicine bag to the rescue.

We stayed overnight in Semporna at the Sipadan Inn, a very comfortable and clean hotel with excellent air conditioning.  Early the next morning, as we were kitted up with our dive gear, we met Denise, a fellow Canadian who had booked the same package as us: 1 day diving at Sipadan Island and a 2 day/2 night diving package at Mabul Island for a total of 9 dives in 3 days – a lot for us.  We  booked our package through Sipidan.com and we think we got good value for our money.

It takes one hour by boat to reach Sipadan Island.  The island itself is very much what you would imagine a remote, tropical island to be – powder white sandy beach, turquoise waters, palm trees swaying ever so gently in the breeze.  Simply stunning.  After each dive, we had a break on the island, but we were restricted to one specific area, no exploring allowed.

In spite of the poor visibility, the sea served up a vast array of strange and wonderful looking creatures and plants. There were lots of white tipped sharks, huge green and hawksbill turtles, and loads of other colourful fish we had never seen before.  The corals were spectacular, not so much in their colours, but in their size and shapes.

For me the most amazing experience happened near the end of the second dive when we came across a massive school of Jackfish; there must have been thousands of them.  As I casually swam along side them, they would shift their patterns to encircle me and before I knew it, I was in the middle of them, everywhere I looked there was a thick wall of Jackfish. Simply amazing.  The most unusual fish we saw were the Bumphead parrotfish which  is the largest species of parrotfish.   These fish were big, about 4 feet long, and up to 100 pounds in weight.  Their large, protruding  teeth gave them a rather menacing appearance which kept me at a safe distance.

After our three dives at Sipadan, we were dropped off at Mabul Island, 20 km away, where we would spend the next two nights at our “resort”.  This small island has been a fishing village since the 1970s, but more recently it has become popular to divers, mainly because of its proximity to Sipadan.  Several resorts, ranging from bare bone to luxury, along with a large village of locals are all crammed onto this 20-hectare piece of land that sits just 2–3 meters above sea level.

My heart sank as we climbed out of our boat onto the deck of our resort.  I knew we had opted for budget accommodations, but this was really basic, and frankly, quite grim.  Our resort was really nothing more than a long, rectangular wooden structure on stilts overhanging the water.  At one end was three long tables with plastic patio chairs where we ate all our meals and hung out, and at the other end was the kitchen, shared bathroom and staff quarters.  In between, about 10 small rooms lined both sides of the building.  Each room had a window and was equipped with a bed, a table and a fan.  This really did give us an opportunity to see what it was like to live as the locals live.  It was okay for a couple of nights, but I wouldn’t have wanted to live here for a few months like the instructors do.

Entrance to our resort from the island.

Inside view of the resort looking towards the kitchen. 

Island living:  It was common to see young children, under five years of age,
butt naked, paddling around in little dugout canoes.  The sea was their playground.

At over $1,000 p/p per night, these luxury bungalows
on the water were way out of our league.
What a sharp contrast to how the locals live.

Beautiful sunsets were free for all to enjoy!

As we have discovered, it is often the people that make the experience and this place was no exception.  We met the dive instructors – Ann and Gary, a couple originally from the UK, and Matt who was from Slovenia.  All three had just arrived a few days earlier and were still getting oriented.  Mohammed was the resident dive master who knew the outlying waters like the back of his hand.  Alex was another instructor who was on his way out after doing a three month stint.  There was only one other guest, Jenny, an older Asian woman from Spain.  And of course, there was the staff who worked hard to keep the place spotlessly clean, and to prepare our meals and snacks.

Our dives were varied, but most were shallow, less than 20 metres.  I saw underwater wrecks for the first time as well as some man made reefs which are underwater structures that are made out of wood, rope, tires, and whatever else is available, and which over time become transformed into lovely reefs with lots of plants and fish.  Most of this diving was macro, where we saw smaller things.  Up until now, it was the big things that excited me, like sharks and turtles, but soon I was appreciating the smaller things too.  The visibility was quite poor most of the time, around 10 metres, which made some of the wreck diving downright eerie.

Each day it rained, often really hard, and usually when we were heading out for a dive which was rather miserable and not much fun at all.  But it never lasted very long and soon the seas would calm down and the sun would be shining again.  The rain cooled things off a bit which was quite welcome in the unbearable heat and humidity.  We practically lived in our swim suits so it didn’t really matter if we got wet from the rain.  I think the worst part of diving in the rainy season was the low visibility. Other than that, it was great.

Video:  Diving in Borneo

We ended our diving excursion back on land with a final night at the Sipadan Inn where Denise was staying as well.  Ann and Gary had a couple of days off, so they came back with us. As we were getting ourselves organized to go out for dinner in the hotel lobby, a man approached us to tell us about his menu that night.  His makeshift kitchen was set up in front of a bar a couple of doors down. We had already decided to eat Indian food, but this guy was pretty convincing, and it didn’t take more than a taste of his home fries, to capture my vote. Besides, the bar where we would eat his dinner served beer and the Indian restaurant didn’t, so it was seafood for us that night, and what a feast we had.  A couple of plates of complimentary sushi were served as starters, followed by a set menu that included the best grilled squid I have ever had, delectable scampi, and several fillets of fish, all nicely de-boned and grilled to perfection.  It was a fitting end to a fun diving excursion.

Before dinner, Denise (center) and Ann (right) were finishing up the final
review of material for the Advanced course that Denise
successfully completed while on Mabul Island.  Way to go Denise! 

The next morning we were up bright and early to catch the 7:30 am bus to Sandakan where a jungle adventure awaited us.

A new low in Israel

November 11, 2012 Israel Middle East

During our week in Jerusalem, we squeezed in a couple of day trips that we organized ourselves using public transportation which is very easy to use, affordable, reliable and comfortable.  We spent half a day exploring the ruins of Masada which is Israel’s most popular paid tourist attraction, we indulged in an afternoon floating 423 metres below sea level in the Dead Sea, and we ventured over  the border to Palestine to spend a few hours exploring Bethlehem.

Masada is an ancient fortification on top of  an isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea.  This is the place where 960 Jewish extremists known as the Sicarii committed mass suicide after being holed up here for months under seige by the troops of the Roman Empire.  This all happened shortly after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.

When we arrived at about 9:30 in the morning, it was already close to 40C making the decision to walk up the mountain or take the cable car an easy one to make. The air-conditioned cable car whisked us to the top in just five minutes giving us lots of time to explore this impressive archaeological site on the mountain top.  The audio guide that we purchased in addition to our entrance fee tickets was one of the best we have ever heard and well worth the extra cost.  As we walked through the ruins, the narrator explained what each area was, as well as provided a captivating history lesson.

Aside from the infamous seige and mass suicide, I knew very little about this site.  According to the 1st century Jewish Roman historian, Josephus Flavius, Masada was fortified by Herod the Great between 37 and 31 BCE as a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt.   We saw the remains of the two grand palaces at opposite ends of the hill top, Roman bath houses, the synogogue built by the rebels, the elaborate water system including huge cisterns, and many storerooms.  There was enough water and food stored on this hill top fortress to support an army for many months, even years.  So why did the Jews commit suicide?

In 72 CE, the Roman army established camps at the base of Masada (the remains of which are clearly visible to this day), laid siege to it and built a circumvallation wall. They then constructed a rampart of thousands of tons of stones and beaten earth against the western approaches of the fortress and, in the spring of the year 74 CE, moved a battering ram up the ramp and breached the wall of the fortress. On the eve of their capture after a 3 year siege, Josephus dramatically recounts the story told to him by two surviving women. The zealots – almost one thousand men, women and children – led by Eleazar ben Ya’ir, decided to burn the fortress and end their own lives, rather than be taken alive by the Romans.

View from the East side where the cliffs are 400 m high.

Dead Sea in the distance.

Massive store houses held years’ worth of provisions.

Ramp on the Western side built by the Romans.

Remains of one of the Roman camps where thousands of
soldiers lived while the city lay under siege. 

At the base of the mountain there is also a museum, admission to which is included with the audio guide. Although the museum is rather unique in that it provides a theatrical re-enactment of the siege of Masada along with a few artefacts, I didn’t find it offered much value.  If you’re short on time, it could easily be skipped.

View of cable car from the top.  We decided to walk down – a thirty minute
descent that wasn’t too hard but it was extremely hot. 

After a full morning at Masada, our next stop was the Dead Sea, earth’s lowest elevation on land, and thus our “new low” in Israel. People have been coming to the Dead Sea for millennia to avail themselves of the therapeutic effects of the water and air in this region.  There are many beautiful resorts all along the Dead Sea, but we decided to visit it on a budget and go to a public beach instead.  Besides, we thought we’d just have a quick dip to see what all the fuss was about, and then head back to Jerusalem.  Little did we know that we would float in the Sea for several hours, even luxuriating in a natural mud bath which left our skin feeling as soft as a baby (although rather stinky I might add), before returning to Jerusalem at sundown.

So, do you really float in the Dead Sea?  Yes, like a cork!  It felt like you had a life preserver on making it very difficult to swim properly.  The water is so salty (8.6 times saltier than the ocean) that you must use extreme caution not to get any water in your eyes.  After losing my balance, I splashed a mere drop or two of water into my eyes causing extreme pain, and forcing me to seek relief with a rinse of fresh water.  Floating around effortlessly in the calm water was so relaxing, we could have spent many more hours there.

Video:  Floating in the Dead Sea

Our final excursion was a visit to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.  In my fertile imagination, I had conjured up a place that looked like a country village with sandy streets where donkeys and oxen were still used for transport.  Instead, we were dropped off on a busy thoroughfare in the middle of this city with a population of about 25,000 people, of whom the majority are Muslim, but it also has one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities.  Located on the central West Bank, just south of Jerusalem, it has been governed by the Palestinian National Authority since 1995.

Bethlehem’s economy is tourist driven, and the main attraction that brings in throngs of tourists each year, peaking during the Christmas season, is of course the place where Jesus was born.  The Church of the Nativity stands in the center of the city — a part of the Manger Square — over a grotto or cave called the Holy Crypt, where Jesus supposedly was born.  We had been duly warned that there would be hordes of tourists and long lines to enter the Holy Crypt, and sure enough, the tour groups were out in full force.  Luckily, people who were not in  tours were allowed to avoid the long lines altogether and enter through the exit, two at a time.  We again saw people venerating this site by kneeling down and kissing the stone upon which the manger supposedly laid.

Manger Square

Around the corner from the church on a street of the same name, is the Milk Grotto where the Holy Family took refuge on their flight to Egypt.  Legend has it that Mary stopped to breastfeed Jesus here, and when she spilt some milk it turned the stone of this cave a “white stone” color.

We had our own little miracle on the road from Bethlehem when we stumbled upon a Starbucks. Our mouths salivated at the thought of a good cup of coffee, something we haven’t had for months, but our hopes were dashed when we realized the coffee shop we were staring at was called Stars and Bucks.  They still made a damn fine cup of coffee, quite possibly the best we’ve had in the Middle East, and a delicious milk shake concoction of ice cream, fresh fruit, nuts and dried fruits which we thoroughly enjoyed after our coffee.

While we were in Bethlehem, we walked to the wall that divides Israel and Palestine. At 8 metres in height, the concrete, graffiti painted wall is a formidable presence.

When returning by bus from Palestine to Jerusalem (Israel), we passed through one check point where our passports were examined carefully.  The Palestinian woman who sat beside me on the bus expressed clear disdain for the guards manning the checkpoint.  She told me in her limited English that I should tell all my friends at home what trouble the Israelis were causing the Palestinian people as exemplified by the border crossing we were passing through.

I must admit that I am quite ignorant about the complex political situation in this region and it is something I will research more fully as our short visit to Israel has certainly piqued my interest.  My one regret during our visit was that we did not take a guided tour that may have given us some insight into both the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives of the complex issues that impact their daily lives.

Market day in El Quseir and dolphins in the Red Sea

September 29, 2012 Egypt Middle East

Diving in the Red Sea was everything we were hoping for and then some.  Over the eight days at Roots Camp, we dove on four days plus Chris did a night dive.  We saw beautiful, colourful coral like we have never seen before.  There was an abundance of fish of all sizes, as well as sea turtles and, much to our amazement, dolphins.  That’s right.  During one of our dives, a group of 10 blue nosed dolphins slowly swam by us, within a couple of metres.  They seemed as curious about as as we were of them.  In fact as the group passed, one turned around to take another look at us and for a moment it looked like he was coming back to play, but in the end he continued on with the rest.  It is was quite something to see dolphins in their natural habitat and in such close proximity.

Creating my own shade in between dives where we had to wait
an hour, usually at mid day under the scorching sun.
My little “tent” proved quite effective.

Most people who stay at Roots Camp dive every single day.  There really isn’t much else to do if you’re not diving so we had to find ways to entertain ourselves on our non-diving days.  It wasn’t difficult.  There was the beach with comfy loungers and umbrellas which we had to ourselves whenever we wanted. No need to rush in the early morning to reserve a chair.  We had the beach all to ourselves at any time of the day.  We spent several evenings lying on the beach star gazing to the gentle sound of waves lapping onto the shore.  The sky was always clear but the bright moonlight limited the number of stars we could see.  And of course there was the house reef where we could snorkel at leisure.

A Praying Mantis – the only one we saw.

I was quite content to lounge around the beach, reading my book all day long (thank goodness for my Kindle) but Chris was drawn to the construction site like a bee to honey.  There was a large crew working on several new chalets and they were under a tight deadline to complete three units before guests arrived on Friday.  Chris was certain they wouldn’t be done in time (for the record, one was completed by 11:00 pm Friday night) and he checked on the crew’s progress each day, keenly interested in their construction techniques and a little aghast by the lack of safety on the work site.  I think Chris was in his element when Steve, the camp manager, asked if he would like a small project to do, one that would require the use of power tools.  And so Chris took on a small woodworking project – a decorative piece of wood to fill in the gap at the top of a door frame.  Chris agreed to build two of them.  In his design, he decided to get creative and add a mosaic element, or I should say, he decided I would add the mosaic to the frame he was building.  I was less than enthusiastic to be drawn into his project because mosaics are a lot of work, they require special tools of which we had none, and they take a lot of time to create.  Seeing Chris’ enthusiasm and happiness working in the workshop, I reluctantly agreed to help out.  I smashed all the tiles with a sledge hammer, my only tool, and created both designs.  But time was running out so I enlisted Chris to help out with the final execution – cementing the tiles down and grouting.  I must admit to some satisfaction when Chris commented on how much work and how difficult it was to do the mosaics, he had no idea they were so hard to do.  And to his credit, his mosaic turned out pretty good.  And so we left our mark, good or bad, on Roots Camp.

When Clare, the other camp manager (and Steve’s wife) told us she was going to the market in El Quseir to purchase all the fruit and vegetables for the camp, she invited us to come along, I jumped at the opportunity to explore a local, non-tourist market.   Chris was reluctant to venture back into town as he hated being harassed by all the shop keepers and still didn’t feel comfortable in his surroundings.  But in the end, he came along to support me as it is much better for a woman to be accompanied by a man when in public.  The market was busy and the produce was abundant.  Everything is shipped in from Luxor since nothing grows locally.  Live animals like sheep and chicken were also sold at the market.  It was a great place to people watch.  I noticed most of the women  were dressed  in heavy black garments, covered head to toe.  I wondered how they coped with the heat.  The men wore airy, light colored galabeyas which seemed much more sensible in the heat.

As our week wore on, more and more guests arrived until the camp had reached full capacity on Friday night.  What a difference from the first seven days when there were only three other guests.  Chris and I preferred the peace and quiet we enjoyed earlier in the week, although when a large group of French guests invited us to join them for cocktail hour, we didn’t mind one bit 🙂

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Roots Camp and diving with Pharaoh Dive Club and would recommend both whole heartedly.  The staff at Pharaoh Dive Club were professional, experienced and went out of their way to make sure we had a good diving experience.  At Roots Camp, we ate well and abundantly all week, enjoyed clean facilities, slept in comfy rooms even though we were mere “hut dwellers”, and made some new friends to boot.  All in all it was a great experience.

Video: El Quseir

This afternoon we travelled to Luxor by private vehicle organized by Steve, the camp manager.  There isn’t much between El Quseir and Luxor – miles and miles of dirt, stone, and sand. As you approach Luxor, the first thing you notice is the greenery – trees and grass and then the land turns agricultural.  It truly is an oasis in the middle of the desert.  We will be in Luxor until Monday and have a full program lined up between now and then, thanks to the capable and helpful Tour Agency associated with our hotel, Hotel Nefertiti.  We’ll be sure to tell you all about it in the days to come.  On Monday, we embark on a five-day Nile cruise down to Aswan.  We will be visiting many temples and important archaeological sites along the way.  We will spend next weekend in Aswan and then we plan to travel to Cairo by train.  But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.  Right now, I must finish off this post as we have a very early start tomorrow.

In search of ship-ships in Egypt

September 25, 2012 Egypt Middle East

As we walked through the town under the veil of darkness, my hopes for finding ship-ships quickly evaporated.  Now and then the headlights of a passing car cast fleeting beams of light, just enough to give us a glimpse of the shops lining the street and outlines of people milling about in the shadows. I could see ship ships in the shops but there was no way I was going to enter without any light.  Our first foray into town left us feeling somewhat unnerved as half the town, the half we were in, was completely blacked out, apparently a common occurrence in El Quseir.   Ship ships, as flip flops are known in Egypt, would have to wait for another day.

But I am getting a little ahead of myself.  We arrived in Hurghada, Egypt last Thursday and promptly headed south about 150 km to a dive camp just outside of El Quseir.  Hurghada is a tourist mecca where hordes of Europeans flock to the many four and five star all-inclusive hotels.  While the all-inclusive deal is tempting, these hotels are so insulated from their surroundings, they could be anywhere.  We came to Egypt to experience the real thing, not be coddled in some Western style hotel.

So here we are in the middle of nowhere, spending nine days at Roots Camp which is a no-frills, back-to-basics camp that is a retreat for serious divers. (I know, we’re just beginner divers, but they let us stay anyways.)  We opted for the cheaper Eco Hut accommodations. Our hut has walls of stone and bamboo, a tiled floor and a straw roof. Should it rain, we would be in trouble, but considering the last time it rained was ten years ago, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.  We have a fan and two windows that provides a nice cross breeze.  We could have splurged on a room with air conditioning and an ensuite bathroom but we’re tightening our belts in this final leg of our adventure and figured we would be just fine in the hut.   And it has been fine.  It cools down at night so we sleep comfortably like babies. It is, however, quite intolerable during the day.

Our hut.  Notice our laundry in front. Steve and Claire generously let us use
their washing machine.  Clothes were dry within about 20 minutes. 

Our running route.

Enjoying our private beach…I think this was Monday morning.
What were you doing on Monday morning? 

The communal bathrooms are large, modern and clean.  There’s not many guests right now, and with only one other woman staying in a hut, we virtually have the bathrooms to ourselves.  There is a main lodge that is multi purpose, housing the kitchen, bar, dining room and a lounge area.  We are on a meal plan and have three meals per day, but nothing in between.  The food has been delicious for the most part, an eclectic mix of dishes created by the Egyptian chef.

The camp is about five years old and it continues to be a work in progress.  More rooms are currently under construction, there are plans for a swimming pool and more projects on the beach which is across the road, about 300m away.  The Pharaoh Dive Club is right on site making it really easy to organize your dives.  The camp is run by a friendly, down to earth British couple, Steve and Claire, who offered us a lot of insight into what it is like to live in Egypt.

Three of these rooms must be ready for guests arriving on Friday.
Will they make it in time? 

We have gone diving for two days so far and Chris has done a night dive too.  I passed on the night dive, some might even say I wimped out.  Call it what you wish, I just wasn’t interested in diving at night when I am still trying to get the hang of diving in the daytime.  We have seen beautiful coral reefs and lots of sea life.  We hope to dive another day or two before the week is over.

As you can imagine, it is incredibly hot and the sun is intense in the desert.  The heat is dry which I think is more bearable.  There is sand and dust everywhere.  Everything is coated in dust – clothes, shoes, towels.  There is just no escaping it.  I have not adjusted well to this new climate and country; I’ve had a headache and upset stomach every day since our arrival.  I think it’s a combination of the heat, the sun, and the food.  I feel even worse after each dive as I have had sea sickness each time.  It’s been windy all week which means rough sea conditions which equates to sea sickness for me, even though we are doing shore dives.  It hasn’t been fun.

BBQ on the beach, Egyptian style, after the night dive.

Claire and Steve, the camp managers, on the beach.

I must admit, we are experiencing some culture shock, much like we did when we arrived in South America.  The landscape is like none we have seen before – bare, hilly lands of sand and stone for as far as the eye can see, garbage everywhere, and the only vegetation is that which has been cultivated surrounding the hotels.  Men wear traditional gallibayas and women are covered head to toe in spite of the heat.  In El Quseir there is little evidence of Western influence as people live here much the same way as they did thousands of years ago.  We are definitely off the beaten track!

Christina watches as Claire demonstrates how to buy fabric.

I finally did get my ship-ships. We ventured into town yesterday afternoon and spent about an hour wandering about.  We were accosted every step of the way by children who wanted money, by men offering to give us a tour of the town, and by shopkeepers who insisted we come into their shop.  Neither of us enjoyed the harassment, but Chris especially found it unpleasant.  When we told Claire and Steve about our experience, they laughed at us, telling us to wait until we get to Luxor and Cairo where people are much more aggressive and persistent.  In spite of this, I did manage to find a pair of flip flops, but before I could purchase them, the shopkeeper insisted on demonstrating to me the various ways of wearing scarves.  He literally grabbed me, took off my hat and sun glasses, and then proceeded to wrap me up in scarves.  I was dying from the heat and kept saying no, I just want ship ships, but he was pretty persistent.  Finally, he gave up, and we proceeded to negotiate for my flip flops.  His opening price was 120 Egyptian Pounds which is about $20 CAD.  Ridiculous price for a cheap pair of plastic flip flops.  I said I didn’t want to spend more than 20.  I didn’t even realize we were negotiating because I thought we were so far apart that we would never find agreement.  Imagine my surprise when he agreed to 30 EGP, about 5 CAD.  Sold!

 

 Travel Tip:  Canadians must have a Tourist Visa before entering Egypt.  You can purchase the visa at the airport, but beware where you purchase it because prices can vary.  It should only cost $15 US or the equivalent in Egyptian Pounds.  At the Hurghada airport, you can purchase your Visa from one of several counters that are set up in the middle of the room.  One desk has a huge sign above it that says:  Visas $15 US.  There was a huge line up in front of this desk.  The other counters are travel agents who will sell you a Visa at a higher price; the one we went to wanted to charge us 20 Euro.  Or you can go to the bank counter which is on the wall at the back of the room.  It looks like this is for money changing only, but you can buy your Visa at any of the bank counters and it only costs $15US.

 

Camino de Santiago: Day 24 (Christina)

June 24, 2012 Camino Christina Camino de Santiago Europe Spain

From Sarria to Portomarin (22 km)

I dilly dally this morning and don´t get on the road until 8:30.  I had a great sleep in my private room last night and actually sleep in until 7:30.  I pop into the Albergue that did my laundry to check my email and then I stop again for breakfast.  I couldn´t resist the breakfast buffet on offer, such a nice change from the usual breakfast of coffee and white toast or croissant.  There was fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, an assortment of juices, cakes and toast.

The weather is strange this morning.  The air is quite crisp, and there are big clouds in the sky, some even threaten rain.  But when the sun peeks through, it is quite hot.  I can´t get comfortable this morning, I am either too hot or too cold.  And it doesn´t  help that the trail is still very hilly, so I get really hot as I go up, and then cool off as I go down.  The scenery is just as beautiful as yesterday.  But today I feel quite tired and I walk more slowly than usual.

View of Sarria as I leave town.

The Camino is very crowded today. Sarria is about 110 km from Santiago and many people start their journey here.  It feels very touristy all of a sudden where people are wearing their city clothes and city shoes, they look and smell fresh and clean, they are talking on their cell phones, carry little day packs or even handbags.  You can easily spot the pilgrims who have been walking many days….we don´t look too clean, and we probably don´t smell all that great either.  Our packs are larger and definitely more worn out.  Everyone I talk to today is talking about the change of atmosphere on the Camino….and we are very disappointed with this change.  It seems like we are in the middle of a tourist attraction now.

The 100 km marker is popular – everyone wants a picture of it.
I can’t believe I am so close to Santiago, but still days away. 

Five km from Portomarin, I run into Arpad, one of my new Camino friends and one of the pilgrims I had dinner with a few nights ago when Alex was trying to get a rise out of me over taking the bus.  He is still walking very slowly, but I decided to slow down to his pace and walk into Portomarin with him.  We have such an interesting conversation along the way.  First he observes what a spiritual person he thinks I am based on the way I handled Alex and the bus issue. We talk a lot about being in the present, in the moment.  We hear this so much these days, but it really is difficult to practice.  He talks about not being attached, which he believes is the way to real happiness and contentment.  He follows the teachings of a spiritual leader named Eckhart Tolle, a German who lives in Canada.  He is surprised I have never heard of him. I must admit I find many of the concepts he is talking about quite difficult to grasp and he urges me to listen to Tolle.  I am quite fascinated by these new ideas.

Even though we are walking so slowly, time flies as we are engrossed in such a deep and meaningful conversation.  Once we arrive in Portomarin, he continues on and I look for a place to sleep.  The first Albergue I look at also offers private rooms and again I opt for my own room.  It costs twice as much as a dorm bed, but it is still cheap at 20 Euros.  I notice that I am in a self-nurturing place and I am happy I am taking such good care of myself.  This journey has been long and hard, and I am tired now.  So a little bit of comfort goes a long way to making the remaining days easier to cope with.

After the usual routine, I settle on a patio for some food and drink.  Here I meet new pilgrims, it is so easy to meet people and start a conversation because we all have this common bond, the Camino.  As I finish my meal, I notice Frances and Glenn walk into the main square.  I head over to say hi and mention where I am staying.  Sure enough, they check it out and take the private room next to me.  We are all laughing about how they now know to just hold back and let me stake out the rooms because I always seem to find a good one for all of us.

A group of tourist pilgrims which is what I call these new, not so serious pilgrims on the Camino check into the Albergue.  I hope I don´t sound too judgemental, because I don´t mean it in a negative way, just to distinguish those who are walking the Camino as a tourist attraction versus those who are walking it for other reasons.  Well, the tourist pilgrims take over the entire downstairs dorm including the garden.  They are having a big party, and are cooking up a storm at 10:30 at night.  Now you have to understand, most Albergues have lights out at 10:00 and they rigidly enforce this rule.  Besides, we are usually so tired that many are already asleep well before lights out.  I am really surprised to see this new group having a party and I feel very sorry for the few pilgrims in the dorm who are trying to sleep.

It is so noisy now and I am feeling a little irritated.  I go to the hospitalero and ask what time is lights out.  She says 11:00, but I doubt this party is going to end as it is just revving up.  At 11:30, this group are well on their way to getting drunk and are hollering and yelling in the garden.  I am so not impressed.  I get the second pillow and put it over my head, and practice my deep breathing which has become a very effective way to put myself to sleep.  Within moments I am fast asleep, and sleep right through the night in spite of the loud party below.

Camino de Santiago: Day 23 (Christina)

June 24, 2012 Camino Christina Camino de Santiago Europe Spain

From Triacastela to Sarria (22 km)

Sabina fills me in this morning about the Japanese pilgrim who had collapsed at my feet yesterday.  The ambulance arrived after 23 minutes and when he was carried out in the stretcher, he was all smiles waving to everyone. Seems like he was going to be ok, tragedy averted.

I examine my feet before starting out and can hardly believe that I have no new blisters and all my other blisters are in various stages of healing.  And I have no pain in my feet this morning when I take my first few steps.  A lightness has settled in my heart and I as I set out at around 8:00 this morning, I think it is going to be an easy day.

Day 23 and no bandaids!  Woohoo!

It is another cold and foggy start to the day, very humid too.  Lots of up and down over the moutain through beautiful scenery.  I am reminded of the cloud forest in Mindo, Ecuador although it is much colder.  The vegetation is lush and everything is wet from the mist.  It is a long walk to my first cup of coffee, 14 km this morning.

Today I reflect on some of the things that have happened on the Camino. What happened on the road to Astorga still puzzles me but I can now see how that was a turning point in my journey, the point after which I started to heal.  I must admit that I have felt the presence of a strong force or energy on the Camino. Perhaps it has been because of my openness that I have felt this energy, I am not really sure.  I don´t even know what to call it: it feels like a strong energy that draws me towards people or  pushes me away.  Is this what people call God?  I have experienced it as a strong energy, without personality, just something beyond our physical selves.  I am reluctant to call this God because that conjures up too much from my past.  When I think of God, I think of religion and what I have experienced on the Camino has nothing to do with religion.  I have had a spiritual journey without a doubt, but not religious in any sense.

I have suffered much physical pain and I have faced a lot of emotional pain as well.  As my feet are healing, so too is my spirit.  I feel a greater force has been at play throughout this journey.  I used to think that life is just full of random coincidences but it seems impossible for me to explain all the has happened to me on the Camino as randomness.  I know my heart was closed tight after my Jehovah´s Witness experience, but now I think it has been opened, if only just a crack.  I began the Camino as an atheist, and that has not changed.  But now I will concede that perhaps there is a force greater than us that I will call an energy although I´m sure some will call it God (but I won´t, I hope you understand).

So I have experienced this energy on the Camino, although I have never witnessed it in my day to day life.  Maybe one needs to be open to it to let it move us, to move through us.  There is so much to think about as I walk on the Camino this morning.  The path this morning winds through forests that are shrouded in mist, quite magical.  I feel a lightness of heart this morning, like I want to celebrate, to rejoice.

What to do when a herd of cattle are heading your way?  Yield, of course.
Especially when they have big horns!

When I finally reach a place to have a coffee, Alex and Arpad are already there.  Alex tells me there is a fiesta in Sarria tonight and I think I am ready for a party and think that perhaps I will stop at Sarria today, even thought I think I can walk further.

As I make my way towards Sarria, I think I would like to stay in a private room tonight, a little bit of pampering.  I don´t need anything fancy, just a little room with a single bed, that has a locked door.  I begin to imagine my little room where I will stay tonight, in fact, I have a very clear picture in my mind of what it looks like.  I am certain I will find my room in Sarria; the Camino has not let me down yet!

When I arrive in Sarria, I am surprised at how large this town is.  I pass by a big hotel but don´t even bother to take a look at their rooms.  I know they will be expensive and an impersonal hotel room is not what I have in mind.  I stop into a ¨Pension¨ that advertises rooms (as opposed to beds) and I am disappointed to learn rooms start at 45 Euros, a little more than I wanted to pay.  I describe to the man at the Pension that I am looking for a little room, nothing fancy, don´t need a private bath, just a little room with a little bed and some privacy.  Well, he suggests I stop in at a restaurant a block up the street, he thinks the lady there might be able to help me.

When I walk into the restaurant, Camino Frances, there is no indication that they have beds or rooms, it is just a little mom and pop restaurant.  I ask the lady if she has a room.  Yes, she does, and she takes me upstairs to take a look. She has four rooms that she rents, and as I enter the hallway to the rooms, I notice how sparkling clean the floor is, and how everything smells of fresh laundry. When she opens to the door to my room, it is the exact room I have been imagining all morning – small, modest, simple bed, window, and a locked door.  And it is only 15 Euros.  Sold!

I now learn that the woman and her husband are French speaking which is a bonus for me, now I can communicate with much more ease.  When I explain I want to do my laundry in a  machine – washer and dryer – she says she will take me to another Albergue up the street and arrange it.  So for 6 Euros, I get all my clothes and towel washed and dried.

The French lady who was so kind and helpful.

Now that the laundry is taken care of, and I´ve already had my shower, I sit down to eat at a table outside the restaurant.  As soon as I sit down, Sabina walks up the street and joins me for a snack.  I haven´t seen her since the Albergue this morning.  She is continuing on to the next town.  We then see Alex who is eating lunch at another restaurant nearby.  And then Frances and Glenn stroll up, ask if the food is good, and decide to have their lunch here as well.  Finally, Arpad walks by, he is slower because of a bad knee, but he too is continuing on.  He doesn´t want to stop, because it looks like rain and he wants to miss it if he can.

Just as I finish my lunch, and say good bye to Sabina and Alex, it starts to rain.  I am so glad my clothes are not hanging on a line outside today.  Glenn and Frances head indoors to finish their lunch and I go to my room for a nap.  When I awaken, I am surprised to see Glenn and Frances have decided not to walk in the pouring rain, but are staying in the room next to me.  They got the room for 25 Euro which is only 5 Euro more than two dorm beds.  They love their room, especially the window that looks out over the countryside.

Now I head out into the rain to look for an internet cafe.  I am wearing my blue plastic poncho that has been salvaged with duct tape and headphone wire, but it is ripping in new places.  It is pouring now, coming down in buckets, and I think my poncho is on it´s last legs.  I stumble upon a great trekking store that has everything you could imagine, including good rain gear and foot wear.  Now that my feet on on the mend, I decide not to bother looking at the shoes, but I do end up buying a rain coat that will cover my back pack.  It is a good brand (Altus) – the brand I remember that was recommended on the Camino forums – and it was only 28 Euros.  I figured it was worth it for the peace of mind.  I asked the lady in the store to take a picture of me in my plastic poncho before I throw it in the garbage.  As I walk out into the rain in my new raincoat, I think I can handle any kind of weather that will come my way over the next week.

Saying goodbye to my cheap plastic poncho
in the shop where I splurge on a good one.

I find the internet cafe which also has a bar so I get to enjoy a nice cold beer while I knock off three more posts.  I hate getting so behind on the blog, but getting access to a decent computer and internet is so unpredictable.  Now I’mm only a couple of days behind, and I feel much better.

At 9:00 I head back to the restaurant and have a small dinner, not the pilgrim’s menu.  A large plate of pasta with tomato sauce, tuna, and melted cheese along with two glasses of wine sets me back a mere 5 Euros.  As I eat, I write today’s journal entry before calling it a night.  I am so comfortable and cozy in my little room enjoying simple little pleasures like being able to turn the light off when I am ready to.  Oh, and about that party, apparently it is not until the weekend, I’ll be long gone but who knows maybe there will be a party in the next town.

 

Camino de Santiago: Day 22 (Christina)

June 21, 2012 Camino Christina Camino de Santiago Europe Spain

From La Faba to Triacastela (25.5 km)

During the night I decided to switch beds because I was surrounded by loud snorers, and there was no back support in my bed.  I’m sure I was breaking all sorts of rules but it was the middle of the night and the German lady was nowhere to be seen.  I went to the other end of the room where Sabina was sleeping – she had unwittingly settled into a bunk without the German lady’s permission and somehow managed to stay there even though she was asked to move.  I slept much better at that end of the room but I was quick to move back to my bunk at sunrise.

I still managed to get myself in trouble that morning when I had the nerve to put a bandaid on one of my toes in the kitchen.  German lady swooped in just before the bandaid went on and insisted I leave the kitchen.  I got rather annoyed with her because there was nowhere else to go where I could sit down and have proper lighting.  I told her this in English and with gestures and with a tone that made it clear I was not happy.  Well, to her credit, she found me a chair in the entrance way and made room on a shelf so I could put my medical kit somewhere.  Like I said yesterday, I think she meant well, she just came across rather rigid and harsh.

I am happy to get out of there at 7:30 when I begin my trek up the second half of the mountain.  It is a beautiful morning, the sun is rising and there is mist on the distant hills.  Absolutely glorious.  My feet are feeling good, only two bandaids on my little toes today.  Life is looking pretty damn good.  I reach the top of the mountain around 9:30 and stop in the town for a coffee. This little town is incredibly touristy with shops already open with all kinds of Camino souvenirs for sale.

In the coffee shop, I meet Dawn and Deana who are in a bit of a bind – they have forgotten their passports and all their money back at the albergue.  Well, we are sure their stuff will be safe with the German lady but they need to find a way to contact her.  They are asking if anyone has the phone number of the albergue but no one does.  Sabina arrives and she has the phone number and she speaks both German and English so she is the hero of the day.  Sure enough the German lady has found the girls’ belongings and she assures Sabina they are safe with her.  She even offers to bring them up the mountain at 11:00 later in the morning.  Sabina gives the girls some money so they can pay their restaurant bill, and all is good again.  The girls head over to the church to thank God for the angels that have been sent their way this morning.

While all this drama unfolds in the coffee shop, the weather changes dramatically outside; a thick fog rolls in and the temperature drops significantly.  The fog is like a wet mist, so I bundle up in my rain jacket before heading back out on the Camino.  I am on the top of the mountain now, but the terrain is still very hilly as I traverse the mountain to the other side.  The path is beautiful though, very lush like walking through a rain forest.  Now and then the fog clears, showing off spectacular views of the valleys below.  The cows have their bells on again, reminding me of the days I walked through the Pyrenees mountains.  I actually stop at one point and video tape the cows, their bells were making the sweetest melody imaginable.

Somewhere along the road, I meet up with Sabina and we walk together the rest of the way.  She tells me a little about herself: born in Germany but currently working in Denmark as a translator (her English is perfect), she is 43 years old, never married, no children, but adores her nieces and nephews.  She has recently quit her job and is planning to relocate back to Germany, closer to her family.  She was a little upset about the way the German lady was treating everybody at the Albergue, and she vents a little.  She didn’t like being made to feel like a child.  We both agreed that the woman was well intentioned, but really missed the mark in making people feel welcome.

We arrive in Triacastela around 4:00 which is a little later than normal (lots of breaks today) and we wonder if there will be a problem getting a bed.  No, there are lots of beds in this little town.  After the usual routine, we head down to a bar for a beer (guess that’s part of my usual routine too 🙂 There we meet Alex from England and Angel from Spain, both unemployed and both are talking about doing another Camino as it is a pretty cheap way to live, under 30 Euros a day.  Arpod from Hungary joins us later at the table.  Sabina knows these guys, but this is the first time I have met them.  We end up having dinner together.  The food in this region of Galicia is markedly different, and better than what we’ve been eating so far.  Even the bread has changed and is now a lovely chewey texture.  The house wine is delicious too.

When Alex hears I have taken the bus, he tells me I´m not a real pilgrim and tries to give me a hard time, sort of joking but also a little serious.  He is definitely a purist and taking a bus is definitely against his rules.  I resort to humour to lighten the conversation, saying jokingly, show me the rule book, maybe we have different rule books.  Still I can see he thinks less of me because I have taken the bus, and I really don’t care.  I tell him that it is the journey that is important to me, not the number of kilometres I have actually walked.  I hold my head high and refuse to be intimidated or worse, shamed by him for taking a bus.  Frances has now joined our table as well (remember the brother and sister pair I met on the bus).  Both Sabina and Frances have taken the bus, but neither offer this information – maybe they’ve already had this conversation with Alex.

Alex then tells us  a story of how he walked the 8 km into Burgos after a long 32 km day only to find all the beds were taken when he arrived at the Municipal Albergue.  He says bitterly that all the cheating pilgrims who took the bus got the beds and there wasn’t a single one left for him.  He actually walked on to the next town.  I asked him why he didn’t take a bus. He replied that when he began his pilgrimage he made a rule that he would walk every kilometre, no matter what.  He admitted it was his pride and ego that day that prevented him from bending his rule.  Now he is bitter and resentful towards pilgrims like us at the table.  I look at him squarely in the eyes and suggest perhaps the Camino was trying to teach him something.  He gives me a strange look but the moment is lost because of what happens next.

I suddenly feel a dead weight push against my chair – an older Japanese pilgrim has collapsed right behind me.  I feel the full weight of his body pinning me against the table.  A rush of people come to his aid.  He tries to stand only to collapse again, this time scraping his legs on the pavement.  Someone calls an ambulance, and a few minutes later, he is able to get up and they take him into the restaurant to wait for the ambulance.  Frances astutely observes there are signs that he is having a stroke.

We are all shaken by this incident.  We have seen the crosses along the Camino where people have actually died during their pilgrimage and we are hoping we haven´t witnessed yet another fatality.  Alex now tells us another story of man who died on the Camino (I don´t remember when this happened).  The man had been walking for several days and was telling people how happy he was.  At the age of 50, he had just completed his psychology degree and was excited to be embarking on a new career.  One night on the Camino, he went to sleep and never woke up again.  What did he die of, I asked.  Alex suggested he either died of too much happiness or old age.  And he was dead serious.

At this point, I am feeling quite fatigued so I make my exit and head back to the Albergue where I get ready for bed.  It has been a good day for me, the first day where there have been no new blisters.  I figure my feet are going to be perfect by the time I stroll into Santiago.  I notice that not only are my feet healing, but my heart and spirit are healing too.  I feel a deep inner peace that I have never felt before.  I don´t know what the next few days will bring, but I feel like the hardest part is now behind me.  I think (hope) it will be clear sailing ahead.