Thank you God - I have crossed the Pyrenees

Left SJPdP with 2 other Canadians 2 days ago and we joined the slow but steady line of pilgrims heading up the road. There was an obvious variation in the levels of readiness for this trek and it became more so along the way. The way was steady and steep in places and at times levelled off just for long enough to tease you that it was going to be ok. At one point, 2 women behind me flagged a car down and then jumped in the back seat! While others carried hardly anything as they had chosen to send their bags off by van for a cheap 8 E. Not me I carried my ful pack and slugged my way to the top with rest periods and slow walking over the tough bits thinking that this was a bit of a test to see how well prepared I was. It was just fine and the views across the mountains made the whole trip worth it all.

Along the way, you could turn back and see the mist covering the lower meadows and with the sun rising higher, it became an ever changing vista of incredible beauty. The colors and the smell and the absolute quiet were worth every step of the way. People chatted along the path, shared lunch with each other, were concerned if someone looked more than a little fatigued and generally we became a small community heading off on this momentous journey. There were the fast and tough walkers who headed off and led the way through the places where it was not obvious where to go next and there were others who stopped every 5 minutes gasping for new energy to continue. I found that stopping at least every hour and making myself eat something made a huge difference and drinking loads of water was a life saver.

Now the real experience of this day was something else. Along the way there are sheep and at the top plenty of horses which are apparently wild and number about 5000. There are no fences and a lot of the sheep and some horses have the honour of wearing large bells so with the beauty, the background music is the stillness and the clanging of the bells on the animals. Simply other worldy.

When I thought I could go no longer, we reached a ridge and there was the Abbey at Roncesvalles lying in the valley below. The 4kms down were not easy, but the refuggio was wonderful - 100 beds and everyone exhausted from the effort of the day. Showers were good and across the street a wonderful pilgrims meal that we all ate together complete with wine. Sleeping in a room full of 100 other people was a new experience and while it was peaceful, just not the easiest thing to fall asleep into even though they played beautifu church music for us.

The highlight of the entire experience so far has been the service in the cathedral in Roncesvalles which is held every evening at 8 pm. The priests chanting was so moving and the organ a full booming sound. the priest invited all the pilgrims up to the alter at the end of the service to bless us and it was really hard not to burst in to sobs as I was so tired and so affected by the experience of standing in this church realizing that this was a service that had been conductd for centuries. As he read out the countries of where we all came from - it was incredible to see that people come from he entire world to do this trip - Asia, S America and all over Europe of course as well as Canada and the US.

By 5 am people were rustling to get up and get going. The lights were on by 6 and everyone out the door by 7 am - in the dark. We fully expected to walk along flat ground today. What a surprise and today was as tiring as yesterday. temp is about 30 - 34 C and clear skies so it is important to start early. The route is very well marked and if you turn the wrong way, there is sure to be a local shouting at you and pointing in the right direction. You would think they would get tired of all of this activity. In the summer they say that 400 people leave St Jean every day and it has slowed down this week so that we are about 200 each day.

There is a steady stream of people, sometimes it bunches up and we commiserate with each other about fatigue and sore feet and at other times I was completely alone. I walked throught beautiful Spanish towns today and in cathedral like forests where the wind blew a steady whislte which was also thankfully cooling. At times I wonderd to myself if I will ever be able to stop worrying about my sore feet and how far the next town is to just settle down into one step at a time. Sometimes it feels like just th slowing of my heart beat and that is all I can hear - at first I thought it was someone coming up behind my, but no only the sound of my onw self as I trudged along. I made a promise to stop at every beautiful spot and rest or just let it sink in so that the experience of this incredible journey would build in its meaning for me.

I am in Zubiri tonight in a refuggio with only 26 others in the room and mostly women which sure beats being surrounded by men as I was last night. We got here early ie at 130pm so had time to shower, wash clothes and then snooze. It is so hot that the clothes are dry within a few hours.

Well tomorrow we head for Pamplona where the bulls run in July. There are moments that I wonder what in hell possessed me to consider such a journey and other times when the entire substance of what gave me juice in my life dissappears from thought and I am left with just a few moments of incredible peace and wonder at how lucky I am to have a body strong enough to do this. I am blessed to have the support of so many out there who I know are following along with me and it is with this kind of spiritual power that I believe I will find my way when the going gets tough.

Until then I will struggle on with my very minimal Spanish skills and take good care of my feet so they can carry me to the end of the journey.

thanks for reading and for creating such a receptive space for me to fulfill this incredible journey of the heart and soul.

Beuo Maggee