Friday, 20 August

Back in the USofA. First morning of being roomie to by brother Keith. My travels are over and my transition is on. Looking for a job, wondering about where next, living day-to-day in the comfort of my family and friends while moving along the river of life.

Vendredi, 9 julliet

Back in St. Just, Cornwall, with my sister. Nat arrived in Paris on 29 June and we are travelling in France and England. I was here in April at the beginning of my "grand tour" and loved it, so we've set up a tent at the hostel and enjoying the tranquility of the coast of southwest England.

Samdi, 26 juin

Nearly a month in Spain, at the moment in Irun, heading to Paris tomorrow. Had to walk from Spain to France this morning to buy a train ticket : ) Only 3 km and a nice walk. Seems fitting as I came to Spain for walking to Santiago de Compostella, but had crossed the border on a train. Made a pilgimage of sorts to the Alhambra in Granada. That too was fitting, a walk to a christian site and to a moslem site too. Magnificent gardens and architecture and irrigation system especially. Deservedly a wonder of the world.

Jeudi, 10 juin 2010

Sitting in a cafe at Ribadiso da Baixo, 40-some kilometers east of Santiago de Compostlla. Walking for two days in the Galician rain, a hot bowl of soup and a beer is exactly what one needs -- and I just got it. Should arrive SdeC on Saturday and I´m feeling a sense of accomplishment at this physical challenge. Happy me!

Jeudi, 3 juin 2010

Have arrived at Porferrado, Spain, and at the moment the sounds of keyboards clicking and water falling in the fountain outside the hostel here are what I hear. Tomorrow begin walking the road to Compostella here in Spain, after 18 days of walking between Le Puy en Velay and Figeac in France. There is nothing like walking thru a place -- the sounds, fragrances, sights, weather, bugs and rocks and mud and poppies and old villages and lots of people, friendly people along the way. We need a pilgrim road in the USofA!

Mercredi, 12 mai 2010

Have arrived at Le Puy en Velay from where I begin walking tomorrow toward Santiago de Compostella in Spain. The area was once home to many magnificent volcanos and today there are old medieval churches (and one very gaudy statue a la Rio) perched atop volcanic cores. Quite the site and sight! Writing from the local history room at the municipal library, a lovely room! Love too all readers!

Mercredi, 21 avril 2010

Sitting in the "Surfen" room at the central Karlstad public library in Sweden -- this is a hoppin' place, but not quite as hoppin' as SAG was earlier today. The high school where friend and librarian colleague, Lennart Wettmark works. Today was the big Poesiefestival and even though I only understand two words of Swedish (Hej! & och) I thoroughly enjoyed the morning programs. The 150th anniversary of Sweden's great poet Gustaf Fröding (1860-1911) is being celebrated here. Here is one of his poems -- which I was able to understand when it was read in Swedish, because I'd just read the English translation and it was in my memory.

GREY ROCK SONG

Stay
grey,
stay
grey,
stay
grey,
stay
grey,
stay
gr-e-e-y.
That's the grey rock song,
very l-o-o-o-o-o-ng.