AfterThought

It’s been almost two months since I finished my walk through Spain. I spent a few days in Italy before my flight back to LA. Something came over me as I got on that flight. I didn't even want to board the flight, but I didn't want to be in Europe illegally anymore. I cried the entire twelve hour flight. On the first flight From Milan to Rome (about one hour), a man next to me noticed I was crying and started crying himself! I was going to miss Italy. I was going to miss traveling through Europe. I already missed all the beautiful souls I met along the twenty-four days on the camino. I already missed the friends, and the family I made in Italy. I can honestly say I have changed as a person in the last 10 months. Living in Italy and walking through Spain has helped me become a better person mentally, physically, and spiritually. I know how to eat better and take care of myself. I have proven to myself that I can go twenty four days without any vehicles, and walk miles and miles per day. I learned that I can walk for days in excruciating pain from blisters. I learned second-hand what it is like to be a very good mother and became a part of a beautiful family.

I’m back in LA and I got a good part-time job in the psychology field. I went to my best friend's wedding up north and I'm so happy I got to spend that magical day with her.

So, although most times I would like to take the next plane out of LAX and start my next adventure, I’m enjoying the time with my friends and family. Now is a time to think about what I really want for myself and my life. Who knows what the future holds? :)

O Peregrino

These beautiful voices, under the light of the moon, drinking wine in the Cathedral of Santiago Plaza....


"Todo pasa y todo queda,
pero lo nuestro es pasar,
pasar haciendo caminos,
caminos sobre la mar.

Nunca perseguí la gloria,
ni dejar en la memoria
de los hombres mi canción;
yo amo los mundos sutiles,
ingrávidos y gentiles

como pompas de jabón.
Me gusta verlos pintarse
de sol y grana, volar
bajo el cielo azul, temblar
súbitamente y quebrarse.

Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino, y nada más;
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.

Al andar se hace camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
sino estelas en la mar.

Hace algún tiempo, en ese lugar
donde hoy los bosques se visten de espinos,
se oyó la voz de un poeta gritar:
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar,
golpe a golpe, verso a verso.

Murió el poeta lejos del hogar,
le cubre el polvo de un país vecino.
Al alejarse le vieron llorar,
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar,
golpe a golpe, verso a verso.

Cuando el jilguero no puede cantar,
cuando el poeta es un peregrino,
cuando de nada nos sirve rezar,
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar,
golpe a golpe, verso a verso."

Day Twenty-Four

Day 24, O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela

Walked today: 18 km

Total walked: 630 km

Wow. I can't believe it's over. Well, I know it really isn't over, the lessons I learned on this trip and the feelings I had will stay with me forever. Santiago de Compostela is a beautiful city. I went to the Mass at noon, which was a beautiful service. I saw St. James' tomb and met with many of the pilgrims I had met on our way. Everyone is so full of emotions after walking for so long, all for different reasons.

Day Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three

Day 22, Hospital de Cruz to Melide
Walked today: 28 km
Total walked: 578

Day 23, Melide to O Pedrouzo
Walked today: 34 km
Total walked: 612 km

Day Twenty-One

Day 21, Barbadelo to Hospital de Cruz
Walked today: 30 km
Total walked: 550 km

Today started off dark and cold as I started my walk around 7am. The stars were very bright but the arrows to guide me were hard to see, even with my flashlight. I walked for about 30 minutes not even sure if I was going the right way when I discovered I forgot my walking stick in Barbadelo. Oh well... I kept walking, hoping I was going the right way. Suddenly I saw the next town I was supposed to pass. Perfect! I hadn't walked over an hour in vain.

I looked around and noticed the faint first light of day and fog all around me. The morning was still brisk, and I saw bats flying over my head.

A few hours later I passed through a small village. On my right were groups of dairy cows grazing, on my left were tiny houses, more like shacks, looking like a strong gust of wind might demolish them. A very old man with gray hair came running out of his house. His clothes were dirty, his teeth looked like he had never seen a dentist, but his smile was genuine. "Toma! Toma! (Take it! Take it!)" he called to me, raising a walking stick above his head. I went to him and as he handed me the stick he asked me to pray for him when I got to Santiago. I don't know his name, and I don't even remember the exact pueblo I encountered this man, but I knew I would pray for him in the Cathedral of Santiago.

Just a few minutes later I walked passed a German Shepard. At first I kept my distance, but soon I saw a wagging tail and a face begging for a caress. He nuzzled up against me just as an elderly woman came out and said to her dog in Spanish, "You want to go to Santiago, too? Go ahead!" with a hearty laugh.

I know this was a simple day like any other, but little moments like this make this camino special to me. I will always remember being a peregrina and the people (and animals) who made this experience unforgettable.

Day Thirteen - Day Twenty

Day 13, León to San Martin del Camino
Walked today: 24 km
Total walked: 337

Day 14, San Martín del Camino to Astorga
Walked today: 24 km
Total walked: 361 km

Day 15, Astorga to Rabanal del Camino
Walked today: 20 km
Total walked: 381

Day 16, Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca
Walked today: 28 km
Total walked: 409 km

Day 17, Molinaseca to Villafranca
Walked today: 31 km
Total walked: 440

Day 18, Villafranca del Bierzo to La Faba
Walked today: 30 km
Total walked: 470 km

Day 19, La Faba to Triacastela
Walked today: 26 km
Total walked: 496 km

Day 20, Triacastela to Barbadelo
Walked today: 24 km
Total walked: 520 km

Day Twelve

Day 12, Villarente to León
Today walked: 13 km
Total walked: 313

HALFWAY POINT TO SANTIAGO!!
We took it easy today to have more time to explore one of the bigger towns on the Camino: León.

Day Eleven

Day 11, Reliegos to Villarente
Walked today: 13 km
Total walked: 300 km

After 2 hours of sleep I woke up freezing. My teeth chattered as I put my backpack on to start walking again. We walked until we saw a nice Albergue with a very inviting front yard. We ordered breakfast and napped for a few hours on the lawn. Then it was time to continue a few more km to find a place to sleep.

Night Ten

Night 10, Bercianos to Reliegos
Walked tonight: 21 km
Total walked: 287

I don't remember where we got the idea, but we wanted to walk in the Meseta under a bright moon one night before the Camino was over. We decided on tonight and prepared ourselves for an overnight walk. The moon was almost full and gave us almost all the light we needed. We walked until 5am and some of our group found a field to sleep in, but I walked a little more and found a park picnic table to rest on. As I lay on the wooden table with my tiny, €10 sleeping bag from Decathlon, I think to myself I'm a little too comfortable roughing it in Spain. But at least I know I'm adaptable if I need to be. Buenos noches...

Day Ten

Day 10, Terradillos de los Templarios to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos
Today walked: 27 km
Walked total: 266

Today we started out from Terradillos and planned to meet all of our pilgrim friends in Bercianos. We walked along the road and stayed together until the last 10 km. I wanted to keep walking and take a nap in Bercianos, the longer, the better. We noticed a message written in chalk on the road: "BERCIANOS 5km" and an arrow pointing in the direction we were walking. 'Perfect!' we thought. Almost there. Then we walked. And walked. And there was nothing on the road. Just dirt and farms everywhere. Not another pilgrim in sight. We didn't see any markers or yellow arrows directing out way for a while. I wondered if we were walking the right way. Soon we saw more seashells, the symbol of the Camino. But we felt we had walked more than 5 km and we still didn't see a city ahead. But we had no other choice to keep walking. Finally, like a mirage, we saw the rooftops of homes in the town ahead. We continued to walk and finally we were able to see the sign of the town name. "Calzadilla de los Hermanillos" the sign read. Not Bercianos. I looked at my friend and we both said, "Where the heck are we?!" We find the first bench and find our destination on the map. Alternate route. Somehow we missed a turn somewhere. So we walked 3 more km than we needed to. If we hadn't planned to meet our friends in Bercianos we would have stayed there, but we planned a night walk that night and wanted to get back. Our only option was to take a taxi to Bercianos.

After a quick taxi ride I was able to take an hour nap before dinner. We had dinner, watched the sunset together and started packing for a night of walking.

Day Nine

Day 9, Carriòn de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios
Walked today: 26 km
Total walked: 239 km

Life lessons.
Today I was about 5 km into walking when I felt thirsty. But for some reason I was having a hard time opening my water bottle. I'm not sure why, but it was closed very tightly and I was struggling. A fellow pilgrim asked if I needed help. "No thanks," I replied. "I like to do things on my own." Finally, after a few minutes I managed to open the bottle and take a sip. 'It feels good to self-reliant,' I thought to myself. A few minutes later we took a break to have lunch. As I ate my sandwich, I noticed my pilgrim friend holding my water bottle, but I didn't give it much thought. After lunch I tried to open the bottle only to find it closed even tighter than before. "Need any help?" my friend asks with a smirk. I laugh and continue walking on the path, all the while trying with all of my strength to open the bottle. As my friend was walking meters ahead of me I was determined to open the bottle myself. Why is this so important to me? Being independent is something I take pride in, but it can be lonely without others around. Suddenly, my self-sufficiency seemed like more of a curse than a gift. On the camino I can walk alone, or I can walk with friends who teach me the importance of community. Right now I'm finding the balance. Eventually, I resorted to using my teeth to finally get the bottle open. My pride and stubbornness are still aptly apparent. But these things are what this walk is all about. Thinking and reflecting on yourself and your life and what you can do to improve both.  As I drank from my water bottle, I looked at my fellow pilgrim with a smile. Gracias peregrino y buen camino...

Day Eight

Day 8, Boadilla to Carrión de los Condes
Walked today: 26 km
Total walked: 213 km

Day Seven

Day 7, Hontanas to Boadilla
Walked today: 28 km (but it felt like 50!!)
Total walked: 187 km

Today I'm thinking about all of the things I will know as a pilgrim that no one else will understand. Comparing injuries, comparing tans (only on the left side, of course), talking about the northern Spanish landscapes, the yellow arrows, the seashells, sunflower fields, the benefits of a walking stick, which pilgrim menu is the best...

So far, today was overall the most challenging day. The sun was so hot as we walked mile after mile without shade or water. I put my pajama pants on my arms but the back of my legs were unshielded and I got a pretty bad heat rash behind my knees. Finally we arrived at our destination and lo and behold, there was a pool, and a pretty garden. Tonight I want to go to bed early so I can start walking earlier in the morning, and hopefully stay out of the heat. Guten nacht.

Day Six

Day 6, Burgos to Hontanas
Walked today: 31.5 km
Total walked: 159 km

Today was long and hot. I got my third blister and I would say I wasn't in the best of moods. My day started off very hungry and thirsty and we had to walk 10 km before the first rest stop. But once we finally reached the small town of Hontanas we had an amazing dinner and watched the sunset. I'm going to bed very full and sunburned on my left side. Buenos noches!

Day Five

Day 5, Atapuerca to Burgos
Walked today: 21.5
Total walked: 127.5

Today is a more relaxing day. A short walk to Burgos and we are going to celebrate some of the pilgrims' last day. My knees are aching and I'm happy to have an easier day.

On the way to Burgos there was a lake with sand, sort of like a beach. We took a break there and relaxed in the sun before walking the rest of the way.

We got to Burgos, which is the biggest city I have been to so far on the camino. We stayed at the municipal albergue, which was only €5 and very convenient. I did my laundry and we went to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Then we hung out on the albergue balcony and drank the local wine and met new friends.

Day Four

Day 4, Tosantos to Atapuerca
Walked today: 26 km
Total walked: 106

Today my knees are giving me some pain, and I'm feeling tired, but I keep going. I haven't eaten much, I think I need to watch out and drink more water.

Glass of Wine 1.60
Glass of Beer 1.10

:)

Day Three

Day 3, Santo Domingo to Tosantos
Walked Today: 29 km
Total walked: 80 km

Today I walked completely on my own for 24km, which took me 6 hours. I was walking slowly to heal my shin pain from yesterday, and it worked!  I reached Belorado and planned to stay there. I bought a bed,  had lunch and swam a bit in the pool. I met a man that was doing a vow of silence while he walked today. I think I might do that one day.

I checked some email and then I spoke to a friend in California, who has walked the camino, and he convinced me to walk 5 more km to the town Tosantos. I was unsure if I wanted to walk more. I took a nap and was awakened by a two men arguing over whose bed was whose. I took this negativity as a sign I should keep walking. I packed my bag and walked to a wonderful albergue in Tosantos. I got there just in time for dinner and to my surprise there were some familiar faces. We ate dinner and introduced ourselves. Most of the guests were Italian so I was extremely happy to get to speak Italian and even help translate a bit. There was even a man in a wheelchair doing the camino with an arm bicycle. This is truly an inspiring journey. I'm going to bed tonight after the evening prayer feeling emotional, and very grateful for everything in my life. Buenos noches.

Day Two

Day 2, Nájera to Santo Domingo
Walked Today: 21 km
Total walked: 51 km

Today I walked too fast. I felt it as I was walking but I really enjoyed the conversation I was having so I kept going. I should have slowed down and walked on my own. A lesson for tomorrow. It's only day two but my shins are hurting and I discovered that my left big toenail is cracked in half horizontally. But it doesn't hurt, yet!

I'm staying at a nice albergue (hostel) today, another donation-based place with full laundry, kitchen, internet and other amenities. They even have a man giving massages and first-aid care to people with injuries like blisters, all for donations. I'm trying to rest my legs as much as possible this evening in preparation for tomorrow.

I'm feeling a rush of emotions today. I began walking at 6am and arrived to my destination at about noon. As you can guess, this kind of schedule leaves a lot of time to think, reflect and be alone with your thoughts. This is one reason I wanted to do this walk,  so I'm accepting all these feelings with open arms.

Physically, I feel like I'm having a battle with my body. I don't feel hungry while I walk so I don't think I've been eating enough. When I got to Santo Domingo today I felt a mix of hunger, nausea, and helplessness. Any amount of work needed to put food into my body seemed like far too much effort. I finally settled for a few Pintxos (the Basque word for tapas, a Spanish array of elaborate snacks). The delicately placed layers of soft bread, a fried slice of tomato, goat cheese, a dab of sweet sauce and a walnut was a warm treat for my taste buds. But my stomach doesn't agree. The nausea continues...

"The Smiths - Is it Really so Strange?"

 

Day One

Day 1, Logroño to Nájera
Walked today: 30 km
Total walked: 30 km

Today I felt so great. The endorphins were on full charge and I felt that nothing could stop me. Since I started the walk at a later town than most, I met a lot of people on their 7th or 8th day. They're full of blisters, injuries, and feeling physically, psychologically, and emotionally exhausted. At this point many pilgrims were wondering why they were doing this walk, and it had me questioning myself, will that be me in a week? I'm feeling great today, but in 7 days will all the magic be gone?

Stamp #1

Awakenings

The last few weeks I traveled a bit in Italy with two of my best friends. We went to Bologna, Florence, Pisa, and Rome. Overall, I was glad to see my friends and happy to see more of Italy, but after a few days of playing super-tourist, I was ready to relax!

The next week I spent in Cinque Terre, Italy, which was completely wonderful. We found a great, fully-furnished cabin at a campsite called La Sphinge. Each day we explored the nearby towns, relaxed on the beaches, and tried to stay away from evil jellyfish.

Then I went back to Bergamo to prepare my backpack for the next month. This month is a journey I've been planning for a while. I plan on walking from Logroño, Spain to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. This is a path that people have been walking for thousands of years. In Santiago de Compostela, the remains of the apostle St. James are said to be and each year pilgrims walk hundreds of miles to reach this destination. In the interest of time and a few other factors, I decided to start from Logroño, but probably the most popular starting point is earlier, in St. Jean Pied de Port, France. However, some people start much further away, I've heard of people walking from Poland and other countries.

I hope to be able to make it all the way to Santiago, but I know it will be very challenging. As for why, there are several reasons, I hope to address them as I walk and maybe share them here soon!

Here is a relevant quote from a recent article interviewing Fiona Apple:

She started to climb that hill for eight hours a day, day after day, until she could barely walk, until she was limping, and then until she could not walk at all. Her knees required months of therapy. “Something about that was a rite of passage,” she said. “I think it’s really healthy to lose things or to give things up for a while, to deprive yourself of certain things. It’s always a good learning experience, because I felt like it really was like, ‘I must learn to walk again.’ I had to walk out all that stuff, and I knew it was stupid, and I kept on walking.”

Wearing the scallop shell necklace, a symbol of the camino.

Jumper

A few weeks ago I went to Leros, Greece. Here's the diary I kept while there...

Day 1: I woke up at 4am to shower and get ready for our 5am departure. We got to the airport and the passport check for non-EU travelers was long. Eventually, I made it through and Elio (dad) gave me a high five. Elio and the family have munificently invited me to Leros, Greece for two weeks to stay at the Perackis family vacation home. We fly into Kos and need to rush to the ferry port. It's 10:45am. If I understand correctly, if we miss this 11am catamaran, we have to wait 7 hours for the next one. The taxi speeds along as I gaze out of the window, trying to take in my surroundings. We get to the ferry port and miraculously catch the catamaran on time. We choose our seats and Alessandro and I go check out the deck of the boat. The wind is overwhelming. I try to take pictures with my iPod and I'm afraid the wind will blow it away. I go back inside and little Anna is seasick. We try to rest a little as the boat speeds through the waves. When we arrived, Nickolaos (grandpa) arranged a taxi to pick us up from the harbor and take us to the house. We dropped the luggage off and were ready for lunch. We met Nikola at a nearby restaurant and I got an assortment of vegetables (zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, and grape leaves) stuffed with rice. My first Greek meal is delicious. We go home to rest a little before going to swim a little. Near the house, the beaches are full of rocks. To get to a sandy beach, you need to drive. But for today, I set my towel on the pebbles and enjoyed the scene. 

When we got back home, I wasn't feeling very well. For the last month I have been stricken with some sort of sinus infection (or something). My head is pounding, my ears are clogged, my throat is sore, and I have phlegm that makes me want to clear my throat at all times. Boo. I don't want to complain too much, but everyone notices I look quite uncomfortable.But they assure me that the air in Leros will clear everything up in a few days. Hmmm... So I have dinner (Spaghetti, followed by tomatoes with feta cheese, yum!), shower, then go to bed early. I guess 10:30isn't too early considering I got up at 4am. 

Day 2: Today is a special day. Seven years ago a special woman to this family, grandma, passed away. The emotions in the air are noticeable this morning. We ate breakfast and headed to church for a service, all in Greek. The church was small, yet charming. Even though I never met Antye, I'm feeling the love this family has for her. 

After the service we went to have a drink at Glaros, and Nikola went to the cemetery to leave some flowers for his late wife. The rest of the family went to their favorite beach, in Vromolithos. We had lunch at a cafe there (my first real Greek salad), then I fell asleep under the sun. We went home a few hours later and had a lovely meal of risotto,potatoes and lamb. After dinner we had some delicious Greek pastries, one called "patsaburopita." Then, the girls all went out to a local bar to have a drink and then it was goodnight, I mean: kalinikta!

Day 3: Today we had breakfast and went straight to the beach. I taught Alessandro some nature vocabulary and we played some games. Then I lied in the sun and fell asleep again, seems like this is going to be a habit! Sara made another delicious meal of pasta shells with eggplant tomato sauce. We are so spoiled! After some baklava and cleaning up a bit, it was time for bed. Buonanotte! Goodnight! Kalinikta! 

Day 4: I woke up a little early to cook breakfast with Alessandro, but he was already eating when I got up. So I just went over some cooking vocabulary with him so we could make omelets later. 

Then we jumped in a taxi and headed to Gourna Beach. This beach actually has sand (not rocks like Vromolithos). There was a nice restaurant where we had lunch and we stayed at the beach until 6pm. I fell asleep in the sun, (surprise, surprise) and I guess I missed some areas when putting on the sunscreen. Or it rubbed off or something. Anyway, the middle of my back and behind my legs are pretty burned. Like... tomato red. :/ We finally got home and Ale and I made omelets for dinner. They were pretty good! 

After 3 days in Leros I'm still getting used to things here. I'm slowly learning all of the family routines. I tried ouzo last night, which is a Greek liquor that tastes kind if like anise, or licorice. Tonight we had Spanikopita, which I was familiar with thanks to Trader Joe. And I'm not just enjoying the food and beaches here in Greece. I feel like I'm also developing a good relationship Alessandro. While cooking omelets tonight I let him choose his own fillings by telling me what he did and didn't like. At the end he said, "I like Melinda" with a cheesy smile. Haha! But of course I can't have all the luck. The first day, Anna was very enthusiastic, but yesterday and today every time she looks at me she gives me dirty looks and says she doesn't want to talk to me. If she wasn't so darn cute, I might take offense. But her curly blond hair, big blue eyes and 3 year old body screams, "It's impossible to be mad at  me!" Tomorrow, I'll try to win her over with raspberries. Goodnight!

Day 5: Today we went back to Vromolithos and I read my book and swam a bit. Alessandro and I talked about directions and names of buildings. We came home and Aunt Sara cooked an amazing meal of baked vegetables and feta. After dinner the adults played a traditional card game from Bergamo, which Sara and I had lots of trouble picking up. Then it was time for bed...

Day 6: Today we were going to go on an island tour called, Barbarossa. But it was full when we arrived, so instead we rented a car and a motorcycle and did our own tour of the island. We stopped at a few beaches, saw a church on an island, and a tiny church, The Virgin Mary of Crabs church. We were all tired after a day of sightseeing in the summer heat... But we still had a wonderful dinner made by aunt Sara. 

Day 7: Today we decided to drive to Gourna Beach. It was so hot! I played with the kids in the water a lot and ended up getting a little sunburned. I hope that famous Leros wind comes back... That night we went to a little plaza in Platanos where there was music and food. I had more Greek salad, fresh, warm, pita bread, and tsatziki. Mmmmm... 

Day 8: Today is little Anna's birthday! She turned 4 today so we had breakfast together and she opened her first present. After a day at Vromolithos beach, we came home to prepare a little party for her. The rest of the family came and we had cake, opened presents, and played charades. Before dinner, I played 'Monkey-in-the-Middle" with the kids. 

Day 9: It's Friday! TGIF! Today we went on an island tour called "Barbarossa." We started in Leros and after about an hour we were at White Island. Then we made a stop in Micronisi where there was a beautiful lagoon and caves. I climbed a huge, stratified cliff and jumped off the peak. I don't know how high it was, but its definitely the highest thing I've ever jumped off, except maybe that time I went bungee jumping.  When I landed in the water, major pain! You know that prank you see on TV where the kid gets hung on the flagpole by his underwear and left there for hours? That's about how I feel right now. But, it was all worth it because it took me less than a minute to get the courage to jump. I've been known to stand at the top of not-so-high cliffs for a while before jumping into water. But this time I was brave. I'm sure the shot of Ouzo they gave us on the boat helped... :)

The next stop was Lipsi. We had two hours there so we just walked to the nearest beach and relaxed. 

At home Aunt Sara, Uncle Alex and Elio were taking care of the sick kids. They met us at the harbor and Sara had a wonderful dinner prepared: stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers. But I can't forget the aperitivo! Ouzo and bruschetta. Mmmmm... What will we do when Aunt Sara leaves?!

Day 10: Today we went to Vromolithos, again. It was blissful, again. 

When we got home it was time to prepare for the family get-together. What a lovely evening. I got to know the family better and even though they spoke only in Italian, I could follow along and even add my two cents here and there. 

Day 11: Today we had a rental car so we drove to Gourna beach. Mom stayed home with Aunt Sara and some of the kids because they weren't feeling well. 

We had leftovers for dinner, which were just as good the next day. And I went to bed early... I think the heat is draining my energy!

Day 12: Another day of relaxing at Vromolithos Beach. Today I jumped off some small rocks and swam with the younger kids. In the evening we had dinner in Agia Marina and I went out with some new Italian and Belgian friends. 

Day 13:Today we drove to Blefouti Beach. We had lunch at a restaurant and I was really hungry so I ordered "Spaghetti with tomato sauce," feeling that the normal Greek salad wouldn't be enough to satiate me today. When my dish came, it was obviously meat sauce. So I said, "Sorry, is this meat?" and the waiter said, "No, it's tomato," and walked away. I'm starring at my plate and wondering to myself if this guy thinks I'm a complete idiot. Then I remember we are in Greece and a familiar scene from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' comes to mind. "You're vegetarian? Ok, I make lamb." I guess the Greek salad will have to do today. :)

Day 14: Today we went to Gourna again and swam in the brisk water, played frisbee, and relaxed in the sun.

This evening we went to check out the Castle of Leros right in time for sunset. Pictures wouldn't do this sight justice! 

At night I met up with the same people from Monday night, plus a few more. We went to a bar called Savana, and then to Faros in Agia Marina. Some of these people met on the island and have been meeting every summer for over 10 years. Talking with them makes me remember why I love to travel and hoping that I get I come back to Leros in future summers. Hmm, I wonder where I'll be next year...

Day 15: Oh, no... I am suffering today! So far, everyone on this trip except for me as had some sort of stomach issue. I wouldn't say I was 100% perfect the last two weeks. It's typical that traveling tends to change your system a bit, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I don't want to go into details, but whatever virus I caught made me feel like death. I'm dehydrated and hungry but my body rejects everything I try to feed it.... I'm hoping tomorrow, my last day in Leros, is better! :(

Day 16: Today is the last day in Greece! I would say TGIF but... When you're feeling like I feel right now it's hard to be thankful for anything. :( 

Day 17: Today we woke up extra early so we could make it to the 4:55am Ferry to Kos. Soon we were back in Bergamo so I could start my next trip: Tourist in Italy part 2!

Tiptoes

The above mentioned citizen is invited to appear, with his passport, in Questura di Bergamo Ufficio Immigrazione on 11/7/2012 at 11:00 for a check of the regularity of his stay in Italy. In case of non-appearance without a justified reason, he will be subject to the administrative sanction of the payment of an amount of money from Euro 154,93 ad Euro 516,45.

I showed up to the Immigration Office a little before 11:00am. There are signs posted everywhere: Wait until your name is called. I wonder if they have my name... There is no open window so I sit and wait. If my head had been clearer I would've asked someone sooner. But I haven't eaten or slept well, so I wait. An hour goes by and my name isn't called. But I overhear a guy whose appointment was at 10:45 and he still hasn't been called... So I wait 15 more minutes. Monica decides to ask. She is informed that we were supposed to go upstairs. We have been waiting for nothing. Great.

So we go upstairs. A woman takes my passport and the "invitation." Monica explains that I have an outbound ticket back to the US. With a shrug of the shoulders and a nod of the head, a man says, "Va bene..." And stamps my invitation to show that I was present at the immigration office.

Now, I have to lay low until my outbound flight back to LA. There is a possibility I could be fined or temporarily banned from Europe once I try to leave Italy again, but I'll deal with that when it comes. Feeling happy to be American today.... And definitely not trying to go to London again any time soon.

Criminal

Stop me if you've heard this one: 2 Americans and a Mexican walk into a holding cell....

So yesterday morning I woke up excited to spend a night in London and visit some good friends. I boarded my flight to London-Stansted through Ryan Air. Everything was going smoothly until I arrived at the Visa control counter. The conversation started as most do:

Man: What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: To visit friends...
Man: And when do you leave?
Me: Tomorrow evening...
Man: Where will you be staying?
Me: With a friend, near Stratford
Man: We need and address
Me: Ok, one second (check iPod) Here!
Man: When did you arrive in Italy?
Me: In mid-April
Man: And before that, where were you?
Me: I went to Turkey
Man: For how long?
Me: About 3 days
Man: And before that?
Me: I was in Italy
Man: And do you know how long you're allowed to remain in Europe?
Me: Ummm....
Man: You are allowed to stay 90 days
Me: Oh... I thought... I must be confused. You can stay 90 days, but if you leave Europe you can stay another 90 days, right?
Man: Right, but "leave Europe" means go back to your home country. [This isn't actually true... Americans can stay 90 days in any given 6 month period]
Me: Oh...
Man: So you're leaving the Shengen area to evade the 90 day rule?
Me: Umm... that wasn't my intention.
Man: Are you employed in Los Angeles?
Me: No
Man: What's waiting for you when you go back to LA?
Me: My entire family and friends
Man: Husband?
Me: No
Man: Boyfriend?
Me: No
Man: Have a seat, please.

This guy asked way more questions that I can't remember right now. By the end of it I'm pretty sure he knew my whole life story. I go to sit down and he hands me a piece of paper. It says:

You are liable to be examined/further examined by me or another immigration officer. I am detaining you. I have also detained your passport, identification card or travel document. Reasons for detention: I have further enquiries to make and more questions to ask you.

So, I'm not sure at this point what will happen. About 30 minutes later, two women came and guided me to a room to take my fingerprints. Then they sat me in a room by myself and told me I could help myself to any food or drinks they had. There was a TV showing some horrid morning talk show...

About an hour later a man walks in with a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and a friendly smile. He introduces himself and we share stories. Poncho is a Mexican man traveling to spread the word of an indigenous people. These people are struggling to save their sacred land at risk of becoming a gold-mining site. He says, "Have you seen the TV show Lost?" "Yes," I say. "Do you remember when they find the guy in the capsule and he's pushing the button, or else the world ends?" "Yes," I say. "Well, that's real." I'm puzzled. "The indigenous people, the first people on planet Earth have been making pilgrimages to sacred lands... I've seen them go to a place with... how do you call the place that hasn't had rain in a long time?" "A drought?" "I've seen them go to a place with a long drought, and the night they arrive to pray... it rains. They need to go to these sacred lands and pray, or there will be no rain. But all the companies care about is gold. In 50 years when there's no more rain, will the gold help us to eat? Will we eat the gold?" Then he tells me about his shaman who he's traveling with. "We have peyote ceremonies... have you heard of peyote?" "Yes," I say. And he begins to tell me about his experience with ayahuasca. "Have you ever tried it?" "No," I say. Then another detainee walks in. Another American! We share stories again. We eat some free sandwiches and soon we put on a movie, "True Romance."

Finally, a woman comes and interviews me. After a bunch of questions she says, "You've overstayed your visit to the Shengen area, so we are unsure if Italy will let you back in. That's why we must put you on the next flight to Italy. I'm not sure what will happen once you get there. You will definitely be questioned and decide what to do from there. Your flight is at 7:05pm."

I go back to the room and continue to eat free food, watch movies, and chat with my fellow detainees. By now we have more company: an Albanian guy and a few Brazilians... Finally, after 8 hours I go to board my flight to Bergamo. I'm waiting at the gate with me chaperon and the flight is delayed one hour. Talk about Murphy's Law. Finally I get on my plane, and it was fairly uneventful.

As I step off the plane, I'm met by two Italian cops who have my passport. After a while of waiting they sit me in a room and ask questions. He apologizes for his poor English but he gets his point across. "You are an overstayer. This is a BIG PROBLEM." And he starts talking on the phone in Italian. When he gets off the phone he says, "Did you understand what I said?" I did, mostly. "I must go to the Office of Immigration?" "Yes, and you must stay at the airport tonight."

Now up until this point I have been calm, cool and collected. I waited over 9 hours in London, but when I heard this news I began to cry. I started wondering what I was going to do? Would I be arrested? Fined? Deported? What about all my stuff in Scanzorosciate? I quietly nodded and waited while he filled out paperwork.

It's about midnight now, and news of the American girl is slowly gaining attention among the cops. Soon, 4 Italian cops are all arguing over what to do with me. "Isn't there something you can do? You can't make this pretty American girl stay here all night like a criminal..." Two different officers are searching the rule book for any loophole to let me go. The main officer looks strict and doesn't want to change his mind. I hear them say, "Article 10!" But I don't want to get my hopes up. Finally he puts two sheets of paper in front of me and says, "Sign here, and you can leave." Gasp. It's almost 1am, I've been stuck in airports for over 12 hours. The paper I sign tells me to go to the immigration office in the morning at 11am. Suddenly, a weight has been lifted. At least tonight I can sleep in a warm bed until my fate is decided.

Camping!

I just got back from camping 7 days with Monica and the kids in Aprica, Italy. This is a tourist town, mostly popular for winter activities such as skiing. I kept a sort of diary while we were camping, here it is:

Day 1: Sunday. There's a lot to prepare! We have laundry to do, and food to pack. We may never make it. Hours later we finally leave the house. We drive about 90 minutes and see the sign, "Camping Aprica." Siamo arrivati! We open our giant tent and try to understand how it works. I'm confident that we can eventually have a perfectly set up tent, but Monica jokes that we may need to sleep in the car. After consulting the unhelpful directions, and a little help from Nicky, we finally had livable quarters. That night we ate leftovers from Micha's birthday party (hummus, shrimp and avocado salad, and asparagus pie).



Day 2: We are awoken by Nicky, who insists on trying to open our side of the tent, even though Zoi and I have made it clear, "NO BOYS ALLOWED!" He finally manages to unzip our side (the instant I let go of the zipper!) and all I see is Nicky and Theo excitedly rushing toward our door, so I put up my hands to block them from getting inside our area. The next thing I know, applesauce EVERYwhere. I didn't see that Theo had applesauce as he was charging at me, and he didn't expect me to block them from entering. Yellow goo.... splattered... need... paper towels... ASAP...

The culprit. Less '"mousse" more applesauce...

So then it's time for breakfast, but we have no bowls. So we ate cereal in shallow plates, no biggie. We shower, get dressed, and I read a little as the kids worked on some vacation homework. We were all quietly working in the warm sun when suddenly we hear rustling in the bushes-- loud rustling. We all stare in the direction of the noise when out walks a giant brown bear growling and heading straight for us! Just kidding, it was a mole. A small, black, and very cute mole-- perhaps the first one I've ever seen in nature.

After a while it was time for lunch. We ate more leftovers, this time pasta with pesto sauce-- yum! Then we went for a walk around the little tourist town of Aprica, known mostly for winter activities. We went to a tourist info center and got a bunch of pamphlets of all the cool stuff we could do this week. Then we did some grocery shopping, and had to buy some pots (yep, forgot those, too). Came home to organize a little, and get shelter from the rain. Zoi took a nap, as she hadn't been feeling well all day. We sat in awe thinking, 'How is it raining so hard!?' Thunder, lightning, and the deafening raindrops hit our tent... I gave Theo a lesson on our Solar System, and Monica decided to pick up some pizza and bring it back to the tent, so we wouldn't have to go out in the rain. When she got back, we all ate except for Zoi, who was still too sick to get out of bed. I read my book a little and played card games with Zoi, who is exceptionally good at card games! We went to bed.... my back is slowly getting used to the hard ground. At almost 3am Zio needs to go to the bathroom, I realize I need to go, too. I was a little annoyed to be awake at 3am, walking in the rain to the bathroom, but then I saw the moon. The full moon, just over the Alps looked incredible... Goodnight!

Day 3: I wake up a little later today, as Nicky isn't tormenting us to get up. I have yogurt and toast for breakfast, and we shower. The rain has cleared for now. The kids and I play some card games, which they pick up instantly. I tried to teach them how to shuffle, but their hands were too small.

We had lunch and the boys played in the stream a little while I gave Zoi a lesson on being sick. We made some tea and I went over the vocabulary of body parts and their corresponding maladies. Poor Zoi could barely swallow her lunch, so she went to the doctor with mom. The boys and I read until they came back, then we all went for a drive to a nearby town. The church was closed, so we continued on to the train station in Tirano. We saw the train we booked for the next day to St. Moritz, Switzerland.

When we got home we had "cena-merenda" which basically translates to "snack dinner." There's a lot of finger-food laid out and everyone piles what they want on their own plate. After that we had makeshift s'mores. It was nearly impossible to find marshmallows. Finally, we found colorful ones, with a hint of some artificial flavoring and a label that made me scared to look at the ingredients. With no hope of finding Graham Crackers, we settled for some biscotti and some too-thick chocolate. We heated the marshmallows on sticks over the propane stoves we brought.. They weren't the best, but it's the tradition that counts!





Day 4: Today we had to wake up early to catch the Bernina Express train from Tirano, Italy to St. Mortitz, Switzerland. This is definitely the most beautiful train rides I have ever taken. We saw the most amazing lakes and majestic mountains as we rode through the Swiss Alps. We arrived in St. Moritz and the first area we walked through was like Rodeo Drive on steroids. Every designer store you could think of... we saw a Rolls Royce, a Ferrari, and a Porsche all within the first hour. Once we passed the chic area, we decided to get lunch and have a picnic near a lake. After walking for a while we found a giant chess set and played with that until we were ready to board our train and get out of the cold. After a long day out we decided to have a warm meal at a local restaurant near the campsite. We had the local specialty: pizzoccheri. The chef came out and explained to us that the restaurant still uses his great grandmother's recipe from over 100 years ago. The dish is made with special buckwheat pasta (handmade at this particular restaurant), cooked with sage, garlic, butter, potatoes, and cheese. Although very heavy, this is probably one of the best dishes I've tried in Italy, at a restaurant, so far. At night it rained so much. If it stayed like this we might have to go back to Bergamo a few days early...


























Day 5: I woke up to find a sunny, blue sky and not a cloud around. I guess we're staying! Today was a lazy day of reading and sunbathing, while the kids did their vacation homework and played in the creek. We ate a really good lunch with vegetable pesto, garbanzo beans, and rice. For dinner we had scrambled eggs with broccoli... more reading before bed and we have to get up early to hike!

Day 6: We woke up early to go on a hike we had booked with the tourist office. A few minutes before we going to leave, we got a call that the hike was canceled due to weather conditions. So we decided to do our own hike. We packed a lunch of sandwiches and walked around for a few hours.This afternoon we went for a drive around the mountains in Aprica, and we stopped at a nature preserve with a marsh.














Day 7: Today we took a cable car up to have a little hike in the mountains of Aprica. This was truly a lovely walk. Their were creeks every few minutes and the walk winded around, making it quite interesting! We hiked about 90 minutes to Malga Magnolia. We were all famished when we finally arrived at the top of the mountain to see a restaurant. It was like a mirage in the desert!

Day 8: Today we packed up and drove back to Bergamo! Time for a super mega shower! Now, to enjoy my last 10 days living in Bergamo. :)

500 Days of Summer

The last few weeks have been wonderful. The kids are on vacation and I feel the stress of school has melted away. A couple of weekends ago we went to a party with all of the dogs from the kennel where Miranda was born. Yes, that's my life. I get to play with cute kids and puppies AND live in Italy in the meantime.

The next weekend we went to a picnic near Lugano, Switzerland, which is less than a 2 hour drive from Bergamo. We walked up to Alpe di Brusino and ate delicious food prepared by Monica and her friends.

I also met some Americans in Bergamo who were studying abroad from the University of Missouri, and the last Saturday they were in Bergamo they set up a soccer match. Wish I had dressed for the occasion!

This last weekend was particularly amazing. I had two friends visiting Bergamo so I set up an aperitivo at a local bar. Aperitivo (pre-dinner drink) is one of those amazing Italian concepts that probably would never work in the states. You simply pay for one drink (usually €5) and then you get to eat from the buffet. Of course the quality and price of the buffet varies from place to place, the best being in Milan (€8+).

The next morning we got up early to head to Como, where we had planned a 2 day (30km) hike from Como to Bellagio. We started later than we'd hoped, but still had an incredible walk through the mountains of Como, overlooking the beautiful lakes. The weather was perfect, except at night when the temperature dropped and 1 sleeping bag and small blanket were not enough! We heard dogs barking viciously, and the bells of donkeys walking around had us on our toes... We hardly got any sleep. But the sight of stars away from city lights made it all worthwhile.

Now I'm back in Bergamo with sore legs and shoulders... But eagerly awaiting the next trek!