New Voice at Travel Reader

Thanks Marina for taking such good care and putting up great posts on the Travel Reader. We have a new blogger she is Renee Estey and she will be publishing new blogs at this space from now on. Marina is moving to Japan in a few months, we hope to hear about new life in Japan as she teaches English and gets to know her way around.

Boston To New York

From Boston there are a few ways to get to New York City. If you are in a time crunch you can take an airplane. The airline company JetBlue has cheap offers whose costs are comparable to taking a Greyhound bus. If you book with JetBlue a few weeks in advance, you can get a ticket for as cheap as $74 (taxes included).

Yet taking the bus is a great choice. The ride goes by quickly and you can save a lot of money. If you book a ticket from Boston with Greyhound, it is only $35. Also, order three days in advance and save $10.(Avoid using PeterPan for this trip, they charge up to $25 more).

If your reason for entering New York is a day of tourism, know that Port Authority is only blocks away from Times Square. However, if you need to continue to the airport you will have no trouble making the connection. Upon exiting the Port Authority building, there is a running bus service to both the Guardia and the JFK international airports. The buses come by a few times an hour and cost $12.

There is one more option that can make your trip to New York even cheaper. The LuckyStar and FunWah bus are two Chinese bus companies that take passengers from Boston to New York for only $15. You can purchase tickets online or right before boarding the bus at South Station.

My first time, I went with the LuckyStar company but now prefer the Fun Wah company (LuckyStar does not seem to be as organized). A word of warning: While unlikely, sometimes the buses can arrive a little late or even have been known to get lost along the route, so be prepared for such inconveniences.

To continue to the airport, take the train around the corner from Canal street; once inside, ask how to get to Jamacia Station. From there you can catch the JFK AirTrain ($5) which goes directly to the airport. Check out the article JFK's AirTrain to learn more about this alternative.

Compostela: A Final Reflecition

At the last step before entering Santiago, the grand finale to an adventure I'd had my heart set on for years, I expected tears of bittersweet sentiments to pour out of me. However, upon reaching the Cathedral of Compostela, I felt somewhat indifferent and disconnected from the beautiful structure.

When I presented my pilgrim credential for one last stamp and received the legendary certificate announcing I had completed the route, I realized something. For a real pilgrim, this is just a piece of paper. Everything you need to mark the end of your road is already inside you and no Compostela diploma can parallel this truth.

I heard the birds and crickets sing me songs from natures soundtrack. I sat down on rocks and watched the wind dance in the trees. I saw the world go by in the most relaxing and tranquil way. I learned to open my heart and lose fear; two lessons that I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life. I broke bread with fellow pilgrims and laughed. My hand was held on this trip.

Besides being an astonishing adventure with unforgettable sights, the Camino de Santiago is a spiritual ambition that can be a life changing experience. If you let it, you will learn to truly appreciate life for its most simple and most important qualities. Having a clean bed to sleep in, warm shower, food to fill your belly, and people in your life to share memories with. These are fundamental things that are often forgotten in today's materialistic society, but ultimately are the key to finding inner strength and happiness.

All that I learned on this trip I value, but what I will never forget is how impossible the distance once seemed. With one glance at a map, I felt like I would never arrive.

But I did arrive. With one foot in front of the other, one step at a time, I made it. Life often can be harsh, stubborn, or present us with difficult and challenging situations. The important thing to remember is that in all of us lies the power to overcome; no matter how scary or impossible something seems. Stop, breathe, rest for a minute, and take each hurdle at a time. Like this, you too will arrive to your Santiago.

Spain's Iron Cross

In the midst of the bank of white peaks you will arrive at the Cruz de Ferro ( 2Km from Foncebadon). For many pilgrims arriving to the cross is one of the key points in the journey because it marks two things. The first is that they have traveled a long way to arrive to this point; the Cross of Iron is only a little over 200 km from Santiago. However, this spot is even more emblematic because it is the place where many people leave behind their sins, fears, dreams, wishes, and make peace with themselves.

It is a tradition to bring a few rocks from home or from their journey to this point and entrust them to the hill. Due to the millions of pilgrims who make this trip annually, the result is that the amount of rocks dropped off are uncountable; the rocks continuously accumulate in a giant sized mound. While some pilgrims only bring one or two rocks to part with, others take the occasion seriously and bring one for every dream or sin they care to contribute to the camino. I will always remember a certain friend who attached the largest stone he could find to his back pack. He identified this five pound piece of earth as his greatest sin and hopes, ultimately feeling that by leaving it behind he would feel free. It was a laughable, yet touching sight.


Also, after ascending the emotional hill and parting with their rocks, a pilgrim significantly touches the ten foot cross that stands proud and tall on top of the rock site.
Furthermore, many people leave trinkets, pictures, pins, flags, notes, or other memorabilia to attach to the cross. For some this "drop off" is a bittersweet experience. During my travels I met a Texan lady whose brother had passed away a few years ago. For her, part of the trip was saying goodbye to her brother and using scallop shells ( a key pilgrim item) to leave pieces of his memory throughout key points of the camino. She recounted to me how beautifully sad it felt to drop off her shell at the cross. She was giving her brother to the mountain and making peace with his death here.

For many, arriving to the cross is an unforgettable and priceless part of their pilgrimage.

Mountainous Adventures

Upon leaving the city of Astorga, you will begin the last two hundred fifty kilometers; this last spread has some of the most impressive scenery that I seen since the Spanish Pyrenees.

The change in the landscape is overwhelming as the path merges with one from the mountains; the sites are breathtaking . You will find yourself feeling like an ant when you look up at the high roaming hills filled with wild flowers in shades of yellows, purples, reds, and oranges. The exotic smell of honeysuckle and mint quickly fills one's senses. It is a magical walk and makes you feel like you are in a fairy-tale.

Foncebadon
In this town( 25 Km from Astorga) there are two lodging places to choose from. A municipal albergue with a kitchen is one cheap option but for a few extra euros, you can stay the night in a nicer local inn. Next door to the bar is the perfect place for dinner ( La Taberna Foncebadon/tlf. 616 585 143). While Foncebadon has a population of under 100 people, the tavern is a touristic point. The tavern is a small restaurant with an atmosphere that will quickly take you back in time. From the cups which the drinks are served in, to the plates the meals are brought out on, to the outfits of the servers, everything in eyesight appears to be from the early 1900's. If you do intend to dinner here, come very hungry. Quoting a fellow pilgrim, " you can plan on being full for breakfast the following morning. The portions, especially the meats served, are delicious, yet enormous."

Religios
For some people, Foncebadon is a place to avoid because it is said to be haunted with spirits and witches, and thus some pilgrims move on 5 km ahead to a very small town called Religios. The albergue there is one of the most unique along the entire path. It is a donative/free German albergue with a welcoming atmosphere; the hospitalero (inn keeper) keeps a small stay for about 15-20 people. Food is prepared and free for the pilgrims, however keep in mind, there is no electricity and thus no place to shower. If you stay here, be ready for a unique experience.

Castilla y Leon

When it comes to the panoramic views and nature you see on the walk, the camino is a delight for the five senses. Just the joy of grazing through the landscapes and mingling with the people can be enough to fill the heart to the brim with precious memories. However, if you want to do some tourism on the trip, the following areas of the province of Castilla y Leon are nice to take note of.

Burgos
For example, appreciate the cathedral of Burgos. To enter the historic square which the cathedral rests on, you must cross a bridge with a castle like passageway. The cathedral takes up a neighborhood block and is an exciting structure decorated with high towers, jagged points, and statues of figures and images only found in one's nightmares. Despite the fact the cathedral is Gothic, its very white and cleanly restored appearance makes the "building" look more romantic and alluring than threatening. In fact, many weddings take place here during the summer.Leon
Out all the major cathedrals to visit in the North of Spain, the cathedral in Leon is my favorite because it offers a large and splendid display of stained glass windows. Like the cathedral of Burgos, the one in Leon is also Gothic, yet has a more rustic and natural feel because it has not been restored on the outside. Leon is also famous for its impressive buildings ranging from mediaeval to avant-garde style. Something worth entering is the beautiful Basilica of San Isidrio. This romanesque temple has an old monastery that exhibits 12th century frescoes with scenes from the old testament, preserved in their original colors and is unique in what it presents.

Astorga
Astorga is a small charming city that has a special place in the hearts of many pilgrims, especially if they enjoy chocolate. Astorga is a heavenly center for sweets. It is almost impossible to go for a walk in the city without having your mouth water. Each street is lined with window displays of an assortment of delicious pastries and chocolates in a variety of flavors (milk, dark, white, and more ). Here you can find the purest chocolate you will ever eat in your life (100 percent dark chocolate),there is even a chocolate museum in the center of the city!