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Belated Happy New Year

You know I almost forgot:

Happy New Year

To every one.

Time magazine, in their standard New Year’s edition, named Journalists as the person / persons of the year. Are you kidding me? Must be fake news. No, no, no. For a blogger like me this guy has to be one of the news makers of the year, what with all of his threats”:Image result for pics of kim jungAnd his band of Merry Men:

 

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Check out those hats man, and uniforms. And here, at a North Korean “Pride” Parade:

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I’ll say. It was a nice day for a parade until they brought out the electron magnet.

Nah, we here in the west have nothing to worry about.

And my other newsworthy person of the year has to be:

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“Are you talking to me? Yeah…you, are you talking to me?”

For a blogger like me these dudes are the gifts that keep on giving. It was close though as I felt that this guy deserved an honorable mention.

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“Manna from heaven dude. Hey David let’s go for a Barista and a toke man.”

For my European friends the guy on the right is our fearless (and clueless) Prime Minister. The guy on the left is David Suzuki, Canada’s pre-eminent enviro – mental.

And of course, what about this guy:

See the source image“Vivre La France” ….dude and dudesses.

 

See, even this guy agrees with me.

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No, “Time,” you got this one all wrong.

So, my person of the year is shared between Donald Trump of the USA’s Bridge and Euchre Association and Who Flung Poo from North Korea. Honourable mentions to Macron and Trudeau – brothers in arms.

 

Song of the day. This is a classic. When this came out in 1960 it would turn out to be the greatest dance tune of all time. It hit number one on the charts multiple times and went on the produce many copycats. I was 9 when it came out and I remember, fondly, playing this record over and over and over again at the cottage on Georgian Bay that my parents rented for a few weeks every summer. Great memories:

You know this is a great song for even after 59 years you still want to get up and shake that booty. Check out those glam suits.

If the world had more songs like this there definitely would be world peace.

Have a great Navy Day

SJ…………………………………Out

 

New Year’s Day: Peaceful Easy Feeling

This is my first post since having completed my Vezelay to St Jean Pied de Port 900 kilometer pilgrimage 13 September 2018. After completing such a journey and experiencing a tremendous natural high that came with it, I just did not feel like writing anything at all. Now, however, I have a renewed interest and strength and a peaceful easy feeling:

2018 was a bittersweet year for me. My dear wife passed away from Cancer 08 December 2017. Our first grandchild was born 01 April 2018. April Fools Day but more importantly, Easter Sunday. A real blessing for me but sad that my wife never got to hold her.

I spent most of my time in the first 6 months of 2018 planning my pilgrimage. This proved to be a very welcomed distraction from my grief. I will not go into it as you can read about it in my archived posts starting around the 27 July – 13/14 September 2018. I felt my wife’s presence throughout the long walk. Silent times for personal reflection among some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet – France. Mon Dieu, beaucoup de belle pay. Je l’aime. It renewed my faith in life and in God. My anger about my wife’s death dissipated like a light translucent fog in a light summer’s breeze. How could I remain sad in this environment?

From there I went to Lourdes, which was a very personal journey for me. Then finishing off this glorious summer trek with a visit to a very old, but dear friend, who now lives in Switzerland. Spending a week with her, her husband and family was a highlight for me. Thanks Ruth and Pascal.

I was able to say goodbye to Marijke and I could sense her letting me go. To move on. It is okay, she whispered in my ear, GO, and  live, just as a soft, light enveloping wind swept over me like a cool refreshing blanket in this summer’s heat. I will never forget her but I must move on for the sake of my two sons, and now my grandchild.

Goodbye Marijke. Until me meet again. Hallelujah!

That is it. I look forward to the New Year with a renewed sense of purpose and interest. Those that know me and have followed this blog know that I am a compassionate conservative, who likes to poke fun at current events, and personalities – left or right, up or down, it makes no difference to me.

Here is my last song. Cheap Trick: I Want You to Want Me!

SJ………………………………….Over and out.

Post Script: The End

Check out my new book Kurofune by clicking on the link above right. Getting great reviews. Would make an excellent Christmas gift while supporting a Canadian author.

Feel free to leave a comment. I answer every one. Just click on the comments tab to the left of the screen, scroll down to the bottom or until you see the comment block. Thanks.

The end of this Pilgrimage is just the beginning of the rest of my life. Thank you. To all of you who made this Pilgrimage so special:

Robert from Leavan; Vezelay Abby Brothers and Sisters; Peter from Belgium; Jean Pierre, Michel and Stephanie; Johan from North Holland; Gill, the anorexic pilgrim; Philippe and Antonia from Dachau; Berry the flying Dutchman, the Von Trappiste Family; Orion, the hippy Frenchman; Frederick, Dauphine and Bruno; Angelique from Uzbekistan; Premerly Bistro Staff; the old man and his wife at the Premerly Campsite; Gill the model mathematician; Laurent; Philippe from Luxumbourg; Anne Marie and Rejean from Paris; town of Flavignac; Peter the Judge from Ghent; Lisandra and Rewanda from the Netherlands; Arek from Poland; Marcus and his dog; and all of the staffs at the various pilgrim hostels I stayed at; Murial from Mount Marsan, Gilbert and his wife from Bazas; Samuel the French Philosopher who is trapped in a bikers’ body; Pascal from Strasbourg; Guy, the other French anorexic pilgrim; Gunter from Dussuldorf; Yannick and Michel – I hope you find your course in life – thanks to all of you for making this journey so memorable for me.

Finally:

Goodbye Marijke

Thank you for those wonderful days you gave me.

I will always love you. I will never forget you.

And to you:

Michael and Mark, Danielle, Ruby, Jeannie and PJ, Brad, Laura, their kids – this Pilgrimage is dedicated to all of you…and of course Sid.

And to all my friends for your support, especially Ted, Marg, Pascal and Ruth.

Thank you for the days:

SJ…….out.

Off to Lourdes. This is personal. No more posts. I hope you enjoyed the journey with me. Thanks for your comments and support. It really helped me out. Marg, I still have that emulate you gave me before I left. I carried it throughout.

To my Swiss Friends – looking forward to seeing you soon.

And may all your life pilgrimages be happy ones with no suffering whatsoever.

Day 42: Ostabat to Saint Jean Pied de Port

Made it. Safe and sound. This calls for a celebration:

Day started off beautifully. Just look at this sunrise in Ostabat:

Now 22 kilometers to Saint Jean Pied de Port across some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see:

I arrived and finished:

 

Last night a real Basque farmer entertained us in song. Of course we had to sing along or hum or yell whatever because Brunet had a very loud and booming voice:

Fun!

Walking today brought on a barrage of emotions. My friend Ted was right about that. I thought about everything since starting this journey. I thought of my wife, my children, grandchildren, the scenery, what to do for the rest of my life. But it is impossible to remain sad, despondent or depressed about your situation in life when you experience what I have experienced for the past 42 days and the array of characters and individuals, crazy or normal but all unique, that I have met.

I look ahead with renewed hope and optimism. How can I not when walking among these hills,these valleys, these farms, meadows, mountain tops and morning mist. It is a scene that is impossible to describe. Only some heavenly inspiration could possibly capture the beauty and essence that nature has given us here. As I look ahead at the bluest morning sky I have ever seen – a blueness that was captured in my wife’s eyes – deep blue, crystal clear and magnetic – and the sculpted mountain peaks in the distance, I can see a thousand “Davids, “ nature’s masterpieces everywhere I look. This area is unbelievably beautiful. And that is what gives me hope and the will to carry on. God’s gift of nature’s beauty to all of us.

I think of Marijke. Someone I have lost. I feel for my kids and the wonderful mother, friend and fan that she was to them. In her eyes, as in all mother’s eyes,they can do no wrong and like nature’s “ David” are perfect human beings in their own right.  And for that I am thankful. Thankful for the renewed hope that that thought brings to me. I am sorry Mark and Mike for your loss and sorrow but together we can live again in her memory. I know we can.

That is it. No more tears, no more sorrow. Just life!

I can only think of one song that could match the beauty of this morning’s walk:

A few stats:

42 days;

900 kilometers;

Averaged 25 kilometers per day;

990,000 steps

On average I spent about 40 euros per day;

Stayed in a hotel twice;

Camped 10 times;

Had 2 rain days and 6 rain nights;

Never got sick;

Shoes, socks, pants and tees held out. At least I think they did. The “haz-mat” team may think otherwise.

And like a good pilgrim, I suffered.

Tomorrow will be my last post.

 

 

Day 41: Penultimate: Sauterre de Bearn to Ostabat

Today’s walk is dedicated to all of those men and women dealing with cancer patients at the BC Cancer Clinic. To all the Nurses and Oncologists who have to deal with this as a career. They are real heroes.

Found out today that we are actually in the Pyrenees, French side. Makes sense as the hills have become sreeper and steeper, higher and higher. Here are a couple of views of hills we had to climb today:

That hill in the distance is typical of the hills we climbed today. One hill was 350 meters high over a distance of 700 meters. Compare that to the Malahat, which rises 352 meters over 8 kilometers. Tough! The actual walk today was 26.8 kilometers, which took us over 7.5 hours – a long day as a result of the hills.

The area around Ostabat is unique in that 3 of the French Pilgrimages meet here: Tours, Vezelay and Le Puy. They all then converge on St Jean Pied de Port before climbing up and over to begin the Camino Frances to Santiago.

The 3 French paths converge at this spot.

The landscape between Sauterre and Ostabat actually reminds me of the Swiss countryside, especially near Zurich. Rich:

Pascal and his favourite companion – our host last evening:

Getting tired now. Tomorrow is day 42 and the end of this journey.

The area around Ostabat also has a Spanish feel to it and there are palm trees here and there. It reminds me a bit of northern California with its Spanish vibe. Accordingly, here is another Eagles classic. One of the best leads around by Don Felder.  Sound and voice synchronization is off a bit. Enjoy: