Just Over Two Weeks to Go

Date	04 Nov 22
Total All Caminos:	1620 miles
Planes:	Rochester -> Munich -> Rochester $ 810
Total Planes:	$ 810

Meaningful Moment

Nov 14, 2022:

With only two and 1/2 weeks to go, I start the day attending the funeral service of a good acquaintance. As far as I know, his passing was unexpected. He was 61 years old. 

There are so many reminders lately of how precious life is, how lucky I am to still be here. It was 11 years ago that I pretty much beat back my POEMS cancer. Read My Blog Here. 

I long ago learned to avoid reading the obits. Not much good came from that activity. The one exception is when I receive my monthly issue from the Fleet Reserve Assc. I do look for friends and acquaintances from my time as a Naval Russian linguist. Those were good times. It is an odd combination of relief to not see anyone that I know in the list, and sadness to see someone that I do know (or did know).

During the Mass at the service this morning, as I approached the altar to receive Communion, I momentarily touched the draping over the casket. I was so surprised at the depth of a fleeting fragmentary feeling of finality.  It has been some time since I had last met Mike, yet what had changed and made me shudder in a way, was the idea that I would never ever meet him again. 

My 70th comes up in about 10 months. Since my 69th, I had been keeping in the background the significance of my next birthday. In a way, I am not surprised that I am here. In fact I plan on making it to 100. But there is now this nagging firing of brain cells that happens at sporadic moments that reminds that everyone has their finality. 

I suppose the question is whether we make our own fate, or whether we are driven along by some pre-programmed machine running in the background  that drops a lever, rotates a cog, spins a tumbler and then BAM, the bus hits you.

Perhaps this might be one of the things that I reflect on as I make my way through Bavaria.

Or perhaps I am simply sad ... today.

Random Thought of the Day

Nov 15, 2022:

My mood has lightened today. Perhaps I just needed some time to get over yesterday's sadness.

Since my return from Ireland in the first week of September, I have taking nine credits of language courses at RIT. The workload has been overwhelming. I thought that it would be exciting and challenging and rewarding. While it has been all of those, the workload has also been draining, tiring and incessant.

A little while ago I finished the last of the homework that I am going to do. I have three classes tomorrow and two on Friday. Then I am done. I will switch to an all-on focus for my upcoming hiking in Bavaria. 

I need to train to get into shape for 13-mile days. I need to repair a twitch behind my left knee that has the potential to upend everything. If fact, I saw my physical therapist today to get some exercises to at best make it better, and at worst to hold off any decrease in my ability to hike.

The highlight of the day was going out with grandkids for a Starbucks coffed and Subway sandwich. They always make me feel better. 

Special Topic

Nov 18, 2022:

Kind of jumping around here. Had my last class of the term at RIT in German and Spanish today. It was a lot of work. I had classes in German conversation, German grammar (Intermediate) and Spanish grammar (intermediate). For the last nine weeks, pretty much of my free time was tied up doing homework. 

I got in my yoga classes and hiking and pickleball play, but it seemed like I was running from one activity to the next. Now I have actual "down" time. 

I will spend it watching youtube videos about:

•  Munich, e.g. the airport and train system, 
• everyday activities like shopping, getting a room for the night, 
• the Muencher Jakobsweg, and 
• travel videos about the towns along the way, AND
• THE WEATHER in Bavaria.

I must say that I really enjoyed the mental activities associated with all that language learning. It stimulated a lot of "grey" cell usage. I look forward to the spring 2023 term.

But now it is all about my upcoming trip.

One Month and Counting Down

Date	04 Nov 22
Total All Caminos:	1620 miles
Planes:	Rochester -> Munich -> Rochester $ 810
Total Planes:	$ 810

What is the Munchen Jakobsweg (Munich Way of St James)?

The Way of St. James from Munich to Lindau on Lake Constance starts in Munich, the state capital of Bavaria. 

Even when Munich was only known as the settlement "Zu den Mönchen", this served as a meeting point for pilgrims who - coming from eastern regions - continued their journey to distant Santiago de Compostela. 

Today, the Munich Way of St. James is divided into eleven daily stages and thus sets scenic and thematic focal points, because it not only leads through breathtaking landscapes, but also presents pilgrims with the important stations, churches and monasteries that have lined the path since time immemorial.

Pilgrims who do not yet know Munich are therefore advised to stay overnight in order to experience this beautiful city. The pilgrims leave the city of over a million inhabitants on a path along the green Isar valley, beautifully along the Isar. 

On the following days, pilgrims to St. James encounter the impressive Bavarian baroque style in many monasteries and village churches along the way. 

Through the "Pfaffenwinkel" it goes again and again over meadows and fields and through shady forests over a gently undulating landscape. 

Lake Starnberg and Lake Ammer are on the way, after a relaxing beer in the beer garden you can spend the night in the Andechs monastery for a donation - if you have a pilgrim's pass.

The Ostallgäu awaits the pilgrim friends with lovely nature trails and spruced up villages and towns.

The Pilgrimage destination is Lindau, which is fantastically situated on Lake Constance and invites the pilgrims to enjoy and linger.

Meaningful Moment

I've been battling a sense of ennui for some time now.

Sidenote: Way back in the early spring of 2020 with the economic shutdown in full force, I started thinking about returning to Switzerland. I had hiked on the Via Francigena through the French speaking portion. 

I started to look at other routes in Switzerland. The most interesting were in the German speaking portion, but I did not speak German, anymore than I spoke French. 

I suppose that one good thing that came out of Covid was having the time to study new subjects. One of those new subjects was the study of German at the local community college as a senior for free, if I audited the course. 

Long story short, I opted to start learning German, and from there I began to think about a pilgrimage along the Via Francisca in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Although I am not headed to Switzerland, I am now headed to Bavaria.

So anyway back to the present. I've now completed six various courses in German, and I am burned out. I have not had the opportunity to actually put  all that repetitive drilling in reading, writing, listening and speaking to use. My partner and I were planning a trip after the New Year's and at the same time, I decided that if not now, when???

So now it is. Dec 1st, 2022 I board the plane for my flight to Munich to begin the Muncher Jakobsweg.

It comes down to one of two things: either I will succeed at this foray into Germany or I will learn something about myself.

Random Thought of the Day

At this point, it's about checking gear.

•  shoes fit and are comfortable and broken in
•  pack fits snugly on the back
•  got the right gear

And checking over the paperwork:

• Passport (expires 24)
• Covid vaccine and booster record ( Germany no longer requires )
• Global Entry (expires late 23)
• Camino Passport
• trip insurance 
• Trip Cancellation / Interruption: 100 %
•  Medical: $50,000
• Med Evac/Repatriation: $100,000
• Bag Coverage / Delay: $250 / $300
• Baggage: $1000