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Andy the Architect
It is the year anniversary of the passing of my dear father. Sharing this short piece (in the style of G&M Lives Lived) in his memory. I miss him and proud to call him my Dad. Andrew Scott Bruce: Architect. Family-man. Skier. Cottager. Advocate for heritage conservation. Born June 10, 1939, Toronto; Died January 6, 2023, Oakville, of health complications from Alzheimer’s; aged 83 Andrew Bruce was always known as Andy. And Andy always knew he wanted to be an architect. This ambition was set in Grade 7. By the time he was in high school at Runnymede Collegiate in Toronto, he was doodling designs in his textbooks. Andy was…
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Go with love
The first stop on the French Way of the Camino de Santiago is Roncesvalles. It feels momentous to arrive in this small village. You’ve made it over the Pyrenees, left France behind and arrived in Spain. It’s Buenos Dias and Buen Camino from here on out. Another momentous occasion in Roncesvalles is the pilgrims mass in Iglesia de La Colegiata de Santa Maria. This intimate gothic church has exquisite stain glass and fantastic acoustics. The church fills with locals and eager pilgrims from all over the world embarking on the 800 km walk to Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims may set out from home on an individual journey but quickly become…
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Whole-hearted Caramel
I love to go for walks. The scent of squirrel in the air, grass to tickle my paws, sticks to pick up. So many things get me excited to bounce out the front door. There’s also a practical necessity for a walk but we don’t need to go there. TMI. Do you know one big reason I love walks? If you have ever met me on the street, you do. I LOVE people. My tail wags vigorously when I see a nice two legged person. My tail does not lie. This is not pretend joy. It comes from my heart. Tail wagging lets them know I am happy. Friendly. It’s…
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A fine ending in Burgos
Burgos was my last stop on the Camino de Santiago. Due a case of food poisoning I didn’t walk the 26 km into Burgos. These things happen on a long distance walk and you make adjustments. I took a taxi instead. Besides, I was very happy with the 260 km I did walk (about one third of the French way). There were advantages to the drive, namely Rueben, my taxi driver from Burgos. It was like he gave me a guided tour on the 25 minute ride. I learned so much about Burgos, from the industries (there are many from auto parts to cosmetics), the mystery of the parched sunflower…
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San Mateo festival in Logroño
My second rest day walking the Camino was in Logroño. I arrived on September 21, the main day of a week long wine harvest festival (fiesta de la vendemia) called San Mateo. I had a day and half to enjoy the festivities. A small amount of time, certainly, but enough to get a sense that “wine harvest festival” didn’t totally capture the spirit of what I saw. I thought I might see people stomping on grapes (the gentleman at the information office hinted at that). I did not. I saw wine. Yes. Tasted wine. Absolutely. But that’s a typical day in Rioja, and most anywhere in Spain. So what did…
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Resting and Eating in Pamplona
The first thing I noticed in Pamplona was the energy. The buzz was positively simmering. Every time I stepped out of my hotel, it was like I was stepping into a party zone. Socializing, eating, drinking. Music. One street in particular, Calle San Nicolas, was heaving. People spilled out of the bars. The chatter reverberated off the walls of the narrow street. The party vibe was full force at lunchtime and night. I soon discovered a similar frenzy in other northern cities along the Camino, but Pamplona was my first. Pamplona was also my first encounter with pintxos! Or pinchos? No matter the spelling (it’s “pintxo” in the Basque language, where…
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Camino de Santiago: Into Castilla y Leon
You tend to pick up little insights on the Way. Maybe it’s something somebody said, a note you read on sign, or simply the play of light on the trail. On these final stages, a man operating a rest stop gave me four Latin phrases to ponder. The one that stuck at that moment was Tempus Fugit. Time flies. Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado – 22.5 km Belorado to San Juan de Ortega – 24 km San Juan de Ortega to Burgos – 26 km (not walked) The fields of sunflowers had merely started in Rioja. All through these stages in Castilla y León sunflowers baked in the…
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Camino de Santiago: Grapes, wine and sunflowers in Rioja
Rioja is beautiful. A small region with big landscapes, and of course, big wines. I walked across it 3 short days. It could certainly be done in 2 but I was glad to extend my stay. The days were over far too fast. Logroño to Navarette – 13 km Navarette to Najéra – 16 km Najéra to Santo Domingo de la Calzada – 21 km A nice easy stroll out of Logroño, through city streets and a green park where people were walking their dogs. Less than 5 km after leaving, the path curved around a lake (with ducks and swans) and into pine trees in Parque de Grajera. Before…
