BLOG POST 2 WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE 2024
Welcome Back to Blog Post 2
Thanks for tuning in to my blog post again. I hope you enjoyed the first one and as I outlined in that I hope to post up these blog post regularly during my 2200km charity walk on the Via Francigena (VF) from Canterbury to Rome. I hope they improve as I go along (they may or may not) as I share my experience, encounters, thoughts and more as I enjoy this amazing adventure!
I am currently enjoying a rest day in the French town of Bruay-Le-Bruissierre. After 10 days of continuous walking from Canterbury on Sunday 16th June, I was delighted to get the break today and rest up and reflect on my journey so far. It also gives me a chance to write up this blog post as it takes me most of the day to type up something anyway and I still have not got a hang of uploading my images to the website so I will have to arrange an emergency online tutorial with Cathal Quinn to show me how again. Even though he spent time showing me before I departed, it seems to have gone right through my head.
Sure Why Not!
I am going to explain the title of this blog post right at the start here as it is about an experience that has been floating around in my head a good bit so far on my walk.
A few weeks before I departed myself and my Godson Odhran (Age 7) visited McDonalds in Castlebar. Odhran got his McNuggets meal and a chocolate milkshake and I got mine. He proceeded to eat his chips up first as he told me this was the way he does it. After finishing his chips he happily got his box of nuggets, opened the lid of the milkshake and dipped his chicken nugget into his shake before happily popping it in his mouth and eating it. ODHRAN I said in disbelief what are you doing, you can’t do that!
He looked at me and said Sure Why not, That’s the way I like it! I spluttered to come up with an answer as to why he shouldn’t eat his nuggets that way and he proceeded to explain to me that the nugget and shake would mix together in his mouth anyways and he enjoyed dipping it into his shake and eating it that way. Well Who am I to argue with that logic.
When I think about it I was more concerned as to what it looked like to anyone else watching. But who cares when you think about it. Surely the enjoyment of the meal is more important.
Lesson learned Cathal, Don’t give a feck what it looks like and dip your chicken nugget into your chocolate shake if that’s the way you like it!
Day 7 Licques to Tournehem – sur – La Hem
As the days go, this was a short route of just under 17km. I could feel the weather conditions getting hotter so it was nice to have a short enough walk and get into the lovely small village of Tournehem in the early afternoon. It is always nice to be finished early but most of the times the accommodation is available to check in so it was nice to find a small pub opened in the centre of the village where I could enjoy a couple hours over lunch. I met a few English tourists who were passing through and it was funny to see the looks they were giving me as I explained to them yes you heard me right I am in fact walking to Rome. The landlady of the pub gave me a notebook to write a few words in and it was lovely to read what other walkers/pilgrims who had passed through here before me had wrote.
It got me thinking of a piece from a book on the VF by author Brian Mooney. A Long Way For a Pizza – On Foot to Rome . He wrote about an encounter he had with an asian volunteer when he was in the Monestary at the Great Saint Bernards Pass:
A Long way for Pizza
As a walking pilgrim I was invited to dine with the volunteers: they included a thoughtful young Vietnamese theology student who was thinking of taking holy orders. What had brought him all the way from Southeast Asia to this Alpine pass, one of Europe’s highest inhabited spots, and cut off from the outside world for six months a year? “When I know that,” he answered, “it will be time to return home.”
As in most of the town and villages there was a lovely town square and there were preparing for a music festival that night, which I was delighted with as it coincided with the launch of our own festival Siamsa Sraide back home that night. I couldn’t quite learn if there festival has been going for as long as our own, which is celebrating a remarkable 40th anniversary back home in Swinford this coming August (2/8 to 7/8 visit www.siamsasraide.ie)
My accommodation was about a 1km out and unfortunately uphill so that meant my well intentioned plans to come back in later that evening were scuppered as a few cramps and aches set in and I just wasn’t able to face back into the walk in and out as I was planning on being on the road early the next morning.
Day 8 Watching a Mayo Match in Silence is one of the Hardest Things I will Ever Do!
Tournehem to Wisques was again a lovely 20.7km walk that had me on the road nice and early as planned as thankfully the good nights rest took care of the aches and cramps from the evening before. This was to turn out to be a very special day and experiences that I am sure will stay with me for a long long time.
I arrived at the Abbaye Saint- Paul in the small village of Wisques just as the monks who live here were starting their afternoon service called SEXT, It was a 15 minute payer service in latin where the monks stood opposite each other at the top of a small chapel and sang and chanted prayers in Latin. It was lovely introduction to the monastery.
After the service was concluded I was welcomed by one monk who had the role as guest master. This abbey welcomes male pilgrim walkers to dine and stay overnight while on the walk. There is another abbey just down the road that welcomes female walkers. I was introduced to the head monk and brought to the refectory for lunch. Before entering the refectory I was greeted at the door by a monk with a basin and jug of water where I had to wash my hands before entering. It is a good job this didn’t happen immediately on my arrival as I probably would have grabbed the jug and gulped it back!!!!
I enjoyed a lovely lunch with the monks in the refectory. They sat in small numbers around the room in positions of hierarchy I guess with the head monk sitting at a table on his own at the top.Lunch was a delicious serving of fresh salad and a vegetable stew all home grown in their own gardens. It was all in silence apart from one monk at a lecture chanting prayer during the meal. It was a lovely experience and already I could feel that I had stepped back in time out of the modern day to day world.
Once again I find myself thinking How did I get here. It really was like being in another world.
After lunch I was shown to my room. I was to be the only guest that night. I was given a list of guidelines for the guests about the monastic life and services etc. Immediately I saw that dinner was at 7.20 so I knew that I would miss the start of the Mayo match and then I saw that Silence was to be observed absolutely from after diner to the following morning. This was going to be interesting.
Once again that evening at 6pm I attended a service called Vespers in the monks chapel. IOt lasted about 25 minutes and consisted of again the monks in their places chanting and singing prayers in latin throughout. They never pause once. I was given a booklet with a French translation of the psalms and prayers and so needless to say I still had no idea what was being said. But it was a lovely experience and one that I will most definitely remember.
Dinner afterwards was again along the same lines as lunch and enjoyed in silence. A simple meal of soup, plain rice and pasta and fruit. O outside interferences and It was fascinating to sit here and watch these people go about their day with none of the outside noise from the world.
Talking about outside noise from the world I got to my room after dinner and managed to get GAA Go on my laptop towards the end of the first half got the Mayo V Derry championship match.Silence in the monastery had kicked in and I was extremely sorry I had not gone up the village t with my laptop as I proceeded to roar and scream in my head at the scenes playing out in front of me as it went on and on to penalties and then ultimately Mayo God Help us defeat. Sometimes there are no words. Also at one point the internet coverage on my phone was wavering and I was thinking I must get the wifi password but who to ask when all there was around was the sound of silence! First world problems.
Sunday Day 9 Back to the real world . Wisques to Delettes
Jesus I’m only at Sunday and I’m rambling away here. You know for all the planning in my head I try and do for these posts in the end it all just comes tumbling out while I am typing. I hope you are enjoying the read,
Departed the monastery bright and early Sunday morning as it was going to be a hot day with little shade and I wanted to get the walking done. Even thought it was another short one of just under the 16km. When I think of these short walks it strikes me that the longer ones are coming down the road but that is one of the nice things about the VF it starts off with nice routes on mainly flat ground that builds you up nicely. Well I hope it does. The Pizza kiosk was back in action today as when I arrived in my village I was informed that there was no where to eat open on a Sunday and the option was a pizza from the local pizza kiosk. These things are obviously a big thing over here. We I was starved and it more than done. Nothing else to do for the day than to relax in the lovely guesthouse of Michelle & Jean-Michel and chill for the day.
Monday Day 10 – Letting the negative thoughts take over
I got off to a later start than planned on Monday as I had to wait for a local shop to open so I could buy some provisions after getting a message from my Monday nights accommodation that there was no food options available on a Monday in their locality and the only shop available on route was one in the village I was departing. Baquettes and Ham for dinner so.
It was a lovely route of 21.7km but due to the late start was done in very hot conditions and I think that set the tone for my day. I arrived absolutely baked to my destination. Noone there but a note saying cold drinks in the fridge, They weren’t there for long. I found myself on Monday evening looking ahead at future route stages and focusing in on the real difficult ones and of course that just leads to a lot of negativity building up as stress. I had to get my mind away from it and just come back to focusing on the routes daily here and now. That is where I am finding huge benefits from using the App CALM. It is an app with a range of resources that allows you to meditate and control anxiety. Well worth checking out and proving to be an invaluable tool to me on my journey.
Blister Alert Blister Alert Where is the Compeed
I really need to tap into the tools I had to control any anxiety as I found myself having a bit of a freak out on Monday night when a blister started developing on my left sole. I don’t know is it because I am on my own and that just magnifies everything but I found that this blister really upset my rhythm on Monday night. It led into Tuesday morning as I had a really restless night as I conjured up all sorts of scenarios. Amputation seemed inevitable
I got up early on Tuesday and calmed my thoughts down, I got very lucky with the fact that the guesthouse I was in offered a luggage transport service to the next stop which I gladly availed of. With the pressure of carrying my backpack now removed I was able to just concentrate on treating the blister and making a deal with myself that all I had to do was Win today as I was heading in to a much needed rest day. I set off and had a few inner battles with myself where I found myself thinking about the short cut and trying to make a deal with myself that if I made it to this point I would then try and get a lift to the finish point that day. But I kept battling with myself and persevering and was really proud to win out and complete 25.5km to the town of Bruay-Le-Bussiere where I was delighted to check in for 2 nights and see a long lazy day ahead of me.
Rest Day
Today Wednesday 26th June I have enjoyed a lovely rest day here with just a few short strolls around the neighbourhood. It felt weird not o be packing up and walking on but it was a nice day where I got to sit around and reflect on the walk so far and also enjoy a lovely call home.
I can see everyday how this journey is going to build my inner strength and help me develop as a person and that is one of the main reasons I am so glad and fortunate to be able to undertake this adventure. I have no doubt the person I will be for many years to come is being developed everyday as I walk to Rome.
As I always say in my daily post on social media the messages and support I am receiving daily from Home and around the world are a source of great comfort and really help keep me going as I won’t lie to you it can be lonely some evenings but the contact from everyone really helps keep a smile on on my face and a positive attitude going forward.
I have being lucky to receive messages from families who are impacted by the 2 charities I am fundraising for,
Mayo Parkinson’s Association &
Children’s Health foundation Crumlin
To hear these families stories is very inspiring and to all who have donated so far thank you so much but as I always say it is not just about raising funds but also about raising awareness of all the wonderful work these charities do day in day out all year long.
Big Thank you to Swinford A.C
I was really delighted to get a message from Adette Gallagher and Swinford A.C. to say that all the proceeds raised from their annual Siamese 5k this coming festival will go towards my fundraiser. That is really humbling and very much appreciated. Swinford A.C is a fantastic organisation for all ages. Myself and Tony Gleeson always say that the best decision we made over the last couple of years was to join this club. They are excellent for encouraging anyone to come out and exercise to your own ability. They are a fantastic tribe to be apart of who constantly empower and encourage
Well I think I am going to end my ramblings here and bring this post to an end. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Getting ready now to zoom call with Tommy Stenson and record n episode of the Swinford Chats Podcast so god knows what I will be raving about on there after typing all this.
I am looking forward to getting back on the road tomorrow.
Everyday brings a mix of emotions and tomorrow is a new day and a new win to aim for
Remember you can follow my daily updates and pictures on social media. All the links are on the website.
Take care and thank you
Best wishes
Cathal