Ryan -may I Speak with you?
I’ve got a Huge Surprise!

Sure, Dad -I am almost done with my Math homework.

Remember when you were sad that we could not travel to meet your friends in Europe?

Yes -you helped me make Flags of Countries where my friends live with construction paper. I felt better.

Ryan -we are going to France and to Spain!

Put away your Math and let’s do the Geography of Europe, Ryan! We are taking a 500 mile Walk through the French Pyrenees and across Spain. We will Walk for 32 days!

So -just as before here are sheets of construction paper and you can make the Flag of Spain. We already made the flag of France, remember? You have nice friends in France.

OK, Dad -I made the Flag of Spain. It is a Flag with a Picture on it!

That’s called a Coat-of-Arms, Ryan. We will see many of those in Spain. I’ll explain what they represent later.

This is so Exciting, Dad! Thank you for taking me to Europe with you. You are welcome, Ryan. I believe that it will be quite Educational for both of us.

Spain is one of the largest Countries in Europe, right, Dad?

Yes. France is a bit larger, and Germany is a bit smaller than Spain. It will take us a month to walk across northern Spain, Ryan.

We will pass through 5 regions of Spain on our walk. These each have their own customs and languages! The Basque Country-Navarra-La Rioja-Castillo y Leon and Galicia.

Oh, Dad! I’m So Looking Forward to this Trip with you! Maybe some of my Friends in Europe and the UK will follow us on Facebook and Instagram?

I do hope that they will keep you Company, Ryan

Dad. Is this how they walked the Camino long ago?

Yes, Ryan.

Do you think that I can be a Pilgrim just like the old days?

I believe that you can do anything that your heart desires, Ryan. I will support your Camino.

Ryan -here are your Clothes for your Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage. You said that you wanted to Travel just like a Pilgrim from long, long ago.

Thank you Dad. This Feels very Good to me.

Dad says that I have to *Train* myself to walk my Camino. He says that I must walk 15-20 miles per day — every day — for 32 days!!
This looks like a Good Road to Practice upon and to Train upon.

Well, Ryan. If you want to go as a Pilgrim I’m going to have to Carry your Toothbrush… and your Hairbrush… and your Blankie…. (Sigh!)

Gee!! Thanks, Dad!!

I got you a Gift, Ryan! When you get Tired walking the Camino Frances, I will Carry you!

We are flying to Paris tomorrow, Ryan. You will get to see the real Eiffel Tower- like this Lamp, but slightly Larger; you’ll see.

I will be Much Closer to some of my Friends in Europe and Great Britain, right, Dad?

Yes, Ryan- and perhaps some Friends will follow you as you Walk across Espania.

We leave for our Flight today, Ryan!
Do you Remember how this all Began?

You were Sad because you could not visit with your many friends across the ocean. I said “I have an Idea to Bring you Closer to your Friends!”

Do you Remember that I cut many sheets of paper in *Special ways and I told you that you could make FLAGS of the countries where some of your friends live?

Yes, Dad. I made a flag of France -where we are flying to tonight and tomorrow morning.

You made Many Flags, Ryan… but you did Not make the Flag of Spain… until Last Week when you Learned that we were Traveling to Spain.

Yes. You told me we were Going to Spain and you gave me the Paper to Make a Spanish Flag.

And you did a Great job Making the Flag of Spain, Ryan! And Now we are Waiting at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport to fly to Paris where we shall Stay for 1 Night before taking the (fast) TGV Train to the French/Spanish border. I’m Excited, Ryan!

Me too, Dad! Thank you again for Taking me Along, Daddy!!

Wake up, Ryan! ‭ Nous sommes arrivés à Paris! We flew on a beautiful Norwegian Air 787-8 plane. This plane has a Picture of a Heroic Norwegian Explorer on its tail. Can you read his name and Learn something about him?

This is your first Breakfast in France, Ryan. Hot chocolate, Bread and Butter. (Chocolat chaud, pain et beurre.)

((cow bells video to come))

Oh! What a Day!!
We saw Cows… with Bells…!

((sheep bells video to come))

We saw Sheep!… with Bells!!

((horses with bells video to come))

We saw Horses!… with Bells!!

This is Sofia. The Horse likes Sofia!

We were Very High up on the Mountain! There was so much Fog that I could hardly See.

It is starting to Clear. The Clouds are Beautiful. Dad says that we were Inside the Clouds. That is Really Amazing!

I can See now, Dad! We are on the other side of the Pyrenees,

Ryan. Tomorrow we will be in Spain. Today we Walked on the Route that Napoléon Bonaparte Marched over to Spain.

It is Relaxing to sit here on this very old Roman bridge! Dad says that Roman legions and Roman travelers passed this way. Thanks Ancient Rome for this Bridge!

((video of man walking with a burro))

We met a man walking the Camino with his Burro!

((video of creek coming))

We are going Downhill today and are soon Leaving the Pyrenees, Ryan. I will Miss the Pleasant sounds of the cool mountain Springs.

We were in the French Pyrenees and now we are in the Spanish Pyrenees. Look this Beautiful Spanish horse, Ryan.

What a Beautiful Tree! I’m Sad to be leaving the Pyrenees, Ryan.

YAN! Watch out for the Txori!!! (Basque joke!) Ha-ha!

Look, Ryan! We are walking upon a Roman Road! It was Built around 133 BCE. Soooo Amazing that it is still here!

It’s getting Late, Ryan. We will not get to Pamplona tonight. We will have to Sleep in this Cave, Ryan. It looks Dry and Comfortable. You used to Sleep in a Den with your Birth-mom, Ryan. A Den is a Small Cave. Search internet for (ryanlifeofryan/how did ryan come to live with humans) for a lovely back-story.

We’ve come to a bridge, Ryan. Soon we will be in Pamplona.

We are in Pamplona, Ryan! This is la Ciudadela. The Moat is empty-perhaps they had a Drought this year in Spain?

It sure Feels Good to be in Pamplona, Dad. After Sleeping in that Cave we can have a Proper Bed tonight, right?

Yes, Ryan. I’ll find us the Softest Bed available.

Oh-! I feel Much Safer here, Dad. They have Cannons -but this one is not in the Best Shape.

I believe that it was Damaged in a past Battle, Ryan. Well -I’m still glad to be staying in Pamplona tonight. Tomorrow we continue our Camino to Santiago- well Fed and well Rested.

A Lovely Morning, Ryan. Off we go towards Estella la bella! We shall Rest there for one day because my feet are tired and hurt.

Mine too, Dad. Let’s Rest all day!!

What a beautiful day, Ryan!

Daddy. Will we Ever get to Estella?

Look, Ryan! We are passing a lovely house. Estella must be close by.

The church helps pilgrims get across Espania to Santiago. We will stay here on the floor tonight, Ryan. They will have fresh Straw from the Wheat fields this time of year. It will be soft and Smell Nice.

Good morning, Ryan!

Where are we, Dad?

I’ve been carrying you since early this morning and we are on our way to Los Arcos.

We are passing through Grape Fields. They will crush these Grapes and make Wine from them.

Dad? Is the whole Camino uphill?

It just seems that way, Ryan. We’ve been walking a very Long time.

Let’s Stop and eat some of these Delicious Blackberries, Ryan. They will Refresh us and make us less Cranky.

Ryan -quick… go hide in the tall grass near the blackberry bushes! I do not like the look of this group of strangers around the next curve in the road.

I’m hiding, Dad!

Shhhh! (…be very quiet, Ryan -I’ll hide in these bushes on the other side of the road. (…whispering…) Oh, no! Here comes a Big Fellow! Stay Very Still, Ryan! Do not say a word!

(Loudly whispering) DADDY! I dropped my Hat!

Shhh, Ryan…

(In Romanian) (…In a large Booming Voice…) Hmmm… I wonder whose hat this is? I thought I saw two pilgrims ahead of us… [Mă întreb care este pălăria asta? Credeam că am văzut doi pelerini înaintea noastră …] The large man picks up Ryan’s hat from the edge of the grass. Ryan remains Very Quiet… but he is trembling. I am also hidden in the bushes. The man can see neither of us.

…more to come soon!