Am sitting in a small private Albergue. Its very quaint and clean - a good combination! I am wrapped up in my Marino wool scarf while I wait for my washing to finish... Galacia is a beautiful province with its mountains and endless green fields, but its also cool and damp.
Yesterday afternoon, I found myself in a bar until dinner time. I had set myself up inside as it had started to rain. I wrote my blog while enjoying some garlic soup and a glass of vino... or 2. Brad, a young American solo pilgrim walked by my table, I made a comment about the tourists in the town and how I am avoiding purchasing any touristy things until I reach Santiago. It was about 5 at this stage, and we carried on this conversation until around 8pm, covering many aspects of life, faith, mediation and, of course, the Camino. It was good to have this debrief time. It's strange how alone you can feel within yourself, but then are so relieved when you hear that someone else has felt the same way.
Surprised at how much time had passed, we made our way to a restaurant and sat at a table that was made up of two smaller tables joined together. The waiter rearranged it and separated the tables, making ours a table for 2. We were handed the menus (in English!), then I heard her voice. It was Donna. A Canadian who loved the sound of her own voice and had an equal love for telling stories of her life, her pains, her travels, her dreams, HER HER HER. The separated tables were still quite close together and I internally sighed as she and her Korean friend made their way over. "Do you mind if we sit here?", she asked. "Yes", I said inside. "Not at all," Brad replied. Poor Brad, he didn't know what he was in for. Donna kindly moved the tables back together in a nice intimate group of 4.... I had part of a bible verse in my mind going round and round... 'Do everything in love'. We got to hear about the devine intervention that she was experiencing each day, about the star signs of her children, about her special friend back home who she cannot commit to... Brad got it. Every now and then we exchanged a knowing glance then proceeded to nod and seem engaged. Not sure if it was Donna or the rain outside, but we stayed in restaurant drinking a quite a bit of wine.
Hiang, the Korean girl, all of a sudden let out a screech, "Its 10pm!". The albergues have a 10pm curfew and you can risk being locked out if you are later - it depends on the nature of the warden. It did not matter to me, I was in my private room. We paid and the others scuttled off, disappearing in to the heavy mist outside.
I slept ok compared with the other nights I had been having, but still woke up tired. In fact, most pilgrims today seemed as though they have lost their 'spark'. I have been 25 days of walking. Isn't a habit supposed to form after just 21? Shouldn't I be fit enough by now to handle these days? - especially because today was so short. I just feel tired and lethargic. I guess my body is asking me when the hell am I thinking about stopping! Just 6 days to go. Thats all. Up a steep incline yesterday, there was a small quote hanging from a tree. It read something along the lines of: "Welcome happiness and terror. No feeling will last". This is so true. This feeling pass - after all, change is the ultimate law of nature. I will break through this wall I have hit.
I often find that the Camino is like a micro version of life. The ups and downs, the feeling of being defeated, then the feeling having defeated, the tired days, the energetic days, the pains and tears, the moments of being with a group of people all with the same purpose as you, then those moments when you feel completely alone. I have felt them all, and can am able to accept that change with happen, that no feeling, no pain, no thought process is permanent. This is a good place to be. As I said in an earlier blog, you simply accept what is happening and move on.
Today I left at 630am. In the heavy mist, I noticed a pilgrim walk off track and quickly led them back on the right path. I think they get so lost in their thoughts that they follow the road, and not the arrows. Sometimes these can lead and 2 very different directions.
It was going to be a day of mostly downhill, which I don't mind. The secret of a successful down is to keep your knees bent to avoid the jarring and take the shock in your legs instead. This works well to protect my knees, however, half way down the 10km descent, I started to feel the old familiar pain in my leg, and a sting on my foot warning me of a growing blister- you would think that my body would be over these by now!
The scenery was breathtaking. Galacia is so green and lush. The Camino seems to be winding through a lot of little farming towns. The roads here are spattered with cow manure and hens roam the damp, shaded streets. Ancient barns with walls of stone and doors hanging by just one hinge, wreak of animal secretion. They awaken the senses of the dreaming, meandering pilgrim, forcing them to pick up their pace and leave the town as soon as they can. I often can walk through these towns in just 2 breaths.
As I walked into my destination, the road was lined by a stone wall on either side covered in moss. Trees hung over the path, making it a very serene and relaxing path after the harsh downhill.
I made it to my little Albergue by 12pm. My day will now be a grocery shop, exploration of this little town, followed by a siesta to hopefully bring back some energy - I think I need a vino too... The sun seems to come and go. Hopefully it comes back as I have washed all my warm things and have to wait for them to dry!
Tomorrow I will reach Sarria. This is another one of my milestones. Sarria is the 100km mark (115km actually) but many new pilgrims will start their pilgrimage from this point. If you walk these last 100km to Santiago, you will receive the same certificate as I will receive. Actually, I am meeting fewer pilgrims that started in St Jean. Many have started in Leon or the towns after. I met a French man, who looks to be in his 70's, who is staying in my room. We managed to have a brief conversation (his English was as good as my French) about the camino. When we both figured out we had started in St Jean, he gave me a high five! Haha... a cute moment!
My thought for today: learn to take full responsibility for where you are at in your life. The longer you blame others, the weaker you become,and the less interesting your life becomes. You are where you are based on the choices you have made and your attitude toward the things that have happened at are out of your control. Take that!
Right, now to find some sunshine! Till the morrow... x
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