Mi Camino No Es Su Camino. Y Eso Esta Bien.

(Sunday, October 13, Madrid, Spain) Okay. I’ve kind of been lying for the past couple of days. Well, maybe not outright lying. Let’s just say i was putting a positive spin on things. In reality, the Camino was not meant for me. Or, put another way, I was not meant for the Camino.

I was certain I could find the peace and fulfillment that so many others seem to find in challenges presented by its long walks, pulled muscles, blisters, heavy winds and rain. And I thought I needed to travel across the Atlantic to discover that inner whatever. 

But lo and behold, I’m not like everyone else. This had been a dream of mine for decades. And I failed. Miserably. Yesterday I left  the Camino early for the solace of a nice hotel in a big city to find the grace to forgive myself for quitting. I mentioned in an earlier post that one of the qualities I was seeking was the ability to give grace. Little did I know I would need to extend it to myself which I think that may be even more difficult than giving it to others. This is indeed a hard pill to swallow. 

You may ask “what happened?” I was still asking that of myself  as I sat in the tiny airport in Vigo, Spain waiting for the next flight to Madrid. So, let me see if I can succinctly sort thru this. 

Days one and two - some sunshine, lots of rain, excruciating pain in my leg for the last 3 miles and realizing this is not a team sport. I was essentially walking all alone in the rearview mirror of my travel partners. (It’s not their fault I am the tortoise and they are the hare(s).) Days three, four and five - cabbing it while others walk because my leg still does not work up to par. The outlook for the remaining 8 days was bleak  I would rather be someplace else … actually, any place else.

As I waited to board my run-away flight, I met two sisters from Boston who are my age and just came off the Camino. They were a godsend. As we talked about our respective experiences, they reminded me that the Camino provides and my Camino presented me with the gift of taking a week of spontaneity to travel Europe on my own, go wherever I want. (This too is also a long held dream of mine and fodder for an entirely new blog.)

So here I am in Madrid. Today I will shop its famous el Rastro, just a 5-minute walk from my hotel, sans climbing, rain, pulled ligaments and blisters. And I have a ticket to visit Museo del Prado. Tomorrow? Wait and see.

Lesson learned? Life is a Camino and we each have our own paths to take. Buon Camino — whatever yours happens to be.

On the Road Again

(Thursday, October 10, 2024 - Vila Praia de Ancora, Portugal) It felt good to be back on the Camino today. After yesterday’s high winds and rain, today was such a reprieve with sunshine and temps in the 50’s. We headed north out of Viana do Costello toward Vila Praia de Ancora, another lovely small town right on the coast. I was energized by the  beautiful weather. 

Today’s path took us thru narrow cobblestone alleys. After 5 km (3 mi) my pulled muscle screamed “no more”.

I was sorely disappointed and frustrated because I had lots of energy left. Fortunately Bolt (the European alternative to Uber) drivers are willing to drive down rocky roads in the middle of nowhere to pick up riders. I left Greta and Eva to walk the remaining 8 or so miles and I proceeded to our hotel. I checked out the entire shopping district comprised of about 1 city block, had lunch at the pizzeria, looked for a post office and failed to find one. 

Lots of  rain anticipated in the coming days. We will follow our trusted waymarkers of yellow spray-painted arrows and more than occasional friendly Portuguese offering directions when we look lost. And tomorrow, I hope to manage five miles on my bum leg. Bom Camino  

PS. It is strange to feel the effects of one hurricane in Portugal while another is wreaking havoc at home is the US. My thoughts were constantly with my friends in Florida as Milton caused such destruction. Our encounter here was a mere minor inconvenience by comparison.

 

Rain Rain Go Away

(Wednesday, October 9, Viana do Costello) Hurricane/Cyclone Kirk reared his ugly head in the Atlantic and impacted the coast of Portugal and Spain these past few days. So I had a good excuse to give my leg a rest yet another day. We called an Uber to take us from Esposende to Viana do Costello this morning.

The artwork in this region is interesting. A lot of papermache sculptures with big goofy heads. And they all seem to have their mouths open.

Our hotel here is lovely and this town of very narrow cobblestone streets is fun to walk. There is a church high on a hill and we headed that way to get a beautiful view but decided to forego the extreme uphill hike on our “day off.” 

We went to the Museum do Traje (Costume museum). It was fascinating to see the history of dress in this Portuguese region.  Each role women played in life had a different “norm” for wear - from fishmonger wives to cleaners to weavers and on and on. Dang! They wore alot of layers.

Otherwise it was a pretty uneventful day and hopefully gave my leg time to heal. I’m feeling a certain amount of guilt for having walked only 12,000 steps today. Onward tomorrow. Buom Camino