Day 76 - Palas de Rei a Ribadiso - September 29 - On the Camino 38 days
Well now that it is in the past I can tell on myself. Two days ago when it rained hard all day I kept thinking of ways I could "cheat" and take a taxi to a couple of places ahead of where I was going to stop. Of course I didn't, I'd only cheat myself. I was ok yesterday, but today when I started out it was one of those days that my pack was heavier than it was yesterday, my knee hurt and I didn't feel well. I thought to heck with it, who needs a second Compestela. But then I thought, "It isn't about the piece of paper. Which led me to think "What was it about then? Maybe it was about meeting the challenge and not being a wimp. Then I thought, "What is so bad about being a wimp?" This is probably too much thinking.
Meanwhile the weather is changing every half hour. When I left the albergue it was raining. So I had on two tank tops, a short sleeve shirt, my rain jacket, my knee brace, my Star Trek pants, my hiking shorts without the legs and my rain pants. An hour or so goes by and the rain stops. It starts warming up. I realize I'm probably sluggish because I'm hot and stuffy in all these clothes.
And amazingly at this very moment there is a bench by the side of the trail. So I sit down and start stripping down to my under pants on the bottom. Right there in front of God and all the passing pilgrims. I am way beyond caring. The older lady who sat down next to me to sigh and whine looked shocked. Everyone passing by just kept walking, some said "Buen Camino or waved. They all seemed pretty non plussed by my indecency. I finally got my hiking shorts on and was ready to go when the Perrogrino passed by. His owner recognized me as the one with the tattoo. So off I went on the Camino after a bush visit. With the clothes off and some good old rock and roll on the iPod, I was flying.
About an hour later it started to rain again. So I stopped and put my rain pants back on. Then I got to Melide and it wasn't raining. So I had some pulpo and a coca cola light and chatted with a couple from Australia. He was born in Spain but moved to Australia when he was ten. He spoke Spanish well. There was also a couple there walking the Camino for there honeymoon. She was from Germany and he was from Brazil. They met in Santiago two years ago when he was working on his PhD and she was on a study abroad program. Isn't that cool?
Back to the story line. I took off my rain pants and rain jacket at Pulpería Exequiel 
because it wasn't raining. I did this in the restroom, mot in the dining room. I left and started looking for the Camino. Melide is busy every day, but today was market day and the streets were crowded with vendors and stalls, people buying stuff and visiting with friends. All this in the intersection and side streets where the Camino exits the town. I found my way and just as I was about to leave the town it started pouring rain. Again on with the rain jacket and pants. Did I mention that for each of these costume changes I have to take the pack off lower it to the ground, take the rain cover off, either take out clothes or put them away, lift the pack back up, put it on and fasten it. Aren't you exhausted just reading this? ;)
At some point in the day I recognized this section of the Camino from last year. I had dubbed it the Seven River Valleys from Hell, because this part of the trail goes down a steep incline to a river bed then up a steep incline, then down a steep incline to another river bed, over and over. I lost count both this year and last, but I think it is seven inclines and declines. I was ready to quit or at least stop at the next albergue and call it a day. About this time a woman with no back pack who I've seen the last couple of days walked by twirling her walking poles. lol I really was having a good time I was just tired. At some point I asked myself, "what else do you have to do this afternoon?" and I started laughing.
Oh did I mention they had a marathon on this section of the Camino yesterday. I bet that was exciting. Runners and Peregrinos on the same trail. A trail full of mud and steep rocky downhills that had Peregrinos with poles slipping and sliding. I can't imagine running a marathon on that trail. Crazy! I found out there was a marathon because at the beginning of the day every time the trail crossed the road there were blue plastic water bottles strewn about the trail. At first I thought it was one of the tour groups. When I saw them I asked them about it and they told me about the marathon. We all agreed that we hoped somebody from the marathon would clean them up.
Oh that reminds me, I forgot to tell you that yesterday I saw a Peregrino picking up trash on the Camino. Not just a little bit here and there. He had two medium size blue trash bags full of trash and he was wearing his pack bending over and picking up litter. I smiled and said, "Gracias" as I past. As a person who picks up litter on the beach, I really appreciated what he was doing.
I will be in Santiago day after tomorrow, the first of October though I'm still hoping to walk to Finnisterre, which is another three or four days. . I'm sad that this adventure is coming to an end, but I also want it to be over. Does that make any sense? It has challenged me physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I have learned a lot about me and what i'm doing on this planet. But It has still left me with unanswered questions. I have felt pure unadulterated joy and extreme sadness. As I write this I have tears in my eyes.
During this adventure a song from one of my Joan Baez albums would come on the iPod at the most reflective moments. The title is "God is God." That about sums it up. But some of the lyrics struck me.
"And as our fate unfurls, every day that passes I'm sure about a little bit less"
"God of my little understanding don't care what name I call, Whether or not I believe doesn't matter at all
I receive the blessings
That every day on earth's another chance to get it right
Let this little light of mine shine and rage against the night"
"Just another lesson
Maybe someone's watching and wondering what I got
Maybe this is why I'm here on earth and maybe not."
Something about the line "or maybe not" I think for me it's connected to "every day that passes I'm sure about a little bit less. "
Well enough reflection. I think it is dinner time. 
No comments:
Post a Comment