Monday, January 31, 2011

We did some walking and.....

 The last few days, from the moment I stepped out of the albergue in Arca toward Santiago, have passed with a serge of emotions I cannot explain. So I wanted to wait awhile so I could gather my thoughts. Our hearts were beating fast in anticipation of our arrival in Santiago, our destination for this journey. We passed a town called Lavacolla where ancient pilgrims stopped and washed themselves in the river to purify their bodies before entering Santiago. Today an array of modern housing developments have reduced the river into a small stream and of course, any kind of washing is prohibited. Nonetheless, J and I paused a few moments on a street and prayed.....Asperges me; wash us O Lord; pure and white like snow and gentle and loving like your heart.

We contined onward through the frosted fields of Lavacolla and found ourselves climbing  Monte Gozo, the Mountain of Joy where ancient pilgrims caught the first sight of the Cathedral of Santiago. I thought for sure I wiould cry when we reached the cathedral. I thought for sure that my emotions would serge after walking 34 days but I was actually as calm as a placid ocean. Or, should I say I was numb, unable to express how I was feeling. I watched J kneeling down front of the cathedral; I watched many of pilgrims shouting for joy, exchanging hugs and congratulating each other but I was unable to say or do anything at all. I quickly climbed up the stairs and into the cathedral, found a pew and knelt down and stayed there for a very long time. The next three days passed by, doing some planning on how we should go about the next leg of our journey. J and I talked about our need to walk on further to Finisterre and Muxia. The only reason I could find to justify the trip was that I just did not feel that this jouney would be completed until we reached Finisterre, the end of the earth.

When we set out for Negreira on January 24th, our first stop on the Camino Fisterre, I felt I was picking up a cold, and by the next day, during a 36K walk to Olveiroa, I was under its grip. Nevertheless, we pushed on and reached Finisterre on the 27th. On our way up to the Faro, the light house at Finisterre, another 3.5K hike up a hill, J stopped for a few pictures but I did not. Tears were streaming down on my face, a sense of happiness mixed with a sense of helplessness overcame me. Now what, Lord? I traveled over so many hills and valleys to feel closer to You. I am here now. What do I need to do and where do I need to go? In that feeling of chaos, I thought about the many miles we walked and the many people we have encountered during this Camino. "We begin this Camino as walkers but return home as pilgrims"; "I am definitely not doing this for religious reasons but I would like myself to be changed somehow, at the end of this Camino"; "I was doing what people wanted me to do for last 27 years. I want to find myself and that is the reason I am here"; "Me! I am working on me and that is the best thing I have ever done in my whole life!"; "Camino provides. Don´t worry but just start walking". These are some of the words I heard from my fellow pilgrims on the road. I also thought about what would the pilgrims of old, from many centries ago would say to me. I stood on a rock, at the end of the earth, looking at the far horizon while bracing against the gusty wind, I thought for sure I heard them say, "be still", "you are the result of our longing". I felt a smile spreading across my face. Perhaps, I now know. But then Lord, will I have ears to hear You?

Sunday, January 30, 2011

View of church from the rocks below


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The church


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Muxia from the port side


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In the "recovery room" at Pension La Cruz


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Confidence restored


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Sea view en route to Muxia


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Weather ahead en route to Muxia


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A prayer before departing Finisterre for Muxia


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I think I left some readers of this blog in the dark when I spoke of our trip to Muxia (Moo-shee'-ah). This is small seaport about 30Kms north and slightly east from Finisterre. It has long been associated with St. James and his legendary encounter there with the Virgin Mary. There is a church built right at the edge of the sea that commerates this encounter. Legend also purports that special healing will come to those who walk over the rocks where the boat (made of stone) bearing the Vigin Mary came ashore. A camino route (only 30 Kms) has been established to allow pilgrims to visit this church. Robin and I still had time and our legs and feet were still up to it so we opted to make this short camino. The weather forercast was for rain but we awoke to mostly cloudy skies and dry conditions (once again). We offered a short prayer at the camino cross just before the junction with the Muxia route and jumped off. We were walking strong and made good time to Lires (about 5 kms/hr). We stopped there for lunch and set off again about 30 minutes later. All went well up to the point where the camino route joined the main road to Muxia. There was a set of arrows, painted on the pavement, that directed us uphill to the right. A bit further on was what looked like a camino path with a marker but no arrows directing us off the main road and onto it. So fearing a late afternoon romp through the woods to God knows where we opted to stay on the carretera (car road). We plugged along and got some confidence we were going in the right direction when a hailed car confirmed the Muxia could be reached by making a left turn at the first stop sign. This turned out to be the first intersection since we joined the road. Long story short we arrived in Muxia about 3:30, none the worse for wear. We opted for a pension and checked into the Pension La Cruz which was very close to bus stop for our ride into Santiago the following day. Truth be told we did have to put on our rain ponchos for about one hour out of the whole day. Not bad and that hour was very light rain but just enough to require a poncho. So, we had a proper celebration, a good night's sleep, visited the church of the "Virgen de la Barca," spent some time walking the rocks, and boarded a bus for Santiago at 2:30. We arrived about 5:00 and checked into the Parrador Hotel (one final indulgence). We are looking to head home a bit earlier than planned as we simply made better time than expected. With a bit of luck we will be back home in the next few days. So the physical walking of the Camino is done but much more awaits us as we find time to understand what has happened to us over these many weeks of tramping from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic Ocean. I'll be posting those reflections and some of the lessons we learned in due course. Many thanks to all who have shared this journey with us and especially to all those whose comments and encouragements lightened our load along the way. It is now time to head for home and see if the Camino ever truly ends. All is well in Santiago tonight. Peace be with you.

John

At the Cape looking north


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We are pilgrims on a journey. We are travelers on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. (Catholic choir piece)


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And so on Thursday our pilgrimage continued as we departed Cee for the final 18-20k to the lighthouse at Cape Finisterre. Once again the weather cooperated and we had dry conditions and mild temperatures the entire day. It was a lively day as the sea was almost always in sight and the views were terrific. We made no stops on our way to the Faro (lighthouse) and felt strong the entire way. I must admit that arrival here took on a different feeling than our arrival in Santiago. Somehow this camino seemed to send a message of closure that the French route lacked. It is hard to argue that your journey is done when there is nothing but ocean staring you in the face. Robin and I spent a quiet moment in reflection on all the kilometers traveled to get here and the fact that we were blessed with such good fortune along the way. We also acknowledged the struggles so many past pilgrims have endured to get to this very spot. It was a humbling experience to realize the company we now share as travelers on this road. Good fortune continued as we realized the restaurant right in front of the lighthouse was open. We ducked in for a bit of celebration before walking back to the albergue in town. Please take note that the food out at the Faro was excellent and I cannot think of a more beautiful venue for tapas and wine then that windswept promontory with the Atlantic surf crashing below, and the calls of the hovering gulls being carried to us on the wind. A great and truly memorable day.

And then with one final step you arrive


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Robin at "0" kms to go


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Cape Finisterre


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Climbing up to the lighthouse at Finisterre


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The Way to the sea


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Me too


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Robin dips a toe in the Atlantic


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Panorama view out to Finisterre


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Robin sees Finisterre in the distance


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When we first saw the sea


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Time to fill up before crossing the high moors


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En route to Olveiroa


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View between Olveiroa and Cee


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Ascending out of Olveiroa


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The after dinner (and breakfast) selection at the pension in Olveiroa.


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En route to Olveiroa


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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

To the sea

Robin and I left Santiago Monday morning under clear skies and temps in the upper 30's. It was a glorious start to our camino to Fisterre. We found a great bar cñlose to our pension and fortified ourselves with coffee con leches, eggs, bacon, and croisants. With all that finally on board we navigated out of the city and out into the surrounding suburbs. Our destination was Negreira, a reasonable 22 kms away. As usual the camino takes you up and down and so we had our climbs and descents as we have come to expect. All went well and we arrived at the municipal albergue in Negreira about 2:30. The albergue is just a bit out of town so we had to walk back about 1.5 k's (round trip) to get a bite to eat and something to drink. We had a Spaniard, a Belgian, a South African, A man from the Dominican Republic, and Robin and I in the albergue that night. No problems and all slept well. The next day the weather continued to hold in our favor as we set off on our longest leg of this camino, 33 kms. This leg also has a lot of climbing so in fact your distance traveled seems greater. Robin and I plugged along and found only one bar open (Maronas) in the entire 33 km stretch. We grabbed a sandwich at the bar and kept right on going until we arrived in Olveiroa at about 4:30. Everything in town was closed withe exception of the municipal albergue and the Pension Casa Loncho where we booked in. We were done in. We had been walkng hard (up and down) for 8.5 hours with hardly a break. As I was taking off my boots outside I asked if it would be possible to get a bottle of wine? No problem and moments later it appeared accompanied by a plate of cold meat and onions and a basket of bread. Nirvana. We arranged for diiner at 7:00 and had a great meal capped with Antonio (the owner) pulling down several unlabled bottles and a couple that you could identify and suggesting that a drink would be in order. We sampled and sampled until the caution flag went up and we begged off for bed. The next morning Antonio had toast and coffee set up as well as a wee drop of the aguardiente (sp) to lace the coffee against the morning chill. Under protest I dumped a good measure into my cup and I must confess I was none the less for wear during the day's walk to Cee. Departing Olveiroa we continued with the same favorable weather pattern that has followed us for days. We walked in high 30's to low 50's all the day. The skied threatened to cloud up as we were crossing the high moors, but as the sea came into view the skies were showing patches of blue. As we desecended into Cee those patches gathered and we walked into town under mostly sunny skies. Tonight we are in the private albergue Camino Estrelas (next to and affiliated with the Hotel Insua). So far we are the only people here and the albergue is spotless. Tomorrow we will set off for Fisterre to complete this camino. Yes, we are loafing a bit, but our schedule allows for that. The weather is expected to change (85% chance of rain tomorrow) but with ponchos at the ready we will make short work of the few kms left. We will spend the night in Fisterre and the walk the remaining 30Kms to Muxia on Friday, where our journey truly ends. I had some great photos to share but this computer does not have the USB port available to users so I'll post them from Santiago. I must admit a special sense of presence as we walkd into view of the sea. Having started so far from this place it seems amazing that Robin and I, still walking, have come to this part of our journey. I can only imagine the impact this had on those pilgrims who walked this same ground centuries ago. It has been a great day. All is well in Cee tonight. Peace be with you.

John

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Journeys end


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Yesterday Robin and I walked into Santiago at 1:00 PM in cold temperatures and under crystal clear skies. Our pilgrimage has been concluded. We set out from St. Jean on December 15th with a leap of faith and a step into the unknown. Now 34 (walking days) later we have completed our journey. At this point we are planning to walk out to Finisterre, another 90 Kms. If we decide to do that camino we wil leave on Monday. It seems very likely that is what we will do. I am just resting a sore left foot and Robin is still nursing her ankle, but we are still road worthy and willing to go. There will be much reflection on this trip for both Robin and I so I won't even begin to touch on that subject at this point. Suffice it to say this camino has been so much more than I ever expected. More elaboration later. For now we are enjoying the moment and spending a lot of time at mass at the Cathedral (much to give thanks for). I also would like to post for the reccord how much it meant to me to have Robin walk all these miles with me. Her love, support, strength (she´s a walker), and navigational skills (John, I think the arrow is pointing this way) have all contributed to making this pilgrimage (with all the challenges of weather and terrain) a shared experience that will surely touch us both in ways we have yet to understand. Santiago is a place we strived hard to reach and now we are simply enjoying the sense of being home. This has been a trip where so much could have gone wrong, so many missteps could have been worse, so many hazards could have been more problematic, but they didn't or they weren't. Every person who sets out on a difficult journey will work out the why behind that statement for themselves. I think the time we are spending at the Cathedral tells you where we feel our thanks need to be directed. So we will close now from Santiago and start posting when we set out for Finisterre. All is well.

Celebration of mass at the Cathedral in Santiago


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Light in the Cathedral


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Thursday, January 20, 2011

This way, to my dear heart


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Caution! You might meet your-Self


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Lunch 4K from Arco O Pino


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Robin and I arrived safely in Arco this afternoon. We have made steady progress in excellent conditions since leaving Palas de Rei. We cannot believe the luck we are having with the weather. Temperatures are always in the 50's F with early morning temps around 40-45 F. The extended forecast for Santiago shows dry weather through mid week. This is truly a gift at this time of year. Traffic on the Camino continues to grow. We had eighteen at the albergue in Arzua last night. This was our largest croud to date. We have not experienced any albergue problems everyone is respectful of one another and things seem to settle down quickly as 10:00 PM lights out approaches. Everyone is now in the "get to Santiago" mode. We will arrive early tomorrow afternoon. It is hard to believe that our pilgrimage is almost at an end. It will take a lot more time to process this experience but at this point I can only say this has been an extraordinary event for us. We are approaching the physical end point (some will argue that it is Finisterre) of this camino but it seems to me that our camino will never end. We know there is a new path to be walked through whatever days are gifted to us and with God's grace we will find the Way and have the courage to walk it. Time will tell were this all takes us but for now all I can think to say is Ultreia, and thank you for walking with us. All continues to be at peace 20K from Santiago.

P.S. I have never eaten a sandwich this big in my life before the camino. Now I eat mine and stare at Robin's (the steak).

Camino navigation aid


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Passing fields on the way to Arco O Pino


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Climbing out of Arzua


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Departure Arzua


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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

And the rains came upon us

Into every life a little rain must fall and today was our day to collect. We departed Portomarin, as daylight struggled to push through the overcast, under a continuous light soaking rain but no wind (thank you very much). This was a poncho day from beginning to end. We trudged up the washed out way out of Portomarin and then followed the road most of the day into Palas De Rei. Nothing much of interest to report except how much lunch seems to mean to us these past few days (lots of climbs and descents). We only found one bar open just beyond Eirexe (thank God). Had my usual omelette sandwich with two cafe con leches (Robin the same). Suitably refueled we found strength to top the last ridge before descdending into Palas De Rei. We are now safely ensconced in the Xunta albergue in the middle of town. It is nothing fancy, but fills the bill. Off to Ribadiso or Arzua tomorrow. Weather reports show improving conditions for the way ahead. We shall see. Off for a beer and a bite. All is well as this small crew continues to make progress westward.

Arrival Portomarin


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Departing Sarria


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A winter's walk??


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On the way to Triacastela


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On the climb up to Alto do Poio


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Alto do Poio coffee break


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The cloud stream from the road departing O'Cebreiro


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Clouds flowing over summit at O'Cebreiro


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Also from O'Cebreiro


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View from O'Cebreiro


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View during the climb up O'Cebreiro


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Monday, January 17, 2011

Kundalini and Cruz de Ferro

I wanted to write something about my experience at the albergue in Foncebadon and the following journey to Ponferrada. Foncebadon, looked like a something out of the hollywood set; it looked as if it just went through an air raid! All (I kid you not) the buildings in the town (except the albergues) are partially, if not completely in ruin! But we found an albergue where a faint front door light was shining. We walked in and a man who looked like he just had awakened from a deep slumber welcomed us. We soon found out that this albergue not only offers a place to sleep but also provides meals since there are no other options in the town. We had a wonderful dinner prepared by Filipe, a different hospitalero than the one who welcomed us when we checked in. We filled our stomachs with a plate of paella, salad, wine and homemade yogurt. We enjoyed our meal in front of a blazing wood fireplace, which did its best to warm everyone in the building. Later I found out that Filipe is a yoga practioner who asked me to join his morning practice the next morning. I enthusiastically agreed. The next morning we awoke to the sound of a storm, hammering the already battle weary village. Filipe and I moved to the attic for our yoga session. We started out with a set of gentle warm up poses and moved on to more vigorous poses to gently awaken the seven chakras. During all these, one could not help but notice the sound of the storm. It cried like a beast and it sounded like that the roof of the building will lift off at any minute! When I moved into savasana Filipe wrapped my feet with a blanket. I rested there in the midst of the storm. And the storm, at that moment, sounded like a cry of the beast within me and I, somehow found enough courage to say that I love all that is within me, the good and the bad and all that is there. The storm continued as we left the albergue and carried on long after we reached Cruz de Ferro. I stood there, tears and rain drops streaming down on my face, under this simple iron cross emerging from a mount of stones that have been offered by pilgrims who passed by this point. I thought about the first man who offered his stone, many centries ago. And thought about what is the difference between him and I, as I offered my small stone in 2011. Time stood still in that moment when I realized that there is not a thing different between him and I. The author of the guidebook we have for the camino, John Brierley called this journey, "a way of collective awakening". Perhaps, he is right that we are all in this journey together, hoping to reach the home which we never left. I thought about that first stone, deeply burried in the mount under the iron cross. I had a sudden realization that the only way to find the path home is to go deep within ourselves. J and I continued downward to Ponferrada - a long and hard decent from the highest point on the camino, all the while accommodating my tendinitis. I was smiling, all the way down.

p.s.) Sometimes the pain gets the best of me. The only thing I can do is to let it and wait for it to pass. Because, if I fight it, I know I will suffer. I found that a combination of letting go, a  sprinkle of my friend Judi's holy water on my ankle coupled with Advil seems to work wonders.