RTW ’23: Week 3

The third week of my journey was filled with adventure and an immense sense of community. Since passing the 100 km mark, there have been many more pilgrims to connect with, which has made the journey that much more special. With each stop, we learned more and more about the Camino, the towns we’ve been in, ourselves, and those around us. Learning more about the history of the places we’ve been to has allowed me to feel more connected to the Camino and the grounds I walk on, and has helped me better understand the current-day workings of the towns and locals.

Wednesday brought us a bit more rain during our journey, but thanks to my last stop, I was prepared! One of the climbs was along the main road with tractor trailers driving by which wasn’t fun, but I had my new umbrella for the rain, so I was counting my blessings. We stopped at a cafe in the late morning to get a stamp and get out of the rain, and we saw Beth, an Australian pilgrim we met when we were starting in Porto. As fate would have it, while we were getting a reprieve from the rain, she was sitting there enjoying a hot chocolate. She had been doing the Coastal Route the whole time and the town we were walking to is where multiple routes converge. It was really nice to catch up with her and hear about her journey along the Coastal Route. During our walk, we decided to take a variant path in the afternoon, which was a stark contrast to the tractor trailers in the morning. Instead of traffic, we walked through the woods, embracing the quiet and peace, and it helped me regain my serenity. Once we arrived to our hostel, I wasn’t thrilled that we had to walk up 2 flights of stairs, but I was thankful for cooking accommodations since the restaurants didn’t open for dinner until 7 p.m. Instead, we went grocery shopping and enjoyed a meal together at the hostel. It was fun to eat in the hostel kitchen! We were surrounded by other pilgrims to share stories with. I met a man from Belgium who walks the Camino every year, 2 women from Denmark, a woman from South Korea, a woman from Austria, and an American guy who lives in Spain. The American guy was not walking the Camino, but was staying at the hostel to rest during his foodie trip. A true smorgasbord of travelers! We all shared portions of our dinners and drinks, and relaxed while embracing a strong sense of community. This is a perfect example of what I love most about staying in hostels!

It seems that the rain has been following us for a few days of this Camino, as Thursday offered even more to cleanse the body! Once again, I was grateful that I grabbed garbage bags and an umbrella during our stop a few days ago, as those have kept me (and my pack) mostly dry during the rain showers. Even with the rain, there were many more pilgrims on the path after the last town, Pontevedra, where multiple routes converged. There are a lot of new faces each day, and at least once when we stopped, we paused and watched the parade of pilgrims go by. The eclecticity of pilgrims is truly something to be admired. Some are tourist groups with matching T-shirts and mini backpacks while others are solo hikers with headphones and cell phones in hand, not looking up at a the scenery or other pilgrims, just trying to get to their next destination. In between those extremes are couples: girlfriends, married couples, and mother/daughter duos. Amongst all of them, we looked for familiar faces, pilgrims we haven’t seen in awhile. On this day, we saw Johan from Belgium. He was having an ankle issue a few days ago, so we were glad to see he had caught up with us and was doing well again. Though we are thankful for the abundance of potential friends along the way, there is one rather large challenge that comes with more pilgrims on the Camino– it’s becoming harder to find a private place to pee! Pam and I are both experienced hikers and are used to going in the woods, following the principles of “leave no trace”, of course. During our hike, we found a hidden spot off the trail and we both eagerly took advantage of it, as privacy can be hard to come by. As we were getting back on the trail afterwards, Pam’s phone rang and it was Randy, Pam’s husband. He was asking what was going on and making sure we were okay. Unbeknownst to us, Pam accidentally butt-dialed him while we were both peeing! I can only imagine how awkward and confusing it must have been on his end of the line! We all had a good laugh over how there’s no privacy on the Camino, not even with family members back home. Everything is on the table, including bodily functions.

After walking for almost two weeks, Pam and I decided to take a day to rest, pamper our souls and bodies, and enjoy some of the delicacies Spain has to offer. Thankfully, on Friday, we were in Caldas de Reis, and it was the perfect town to do just that! Jose, our host at the Pension de Peragrino la Moderna, gave us recommendations for lunch and dinner, where to do laundry, the hours to visit the church and where to visit the hot springs. We had a very productive morning at the hotel. I worked on travel planning for Africa and necessary Visa research. Pam booked her bus and hotel for the return from Santiago to Porto. It feels like we just started this journey, and in just a few short days, it will be over and we will each go our separate ways, onto new adventures in life. Time really can fly by! Pam and I booked a “take a break” spa session (www.balnearioacuna.com) which included a 60 minute massage, hot spring soak with jets (which felt amazing on my aching muscles), and a 20 minute rest on a heated stone lounge chair. To say that it all put me in a relaxed state is truly an understatement. My body was thankful for the reprieve! I finished off the afternoon with a swim in the pool at the hotel where the spa was located. For lunch we went to a place recommended to me before we even started the Camino by Clif and Mart, my Camino mentors from Massachusetts. The tip was to eat at the restaurant under the bridge in Caldas de Reis. Jose (our host) also recommended it, so we knew we had to go! As we were entering the restaurant, a young man with a backpack also entered and was looking for a table. He politely let us go first, but then Pam saw him sitting alone so she offered for him to join us, so he did. Javier, from Madrid, was a very polite young man– a nurse working at 2 hospitals– one for pediatric emergencies and the other in an ICU. He was on holiday doing the Camino as well. Pam was doing a great job with her Spanish, and Javier kept apologizing for his poor English, even though it was quite good. Thankfully, we had Google Translate to fill in the gaps of our conversation. Before we knew it, 3 hours had passed and we really felt like locals enjoying the relaxed pace of a European meal. For dessert we had the Santiago almond cake, and then parted ways with Javier. After lunch we needed to find a place to launder our belongings. Thankfully, we’re becoming experts at figuring out how to do laundry in new places, a skillset much needed for pilgrims. The machine we stopped at this time was easy to figure out, with the machine automatically adding the soap. As an added bonus, the instructions were in English! We met a couple from Northern Ireland who were also pilgrims doing their laundry. There’s something unique about washing dirty hiking clothes together that makes it easy to start a good conversation. Pam mentioned the joy of unexpectedly finding a clean pair of socks before laundry day, and the woman replied “I felt the same way when I found a clean pair of underwear!” We all laughed at the absurdity of being grateful for something as simple as clean socks or underwear, then internally paused to appreciate all that we really do have. In the evening, we attended a beautiful Mass. Of course, the Mass was in Spanish, but we followed along when it was time to stand up, pray, sit down, etc.– staples of any Mass around the world. We did recognize when there were prayers for the pilgrims or when St. Tiago (St. James) was mentioned. There were a few other pilgrims at the Mass, but it was mostly locals, which was quite charming and cozy. We could spot the pilgrims by their footwear, backpacks, or hiking sticks. The other way to tell if someone isn’t a pilgrim is by their perfume! It’s quite noticeable when you walk into a town after a long day hiking in the sun and pass someone on the street that smells VERY different from you. It’s so curious what you begin to pick up on during this incredible journey. Overall, the rest day was a much needed day for both Pam and I, and we ended the day feeling rejuvenated and prepared for the rest of our Camino.

On Saturday, Pam and I were ready to get back to our hike! Thankfully, the hike itself wasn’t very challenging. We stopped twice and took our time to enjoy the nice weather, thankful that it wasn’t another day of rain. We had a lot of fun walking out of Caldas de Reis in the morning and meeting some new pilgrims. SInce we stayed there for an extra day, we were behind the pilgrims that we had been walking with previously. We met people from Australia, Wisconsin, Canada, Florida, and Germany. There were a lot more pilgrims walking, and when we stopped for lunch it was a steady parade going by: hikers, cyclists, and even electric bikers. We also saw a lot of farm animals: sheep, donkeys, horses, many cats and even dogs, just to name a few. At one point, there was a girl trying to train a horse, but the horse had other plans, and was pulling her towards the road and munching on grass. The defeated trainer was cursing and yelling; whether it was at the horse or pouring frustration into the universe is anyone’s guess. Many pilgrims gathered to watch the spectacle. We discussed possibly helping her, though I hadn’t a clue how, when a man and woman (possibly her family) swept in and helped the tired girl get control of the horse. The trainer looked relieved, but determined to complete her task. Afterwards, we stopped and picked some wildflowers along the way. Once we arrived in Puentecesures, our destination for the night, we decided to shop at the local grocery market and eat like locals with bread, cheese, ham, grapes and wine. The town itself is a rather sleepy town with only one grocery store, restaurant (which didn’t have great reviews), and a gas station. There is a large industrial facility in the town (pictured below), though I’m not quite sure what it is. It appears to be some sort of hydro electric plant on the river, but that’s just my best guess. The biggest highlight of the day was talking with my son, Mike, for almost an hour. It was so good to see his face and hear his voice! The reception was better outside of the house, so I was standing on the street. At one point, a bunch of cyclists whizzed by and he could hear them yelling to announce their arrival around the sharp bend on the narrow cobblestone street. For a moment, it felt like we were in the exact same place, together. Though he is now an adult, I often think back to our many adventures together when he was younger, especially while traveling to somewhere new. It was so special to share time together– even if just for an hour or so– on this grand adventure of mine.

Sunday proved to be a very adventurous day for Pam and I! We completed 17.3 nautical miles on a boat ride from Villanova de Asoura to Padron via Pontadecesures on the Spiritual Variant of the Camino. This variant is sometimes called the origin of the Camino de Santiago. Some background: Apostle Saint James, or James the Great, was one of the first disciples of Jesus. He was executed by decapitation, and according to legend, the beheaded body of St. James was transferred by the sea in a stone boat. After reaching the banks of the Ria de Arousa, the journey continued inland on the Ulla RIver to Iria Flavia, modern Pontecesures. From there, the remains of Apostle Santiago were carried on land and buried in the area now known as the city of Santiago de Compostela. St. James is the patron saint of Spain. Our host arranged an early taxi ride for us from our hostel to Villanova to catch the 8:30 a.m. boat out. The boat was a modern center console, about 24′ long, with twin outboard engines. There were 10 passengers including Pam and I. The captain and tour guide, Theresa, welcomed us aboard and we took off through the harbor opening. I sat in the middle bow area to get the best view, smell the salt air, and feel the sea spray. It reminded me of home! It was chilly when we started as the sun was just rising over the eastern pink sky to our right. Our first area of interest was the mussel farms on the Ulla River. The floating platforms had lines and nests under the water that the mussel farmers cultivate from tiny mussels. Theresa was a great guide and, thankfully, spoke English. As we continued north up the river, fog started to roll in, reminding me of the many boat rides I’d taken on Buzzards Bay back home. I saw blue heron, commarants, mallards, and exposed wetlands along the shore as the tide was rising. The tide changes a total of 10 meters here– there are just 2 times a day that the boat can bring pilgrims through this passage, and we were lucky enough to be some of them! All of the other passengers were pilgrims on their way to Santiago, too. The highlight of the ride was seeing the many crosses along the way. Each cross had figures on both sides– one side was Jesus, one side was Mary, and James lay beneath them. It was the first time I’d ever seen a 2 sided cross, and it was strikingly beautiful. Theresa also told us that at high tide it looked like the cross was floating on water and at low tide it was accessible by land. In addition to the St. James story, there were Viking ship replicas and a Norman Viking castle ruin. Theresa also told us about Queen Lupa, a new Camino story for us. Since it involves a woman leader, I’ll be checking into more about her as we get closer to Santiago. The fog and cold temps continued until we reached the dock at Ponteseures. Theresa gave us a special pilgrim stamp on our credentials as we disembarked, and I returned a warm hot to her that she had lent me when the fog rolled in. Everyone on board was really cold, so Theresa directed us to the nearest cafe for a warm drink. The boat ride was one of my favorite experiences on the Camino, and I am so thankful that we were able to fit it in. After warming up in the cafe with 2 other passengers, a mother and daughter duo named Catarina and Norma from Scotland, Pam and I walked into Padron, attended Catholic Mass, walked around the Sunday market, and had lunch in Padron. The town was bustling with shoppers, families, and pilgrims walking and cycling about. A delightful Sunday afternoon, indeed, where I felt the warmth of the locals and the spirit of the pilgrims. I’m getting settled into the pace and lifestyle in Spain, which is a good feeling since I’ll be in Spain for another month after Pam leaves. I just need to practice my conversation skills, as I’ve been leaning heavily on Pam’s spanish so far. I’m thankful for the assistance she’s been able to provide me, but I know that, all too soon, I’ll have to navigate this journey on my own.

The trek from Ponteccesures to Ames on Monday was a relatively easy one. After getting a bit of a rest with the majority of the miles completed yesterday on the boat, we were ready to use our hiking feet again. Our reservations for the evening were at O Lagar de Jesus, and Pam and I kept saying “when we get to see Jesus!” The walk was mostly through the suburbs, so there wasn’t much natural scenery to take pictures of. We made the most of it, though, and enjoyed the walk nonetheless. Our morning care stop was at about the halfway mark of the day’s walk at a little cafe. We were sitting outside having coffee when Brian, an American pilgrim we met the prior day, just happened to be stopping at the same cafe. Brian has done many Camino’s before and this time he was leading a group of his friends that were doing it for the first time. He was super knowledgeable about the Portuguese route, so we asked him for recommendations of things to do once we got to Santiago. He suggested a free walking tour, which I booked for this upcoming Thursday. He also suggested that we stop by a cloistered convent near the cathedral where there are no signs, but if you ring the bell, sometimes a nun will answer and you can ask for a pastry. We’re definitely going to go and give it a try, and we were thankful for all of his insider tips! In the afternoon, we were feeling quite relaxed and even a bit tired. Instead of taking a nap, Pam and I found a nice open area outside to connect with ourselves and our surroundings. Pam played a 15 minute meditation on her phone, and as we listened, we took a few moments to relax and connect with our breaths. After that, I led us through some simple yoga stretches to release the muscle tension from all of our walking and carrying our packs. As you can imagine, carrying around a lot of extra weight on your back can cause a lot of tension, aches and pains– an inconvenient yet necessary part of hiking any journey. We also did salutations and earthing (feeling your bare feet and hands connecting with the ground). The grounds are beautiful here, and it felt truly spiritual to connect with them. Afterwards, we sat by the pool and dipped our feet in the water. In the evening, we retired too Lagar de Jesus, a really nice ranch style hostel with a cool vibe: instrumental background music, family style dinner for all the guests, and bunk-beds, one on top of another. We met new pilgrims from South Africa, Norway and Spain. We are meeting new connections from all over the world, and it makes this journey even more special to me. I feel very connected to myself, the Camino, the journey, the land, the locals and pilgrims, and my heart is thankful for old and new friendships alike. I am truly blessed!

Tuesday’s weather was another beautiful day for hiking! It was sunny and in the 70’s, and we really enjoyed it overall. We saw quite a few cats, dogs, and farm animals today. Some people bring treats to feed them along the way, but our pockets were bare. Pam wanted to give them a special treat, so she looked for clover and pet-friendly plants along the route to feed them in lieu of treats. She is such a caretaker of all of the animals on our routes! In addition to the animals, we received a special treat during our hike– a bagpiper was on the trail! I stopped for a moment to take a photo with him, gave him a tip as a thank you for the music, and then we were on our way. We had extra time, so we took a detour to find the ruins of the pagan castle of Queen Lupa– a woman who is speaking more and more to me since I’ve learned about her. The view was amazing, and we did a good job of navigating off, and then back on, the official Camino route. The biggest challenge of the day was looking for a place to eat dinner. Restaurants in Spain close from 2-7 or 8 p.m., then open for dinner afterwards. Many times, we get into town during that time and we’re, unsurprisingly, quite hungry. We usually try to pack snacks to offset the hunger until we can get to a restaurant, but today the only thing we had was nuts, which was not enough to silence our bellies. We went to a grocery store and bought salads, ramen noodles, and cookies. We felt like college students eating in a dormitory, but it did the trick! Tomorrow, we will reach Santiago, our final destination on the Camino Santiago, and our spirits are full. We are looking forward to the end of this chapter, and having time to reflect on our experience with the Camino as a whole. Our plan is to arrive in Santiago in time for the noon Pilgrim Mass, and then explore everything that Santiago has to offer. Part of me feels like we just started our journey, while another part feels like I’ve been here a lifetime. It’s surreal to know that we’re almost there!

Closing out the third week, my heart is content. This past week was full of new friends, new history lessons, and so much growth– personally and in miles. Though my Camino Santiago journey is coming to a close, I am looking forward to what the next adventure will bring me. What will I learn? Who will I meet? What will speak to my soul? The possibilities are endless, and I am ready! Until next time, dear friends: stay safe, stay healthy, and always remember to make space for what brings you joy.

Spread your wings– now is the time,
to dare, to dream, to reach for the sky.
This is the moment you will soar;
if you want it now– you can have it all.
-Lang Leav