Today was a gorgeous day, we have only had rain for one day that impacted my walking for only twenty minutes. We have been forewarned that once we hit our last few days in Galicia that it rains often, not certain how I will handle that but I clearly feel blessed that I have not had to deal with that yet. I am feeling a huge desire to get caught up for the days I got behind in Burgos, there are some faces I really want to see. Today's walk would be gorgeous with a nice climb and a huge decent, most hate the decents, I seem to handle them fine...until today.
Today's walk would involve one of the most if not the most famous Camino tradition...putting a stone from home at the base of the Cruz de Fero ( The Iron Cross), this has been looked forward to me since the planning of my trip started and the kids took great pride in picking my special rock, complete with pink and green bow. I was fortunate to start walking with a guy from Italy about forty minutes before arriving to the cross, I got to share the experience with him but also had someone to take my pictures and I of course took his. About an hour from the cross I saw a piece of slate shaped like a fish I grabbed it as it symbolized Christianity to me and thought I would offer up my rock (and a few I had gathered) on this fish shaped rock, then my mental disorder kicked in and I picked up some sticks and then a rather large piece of slate in the shape of a chapel or even a home. I carried this rather large home shaped rock for at least an hour and one guy even ran up to me and said his mom was dying to know what was up with the huge slate. I made a precious presentation at the base of that cross...my main prayers and thoughts there were to ask for healing in my dear girlfriends with cancer, and while all are doing great kicking cancers butt they are on my mind more on this trip then they will ever know.
So injury free and no doubt of my arrival to Santiago I proceed...
I was coming down out of the Forrest into Acebo, a huge decent that was all slate, I think shard is what they call it, I have pictures to show it...it was very dangerous. I bopped thru it almost effortlessly and a French couple with poles came behind me, the female was super quick and we kept a great pace. Many people comment that I don't use poles, I just have no desire. Daily I get the lecture how they will help me. I forgot if I shared that I did buy a walking stick way back in Puenta La Reina and gave that puppy up within twenty four hours, I placed it beside a church and only wish I had the stuff to make sign for it saying, "free to good pilgrim".
So I was descending into Acebo with the thought of getting a drink and moving on thru to Molonaseca. I fell straight on my face on the shard, the French couple came running and helped me up. The female was so sweet and offered me one of her poles, I'm pretty convinced it could not have hurt me but I also knew I had no idea how to use them do the sweet offer did not appeal to me. I let them go on and slowed up just a bit, instantly I got emotional on how such a fall on this stone could be a " Camino changer", how did I not get injured...these rocks are huge with many sharp areas. No sooner was I counting my blessings when I fell again... This would be a huge fall, and for the first time as I laid on the ground by myself crying I thought I just might have injured myself where I can 't go on. My ankle was killing me, my knee hurt... I was bleeding thru my clothes at the elbow, ankle and knee... I could not get up as I had fallen forward and then went to my side on my back. Like a turtle with my heavy pack I had to take it off from the ground. I got up thinking my biggest injury was my ankle, I was scared. I wobbled on into town very slowly. There was a large crowd at the first open bar...this is the way almost all evening stops would be...a beautiful welcoming by pilgrims that arrived before you, showered and changed and were now as relaxed as could be welcoming others. I didn't recognize anyone...but we exchanged our "hola" with grande Camino enthusiasm and one of the females said, "come take some weight off of your back". I said let me run find a place to stay and I promised I'd be back. MY injury was not obvious, and my ankle was throbbing, I could also feel the blood dripping. I had no idea if Father, Tom and Mary were here or not but I knew I had experienced a game changer and had no choice but to call it a day. This sweet town had a street going thru it, still running at a descent and gorgeous stone buildings...it was beautiful and festive.
I stopped a man who walked proudly in trekking clothes down the street and asked him where the aubergue was. He did not try to influence me at all but said pointing, " albergue private",and then pointed down the street and said, " albergue parochial ". I found myself going right to the parochial one without even thinking about it and am so glad I did. I entered to the nicest older man welcoming me in, explaining we would do a community dinner and only a donation is asked for. I typically spend a little more at these donation places, though I could spend not a cent I value these special community dinners. IN walks the gentleman I saw from the street who I had asked directions from to the auberges, his name is Carlos he is Spanish and he is the hospillario (volunteer host) of this auberge, he has two green ( ripe and delicious) melons in his hands and had been shopping for dinner. He sees I am injured and washes my clothes for me.
I ran back out to the first restaurant as you enter the town and sit with a group and get a nice sangria. Dinner was wonderful, Carlos had made a bean soup and a nice salad, we went around the table saying where we are from and then he asked the different nationalities to sing a song...we all would sing," Bye Bye Miss American Pie" and everyone attempted to chime in.
THis day I would stop and take a break at a hut on the side of the road, there would be literature referencing a pilgrimage to 88 temples in Japan...tonight at dinner a Korean couple would mention this pilgrimage:).
A guy who I have run into a few times would be on the top bunk right near me...he is from Switzerland, I call him "Squiddly Diddley" because on site he reminds me of an old friend from our HHH days (running group) nick named Squiddly Diddley...this guy walks super fast, very tall...filled with the stats of the day and stages and chain smokes like a champ. Amazing all of the smoking pilgrims...
I would also share a room with a gal I really like named G from the States. Interesting gal, retired teacher always so happy and very fit but she does her Camino very different than mine. I only mention this to educate a bit about the Camino...but there are those like myself who clearly have the desire to walk the pilgrimage, a few have to get into cars to get them to a next town if all auberges are full but they are clearly walking pilgrims...but there are many it appears who take taxis or even buses from point to point... They'll walk the "pretty" parts but hop in a taxi in a heart beat. They evidently are not supposed to be able to stay at the cheaper auberges if doing this but they have it down as you run into them at the aubergues every evening. I'm not judging just describing something that happens and there is a lot of talk about it while walking. I've walked with G before and she has an awesome pace, she could do this...but she describes in detail the skipping of the "boring" parts. I keep my mouth shut but I have found little to nothing boring about any second of my Camino but even if there is a boring stretch the Camino has way more to offer than just landscape...the people make most of the Camino.
No comments:
Post a Comment