As I awoke in Finisterre on Saturday September 23rd, a shocking realization awaited me. I would have to say goodbye to Katrin very soon. She was leaving at 8:40 with the bus back to Santiago and taking an airplane back to Germany. I was very tired and had skipped a shower the night before so a shower was necessary that morning. We followed her to the bus station and said our goodbyes. She and Molly had decided that they were going to visit me in Iceland for New Years Eve so I knew I'd see her again and pretty soon at that. It was sad but it was another moment that reminded me of how great it was that we'd made such a strong connection in such a short time.
Molly and I sat down at the pier and watched the sunrise. If the sunset last night marked our deaths the sunrise had to mark our rebirth. Our true resurrection would happen in Muxía, according to legend that is. After we had seen the sunrise we had some good breakfast and then took a taxi to Muxía. We would have had to take 2 buses and wait 2 hours for the second one so we just enjoyed the fact that taxi's are cheep in Spain.
Muxía is beautiful and the people there are so wonderful. When we got there we were wondering where we could keep our bags as we looked around town. We asked the first restaurant/pension we found if we could stow our bags with them and it was not a problem. Such nice people, such a nice place.
We walked around town and saw the sights. We were really relaxed and had enjoyed the fact that we didn't need to put on our walking boots that day immensely. Luck followed us as the clouds parted for us to further enjoy the day. We went to a church up on a hill and followed a path that lead us to a viewpoint on top of a hill (it was called a mountain on the sign). We saw the monument that was below us, the town and the coastlines in all directions. Then we went to the monument and next to another church by the sea. We sat by the rocks on the coast as the sea beat them relentlessly and just kept on enjoying our slow, relaxed, leisurely day. It was so nice. Molly and I just get along so well and I guess we figured out right there and then that we had become the best of friends, although we didn't say it until later that day.
After our chilled out walk around town we returned to the restaurant and did what we had decided to do. We knew that in Muxía you were supposed to be reborn and we had talked about writing down what we wanted to do with what we had learned on the Camino, what we wanted to put into action after the trip. We did exactly that! It was transformational to say the least and powerful to finally have on paper what I had decided and realized I should do on this trip. Muxía was the perfect place for it, yet another unmissable place on my Camino.
We just had one part of the ritual left and that was to swim in the sea. Neither of us were really in the mood for it, but we wanted to do something in that direction. So we went to the sea and walked in it for a while. A nice moment, a treasure in itself. When we got out of the water we found Andreas. He was sitting there with his girlfriend who had surprised him in Santiago as he was coming back from Finisterre. It was great to see him and we shared a bus back to Santiago with him.
We decided to stay at Seminaro Menor when we got back to Santiago and I really felt that my Camino was over. I went to the computer and searched and searched for a flight home the next day but I couldn't find one. Every flight had me stay at least one night somewhere. But finally I found a flight home. I would fly the next day at 6:50 from Santiago to Madrid, from there to Amsterdam and finally from there to Iceland. I kept singing "I'm going home" from Rocky Horror Picture show...I was ready to go home.
After that I went to the center of town with Molly and Pia. We had a nice night out, shopped a little and then we went to a fancy restaurant. We sat there probably much longer than we had expected to sit and talked about confidence, relationships and things in that nature. When we got back to the Albergue it was time for goodbyes. I would have to wake up at 5:00 in the morning. I and Molly said goodbye and told each other that the other was one of our best friends. As many beautiful moments it was sad and powerful. Pia talked with me in my room as I packed my backpack and got as ready as I could. I wanted to be able run out in the morning without having to do much.
The day had been a real rebirth. As Lazarus before him, Gulli Bergmann was resurrected and hopefully for the better. Only time can tell but already I felt different...and most certainly in a good way!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
The death of Gulli Bergmann
Soon after I finished my last blog, Thursday September 22nd, I went up to our room. Molly was there and was going early to bed. Instead she ended up watching a podcast I had on my Ipod entitled "The mystery box" and it's a Ted.com lecture by J.J. Abrams. I took a shower meanwhile and afterwords we talked about this great podcast and what it meant to us. Somehow we ended up talking again about my choice of profession, my passion for movies and whether or not I would want to go to school again right now. I told her that I really wanted to become an active member in society again, to pay taxes, to get a monthly salary and just to have a normal job again. She told me that the way I said it sounded like it was in fact a dream I had, there was passion behind it. I had never thought of it like that, to me it was a chore. I had to get a steady job and work normal hours, but she made me realize that it was something I truly wanted...there was passion behind my desire, it was in fact a dream of mine! Yet another revolutionary revelation in overtime! :)
It was kind of funny that when Katrin came in and after we turned off the lights, I felt like we were in a dorm or on a school trip, talking to each other in the dark. It felt like I'd known them forever but actually I hadn't even known them for a month!
The beds ended up being too comfortable and we slept longer than expected. We had a long day ahead of us, a long walk that is. That day was the day that we would get to the end of the world. As I've told you Finisterre was believed to be the end of the world. The legend about Finisterre says that when you get there you die. We were all facing our deaths today and were happy for it!
We started our walks as many others, with me singing. This time I was singing "Follow the yellow brick road" from "Wizard of Oz" but I had changed it slightly. We always follow yellow arrows as we travel so I sang "Follow the yellow arrows". We ended up discussing, philosophically, who we were in the story "The Wizard of Oz". Dorothy was looking for a way home, the Scare Crow was looking for a brain, the Tin man was looking for a heart and the Lion was looking for courage. I had to admit that with my discovery the day before about dedication that I was the Lion. I seemed to lack the courage to dedicate my life to any one thing, to forgo my freedom to become a master at anything really. Today that part of me would die. Today I would arrive in Finisterre and as the sun would set the old me would die.
We had a good morning and were more energetic than the day before. The way split and one way led to Muxía, where I and Molly were heading the day after. We were wondering whether we should walk there or just take a bus but the pilgrimage really ends in Finisterre. We had gone back and forth on the subject but sure enough the day would end up showing us exactly what was the right choice in the matter.
Which is sort of what happened with the walk to Finisterre. I had known about the extra 101 km walk from the beginning and on the days when I was feeling well on the Camino I was sure that I was going to walk there too. But on the days when I was feeling like shit and just walking all the way to Santiago was pain enough, I couldn't imagine walking any further. I just kept telling myself that I would decide when I was in Santiago. Even though I had decided that, the thought popped in my mind every single time I felt like I had gotten a handle on things and I was finally in good enough shape to keep going or when I felt like my body was going to fall apart and I had discovered yet another physical problem. I'm really glad I didn't decide until I was in Santiago, the victory rush was so powerful that of course I decided that I would walk all the way to Finisterre. And by God am I grateful for that decision; I would have missed out on such wonderful company, gorgeous scenery and amazing discoveries on every stage of my life. I guess I could have taken a bus, I was always going to go here, but I could as well have skipped it as doing it like that. It had to be the walk and I was on it!
We met a German couple and they had walked the north way of the Camino. He and I had a long interesting talk and he told me that she was going to Ghana next year to teach English. This has been a long standing dream for me and was one of the things I was considering to do after the Camino was over. The order in which she was doing it told me that no matter what I decide to do, I can come back to that. I can go to Africa and volunteer there even if I don't do it right now. Not everything I want to do has to happen right now, it can happen in stages. After yesterday and last night I realized that getting a steady job is the first stage of my plan, but certainly not the last. And volunteering is definitely one stage as well!
We walked all the way to a town by the sea. We hadn't seen the sea all our trip and it was quite impressive. I forgot to mention that the morning had greeted us with fog. Mysterious, magical and amazing fog! It had made the entire trip that morning a day where anything could happen, a true adventure. In the landscape we traveled in it was truly mystifying. As we came into the sea town it was so beautiful to see it in the fog. I've always loved fog and how it truly creates a world of it's own. What you can't see becomes whatever your mind wants it to be and as I wrote, you feel as if anything can happen. For those that want to know what J.J. Abrams and I have to say on the subject of mystery, you can just listen to the master here.
I was tired after walking straight for 20 km. The uneven surface of the last 5 km had left my left ankle very sore and my big toe and the toe next to it on my right foot even tenser. We stopped in the town for a while, but not long enough for my feet to recover. Now that I'm back home I realize there wasn't a long enough rest available there for my feet to recover so it doesn't really matter! ;)
As we walked the last part of the Camino, for Finisterre is truly the end, with every step we realized more and more that we were truly done. This was the end. The town Finisterre was 34 km from where we started that day and then the cape Finisterre, where the end of the world was believed to be was another 3,5 km away. When we had about 9 km left to the town and we were talking about the fact that we were done walking I said it out loud. Every step after that seemed heavier somehow. I kept going on pure willpower, I was going to make it to the end of the world.
The town was so beautiful and the coastline leading up to it made the walk to the end of town a great experience. The Albergue we were going to sleep in was full but we found a nice one not so far away. We met Ali and Robert when we got into town and decided to go to the End of the World together, the cape 3,5 km away. We left our backpacks at the Albergue and went to the municipal Albergue where you get your certificate for walking to Finisterre. You get a certificate for walking to Santiago but also for walking there and I have to say that the Finisterre one is even more beautiful than the one you get in Santiago.
As the 5 of us, Molly, Katrin, Ali, Robert and I, started our walk to the End of the World I truly noticed how much harder walking with a backpack is. Now without our backpacks we could have walked forever. We had already walked 34 km that day but without the backpack it sure didn't feel like it. Hehehe I had to walk more than 900 km to figure out exactly how much more difficult walking with a backpack is! :)
As we came closer and closer to the End of the World my super luck kicked in. The clouds started to part and we could see the sky. All day it had been foggy and cloudy. A big part of the tradition of Finisterre is to watch the sunset. No one believed that we would be able to see it today. When we were in the town and said we were going to the cape people asked us why we were going since we wouldn't see the sunset. But sure enough the sun came out to greet us and then allow us to watch it set down and mark our deaths.
At the end of the road there is a marker that reads "0.000 km". When we got to it we knew; we were done. It was a beautiful feeling. Arriving in Santiago was a much bigger feeling of victory but it wasn't until I arrived at that sign that I knew that my Camino was over. I almost missed that feeling of completion, I almost didn't walk here. I'm so glad I didn't make that mistake.
Another part of the ritual of Finisterre is to burn your clothes. As we positioned ourselves in the rocks at the end of the cape to watch the sunset I took off my t-shirt, actually the t-shirt I started the Camino with and had now ended it in, and I burned it there on the cape with the rays of the sun lighting up my ceremony. I didn't have anything to make it burn properly but some Germans that were close to us and they had some spray deodorant. I used it as a flamethrower and truly torched my t-shirt.
It was cozy to sit by the fire and watch the sunset. I just sat there, I didn't say a word. It was a wonderful experience and perhaps the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. There were no words needed, there was nothing to be said. Our old lives were ending and although perhaps not all of us felt exactly that feeling, we could all feel something truly profound happen during those moments. When the light of the sun could no longer be seen we stood up and I hugged everyone and congratulated them on their deaths. The sky was littered with stars and I had a realization: "The end of the world is endless!" As we looked out to the sea there at the cape and now as I looked at the sky the paradox was not lost on me; the end of the world is endless! We walked together down the dark street back to town, holding each other tight in the cold night air and looked up at the endless sky and countless stars.
The night ended with a meal. Since we were dead now the calories didn't count...right? ;) We would have partied like there was no tomorrow but I was tired. It was after midnight and time to rest my weary bones. It had been an unforgettable day and my death had been beautiful. Tomorrow I would awaken and take a taxi to Muxía, Molly and I both had the same feeling at the 0.000 km marker. We were done with our walk. The legend says that in Muxía you are reborn. I looked forward to that and if it would be half as wonderful as my death, then it would still be one of the best experiences of my life!
It was kind of funny that when Katrin came in and after we turned off the lights, I felt like we were in a dorm or on a school trip, talking to each other in the dark. It felt like I'd known them forever but actually I hadn't even known them for a month!
The beds ended up being too comfortable and we slept longer than expected. We had a long day ahead of us, a long walk that is. That day was the day that we would get to the end of the world. As I've told you Finisterre was believed to be the end of the world. The legend about Finisterre says that when you get there you die. We were all facing our deaths today and were happy for it!
We started our walks as many others, with me singing. This time I was singing "Follow the yellow brick road" from "Wizard of Oz" but I had changed it slightly. We always follow yellow arrows as we travel so I sang "Follow the yellow arrows". We ended up discussing, philosophically, who we were in the story "The Wizard of Oz". Dorothy was looking for a way home, the Scare Crow was looking for a brain, the Tin man was looking for a heart and the Lion was looking for courage. I had to admit that with my discovery the day before about dedication that I was the Lion. I seemed to lack the courage to dedicate my life to any one thing, to forgo my freedom to become a master at anything really. Today that part of me would die. Today I would arrive in Finisterre and as the sun would set the old me would die.
We had a good morning and were more energetic than the day before. The way split and one way led to Muxía, where I and Molly were heading the day after. We were wondering whether we should walk there or just take a bus but the pilgrimage really ends in Finisterre. We had gone back and forth on the subject but sure enough the day would end up showing us exactly what was the right choice in the matter.
Which is sort of what happened with the walk to Finisterre. I had known about the extra 101 km walk from the beginning and on the days when I was feeling well on the Camino I was sure that I was going to walk there too. But on the days when I was feeling like shit and just walking all the way to Santiago was pain enough, I couldn't imagine walking any further. I just kept telling myself that I would decide when I was in Santiago. Even though I had decided that, the thought popped in my mind every single time I felt like I had gotten a handle on things and I was finally in good enough shape to keep going or when I felt like my body was going to fall apart and I had discovered yet another physical problem. I'm really glad I didn't decide until I was in Santiago, the victory rush was so powerful that of course I decided that I would walk all the way to Finisterre. And by God am I grateful for that decision; I would have missed out on such wonderful company, gorgeous scenery and amazing discoveries on every stage of my life. I guess I could have taken a bus, I was always going to go here, but I could as well have skipped it as doing it like that. It had to be the walk and I was on it!
We met a German couple and they had walked the north way of the Camino. He and I had a long interesting talk and he told me that she was going to Ghana next year to teach English. This has been a long standing dream for me and was one of the things I was considering to do after the Camino was over. The order in which she was doing it told me that no matter what I decide to do, I can come back to that. I can go to Africa and volunteer there even if I don't do it right now. Not everything I want to do has to happen right now, it can happen in stages. After yesterday and last night I realized that getting a steady job is the first stage of my plan, but certainly not the last. And volunteering is definitely one stage as well!
We walked all the way to a town by the sea. We hadn't seen the sea all our trip and it was quite impressive. I forgot to mention that the morning had greeted us with fog. Mysterious, magical and amazing fog! It had made the entire trip that morning a day where anything could happen, a true adventure. In the landscape we traveled in it was truly mystifying. As we came into the sea town it was so beautiful to see it in the fog. I've always loved fog and how it truly creates a world of it's own. What you can't see becomes whatever your mind wants it to be and as I wrote, you feel as if anything can happen. For those that want to know what J.J. Abrams and I have to say on the subject of mystery, you can just listen to the master here.
I was tired after walking straight for 20 km. The uneven surface of the last 5 km had left my left ankle very sore and my big toe and the toe next to it on my right foot even tenser. We stopped in the town for a while, but not long enough for my feet to recover. Now that I'm back home I realize there wasn't a long enough rest available there for my feet to recover so it doesn't really matter! ;)
As we walked the last part of the Camino, for Finisterre is truly the end, with every step we realized more and more that we were truly done. This was the end. The town Finisterre was 34 km from where we started that day and then the cape Finisterre, where the end of the world was believed to be was another 3,5 km away. When we had about 9 km left to the town and we were talking about the fact that we were done walking I said it out loud. Every step after that seemed heavier somehow. I kept going on pure willpower, I was going to make it to the end of the world.
The town was so beautiful and the coastline leading up to it made the walk to the end of town a great experience. The Albergue we were going to sleep in was full but we found a nice one not so far away. We met Ali and Robert when we got into town and decided to go to the End of the World together, the cape 3,5 km away. We left our backpacks at the Albergue and went to the municipal Albergue where you get your certificate for walking to Finisterre. You get a certificate for walking to Santiago but also for walking there and I have to say that the Finisterre one is even more beautiful than the one you get in Santiago.
As the 5 of us, Molly, Katrin, Ali, Robert and I, started our walk to the End of the World I truly noticed how much harder walking with a backpack is. Now without our backpacks we could have walked forever. We had already walked 34 km that day but without the backpack it sure didn't feel like it. Hehehe I had to walk more than 900 km to figure out exactly how much more difficult walking with a backpack is! :)
As we came closer and closer to the End of the World my super luck kicked in. The clouds started to part and we could see the sky. All day it had been foggy and cloudy. A big part of the tradition of Finisterre is to watch the sunset. No one believed that we would be able to see it today. When we were in the town and said we were going to the cape people asked us why we were going since we wouldn't see the sunset. But sure enough the sun came out to greet us and then allow us to watch it set down and mark our deaths.
At the end of the road there is a marker that reads "0.000 km". When we got to it we knew; we were done. It was a beautiful feeling. Arriving in Santiago was a much bigger feeling of victory but it wasn't until I arrived at that sign that I knew that my Camino was over. I almost missed that feeling of completion, I almost didn't walk here. I'm so glad I didn't make that mistake.
Another part of the ritual of Finisterre is to burn your clothes. As we positioned ourselves in the rocks at the end of the cape to watch the sunset I took off my t-shirt, actually the t-shirt I started the Camino with and had now ended it in, and I burned it there on the cape with the rays of the sun lighting up my ceremony. I didn't have anything to make it burn properly but some Germans that were close to us and they had some spray deodorant. I used it as a flamethrower and truly torched my t-shirt.
It was cozy to sit by the fire and watch the sunset. I just sat there, I didn't say a word. It was a wonderful experience and perhaps the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. There were no words needed, there was nothing to be said. Our old lives were ending and although perhaps not all of us felt exactly that feeling, we could all feel something truly profound happen during those moments. When the light of the sun could no longer be seen we stood up and I hugged everyone and congratulated them on their deaths. The sky was littered with stars and I had a realization: "The end of the world is endless!" As we looked out to the sea there at the cape and now as I looked at the sky the paradox was not lost on me; the end of the world is endless! We walked together down the dark street back to town, holding each other tight in the cold night air and looked up at the endless sky and countless stars.
The night ended with a meal. Since we were dead now the calories didn't count...right? ;) We would have partied like there was no tomorrow but I was tired. It was after midnight and time to rest my weary bones. It had been an unforgettable day and my death had been beautiful. Tomorrow I would awaken and take a taxi to Muxía, Molly and I both had the same feeling at the 0.000 km marker. We were done with our walk. The legend says that in Muxía you are reborn. I looked forward to that and if it would be half as wonderful as my death, then it would still be one of the best experiences of my life!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dedication
We slept really well in our wonderful Albergue of San José! I'm so glad we decided to stay there and not at the Municipal Albergue. But we were all a little tired, maybe even a bit more than that, and waking up was a chore for sure. We sat down to have breakfast together and we were all a bit sluggish. That didn't change when we headed out and it was obvious that we were not as motivated as we had been to get to Santiago. The journey was beautiful though with steep climbing, breathtaking views of valley's and the countryside and there are trees everywhere here...beautiful, tall, amazing trees.
Then we stopped for lunch and the day changed. Before lunch I felt as if I was done and I just wanted to take a taxi or a bus. I hoped that it was just a fleeting thought and feeling and I talked about it with the girls. We all realized that we were not as determined as we had been before. We had achieved our goal, we had reached Santiago. Now we were heading to Finisterra, the end of the world, and it seemed like it wasn't really a "must" for us even though we really wanted to get there. But after lunch the day changed and I guess our talk about it helped us figure out what was causing our lack of drive.
We talked about profound ideas and concepts and also just joked around. After lunch the walk truly became a good Camino walk! Molly got some phone calls and we walked through the countryside which reeked of manure. After talking about everything and nothing we got to talking about movies and episodes. My vast knowledge and passion for the subject really got Molly to push me regarding why I wasn't pursuing a career in the field. I realized that it was really because of the dedication needed to get anywhere in that crazy business.
Dedication! We had finally reached the true problem regarding my search for a profession, my search here on the Camino to decide what I should do with my life. I realized that I hadn't just avoided dedication when it comes to cinematography but when it comes to anything in life; clubs, sports, work, education, just my whole life. I had avoided committing to anything that would lead to me missing out on something else. I saw that I valued freedom of choice at all moments more than what dedication could give me. That meant that I would be a jack of all trades and master of none. My constant need for not being limited by anything was really holding me back. This massive revelation, a true Camino revelation, happened after my original Camino was over. It happened in overtime, a time when so many amazing things tend to happen! My failure to dedicate myself was keeping me from making a true difference in the world. The blinders were off my eyes...what will I do now that I can see?
We walked 36 km's today, from Negreira to Olveiroa, and it was a really nice walk. About 3 km's away from Olveiroa there was a huge beautiful lake that perfected the scenery for the day. The trees are just amazing here and we're constantly climbing to the top of wonderful hills where we have a great overview of the landscape all around!
When we got to Olveiroa both the Albergue's were full. There was a small room available in the Pension next by the private Albergue. The room cost 45 euro's for the 3 of us, 15 a piece, and they would add a bed for me. It was a big bed for the girls and a really nice bed for me. We decided to take it and we have a shower for ourselves with shampoo and conditioner and again we have towels. It's a real luxury! None of us snore and it'll be amazing to sleep just the 3 of us together tonight and having a private bathroom all for us. I'm looking forward to the shower.
Psychoanalysis is really time consuming and costly. The Camino has resulted in today's revelation, perhaps a result that the psychoanalysis wouldn't have revealed. I'm so glad to keep getting more and more from this walk and I think this walk to Finisterra might truly be the most important part! I hope you're having true revelations in your lives beautiful people, revelations that might change your life forever!
Then we stopped for lunch and the day changed. Before lunch I felt as if I was done and I just wanted to take a taxi or a bus. I hoped that it was just a fleeting thought and feeling and I talked about it with the girls. We all realized that we were not as determined as we had been before. We had achieved our goal, we had reached Santiago. Now we were heading to Finisterra, the end of the world, and it seemed like it wasn't really a "must" for us even though we really wanted to get there. But after lunch the day changed and I guess our talk about it helped us figure out what was causing our lack of drive.
We talked about profound ideas and concepts and also just joked around. After lunch the walk truly became a good Camino walk! Molly got some phone calls and we walked through the countryside which reeked of manure. After talking about everything and nothing we got to talking about movies and episodes. My vast knowledge and passion for the subject really got Molly to push me regarding why I wasn't pursuing a career in the field. I realized that it was really because of the dedication needed to get anywhere in that crazy business.
Dedication! We had finally reached the true problem regarding my search for a profession, my search here on the Camino to decide what I should do with my life. I realized that I hadn't just avoided dedication when it comes to cinematography but when it comes to anything in life; clubs, sports, work, education, just my whole life. I had avoided committing to anything that would lead to me missing out on something else. I saw that I valued freedom of choice at all moments more than what dedication could give me. That meant that I would be a jack of all trades and master of none. My constant need for not being limited by anything was really holding me back. This massive revelation, a true Camino revelation, happened after my original Camino was over. It happened in overtime, a time when so many amazing things tend to happen! My failure to dedicate myself was keeping me from making a true difference in the world. The blinders were off my eyes...what will I do now that I can see?
We walked 36 km's today, from Negreira to Olveiroa, and it was a really nice walk. About 3 km's away from Olveiroa there was a huge beautiful lake that perfected the scenery for the day. The trees are just amazing here and we're constantly climbing to the top of wonderful hills where we have a great overview of the landscape all around!
When we got to Olveiroa both the Albergue's were full. There was a small room available in the Pension next by the private Albergue. The room cost 45 euro's for the 3 of us, 15 a piece, and they would add a bed for me. It was a big bed for the girls and a really nice bed for me. We decided to take it and we have a shower for ourselves with shampoo and conditioner and again we have towels. It's a real luxury! None of us snore and it'll be amazing to sleep just the 3 of us together tonight and having a private bathroom all for us. I'm looking forward to the shower.
Psychoanalysis is really time consuming and costly. The Camino has resulted in today's revelation, perhaps a result that the psychoanalysis wouldn't have revealed. I'm so glad to keep getting more and more from this walk and I think this walk to Finisterra might truly be the most important part! I hope you're having true revelations in your lives beautiful people, revelations that might change your life forever!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Effortless ease
I forgot to tell you about my first prayer and meditation in a church. Yesterday, after the Pilgrim mass, I first used the perfectly designed Catholic church chairs to kneel and pray and then sat down and meditated. I've done that before in a church, but not on the Camino. It's kind of weird I guess that on a trip with so many churches along the way and with a religious theme to it, that now after the official Camino is done I do my first prayer and meditation within the hallowed halls. I guess it's because I'm not affiliated with any religion and so I haven't wanted it to "taint" my faith. But yesterday I could feel that wouldn't affect me in a bad way, on the contrary, it was a good experience!
After my blogging yesterday we went out for dinner. Actually I, Molly and Madeleine just hung out outside our Albergue for a while, enjoying the evening sun and nice conversations. I told Madeleine about Iceland and when I asked her "Do you know what we have in Iceland?" Her response was "Dinosaurs? Dragons?" much to my amuzement. After chatting a bit with Isabel we went into the center of town and met Katrin and Tomasz. Tomasz just returned from Finisterra. He's a great walker, very experienced and after he left us in León he walked an average of 43 km's a day. On his last days while he was on his way to Finisterra he started to feel a slight pain in his leg and he said that "pain" totally changed his walking experience. I and Katrin heard this and our jaws totally dropped. Of course the pain changed the trip!!! It was what we had been experiencing from day 1. But he being the experienced walker that he is only had a little the last days and got to experience what we experienced every day of the trip. I wonder what it's like to walk a long trip like this without pain?
We found a nice restaurant and had a great dinner. As we were leaving and walking along the streets of Santiago we heard beautiful music coming from the Cathedral. Across from it there were men singing and playing on all the different types of string insturments, dressed in old formal Spanish clothes. It was a beautiful night! Madeleine was leaving in the morning and so was Tomasz and so we said goodbye as we said goodnight, but hopefully not forever. I have a feeling we'll all see each other before long.
Katrin woke me about 7:20 and we started to get ready for our trip. It only took me one day of "slacking off" to lose my rhythm in getting ready for the day, but sure enough I was much faster than when I started the trip. The day before really hadn't been a rest day. I hadn't taken any time to elevate my legs and they were pretty swollen. My toes on my right foot were still tense and my ankle pretty tender on my left foot.
We started what would be known as our Hobbit breakfast. At the second floor of the Albergue we split an orange, our first breakfast. In the basement we bought a sandwich, our second breakfast. And then we headed off for the day, saying we'd stop later for a proper meal. As we got near to the square where the Cathedral of Santiago is we saw the 5 star hotel and restaurant that is in the square. They offer 10 lucky pilgrims a free meal, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The first 10 to come are the ones that are served for free. Katrin looked at her clock and saw that it was 8:45 and the breakfast is at 9:00. She suggested we wait for the free 5 star breakfast and sure enough I loved the idea of another adventure. At 9:00 a man from the hotel came down to the waiting area but he said we couldn't take our bags with us but didn't really tell us where we could put them instead...he just pointed to the street. Right across from there is a police station and we were going to keep our bags there but the police men screamed at Katrin as she was walking away. Then close by there was a public restroom and Katrin said we should keep it there. I asked her if it would be safe and she said it was perfect, that it would just look like we were inside the toilets and would be out in a minute. Then she said my favorite line of the day: "No risk, no fun!" We entered the hotel and there was one other french couple that was there with us. He knew the way to where the Pilgrims were to enter, a service entrance and we were not to be seated with the other guests. We followed him into the kitchen and got all we needed for the meal and the food itself and then followed him down to the room where we would eat. Before we got into the room I thought it would look really shabby but sure enough it was this beautiful cozy room that was dedicated soly for the pilgrim's. We had our 5 star breakfast and loved it, that was breakfast number 3.
The french couple were retirees who had walked the Camino last year, the original way, and started 1500 km's away. This year they decided to take the northern route, starting in the same place in France and since it's a 100 km's longer this years trip was 1600 km's. They said the north route was much different than the normal one cause it tried ones mind more. On the traditional Camino you could see and meet a lot of people but on the northern one you travelled more alone. Being lonely is hard enough without the rest of the burdens the Camino can put on you. They were a lovely couple and we enjoyed their company immensly.
We headed out well after 10:00 and walked leisurely. I started telling Katrin about Jesus Christ Superstar and she said she had never seen it. I sang the entire second song for her, Heaven on their minds: "My mind is clearer now. At last all too well, I can see, where we all, soon will be...." as we walked the street that would lead us out of Santiago. That is without a doubt my favorite musical and perhaps my favorite music cd. I bet I could sing most of the songs and sadly, as I've realized on the Camino, that's not so common for me.
The day was perfect somehow. We enjoyed each others company and we really got to know each other. We just talked the whole time and it was so effortless. We didn't strain ourselves to find new topics or to find a way to have good time together. It was just effortless ease in what is fast becoming in my opinion the most beautiful part of the trip. The way from Santiago to Finisterra is really a sight to see and if you're planning on walking the Camino you should definetly add this to your itinerary!
We stopped in what is definetly one of the top 5 most beautiful towns I've seen on this trip and had a late lunch there. There was a river running through it and we sat by it's bank in a very nice restaurant, right where there was a beautiful waterfall. We just sat there, outside, for quite some time and even when there was silence we just felt at peace. I had taken off my shoes at first and socks to place them on a chair and this restaurant was not accustomed to pilgrims, obviously, as it took them some time to work up the courage to tell me to put my shoes back on: "this is a nice place and people are eating here!". Not even that phased us, though it seemed to make Katrin scared of the waiter, but we still just loved that town and couldn't stop enjoying the astonishing enviroment.
When we hit the road again we realized through sms's and phone calls that Molly had passed us. She had stayed behind to see her sister to the bus and headed out shortly after us. She caught up with us as we doled away our time in the beautiful waterfall town. Katrin and I laughed, thinking how slowly we had walked and how relaxed our day had been. We had in fact talked so much about the Camino, working out what we had learned from it and how it would change our lives forever. We talked about what we would do when we got back from Spain and how we would put our changes into action. Actually we talked about so many things that to write about it would be 4 blog post in itself at least. It was a great day for sure, much to Katrin's amazement. When we awoke I was my normal self, singing "Good morning, good morning..." and Katrin was sure she would be so exhausted after a whole day with me. Oh contrair my dear Katrin and we arrived more energized than when we set out at our destination at 17:00.
We had walked 23 km's from Santiago to Negreira. We found an amazing Albergue and Molly met us there. We got towels here, REAL TOWELS, and real linen for our beds. I've so missed the finer things in life like towels, soap, toilet seats, washing machines and the like on this trip. I love this Albergue, San José for the win!!!
After sharing our stories for the day, an amazing shower, washing our clothes and a visit to the supermarket it was internet time. I thought the other computer would still be free when I got back from putting what I bought at the supermarket in the fridge in the kitchen but sure enough it was taken. I was kind of pissed at myself at first but then I thought "what I should really be doing with my time right now?" and I knew it wasn't being angry. I asked Katrin if she wanted a massage and as I massaged her I could feel that she really needed it. Waiting for the computers took a while but Katrin's body was better for it. Molly then massaged me a bit as I was writing my blog and re-earned her name Molly Magic. I took a break while writing my blog to have dinner with the girls and now I'm back to finish writing about this wonderful day.
I would have thought that my amazing Camino experiences would be over but obviously my journey to the end of the world is just as much a part of the Camino. Today has been filled with learning experiences, spiritual lessons, amazing adventures, wonderful company and overcoming adversity as always! I'm so greatful for the Camino, the fact that I have the health to do it, the time to do it and the determination to do it! Thank you Camino for yet another indescribable day! :)
After my blogging yesterday we went out for dinner. Actually I, Molly and Madeleine just hung out outside our Albergue for a while, enjoying the evening sun and nice conversations. I told Madeleine about Iceland and when I asked her "Do you know what we have in Iceland?" Her response was "Dinosaurs? Dragons?" much to my amuzement. After chatting a bit with Isabel we went into the center of town and met Katrin and Tomasz. Tomasz just returned from Finisterra. He's a great walker, very experienced and after he left us in León he walked an average of 43 km's a day. On his last days while he was on his way to Finisterra he started to feel a slight pain in his leg and he said that "pain" totally changed his walking experience. I and Katrin heard this and our jaws totally dropped. Of course the pain changed the trip!!! It was what we had been experiencing from day 1. But he being the experienced walker that he is only had a little the last days and got to experience what we experienced every day of the trip. I wonder what it's like to walk a long trip like this without pain?
We found a nice restaurant and had a great dinner. As we were leaving and walking along the streets of Santiago we heard beautiful music coming from the Cathedral. Across from it there were men singing and playing on all the different types of string insturments, dressed in old formal Spanish clothes. It was a beautiful night! Madeleine was leaving in the morning and so was Tomasz and so we said goodbye as we said goodnight, but hopefully not forever. I have a feeling we'll all see each other before long.
Katrin woke me about 7:20 and we started to get ready for our trip. It only took me one day of "slacking off" to lose my rhythm in getting ready for the day, but sure enough I was much faster than when I started the trip. The day before really hadn't been a rest day. I hadn't taken any time to elevate my legs and they were pretty swollen. My toes on my right foot were still tense and my ankle pretty tender on my left foot.
We started what would be known as our Hobbit breakfast. At the second floor of the Albergue we split an orange, our first breakfast. In the basement we bought a sandwich, our second breakfast. And then we headed off for the day, saying we'd stop later for a proper meal. As we got near to the square where the Cathedral of Santiago is we saw the 5 star hotel and restaurant that is in the square. They offer 10 lucky pilgrims a free meal, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The first 10 to come are the ones that are served for free. Katrin looked at her clock and saw that it was 8:45 and the breakfast is at 9:00. She suggested we wait for the free 5 star breakfast and sure enough I loved the idea of another adventure. At 9:00 a man from the hotel came down to the waiting area but he said we couldn't take our bags with us but didn't really tell us where we could put them instead...he just pointed to the street. Right across from there is a police station and we were going to keep our bags there but the police men screamed at Katrin as she was walking away. Then close by there was a public restroom and Katrin said we should keep it there. I asked her if it would be safe and she said it was perfect, that it would just look like we were inside the toilets and would be out in a minute. Then she said my favorite line of the day: "No risk, no fun!" We entered the hotel and there was one other french couple that was there with us. He knew the way to where the Pilgrims were to enter, a service entrance and we were not to be seated with the other guests. We followed him into the kitchen and got all we needed for the meal and the food itself and then followed him down to the room where we would eat. Before we got into the room I thought it would look really shabby but sure enough it was this beautiful cozy room that was dedicated soly for the pilgrim's. We had our 5 star breakfast and loved it, that was breakfast number 3.
The french couple were retirees who had walked the Camino last year, the original way, and started 1500 km's away. This year they decided to take the northern route, starting in the same place in France and since it's a 100 km's longer this years trip was 1600 km's. They said the north route was much different than the normal one cause it tried ones mind more. On the traditional Camino you could see and meet a lot of people but on the northern one you travelled more alone. Being lonely is hard enough without the rest of the burdens the Camino can put on you. They were a lovely couple and we enjoyed their company immensly.
We headed out well after 10:00 and walked leisurely. I started telling Katrin about Jesus Christ Superstar and she said she had never seen it. I sang the entire second song for her, Heaven on their minds: "My mind is clearer now. At last all too well, I can see, where we all, soon will be...." as we walked the street that would lead us out of Santiago. That is without a doubt my favorite musical and perhaps my favorite music cd. I bet I could sing most of the songs and sadly, as I've realized on the Camino, that's not so common for me.
The day was perfect somehow. We enjoyed each others company and we really got to know each other. We just talked the whole time and it was so effortless. We didn't strain ourselves to find new topics or to find a way to have good time together. It was just effortless ease in what is fast becoming in my opinion the most beautiful part of the trip. The way from Santiago to Finisterra is really a sight to see and if you're planning on walking the Camino you should definetly add this to your itinerary!
We stopped in what is definetly one of the top 5 most beautiful towns I've seen on this trip and had a late lunch there. There was a river running through it and we sat by it's bank in a very nice restaurant, right where there was a beautiful waterfall. We just sat there, outside, for quite some time and even when there was silence we just felt at peace. I had taken off my shoes at first and socks to place them on a chair and this restaurant was not accustomed to pilgrims, obviously, as it took them some time to work up the courage to tell me to put my shoes back on: "this is a nice place and people are eating here!". Not even that phased us, though it seemed to make Katrin scared of the waiter, but we still just loved that town and couldn't stop enjoying the astonishing enviroment.
When we hit the road again we realized through sms's and phone calls that Molly had passed us. She had stayed behind to see her sister to the bus and headed out shortly after us. She caught up with us as we doled away our time in the beautiful waterfall town. Katrin and I laughed, thinking how slowly we had walked and how relaxed our day had been. We had in fact talked so much about the Camino, working out what we had learned from it and how it would change our lives forever. We talked about what we would do when we got back from Spain and how we would put our changes into action. Actually we talked about so many things that to write about it would be 4 blog post in itself at least. It was a great day for sure, much to Katrin's amazement. When we awoke I was my normal self, singing "Good morning, good morning..." and Katrin was sure she would be so exhausted after a whole day with me. Oh contrair my dear Katrin and we arrived more energized than when we set out at our destination at 17:00.
We had walked 23 km's from Santiago to Negreira. We found an amazing Albergue and Molly met us there. We got towels here, REAL TOWELS, and real linen for our beds. I've so missed the finer things in life like towels, soap, toilet seats, washing machines and the like on this trip. I love this Albergue, San José for the win!!!
After sharing our stories for the day, an amazing shower, washing our clothes and a visit to the supermarket it was internet time. I thought the other computer would still be free when I got back from putting what I bought at the supermarket in the fridge in the kitchen but sure enough it was taken. I was kind of pissed at myself at first but then I thought "what I should really be doing with my time right now?" and I knew it wasn't being angry. I asked Katrin if she wanted a massage and as I massaged her I could feel that she really needed it. Waiting for the computers took a while but Katrin's body was better for it. Molly then massaged me a bit as I was writing my blog and re-earned her name Molly Magic. I took a break while writing my blog to have dinner with the girls and now I'm back to finish writing about this wonderful day.
I would have thought that my amazing Camino experiences would be over but obviously my journey to the end of the world is just as much a part of the Camino. Today has been filled with learning experiences, spiritual lessons, amazing adventures, wonderful company and overcoming adversity as always! I'm so greatful for the Camino, the fact that I have the health to do it, the time to do it and the determination to do it! Thank you Camino for yet another indescribable day! :)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
It's only a 101 km walk until the end of the world
Waking up at 8:30 this morning was a great feeling. It was such a strange feeling though; I wasn't about to rush off to walk 20 km's or more! For the first time in 28 days I wasn't going to spend the majority of the day traversing Spain on foot! I laughed a little and took a shower.
Finisterra is a place in the north of Spain where the world was believed to end in olden times. People would go there, stare out at the sea and believe that they were seeing the end of the world. Some pilgrims walk there too, it's only 101 km's away from Santiago. Others take the bus there. But I'm not taking the bus! No, it's only a 101 km walk until the end of the world and tomorrow I will head out there with my friends!
But today we'll enjoy Santiago and what it has to offer for us weary pilgrims. We said goodbye to Pia and Danielle this morning as they headed out to Finisterra but we headed out downtown to find a good café for breakfast. I finally got to meet Madeleine, Molly's sister and she was every bit as amazing as she had been described. We first went to the square where the Cathedral is and there we just met a bunch of people who were arriving in Santiago right there and then. First were the german boys we met in Molinaseca. Followed by Kasha. Then we saw Junior, my favorite Brazilian. It was a jam packed emotional moment.
After the café breakfast Molly went to get her certificate, Katrin checked on her bus for after she gets back from Finisterra and I perused the local gift shops. Then at 12:00 it was time for the pilgrim mass. Every day at 12:00 there is a mass dedicated to the pilgrims and at the end they use a huge incense burner and swing it from one end of the church to another. It's a really amazing sight! After the mass I saw the remains of Saint James (Jakob, postula Jesú) in his silver coffin beneath the altar in the Cathedral. We met loads of people there as well, like Isabel, Franzi, Alex and Matze. So it was a reunion as well.
I and Katrin then headed out for the Albergue. It was time to wash our clothes and do the blog entries that I "owed". I look forward to my trip to Finisterra tomorrow but right now my mind is focused on the evening here in Santiago with my friends. We'll enjoy the sights, the food and probably the company most of all.
Stay awesome beautiful people and I look forward to keep blogging as I write about the epilogue of my trip entitled: The end of the world! ;)
Finisterra is a place in the north of Spain where the world was believed to end in olden times. People would go there, stare out at the sea and believe that they were seeing the end of the world. Some pilgrims walk there too, it's only 101 km's away from Santiago. Others take the bus there. But I'm not taking the bus! No, it's only a 101 km walk until the end of the world and tomorrow I will head out there with my friends!
But today we'll enjoy Santiago and what it has to offer for us weary pilgrims. We said goodbye to Pia and Danielle this morning as they headed out to Finisterra but we headed out downtown to find a good café for breakfast. I finally got to meet Madeleine, Molly's sister and she was every bit as amazing as she had been described. We first went to the square where the Cathedral is and there we just met a bunch of people who were arriving in Santiago right there and then. First were the german boys we met in Molinaseca. Followed by Kasha. Then we saw Junior, my favorite Brazilian. It was a jam packed emotional moment.
After the café breakfast Molly went to get her certificate, Katrin checked on her bus for after she gets back from Finisterra and I perused the local gift shops. Then at 12:00 it was time for the pilgrim mass. Every day at 12:00 there is a mass dedicated to the pilgrims and at the end they use a huge incense burner and swing it from one end of the church to another. It's a really amazing sight! After the mass I saw the remains of Saint James (Jakob, postula Jesú) in his silver coffin beneath the altar in the Cathedral. We met loads of people there as well, like Isabel, Franzi, Alex and Matze. So it was a reunion as well.
I and Katrin then headed out for the Albergue. It was time to wash our clothes and do the blog entries that I "owed". I look forward to my trip to Finisterra tomorrow but right now my mind is focused on the evening here in Santiago with my friends. We'll enjoy the sights, the food and probably the company most of all.
Stay awesome beautiful people and I look forward to keep blogging as I write about the epilogue of my trip entitled: The end of the world! ;)
We are the Champions, my friends!
I awoke at 7:10 yesterday morning in Arzúa. I had slept through my alarm clock the first time around, it rings every 10 minutes. I ended up using ear plugs last night and obviously that wasn't such a good idea when I had an alarm clock waiting for me at the other end of dreamland. But despite the fact that I had probably helped somebody else get an "earlier" start than they inteded, I woke up with a smile on my face. This would be my last day! I felt the excitement in my stomach, a roar in my mind and a feeling of determination that I really liked. I was going to walk the 40 km's to Santiago today, no matter what. This was my 28th day, I was going to make it!!!
After a nice breakfast at the café next door I set out. My fingers tingled, my whole body writhed in anticipation. I was going to make it! I was amazed at how good my body felt. A mixture of determination and my body getting used to the onslaught of rigorous exercise must have been the reason for it. I walked alone despite all the people that were there and allowed myself to be a bit of an introvert, the determination pretty much taking care of that part by itself. I stopped at a little café and met the Swedish group that had an Icelander, sort of. Smári is his name and he's Swedish but his mother lives in Keflavík in Iceland. I met them in Palas del Rei and got to speak Icelandic to someone for the first time on the trip. I was too focused to spend much time there and too excited to get caught up in long chats or bravado. I set out as fast as I could.
Kasha was also at the Albergue in Arzúa, much to my amazement. It seems that we've been somehow bound to run into each other since Molinaseca. We had slept a few beds a part and we didn't even realize it. And the last stretch to Santiago was the same. We ran into each other a couple of times, bathroom breaks or similar things parting our ways. For the most part I walked alone the first 28 km's and ate alone. I found a great restaurant for lunch and had a Pilgrim meal since they wouldn't let me order anything else. Pilgrim meal is generally a 3 course meal, but usally I just get coffee or tea after the meal instead of desert. Originally I'd get fruit or plain yogurt but as time passed I didn't have space for any more food. I had a great meal in what looked like a 5 star restaurant, went outside afterwards and aired my feet and then headed out again.
After the 28 km's I met up with Kasha again and we walked together for 7 km's. She was going to walk all the way to Santiago with me but after 35 km walk that day she was done. She needed a bed. We had a "coffee" break in that town, I had 2 liters of juice (too much as I found out when I started walking) and some peanuts. I said goodbye to Kasha and headed off the last part by myself.
I'm so glad I got to walk these last 5 km's alone. I'm not sure if they would have had as much affect on me if I would have walked them with someone else there. Coming into Santiago was such a powerful emotion! I started quivering and crying and the song "We are the Champions" started playing in my mind. First it was the part: "But it's been no bed of roses - No pleasure cruise - I consider it a challenge before the whole human race - And I ain't gonna lose - "
And I just cried and kept on walking. With every step the emotion built up more and more. I brushed it off and said that I had to wait until I'd get there, all the way to the Cathedral. Those last 5 km's must have been the longest walks I've taken on this trip. And as that walk came to it's end at a little past 19:00, I finally got into that amazing square and saw the Cathedral. All the emotional build up came back and I was crying again. Gratitude, a sence of victory, a sense of disbelief and about a thousand other amazing emotions came crashing over me and tears were my only response. Ever since Freddy Mercury first sang "We are the Champions", millions of people have celebrated their victory's to it. Now an orchestra played it in my mind. I was here. I was in Santiago de Compostela.
I had walked all the way from Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port to Santiago de Compostela in only 4 weeks! I walked every single day, all 28 of them, never taking a rest day! I did a minimum of 20 km's a day and the farthest I went was 44 km's! I never, ever entered a vehicle of any kind, I walked every step of the way! I carried my own backpack the whole way and everything in it (I even carried someone else's bag too for a little more than 1 km)! I only slept in Albergue's, never accepting any higher standard of accomodation! I had done it and even just writing about it is bringing a tear to my eye!
People have been telling me, even when I was on the train on my way to Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port, that I can't make it in 4 weeks. That it's too fast and I couldn't do it. I heard it the last time 4 days ago from a well meaning Irish man that said even the fit 20 year olds were only going to be there on Wednesday so I couldn't be there on Monday. But sure enough here I am! I DID IT!!!!!
After soaking up the moment for quite a while I went round the corner and got my certificate. It's a really cool document and I've already got a spot on my wall in mind. After that I went inside the church, that's where the walk originally ended and still does I suppose. I fell to my knees in prayer and gratitude and again I felt a tear stream down my cheek. My prayer was just one word repeated over and over again: "Takk!" (translation: Thank you). I went outside and called the person I most wanted to share this moment with; my mother! I cryed a little on the phone and was so grateful to have such an amazing connection with her. Thank you again my wonderful mother!!!
Then she asked me if any of my friends were there with me. I could only say the word "no" but as I was about to continue speaking a loud "GULLI" could be heard screamed from close by. Katrin came charging at me, followed by Pia and Danielle. My friends were here to perfect the moment! Shortly after that Molly arrived and the reunion would soon be complete. We lay down on the ground in the center of the square, I, Molly and Katrin and again soaked up the fact that we were in Santiago. Then a shadow came over me and there was my hermano, Antonello. I jumped up and we celebrated together. As we all stood there I started singing We are the Champions: "We are the champions - my friends - And we'll keep on fighting - till the end - We are the champions - We are the champions - No time for losers - 'Cause we are the champions - of the world!"
We went to dinner together at a great restaurant. I couldn't enjoy the food because I kept getting some stomach cramps but the company more than made up for any loss of food and the pain I felt. It was so good to be with my Camino family again! I had to leave a bit ahead of them since check in at the Albergue closed at 23:00. After they got back everyone went to bed but me and Antonello, we stayed up well after midnight and talked to our hearts content. I'll miss him but as I've said before I know I'll see him again. As I said to him last night: "Until we meet again!"
As I lay down to go to bed it hit me: I'm in Santiago. I fell asleep with such content, such a sense of achievement, such a sense of victory, that I...there are no words!
After a nice breakfast at the café next door I set out. My fingers tingled, my whole body writhed in anticipation. I was going to make it! I was amazed at how good my body felt. A mixture of determination and my body getting used to the onslaught of rigorous exercise must have been the reason for it. I walked alone despite all the people that were there and allowed myself to be a bit of an introvert, the determination pretty much taking care of that part by itself. I stopped at a little café and met the Swedish group that had an Icelander, sort of. Smári is his name and he's Swedish but his mother lives in Keflavík in Iceland. I met them in Palas del Rei and got to speak Icelandic to someone for the first time on the trip. I was too focused to spend much time there and too excited to get caught up in long chats or bravado. I set out as fast as I could.
Kasha was also at the Albergue in Arzúa, much to my amazement. It seems that we've been somehow bound to run into each other since Molinaseca. We had slept a few beds a part and we didn't even realize it. And the last stretch to Santiago was the same. We ran into each other a couple of times, bathroom breaks or similar things parting our ways. For the most part I walked alone the first 28 km's and ate alone. I found a great restaurant for lunch and had a Pilgrim meal since they wouldn't let me order anything else. Pilgrim meal is generally a 3 course meal, but usally I just get coffee or tea after the meal instead of desert. Originally I'd get fruit or plain yogurt but as time passed I didn't have space for any more food. I had a great meal in what looked like a 5 star restaurant, went outside afterwards and aired my feet and then headed out again.
After the 28 km's I met up with Kasha again and we walked together for 7 km's. She was going to walk all the way to Santiago with me but after 35 km walk that day she was done. She needed a bed. We had a "coffee" break in that town, I had 2 liters of juice (too much as I found out when I started walking) and some peanuts. I said goodbye to Kasha and headed off the last part by myself.
I'm so glad I got to walk these last 5 km's alone. I'm not sure if they would have had as much affect on me if I would have walked them with someone else there. Coming into Santiago was such a powerful emotion! I started quivering and crying and the song "We are the Champions" started playing in my mind. First it was the part: "But it's been no bed of roses - No pleasure cruise - I consider it a challenge before the whole human race - And I ain't gonna lose - "
And I just cried and kept on walking. With every step the emotion built up more and more. I brushed it off and said that I had to wait until I'd get there, all the way to the Cathedral. Those last 5 km's must have been the longest walks I've taken on this trip. And as that walk came to it's end at a little past 19:00, I finally got into that amazing square and saw the Cathedral. All the emotional build up came back and I was crying again. Gratitude, a sence of victory, a sense of disbelief and about a thousand other amazing emotions came crashing over me and tears were my only response. Ever since Freddy Mercury first sang "We are the Champions", millions of people have celebrated their victory's to it. Now an orchestra played it in my mind. I was here. I was in Santiago de Compostela.
I had walked all the way from Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port to Santiago de Compostela in only 4 weeks! I walked every single day, all 28 of them, never taking a rest day! I did a minimum of 20 km's a day and the farthest I went was 44 km's! I never, ever entered a vehicle of any kind, I walked every step of the way! I carried my own backpack the whole way and everything in it (I even carried someone else's bag too for a little more than 1 km)! I only slept in Albergue's, never accepting any higher standard of accomodation! I had done it and even just writing about it is bringing a tear to my eye!
People have been telling me, even when I was on the train on my way to Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port, that I can't make it in 4 weeks. That it's too fast and I couldn't do it. I heard it the last time 4 days ago from a well meaning Irish man that said even the fit 20 year olds were only going to be there on Wednesday so I couldn't be there on Monday. But sure enough here I am! I DID IT!!!!!
After soaking up the moment for quite a while I went round the corner and got my certificate. It's a really cool document and I've already got a spot on my wall in mind. After that I went inside the church, that's where the walk originally ended and still does I suppose. I fell to my knees in prayer and gratitude and again I felt a tear stream down my cheek. My prayer was just one word repeated over and over again: "Takk!" (translation: Thank you). I went outside and called the person I most wanted to share this moment with; my mother! I cryed a little on the phone and was so grateful to have such an amazing connection with her. Thank you again my wonderful mother!!!
Then she asked me if any of my friends were there with me. I could only say the word "no" but as I was about to continue speaking a loud "GULLI" could be heard screamed from close by. Katrin came charging at me, followed by Pia and Danielle. My friends were here to perfect the moment! Shortly after that Molly arrived and the reunion would soon be complete. We lay down on the ground in the center of the square, I, Molly and Katrin and again soaked up the fact that we were in Santiago. Then a shadow came over me and there was my hermano, Antonello. I jumped up and we celebrated together. As we all stood there I started singing We are the Champions: "We are the champions - my friends - And we'll keep on fighting - till the end - We are the champions - We are the champions - No time for losers - 'Cause we are the champions - of the world!"
We went to dinner together at a great restaurant. I couldn't enjoy the food because I kept getting some stomach cramps but the company more than made up for any loss of food and the pain I felt. It was so good to be with my Camino family again! I had to leave a bit ahead of them since check in at the Albergue closed at 23:00. After they got back everyone went to bed but me and Antonello, we stayed up well after midnight and talked to our hearts content. I'll miss him but as I've said before I know I'll see him again. As I said to him last night: "Until we meet again!"
As I lay down to go to bed it hit me: I'm in Santiago. I fell asleep with such content, such a sense of achievement, such a sense of victory, that I...there are no words!
This is the end
When I awoke in Palas del Rei 2 days ago I was aching and tired. I imagined that if you would look up the word weary now it would have a picture of me next to it. But I had to keep moving if I was to reach my goal, if I was to have walked the whole trip in 4 weeks. In order to achieve my goal I had 2 days left to reach Santiago and 69 km's to go. I did what I could to loosen up, stretch out my feet and ready my body. It would be a long day and in my state I wouldn't walk very fast.
The Spanish guys I met the night before were waking up at the same time as me, around 8:00. They had started in Burgos and were going by bicycle and even though they could have gotten to Santiago today they decided to do it in 2 days. We had breakfast together and I discovered that they were Police officers from the south of Spain. The knights Templar were originally formed to protect the pilgrims that walked to Santiago de Compostela. The Templar's guarded the road, "policed" it so to speak. I asked them if they had taken up where the knights had left off. Despite them denying it I now refer to them as the Knights Templar and everything in their demeanor gave me the impression that I was right. I had a great breakfast with them and our chance meeting left such an impression that we immediatly exchanged contact informations. And when I stood up to pay for breakfast I learned that the Knights had already taken care of it. I wish you the best of luck in your travels gentlemen and feel that I am richer for having gotten to know you!
I stayed behind in the dining area to pray and meditate. The waiter in the dining room was really nice and we had talked previous to my spiritual moment in his sanctuary. Afterwards he asked me for some tips on how to meditate. We must have talked together for an half an hour and it was a good morning and an excellent way to start my spiritual walk of the day. That did mean though that I didn't set out until 10:45, which is really late to start walking.
I wish I could say that all my experiences that day were good, but far from it. The day felt like the song "This is the end" by the Doors. I love the song but it's sad and depressing, heavy and filled with melancholy. I guess it's because I hoped that this would be my second to last day and all the Camino just came rushing over me. The clouds were in the sky and it was cold outside. I had to wear my fleece jacket and I could feel that my body had not fully recovered from being sick. I was tender somehow, a rush of emotions surging through me and I didn't fully comprehend what was going on. I think me being pretty weary really played a big part in my emotional rollercoaster and the added fear that because I was walking so slow I wouldn't reach Santiago before the 4 week mark. When I stopped for lunch it started raining just a little bit and I had to go out of the way to find a restaurant that had an indoor eating area. When I asked the waitress there how far it was to the next town I thought she was going to say 9 km's but she said 6 km's and I was so greatful and tender that I almost started crying. It was a weird day but I think I was processing the whole trip so far. I think this was an important part of the trip for sure.
I took regular breaks and slowly but surely I started getting my strength back. I was surprised actually how energetic I felt in the late afternoon, it was as if I was gaining energy instead of using it as I walked along the Camino. My body must be getting pretty used to me walking every single day, this being the 27th day and all. And me learning to take proper breaks, taking off my shoes and socks to let the air refresh them really makes a difference too I think.
I arrived in a small town about 17:30 and bought a small bag of Doritos and some fruit juice. In the café there was a television and on it was the movie Bruce Almighty in Spanish. Now I don't speak Spanish but I decided to have a little "movie night". It was only the last 10 minutes of the movie and I didn't understand a word but somehow watching it with my feet up on a chair and eating my bag of Doritos really invigorated me. I took my first ibufen/ibuprofen in a while there just to be sure, but in retrospect I didn't need it.
I wasn't sure I was going to make it all the way to Arzúa but sure enough I walked the 29 km's there from Palas del Rei. I felt stronger then than I did when I woke up. It seemed my body was getting more and more used to this constant walking, this constant strife. I arrived in Arzúa at 19:30 or there abouts and found my Albergue for the day. It was a nice one, but the quality of the Albergue's was always less and less important. Tomorrow would be a long day and all that was important was a bed to rest my head...the rest was details.
I met Alex and Matze there again and had dinner with them. After that I blogged and went to bed. I decided to use an alarm for the first time and since I didn't finish using the computer until a little after 23:00 I set it for 7:00. I was ready for tomorrow, ready as I'd ever be.
My lesson for today is that feeling "bad" isn't always a bad thing. Even though it wasn't pleasant going through all those emotions I think it was a neccessary part of working out everything I've felt here on the Camino. Perhaps this was even the most important part, where I could let go of the things that were holding me back and embrace the new amazing skills that the Camino has offered me. Growth often comes through pain, I think this was one of those times. I'm grateful for today as I am for all my days on this amazing journey!
The Spanish guys I met the night before were waking up at the same time as me, around 8:00. They had started in Burgos and were going by bicycle and even though they could have gotten to Santiago today they decided to do it in 2 days. We had breakfast together and I discovered that they were Police officers from the south of Spain. The knights Templar were originally formed to protect the pilgrims that walked to Santiago de Compostela. The Templar's guarded the road, "policed" it so to speak. I asked them if they had taken up where the knights had left off. Despite them denying it I now refer to them as the Knights Templar and everything in their demeanor gave me the impression that I was right. I had a great breakfast with them and our chance meeting left such an impression that we immediatly exchanged contact informations. And when I stood up to pay for breakfast I learned that the Knights had already taken care of it. I wish you the best of luck in your travels gentlemen and feel that I am richer for having gotten to know you!
I stayed behind in the dining area to pray and meditate. The waiter in the dining room was really nice and we had talked previous to my spiritual moment in his sanctuary. Afterwards he asked me for some tips on how to meditate. We must have talked together for an half an hour and it was a good morning and an excellent way to start my spiritual walk of the day. That did mean though that I didn't set out until 10:45, which is really late to start walking.
I wish I could say that all my experiences that day were good, but far from it. The day felt like the song "This is the end" by the Doors. I love the song but it's sad and depressing, heavy and filled with melancholy. I guess it's because I hoped that this would be my second to last day and all the Camino just came rushing over me. The clouds were in the sky and it was cold outside. I had to wear my fleece jacket and I could feel that my body had not fully recovered from being sick. I was tender somehow, a rush of emotions surging through me and I didn't fully comprehend what was going on. I think me being pretty weary really played a big part in my emotional rollercoaster and the added fear that because I was walking so slow I wouldn't reach Santiago before the 4 week mark. When I stopped for lunch it started raining just a little bit and I had to go out of the way to find a restaurant that had an indoor eating area. When I asked the waitress there how far it was to the next town I thought she was going to say 9 km's but she said 6 km's and I was so greatful and tender that I almost started crying. It was a weird day but I think I was processing the whole trip so far. I think this was an important part of the trip for sure.
I took regular breaks and slowly but surely I started getting my strength back. I was surprised actually how energetic I felt in the late afternoon, it was as if I was gaining energy instead of using it as I walked along the Camino. My body must be getting pretty used to me walking every single day, this being the 27th day and all. And me learning to take proper breaks, taking off my shoes and socks to let the air refresh them really makes a difference too I think.
I arrived in a small town about 17:30 and bought a small bag of Doritos and some fruit juice. In the café there was a television and on it was the movie Bruce Almighty in Spanish. Now I don't speak Spanish but I decided to have a little "movie night". It was only the last 10 minutes of the movie and I didn't understand a word but somehow watching it with my feet up on a chair and eating my bag of Doritos really invigorated me. I took my first ibufen/ibuprofen in a while there just to be sure, but in retrospect I didn't need it.
I wasn't sure I was going to make it all the way to Arzúa but sure enough I walked the 29 km's there from Palas del Rei. I felt stronger then than I did when I woke up. It seemed my body was getting more and more used to this constant walking, this constant strife. I arrived in Arzúa at 19:30 or there abouts and found my Albergue for the day. It was a nice one, but the quality of the Albergue's was always less and less important. Tomorrow would be a long day and all that was important was a bed to rest my head...the rest was details.
I met Alex and Matze there again and had dinner with them. After that I blogged and went to bed. I decided to use an alarm for the first time and since I didn't finish using the computer until a little after 23:00 I set it for 7:00. I was ready for tomorrow, ready as I'd ever be.
My lesson for today is that feeling "bad" isn't always a bad thing. Even though it wasn't pleasant going through all those emotions I think it was a neccessary part of working out everything I've felt here on the Camino. Perhaps this was even the most important part, where I could let go of the things that were holding me back and embrace the new amazing skills that the Camino has offered me. Growth often comes through pain, I think this was one of those times. I'm grateful for today as I am for all my days on this amazing journey!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Back in black
Yesterday when I finally decided to get out of bed it was around 8:00. I would have thought sooner, but sure enough I was the last to leave the room. In Triacastela I slept without ear plugs for the first time and I was gonna try to do it again now in Barbadelo, but a woman with the snoring abilities of a battleship rendered that impossible. But I was as well rested as sleeping on the Camino has allowed me and despite the fact that, as always, I didn't really sleep but drift in and out of conciousness I was energized.
I met some great girls from Valencia again and had breakfast with them. Then to my surprise Isabel appeared. I thought for sure I'd never see her again. She normally walks 40-50 km's a day and since I hadn't seen her since Villafranca I suspected that she had already finished. A Swedish couple had adopted her and slowed her down to help her enjoy the Camino. It was good to see her again. They all left and I found a nice bench for prayer and meditation.
It was a little after 10:00 when I finished and started my journey for the day. I was back in full force. Not only was my poop solid again and my fever appeared to be gone but my legs were also feeling much better. I started walking faster and faster and faster, getting back into a rhythm I hadn't been able to keep up with for quite some time. I went past the girls, Isabel and even my favorite Brazilian (only stopping with him to take a picture at the 100 km mark). I zoomed past so many people, picking up speed as I went along. I felt as if I wasn't walking anymore but gliding along the countryside. I almost ran down the hills when the slope leaned that way and I hardly slowed my gate when having to go up the following slope. It was a great feeling. There I was, all dressed in black and I was back; Back in black!
I got to Portomarin a little after 13:00 having walked straight there without a break. I sat down to have some lunch after stretching. When I was there the cool Argentinian, Gustavo Raoul, came up to me and asked me if I was the guy everyone was talking about. I didn't really understand until he said that everyone was talking about this giant of a man that sped past everyone travelling incredible fast. I laughed and said yeah I guess so. He was amazed and told me about some of the descriptions which were kind of cool. Gustavo wanted a picture of me as I was leaving and there was a group of bicyclists leaving at the same time, which he asked to take our picture. When they saw me they called "Train Machine!". They had been on the road at the same time as me but I passed them and arrived before them in Portomarin. They told me that I was like a train and they had dubbed me the Train Machine!
When I was leaving Portomarin I realized that the route you take into town and out of town just leads you to the center and then around Portomarin to pretty much end up close to where you entered the town. A very long and interesting path which I don't think is calculated into our km's. As I was making my way further along the Camino I couldn't help but feel like Galicia is just one big mountainous area. It's like we're still in the mountains since we're always going up steep hills or down steep slopes. To me it feels like it's always up steep slopes but I guess that's because they take longer. I wasn't quite as fast as I was before lunch, but when I passed people that left Portomarin as I was arriving there, they called me Speedy Gonzales and others cheered me on. I even caught up with the bicyclists again, much to their surprise, and this time I remembered that I have a camera on my phone and I took a picture of them. I keep forgetting I have a camera on my phone since my camera is caput and so I try and remind myself every chance I get.
I ran out of Speedy Gonzales juice just before I arrived in Hospital de la Cruz but I still had some energy to go on, just couldn't go as fast anymore. After stopping for some orange juice, I kept on going. Soon after I headed out the weather got really cold and I had to take out my fleece jacket. I was wearing my long pants and now my black fleece jacket so I really was back in black. I wasn't walking very fast at this point but I had energy to go on. I passed a couple of towns where I could have gotten an Albergue but I decided to go on just a little further. I had a destination in mind but I didn't want to jinx it so I just kept on moving, waiting for my energy to run out.
When I was about out of energy I asked for an Albergue but there was no space. The next Albergue had to be close by, I thought. But I walked on and on, passing at least 2 Albergue's that were closed for some reason and even a beautiful hotel. I had decided that I would only sleep in Albergue's while I was on the trip and I only have. The hotel was not an option. I kept on walking and walking and at this point I was pretty tired. Every house I could see in the distance I prayed for it to be an Albergue but my prayers were unanswered for quite some time. I'm actually amazed at the distance between Albergue's in that area, there's gotta be a business oportunity there.
Then I finally saw one, at avant Palas. I was so glad to see an Albergue but I didn't like the look of it. It was 20:15 and it didn't sell food and looked somehow ominous. The hospitalero told me that there was a bar a 100 meters away and there were more Albergues in the town of Palas del Rei 1 km away. I knew that if I went in and took a shower I wouldn't walk 100 meters to get food and I'd not get the necessary energy needed for the next day after such a long walk. 1 km more now was in fact easier than a 100 meters later. So, I walked on 1 km more. I met Kasha on the way and she was sure surprised to see me and I her. She had sped up her trip so that she can also walk to Finisterra after Santiago.
Anyway I arrived in Palas del Rei after walking the 44 km's from Barbadelo that day!!! Check it!!! It's funny, earlier that day I had thought about how cool it was that Tori had walked 47 km's and that I hadn't really crossed the 40 km mark even though I had grazed it when I walked to León (39,6 km's). But I wanted to have at least one day on the Camino where I went more than 40 km's and here it was. I knew I was going to pay for it the next day but I was glad for the experience so I accepted the consequences, as expensive as they would prove to be.
The Albergue I found was beautiful and sure enough they had a washing machine and dryer, a great restaurant and a wonderful staff. The women that helped me couldn't speak any English so I was helped by another guest that was Spanish and spoke good English. I chatted a lot with him and his friends, but more on them in next day's blog. At 21:30 I had taken a shower, my clothes were being washed and I had finished dinner. I went upstairs, enjoyed the internet connection there and despite being very tired took my sweet time to get ready for bed. I was so pepped up on energy after this amazing day and it was truly a feeling of conquest to be all the way here in Palas del Rei.
I met some great girls from Valencia again and had breakfast with them. Then to my surprise Isabel appeared. I thought for sure I'd never see her again. She normally walks 40-50 km's a day and since I hadn't seen her since Villafranca I suspected that she had already finished. A Swedish couple had adopted her and slowed her down to help her enjoy the Camino. It was good to see her again. They all left and I found a nice bench for prayer and meditation.
It was a little after 10:00 when I finished and started my journey for the day. I was back in full force. Not only was my poop solid again and my fever appeared to be gone but my legs were also feeling much better. I started walking faster and faster and faster, getting back into a rhythm I hadn't been able to keep up with for quite some time. I went past the girls, Isabel and even my favorite Brazilian (only stopping with him to take a picture at the 100 km mark). I zoomed past so many people, picking up speed as I went along. I felt as if I wasn't walking anymore but gliding along the countryside. I almost ran down the hills when the slope leaned that way and I hardly slowed my gate when having to go up the following slope. It was a great feeling. There I was, all dressed in black and I was back; Back in black!
I got to Portomarin a little after 13:00 having walked straight there without a break. I sat down to have some lunch after stretching. When I was there the cool Argentinian, Gustavo Raoul, came up to me and asked me if I was the guy everyone was talking about. I didn't really understand until he said that everyone was talking about this giant of a man that sped past everyone travelling incredible fast. I laughed and said yeah I guess so. He was amazed and told me about some of the descriptions which were kind of cool. Gustavo wanted a picture of me as I was leaving and there was a group of bicyclists leaving at the same time, which he asked to take our picture. When they saw me they called "Train Machine!". They had been on the road at the same time as me but I passed them and arrived before them in Portomarin. They told me that I was like a train and they had dubbed me the Train Machine!
When I was leaving Portomarin I realized that the route you take into town and out of town just leads you to the center and then around Portomarin to pretty much end up close to where you entered the town. A very long and interesting path which I don't think is calculated into our km's. As I was making my way further along the Camino I couldn't help but feel like Galicia is just one big mountainous area. It's like we're still in the mountains since we're always going up steep hills or down steep slopes. To me it feels like it's always up steep slopes but I guess that's because they take longer. I wasn't quite as fast as I was before lunch, but when I passed people that left Portomarin as I was arriving there, they called me Speedy Gonzales and others cheered me on. I even caught up with the bicyclists again, much to their surprise, and this time I remembered that I have a camera on my phone and I took a picture of them. I keep forgetting I have a camera on my phone since my camera is caput and so I try and remind myself every chance I get.
I ran out of Speedy Gonzales juice just before I arrived in Hospital de la Cruz but I still had some energy to go on, just couldn't go as fast anymore. After stopping for some orange juice, I kept on going. Soon after I headed out the weather got really cold and I had to take out my fleece jacket. I was wearing my long pants and now my black fleece jacket so I really was back in black. I wasn't walking very fast at this point but I had energy to go on. I passed a couple of towns where I could have gotten an Albergue but I decided to go on just a little further. I had a destination in mind but I didn't want to jinx it so I just kept on moving, waiting for my energy to run out.
When I was about out of energy I asked for an Albergue but there was no space. The next Albergue had to be close by, I thought. But I walked on and on, passing at least 2 Albergue's that were closed for some reason and even a beautiful hotel. I had decided that I would only sleep in Albergue's while I was on the trip and I only have. The hotel was not an option. I kept on walking and walking and at this point I was pretty tired. Every house I could see in the distance I prayed for it to be an Albergue but my prayers were unanswered for quite some time. I'm actually amazed at the distance between Albergue's in that area, there's gotta be a business oportunity there.
Then I finally saw one, at avant Palas. I was so glad to see an Albergue but I didn't like the look of it. It was 20:15 and it didn't sell food and looked somehow ominous. The hospitalero told me that there was a bar a 100 meters away and there were more Albergues in the town of Palas del Rei 1 km away. I knew that if I went in and took a shower I wouldn't walk 100 meters to get food and I'd not get the necessary energy needed for the next day after such a long walk. 1 km more now was in fact easier than a 100 meters later. So, I walked on 1 km more. I met Kasha on the way and she was sure surprised to see me and I her. She had sped up her trip so that she can also walk to Finisterra after Santiago.
Anyway I arrived in Palas del Rei after walking the 44 km's from Barbadelo that day!!! Check it!!! It's funny, earlier that day I had thought about how cool it was that Tori had walked 47 km's and that I hadn't really crossed the 40 km mark even though I had grazed it when I walked to León (39,6 km's). But I wanted to have at least one day on the Camino where I went more than 40 km's and here it was. I knew I was going to pay for it the next day but I was glad for the experience so I accepted the consequences, as expensive as they would prove to be.
The Albergue I found was beautiful and sure enough they had a washing machine and dryer, a great restaurant and a wonderful staff. The women that helped me couldn't speak any English so I was helped by another guest that was Spanish and spoke good English. I chatted a lot with him and his friends, but more on them in next day's blog. At 21:30 I had taken a shower, my clothes were being washed and I had finished dinner. I went upstairs, enjoyed the internet connection there and despite being very tired took my sweet time to get ready for bed. I was so pepped up on energy after this amazing day and it was truly a feeling of conquest to be all the way here in Palas del Rei.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Should I stay or should I go?
I totally forgot in my last 2 blog entries to tell you about my camera. The camera I've got with me has been with me on every adventure I've been on since I got it for Christmas 2005. I even bought an underwater cover for it when I was scuba diving! But sadly when I met Kasha in Ruitelan my camera said "enough"! It wouldn't work anymore. I got it to take a couple of pictures the day after but as soon as we entered the province of Galicia I got one picture of the sign and that was all she wrote. My camera is no more. I love that camera so much that I should have a funeral for it. But instead I'm gonna see if I can't get it fixed when I come back to Iceland. Also I forgot to mention that since I thought my stomach problems might be a result of the ibufen/ibuprofen, I haven't taken any since breakfast at Ave Fenix in Villafranca.
But onto this blog. I awoke in Triacastela to a beautiful note from Tori. She had gone on ahead and later that day I got a message from Antonello telling me that she had walked 47 km's that day and caught up with him. You go girl!!! It was around 8:00 when I awoke and Kasha was there, very tired, having slept pretty bad that night. She left as I went to take a shower, still filthy from the day before. It was so good to wash off the sins of yesterday and as I bathed a question entered my mind: "Should I stay or should I go?" Should I relax here in Triacastela and take a rest day, which would be my first, or should I march on as far as my body would take me. I felt I still had a fever and was still a little sick. I wasn't sure what I should do, still a little groggy in the morning and hard for me to gauge my wellbeing.
As I was about to sit down for prayer and meditation, to decide what to do in the matter, my mother sent me an sms. I replied and told her that I was sick. She replied saying with something I interpreted as her playing doctor. I became obstinate immediatly, my default reaction to my mothers attempts at playing doctor. It's a bad habit I developed over the years, it's not her fault in the least, and I need to be in fit spiritual condition to respond to this in any other way than obstinance. I didn't want this to cloud my mind when I had to make this important decision. It seems that so many people can affect me in so many ways when it comes to making decisions. My mother also has opinions on matters that affect me greatly and I find it hard to contradict them. Some people affect my decisions because I don't want their disapproval so I'm more likely to agree with them unless I'm in fit spiritual condition as well. When I love someone they have a great hold on my decisions and when I don't like someone their likes might as well be my dislikes...again, if I'm not in fit spiritual condition. I was sick at that moment and I could feel the obstinance clouding my mind and I needed to get rid of it so I could make my decision. I prayed and during meditation I believe I made a sound choice in the matter. I could feel that I was in better condition than the day before and that I could walk a short distance today, perhaps even less than the bare minimum, and rest for the afternoon there. If it was too hard I would rest at the next Albergue. As I was about to leave the owner of the Albergue arrived and it was 9:30. She had a totally different reaction to me not having left her Albergue than the owner at La Faba. She wished me a Buen Camino (good Camino), a phrase we say and hear about a hundred times a day, but somehow it never becomes tiresome to me.
I had thought that we were out of the mountains but soon after I started walking a steep steep hill awaited me. The day was not without it's steep hills but I rested about an hour into the trip, taking off my socks and letting my blister sore air dry according to Kasha's instructions. When I stood up to walk again I met my favorite Brazilian and walked with him and his friends for a while. I told him that my camera had quit on me the day before, just as I entered the amazingly beautiful province of Galicia. He said that wouldn't do and took my email address and promises to send me pictures of the area when he arrives home. That day we had fog, clouds, sunshine and temperatures that varied greatly. I can't wait to see the photo's.
I hadn't really had a proper meal since I was in Villafranca (which might have been the meal to cause my current problems) and at lunch I looked all over the menu to see what I could have. My stool was still liquid so I wanted something proper that would hopefully solidify my poop. All I could think to eat on the menu was a hamburger and that was my first meal in a while; a gorgeous hamburger with veggies. I ate it slowly and relaxed. It was a good meal.
I came to Sarria at around 14:30 but I wanted to go further. So after a nice restroom stop, very appreciated restroom stop, I marched on. I ended up in Barbadelo. Now the walk from Triacastela to Barbadelo is at least 23,8 km's but it could also have been as much as 29,6 km's, opinions differ greatly on the matter. The most common answer was 25 km's though. I was there at a little past 16:00 at one of the most beautiful Albergue's I've seen on the trip. It had a view to the mountains in the distance, it had a great garden and beautiful houses. I was so happy to be there.
After stretching, a shower and cleaning my clothes I just relaxed. I clipped my toenails, I put cream on my feet and I calmly talked to the people that were there. I waited almost 25 minutes for the computer that was there, the Albergue only had one. I didn't mind, I just sat with my feet up and wrote in my wonderful small book that Helena bought for me in the Notre Dame in Paris. When it was my turn for the computer I started writing my blog. I was sick and as usual I was writing in a crowded area with people chatting around me and talking to me so it took me quite some time to write the blogs. People came and went, my interpretation of their reactions being that they were rather fussed about how long I was taking. I decided not to write more than 2 blogs, even though I "owed" 3. I couldn't have written more anyway, my head was foggy and I could feel the fever begging me to be still and relax. And so I did exactly that. I ate alone and wrote in my journal in between meals. I sat outside and had my tea there and watched the sunset (what little you could see) and enjoyed the beautiful mountain view. I made a few comments to a few people but mostly I just wrote in my little journal and enjoyed the silence. It was a great experience. I topped the night off by lying next to a pillar with my back on the floor and my feet up the pillar. It was so good to relieve pressure from my legs and to avoid a build up of fluids again.
I went to bed satisfied that I had made the right decision that day. I hope you don't let your reactions to other people's behavior affect important decisions that you have to make beautiful people!
But onto this blog. I awoke in Triacastela to a beautiful note from Tori. She had gone on ahead and later that day I got a message from Antonello telling me that she had walked 47 km's that day and caught up with him. You go girl!!! It was around 8:00 when I awoke and Kasha was there, very tired, having slept pretty bad that night. She left as I went to take a shower, still filthy from the day before. It was so good to wash off the sins of yesterday and as I bathed a question entered my mind: "Should I stay or should I go?" Should I relax here in Triacastela and take a rest day, which would be my first, or should I march on as far as my body would take me. I felt I still had a fever and was still a little sick. I wasn't sure what I should do, still a little groggy in the morning and hard for me to gauge my wellbeing.
As I was about to sit down for prayer and meditation, to decide what to do in the matter, my mother sent me an sms. I replied and told her that I was sick. She replied saying with something I interpreted as her playing doctor. I became obstinate immediatly, my default reaction to my mothers attempts at playing doctor. It's a bad habit I developed over the years, it's not her fault in the least, and I need to be in fit spiritual condition to respond to this in any other way than obstinance. I didn't want this to cloud my mind when I had to make this important decision. It seems that so many people can affect me in so many ways when it comes to making decisions. My mother also has opinions on matters that affect me greatly and I find it hard to contradict them. Some people affect my decisions because I don't want their disapproval so I'm more likely to agree with them unless I'm in fit spiritual condition as well. When I love someone they have a great hold on my decisions and when I don't like someone their likes might as well be my dislikes...again, if I'm not in fit spiritual condition. I was sick at that moment and I could feel the obstinance clouding my mind and I needed to get rid of it so I could make my decision. I prayed and during meditation I believe I made a sound choice in the matter. I could feel that I was in better condition than the day before and that I could walk a short distance today, perhaps even less than the bare minimum, and rest for the afternoon there. If it was too hard I would rest at the next Albergue. As I was about to leave the owner of the Albergue arrived and it was 9:30. She had a totally different reaction to me not having left her Albergue than the owner at La Faba. She wished me a Buen Camino (good Camino), a phrase we say and hear about a hundred times a day, but somehow it never becomes tiresome to me.
I had thought that we were out of the mountains but soon after I started walking a steep steep hill awaited me. The day was not without it's steep hills but I rested about an hour into the trip, taking off my socks and letting my blister sore air dry according to Kasha's instructions. When I stood up to walk again I met my favorite Brazilian and walked with him and his friends for a while. I told him that my camera had quit on me the day before, just as I entered the amazingly beautiful province of Galicia. He said that wouldn't do and took my email address and promises to send me pictures of the area when he arrives home. That day we had fog, clouds, sunshine and temperatures that varied greatly. I can't wait to see the photo's.
I hadn't really had a proper meal since I was in Villafranca (which might have been the meal to cause my current problems) and at lunch I looked all over the menu to see what I could have. My stool was still liquid so I wanted something proper that would hopefully solidify my poop. All I could think to eat on the menu was a hamburger and that was my first meal in a while; a gorgeous hamburger with veggies. I ate it slowly and relaxed. It was a good meal.
I came to Sarria at around 14:30 but I wanted to go further. So after a nice restroom stop, very appreciated restroom stop, I marched on. I ended up in Barbadelo. Now the walk from Triacastela to Barbadelo is at least 23,8 km's but it could also have been as much as 29,6 km's, opinions differ greatly on the matter. The most common answer was 25 km's though. I was there at a little past 16:00 at one of the most beautiful Albergue's I've seen on the trip. It had a view to the mountains in the distance, it had a great garden and beautiful houses. I was so happy to be there.
After stretching, a shower and cleaning my clothes I just relaxed. I clipped my toenails, I put cream on my feet and I calmly talked to the people that were there. I waited almost 25 minutes for the computer that was there, the Albergue only had one. I didn't mind, I just sat with my feet up and wrote in my wonderful small book that Helena bought for me in the Notre Dame in Paris. When it was my turn for the computer I started writing my blog. I was sick and as usual I was writing in a crowded area with people chatting around me and talking to me so it took me quite some time to write the blogs. People came and went, my interpretation of their reactions being that they were rather fussed about how long I was taking. I decided not to write more than 2 blogs, even though I "owed" 3. I couldn't have written more anyway, my head was foggy and I could feel the fever begging me to be still and relax. And so I did exactly that. I ate alone and wrote in my journal in between meals. I sat outside and had my tea there and watched the sunset (what little you could see) and enjoyed the beautiful mountain view. I made a few comments to a few people but mostly I just wrote in my little journal and enjoyed the silence. It was a great experience. I topped the night off by lying next to a pillar with my back on the floor and my feet up the pillar. It was so good to relieve pressure from my legs and to avoid a build up of fluids again.
I went to bed satisfied that I had made the right decision that day. I hope you don't let your reactions to other people's behavior affect important decisions that you have to make beautiful people!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Coming down the mountain
When I awoke the next morning it was a little before 8:00 and Antonello and Tori were leaving. When I was getting my stuff together I was reminded, rather firmly, by the owner of the Albergue that leaving time was at 8:00 and he seemed to blame my whole country for the lateness. It was an interesting human interaction for sure.
I met Antonello and Tori at the next café for breakfast. There I said goodbye to Antonello and this time I don't think I'll catch up with him. We were both still a little sick and this would prove to be a most interesting day. I and Tori stayed and chatted with a mother and son from Australia. I still had almost no energy and that was reflected in my communication skills.
I and Tori started walking and immediatly I had to poo. But this was no ordinary poo, this felt about as liquid as my pee. I barely held it in. There is a saying in Icelandic: "Ad ganga i haegdum sinum!" and loosly translated it means to walk while one has to shit. That's what I looked like. It was about 2,5 km's to the next town and sure enough when I stopped there and got to a toilet my suspicions were confirmed; I had diarrhea.
Some say that this day and the walk up to La Faba are supposed to be the hardest part of the journey. Those people started somewhere after Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port and have not walked from there to Roncesvalles. But I'll give them that this mountainous area is pretty steep and hard and that walking it while having diarrhea and being sick to boot, brings it a little closer.
It's about a 2,5 km distance from one town to another on the top of the mountain and I stopped at them all and sure enough I had to poo. As soon as we started walking again I had to shit again and so I walked with my ass firmly clasped. It was an interesting experience to say the least. The mountainous area was so beautiful but it's awe eluded me a bit as my pain, my diarrhea and my fever sort of clouded my mind. But I wanted off this mountain for some reason and Tori was giving me all the energy I needed. She didn't mind all the breaks I took, she was so consoling, comforting but still energetic and driven. I'd say I got through the day on borrowed energy.
We met some wonderful people along the way, like the Irish man who had traveled all across Asia and my favorite man from Brazil, but I had no energy to really soak in all the great experiences. I had some croissants for breakfast but I couldn't really eat anything substantial after that. At the top of the mountain Tori wanted some Doritos. I thought I could maybe stomach them so she bought me a small one. Slowly slowly I finished my small bag and had to hurry back to the bathroom. At that time I finally said that it was time for Imodium, I couldn't afford to dehydrate and I couldn't have to poop the whole time we were walking. "Ad ganga i haegdum sinum" is not a fun experience. And thank god for Imodium!!!
We came down the mountain at about 19:00 and arrived in Triacastela. We had walked 26 km's in a very steep mountainous region all the way from La Faba and we had done it in my condition. I'd say it was an achievement for Tori as well because of the "added weight" she had to pull with her!
When we got to Triacastela the Albergue's were all full. We walked from Albergue to Albergue to find a place and at the last one we got a bunkbed to stay in. One of us could have stayed at some of the Albergue's we saw but we started the journey together and we would end it together. Kasha was also there and so was a cool Argentinian man we met the day before. Tori had dinner with them and I tried to have my juice with them but I couldn't keep my head up or eat anything at all. I was finished. I went up to bed and fell asleep. Before that we had heard from Antonello. He was feeling sick too and had puked twice that day. He still powered on and I think he walked 40 km's that day. He has to be in Santiago the 19th and I hope he makes it. Ultreia my hermano, Ultreia!!!
I had done it. I don't know why I wanted off the mountain. As we were coming down the mountain there was a thunderstorm following us. It was covering the whole mountain. It was a beautiful coincidence for sure! :)
I met Antonello and Tori at the next café for breakfast. There I said goodbye to Antonello and this time I don't think I'll catch up with him. We were both still a little sick and this would prove to be a most interesting day. I and Tori stayed and chatted with a mother and son from Australia. I still had almost no energy and that was reflected in my communication skills.
I and Tori started walking and immediatly I had to poo. But this was no ordinary poo, this felt about as liquid as my pee. I barely held it in. There is a saying in Icelandic: "Ad ganga i haegdum sinum!" and loosly translated it means to walk while one has to shit. That's what I looked like. It was about 2,5 km's to the next town and sure enough when I stopped there and got to a toilet my suspicions were confirmed; I had diarrhea.
Some say that this day and the walk up to La Faba are supposed to be the hardest part of the journey. Those people started somewhere after Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port and have not walked from there to Roncesvalles. But I'll give them that this mountainous area is pretty steep and hard and that walking it while having diarrhea and being sick to boot, brings it a little closer.
It's about a 2,5 km distance from one town to another on the top of the mountain and I stopped at them all and sure enough I had to poo. As soon as we started walking again I had to shit again and so I walked with my ass firmly clasped. It was an interesting experience to say the least. The mountainous area was so beautiful but it's awe eluded me a bit as my pain, my diarrhea and my fever sort of clouded my mind. But I wanted off this mountain for some reason and Tori was giving me all the energy I needed. She didn't mind all the breaks I took, she was so consoling, comforting but still energetic and driven. I'd say I got through the day on borrowed energy.
We met some wonderful people along the way, like the Irish man who had traveled all across Asia and my favorite man from Brazil, but I had no energy to really soak in all the great experiences. I had some croissants for breakfast but I couldn't really eat anything substantial after that. At the top of the mountain Tori wanted some Doritos. I thought I could maybe stomach them so she bought me a small one. Slowly slowly I finished my small bag and had to hurry back to the bathroom. At that time I finally said that it was time for Imodium, I couldn't afford to dehydrate and I couldn't have to poop the whole time we were walking. "Ad ganga i haegdum sinum" is not a fun experience. And thank god for Imodium!!!
We came down the mountain at about 19:00 and arrived in Triacastela. We had walked 26 km's in a very steep mountainous region all the way from La Faba and we had done it in my condition. I'd say it was an achievement for Tori as well because of the "added weight" she had to pull with her!
When we got to Triacastela the Albergue's were all full. We walked from Albergue to Albergue to find a place and at the last one we got a bunkbed to stay in. One of us could have stayed at some of the Albergue's we saw but we started the journey together and we would end it together. Kasha was also there and so was a cool Argentinian man we met the day before. Tori had dinner with them and I tried to have my juice with them but I couldn't keep my head up or eat anything at all. I was finished. I went up to bed and fell asleep. Before that we had heard from Antonello. He was feeling sick too and had puked twice that day. He still powered on and I think he walked 40 km's that day. He has to be in Santiago the 19th and I hope he makes it. Ultreia my hermano, Ultreia!!!
I had done it. I don't know why I wanted off the mountain. As we were coming down the mountain there was a thunderstorm following us. It was covering the whole mountain. It was a beautiful coincidence for sure! :)
You can't control what life throws at you, only how you react to it!
I forgot something in my last blog. When I woke up in Molinaseca my laundry from the night before was still wet and my other pair of loose fitting socks was gone. I couldn't imagine how I had lost them. I had no other option but to wear my very tight walking socks that I bought in the States and sure enough I could wear them without them hurting me. I also tied my shoes tighter than before but not as tight as I had originally tied them. The solution lay in the middle ground as so many times before. I should learn the important lesson that Goldilocks was trying to teach us.
But back to this blog. After I had written my last blog I was in Villafranca at the Albergue Ave Fenix where Antonello was working. The lights had just been turned off and I guess we were supposed to go to sleep. But the town didn't agree with that decision. There was a party in town, a wedding or something big like that and we could hear music at the Albergue. I stayed up late, actually the latest I've stayed up so far on this trip, talking to Isabel a very interesting Swedish girl with a really beautiful tattoo on the top of her left foot. As I was brushing my teeth, and this was past midnight mind you, I could hear fireworks. I went outside and watched the fireworks light up the sky and saw the stars salute me at the same time. It was a wonderful experience to say the least.
When I woke up in the morning 2 days ago Antonello was still there and so was Victoria, who will henceforth be known as Tori. They were going to go further than me and this was goodbye...or, again, so I thought. I had some breakfast but during it I became queasy and I didn't eat much. I had a slow start as I had little energy. And for those that know me the best they know that there is little I hate more than puking so the nausea slowed me down quite a bit. I didn't leave Villafranca until 10:45 or even a few minutes later and that's a late start for sure.
The walk was beautiful, walking through steep and high gorges filled with trees. And since Iceland has so few trees that made the walk particularly amazing for this Icelander. But I had little energy and I was still feeling queasy and I had to stop pretty soon after starting, very uncommon for me as I usually only stop once during the day. A lot of ideas popped through my head for why I could be feeling this nauseas. First I thought it was the breakfast, then that I had been taking the ibufen/ibuprofen for too long a time, then I thought about the dinner last night, the water and last the pasta I got when I arrived at Ave Fenix. I had no idea what it was but I decided to get something fresh for my stomach and ate a salad for lunch and nothing with it. It was hard enough to get that down.
When I got to Ruitelan I met Kasha, another Polish girl with the same name as Kesha but I've seperated them with an A and an E in their names. So K-A-sha, was in Ruitelan and we walked together for a while. I had first met her in Molinaseca. We talked about life, the universe and everything...you know, classic Camino stuff. Then on the road we found Tori and Antonello and Tori started screaming as she saw me: "Man down, I repeat Man down!". Antonello was lying in the street and he too was feeling nauseas like me but he seemed to be in an even worse state. We decided to only go to the nearest town and rest there. The nearest town though was 2,5 km's away and all of that was uphill and pretty steep. When we got to La Faba we were extremely happy.
Our 25,6 km walk that day from Villafranca del Bierzo to La Faba ended at a beautiful German owned Albergue and we were greeted with stricked instructions on the fact that everyone should be asleep at 22:00. I guess our reputation preceeded us! ;)
After I had taken a shower I was drying my feet and when I bent over I nearly puked. I hate puking! I lifted myself back up and I felt as if I had no energy left whatsover. I felt sure that I had a fever and in retrospect I was most likely right. I went outside and put my feet in this great pool of water that was outside for us pilgrims to cool our feet in. Kasha then massaged my feet and as she is a physiotherpist she did it so well. My right foot was still killing me because of the tension in my big toe and the toe next to it and my left foot was still pretty bad because of my ankle. She helped a lot there. She told me to lie down after that and relax. I went to bed and as I lay there I became very cold. I became so cold that I put both my feet in the sleeping bag, the first time on the trip. I shivered as I lay there and when Kasha came and asked me if I wanted some dinner I said I couldn't possible move or eat anything. I lay there through the night and until the morning hoping that the rest would heal me.
So many times in life I've tried to control how things will go, how life will turn out. But I can't, can I? We can do our best to proceed with caution, to keep in shape, to eat healthy, or to not take unnecessary risks be they physical, mental or emotional but sure enough we can't control life. It's gonna happen no matter what! We can't change the weather or other people, the only thing we can change is how we react to them. There I lay in my bead and this is how I chose to react, by resting. I could hear Tori playing the guitar in the common room of the Albergue and people laughing and singing along. I so wanted to join in, I had been praying for a guitar all along the Camino and here it finally was. But I needed rest and this was the appropriate reaction. I couldn't stop being sick but I could decide to get better! :)
I woke up in the middle of the night, having slept enough for my body and I listened to the snores of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he at least made enough noise for it. But it was a good rest to just lay there and I did so until the morning...
But back to this blog. After I had written my last blog I was in Villafranca at the Albergue Ave Fenix where Antonello was working. The lights had just been turned off and I guess we were supposed to go to sleep. But the town didn't agree with that decision. There was a party in town, a wedding or something big like that and we could hear music at the Albergue. I stayed up late, actually the latest I've stayed up so far on this trip, talking to Isabel a very interesting Swedish girl with a really beautiful tattoo on the top of her left foot. As I was brushing my teeth, and this was past midnight mind you, I could hear fireworks. I went outside and watched the fireworks light up the sky and saw the stars salute me at the same time. It was a wonderful experience to say the least.
When I woke up in the morning 2 days ago Antonello was still there and so was Victoria, who will henceforth be known as Tori. They were going to go further than me and this was goodbye...or, again, so I thought. I had some breakfast but during it I became queasy and I didn't eat much. I had a slow start as I had little energy. And for those that know me the best they know that there is little I hate more than puking so the nausea slowed me down quite a bit. I didn't leave Villafranca until 10:45 or even a few minutes later and that's a late start for sure.
The walk was beautiful, walking through steep and high gorges filled with trees. And since Iceland has so few trees that made the walk particularly amazing for this Icelander. But I had little energy and I was still feeling queasy and I had to stop pretty soon after starting, very uncommon for me as I usually only stop once during the day. A lot of ideas popped through my head for why I could be feeling this nauseas. First I thought it was the breakfast, then that I had been taking the ibufen/ibuprofen for too long a time, then I thought about the dinner last night, the water and last the pasta I got when I arrived at Ave Fenix. I had no idea what it was but I decided to get something fresh for my stomach and ate a salad for lunch and nothing with it. It was hard enough to get that down.
When I got to Ruitelan I met Kasha, another Polish girl with the same name as Kesha but I've seperated them with an A and an E in their names. So K-A-sha, was in Ruitelan and we walked together for a while. I had first met her in Molinaseca. We talked about life, the universe and everything...you know, classic Camino stuff. Then on the road we found Tori and Antonello and Tori started screaming as she saw me: "Man down, I repeat Man down!". Antonello was lying in the street and he too was feeling nauseas like me but he seemed to be in an even worse state. We decided to only go to the nearest town and rest there. The nearest town though was 2,5 km's away and all of that was uphill and pretty steep. When we got to La Faba we were extremely happy.
Our 25,6 km walk that day from Villafranca del Bierzo to La Faba ended at a beautiful German owned Albergue and we were greeted with stricked instructions on the fact that everyone should be asleep at 22:00. I guess our reputation preceeded us! ;)
After I had taken a shower I was drying my feet and when I bent over I nearly puked. I hate puking! I lifted myself back up and I felt as if I had no energy left whatsover. I felt sure that I had a fever and in retrospect I was most likely right. I went outside and put my feet in this great pool of water that was outside for us pilgrims to cool our feet in. Kasha then massaged my feet and as she is a physiotherpist she did it so well. My right foot was still killing me because of the tension in my big toe and the toe next to it and my left foot was still pretty bad because of my ankle. She helped a lot there. She told me to lie down after that and relax. I went to bed and as I lay there I became very cold. I became so cold that I put both my feet in the sleeping bag, the first time on the trip. I shivered as I lay there and when Kasha came and asked me if I wanted some dinner I said I couldn't possible move or eat anything. I lay there through the night and until the morning hoping that the rest would heal me.
So many times in life I've tried to control how things will go, how life will turn out. But I can't, can I? We can do our best to proceed with caution, to keep in shape, to eat healthy, or to not take unnecessary risks be they physical, mental or emotional but sure enough we can't control life. It's gonna happen no matter what! We can't change the weather or other people, the only thing we can change is how we react to them. There I lay in my bead and this is how I chose to react, by resting. I could hear Tori playing the guitar in the common room of the Albergue and people laughing and singing along. I so wanted to join in, I had been praying for a guitar all along the Camino and here it finally was. But I needed rest and this was the appropriate reaction. I couldn't stop being sick but I could decide to get better! :)
I woke up in the middle of the night, having slept enough for my body and I listened to the snores of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he at least made enough noise for it. But it was a good rest to just lay there and I did so until the morning...
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Taking your temperature
I awoke this morning to someone turning on the lights in the room. It wasn't the hospitalero (the dude in charge of the Albergue) but a guest that didn't bother getting a flashlights before his trip and didn't mind the fact that she was waking my ass. Man I was tired this morning...actually I'm really tired right now. I still need two bathroom breaks a night but I only went once, which lead to me staying up for a good part of the night.
The breakfast was closed when I finally had gotten all my stuff together and the next place for food was in Ponferrada, 8 km's away. As I started my walk I met Marco who was staying at the other Albergue in town unbeknownst to me. We walked together to Ponferrada and every step was just as painful as the last ones had been the day before. As we walked I realized that I would not see Antonello again during the Camino and that Molly would far surpass me today. I would have to walk just the bare minimum and then rest my feet. Overcoming pain is a good lesson the Camino teaches but overcoming being hurt, as I suspected my right leg to be (my big toe and the toe next to it still tense), is not a smart plan of action. When I'm hurt I rest, but knowing the difference is the difficult part.
We had a great breakfast in Ponferrada in front of the castle there. We were so happy to finally find a place that had food, every 2 houses that were close together seemed like a café on the way and a 8 km walk before breakfast when you're hungry makes you see things. At the restaurant I massaged my right foot, the tense part, hoping to be able to relax my toes. We had a great morning me and Marco and I said goodbye to him as he went on and I stayed in front of the castle to pray and meditate.
I got lost right after I stood up and I ended up walking much further than I should have. But I met a great man that walked with me for more than 10 minutes to get me back on the path the right road. As I walked towards Cacabelos, my goal for the day, I thought about what I was saying goodbye to by only walking 23,5 km's that day. This was truly saying goodbye to Antonello, at least on the Camino and I would most likely not see Katrin again. Molly would walk all the way to Villafranca or even further and I wondered if I would see her again. My walk gave me great peace regarding the matter, knowing the importance of resting for my tired feet. A feeling of acceptance came over me.
When I arrived in Cacabelos I asked a couple of girls that were there, where the Albergue was. They must have misunderstood me and told me that there was no Albergue here (meaning at this location, not for this town). Thinking that I would have to walk to the next town anyway I filled up my camel bag and stretched. As I looked at my phone Antonello had texted me telling me that he had decided to stop in Villafranca for the day to work in the Albergue there and he asked me to catch up to him. Since I had to go further (or so I thought) anyway and since my feet were feeling a lot better after the footrub in Ponferrada and my ankle better after having concistant ankle support, I decided to go for Villafranca.
That walk gave me time to think about the importance of taking my temperature. There are many ways to do this. There is of course the literal way and it's important to do that right like all the other ways. The second is to see what you feel like physically, as I do every day. I gauge myself to see if the pain I'm feeling is dangerous or not, if I'm hurting myself or just overcoming being tired. The third is gauging how you feel emotionally and the same applies there, you have to know when you just have to overcome feeling bad and when you are neglecting yourself in that area. The same can be said for taking your spiritual temper. Then we enter into the area that I find most important; evaluating who you really are today! I often hear people saying that they truly want to get to know themselves. I'm all for that but remember that you are constantly changing, all the time, every day in fact. Everything that happens in your life shapes it in some way or another for better or worse. Yesterday I thought about the importance of deciding who you want to turn into, since you're going to change anyway; it's innevitable. Today I thought about the importance of figuring out what life has changed you into today, who you are as a person in the present. I have always thought of myself as having certain qualities. I went about my life believing that I had them still. Then one day I realized that I had lost these qualities and a long time ago at that, and I hadn't even noticed. I was so wrapped up in believing that I was the "same old" Gulli that I wasn't able to see myself change. But we all change, all the time! So the most important temper to take is the one that gauges who you are as a person in the present. That way you can see who you really are and if you're turning into someone you don't want to be you can change it in time and if you like who you're turing into you can reinforce it. Meditation does a lot for me in this area, but no matter how people do it I think that this is one of the most important skills to master.
When I arrived in Villafranca del Bierzo after a 30,7 km walk from Molinaseca (+ ? km's when I got lost) I was greeted by Antonello. It was so good to see my hermano and he was actually working at the Albergue, Ave Fenix. The hospitalero's had asked him to help when he told them that he spoke Italian, a little Spanish (he says he invents it) and some English and they were really shorthanded. Antonello being the awesome guy that he is accepted. It was so cool to have him stamp my pilgrim passport and show me to my room. I had only eaten one meal that day, the late breakfast in Ponferrada, and having a friend working at the Albergue got me privlages like a plate of pasta when I arrived. I was there at about a little less than 18:00. Molly was also there and it was so good to see my little Molly Magic.
It's great to be here, meeting some wonderful German people, a great girl named Victoria from Australia and another Italian named Vicente. Now the hospitalero is turning off the lights and I have to go. Stay awesome beautiful people and I hope you have mastered taking your temperature in every way imaginable!
The breakfast was closed when I finally had gotten all my stuff together and the next place for food was in Ponferrada, 8 km's away. As I started my walk I met Marco who was staying at the other Albergue in town unbeknownst to me. We walked together to Ponferrada and every step was just as painful as the last ones had been the day before. As we walked I realized that I would not see Antonello again during the Camino and that Molly would far surpass me today. I would have to walk just the bare minimum and then rest my feet. Overcoming pain is a good lesson the Camino teaches but overcoming being hurt, as I suspected my right leg to be (my big toe and the toe next to it still tense), is not a smart plan of action. When I'm hurt I rest, but knowing the difference is the difficult part.
We had a great breakfast in Ponferrada in front of the castle there. We were so happy to finally find a place that had food, every 2 houses that were close together seemed like a café on the way and a 8 km walk before breakfast when you're hungry makes you see things. At the restaurant I massaged my right foot, the tense part, hoping to be able to relax my toes. We had a great morning me and Marco and I said goodbye to him as he went on and I stayed in front of the castle to pray and meditate.
I got lost right after I stood up and I ended up walking much further than I should have. But I met a great man that walked with me for more than 10 minutes to get me back on the path the right road. As I walked towards Cacabelos, my goal for the day, I thought about what I was saying goodbye to by only walking 23,5 km's that day. This was truly saying goodbye to Antonello, at least on the Camino and I would most likely not see Katrin again. Molly would walk all the way to Villafranca or even further and I wondered if I would see her again. My walk gave me great peace regarding the matter, knowing the importance of resting for my tired feet. A feeling of acceptance came over me.
When I arrived in Cacabelos I asked a couple of girls that were there, where the Albergue was. They must have misunderstood me and told me that there was no Albergue here (meaning at this location, not for this town). Thinking that I would have to walk to the next town anyway I filled up my camel bag and stretched. As I looked at my phone Antonello had texted me telling me that he had decided to stop in Villafranca for the day to work in the Albergue there and he asked me to catch up to him. Since I had to go further (or so I thought) anyway and since my feet were feeling a lot better after the footrub in Ponferrada and my ankle better after having concistant ankle support, I decided to go for Villafranca.
That walk gave me time to think about the importance of taking my temperature. There are many ways to do this. There is of course the literal way and it's important to do that right like all the other ways. The second is to see what you feel like physically, as I do every day. I gauge myself to see if the pain I'm feeling is dangerous or not, if I'm hurting myself or just overcoming being tired. The third is gauging how you feel emotionally and the same applies there, you have to know when you just have to overcome feeling bad and when you are neglecting yourself in that area. The same can be said for taking your spiritual temper. Then we enter into the area that I find most important; evaluating who you really are today! I often hear people saying that they truly want to get to know themselves. I'm all for that but remember that you are constantly changing, all the time, every day in fact. Everything that happens in your life shapes it in some way or another for better or worse. Yesterday I thought about the importance of deciding who you want to turn into, since you're going to change anyway; it's innevitable. Today I thought about the importance of figuring out what life has changed you into today, who you are as a person in the present. I have always thought of myself as having certain qualities. I went about my life believing that I had them still. Then one day I realized that I had lost these qualities and a long time ago at that, and I hadn't even noticed. I was so wrapped up in believing that I was the "same old" Gulli that I wasn't able to see myself change. But we all change, all the time! So the most important temper to take is the one that gauges who you are as a person in the present. That way you can see who you really are and if you're turning into someone you don't want to be you can change it in time and if you like who you're turing into you can reinforce it. Meditation does a lot for me in this area, but no matter how people do it I think that this is one of the most important skills to master.
When I arrived in Villafranca del Bierzo after a 30,7 km walk from Molinaseca (+ ? km's when I got lost) I was greeted by Antonello. It was so good to see my hermano and he was actually working at the Albergue, Ave Fenix. The hospitalero's had asked him to help when he told them that he spoke Italian, a little Spanish (he says he invents it) and some English and they were really shorthanded. Antonello being the awesome guy that he is accepted. It was so cool to have him stamp my pilgrim passport and show me to my room. I had only eaten one meal that day, the late breakfast in Ponferrada, and having a friend working at the Albergue got me privlages like a plate of pasta when I arrived. I was there at about a little less than 18:00. Molly was also there and it was so good to see my little Molly Magic.
It's great to be here, meeting some wonderful German people, a great girl named Victoria from Australia and another Italian named Vicente. Now the hospitalero is turning off the lights and I have to go. Stay awesome beautiful people and I hope you have mastered taking your temperature in every way imaginable!
It's not about getting an answer. It's about becoming the man that can make the decision!
I slept well in my 2 person bed in El Ganso. The only problem being that I still have to go pee at least twice during the night. I awoke there yesterday to find Marco still downstairs having breakfast. He had told me the night before that he was going to wake up at 4:00 in the morning and get up to the top of the mountains (Irajo) to see the sunrise. I had dreamt that he was still here when I woke up in the morning and sure enough, there he was. Breakfast was included so we sat down and I started eating. He told me of the dangers of places like this, wonderful Albergue's. Great, small Albergue's like this in nice small towns have a way of making you sleep longer and not want to leave. He was certain that if he would ever see a nice Albergue like this again he'd keep walking to find another. We both laughed at the idea but looking at the time we knew that he was right!
This was my 21st day of walking, three weeks on the road after this day with a bare minimum of 20 km's a day. I was getting into a rhythm for sure and I could even tighten my shoelaces a bit. I started at about 10:00, or a little after, and immediatly met a really interesting French man. He was here for the 4th year in a row. Every year he walks 15 days and he started 4 years ago in the middle of France, 1500 km's away from Santiago. This year is his final year, he'll finish the Camino. He's 74 years old but doesn't look a day older than 54. I think the people that do this walk have a spirit of eternal youth although he didn't seem to lack in wisdom. It was a good morning.
My morning was made even better a little later when Molly, to my surprise, caught up with me. She had already walked that morning all the way from Astorga and we reached Rabanal del Camino a short time later. We made our way further up the mountains and welcomed it with open arms. I've missed being in the mountains, big mountains like this that is. This range is called Irajo if I understood the hospitalero right. It was so good to be climbing up steep hills for a long time again, for more reasons than one. My left ankle had acted up again that morning and walking uphill seemed to be the only thing that didn't hurt. I had tied my shoelaces lower to try and decrease the pressure on that foot earlier that morning. That was a big mistake.
We had lunch at the summit. As we were having our meal Molly asked me if the Camino had given me any answer about what I should do when I come back home. All of the sudden it hit me and I said: "It's not about getting an answer. It's about becoming the man that can make the decision!" I had reached a turning point, again. The Camino has changed me in so many ways and I know now that it's truly not about getting the answers for the many many questions that I have regarding my life, but rather letting the Camino change me into the person that can make those decisions. I felt lighter somehow, as if a great weight had been lifted off me. I felt a little dissy, for a lack of a better description, and I knew I was right.
As we reached the top of the mountains the view was so fantastic that I know my vocabulary will not do it justice. Looking over the land that I had crossed on foot was a feeling surpassing all the feelings of conquest I had felt before I began this trip. Astorga was beautiful in the distance and we stared at it and all the other amazing sights that could be seen up there!
I don't know how we got to talking about that but I ended up mentioning the gift that I would most like to give to my unborn children. I would like to urge them to decide early who they want to be as a person and to constantly update that decision when new information reaches them. Now I remember, I was talking about the fact that I feel that with every year it becomes harder and harder to change who I am...that the older you are the more set you are in your ways. To decide who you want to be is so important. Not deciding who you want to be is like sailing the ocean without setting a course; you might not like where you end up. I don't like who a part of me is and I know that part is due to my indecision of who I should be. We are always changing, always. It's important to decide who we want to change into so that we don't become something that really is the opposite of what we want to stand for as human beings. I hope that my children will understand the importance and that they can learn from my mistakes.
As I said before it was a mistake to tie my left shoe lower to try and relieve pressure from my left ankle. I should have tied it to the top to get ankle support to the max. After starting our descent from the mountain the pain had become so great that I tried to tie it to the top again and realized that ankle support was just what I needed. Molly went ahead of me when we reached Riego de Ambros and I probably should have stopped there. My ankle wasn't the only problem. Last night when I took off my bandages on my right foot I realized that I had (I'm guessing here) taped my right toe so that it could not move properly. That meant that my big toe and the toe next to it where as if perpetually tense and I thought this day would cure that, now that the bandages were off. But that was not the case and instead my left ankle and my left foot echoed each other in cry's of pain all the way down the mountain. I made it to Molinaseca as my goal had been, a town too far to be sure, but an amazing experience.
When I was coming down the mountain, the last stretch, I listened to some more of the Lord of the Rings. As the book told of the many bugs that wouldn't leave them alone I started thinking if the bugs that were in my face were in fact the same bugs that had started to enjoy my face in El Ganso and if they had followed me the whole way to Molinaseca. There was at least always a score of flies in my face the whole way. Then the book mentioned their bags and I realized how heavy my bag is and how far I had taken it. At last it talked about the sun bearing down on them and I realized that I'm wearing all black in Spain and that the sun was frying me with it's last rays of the day...man the sun was hot, even then. I bought a big bottle of juice as I walked through the town and drank it all right there and then. I was parched and I had run out of water about an hour before I got there.
I arrived at the Albergue a little past 20:00 and I was tired, tired, tired!!! I had walked the 32 km's from El Ganso to Molinaseca. My feat were literally killing me but the conquest of yet another mountain range did a lot to cheer them up. I have plenty of energy after walking for the day recently, my feet too tired to carry me fast enough so that I can spend up all my energy. I could pretty much go party if my body would let me when I reach my destinations and so I guess my endurance is pretty good these days. The real hero of the day was of course Molly who walked a whopping 45 km's that day and on top of that crossed the mountains. She really is something!
I took a shower, washed my clothes, blogged a little and met some interesting new people. Then it was time for bed and there was a chorus of snoring that even my ear plugs couldn't completely fase out...
This was my 21st day of walking, three weeks on the road after this day with a bare minimum of 20 km's a day. I was getting into a rhythm for sure and I could even tighten my shoelaces a bit. I started at about 10:00, or a little after, and immediatly met a really interesting French man. He was here for the 4th year in a row. Every year he walks 15 days and he started 4 years ago in the middle of France, 1500 km's away from Santiago. This year is his final year, he'll finish the Camino. He's 74 years old but doesn't look a day older than 54. I think the people that do this walk have a spirit of eternal youth although he didn't seem to lack in wisdom. It was a good morning.
My morning was made even better a little later when Molly, to my surprise, caught up with me. She had already walked that morning all the way from Astorga and we reached Rabanal del Camino a short time later. We made our way further up the mountains and welcomed it with open arms. I've missed being in the mountains, big mountains like this that is. This range is called Irajo if I understood the hospitalero right. It was so good to be climbing up steep hills for a long time again, for more reasons than one. My left ankle had acted up again that morning and walking uphill seemed to be the only thing that didn't hurt. I had tied my shoelaces lower to try and decrease the pressure on that foot earlier that morning. That was a big mistake.
We had lunch at the summit. As we were having our meal Molly asked me if the Camino had given me any answer about what I should do when I come back home. All of the sudden it hit me and I said: "It's not about getting an answer. It's about becoming the man that can make the decision!" I had reached a turning point, again. The Camino has changed me in so many ways and I know now that it's truly not about getting the answers for the many many questions that I have regarding my life, but rather letting the Camino change me into the person that can make those decisions. I felt lighter somehow, as if a great weight had been lifted off me. I felt a little dissy, for a lack of a better description, and I knew I was right.
As we reached the top of the mountains the view was so fantastic that I know my vocabulary will not do it justice. Looking over the land that I had crossed on foot was a feeling surpassing all the feelings of conquest I had felt before I began this trip. Astorga was beautiful in the distance and we stared at it and all the other amazing sights that could be seen up there!
I don't know how we got to talking about that but I ended up mentioning the gift that I would most like to give to my unborn children. I would like to urge them to decide early who they want to be as a person and to constantly update that decision when new information reaches them. Now I remember, I was talking about the fact that I feel that with every year it becomes harder and harder to change who I am...that the older you are the more set you are in your ways. To decide who you want to be is so important. Not deciding who you want to be is like sailing the ocean without setting a course; you might not like where you end up. I don't like who a part of me is and I know that part is due to my indecision of who I should be. We are always changing, always. It's important to decide who we want to change into so that we don't become something that really is the opposite of what we want to stand for as human beings. I hope that my children will understand the importance and that they can learn from my mistakes.
As I said before it was a mistake to tie my left shoe lower to try and relieve pressure from my left ankle. I should have tied it to the top to get ankle support to the max. After starting our descent from the mountain the pain had become so great that I tried to tie it to the top again and realized that ankle support was just what I needed. Molly went ahead of me when we reached Riego de Ambros and I probably should have stopped there. My ankle wasn't the only problem. Last night when I took off my bandages on my right foot I realized that I had (I'm guessing here) taped my right toe so that it could not move properly. That meant that my big toe and the toe next to it where as if perpetually tense and I thought this day would cure that, now that the bandages were off. But that was not the case and instead my left ankle and my left foot echoed each other in cry's of pain all the way down the mountain. I made it to Molinaseca as my goal had been, a town too far to be sure, but an amazing experience.
When I was coming down the mountain, the last stretch, I listened to some more of the Lord of the Rings. As the book told of the many bugs that wouldn't leave them alone I started thinking if the bugs that were in my face were in fact the same bugs that had started to enjoy my face in El Ganso and if they had followed me the whole way to Molinaseca. There was at least always a score of flies in my face the whole way. Then the book mentioned their bags and I realized how heavy my bag is and how far I had taken it. At last it talked about the sun bearing down on them and I realized that I'm wearing all black in Spain and that the sun was frying me with it's last rays of the day...man the sun was hot, even then. I bought a big bottle of juice as I walked through the town and drank it all right there and then. I was parched and I had run out of water about an hour before I got there.
I arrived at the Albergue a little past 20:00 and I was tired, tired, tired!!! I had walked the 32 km's from El Ganso to Molinaseca. My feat were literally killing me but the conquest of yet another mountain range did a lot to cheer them up. I have plenty of energy after walking for the day recently, my feet too tired to carry me fast enough so that I can spend up all my energy. I could pretty much go party if my body would let me when I reach my destinations and so I guess my endurance is pretty good these days. The real hero of the day was of course Molly who walked a whopping 45 km's that day and on top of that crossed the mountains. She really is something!
I took a shower, washed my clothes, blogged a little and met some interesting new people. Then it was time for bed and there was a chorus of snoring that even my ear plugs couldn't completely fase out...
Monday, September 12, 2011
The bare minimum
When I awoke yesterday morning, getting a great hug from Kesha, I thought I was renewed and refreshed. But what awaited me when I put my feet on the ground was as expected, that is with the kind of days I've had recently especially the day before. My feet hurt just to be put on the ground let alone having to walk on it.
Kesha and Molly were going to walk only 16,5 km's that day, to Astorga. But Antonello and Katrin were going to walk 37,2 km's to Rabanal del Camino. I knew I was going further than Astorga but I couldn't imagine walking all the way to Rabanal. I saw that this was goodbye and today I was going to be on my own, without my Camino family that is. We all hugged a lot and they were off. I stayed behind, met some other people, had breakfast and prayed and meditated. I headed out about 10:00 or a little after that.
On and off again that day I listened to the Lord of the Rings but at other times I just thought about things, as only the Camino has given me power to think. It was funny to hear in the story that they had to walk 18 miles that day (28,8 km's) and when I first heard it I thought it was nothing. But now I know what it's like to have to go up and down and round and about those 18 miles, day after day. I only stopped once that day and that was to have lunch in Astorga. Every step was painful and at the beginning of the day I didn't even want to take a single one. But I decided before this trip began that I was going to walk 20 km's every single day, that distance would be my bare minimum. Not only did I walk my bare minimum that day but a whopping 30,2 km's.
That's the amazing thing about the Camino. It's teaching me so much that I can transfer to my life when I get back home. I need a bare minimum for every day of my life, otherwise when the weight of the world bares down on me I sometimes don't even get out of bed. But this morning, when I didn't want to get out of bed because of physical pain I knew that I had to; I had 20 km's to walk. When the pains of life, physical, emotional or otherwise, bare down on me and getting up is imposible I need that bare minimum, whatever it'll be at the time. And the Camino teaches me that I can do that, that I can overcome the pain and that I always have more to give even when I think I'm completely depleted. And sometimes, when I don't even feel like I can do the bare minimum I end up surprising myself and doing even more...like today.
On the way to the last town I met Alex. He's German and he's in the army. When I asked him why he was in the army he said that he was there because he wanted to help people. I had never heard that answer. I listened to his explanations and he told me that the job of most army's these days is peace keeping and helping struggling countries. He wanted to go to the army to help some of the African countries for instance that he knew his military duties might take him to. I had never thought of this before. When he said he wanted to go into the army to help people I found it preposterous at first but now after listening to him and thinking about his answer I find it most hopeful. This reason and this kind of thinking is just what the world needs.
I couldn't go any further when I got to El Ganso. I had walked from Hospital de Orbigo to there, 30,2 km's and arrived at 19:00. I was amazed at the fact that I could do it and even more amazed at the fact that I had gotten so far while walking so slowly. I guess slow and steady really does win the race! :) This day was a rest in fact, with the slow walking, a preperation for the next day when I would have to cross another score of mountains.
I had a great dinner with Marco, a German guy I met in Frómista, and we talked about religion, being to judgemental and many other subjects that the Camino offered us that night. Because we're all on this journey, we talk about things that are much more personal than you would usually talk to someone you've never met before. I love nights like this.
After dinner I took a shower and took all the bandages from my feet. Molly had commented that my feet looked like mummies when we were in León. But no more. I walked up to my bed and was very content that night for I had a double bed all to myself. I had just been saying that all the bed's on the journey so far were not big enough for me and that I usually slept on a huge bed back at home. There in El Ganso one was waiting for me and I couldn't be happier.
I hope you have a bare minimum in life beautiful people, something that get's you up in the morning those days when the world seems rotten and nothing seems like it can go right.
Kesha and Molly were going to walk only 16,5 km's that day, to Astorga. But Antonello and Katrin were going to walk 37,2 km's to Rabanal del Camino. I knew I was going further than Astorga but I couldn't imagine walking all the way to Rabanal. I saw that this was goodbye and today I was going to be on my own, without my Camino family that is. We all hugged a lot and they were off. I stayed behind, met some other people, had breakfast and prayed and meditated. I headed out about 10:00 or a little after that.
On and off again that day I listened to the Lord of the Rings but at other times I just thought about things, as only the Camino has given me power to think. It was funny to hear in the story that they had to walk 18 miles that day (28,8 km's) and when I first heard it I thought it was nothing. But now I know what it's like to have to go up and down and round and about those 18 miles, day after day. I only stopped once that day and that was to have lunch in Astorga. Every step was painful and at the beginning of the day I didn't even want to take a single one. But I decided before this trip began that I was going to walk 20 km's every single day, that distance would be my bare minimum. Not only did I walk my bare minimum that day but a whopping 30,2 km's.
That's the amazing thing about the Camino. It's teaching me so much that I can transfer to my life when I get back home. I need a bare minimum for every day of my life, otherwise when the weight of the world bares down on me I sometimes don't even get out of bed. But this morning, when I didn't want to get out of bed because of physical pain I knew that I had to; I had 20 km's to walk. When the pains of life, physical, emotional or otherwise, bare down on me and getting up is imposible I need that bare minimum, whatever it'll be at the time. And the Camino teaches me that I can do that, that I can overcome the pain and that I always have more to give even when I think I'm completely depleted. And sometimes, when I don't even feel like I can do the bare minimum I end up surprising myself and doing even more...like today.
On the way to the last town I met Alex. He's German and he's in the army. When I asked him why he was in the army he said that he was there because he wanted to help people. I had never heard that answer. I listened to his explanations and he told me that the job of most army's these days is peace keeping and helping struggling countries. He wanted to go to the army to help some of the African countries for instance that he knew his military duties might take him to. I had never thought of this before. When he said he wanted to go into the army to help people I found it preposterous at first but now after listening to him and thinking about his answer I find it most hopeful. This reason and this kind of thinking is just what the world needs.
I couldn't go any further when I got to El Ganso. I had walked from Hospital de Orbigo to there, 30,2 km's and arrived at 19:00. I was amazed at the fact that I could do it and even more amazed at the fact that I had gotten so far while walking so slowly. I guess slow and steady really does win the race! :) This day was a rest in fact, with the slow walking, a preperation for the next day when I would have to cross another score of mountains.
I had a great dinner with Marco, a German guy I met in Frómista, and we talked about religion, being to judgemental and many other subjects that the Camino offered us that night. Because we're all on this journey, we talk about things that are much more personal than you would usually talk to someone you've never met before. I love nights like this.
After dinner I took a shower and took all the bandages from my feet. Molly had commented that my feet looked like mummies when we were in León. But no more. I walked up to my bed and was very content that night for I had a double bed all to myself. I had just been saying that all the bed's on the journey so far were not big enough for me and that I usually slept on a huge bed back at home. There in El Ganso one was waiting for me and I couldn't be happier.
I hope you have a bare minimum in life beautiful people, something that get's you up in the morning those days when the world seems rotten and nothing seems like it can go right.
The best of both worlds
Since I've been having troubles getting internet, I'll hopefully have time to write 3 blogs now; one for 2 days ago, one for yesterday and one for today. Here's the first one:
Two days ago I was awoken in León by a wonderful hug. Molly was there at 7:15 and it was time to get a move on. When I was having breakfast in the lobby of the Albergue to my surprise Molly came into the lobby as well. I thought she and Kesha would have left, they said they were going to get a move on pretty early. Molly and I had a great talk that ended so well for me; a strain on my heart was lifted and the Camino proved yet again to have given me a chance to grow.
When Kesha arrived in the lobby we were all gonna get a move on but we just sort of "hung out" there. We talked, laughed, jested and were generally lazy. But later rather than sooner we got a move on. The route from the Municipal Albergue in León is poorly marked. We decided to see if we could find our way and with the help of a strange woman we found our way down a long long street. There at the end, after another lady's help, we found our way to the center of town and even though we found yellow arrows we were lost. It was a great time, we enjoyed ourselves immensly, naming our ankles, playing on instruments that weren't there and as always telling story's and discussing everything and nothing.
We finally got some instructions from a man on where to go when Kesha looked in her guide book and read that the Cathedral here was something that noone could miss. We ignored the directions and headed for the Cathedral. Thanks to getting lost and hanging out in the lobby we arrived exactly as the Cathedral was being open to the public. The guide book was right, the Cathedral in León is legendary for sure. We were all awestruck!
After a while I went outside to pray and meditate. I did so in the square infront of the Cathedral and it was really nice. After that I stretched and to my amazement the girls were still in the Cathedral when I was done. We all bought some postcards there and after enjoying it some more we got a move on...or so I thought. We were definetly having a day of smelling the roses!
Next we were going to go have something to eat and find a restroom, upon Kesha's request, but we were waylaid by another beautiful church, a courtyard after that and then generally the beautiful city of León. We finally got to a Café and had some food only to enter into a lifechanging conversation, a gift we were sure only the Camino could provide for people that had known each other for such a short time. It was truly amazing!
Lunchtime came and went and we were still in León, we hadn't even gotten 1 km closer to our destination of the day, some 28,8 km's away. But we were headstrong and decided that we could have the best of both worlds. We had an amazing day of tourism and experiences that can not be gotten in an hurry and now we also wanted to storm almost 30 km's that day.
We marched on and got in our rhythm's. Kesha walked the fastest, then Molly and my feet being what they are, and after my experience with power walking the day before, I came last. It was a great walking party, we didn't talk much while on the road but during breaks we chatted to our hearts content. We stopped at the most expensive restaurant I've ever been to and Kesha literally bent down and smelled the roses. After explaining that expression to her, we all knew that this was a day of smelling the roses. The girls stopped at every rose after that, actually smelling them to symbolize the day.
I walked without my ipod most of the way but when I finally wanted to hear something I was bored of my music. Up until this point I had only listened to music but thanks to my friend Mummi I have a bunch of other stuff on there. Thank you maestro Mummi, you are AWESOME!!! The first thing I listened to though was a spiritual speak from the program that's pretty much keeping my life in balance and I added that myself. It was great and I felt rejuvinated after it. But after that I needed to listen to something but I couldn't start something new. The pain in my feet was too great to concentrate on something new. I looked at my playlist and found a reading of my favorite book: The Lord of the Rings. Thank you Mummi!!! If you have walked the Camino or are walking the Camino I recommend you read the book again/for the first time. You will gain a new empathy for the characters as they walk through the wilderness! ;) The book is also really spiritual in nature, for instance this line: "Many who live deserve death and many who die deserve life! Can you give it to them?" Being in a spiritual state of mind while reading/listening to this book definetly changes the experience. And since it's my favorite book I have only one recommendation that you can take to the bank: READ IT!
When we got to San Martin del Camino, our destination for the day, we found out that Katrin and Antonello were only one town ahead of us. I asked the girls which was more important to them; rest or meeting up with their friends? They were quick to answer and we head out almost 8 km's more to the next town. The girls walked much quicker than me so I told them to walk ahead, that I'd catch up later.
The 36,6 km walk from León to Hospital de Orbigo was kind of crazy after the days I've had recently. I arrived there at 21:15 and the Albergue I stayed in closed at 22:00. I was so glad to get there and after greeting my friends, taking a shower and generally getting over the fact that I had decided to burn the candle at both ends that day => the computers were shutdown and I couldn't blog. We went to bed around 23:00 but not before Molly gave me a short but perfect foot rub. God bless Molly Magic!
I would recommend to people that want the best of both worlds to make sure that they have earned it so to speak, that they have enough energy to pay for the consequences. For when you want the best of both worlds, there are always consequences...
Two days ago I was awoken in León by a wonderful hug. Molly was there at 7:15 and it was time to get a move on. When I was having breakfast in the lobby of the Albergue to my surprise Molly came into the lobby as well. I thought she and Kesha would have left, they said they were going to get a move on pretty early. Molly and I had a great talk that ended so well for me; a strain on my heart was lifted and the Camino proved yet again to have given me a chance to grow.
When Kesha arrived in the lobby we were all gonna get a move on but we just sort of "hung out" there. We talked, laughed, jested and were generally lazy. But later rather than sooner we got a move on. The route from the Municipal Albergue in León is poorly marked. We decided to see if we could find our way and with the help of a strange woman we found our way down a long long street. There at the end, after another lady's help, we found our way to the center of town and even though we found yellow arrows we were lost. It was a great time, we enjoyed ourselves immensly, naming our ankles, playing on instruments that weren't there and as always telling story's and discussing everything and nothing.
We finally got some instructions from a man on where to go when Kesha looked in her guide book and read that the Cathedral here was something that noone could miss. We ignored the directions and headed for the Cathedral. Thanks to getting lost and hanging out in the lobby we arrived exactly as the Cathedral was being open to the public. The guide book was right, the Cathedral in León is legendary for sure. We were all awestruck!
After a while I went outside to pray and meditate. I did so in the square infront of the Cathedral and it was really nice. After that I stretched and to my amazement the girls were still in the Cathedral when I was done. We all bought some postcards there and after enjoying it some more we got a move on...or so I thought. We were definetly having a day of smelling the roses!
Next we were going to go have something to eat and find a restroom, upon Kesha's request, but we were waylaid by another beautiful church, a courtyard after that and then generally the beautiful city of León. We finally got to a Café and had some food only to enter into a lifechanging conversation, a gift we were sure only the Camino could provide for people that had known each other for such a short time. It was truly amazing!
Lunchtime came and went and we were still in León, we hadn't even gotten 1 km closer to our destination of the day, some 28,8 km's away. But we were headstrong and decided that we could have the best of both worlds. We had an amazing day of tourism and experiences that can not be gotten in an hurry and now we also wanted to storm almost 30 km's that day.
We marched on and got in our rhythm's. Kesha walked the fastest, then Molly and my feet being what they are, and after my experience with power walking the day before, I came last. It was a great walking party, we didn't talk much while on the road but during breaks we chatted to our hearts content. We stopped at the most expensive restaurant I've ever been to and Kesha literally bent down and smelled the roses. After explaining that expression to her, we all knew that this was a day of smelling the roses. The girls stopped at every rose after that, actually smelling them to symbolize the day.
I walked without my ipod most of the way but when I finally wanted to hear something I was bored of my music. Up until this point I had only listened to music but thanks to my friend Mummi I have a bunch of other stuff on there. Thank you maestro Mummi, you are AWESOME!!! The first thing I listened to though was a spiritual speak from the program that's pretty much keeping my life in balance and I added that myself. It was great and I felt rejuvinated after it. But after that I needed to listen to something but I couldn't start something new. The pain in my feet was too great to concentrate on something new. I looked at my playlist and found a reading of my favorite book: The Lord of the Rings. Thank you Mummi!!! If you have walked the Camino or are walking the Camino I recommend you read the book again/for the first time. You will gain a new empathy for the characters as they walk through the wilderness! ;) The book is also really spiritual in nature, for instance this line: "Many who live deserve death and many who die deserve life! Can you give it to them?" Being in a spiritual state of mind while reading/listening to this book definetly changes the experience. And since it's my favorite book I have only one recommendation that you can take to the bank: READ IT!
When we got to San Martin del Camino, our destination for the day, we found out that Katrin and Antonello were only one town ahead of us. I asked the girls which was more important to them; rest or meeting up with their friends? They were quick to answer and we head out almost 8 km's more to the next town. The girls walked much quicker than me so I told them to walk ahead, that I'd catch up later.
The 36,6 km walk from León to Hospital de Orbigo was kind of crazy after the days I've had recently. I arrived there at 21:15 and the Albergue I stayed in closed at 22:00. I was so glad to get there and after greeting my friends, taking a shower and generally getting over the fact that I had decided to burn the candle at both ends that day => the computers were shutdown and I couldn't blog. We went to bed around 23:00 but not before Molly gave me a short but perfect foot rub. God bless Molly Magic!
I would recommend to people that want the best of both worlds to make sure that they have earned it so to speak, that they have enough energy to pay for the consequences. For when you want the best of both worlds, there are always consequences...
Friday, September 9, 2011
Black and white
This morning I woke up to Molly trying to wake me, per my request. I pressed the snooze button on Molly and went back to bed. They woke up at 5:00 in the morning and walked while the stars were still in the sky, enjoying it immensly. I tried to explain to them that every winter it's quite easy for us Icelanders to experience this but I guess they'll have to come to Iceland and experience it for themselves. Sascia also tried to wake me and at that point I just turned off the alarm, no point in snoozing twice.
I awoke a little after 7:00 and they had all left. My blister had filled up with liquid again and I had to pop it a second time. The first time I obviously didn't make the holes big enough and my skin regenerated. Damn my awesome body! ;)
Our goal for the day the 39,6 km walk to León. I set out at about 9:00, after prayer and meditation and was lucky enough to catch up with Colin Powell (yes his actual name) and Paul. We walked together for a while, talked and laughed enjoying the fact that all three of us spoke quite good English. Then I decided to get my strut on and did my power walk. The first stretch was 13 km's to Reliegos and then I had my lunch. I'm glad Colin and Paul caught up with me as I was half way through lunch since I hadn't gotten their contact information. That was probably the last time I'll see them on the Camino, my pace being a bit faster then theirs. So hopefully we'll stay in contact. God bless the internet! ;)
In Reliegos I made a bad choice to try and tighten my shoelaces some more. I made another bad choice after that which was to use the new found ankle support and stability in my shoes to walk even faster, power walk ala Gulli. That would have been fine for a 20 - 25 km walk but not 39! Because of the shoelaces my tendonitis pain returned and because of the super speed the last km's of this walk were indeed a pain. On top of that, walking on my new blister wasn't really a peach and there was no shade in the last stretch and that was during the hottest time of the day. And man was it hot today. Time and time again I prayed for some wind, just any wind, just something to cool me a little down. This being my 18th day of walking at least 20 km's a day there are of course some other minor pains, but they didn't count for much when matched with the others.
Despite the pain and the fact that I listened to music almost the entire time to try and dull the pain, my mind raced all around as usual. A part of me wished for simpler times, when I was a kid and I saw the world in black and white. It's such a crushing moment when you realize that the world is composed of different shades of grey, that your idols are not perfect and that the bad guys also have good sides to them. But I'm not so sure that this is in fact a bad thing. In a black and white world you have no choice in the matter of how to see things. Things are either good or bad, there is no in between. But in a world filled with different shades of grey you have a choice to make; are you going to see the bad in even the nicest person or are you going to see that even the most wicked of us all have something beautiful to offer? All of us have good and bad in them, that's part of living in a world of different shades of grey. None of us are perfect. That means we have a choice of how we see the world, because we have free will. This notion changed my life in such a way that I'll never be able to explain it. I became a totally different person and despite the fact that I have not always held this notion in high esteme, what I did was powerful enough to change me forever. I was 14 and I realized that we all have good and bad in us and that my job in life was to find a way to bring out the good in everyone, regardless of who they were. This gave me wonderful 4 years and ever since when I apply this principle in my life it get's so much better. So my thoughts of black and white today were twofold: 1) That the beauty of living in a life of different shades of grey is that we get to choose how we see life 2) That since I know we all have something good inside us and when I do what I can to bring that out in people, my life gets drastically better.
When I got to León Molly, Kesha, Tomasz and Andreas were already there. Andreas is a cool German guy I met the night before. He used to be 20 kg's overweight and he started running to lose weight. Not only did he lose the weight but he got addicted to running and now he runs marathons. He's recently gotten into running Ultra Marathon's which is any distance further than the 42 km's in an official marathon. His furthest Ultra Marathon was 62 km...so far! Go go Andreas ;)
I arrived at the municipal Albergue at around 18:00 and after a shower, some chatting and the normal routine I've been enjoying blogging. Blogging is probably one of the best things I do on the Camino. I'd love to say that I do this for you beautiful people but in fact this let's me re-experience every day and fully receive all the gifts the Camino has to offer. I could just write a journal if that is the only thing I wanted but I'm so greatful for blogging. Sharing your amazing experiences with others is so giving and humbling. It truly brings me to the mat and helps me get real with what truly happened and what's really going on. Thank you for being such an integral part of my Camino experience beautiful people.
I have no idea where Antonello, Simone and Sascia are. They wanted to go here to León and they are nowhere to be seen. I wish them well and hope/know they're having a good laugh somewhere.
I'm going to go check my clothes and see if they are dry. I've been sitting here in the lobby of the Albergue on my underware, my shorts recently washed and my pants still wet from the night before. So stay awesome beautiful people and I hope you turn your focus on the good in this world of different shades of grey; it's the same world, you just have more fun living it! :)
I awoke a little after 7:00 and they had all left. My blister had filled up with liquid again and I had to pop it a second time. The first time I obviously didn't make the holes big enough and my skin regenerated. Damn my awesome body! ;)
Our goal for the day the 39,6 km walk to León. I set out at about 9:00, after prayer and meditation and was lucky enough to catch up with Colin Powell (yes his actual name) and Paul. We walked together for a while, talked and laughed enjoying the fact that all three of us spoke quite good English. Then I decided to get my strut on and did my power walk. The first stretch was 13 km's to Reliegos and then I had my lunch. I'm glad Colin and Paul caught up with me as I was half way through lunch since I hadn't gotten their contact information. That was probably the last time I'll see them on the Camino, my pace being a bit faster then theirs. So hopefully we'll stay in contact. God bless the internet! ;)
In Reliegos I made a bad choice to try and tighten my shoelaces some more. I made another bad choice after that which was to use the new found ankle support and stability in my shoes to walk even faster, power walk ala Gulli. That would have been fine for a 20 - 25 km walk but not 39! Because of the shoelaces my tendonitis pain returned and because of the super speed the last km's of this walk were indeed a pain. On top of that, walking on my new blister wasn't really a peach and there was no shade in the last stretch and that was during the hottest time of the day. And man was it hot today. Time and time again I prayed for some wind, just any wind, just something to cool me a little down. This being my 18th day of walking at least 20 km's a day there are of course some other minor pains, but they didn't count for much when matched with the others.
Despite the pain and the fact that I listened to music almost the entire time to try and dull the pain, my mind raced all around as usual. A part of me wished for simpler times, when I was a kid and I saw the world in black and white. It's such a crushing moment when you realize that the world is composed of different shades of grey, that your idols are not perfect and that the bad guys also have good sides to them. But I'm not so sure that this is in fact a bad thing. In a black and white world you have no choice in the matter of how to see things. Things are either good or bad, there is no in between. But in a world filled with different shades of grey you have a choice to make; are you going to see the bad in even the nicest person or are you going to see that even the most wicked of us all have something beautiful to offer? All of us have good and bad in them, that's part of living in a world of different shades of grey. None of us are perfect. That means we have a choice of how we see the world, because we have free will. This notion changed my life in such a way that I'll never be able to explain it. I became a totally different person and despite the fact that I have not always held this notion in high esteme, what I did was powerful enough to change me forever. I was 14 and I realized that we all have good and bad in us and that my job in life was to find a way to bring out the good in everyone, regardless of who they were. This gave me wonderful 4 years and ever since when I apply this principle in my life it get's so much better. So my thoughts of black and white today were twofold: 1) That the beauty of living in a life of different shades of grey is that we get to choose how we see life 2) That since I know we all have something good inside us and when I do what I can to bring that out in people, my life gets drastically better.
When I got to León Molly, Kesha, Tomasz and Andreas were already there. Andreas is a cool German guy I met the night before. He used to be 20 kg's overweight and he started running to lose weight. Not only did he lose the weight but he got addicted to running and now he runs marathons. He's recently gotten into running Ultra Marathon's which is any distance further than the 42 km's in an official marathon. His furthest Ultra Marathon was 62 km...so far! Go go Andreas ;)
I arrived at the municipal Albergue at around 18:00 and after a shower, some chatting and the normal routine I've been enjoying blogging. Blogging is probably one of the best things I do on the Camino. I'd love to say that I do this for you beautiful people but in fact this let's me re-experience every day and fully receive all the gifts the Camino has to offer. I could just write a journal if that is the only thing I wanted but I'm so greatful for blogging. Sharing your amazing experiences with others is so giving and humbling. It truly brings me to the mat and helps me get real with what truly happened and what's really going on. Thank you for being such an integral part of my Camino experience beautiful people.
I have no idea where Antonello, Simone and Sascia are. They wanted to go here to León and they are nowhere to be seen. I wish them well and hope/know they're having a good laugh somewhere.
I'm going to go check my clothes and see if they are dry. I've been sitting here in the lobby of the Albergue on my underware, my shorts recently washed and my pants still wet from the night before. So stay awesome beautiful people and I hope you turn your focus on the good in this world of different shades of grey; it's the same world, you just have more fun living it! :)
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