A Day on the Camino, Comfort in Simplicity

There was a certain comfort in the simplicity of daily life on the Camino. I would check into the Albergue at the end of a days walk, give them my credential to stamp, pay for the night, and go to my bed. The cost of a bed for the night was sometimes “donativo” which means you pay whatever you feel like donating to keep the Albegue operating. But mostly it was five to seven euros, about six fifty to nine dollars. Occasionally it was as much as ten euros, about twelve to thirteen dollars, for private albergues. I would find my bed, the lower bunk on a bunk bed, with a mattress and a pillow.  They saved the lower bunks for us older folks and gave the upper bunks to the younger folks. Sometimes they gave you a paper cover for the mattress and pillow, sometimes not.

I would set Mr Burple on the pillow and say, “Well Mr Burple, this is our home for the night. It felt right, it felt complete. It was simple. Then I would unpack my pack, get my one change of clean clothes, my flip flops for shower shoes, my soap and towel and head for the shower. I have to explain my towel. It was the size of a hand towel, just a little longer. Because it is a camping towel, it is very thin and light weigh, but absorbent. Not absorbent enough, as it turned out.  I totally underestimated the size. Often after using the towel, I finished drying off with my dirty clothes. Most of the time the showers had hot water, but not always. The water stayed on for one minute then shut off and I would have to push the button again. Sometimes there was a spray attachment on the rope like metal tube that I could attach to a bracket on the wall to make it like a shower. But often the bracket on the wall was broken, so I just had a spray nozzle to hold and spray myself. When the water shut off after a minute I had to push the button to make it flow again, retrieve my bottle of soap from the floor, open the bottle, pour some soap in my hand and suds myself. Sometime in this process the water would shut off again and I had to balance the soap and push the button. I didn't bring a wash cloth.

After my shower I would gather my dirty clothes from the day, my soap and my clothes pins. There were typically one or more large sinks for washing clothes by hand. Sometimes there were washers or dryers, but they were fairly expensive to use, especially for my small amount of clothes. I washed my clothes by hand every day except two. Then I would hang them on a line to dry.

After the laundry, depending on the time, I would go sight seeing, out to eat or shopping. Markets were usually closed between 1:30 and 4:30 or 5:00. So between those hours, I might go have my large meal for the day or go sight seeing, if there was anything interesting to see. Shopping was usually for yogurt, fruit and granola bars for breakfast, two 1.5 liter bottles of water, and maybe nuts or something for snacks while walking. The big meal of the day was usually the Menu del Día or Menu del Peregrino which would include a first and second course, a postre (dessert), pan (bread,) and either wine or water. Sometimes you would also get a choice of a refresca (soda) to drink. The first course was a choice of four or five things like ensalada mixta, sopa (soup,) espaguetis (spaghetti,) white asparagus and mayonesa, etc. The second course would be a choice of four or five main courses,  typically some form of beef, pork, chicken and fish baked or fried. Sometimes local specialties were in this group. The postre would be things like helado (ice cream), flan, tarte (cake),  yogur, or some local dish. The meals for the most part were yummy and very filling. I could only eat half of what was served most days. These meals were available between 1 pm and 3 pm or 7 pm and 9 pm. If I didn’t eat at the early time, I would wait until the later time or just grab a bocadilla (large sandwich on a baquette.)

The other part of my routine was to get everything ready for the next day. This included wrapping my knee, if needed, bandaging blisters, etc. I had put on my only other set of clothes when I took a shower and I would sleep in these because it made it easier to get going in the morning and because I didn’t bring a night gown. I would also rinse out my camelback, add two liters of water and put it in my pack.  All of this would be done after the big meal if I ate early or before the big meal if I ate later. 

At bed time I would stuff everything in my pack back except Mr Burple, my bedbug sack I slept in, a small bag with all my valuables (phone, passport, money, glasses and credential) which went in the bedbug sack I slept in, and a bottle of water. I did this because it made it easier to pick everything up in the dark early morning and take it out of the sleeping area to a lighted area without waking everyone up or overlooking some article of clothing in the pitch black before dawn. Then I got in bed, read Dark Tower on the Kindle App on my iphone, and fell asleep.

This routine became very comforting. I had so few things to worry about. Walk, do the routine, sleep, get up and walk again. Day after day. One day at a time.

September 6 the day after

September 6 the day after

Made reservations yesterday to get home late Friday night. I hope I survive the trip. I was so excited about going home that I booked a 7 am flight out of Santiago to Madrid so I can get on an 11:30 am flight to Newark with a connecting flight to San Diego. I usually fly into OC, but I couldn't do that until next week. So I get up at 4 am here and won't get to Laguna Woods until 7 am Saturday (10 pm Laguna Woods time) here's hoping I get some sleep on the plane. And I get to bed when I get home so I can get to the meeting in the morning and take my chip.

Had a good night's sleep last night. Got up and had something to eat, then went to the Cathedral to hug the gold statue of Saint James (it's part of the Camino culture) and do a little photo shoot and window shopping before the crowds show up. Now I'm back at the Cathedral for the Pilgrim's mass which they have every day at noon. It's a big deal today because a Cardinal is here saying mass. I'm hoping they swing the big incense burner. They used to do this to fumigate the pilgrims, but now it's just part of the ritual, though they don't always do it.

I did light candles for Daniel and as gratitude for the Camino. Mr Burble is bored and is getting feisty. He's ready for lunch. The whole mass is in either Spanish or Latin, which is nice for me. It doesn't make me so twitchy. lol they did the big incense thing! It was awesome. It took seven guys to swing it. I have video I will post when I get home. The church seats 1000 and it was packed to the gills with all the seats filled and people standing. Big crowd.

This morning while I was window shopping I heard a familiar voice calling me. I turned around and it was Erin, the girl that is teaching English in Leon. We congratulated each other on having made it. She got in yesterday too. She said there was a group that had been talking the last few days about going to Finisterre. She was headed out for that continued hike. I told her I was headed home tomorrow she wished me safe travels. Then when I was coming in for the mass the young friend of Matt's and the Australian guy spotted me and congratulated me and I them. Then while I was waiting for the Mass to start another woman I had met said hello. We talked for a few minutes and it turns out she is from Mission Viejo! We're like neighbors.

After Mass Mr Burple and I sat at an out door cafe and had Ensalada Mixta con Atún. Last one for awhile. I think when I get home I want to go to Baja Fish Tacos for lunch. Yummy.

Camino Day 45 September 5 Arca O Pino to Santiago 12.1 miles Total journey 525 miles

Camino Day 45 September 5 Arca O Pino to Santiago 12.1 miles Total journey 525 miles

On my last night in an Albergue there was an Irish fellow with a guitar, a young man with a harmonica and a Spanish woman with a beautiful voice. They were singing all of the old folk songs that I remember from many summer nights on the beach. Everything from the Kingston Trio Sloop John B to Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice and Blowin in the Wind. It brought tears to my eyes once again. Tears of gratitude for the life I have had.

Yesterday I passed a marker asking us pilgrims to remember this woman from Holland who died peacefully in her sleep at age 63 just after completing her second Camino. I decided right then and there, if I hadn't already decided it, that I won't do this a second time. lol

This last Albergue was the noisiest one I've been in the whole Camino. I think maybe it's the excitement in the air. You can feel it. Usually by nine half the people are asleep, lights are out and those that are still up move around quietly. Not last night. Everyone was up, lights on talking loudly, dog barking outside, just total nervous energy. Everyone eventually settled down, but I still didn't sleep well it was probably the anticipation of the final day. When my alarm went off at six a shut it off real quick so as not to wake any one. When I got up and looked around I realized everyone was already gone, except the two girls across from me who were already up.

The I walked in the dark again this morning. It was quiet and soothing. Nothing spectacular happened, it was more a feeling of anticipation. People were limping just trying to make those last few miles. There was a quiet camaraderie about the day. Everyone thinking positive thoughts for the others. Getting to Santiago was exciting, then tedious, then frustrating. It was exciting when I realized we were at the city limits, tedious like any big city because it takes a lot of walking to get from the city limits to the center of the city, and frustrating because it is a tourist town and it is packed with people. I was trying to find a place to stay and I kept getting lost. But I eventually ran into one of the young guys in front of the pilgrims office where you get your Compestela and he said he'd looked at the Pension across the street and that it was reasonable. Problem solved, I checked it out and got a single room for 45€. Not bad in a tourist town.

I got my Compestela and went and looked around the Cathedral, but I think I know that's not what this is about for me. This was an incredible experience, but it was not a singular spiritual experience. For me that is an ongoing process. There were lots of lessons, the biggest one was surrender and that started before I Ieft home. I had lessons all the time about being positive not negative, being grateful, not complaining. Tourist are demanding, pilgrims are grateful, is a saying I heard.

I didn't really know why I was doing this when I started. In some sense I felt it was a thank you to God for the amazing life I have been given. But I don't think he asked for that thanks. I think all he asks of me is that I be of service, pass it on. So I completed my mission I was given in France and brought Daniel with me in prayer. I hope he finds sobriety.

I'm sure more will come to me in the next weeks or months, maybe even later this evening.

Camino Day 44 Ribadiso. To Arca September 4 13.7 miles Total to date512.9

Camino Day 44 September 4 Ribadiso. To Arca 13.7 miles Total to date 512.9

I'm in Arca, just 12.1 miles from Santiago! It is so hard to even comprehend. I'm probably spending my last night in an Albergue. I'm definitely sad about that. I wonder if we could buy a summer camp and all move in. No, I don't think it would be the same. But the old commune hippie just pops out of me.

Today I approached a bar on the Camino and this whole gaggle of young people were sitting out side, including Matt from Tustin, his friend from Tustin, and a guy from Australia they met on the Camino, a young gal I have seen several times over the last couple of weeks, and Erin who I met a long time ago and who is from the states but living in Leon teaching English. They all started waving and smiling like they were excited to see me and offered me some watermelon. The guy from Australia asked me what I was listening to on my iPod. I told at that moment the last song I remembered was the one about you can't always get what you want by the Stones. He turned to his friend and said, "See, I knew it would be something cool" lol I should have shown him my dragon tattoo, that would have sealed it. The kids were all over the top with youthful exuberance and excitement about being so close to Santiago. It was catching. But not catching enough to convince me to walk the extra six miles they are going to walk today to get there before the Pilgrim's Mass at noon tomorrow. I'll catch the. Mass on Thursday.

I got a lot of kudos and positive comments about Mr Burple in several different languages. Who wouldn't like a cute little purple bear waving out of a pocket of a back pack. He's always smiling and waving. Maybe he thinks we are in the Rose Parade. hehehe.

I had dinner with Kay last night at the bar half way between our Albergues. I haven't seen her today, but I got going really late. I decided to not set the alarm and let other people rustling around wake me. Well I guess everyone decided to sleep in, because I was the first one up at seven! Yikes, I left at eight.

Today was a fairly easy hike. And with all the astounding beauty of Galicia that I have become accustomed to this past week. Well, I will finish here because I want to send this where I'm having dinner and access to wifi. I' post again tomorrow and probably for a few days while I process all of this.

Camino Day 43 September 3 Palas de REI to Ribadiso 16.6 miles Total to date 499.2

Camino Day 43 September 3 Palas de REI to Ribadiso 16.6 miles Total to date 499.2

26.3 miles left to Santiago!! Last night I ended up having breakfast cookies for dinner because I wasn't hungry enough to eat a dinner after my big lunch. I hung around the Albergue, wrote my blog, read, wrapped my knee, tended to blisters, and did my nightly organizing and stretching. I've developed a habit of getting everything done and then right before I go to sleep I put everything in my backpack except my phone, my glasses, my headlamp, my morning vitamins, and the stuff that goes in my pockets: my zip lock bag with my passport, money, and credit cards and my change purse with with my daily money. This stuff all goes in the bag my sleep sack stuffs into and then that bag goes in my sleep sack. Mr Burple stays with me of course. That way in the morning I can pick up my pack, my sleep sack, Mr Burple, and carry everything to a place with light where I won't disturb people who are still sleeping. And I don't forget anything. It's been working pretty good.

This morning I woke at 5:30, stretched, put on my socks and boots, ate some breakfast cookies, yogurt, and a banana, drank a cup of instant coffee, and stretched. I left the Albergue and walked in the silence of the predawn. It was lovely. I probably won't do this another time because the next two days are shorter and there is no need to leave early. I miss the beautiful sunrises I saw earlier on the Camino, but there are just so dang many trees you can't see the sun peeking over the horizon. Instead the dawn is heralded by the cock a doodle foo of roosters sounding from various locations as I walk along. Then eventually the sun rises above the trees and warms my back.

A lot of the signs identifying cities and places have been spray painted to change the spelling to Gallego from Castillian Spanish. Many of the people here object to Spain in general and don't want to be part of it. There are symbols of scissors in various form hanging from balconies and houses, meaning cut the ties with Spain. This under current has existed for many, many years.

One of the Galician foods is octopus or pulpo. A place in Milide, which I walked through today is famous as a pulpería, so I stopped and had some pulpo and pan. I posted a picture. It was actually very tasty powered with cayenne and swimming in butter.

Today we walked down to seven rivers and then back up, meaning we crossed seven rivers. It was a beautiful walk today with canopies of trees and a large variety of trees. The sky is so blue here in the country. While on the roadway I'm as apt to get passed by a tractor as a car. It's really delightful. Well that's enough for now. I really appreciate all the messages I woke up to this morning. It started my day off with a warm fuzzy feeling. If I don't answer them all tonight it is because I have a tummy ache.

Camino Day 42 September 2 Portomarin to Palas de Rei 16.7 miles Total to date 482.6

Camino Day 42 September 2 Portomarin to Palas de Rei 16.7 miles Total to date 482.6

Last night after I posted while I was finishing up my dinner which had grown cold, a Spanish woman came up to me and asked me what country I was from. I told her Estados Unidos and then she asked me what part. When I said California I got the look I always get when I say California in answer to that question, the look that says either, "I thought so" or " that makes sense." I mean What? Am I the poster child for California grandmas? lol We chatted for a while and she told me she is from A Coruña which is on the north coast of Galicia. She introduced me to her two daughters, one of whom is living and working in Vienna. She asked me where I started the Camino and when I told her she looked suitably impressed. She asked if I was out here alone. I said yes, my husband is at home cheering me on. She laughed.

Last night in the Albergue I met a young man named Matt from Tustin. He's traveling wit a friend he's had since childhood. They both just graduated from CSUF and his friend is staying in Spain to teach English. He heard about the Camino from his friend. He said it is life changing to get out of the Orange County bubble and see a simpler way to live. We discussed materialism and conspicuous consumption. He seems to be an intelligent young man.

After the bike race entry, as I was walking through town it looked like they had a small carnival with rides set up in one of the parks. Later after dinner when I went out to have some helado and use the bar's wifi to see if I had received any posts, I saw a big bouncy house set up by the church. Then as I turned the corner I saw that some people were putting up a large stage for amplified music. Apparently Portomarín was having a large fiesta. This was not particularly good news for me because my Albergue was half a block from this stage and the speakers were pointed in that direction. In Spain these things usually start about 10 pm and end about 3 am with stragglers drinking and cavorting until 6 or 7 am. Sure enough about 9:30 the fireworks started. I went out on the balcony to watch, but there really wasn't anything to see. They went up with a fiery tail and made a loud noise like a bomb. That was it, no explosion of colored light, nothing. I went to bed. The windows were closed and the stone walls pretty much kept the sound out. I got up about 1 am and could hear the music from the bathroom because the window was open, but where we were sleeping, it was pretty quiet.

I woke up about 4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up, stretched, tended to my two little blisters, ate a banana and a granola bar and took off about 5:30. I hiked alone in the dark for a couple of hours. The sun started coming up about 6:45, but I was under a canopy of trees. At one point I was startled by what I thought was a low hanging branch, but when I looked up my head light was shining on a big spider web with a huge spider in it about two inches from my face! I'm not usually bothered by spiders but this one was big and too close for comfort. I used my poles to knock him and his web down so I could pass. I didn't see another soul until about 8:30 when I stopped at the next Albergue/bar for café and tostada. Yum.

There was lots of beautiful scenery and nice people. I'm walking in the regular stages now so I'm seeing a lot of the same people every day and we all wave, smile, and say "hola" or "Buen Camino" I finally got to Palas de Rei about 1:30 and found a great Albergue with wifi downstairs in the bar and I have a single bed. It's Sunday, so nothing is open. I was having café in the bar when an English speaking woman asked me if I would like to walk about town and get a bite. Her name is Kay. She is from Australia and is an IT consultant. There seems to be a lot of them around. She started the Camino three years ago and got as far a Burgos and was injured. Last year she went from Burgos to Sarria and ran out of time. This year she started in Sarria and is going to Santiago and the on to Finnesterra. Her partner is also at home cheering for her.

I have 42.8 miles to go to Santiago. I can hardly believe the walking part of this journey is almost done. My knee and blisters will heal. I don't know if my toenails will ever be the same. They are a mess. I have a weird farmer tan. Half of the tops of my hands are white where the straps for my poles cover them, the other half up to the knuckles are almost black, and my fingers are normal tan. lol

I may try some pulpo (octopus) tonight if they start cooking it before I go to sleep. I love you all and would really like to hear from you. If you don't want to post on fb send me an email. nancy7484@gmail.com

Camino Day 41 September 1 Sarria to Portomarin 14.8 miles Total to date 465.9

Camino Day 41 September 1 Sarria to Portomarin 14.8 miles Total to date 465.9

Apparently since there is a steady supply of caca de vaca that is what they use here to fertilize their fields, unprocessed, except by the cows. It's like walking between fields of Woodstock hippies with they pungent stench of body odor, wet dog odor and drenching patchouli oil. lol

I had an up close and personal experience with the vacas today. I was going through a village path that was pretty narrow and ran into ten to twelve vacas just hanging out on the path. They warn in the guide book not to make sudden or loud movements that might scare them because they could run and hurt themselves I waited until a space and walked I walked in front of two of them and behind two of them, reminding myself the whole time that, unlike horses, cows don't kick unless they are bulls saddled with a sharp object under the saddle and a person in the saddle kicking with spurs and yelling intended to make them buck

A man in the bar, about half way through today's walk, had café con cognac at 11am! Sounded good to me I used to love café and cognac. But then I probably wouldn't get down off this mountain or back to the United States for that matter. I drank my café con leche and ate my Tarta de Santiago and thought about how grateful I am today to not only have choices, but to have the ability to make the ones that serve me and are not self destructive. Mr Burple agrees. He' grateful he doesn't have to carry me off the mountain. lol

I think I'm trying to eat my way across Galicia. Today for lunch I had a carne asada empanada. They are different here than at home. They are like a big (about the size of a medium or large pizza) double crusted thin pie. They are usually tuna or carne asada. It was yummy, but too big. I could only eat half of it. For dinner I am having Caldo Gallego which is a hearty soup broth with vegetables and queso gallego.

Today I saw a couple, probably in their fifties on the Camino with their adult daughter who I think has down syndrome. At first I saw them from behind and wondered why two adults were holding onto another adult going down a hill. I thought maybe the erson in the middle had balance or vision problems Later when I went by them I was humbled. Even later in the day when I thought about it and the love involved, I got tears in my eyes. This darn Camino is working on me.

When I got to Portomarín, I mean literally as I was approaching the bridge to cross onto the town, I saw a crowd gathered at the foot of the bridge a the flashing blue lights of the Civil Guardia. I thought there had been an accident. Then I saw a whole bunch of police motorcycles going across the bridge an lots of people on the bridge and a big crowd on the other side of the bridge. I squeezed myself onto the bridge so I could get to the town, squishing past people, when all of a sudden hundreds of bicycles came across the bridge, followed by a ton of cars with extra bikes and wheels on their roof and police vans. Apparently, this was some big bike race through Galicia called Vuelta España or something. I thought of Rick. Then I got grumpy because it is hard to move through crowds with a backpack and walking sticks going up steep stairs with people stopping mid step in front of you. But I got over it, found the Albergue and did my usual shower and laundry and now I'm on my way to the store.