Day 19 and 20 – Portomarin and the Homestretch!

Yesterday was a really tough day but a great day!  We spent this past Monday in Triacastela recuperating and relaxing after the ardous hike over O-Cebreiro.  Monday was a “piece of cake” 9 – 10 kilometer walk.  We sauntered into Triacastela so early that we left our backpacks at the hotel Vilasante.  Pepin who is a 3rd generation owner of this family business was like family to us. He really took care of us and made sure that we had everything we needed.  We walked back into the center of this very old haven for Pilgrims and sat in the courtyard of what seems to be the most popular restaurant in town.  We enjoyed our afternoon sitting in the sun, the girls drinking Sangria and your humble blogger drinking Galician beer.  It was literally a day in the sunshine and another opportunity to share our Camino experiences.  We then saw our Canadian Camino friends from Newfoundland, Wayne, Cathy, Lauren and Sharon and invited them to join us.  Wayne and I then had a very stirring conversation about the NHL and most specifically, the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Wayne is as big a fan of the Leafs as I am of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Like Wayne, our teams have not fared very well when it comes to hoisting championship banners.  I really enjoyed his passion for his team and the game.  I hope we have other opportunities to talk NHL and the Maple Leafs.  Maybe next year, Wayne?  The Leafs win it all?

Yesterday, was a real grind.  We left Triacastela, a village of 900 people named in Galician after Three Castles, none of which still survive.  Historically, this was a very significant resting place for pilgrims of the Middle Ages coming down from the mountain (like we did the day before).  When leaving Triacastela we started a steady 7 kilometer climb and never seemed to let up.  The remainder of the way to Sarria was basically a descent but we still were going up and down the river valleys which seem to be everywhere in Galicia.  This was also the day I decided to “go it alone” and leave the girls behind.  I’ve been wanting to see how well I would do finding my own rhythm.  Yesterday I found it.  Incredibly, at least for me, we’ve now walked more than 400 kilometers.  My body is really adjusting to the daily 20+ kilometer walks.    The last time I saw the girls was in the village of Furela, 9.8 kilometers into our day.  The next 15 kilometers I just bolted.  I didn’t speak to a single individual (no really!) except for an American career diplomat, Carol, who turned 70 this year and started her Camino in St. Jean Pied du Port in France.  We spoke for about 5 kilometers and parted in Sarria.  Anyway, this was a day that I could really think and meditate for a few hours.  It was wonderful!

Let me make one quick confession before I bolted.  In the beginning of our morning hike as we were climbing steeply up hill, Nancy mentioned that she was getting really hot.  She wanted to stop to take off her jacket and just walk wearing her light shirt.  She stopped and started to take off her jacket.  Nancy  has a great figure for a woman of any age.  I know the Camino is very nonsexual and can be an incredibly strong spiritual experience but I turned around and admired my wife of 34 years with quite a bit of admiration.  Perhaps too much because I made the cardinal sin of walking backwards on this very remote rural path.  I stepped into a fresh pile of  cow manure, which thankfully, was just a small amount!  That’s what I get for losing myself on the Camino!

I really wish that I could better articulate just how beautiful this Galician countryside is.  To be fair, I’ve seen similarly beautiful and idyllic countryside in Germany, England, and the US.  However, I’ve never WALKED this type of countryside like this before.  I highly recommend it.  I’m finding it stimulating.  Imagine that you are able to get alone in your thoughts with the absolute beauty and serenity that being far away from civilization and the surroundings of  lush green rolling hills with the only sounds breaking the silence are birds chirping and singing, frogs croaking in the creeks, and the cows mooing in the distance.  This kind of walk is also set up by the fact that I KNOW that I won’t be going back to work tomorrow or this weekend.  Instead, I’ll be getting another dose of the rhythm, beauty and spirituality of the Camino.  This genuinely pure serenity has been ongoing since we left Burgos three weeks ago.  It’s rapidly going away the closer we get to Sarria.

We have made Camino friends and family along the way.  You’ve read about Heike from Aachen, Germany.  She’s now family.  We’ve traveled together from the start in Burgos and the four of us plan to walk into Santiago together this Sunday and drink Champagne in celebration.  There are other strong friendships that have been formed that Nancy and I plan to follow up with long after the Camino.  There’s something about walking side by side with someone for a few hours, a few days, a few weeks that really deepens a friendship.

The closer a pilgrim gets to Santiago, the larger the crowds and number of people walking the Camino.  Fighting being smug about the “newcomers” is real for me.  But then again, the Camino is all about perspective for me.  I may look at the people staring at Sarria as not “real” pilgrims because they’re only walking the “minimum” to get their Compostela in Santiago.  We started in Burgos more than 400 kilometers behind us!  Then I start thinking of all the pilgrims I’ve met who started in St. Jean Pied du Port, France.  They will have walked about 790 kilometers to Santiago.  Does that mean I’m not a “real” pilgrim.  How about Henrik and Heide who started from their home in France who will end up walking over 1,200 kilometers when they reach Santiago.  What does that make the people starting merely on the French border of Spain in St. Jean Pied du Port?  Then last night, Heike told us of a Dutchman she was talking to who stayed in the same place as we.  He started in his Dutch village which is 30 kilometers from Aachen, Germany.  He started walking to Santiago in mid March in knee deep snow.  When he reaches Santiago this Sunday or Monday, he will have walked over 2,500 kilometers!  What does that make the rest of us!  Perspective.  It’s a funny thing when you start really looking at it.

The atmosphere, however, is noticeably changing as we get closer to Santiago.  Yesterday, a few kilometers outside of Sarria I made way for a group of what appeared to be well off Spaniards out for a ride on their beautiful horses.  The horses were very healthy, well groomed and powerful, the riders looked like wealthy people in fine horse riding clothes (I know nothing about horse riding so I don’t know what proper horse riding clothes should look like except for one of those Zorro movies with Spanish elite on horses which is what they reminded me of).  Then the “twist” of the trip!  I’ve taken over 1,000 pictures on this Camino.  By now, I look ragged, weary, dirty, smelly, and hobbling along the path with my well worn clothes, backpack, beaten up boots, you get the picture……    Suddenly I hear a female voice saying in Castilian, “look, a real pilgrim!”  I turn to find this beautiful Spanish woman who could play the Catherine Zeta-Jones role in a Zorro movie ride by me in her gallant horse AS SHE TAKES A PICTURE OF ME!!!!  God I must look rough!

I reached Sarria, got my Credencial stamped at the local Pilgrim’s Information Office, sat outside and had my lunch of apple, muesli, and water then walked on to yesterday’s destination of Casa de Carmen in Barbadelo.  The last 5 kilometers was another grind as I ascended steadily leaving Sarria.  I was very hot, sweaty, and tired when I reached the Casa de Carmen.  However, the long day of hiking was well worth it.  I made great time doing the approx 25 kilometers in 5 hours of walking with two 30 minute breaks.  Casa de Carmen is a renovated 17th century farm house with it’s own 17th Century Chapel.  The garden sounding this old house with the views of the valley below was a spectacular way to spend the day.  Nancy, Heike and Andrea caught up with me an hour and 15 minutes later.

Today’s walk to Portomarin was an “easy” 20 kilometer walk.  I finally have blisters!  Heike has been walking with blisters for over a week.  Andrea has them the same place as I, our right foot, smallest toe.  Believe me, after 400 kilometers, I consider myself extremely lucky regarding physical wear and tear.  We passed the 100 kilometer marker this morning.  We’re 93 kilometers from Santiago.  Today I met a new couple who I’ve seen since O’Cebreiro.  The man has a very distinctive and sharp looking tatoo on the back of his left calf.  We started a conversation and I walked with them a few kilometers.  They are a very handsome, young Spanish couple named Raul and Belen.  Very nice people.  I hope to see them again on the Camino.

We’re now on the home stretch.  Just 4 more days of walking at the pace we’re going!  Hard to believe!  The Camino.  It’s not just the walk, it’s a way of life!  For those of you who remember me saying at work all the time that I’m “living the dream!”  Well now I say, don’t dream about your life, live your dreams!

Buen Camino, amigos!

A pilgrim’s water fountain near the peak of Alto do Riocabo about 5 kilometers outside Triacastela on the way to Sarria.

Fog covering the village of Montan in the lower valley on the way to Sarria.

The waymarkers and yellow arrows keeping us on the Camino are nothing short of outstanding.

Well to do Spaniards out for a ride on their horses.

The door of someone’s home as we enter Sarria.

The view of Sarria below as we make our ascent out of town.

Back in the back country 2 kilometers outside Sarria.

View from Casa de Carmen where we stayed last night outside the village of Barbadelo.

Casa de Carmen, a restored 17th Century farm house.

The Gomez-Ortmanns team enjoying the spectacular view from Casa de Carmen.

The altar inside the Chapel of St. Sylvestre at the Casa de Carmen.

The 100 kilometer marker to Santiago. We’re getting close!

Sharing the Camino with ever present cows in this part of Galicia.

The very handsome, young Spanish couple, Raul and Belen.

A new Alberque the Casa de Banderas run by friendly South Africans.

Crossing the long bridge into Portomarin with the large reservoir of Belesar behind them.

The Church in Portomarin.