Camino 13 (Wednesday 6 November): O Pedrouzo

Well, we didn’t go to O’Pedrozou after all. We hatched a plan to walk all the way to Monte de Gozo, which only left us a five kilometre walk into the city and plenty of time before the Peregrino Mass. Otherwise, we were facing a four hour walk, probably needing to leave at 7 or earlier to be sure.

We weren’t the only ones with similar ideas, but only Paul (from Dublin) and Marin have made it this far, because as the GPS indicates, it was a forty kilometre gut bust to get here. Tomorrow, I am going to sleep all afternoon once I have done my shopping, because the forecast isn’t great for sightseeing and all we have done today is walk through rain and fog.

Toby’s face says it all, because we have had precious little time to enjoy ourselves, although a morning tea with Carina, Bianca, Maria and Paige (and a very demanding cat) was a nice reunion. I don’t think we will see them tomorrow, so — like many meals on the Camino — the Buon Camino had a special meaning.

My tips on my trekking poles are worn through and, rather foolishly, I didn’t bring a set of protectors. The tap of the poles on hard services drives me nuts, so I’ve started walking without them whenever I am on the road; but in the evenings, like today, they are essential. You need everything you have to get home once the distance gets over thirty. The cold tonight was alarming, because I was wet through and hypothermia was a real risk had we gone down to the city.

And then there was the traffic!

In the end, however, today was about endurance, and one of there things the Camino has been doing for me is providing opportunities for reflecting on the relationship between sacrifice and gain, at all levels from the the trivial to the profound. No one in their right mind puts up with the aches and pain that are chronic after the third day or so without a reason. Each day has its goal and then there is the ultimate goal of the arrival in the cathedral. The Camino seems to promote something very profound in people. I have met very few people on the road who are not open, friendly and welcoming. It is absolutely normal to walk into a bar and seem someone you know vaguely and get invited over to share the table. I remember walking in to a bar to get a meal on my own and Paige, who I knew very vaguely, invited me for a meal. She finished, but not before Dennis had joined us; and her place was taken by Claire about 20 minutes later. There is a catalyst at work.

In the end, I think it is because most people are here with some spiritual goal. The statistics tell us that 40% or so do the trip for purely spiritual reasons, 40% for spiritual and physical, and 20% have no spiritual reason. I think that self-selects in a way, because there are many more beautiful walks that the Camino; but most people start drawing water from deep down in their lives, and it shows in the behaviour of people on the road. Mick and his wife, a nice American, couple, are always pleased to see me when our paths cross and their friendliness is delightful. Even now, tonight when I am dead tired, I stopped to drink at the bar with Paul, because we had such a good time last night (post-blog).

This place is a drag, and the whole area blanketed in fog. Tomorrow I am there, and already I am trying to figure out what it all means.