Wrapup

Thoughts on the Camino

For all three caminos,  I've ended up in the albergue on my last night or two by myself. It's almost as if the Camino is giving me the time to reflect on my life out here,  away from the beautiful times of camaraderie, without the distraction of human interaction.  In my younger years I would be disappointed or lonely or afraid  to find myself without human dynamics … but not here.  Once again on the Camino, I met wonderful people and came away with fun, frivolous and fantastic memories.

I always loved this dialog from Bladerunner.
“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”

The character is about to die,  and realizes that his life is unfulfilled,  meaningless and without greater purpose. If there is one thing that I have learned walking The Way of St James, we have a purpose.  It changes over time .. It goes left when it should have gone right … it's painful but it also brings great pleasure. Mine is filled with the glory of a son and his family, the love of grandkids, the compassion of my family and the love of a woman in all its good ways.

Even as I write this,  the Camino works its wonders.  I spent all day with nothing to say,  and was sitting in this restaurant, ready to leave. The waitress brought a menu,  I ordered, and as she left,  the words, thoughts, and feelings suddenly gushed out faster than I could capture them. … and now that feeling - transitory,  illusory,  magical - is gone as fast as it came.  But there is a difference.

I will not let these memories and experiences “be lost like teardrops in rain. “ My purpose is to share them,  maybe going left instead of right … maybe going back one step after going forward two … but making those decisions for myself.

Buen Camino!

Madrid

I enjoyed my stay in Madrid. I made two separate tours of the city, walking tours that are offered free by a local travel agency. All they ask is for a generous tip to the guide at the end. I enjoyed both tours, seeing a lot of central Madrid. Lots of amazing architecture, dating back centuries.

Madrid and its citizens are a very active society with a strong civic type of lifestyle. There are people walking everywhere. People are out on the streets at night, drinking, dining, enjoying life. Quite unlike anything we have in the states.


Lots of amazing architecture, dating back centuries.

Made it to the museum to see Picasso's Guernica. Just amazingly moved by the power of that larger than life painting. After standing there for several minutes, I had to wipe away the tears as I studied closely the agony and horror depicted in his painting. The picture depicts the Nazi bombing of a basque town. Picasso's abstract style is horrifying and chilling. Words cannot do it justice.

Took one last walk around Madrid tonite.  Stopped at the Real Madrid football club store for souvenirs for Carlos and his family.  Had a meal of shrimp, fried in olive oil and garlic.  Enjoyed the sights and sounds of a lively city.

Tomorrow it's up early for the train ride to the airport.

Puerta del Sol, Madrid's center of action,  altho this city has many.

Standing on kilometer 0. All distances in Spain to Madrid are measured from this spot. It is said that if you want to return to Madrid, you must stand on the spot. 

From this building,  the bells of the New Year are rung. I've participated in the Spanish tradition of the grapes for more than 30 years,  but now I've finally seen where it all takes place. 

Architecture

Royal palace,  over 3000 rooms

Royal gardens

Royal palace and gardens

Statue commemorating Cervantes and his characters,  Don Quixote and Pancho Sanza

Plaza Mayor at 8:30 in the morning

Astorianos to Puebla de Sanabria

Distance 9 miles, 14 km

So this is it.  The end of Camino 2016. I don't even know the numbers any more.  I think it is in the range of 250 miles hiked over 21 days. I met more camigos than I can count,  sometimes I  can't even remember them all without looking at the pictures.  I'll figure it out eventually.

What I do know at this point is that I had a great time.  I completed the Via de La Plata. I started the Camino Sanabres.
Next year the Camino Frances is on the timeline with Linda. The camino is a powerful drug.


It was a constant race against the rain today. Throughout the day it was sprinkling and then not, over and over. By the time I made it to Sanabria, it was starting to rain pretty good, so I was glad that I picked up the pace to beat the rain to the albergue.

This town was apparently the site of a very important meeting in the 16th century as regards the formation of modern Spain. I need to translate the sign. It says something about two kings coming together for peace, etc.

Getting close to the end. Just three towns and 4 miles to go for the end of Camino 2016.

The castle in Puebla de Sanabria, with the rain falling.

Rio Tera. I've been following it for days. 

Pictures of the 15th century castle 

Views from the castle walls of Puebla de Sanabris

Main street

Castle,  iglesia and ermita

Rionegro del Puente to Astorianos

Distance 16 miles / 27 km

I was all alone today.  Literally not one other pilgrim, not even bicyclists today. I also expect at this point to be the only one in the albergue tonight.

I don't feel the same this time, that is because the power of the Camino seemed more subdued, łess overwhelming.  Maybe I'm more at peace.  Maybe Linda has altered my needs or satisfied some of them.  In all my wanderings this time,  I did not come across a universal truth ... just lots of little truths.  Maybe I've changed in response to the Camino de Santiago.  Or perhaps,  as we on the Way of St James say, the Camino provides what we need,  not what we want ... living out of the backpack, stripped to the essentials allowed me to focus on love.

Pictures on the way to Astorianos. You can see the mountains in the background. I did not expect to see the mountains of northern Spain on this trip. I went farther than I thought that I would on this camino.

A pilgrim fountain in the town of Entrepeñas. Pilgrims are welcome to take a drink of water. 

Each of the small towns has a greeting at the point where the Camino enters the town. 

This little guy was in a field outside the albergue.

Calzadilla de Tera to Rionegro del Puente

Distance 10 miles / 17 km

Is hard to believe that it is slowly coming to a conclusion.  It was a short hike today.  Tomorrow is a 15 mile day,  the second to last day,  so ending with a challenge,  but the day after is only about 10 miles. Then that is it. Back to Madrid.

I feel both glad to be heading home after a successful challenge and sad that the daily adrenaline rush will cease.

Meet David and Miguel Luis ( both spanish ) at the albergue.  We walked around town, watched a shepard bring his flock up a hill,  and climbed an abandoned church and rang the bells. ... just crazy.

Abandoned church and rectory.  Like many small towns,  existence in the modern world is not sustainable. 

Reservoir along the Rio Tera

Some pictures along the Camino Sanabres

One of the caminos little miracles. Both my camino guides said that there were no services in Villar de Farfon. However here is an albergue and the door was open.  A Christian missionary and his family established residence there to serve pilgrims.  We had coffee and cookies at just the right point in the day's hike

Saying goodbye to Rejean of Quebec, Canada. He developed an inflammation in his leg and had to cut short some hiking.  He is getting on the bus to Sanabria for a day of rest. 

This was another little miracle. Two days ago I said goodbye to him and a whole crew of pilgrims. Today I could have simply walked thru Rionegro, but I chose to stop in the albergue and there was Rejean.

We caught up while waiting for his bus. He showed me a message that Uli left for me in the sign-in book. A personal message to me ...

Rejean and I talked about our pasts and caminos not taken,  and futures and caminos we will take ( painting for him and writing for me  ); we talked of the material world outside of us and the spiritual being in all of us,  the choices we make and don't make and the choices we can change ( he has a 2nd house in Florida, but the price is to be away from family and friends, so he and his wife are selling to stay in Quebec city during the winter with loved ones instead ) ...

This albergue is one of the oldest in Spain,  almost 1000 years of service to pilgrims by the Confraternity of Filafos. Not the same building,  of course,  but the service. 

Santa Marta de Tera to Calzadilla de Tera

Distance 7 mi / 11 km

Deep inside the search for our spirituality, it is less about discovering the meaning of life, and more about the experience of living our life.

Once again,  and why am I still surprised,  I had a set of amazing experiences of camaraderie.

On the way out of town,  I hiked with Bienve and his wife Maria Angeles. As we walked along the Rio Tera for 7 miles,  we shared stories of our perspectives on life,  the differences in our lives and the similarities,  along with a lot of humor. When the time came for us to follow our own "way", I had that recognizable feeling of gain and loss. That is the way of the Camino, enjoy what you have.

The weather changed everyone's plans.  I stopped short in Calzadilla due to the rain while others carrried on.  In a small town where I chose to spend the night,  I ran into the Germans,  Uli and Martin, at the bar/restaurant. They were still going on to Rionegro,  but we talked and laughed ( I

learned that they sing a capella) and when their taxi arrived,  these two stoic guys gave me a big bear hug.  That meant a lot to me, to feel the embrace of the pilgrim experience ... again and again from unexpected quarters.



Bienve and Marie Angeles

The Camino Sanabres coming out of Santa Marta

Rain date

Following the Rio Tera

Autumn in the province of Zamorra

The albergue in Calzadila de La Tera. 6 beds and 2 bathrooms.

Sitting in the bar with a cafe con leche

A modern church

Stained glass windows in the church