May 28

Day 14

Tamel

  “I only went out for a walk...and finally concluded to stay out til sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in”.  John Muir

I woke up this morning dying to tell Greg about my exciting night.  Even though he was on my lower bunk he had no clue.  Before I went to bed last night I thought I’d better go to the bathroom since the only one in this building was at the other end of a long hall.  Not to mention crawling down from a top bunk in the middle of the night is scary and hurts the bottom of my bare feet on metal bars. I was just too tired to go so I chose to chance it.  Just before bed Lorenz passed by and handed me his last Oreo in a bag as a gift.  I was grateful and put it aside on my bed to pack tomorrow.  Sure enough 2am rolls around and my bladder is about to explode.  I carefully crawl down in excruciating pain on my feet and try to quietly exit the room.  Every single step I took made a squeaking noise from the wooden boards on the old floor. I found the bathroom but the door wouldn’t open! Or so I thought. I had one contact stuck to the side of my eye and couldn’t see that the door slid and didn’t actually push open. Finally I figure it out and walk in to find a memory of the Spanish Camino.... the missing toilet seat! Do you have any idea how painful it is to hover and pee with thighs that are as sore as a Pilgrims?  Pure torture.  I noisily walk back to bed and cringe as my feet are climbing up the skinny metal rods and flop my body onto the plastic covered mattress.  Lo and behold my Oreo flies out from the package across the room and hits some German guy in the face.  It’s like a scene out of Saturday Night Live.  I started hysterically laughing and trying to hold it in. My eyes were crying with laughter. It was a miracle nobody woke up.  They were all too busy snoring. Needless to say I got no sleep. I’m still chuckling now... what a dweeb! 

   The Albergue we stayed in had 50 beds.  It was full last night and everyone was up early to get a start on the day. We were lucky coffee was available right across the street. A blessing as my eyelids don’t want to open. Greg plays “Taps” outside on his phone before we leave in honor of Memorial Day.  Everyone listens.  

   Today’s walk is on a gorgeous countryside trail. It’s refreshing to be off the main roads like so much of our first leg was.  We walk on the dreaded cobblestones in little country villages and nice soft dirt through the forest trails.  At one point we are walking by an old stone fence and there are 3 big rocks sitting on top of the fence. Two of them are large and on top of each other and a smaller one sits beside it.  I’m in the middle of listening to Whitney Houston’s “I Look to You”.  I’m singing to myself “after all my strength is gone, in you I can be strong”.  I think of God carrying me through losing my dad, mom and brother and here in front of me are 3 rocks sitting on top of a stone wall all by themselves.  Thank you God for this reminder.  

   Greg is walking just ahead with Lorenz. Some people have thought he was our son until he speaks and you realize he’s from Hungary.  He’s 28 yrs old and has walked from the tip of Portugal.  Over 700k already.  He and Greg have deep discussions every day.  Paola, from Italy, is walking with the 4 Brazilian girls behind us. We’ve met so many new people and the majority are Germans.  Every age, young and old. As I walk alone I pray for peace for our world, our country and our families.  

    We stop for our 2nd coffee and before we pack back up I cannot find my headphone for my music. Greg and I look everywhere until I realize it’s in my ear! It’s one of those days! Guess I need a 3rd coffee! Ha. We get back into countryside trails and as we pass thru a forest I think of the Pooh song.... Christopher Robin.  It’s just childhood storybook beauty and reality is nowhere to be found. I love it. This is my first real day to be in utter peace. 

    The countryside is sprinkled with white stucco homes with red tile roofs, big farms out huge palm trees. As we enter the suburbs of Barcelos the traffic picks up and we are walking again on roads and under a freeway with graffiti written on the walls.  The city is a larger city and has more Parrishes than any other area in the country.   The city is on a river and has huge historical churches, modern shopping, restaurants and giant roosters sporadically placed around town. 

   “The town's famous symbol is a rooster, in Portuguese called o galo de Barcelos ("the Rooster of Barcelos"). One of the many versions of this legend goes that a rich man threw a big party. When the party was over, the rich man noticed that his sterling cutlery was stolen by a guest. He accused a pilgrim and let him go to court. He protested his innocence, but the judge didn't believe him. The judge was about to eat a roasted rooster when the pilgrim said: "If I am innocent, this rooster will crow three times." When the pilgrim was about to be lynched, the rooster crowed. The judge released the pilgrim. The story ends a few years later when the pilgrim returned and made a statue over the event. The town remains on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago.”

   We find an outdoor cafe to have lunch.  I’m excited to get a Tuna salad and when lunch is served they have forgotten my order. It takes another 20 minutes to get it and everyone else has already eaten. I quickly eat and then go to the restroom which inconveniently is on the 3rd floor.  I’m delighted that they at least have a toilet seat! However the lights are on timers and I’m caught in the dark until they come back on. It’s evident we are getting closer to Spain and their system of controlling the electricity.

    Our afternoon walk is as beautiful as the morning. The guidebook tells us the stretch for the next 34k will be the most beautiful of this Camino. We meet a Young German named Flo. He tells us he recognizes us from our Albergue last night.  He shared a room with one other man and 15 German girls. Lucky guy!

We also meet a Swiss couple who’ve walked the Frances 4 times. 

   We see a church with a pretty stone cross that has beautiful real flower petals in rows leading up to it. There is an upcoming festival but we aren’t sure what it is.  Greg thinks it could be the Feast of St Anthony. Shortly we pass an old man watering his vegetable garden. Hello daddy.  Just after that as I’m taking a photo I notice one bicycle glove strung up on a wire. I think of Ronnie stretching out his hand to help me up this accent for the last 2k of my day.  Up, up, up...   At the end of today’s walk there are 3 more large rocks stacked identical as the ones I saw earlier today. 

    The Albergue de Peregrines is situated by an old small church and as we walk up the bells are ringing. The Albergue looks like an ancient stone home but the interior is very modern.  Carlos is our host and very happy and friendly. Because this town is so small Carlos orders Pizza and other meals delivered to us.  We get our clothes hand washed, eat Pizza and retire to bed. 

I lay here tonight grateful I’m in the bottom bunk and there are no Oreos anywhere around.

Nitey nite!