May 31

Day 17

Rendondela

Mystical Path:

  “When we start to live as each day is our last, we start to fully live in the present.  Each moment becomes a full lifetime, a universe unto itself...our priorities change, our hearts open, our minds begin to clear....we watch all life in transit and what matters becomes instantly apparent: the transmission of love, the letting go of obstacles to understanding, the relinquishment of our grasping, of our hiding ourselves”.  Who dies? - Steven Levine

     

      Last nite was a great nights sleep.  It was hard to get out of bed with the time change but we all got up at 6:30.  Our breakfast was right next door and opened at 7:30am with toast, juice and coffee for 3.50 Euro.  Just as we were leaving I realized I left my purse in our room which has my passport and credential in it!  Thank goodness I was looking for lip balm and realized it. On our last Camino Greg forgot or lost something frequently.  This Camino he’s kept track of everything and I’m the one forgetting things. 

     Today was overcast and misty rain the majority of the day. We put on rain gear then we’d peel it off and start the cycle again as rain would pickup or decrease. We left the big border city of Tui on a road that took us over a highway. It was strange looking down and seeing so many big trucks and cars.  As much as I love these ancient cities, my heart and soul are in the farmland, beside rivers, or in forest. Walking on a road in Spain is different than Portugal because Spain tends to have wide shoulders. Portugal had none. At 3.5K we bear off the road onto a soft dirt path but shortly cross back over the highway. I’m hoping today isn’t going to be on roads and as it turns out we were mostly walking in forest or on small country village roads.  

  As we enter a wooded path I set my goal for the day to take small steps and truly enjoy everything I see leading me to Santiago. One of the first surprises is a darling yellow trailer in the middle of the woods selling coffee, drinks and snacks. I call these snack trailers “mirages” and we had seen a few on the Frances Camino. When you least expect it and really need a stop, one would appear.  Just like a mirage!  I really wished back on the Lisbon to Porto leg for a mirage. There are so many Pilgrims this morning it reminds me of our last 100K on the Francis.  More people, better facilities and higher prices.  

   Once we are in the forest we walk along a beautiful stream.  It’s crystal clear and flowing to God’s rhythm.  We see a lost goat in the distance and I think about an animals instinct and how they eventually find their way back to the flock.  I think about lost souls and lost relationships and how God never gives up on making them right again. Neither do moms. 

    As we come upon our first stop I see 3 yellow seashells on a fence post in front of a home covered in roses.  We stop at the cafe Ultreia and there are so many Pilgrims here.  Most are Asians and one cute guy introduces himself and tells us he’s from Singapore.  Greg and I share a chocolate croissant and cafe con leche (Spain’s name for coffee with milk) and watch the rain pickup from underneath an umbrella.  We put rain gear on and all of the sudden I can’t find my glasses. Sunglasses are critical and I want to put them away in my pack. I look everywhere and finally find them on my head!! Lorenz laughs at me and tells me I remind him of his granny.  She’s 86, hyper and tells stories all the time.  He assures me it’s a compliment.  I wonder.  Hmmm.... gonna work on a few things. 

    We leave the cafe as I’m listening to “Rhythm of the Falling Rain”...perfect!  We walk along the stream again and cross a beautiful little stone bridge where we take photos.  I could stand and watch this flowing stream for hours. We meet a young Portuguese couple who started the walk in Tui. We chat for a few minutes then I catch up the guys. They tease me and ask me what the couple’s favorite colors are.  I have the innate ability to remember the most detailed and off-the-wall things about people. 

I see a starving kitten that runs up to us and I bend down and crumble up an old cookie I have in my pocket.  She eats it all up.  

   I look up and see 3 crosses and round a corner and see 3 yellow arrows on the ground leading us to a dirt path. Mom, dad and Ronnie are with me every day.  A few kilometers down the dirt path my lower back begins to have twinges. I’m thinking it has to be “hovering over a toilet without a seat Syndrome”.

    We stop for lunch and I’m thrilled they have Spanish Tortilla. The delicious potatoes and egg dish is comfort food to me today. We meet an American girl from Oregon travelling alone from Tui. We are all wet and cold and I change my damp socks and apply more Vick’s as my feet are sore from climbing. We have a big climb at the end of the day and a very steep descent that is cautioned in our guide book. 

     After lunch we start seeing street signs with “Mos” on them. We are headed toward an area and village named Mos.  How cool is that!!!! I’m so wanting to stop and buy a T-shirt or something but everything is closed for Siesta. I settle for taking photos and loving every minute! I might just move here. As we walk out of town to climb our last climb of the day I see 3 big stone pillars as if mom, dad and Ronnie are telling me to stay strong!

    Lorenz and I walk together for a while and he tells me before this journey (he’s been walking 4 weeks now from the tip of Portugal) he gave up all social media, computer and phone. He wanted to walk his 2nd Camino away from all distractions.  He doesn’t listen to music.  He meditates and reads. He gave up drugs, smoking and most drinking and is learning so much about himself from this journey alone.  I admire his commitment as I pray for addictions.  He tells me he doesn’t practice religion even though raised Catholic but he feels safe because his Granny prays for him daily. I will pray for him too.

     We begin our steep descent into Redondela after a quick cafe stop. Nothing like walking your last 5K after a Cerveza. We take photos of the gorgeous valley as the sun shows its face, if only briefly. My shins burn as I descend and I’m looking forward to a hot shower. 

    We are staying at modern Albergue A Conserveira.  The hostess is a darling Spanish girl and shows us our reserved bunks for 4 Behind a curtain. The greatest news is they have a washer and dryer because everything I own is dirty. Wet from rain and no washing facility last night. We combine all our clothes and pay 7 Euro for washing and drying. I shower and wear rain pants and my fleece naked as a jay bird underneath to dinner.  A new experience for me! I laugh and tell Greg I hope I don’t forget and try to take my fleece off at dinner. Ha!

     We walk thru this quaint town which is larger than my expectation. The stores are all closed for a city holiday and in the square a German band is playing. They are all old men dressed in suits playing popular tunes. The coolest thing is the streets are covered in flower scenes in honor of Corpus Christi which they celebrate the months of May and June. Absolutely gorgeous flower blooms and grasses are laid in the streets in beautiful scenes that would rival the Rose Bowl Parade in America.  

    We find a restaurant that has a Pilgrim dinner which is just Ok but the treat is David and Kelsa find us.  We enjoy dinner, wine and conversation with these fun Canadians.  We all have photos and funny stories to share. Walking home is cold and risqué as I’m hurrying back to the Albergue thinking that I’m naked as a jay bird underneath my rain pants and fleece. 

Too tired to write tonight as I’m tucked away in my clothes wrapped like a cocoon with a bottom sheet on a top bunk. The mattress tonight is the best! Thank you God for a soft bed that’s not plastic. 

Nitey nite!