Jeannie: Thoughts From The Camino
I apologize for being negligent in posting. By the time we reached our hotel each evening, I was totally wiped out. All I could manage was to prepare for the next day before falling into bed exhausted.
Walking The Camino was an incredible experience! It definitely had its ups and downs (as in "lots of hills"), but I survived. Sometimes that's all one can ask for. I mark this as being one of my biggest achievements. I have accomplished walking 122 miles across sometimes not so friendly terrain in a foreign country. I can say, I DID IT!
Preparation: This was vital to the outcome. Due to the extensive summer heat, we were reduced to mall walking for practice. Mall walking saved us. Although the perfect conditions of the mall were no preparation for the real world, it allowed us to build our endurance. This made it possible to walk the 122 miles that we did. I will forever be thankful to Rolling Oaks Mall.
Proper equipment: All 4 of us took proper care of our feet, the most important body part in order to finish the Camino. Not one of us got even a single blister! That is almost unheard of on the Camino.
The beauty of God's world: I don't know all of Spain, but I feel I really know Galicia. After walking to Santiago from the Portuguese border, I covered a good deal of the area. We walked through forests, vineyards, corn fields, big towns, tiny villages, up and down many hills, past cows and horses, and beautiful rivers. I can say that Galicia is absolutely beautiful. I especially loved passing the many, many horreos (grain storage units) along the way.
https://caminoways.com/10-facts-about-galicia
Being part of something big: Walking the Camino reminded me of the movie Close Encounters. Random strangers from all over the world, hiking on multiple different paths, all with the same end point, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The comradery among the pilgrims was very special. We all understood exactly what each of us was enduring - endless days of putting one foot in front of the other until we reached our goal. We would all call out "Buen Camino!" to each other, our special greeting in Galician meaning good journey. It was very special to be a part of this movement.
I also loved the special friendships we developed along The Way. There were several people we would keep running into and we got to know them quite well. Bill and John especially will always be remembered.
The locals: The people of both Portugal and Galicia were wonderful. They were all very friendly and helpful. They also called out to us "Buen Camino!" In Pontevedra, one little hunched over lady with a cane made sure that we took the correct path to find our yellow arrows. The people were all very warm and welcoming.
Yellow arrows: It was fun watching for our yellow arrows indicating our route. Most of the routes were clearly marked but there were times that we had to search a bit before we found our arrow. It definitely kept us on our toes. I now have a warm spot in my heart for yellow arrows.
My family: Walking with my husband and 2 daughters made the journey extra special. I would have loved to have had the entire family with me. Beforehand, Gene wasn't sure he could walk the distance and would have to take a taxi to the next hotel. To everyone's elation, he actually walked almost the entire route! There was one extremely difficult hill on the Spiritual Variant that he wisely decided not to climb. I barely made it up that hill. Our daughters made it possible for Gene to succeed. They were amazingly helpful in getting him through the difficult climbs.
It was also special to witness my daughters' faith. You do what you can to pass on your faith to your children, but they reach a point when it's up to them. I can say that both of my girls have a beautiful, deep faith in God and I was privileged to witness it on this journey.
Reaching Santiago: I had been to Santiago twice before, but never by walking the Camino. When I reached the huge square in front of the Cathedral, I began crying like a baby. It was a very emotional moment for me. I couldn't believe I had actually made it! It was a feeling that I will never forget. For several days afterwards Gene kept saying, "We made it!" I think we were both in disbelief that we actually did.
St James the Great: He is the reason for the Camino. After evangelizing the Iberian Peninsula, he was beheaded in Jerusalem in 44 AD. His disciples brought his body back to Spain so it wouldn't be desecrated. They buried him on the highest nearby hill, which is now Santiago de Compostela. We hiked the Spiritual Variant which followed the route the boat took when bringing his body back. We saw the stone that the boat was moored to and the spot where they laid his body after removing it from the boat. We also visited the site where St. James preached, and the area where he first set foot on the Iberian Peninsula. For over 1200 years pilgrims have been making their way to the Cathedral to honor St. James.
Botafumiero: We were fortunate to be able to experience the giant incenser at one of the Masses we attended in the Cathedral. The practice began in the Middle Ages to cover the "scent" of the pilgrims who had spent months walking to Santiago. It's an awesome experience.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PcWkoubFRU45rBfz8
Should you be inclined, I highly recommend walking the Camino de Santiago. You will not regret it.