Today really surprised me. I slept in. Sort of. Well I actually woke up at 6 AM but didn't leave until 1030. I was lounging.
After digging deep for motivation, I gathered up my belongings and bid farewell to my castle.
I found coffee on my way out and once again became a pilgrim. Today has been one of the nicer days actually despite the threats of rain. I didn't see very many pilgrims and I had this beautiful, natural trail following the creek all to myself.
No clicking of poles, no pilgrim chatter, no cars, no dogs just the birds and the sound of the babbling brook. I also took an advil so my feet are feeling OK.
I'm in an exceptionally good mood today. Perhaps it's because I allowed myself a little luxury last night. Perhaps it's reuniting with one of my first pilgrim friends. Perhaps it's allowing myself the freedom to do what I want, when I want, leave as late as I want, walk as slow as I want, it's liberating. Perhaps it's because I've only started my walk and I haven't climbed the mountain yet ha!
I did however forget to find a store and stock up on supplies and I have limited stock.
I have one apple, a package of dry toast, a couple granola bars and a bag of nuts . More than enough just not an exciting menu today. What I would really like now though is jet fuel.
I used the hotel products this morning and now I'm not sure if I smell good or if I just smell like a clean old European lady. I'm not big on perfume so feeling too fragrant is awkward for me. Especially as a pilgrim. It's evidence that I stayed in a castle last night haha. On the flipside, nobody wants me to smell like I've been walking for 27 days.
I made it to the top of the mountain and I had a cafe con leche, a fresh squeezed orange juice and a piece of tortilla. Unfortunately I left the café at the same time as all the other people that have been sitting there for a while. I walked so fast from there to put space between myself and a group of loud pilgrims. Then I had to stop and take a rock out of my boot and that allowed them all to catch up again. As embarrassing as this is to admit, the loudest, most obnoxious people on this Camino aren't Americans but in fact are the Portuguese!!
Little do they know I understand Portuguese and all the foul language. They likely wouldn't care if they knew. I waited and let them all pass me. I'd rather see the backs of them than be listening to their mouths go off.
I met 4 lovely British ladies Hazel, Stella, Yolanta and Sharon and spent some time walking with them but otherwise walked quietly alone.
I have also been walking near a family of 4. It started earlier this morning when I saw the dad wearing his backpack completely wrong. He was using a school backpack and the straps were so loose, his bag was pulling on his shoulders and constantly bouncing and hitting his backside. I didn't want to offend him or offer unwanted advice so I asked him if his backpack was comfortable the way that he was wearing it and he said no. I then asked if I could offer some advice about his backpack? And he said "yes ... buy a better one?" I laughed at his joke and I said "let me help you fix your straps". He probably couldn't understand me but I explained to him that the weight of the backpack should be in the center of his back so I lifted up his backpack and I tightened all his straps and I told him that it would take the pressure off his shoulders. I was unaware that it was his wife and two kids standing there watching with puzzled faces. I was wondering why these people were just standing there and staring at us. He thanked me and said he was much more comfortable and then when I saw him later in the day and I asked him how he was feeling and he said he was much better and thank you.
I started slowing down and taking too many pictures so the family passed me repeatedly. The next time I saw them, the young daughter was whining and complaining. She's probably about 10 years old. They don't speak any English but they sound perhaps Eastern European. Apparently the daughter was carrying an apple core and I don't know if she was whining because she wanted someone else to carry it because there were no trash cans or if there was more to the story. The mother was shooting daggers out of her eyeballs at the daughter, the son, who was about 14, was laughing and the dad was trying not to laugh and also console his daughter and he didn't really pay attention to the angry mom.
I felt compassion for the mom because I've been there when you just want peace and enjoyment and you end up having to discipline or get a handle on a situation publicly. It seemed to resolve itself by the mom storming off ahead and the dad walking with the two kids. I would see them again several times throughout the day. Recently I saw the mom walking with the son and the other two were nowhere in sight .
I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see the daughter behind me and I could hear her crying. I looked over at her and I asked "are you OK?" I said "where are you from?" she said "Romania" I asked "do you speak English?" She said no but seemed to partially understand me. I said "where is your father?" And she just looked at me helplessly with crying eyes . I said, "don't worry, your mother and your brother are just up ahead" and I pointed with my Gandalf staff . I told her if she was scared or couldnt find them, I would walk with her and help her find them. I also told her she was very strong and brave to hike the Camino. She found hope again, smiled, said thank you, wiped her tears and ran ahead . She did find them, they were reunited and I saw the mother hugging her and holding her hand. I guess they've had a long, challenging day.
I just ran into the family again and the mother stopped me and in very broken English, thanked me for helping her daughter. She told me that the daughter said that I was God.
I looked sort of puzzled and and thought maybe it was just the language barrier but she repeated it. I think she meant like a guardian angel or heavensent and it was lost in her limited vocabulary. Regardless the entire interaction had a very profound affect on me.
I made my way in to town and there is Bruno drinking a beer with a royal chalice full of red wine with my name on it.
Now that is the kind of welcome every town should have!
Later in the afternoon, having another wine and talking away with Bruno, the Romanian mother walked in, saw me, and said "Hello God" and smiled. I laughed and greeted her again and explained to Bruno that I was upgraded from Queen status!
We bought supplies at the grocery store before dinner for our pilgrim picnic on the trail tomorrow and I'm going to try to turn my water into wine hahaha!
Buenos Noches x
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