Camino 2017-10-01 Mental Fitness

It's October! Whaaaat?

At breakfast a nice couple from Australia chatted me up. They've walked various Caminos and now to celebrate his 70th birthday they're spending time at their favorite places that they had walked through in the past. I mentioned that a few months ago was my first visit to their country where I was entirely on holiday and didn't have to work, a nice mental break but a physically taxing one since Australia is vast. I hope my fond memories of various Caminos will allow me to go back like they are, and return to some of these places some day.

The day started cool as I crossed into Spain and explored Tui. It seems confusing to me that two otherwise twin cities should be fortified so thoroughly, along such a lovely stretch of river, against each other.

After I left Tui, I glanced down and realized that with the time zone change, I was going to be leaving later than expected. Spain is an hour ahead of Portugal so the cross over meant that I lost an hour.

I reminded myself that this lost hour was just an accounting trick. I still needed to walk a long distance to make the day and yet for some reason I felt confused and preoccupied by the shifted schedule. 

Two German women from Düsseldorf helped me as I walked past a small arrow and was about to get lost. A couple and their two preteen kids were walking the Camino. An elderly couple who spent much time with their cameras smiled at me as I walked past. 

Then for awhile I walked alone. That's not unusual. But soon I came across the family again. Then the elderly couple. Then the two women. What's going on here?

I sort of felt really confused. Was it the heat? The only explanation I can think of is that somehow I followed a set of detour arrows that take you to an albergue or village. I did pass unusual bars and albergues. Perhaps I took the detours and while on the detour they passed me up.

Things settled down to something approaching normal in O Porriño. They were having a street celebration of some sort. It felt like everyone in town was out having a fiesta. As it turns out they were celebrating some local harvest day. The festivities totally made you want to stay.

Eventually, I made it to Rebadela though but my feet were killing me. My mind needed relief from forcing myself to say "I think I can, I think I can" for the past few hours. It was like the Meseta on the Camino Frances. There are times when you have to resist your exhaustion, you frustration, to resist throwing in the towel.

Fortunately In Rebodela one could watch the many families with their kids out on a Sunday night in the parks. It was lovely really. Some played soccer with their kids, others just shopped, others sat at cafes. It was so absolutely social and just opposite of the long mental journey I had to just make. 

And it felt like a good antidote to the weary brain and feet, watching kids play. It restored me and made me feel less alone. It's sort of why sharing the journey, praying with others, and walking in spirit or in person makes any journey bearable. We can be there for each other.

Camino 2017-09-30 Changing it up

I was planning to have two short days (to Rubiães then to Tui) followed by a long day. The two short days would be a nice rest break. Instead I'm facing a Monday that is projected to be 88F. Given my exhaustion during the high heat and rolling hills, I thought it wise to change it up a little and alter my plans.

And I've got a pulled something in my left lower abdomen when I go up hills. Doesn't hurt any other time than going up hill. It probably needs rest but I've just taken to slowing down even more on those stretches.

I didn't really want to leave Ponte de Lima. The town had a nice laid back vibe, save the endless campaign rally that went on overnight. I think I could enjoy political rallies if they had marching bands going through them like in this town.  I would be less likely to import the absurdly loud cars with giant speakers droning on every tiny street, with campaign speeches repeatedly blaring.

The hill on the way to Rubiães was a gut-kicker (literally as I just mentioned). It's not overly tall at 1400 feet but it's just rather steep and rocky. Thankfully the forest shaded you though it blocked the views promised in the Brierly guide book. Fortunately you eventually get past the forest and you enjoy the agricultural lands down to Valença.

When in the distance I could see Spain, I got a little excited. There's a language I can understand  and a sign that I'm that much closer to Santiago than before.

I decided to stay at an hostal because the day was longer than expected (no need to queue for a bed). The room was fine, but the oddly placed electrical outlets didn't reflect today's phone needs. Thankfully though they had a weird and wonderful shower contraption that felt like heaven to this tired pilgrim.

I explored the fort in Vanelça. I was wondering about its defenses so I asked one of the shopkeepers in the fort who they defended against. Though I don't know Portugués, I asked in Spanish in ways that got me an answer: it's "only" a 500 year old fort so it was defending against the Spanish across the river. (Ask short yes-no questions if you're weak with a language so that you can comprehend the answer more easily).

It still surprises me to see so many churches, bars, shops, and commerce in old castles and forts. I guess the utter lack of anything comparable in the US is bound to do that to you. Nevertheless, the weird entry points (all the customers to those businesses must enter via drawbridges) remind you that even castles need to change it up sometimes.

So hoping the changes work out. Change shouldn't be feared and we can't control the Camino. The Camino guides us and can change us up, if we let it.

Camino 2017-9-29 Throwing Some Attitude

Sometime by midday, I felt like I was losing it today. By "it", I mean the Camino. The walk was very confusing for some reason.

The day was mostly cloudy, so the heat wasn't bad. Yet somehow i drank more water than normal and needed to refill my 2-liter bottle sooner. Granted, I told myself to not be stingy with my sips to avoid dehydration, but it still seemed like a significant increase in water consumption.

The day was 33km on paper to go from barcelos to Ponte Lima. And somehow I got lost a few times so that I ended up walking 35km. Of course the mentally frustrating part of the extra two km was that I invariably get lost by needlessly going uphill.

And I started to wonder about the length of time it was taking me. I'm deliberately changing my walking stride so that I'm not plagued with blisters like I get when I Camino alone. Alone, I tend to walk very quickly and, well, trudge or waddle. I think this contributes to blisters. So I'm walking slower and with a more forward gait. It just seems to slow me down a lot.

But hey, so far no blisters!

Today's walk was very agricultural and woodsy. Once out of Baceros, you end up on trails pretty quickly. This is a welcome change, as my feet feel pummeled by the higher percentage of road and cobblestone walking in Portugal. I didn't realize how comfortable the decomposed granite and dirt roads of Spanish sendas were on the body.

And though I'm eating well in my mind, I did take the belt in a notch today. So I'm losing weight which is normal. Thankfully I'm not losing it at an unhealthy rate like my first Camino. There's losing weight and there's inadequate eating for the walking needs.  

Towards the end of the day I noticed my attitude shifting. Not sure what caused it. Perhaps exhaustion?

I found that I'm still walking in the midst of gratitude. Gratitude for life, for those who make my life meaningful, and even for those who test me in my life. For the sheep, the chickens, the endless grape vines. With these various things I was losing today, there were always good things happening too. So I was grateful that good can come from the confusing.

I forget to allow that attitude going. And I forget that others have much to be grateful for themselves.

So I realized we shouldn't just HAVE an attitude of gratitude. We should BE the attitude of gratitude, so that it's part of us, like a reflex. We should be embracing gratitude so thoroughly that we can't put it down. That's a blessing. That's an atonement for tonight's Yom Kipput in itself. Be the attitude of gratitude and be blessed with God's grace.

Be the blessing. Be the attitude of gratitude... the beatitude of gratitude.

Camino 2017-9-28 I'm Happy Just to Dance with You

Walking is a privilege. A gift. That reality hit home last year when I walked with Daniel along Camino Frances. It struck me when I met someone who, on full recovery after months in a coma, immediately bought tickets to Saint Jean Pied de Port to begin his first Camino.

And it happened yesterday.

I briefly walked for at most an hour with Miss J from South Africa. She seemed like a regular person whose traveling companion decided not to walk the next few segments and stayed in Porto. It was Miss J's first visit to Portugal and she was smitten.

Then a curious comment indicated that she had written about her time in paralysis. Just a couple years ago she couldn't move. She wrote about it in a dark but heart-felt comedy "Memoir of a Lunatic: the Lighter Side of Paralysis". You can download or buy it on Amazon.

The turn in coversation made this 30km segment between Vila do Condo and Barcelos downright fascinating. She was just overjoyed at everything. The smell of the farm animals, the rocks, the dirt. The heat was much but she was grateful to be able to do this.

After we parted, as she was ending before Barcelos, I kept thinking about gratitude. Why do we most feel grateful when we've fallen? Why can't we feel gratitude all the time?

I forget at times how lucky I am. It takes misfortune to remind me most deeply that I am being given a new chance, repeatedly. The fact that I am alive is actually a source of joy, as many things in my life could easily have shortened it years ago.

So I walked wondering if I could be more thankful. The Beatles song "I'm happy Just to Dance with You" filled me ears as I thought of this. I might be as thankful as any other person but I feel I could be a happier person if I always fall back on an attitude of gratitude.

So I end today with a short hymn that, especially now that I'm less than 100 miles from Santiago de Compostela, I'll carry in my heart to Ponte de Lima. 

Santo, santo, santo

Mi corazón te adora

Mi corazón sabe decir

Santo eres Senor