Well folks, the walk is over, I’ve said my goodbyes to my fellow pelegrinos and am now waiting in Madrid to fly back to Dublin. In terms of raw statistics it was 800kms, 100 or so pit stops, at least 75 cafe con leches (grandes), 55 credencial stamps, 33 days, 2 sore feet, and 1 happy camper!
It has been a wonderful experience, one I’d recommend to everyone, time permitting. I’m so glad I did. It was great to hear the words “De St Jean Pied de Port eres uno Peligrino d’Irlanda” at the pilgrim mass in the cathedral the day after I arrived…
The last couple of weeks seemed to fly as I got used to a daily routine of starting at 8.30am and usually ending by 4 or 5 with c25kms covered. In truth though, as soon as I started to turn my mind to planning my return, I started to come out of the Camino. The end loomed larger every day.
Since entering beautiful Galicia the weather has been unusually mild and sunny. It is incredibly similar to the West of Ireland with many dry stone walls making the countryside a patchwork of green and grey. One of the highlights for me was the climb to O’Cebreiro where I stood above the clouds, with mountains peeking through, and felt the soft mist moisten my face as the clouds wafted over while a rainbow briefly formed right in front of me.
Lots of cows about too as we walk straight through farmyards with the usual smells abounding! In fact I found myself on more than one occasion herding cattle. On the first occasion they were herding me, and unlike the cows in Ireland, these ones have quite big horns. At first I wasn’t sure if they were cows or bulls, but after a quick udder check, my notions of running with the bulls in Pamplona were soon dispelled!
At various points along the way there are many messages left for people who got split up, words of wisdom from poets/philosophers and words to popular songs. As I walked the final days I wanted to do something for those I knew coming from behind. I managed to acquire a white marker and I got to work! I found many blue plastic bins on which the white letters really stood out and I started leaving my messages. I also felt I should share a universal message, what better than the first few lines from John Lennons Imagine…
“Imagine there’s no countries
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us, above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You u oo oo, you may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you join us
And the world will live as one…”
Just as I had completed the lines on about six different bins along the forest path, I entered the town of Salceda in time for lunch. The first cafe/bar I found was something else, it was a bit run down, virtually covered in graffiti and with all sorts of t-shirts and caps hanging from the ceiling! The place was full of character so I got to work and wrote the lines again, one on each of the six tables with the last line written across the bar counter! The barmaid was delighted, and poured us all (about ten of us) two shots of some very sweet liqueur. Slainte 🙂
I decided against walking to Finisterre, and instead spent the past four days in Santiago so that I could meet my Camino friends again as they streamed in each day. We had great banter as most of them found the signs and were singing the song. I’ll save the walk to the end of the world for another day.
Did I mention the Funari family yet? Natalie is walking with his wife, son & daughter in law. He is 68, short, round and cuddly, and not at all fit. Now retired, he has pretty good English, a great wit and over the course of the Camino I had dinner with him and his family on numerous occasions. As he struggled to keep up with his wife the first week or two he used to joke that this was how she was going to get away with murder! (by walking him to his death!). They had an agreed training regime for the Camino. While his wife clocked up the kms hillwalking everyday, he walked the 100mtrs to the cafe/bar across the street for coffee and football chat!
“Forza Funari (y Ferrari)” I wrote for them which was greatly appreciated when I met them for a drink on my last night in Santiago. Lovely, lovely people.
The love stories continue! Rolf, a 38 yr old German policeman I met outside Leon, turned up a few days later on the top of O’Cebreiro with Elizabeth (an American gal) in tow. I spent a good bit of time with them the last week as we walked the same stages, at times I think I might have been cramping Rolf’s style a bit as I kept showing up at the same albergues (hostels) and restsurants. Then there was the day two Canadian gals wondered if I’d share a room with them! The town we stopped in had a pretty poor looking albergue and I had checked out a local casa rural for a room which was going to cost €30 for the night. One of the girls made the sharing suggestion which was quickly dropped by the other as we headed back to the albergue where I later noticed them in a rather tight embrace on one of the bunks, canoodling away!! I’m still trying to imagine the kind of night I’d have had if we had shared that room!
Before I left, my guide book asked the question – What is the difference between a pilgrimage and a long walk? to which I answered:
A pilgrimage is an inner journey with no end, a long walk is an outer journey with an end.
I’ve already given you the physical stats of the long walk so here is a little bit of the inner journey…
The over riding sense I have is gratitude. When I look back, not just on the few weeks of the camino, but on my life to date, I am truly thankful for all the blessings in my life but particularly to my parents for giving me life, love, a great education and wonderful care and attention, the kind we all require to grow. This arose for me on many occasions, particularly in relation to my mother, whose 10th anniversary occurred shortly before I started the Camino. I thought it appropriate to carry her memoriam card with me on the way. It was a great source of comfort as many of the words in the poem echoed in my mind on many occasions
“When you are walking down the street, and I am on your mind, I am walking in your footsteps, only half a step behind. And when you feel that gentle breeze, or the wind upon your face. That’s me giving you a great big hug, or just a soft embrace”
I am also very thankful for the many wonderful and loyal friends I have, the wonderful and caring teachers that have guided me over the years, and also the super people I met along the Camino. It has been a great journey thus far, quite extraordinary.
One last thing. The first words on the memorial card read: “Now I am content”. I think this most apt, for me there is no other way or time to be happy but right now!
It has indeed been a Buen Camino
Muchas gracias
A World of Wanders 