Camino Culture

 

Bill and I walked the Camino de Santiago yesterday. 

Disclaimer:  not very far. Even less than that.

But, thanks to Annie's planning, we walked a stretch in the area you can see on the map below. 

For me, it was the realization of a dream which evolved long ago after Annie walked her first Camino Francais, and we had watched the movie "The Way."  

If you are reading and don't know much about The Camino, watch the movie with Martin Sheen.

With both of us dealing with knee issues for the past several months (physical therapy for me and a shot for Bill), the accomplishment was sweet.

Our knees behaved just fine as we set off on the pathway which paralleled a highway on one side and farm fields with neat cows on the other.  

I'm pretty sure Annie planned to have a stream in the stretch also.  That allowed Bill to think of his fly fishing passion and, at the end of the trail for father and daughter to spot the fish swimming from a bridge above the stream.

During our short walk, maybe half a dozen pilgrims passed us with the greeting of "Buen Camino."

Our mission involved having the experience and absorbing the flavor and culture of the Camino experience. 

Leading up to the actual walk, we visited many beautiful Camino areas and stretches of the 500-mile -long way that Annie completed less than a week ago. 

One in particular:  the rock pile where you leave a rock and symbolically leave behind your worries. 

We visited one village where pilgrims stay in albergues (hostels) for the night.  Often, these areas include the bed and the Camino meal.  The place we visited offered sandwiches with the best crackly bread I've ever eaten enhanced by slices of sausage and cheese. 

Pilgrims sat and tables eating and visiting. While waiting for the sandwiches, we looked through the souvenirs and came away with some Camino baseball caps. 

Many of the villages in this area were old, tidy and enhanced with artistic and well-worn doors.  It was fun to hear Annie recall the experiences she had had in each setting. 

In our three days in Spain, we have come to realize that cats along the way are ubiquitous, especially in the villages. 

We are staying in Molineseca, a quaint and lovely village highlighted by narrow streets, adorned with flower boxes and highlighted by its Roman bridge across yet another beautiful stream. 

Cats walked the streets, sat on chairs and showed up for dinner during our time strolling the town last evening. 

Annie says the locals take care of these cats.  We saw several bowls of food sitting on a second-story ledge of an abandoned building. 

Yesterday's events are firmly planted in my mind as one of the memories of a lifetime.  We have heard and read so much about the Camino.  

To have experienced its culture and its mission firsthand was exciting, to say the least. 

Many thanks to Annie for arranging this memorable experience, and special thanks to the local medical support folks of the past couple of months who have helped both Bill and me realize this goal with ease and confidence that our knees would not fall apart in the process. 

We are loving our time spent in Molineseca. Our hotel host Raul has left a strong and positive impression.  He's a multitasker extraordinaire---one minute making a sandwich in the adjoining grocery store, the next running to the hotel desk to register a guest. 

I also should have videoed his well-honed "information" session where he showed us all the details of getting our self-serve breakfast, including how to start the coffee pot and warm the water for tea. 

His animated explanation was like no other.  In the grocery store, he led us to the dried food section and handed us a variety of samples. I tasted some of the best coconut ever. 

It's a relaxing village, and we have enjoyed its comforts and beautiful surroundings. 

Today we'll complete our time in Spain and move on to Portugal.  Porto, on the west coast, will provide us our home away from home and a place to wash our clothes tonight. 

We have heard amazing reviews of Porto from both family and friends, and we are anxious to experience the place ourselves. 

Enjoy the photos.  Buen Wednesday.