Here are some of new friends I made at the Camino. Manu is from Parma, Italy; the group is from Granada, Spain. It always makes for interesting conversation to mention that one is from the Philippines. Especially the Spaniards who have a sense of how far away the Ph is. The other fellow I met here who comes from maybe as faraway is from Colombia. There is group of South Koreans but theyre from London; and then theres this Vietnamese from the US. The Spanish group left early for the next stop. As early as 6 am, I could hear noises from their next door room, flushing of the toilet, shower/faucet running. It appears 6 am is an automatic alarm for many Camino pilgrims.Except me-- I wake up much earlier altho I have so far been setting off last. Yesterday was Sunday, I heard mass and set off at 11.45 am, in the rain. Manu and his Italian friends would be the last pilgrims I will see on the road to the next stop, 25 kms. away. He took my heroic photo in the rain. We would all seek shelter and dry in a roadside cafe 10 kms. from Portomartin. I only realized I had resumed my walk too late ( 4pm) and had 15 kms more to do when unlike yesterdays walk no one was passing me by. I was dangerously alone in that last leg and reached Palas de Rei at 8.30 pm, cold and hungry. The thing about this walking pilgrimage, maybe all pilgrimages, is the spontaniety of doing things. No, better yet, of abandoning oneself to the Lord, trusting Him and His providence. I had my pilgrim devices: the scallop shell as my safe conduct pass; the walking staff as my helper over mountains and rough ground; my water bottle (with the crunchiest apple and orange) which nourish me; my poncho which protects me from rain-- and makes me lòok heroic, or a Bible figure; plenty of hope, for me and all of you, without which the hardships and risks would be pointless sufferings. And of course Clem, a traveling master, who is always with me, leading me on. Yesterday was a difficult one for me. For a while there I thought was getting the chills. Last night I had a hot bath and dipped my feet on even hotter water with salt, care of a Woody Allenish concierge. Am fine now and more than ready this time to continue this journey, at 9 am! STAY WITH US!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 06:01:43 +0000
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