Strength in Communty and Solitude

Palas de Rei to Ribadiso do Baixo

Thursday, September 25, 2008
approximately 25 kilometers (15 1/2 miles)
(click anywhere on the slideshow to go to Picasa for larger pics and comments)

I discovered today the power of community for someone walking the camino alone. I walked almost the entire day with three Spaniard guys who had more or less adopted me into their group. David, Jesús, and Antonio are three friends from Valencia who were walking for various reasons. I was tempted to name the three of them my Pilgrims of the Day, but they were a big part of nearly my entire journey - Pilgrims of the week would be a more appropriate title. Walking and talking made the 25 kilometers pass so much quicker. I found I needed fewer breaks, and felt like I was flying along the trail. It was still tiring, but much less so.

David, Antonio, and I discussed spiritual matters for a significant portion of our walk. Converstaion ranged over a variety of topics, but kicked off when they asked me if I was religious. Not being fond of that term, it took me some time to explain (mostly in Spanish) that I take my faith in Jesus very seriously, but that to me it is different from being 'religious.' I really worked hard to communicate that my faith is centered on the person of Jesus and my relationship with him. Over time, the conversation wandered over several other topics, but in the end I pray (and prayed!) that I was able to communicate this very important point and give them pause to consider Jesus a bit more as they journeyed.

When I first met Jesús in Portomarin, he asked me to sign his walking stick, and I noticed that he had writeen "Jesús es mi guia" (Jesus is my guide) on it. I asked him about it, and probably gave him a puzzled look when he said, "Soy Jesús." (I am Jesus), because I thought he was making some vague spiritual allegory about his camino and comparing himself with Jesus the son of God. It made a lot more sense to me when I finally realized the simple truth that his name actually was Jesús.

This perhaps would be a good place to explain what a typical day on the Camino is like, because this was the first day I truly followed a standard schedule that carries most pilgrims the entire length of their journey. An albergue usually sleeps many pilgrims in one room - I shared rooms with as few as 5 other pilgrims, and as many as 109 others. You wake up about 6:30 and pack up your gear in the dark as quietly as possible, in an effort not to wake the few fellow pilgrims in the room who choose not to get an early start. You may eat a small breakfast right away, or simply start walking without food. Either way, you are on the path by 7:30, give or take 15 minutes or more. About 2-3 hours into your walk you stop for coffee/breakfast/snack. Usually at a cafe or bar located right on the camino. 4 to 5 hours of walking may still be ahead, and depending on your company, your energy, and pace, you may take other breaks along the way (with a minimum of 1), including one for lunch around 1 or 2 in the afternoon if you've not arrived at your final destination in time.

The goal is generally to arrive at your final destination for the day before 2, as many albergues fill up quickly around that time. In most cases, you arrive before 2, check in, shower, wash your clothes (you travel with 2, maybe 3 sets of walking clothes), and hang them out to dry. THEN you often go looking for food. You have two choices, first, to find a market and buy food to eat on your own. This is much cheaper, but much harder to do when traveling solo. Many albergues even have a kitchen you can cook a meal in. The second choice is to find a bar/restaurant that offers a menu of the day. The menu includes a drink, two courses, each of which gives you several different options to choose from, and a dessert. All this for a relatively reasonable price. Once the meal is done, you have what's left of the evening to relax, check out the area around the albergue, meet people, read, journal, etc, etc. The day winds down sometime between 10 and 11 as you lay your tired body to rest in bed and try to get some good sleep before tomorrow's early start. Earplugs are a must!!

The albergue in Ribadiso do Baixo was situated in a peaceful and bucolic location, nestled in the hills of the Galician countryside next to a creek and an ancient roman bridge. Pilgrims have been staying in this spot since at least the 1500's, and perhaps longer. It was here in Ribadiso that I was reminded also of the power of solitude. Physically and mentally exhausted after a long day of walking and struggling through complex discussions in Spanish, I chose to share dinner with a group of 9 or so festive Spaniards that formed a large part of my temporary community as I walked. I made the decision partly out of a desire to be around others, but I quickly realized that I did not have the mental energy to keep up with a multi-layered and fast moving conversation. After a while, I simply gave up trying to keep up, and just ate. I realized that more than my need for community at that point, what I really needed was some time alone to recharge. I took the rest of the afternoon to do just that. It was a beautiful spot to take a few (very short!) exploratory walks and enjoy the country-side and the albergue. And as usual, meet a few other pilgrims. It did feel wonderful to dip my tired feet into the freezing cold water of the creek. I found genuine refreshment in having time alone for the rest of the day.