El Camino - The Way #37

I Am Not Religious

I find it interesting that many of the people who we met on the Camino were very quick to reply "I am not religious" when discussing their motivation to walk the Camino - this was before I ever mentioned that I was a Roman Catholic deacon - to them we were nothing more than an older American couple with time on our hands to kill. From the way they say it - or from the tone in their voices - I perceive that they make that comment for a number of reasons.


#1 - they are religious - but are afraid that they will be labeled a religious fanatic - and will be shunned
#2 - they are Catholic - but not actively practicing the faith - and are afraid of being
shunned
#3 - they are not Catholic/Christian - but are seekers - looking for the Truth
#4 - they know the Truth lies in Jesus Christ - but do not know how to make Him a part of
their life
#5 - they have confused religious with spiritual - the two not being exactly the same

Everyone of us has a part of our being that is spiritual - basically - each of us embodies a trinitarian existence - the physical - the intellectual - the spiritual. Our physical is nurtured by the foods we eat and the games we play - the intellectual is nurtured by the works we read and the problems our minds contemplate - the spiritual is nurtured by religious devotions and the life experiences we encounter. Not all are religious - in the common sense - but all are spiritual - in the lives we lead - in the events we experience - in the peoples we meet - in the places we visit - in the things we hear and do.

To walk the Camino - is to touch the Divine - in whatever form or shape - one experiences such things - sight - sound - smell - taste - feel. Each person on the Camino is seeking to fulfill that inner part - we call our spiritual side - seeking to fill a void that is not complete - seeking to become whole - to answer questions - to receive answers. As we seek to fill our spiritual side - we do so - by religiously walking day after day to Santiago.

The same goes for Lent - so many people are seeking to fill voids that exist in their lives. It is possible that void may be filled by prayers - meditation - quiet - spiritual readings - even this blog.   All it takes is openness.

Where have you seen markers in your life? 

A lonely cross erected along the trail - additions by passing pilgrims  

We added one of the 500 Saint Gianna prayer cards we had printed up 

Country Church

At one time the rivers were so high these bridges had to be greatly elevated

note original bridge much lower 

The bridge is so high people with fear of heights have trouble crossing 

Water level very low now 

Old Roman stairs near river 

After the scary walk over the bridge - greeted with this staircase 

Portomarin 89.5 Km to go 

And then more stairs

And a short up hill yet 

A flat street - about time 

Pilgrim pointing to Santiago 

Church had to be disassembled from original lower location by river and

moved here to higher ground or be completely under water 

Sign explains the relocation of church 

albergue with a lot of younger pilgrims 

End of day - wine - beer - tapas

Another rough day - happy to shower - change - find drinks and snacks - waiting for dinner.

Sleep - bedtime prayers.

Deacon Dale 

El Camino - The Way #36

 Beginning The Official 100 Kilometers

Today began what we will call the "official" Camino. In order to qualify for the Compostela - the official pilgrim certificate - at Santiago - one has to walk a minimum of 100 kilometers before entering Santiago.  Today the Camino was very busy - we even had a section - similar to a few days go - when young children walked with their parents - or teachers - on a small section. The number of pilgrims was growing - with a few ladies who just started at Astorga - and others - who started the day before at Sarria - the "official" starting point for the 100 kilometer "club".  The walk today included a steep incline which we were not warned about - yet - none the less - we survived - along with the brothers from Idaho and one fellow who has enjoyed more than his share of the local vineyard.. One thing we learned was acceptance - of those who are different - who do not share your language - as the group from Germany - who entered today's albergue in full force. Today's walk was a short 13 kilometers - but a difficult one with multiple steep climbs - I have mentioned we were in the mountains - and very hilly terrain. Last night - after an early dinner - we skipped the pilgrim's dinner at 7:30 PM - and ate early - which allowed us to attend the Holy Mass at Iglsia Santa Marina - where a fellow pilgrim was moved to tears at the  meditation song after Holy Communion - a very nice Mass with a special pilgrims blessing. Afterwards we hung around to purchase an additional credential - our originals were filling up - and we need to collect a minimum of two sellos/stamps a day - we did not want to run out of space on our cards. Regarding Lent - we have one week before Palm Sunday - Holy Week - now is really a great time to get serious about your Lent for 2021.

Leaving Sarria we spy a bar advertising breakfast - yes time for cafe con leche y tostada

Now at this point tons more pilgrims just starting their 100 Kilometers

Village cemetery 

Bridge into the countryside 

Train crossing - pilgrims waiting

Arlene waiting - our yellow arrows

Walking in the morning fog again 

Where did they all come from? 

Foot - knee - hip - leg problems a reality 

Newer modern albergue

Yes busier - at least 15 pilgrims ahead of us 

Crib for drying crops

Many way markers get a graffiti treatment 

Surprise Miss Ostrich 

Waiting at our albergue for the night 

In Lent we normally spend a lot of time waiting - in prayer - in adoration - in meditation - waiting for God to hear our pleas.  It is all good.

Deacon Dale 

El Camino - The Way #35

The Camino is filled with all sorts of statues depicting pilgrims - in Northern Spain - the Camino is the life blood of so many locals - in some place locals would complain about strangers walking all over the place - in Spain - they love the pilgrims - their money - the freshness they bring to that area.  In Lent - those who introduce us to new insights - a blessing indeed. 

One Man's tin can - another's pilgrim 

Pleasant trail crossing a stream

Yes - some pilgrims ride horseback - lucky for them

horses not so lucky walking on stones

Another way sign - marking trails

Dangerous down hill - walk slowly 

if you look carefully there is a small gray triangle patch in the trees before  

the farm field - that is where we are heading 

Walking through the back yard of Northern Spain 

125 Kilometers - getting closer 

Hello Mr Bull

And in the middle of nowhere - a Coke machine - where did they get the electric

Heat - sun - dirt - rocks - a normal path

Way markers more frequent now every few kilometers 

And it's down and under and up a turn to the left - Hi Arlene 

A bridge made out of flat stones 

Time to make a decision - go left or right.

In Lent we constantly make decisions on which path to follow 

stay the course or make a change 

And this was the correct decision?

Looks can be deceiving - will she fall this down hill? 

Finally we are in "Sarria" - To qualify for the Compostella - the official certificate that says you walked the Camino - you must prove that you walked the last 100 kilometers - starting in this village and walked to Santiago 

St. Mary Church - if starting your Camino - get your pilgrim passport here

and official stamp to prove you were here 

City run albergue - very basic - cheap - shower & bed

Today we arrived in Sarria - another hot day - clothes filled with perspiration - this was the first public albergue we stayed at - very basic - ceiling just inches above your head if in a top bunk - I was - first time we saw other pilgrims walking around mostly naked with out a care who viewed them - obviously an European thing - not as shy as Americans.  After showering and getting into dry clothes - laundry - then headed out for wine and tapas and eventually dinner. 

Slipped into bed - night prayers - God is so good - no matter what your day has been light - always sending His blessings on us.

Deacon Dale 

El Camino - The Way #34

This morning we were greeted with fog - now in the Galicia region with a lot more green plants - more humidity which means our hiking clothes will be filled with perspiration very early in the day.  This albergue A Reboleira - one fo the best we stayed at - the evening community dinner made a big difference.  Often when we do even simple tasks - it's the simple things that make our experience even better - a simple Our Father - Hail Mary - can make a world of difference.

Our pilgrims from Australia getting their bike ready to leave 

Walking in the fog near the road - when our minds are in a fog - time to stop - rest

At this point seeing pilgrims ahead of us had become normal 

unlike all the previous days when we were alone 

And like that - more

Living on the edge - sitting on the ledge - yes big drop behind us 

As we walked up the mountain - we ended up inside the fog 

The Camino waymarks getting more frequent - many pilgrims place stones on top as prayers similar to lighting a candle - we left 500 Saint Gianna prayer cards as we walked

A down hill path hiding us from the hot sun 

And then we were back in the sun

Shade - but hard to see the rocks and tree stumps in the path 

Passing an 800 year old mill house

Made it to Triacastela  time to look for an albergue

Found it - time for a shower - dry clothes and you know what follows

Vino y Tapas

This was another shorter day - we are not in a rush - we allowed 7 weeks total and at this point we were ahead of the schedule because we jumped a few times mainly because of that blister on my foot that refused to heal.  Continuing our Lenten journey we still have about a week before Holy Week - so two weeks before Easter - still lots of time to make this Lent significant.

Deacon Dale