Turtle Camino

I arrived in Astorga early Sunday afternoon after a twelve kilometer walk to Hospital de Orbigo from Villadangos del Paramo. On The Way I met Jurgen, a thick, tough German man with bright blue eyes filled with compassion and wonder. Seeing that I was walking as slow as he, he took me under his care as we crossed the great Gothic Paso Honroso bridge, the sight of the famous 1434 jousting tournament. Together we got a cup of coffee and then headed to Astorga, not by foot, but by taxi, a lucky break for both of us. When we arrived at Siervas de Maria someone called to me. "Thomas!" I embraced him in a log hug, tears flowed from my eyes. I was so happy to see a familiar face. 

Thomas, a German man from Peissenberg, not far from Munich, was waiting for his friends whom had yet to arrive. Thomas started the Camino in SJPP same day as I, and though we had not spent too much time together, his face was all I needed to feel back among family. I checked into the albergue and went about my normal routine, pleased to be back among familiars.
Thomas and I spent the day together is Astroga. A fascinating small city, it was alive with Spanish families enjoying their fiesta. Many shops and restaurants were open and it was a pleasing day of rest and relaxation. Thomas too has been suffering from an injury so we spent time treating each other's injuries with muscle cream, ice, and magnesium. After receiving numerous e-mails from friends and family filled with words of motivation, encouragement, love, and in some cases whoop-ass, I decided to keep going with my Camino. Thomas and I agreed to walk together Monday morning...slowly.

Monday's Camino was the greatest of all Camino days so far. Thomas and I were joined by Ann, a terrific, optimistic Candian woman who has been walking with a fractured foot since shortly after Pamplona. Together the three of us sauntered along the Camino at the pace of three turtles. The Turtle Camino, as we have come to call it, was brilliant. The landscape between Astorga and Rabanal was relentlessly breathtaking. Many villages with fantastic bars offered coffee, ice cream, and other delicious snacks making the twenty kilometers that much more wonderful and easy to take.

Conversation was minimal during our walk but we spoke of many things while resting. Thomas dreams of one day having an albergue in Spain; this is his second Camino. He is doing this one for his friend who is now in a wheel chair after a motorcycle accident. Ann and I continued to build on his idea suggesting this and that as we walked along: A 24x7 restaurant with real food, a juice bar, massage therapists on staff, a sauna, and a general store-all with the intention of helping our fellow peregrinos. But until today I could not have foreseen myself ever living in Spain to join in such a dream.

 
 
Then we arrived in Rabanal, population 73. It's an adorable village hosting several albergues and small shops. It has a fantastic earthy vibe and is the first village on the Camino that I've found with a bar that has a kitchen that's open all day (vegetarian options too!) and stores that offer healthy snacks. There are a couple of small churches in town, one of which was the most humble I've ever seen in my life. It occurred to me with a few minutes of being in Rabanal that I could live in this town quite happily.  For the first time since I arrived in Spain I felt truly at home. One of the best parts about Rabanal is all the animals that live harmoniously and quite freely throughout the village. Comfortable with each other and with peregrinos, we spent the afternoon enjoying their company. It was the best of Camino days.

There are a few things the Camino has shown me the past few days that I must note. First and foremost: Friendship and Love. Loved ones have carried me on this Camino when I literally could not carry myself. Thank you, each of you, for your constant encouragement, motivation, and love. Second: slow down, take time. Aleix once said to me, "It's better to be the tortoise than the hare because the tortoise always finishes." Nothing proved this to me more than this day, the best of all my Camino days, my Turtle Camino. Perseverance is key but must be balanced with wisdom. I have learned that my body can, will, and should override my mind at times. Thomas said today, "Santiago will still be there when we get there." Perhaps today was perfect not because of where I was but the pace in which I took it in... And finally, the old familiar saying, "Don't quit before the miracle."