Ponte Sampaio to San Antonini023 kms.
Today Danielle joined me for a pretty walk through the tiny steep streets and old Roman roads of the villages, through vineyards and small holdings, to the beautiful city of Pontevedra. We called in at our Lady of the Camino sanctuary,the Shrine of the Virgin Peregrina, again full of beautiful flowers. When the churches are open, they look as though as wedding is about to happen.
My afternoon was solo again, and was meant to be an easy walk.
It was only a little panic- the sun was setting behind the hill, the village I was heading for was nowhere to be seen, and there was no-one around to try out my Spanish on. around the corner, I saw some builders still at work on a house. The conversation went like this.
Donde San Antonino?
You want an alberge for pilgrim?
No,I want the cafe Praza in san Antonino ( because I am meeting my amiga there, but I can't say that in Spanish or even Galician)
You want the pilgrim hostel. It is a long way, there..
No! Donde el Cafe Praza?
Finally the foreman came to the rescue, pointed out the lights over the valley and I dragged my sore leg and tired body down a winding road, up a steep lane, past the locked chapel, then up the N550 to the cafe where Rosemary waited.It was still not qhite dark, but I was glad she realised the panicky phone call was just to give my GPS position if I did not turn up!
We sat by a huge fire in a tiny stone bar, drinking vinho tinto de Rioja, local red wine, and I confessed to wondering aloud today why on earth I was doing this walk at all.
It sounded so intriguing, even romantic, a stroll in the park, back in NZ. I expected to get tired and foot sore, but had not anticipated the moments of anxiety, cold, and irritation with myself. I even experienced some competitiveness when the only other two pilgrims passed me just before Santiago, and I wanted to get there before them!. I quickened my steps,before remembering that it is not a race, but a journey, one that does not really end in Santiago. I read a nice quote from a pilgrim...
The Way to Santiago is as life itself. it is a marvellous experience. it has no end , because when you arrive, you realise that you have to keep on walking to St James, towards the others, towards your inner self, towards God. This will only be finished when the life that we enjoy day by day comes to an end.
I love the idea that Queen Isabella did this pilgrimage at least once, in 13th century, and that Thomas a Becket came over from England, where he was Archbishop, and made the pilgrimage this Portuguese way, not long before he was murdered in 1170. For me to place my footsteps where they and thousands of others have trod, and to join my humanness to theirs, my hope to theirs, is enough for now.
see some photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/ceridwynparr/CaminoToSantiagoDeCompostela#http://picasaweb.google.com/ceridwynparr/CaminoToSantiagoDeCompostela#
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