The Unencumbered Life

We are back in Rota, enjoying some down time before we begin our homeward journey. We are staying in an apartment on the beach near Cadiz. We have stayed here before and appreciate the seclusion and its proximity to the sea. We have the entire upper floor of the building which houses a three bedroom apartment. Our balcony is huge and overlooks the sea. There is a little market up the street and we are able to get a few provisions to sustain us. There is no wi-fi except for the occasional moment when we stand on the lower terrace with our hands and devices in the air looking for a signal. It is but a fleeting moment if we are able to find it at all. We have no car nor is there anyplace we wish to go. The weather, which is usually exceptional and warm, has been inundated with the most beautiful lightening and thunder storms I have ever seen out on an ocean. The winds so fierce we could not leave our house even if we wanted too. We are secluded in this haven. We want for nothing. The blinds are up and the storm windows closed. Our companions are the sounds of the wind, rain, thunder, and the crashing of the waves as they pound on the sand and rocks below us. We have each other and we have solitude.

I have found there is beauty in solitude. It is one of the elements of my life that I have not cultivated or enjoyed nearly enough. In these moments I reflect upon the last few months and contemplate what God would have for me. I found myself thinking time and again of a seed pod I had seen in both Portugal and Spain. It had held my interest because of the way the pod was encased and held to the plant. The thing that encumbers it, while having the appearance of a stronghold, actually is very fragile and with the slightest movement or change it could be free. It just doesn't know it.

I have had many miles to contemplate this and began to wonder what it is in my own life that encumbers me. Could it be the expectations and limitations I have set up for myself? Am I fearful of what I do not know and do I fret over what I can not change? Am I capable of freedom from these things with just a mere shift in my direction and thoughts? I like to think that I can embrace the freedom of change without discomfort but there are times that I have not.

Over four hundred miles to walk and pray about this. Each day I have had the opportunity to put into practice the foundations for living a truly unencumbered life. I am reminded of my life on the trail. When I awake I do not need to be in full control or know all the details or the outcome of my day. If I seek Him I know I will be exactly where I am supposed to be. I know I will rise, and in this case, head in a northerly direction. I do not need to fret about what might be ahead or the things I can not change. I know that I will be okay no matter where my path may lead or what unforeseen storms come my way. Sometimes the road before me will be hard. I will still be okay. Peace and kindness surround me and I will find what I need if I am willing to seek Him in these matters. When I am attuned to His Spirit I see the many ways He cares for me. These gifts are intentional on His part and designed to bring joy into my life. I do better if my load is light and I do not carry a heavy burden.  Each day the sun will rise and set without any intervention on my part. I just have to be free to enjoy it.

So I think of the seed pod. Encumbered by chains that hold it captive, surrounded by freedom a breath away. I am really no different unless I choose otherwise. I long for the unencumbered life and so my journey continues.

We are heading home via Washington DC, Tacoma Washington, and then on to Travis. We are excited to be home. A warm fire, a pot of soup, and time with you as we share life and look forward to all that is yet to be. You are loved...Buen Camino.

The Zero Kilometer

Once we entered into Spain the trail markers along the way begin to tell us the kilometers remaining before our arrival to Santiago. I have to admit this is very encouraging as you watch the kilometers whittle away and know you are making progress towards your goal.

It was a very different walk for us this year in many ways. We were different, our reasons for walking were different, and I think what God would have for us was very different. I was not sure what to expect when we walked into Santiago.

When we crossed the border from Portugal to Spain I wept. I have to admit I was proud of this accomplishment. If I had not walked any further I would have been content. But, we did walk further and when we walked into Santiago I felt the same rush of emotion. It is like graduating from college. For what seems like the longest time you do all these little bits of work and finally it all comes together. You've finished and for just a moment you get to acknowledge the completion of something you have worked so hard to attain. We entered the city from the Southwest this time which is a route less travelled by most of the pilgrims. We were the only ones walking in this way and we just held each others hand as we did so. There was something beautiful in the solitude and I think it held greater significance to me than if we had walked in with others. When you attend the pilgrims mass one of the things they say to you is it is a good thing you have done. Those words are the most meaningful to me. Tom and I said it to each other as we entered the cathedral plaza and spoke words of gratitude and kindness to each other before we walked on down to the zero kilometer mark.

While those words are the most meaningful to me the most meaningful celebration is the lighting and swinging of the botafumeria. In the past when pilgrims left their homelands they may have walked for several months or years before they completed their pilgrimage. They may have slept in stables or outdoors and may not have had the luxury to bathe every night. The botafumeria contained both incense and disinfectant for those who attended. Now it is a glimpse into a bygone era and for whatever reasons it moves my heart in a way I can not explain. It is stunning to watch as the monks, in their dark red robes, work in unison to get the huge incense burner up in the air and swing it across the entire lenght of the cathedral. It is a well orchestrated event and must be done to perfection. When it is over I feel as if this part of my journey is complete.

We will wait a day or to see if the weather clears before we decide to walk on. For now we will relish this moment. No decisions need to be made nor do we have to be anyplace. We will just enjoy these moments of celebrations. We are a few days away from Tom's 74th birthday. I can think of no better place to celebrate.

We are thinking of you...Buen Camino.

Padron, Spain

For those who follow the stages in our guidebook, Padron is designated as the last stop before Santiago. We have decided to alter this section by dividing it into two stages for a variety of reasons. There have been torrential rains for the last several days and we have had to alter our pace as we climb up and down the hills. We had heard about a lovely town at the midway point with a beautiful casa de rural. These happen to be one of our favorite places to stay and with the cold weather and rain a nice warm farmhouse sounded perfect for the day. It also meant we would arrive into Santiago earlier the next day. We could enjoy some of the afternoon before joining our friends for an early birthday dinner for Tom.

 Padron is a town with a lot of history and we wanted to investigate some of those sites. Legend has it that this was the area in which Saint James the apostle preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. The old Roman bridge still stands where he reputedly stood speaking to the crowds. It is also the place where the boat with his remains was moored before being taken to Santiago for his burial. The mooring rock still remains in the small church here.

It is also the home of two noble peace award recipients. Roslia de Castro and Camilo Jose Cela. Roslia was one of the first women writers to be recognized by Spain for her soulful writings of love and longing. A lot of flamenco music is adapted from her works. Camilo Cela won the Pulitzer peace prize in literature in the 20th century for his writing about the history and life in Spain. He also lived and died in Padron. The people in Padron are very proud of their history.

There is also a monastery just out of town which was established in the 17th century by monks from South America. They reportedly brought with them the seeds for the legendary Padron peppers. This is still the only place in all of Spain that produces these wonderfully delicious peppers from those heirloom seeds.

We are excited and slightly surprised that we are at this point in our journey. It has gone by so fast. There were moments when we longed to be in this place but I think we will miss the walking even more than we did after our last pilgrimage. We are still considering a walk along the coast but we will wait and see how the weather looks when we get there.

Until then, we are thinking of you. Longing for the time when we are together again and sharing life. Buen Camino.

Spain

I have to admit, there were many hours along the way in which I longed for Spain. Galicia always holds a tender spot in my heart. The rich earth, the Celtic appearance, the food, and walking through the many villages and watching life on the rural farms  always warms my heart. I find I have daydreamed about this area many times.

We have walked through many towns these last few days. Each of them so very different from the one before. We stayed in the family run Hotel Azul in Porrino where we given a basket of pretzels and ice cold beer when we arrived. It was such a treat! The family lives in the hotel and each of the sisters took turns taking care of us. 

In Redondela we stayed in a private albergue. Our room was red and had a balcony that overlooked the small cobblestone main street. It looked like downtown New Orleans. 

We ended up staying in a four star hotel in Ponterverda because it was at the right place at the right time. All the locals came to the bar downstairs to watch the soccer match. It was fantastic. We meandered through the old city and sat out in the plaza in the evening and watched the families spending time together. Needless to say, this reminded us of you and we missed you very much. 

The rain began as we entered Caldas de Reis and has been with us ever since. We get in and change to something dry and then find a bar/cafe and enjoy our time with the locals and fellow travellers. From Lisbon to Porto we only saw eight other pilgrims walking. Now we see eight each day.

We are enjoying these days. Even the rain brings us some delight. I have come to enjoy the speed (and location, as in bus stops) in which Tom can change into his rain gear. It is quite a sight to behold. We will be in Santiago shortly. The time and miles are flying by.

This has been a very different journey for us. I can hardly wait until I see you and tell what it has been like. I'll put on a pot of soup and we can sit by the fire. Looking forward to that time. Until then, you are loved... Buen Camino.

From Portugal to Spain

This morning we crossed the border from Portugal into Spain. We decided to spend the night in the castle in Valenca, Portugal and walk over in the morning when we were well rested. I have to tell you it was very exciting to me. I don't say this very often but I was proud of Tom and I. It was really quite an accomplishment for us. As you know Tom had surgery this past summer and there were many days when I thought we would not make this trip at all. One step at a time and we have walked from one country into another.

The international bridge is a stunning piece of architecture. It is both simple and classy. It was an exciting moment as we crossed over. We are are a little over 100 km from Santiago, Spain. Depending on the weather, we may walk over to the coast and enjoy the coastline for a while. We are still contemplating this as we walk.

We think of you in these beautiful moments. These are the times I miss you the most. Longing to share these special moments and places with you. But for now, we carry you in our hearts.

 Love you so very much...Buen Camino

Ponte de Lima to Rubiaes

It was the perfect day to walk as we left Ponte de Lima for Rubiaes. We had such a lovely time I have to admit it was a little hard to leave. We got up early and stopped for coffee at the local coffee shop. By 7:30 the room was full of locals drinking coffee and port wine and the the cafe was abuzz with laughter and loud, playful conversations. We wished we were a little more fluent in Portuguese so we could contribute. It was the happening place this morning.

Our walk was only to be about 15 miles and we had a very steep hill to ascend. Once we set out there were no places to stop so we packed our lunch. It was hard climb but so very beautiful.

We were warm and sweaty when we came into town. We chose our albergue because it was a private home that had been converted to a pilgrim shelter. For us, they feel a bit like home and we always enjoy visiting with the people who live in these beautiful country villages. I will never forget as we walked up the last little hill. Maria, our hostess, stood in the road with her apron on and welcomed us in. She poured us a glass of her homemade vinho verde (red wine) which she scooped out of a barrel for us. She then picked up some chestnuts and quickly roasted them for us while we sat and rested our bones. We talked for the longest time and she told us what life was like for her as a widow with four daughters. Times had been very hard for several years but she was doing much better now.

After an hour or so she brought us a plate of freshly made arroz con leche and served us like we were high school football players after the football game. Needless to say, we did not need dinner that night. I think one of the things I appreciated the most was her generosity. Often times, after hard seasons in life we hesitate or hold back out of fear. She did not. She was very kind and generous and gave freely.

The countryside becomes much more beautiful as we head northward. We will be in Spain soon to a more familiar Camino. While that is very exciting to me I will miss these moments. The times when we are sitting and chatting with someone we have just met. Drinking wine from a barrel and eating freshly roasted chestnuts on the terrace. These moments only occur because I am here in this moment. It was a beautiful exchange of experiences by two women who had never met nor would probably ever see each other again. I will carry this moment with me and in the years to come I will always remember it with great joy.

She invited us to stay at the castle in Valenca which is just south of the Spanish border. We will consider this as we walk. We are excited to know that we are close to Spain and yet a little sad to leave Portugal. This walk has had its' fair share of hard moments but the beautiful encounters with the Portuguese people have by far exceeded any hardship we may have experienced. It has been exactly what we needed.

We are thinking of you each and everyday and are hold your heart next to ours. Looking forward to our return when we can be together again. You are loved...Buen Camino.

We May Never Pass This Way Again

We may never pass this way again...I know that sounds the like the words to an old Seals and Crofts song but today those words hold great significance to me. The course of events were phenomenal and I know I have not yet unwrapped all layers of the gifts that were given to us.

It started rather ordinary. According to the weather forecast it was to be clear in the morning with no rain expected until about one in the afternoon. We had heard about a beautiful Quinta about 15 km away and thought we would have a short day of walking and enjoy most of the day and evening in the beautiful old farmhouse. With the expectation of rain in the afternoon this seemed like the perfect plan. We got ready and headed out the door and within three minutes it started to rain. Not just a light misty rain but a downpour. Apparently the weather had not heard about the forecast prediction. Our walk today would take us through the forests with one major hill to climb. When the clay gets wet it is very slippery and hard to maneuver. We had five miles before we would find a village and cover of any sort.

Our devotional for today reminded us to trust God and go gently through this day, keeping our eyes on Him. I will open the the way before you as you take steps along your path. I'd like to say I knew everything would go according to His plan but I felt a bit anxious as we started. As the rain fell harder I began coming up with numerous back up plans. And then, God opened the way.

We had stopped for a moment in the middle of the road and a running team came along. Once you are north of Porto everyone recognizes you are on pilgrimage and heading to Santiago. They want to stop and assure you are heading the right way and wish you a Buen Camino. Today was no different except we had decided we would not go any further with the rain so heavy and the roads so slippery. As it turned out there was a race today. Teams were running from a distance of about 20 miles away and ending in Ponte de Lima as a part of a large marathon event. Our team was a part of this event. When they heard of our plan they stopped and offered their assistance. They walked back into town with us and carried our bags.They got us a cup of coffee and called someone to drive us into Ponte de Lima. Once we were settled they ran off in the rain to continue their race. We were so touched by their genuine concern and kindness towards us.

That in itself was incredibly beautiful but as we sat in our nice warm room overlooking the river we saw our team come in. Bravo we shouted from our balcony window and they came to us to make sure we were warm and settled.

We will stay a day or two in Ponte do Lima. It is considered the oldest town in Portugal and it is very beautiful. We have a beautiful little pensao overlooking the river. There is an Italian restaurant below us with a fire oven and the most delicious smells wafting up to our room. And, we may never pass this way again so Carpe Diem. We will seize the day and just enjoy the beauty that is here.

I am learning so much...Trusting in Gods perfect plans. Being reminded that He doesn't need me to have a back up plan in case His doesn't work. The exquisite beauty in the way in which He shows us He cares for us. There is so much more for me to learn. I think of you and hope you know that you are loved...Buen Camino.