The Camino de Santiago (the story)
Intro
I began the day in mist and slow moving rain showers, wandering along a pavement as grey as my thoughts that early morning. In my confusion of the right direction I saw a poncho’d perregrino (pilgrim) approaching at fast speed. It was Rudi, a Spanish speed walker who covered a distance of about 60 km per day. We spoke of walking technique, pace and persistence as we covered a few kilometres together. As his speed increased I decided I didn’t need to walk 60km today. We parted ways in the drizzle.
The dirt pathway wound its way through a forest of Eucalyptus with a smell that induced health in the walker. In spite of this, I felt the tiredness in my body from the long day before and my mind began to wonder what I was doing here in the middle of a forest in Spain. It was a question that I often pondered on the trail.
The history
I was a bee and vegetable farmer for three years near the West Coast of Canada. Although the love for nature was strong, I found that my three years of farming wore me down. I had lost 80% of my beehives in the 2016/17 winter, this after two years of low honey yields. The garlic I grew suffered setbacks in 2016 summer due to disease and moist harvest period. Perhaps this was the uncertainty of agriculture playing its tough hand in my first years as a farmer.
Indeed these were the growing pains of building a new business. I knew this and still there was a question that continued to pester me like a younger sibling. “Is there a message the Divine is sending out that I can’t hear when i’m knee deep in the weeds? Is the drive to make this farm work blinding me to something bigger?”
When is a persevering spirit in order and when is it time to admit the need for a strategic retreat?
In early Spring there was a period of soul searching. Then one night I had a dream that i went to Spain to walk along the coastal route to Santiago de Compostela. This was the clarity that I needed. The next day I bought a ticket to Southern France to begin my walk a few weeks later.
The route
The Camino del Norte runs from Irun in Basque Country through to Santiago de Compostela, finishing off on the Western coastal towns of Finisterre and Muxia. The first days were spent with a friend from former travel days, Xabi in San Sebastian. After some pinxos (tapas) I was off to begin my walk in earnest.
When in Basque Country you will notice the pride of this nation within a nation. Spain appeared to be a collection of nations parsed together, each being proud of their culture, to the point of desiring separation. Two notable provinces include Catalonia (Barcelona) and Basque. While on my walkabout I happened to stop in a small village where there was a referendum being held regarding the independence of the Basque people. Although it was not an officially binding vote there was a high level of passion on the issue. I supported the cause by drinking apple cider and watching handball.
The Camino Family
When walking the Camino the pilgrim develops a strong bond with companion travelers. There is an intensity on the walk, as fellow pilgrims open their hearts and share their stories along the seemingly countless miles. There were stories of pain and hope, a father’s death, a struggle with depression, the desire to change one’s life, to regain a sense of purpose. The soul stirred along the journey along a river of thought and contemplation, laughter and memory making. There were unseen currents moving us all.
The Second Family
I had a foot issue and had to take a few days off. After I started walking again I met up with a new group of walkers who became the second Camino family. This family was eclectic and full of shenanigans. We got up to some seemingly bizarre antics, which seemed perfectly normal to us. It became a common refrain to say, “I did not see that coming.” Examples include:
The time in a town where we decided as a small family to increase the numbers for a dinner and had 13 people join in the making and eating of a pasta dinner. Things got a little strange when I opened up an invitation for each participant to choose a Camino Name after the dinner. We upped the ante by declaring that each Camino name must be christened by baptism. "With water?" you may ask. Certainly not for this group. Instead, Eric dug up a bottle of Asturias Cider, the local healing drink. It was one of the best times on the Camino. Everyone at the table felt included and accepted, sharing laughter, food and drinks (cider / wine / anise liqueur).
Then there was the time we crossed from the province of Asturias into Galicia. We decided that the “tradition holds” that a group crossing from one province to another must link arms crossing such borders. We had our high priest, Cheng, on hand to lead us in a ceremony of anise liqueur shots from a shell. (note to reader: The phrase “tradition holds” was used to denote a ceremony that was made up on the spot with the hope that it would eventually, by some miracle, become an actual tradition.)
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If anyone is thinking of walking the Camino del Norte, I highly recommend heading down along the Primitivo route. It was one of the oldest routes blessed by King Alfonso II passing along it in the 9th Century. Everyone I spoke with was blessed on this road. It had some elevation gain, but overall its quite alright and well worth the climbs.
Donativos
There are several different types of albergues, which is the term for Pilgrim Hostel, including religious (catholic), municipal, and donativo (by donation). If you walk the Camino please do stop in at the donativos. These albergues are private houses that are opened to pilgrims by generous-hearted hospitaleros (hosts). A pilgrim is expected to donate what they can and there is no pressure. What blessed me was this incarnate expression of generosity. They took a risk on us wanderers.
One of donativos that require special mention is in the town of Guemes. Occasionally, we meet those individuals who touch us deeply, even when our interactions are brief. Father Ernesto is one such man with a crop of white hair and a majestic matching beard. He held you in his gaze, revealing a heart of compassion and humility. There is an intensity about Ernesto that is neither pushy or overbearing, rather it invites. His connection with the divine is honest and non-religious. Each pilgrim I spoke to wanted to spend more time with Ernesto. This is a sign of true spirituality.
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