Again, this has to be a super-quick entry unfortunately - the only access I could get was in the local library with a twenty minute limit - most of which is spent working out the Spanish instructions!
The last few days have been amongst the most difficult (walks of almost 40 kilometres) and also the most rewarding (staying in two of the best albergue situations to date). My left foot is much better but have some kind of strain on my right lower leg now - however, am keeping up the kilometres so it´s not too bad. I´ve probably written this before, but this is an exceptionally difficult task - sleeping in a room with so many others, very limited toilet facilities, sleep disturbed by snoring and those who come in late after going out to eat (more of that later!), getting up every day before dawn, setting off with the knowledge that you´ll be walking for at least six hours (usually longer) with the uncertainty of a place in the albergue at the end of the day - only to be repeated the following day. There are many times when I ask myself ´why am I really doing this? How does it really connect with Mark and his death? Am I just blocking the pain or am I seeing what will happen? Am I even capable of this - I´m too old, too unfit, etc etc´. And the most extraordinary (or ordinary) things happen - conversations, insights, views - that help to put everything into a different perspective.
Briefly - two days ago, stayed at Guemes, an albergue established 17 years ago by the priest Ernesto Busito in his grandfather´s home. There were 12 nationalities that night and after Ernesto talked to us about the vision of the albergue as a place where people might share their stories and grow in understanding, and of his own work in raising consciousness of the situation of third-world countries, a missionary from Chad spoke to us gently about his work in Africa. Ernesto and some brother priests took a sabattical which turned into 27 months of working in three areas - industrial (mining in Venuzuela), agricultural (with peasants in Peru) and maritime work (in Senegal - I think it was somehow involved with pirate ships!). He was also priest for three years in a very remote part of the Pyrenees and Anne and Nefy made the decision to go to that community to visit, inviting me to come with them. Initially, I accepted and Ernesto was very keen that I should go, but I´ve decided that that is their journey and I need to continue the Camino. Since then, today, Nefy has had to make arrangements to return home - she pulled a muscle today and can no longer walk.
Last night, we stayed in a private albergue run by an old Spanish woman near the village of Santillana de Mer. That village, by the way, was described by Jean Paul Satre as the most beautiful village in Spain - it is literally like walking into the Middle Ages - absolutely extraordinary. Iris (the hospitalier) and her family basically welcomed us into her home, made a wonderful meal of meatballs and slow cooked meat in pimento sauce, and talked with us about her life. I think in both places it was a the quality of hospitality that was striking - we felt welcomed and embraced. Ernesto stressed too that the Camino is a meeting with the reality of self and others - and of life for others, that it is more than arriving at Santiago and chalking up the experience - there must abe a sense of opening our lives to solidarity, returning home with our lives transformed.
Two important discussions on the road - one yesterday with Paul, a middle-aged Englishman working in Mexico, walking after the death of his father. The other today with a young Frenchman, Olivier, also walking after the death of his father. Olivier told me how used to be a strong believer but is now deeply angry with God (his words). He had actually asked if he could walk with me because he heard me talking about Mark to Ernesto. I have 5 minutes left - so have to finish. I can´t say just how much came out of this conversation - it was like everything started making sense - everything I´d been thinking about the bigger story, about Edmund and the transforming effect of the death his wife, about all the things that happened around Mark´s diagnosis, illness and death. I wrote earlier about the Stations of the Cross in Lourdes, and I keep coming back to that story (a lot of the village churches are built on a hill and have 14 crosses descending the hill, so I trace the story again and again) - and today it was more about the Road to Emmaeus, that it didn´t make sense to the disciples then - well, I have to go, but you can work out the rest for yourself.
I carry stones for Savvas and Maria and for all those who also walk this road. Will try to write again tomorrow.
Take care,
Steve