I did something people don’t do on the Camino (a consistent pattern for me) and was rewarded in spades. It started last Sunday when I hit Sarria which is the starting point in order to walk 100km to Santiago. I don’t know if it was because it was Sunday or the first weekend of summer or the first weekend that school in Spain let out.
No less than 2000 pilgrims joined me just outside the town. After 460+ miles of solitude and contemplation on daily walks I was dodging busloads of chattering children and iphone speakers blaring and giggles galore. Was I at Disneyland? I managed three days of walking as if I was in Times Square before I finally said, “Enough” I caught the bus BACKWARDS 70 miles. I had to get back to the peace and serenity that was the Camino for me. And I began again the trek from Cebreiro to Sarria. I fell into a group at dinner who were celebrating Olga’s birthday.
After dinner this group decided we would each write what we wanted to let go of on a torn piece of the paper tablecloth. Then we went into the foggy night at the top of this mountain town and formed a circle and burned our paper. It was magical and mystical and serene and I was back on My Camino. Since I was merely following their lead when they took turns jumping over our fire, I simply smiled to myself and jumped as well, not having a clue what the significance of this ritual meant. I just knew I wasn’t at Disneyland anymore.
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