I finished the Via de la plata on day 23 averaging 45 km per day, arriving at Santiago early on a Sunday morning witnessing the other pilgrim's drifting into Santiago where all the caminos meet in the city square outside the Cathedral of St James.
I sat there for a while with my boot’s kicked off to one side, my rucksack sat behind me whilst I lay back on to it watching the pilgrim's souls as their epic journey came to an end, or where a epic journey was now in full flow. Many limped into the square from where blisters had occurred whilst walking, others carried injuries from sprained ankles or pulled muscles from around various parts of their bodies. Perhaps struggling a little but finding the willpower to carry on for whatever reason they had that invoked them to carry out such a call to one's life.
There was a great deal of mixed emotions in that square and around, some came in with a tear or two, others laughing smiling,hugging, dancing. Some bewildered and lost. Others seemed to have clarity of life that shone bright in their eyes. It was a very interesting time watching all these random souls young and old come to this sacred spot of Christianity where many had found their answer to life or perhaps just a piece of jigsaw that may of been missing for many years. Whatever their reasons, it was a great experience to be part of that.
La Plata:
After Zamora, North of Salamanca, you have to make a choice – whether to continue on the Via de la Plata in the same northerly direction to Astorga, and then to join up with the Camino Francés to continue to Santiago, or to go directly to Santiago along a route known as the Galician variant or the Camino Sanbrés which turns to the north-west and goes through Ourense to Santiago. Both routes are around 1,000 km in length. However I have heard joining up to the Camino Frances is more scenic that I don't know.
I found myself more interested in branching North-West because it is a more quieter route and less trodden, I found the countryside once again but was soon following roads from time to time, with the rush of traffic whizzing past me and the honk of air horns in a show of support to the quest of the camino. I found this pretty amusing so I started giving each lorry driver a dance routine as they came closer that kept me occupied whilst laughing to myself. I would dance on the spot like a little lunatic in hope for a honk,honk, as they zoomed past leaving me in a spray of grit and dust, wishing I had body arma for the hail of plastic bottles, beer cans and other human waist that I wish not to describe being thrown up from the verticals vapour trail, that left me searching for the light once again in my march to religion where I had decided to be baptised once again in the holy bath of wisdom and light.
I remember in my much younger days I was baptized where I struggled to hold my breath as I was dunked in the holy water. I thought to myself whilst surrounded in that mystical source that they must of mistaken me for a witch as they held me down a fair while as I gulped down bucket loads of this magical stuff. I am sure social services would have something to say about it in today's modern health and safety rules and regulations. “Still I'm sure the vicar got a good tip out of it.
Then the good old Guardia civil came chugging down the road, I love and respect them so much so I gave them my best funky chicken dance combined with a famous move from Michael Jackson that I questioned after I had done it, visualizing myself in a cell for the night followed by a batten to the back of the legs, but to my amazement a got a honk "Phew what no handcuffs and dominatrix"
The Caminos.
Unfortunately all the caminos do take you along a lot of roads, this is unavoidable in today's world. And the Camino dose mean “road” so over the years some parts of the actual pilgrim routes have been made into main roads for today's modern transport. But the good news is not all the roads are big and bad, there is a lot that are beautifully quiet.
“Don't leave home thinking you will be inpowered and surrounded by forest all day long because you will be greatly disappointed do your homework or just go”
The caminos throughout Europe takes you through some breathtaking scenery and history that throws you back in time, a great deal of the villages you pass through are extremely rich in historic history, many thing’s will capture your mind and interests to life. You will meet many people with many stories, some stories will make you cry others laugh. And more may give you inspiration to your own life. You will find yourself,and lose yourself, after a while you will feel each pebble underfoot and question your sanity in that moment, trying not to focus on how many kilometres are left in the day, or left to reach Santiago, you will question how heavy your pack is having your mind ask why you brought the “just in case kit” You may very well meet friends for life, and friends on the day you wish to lose very quickly. The wine you taste will be cheap but tasty and extremely up market. But then I don't play games with my drink seeing how many times I can swish it round my glass, then using it as some hi-tec mouthwash.
If drinking in between routes you may find yourself later a sleep perched up against a oak tree with the sun on your face, may be your wake with a cow's tongue in your ear if you're lucky, or an angry farmer shouting “Get off my land you dirty smelly pilgrim and take your socks and your posh whizard like Staff with you”
Perhaps your life would of changed on your journey where you will not be going back to the shadows that you came from, or decided not to go back ever. You may fall in love with the person of your dreams, you may also fall out of love with the person who you thought was your dream. Whatever happens the camino will work you, and this journey will be one that will never leave your soul, it will capture you in many ways that is guaranteed.
The accommodation: If you are using the Albergues. Be prepared for little sleep, snoring talking, bright lights on at odd times, smelly feet, smelly people, minimal privacy, great company, bad company. 50 Alarm clocks waking you up as dawn approaches, or perhaps still in the middle of the night for the night walkers who set of at 0:00 hours. You will go crazy at times, you will love it, you will hate it, and if you have not encountered this before just be aware of it. “spend money on extremely good ear plugs. And be prepared “zero privacy 1 hour sleep that way you will not be in shock” I could tell you more but this is the basic survival guide for you on today's blog.
There are many good and bad points about the camino, for me to say go or not to go would be wrong for me to do so, this is a journey for you to decide everyone is different in life and only you truly hold the key.
Belive in yourselves.
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