Buon Camino

On Arriving in Santiago

Susan brings us the update on arriving in Santiago.

Yesterday we arrived! A moment of grace.

Walking in groups of two or three or four, we made our way to Praza Obradoiro on the western side of the cathedral and stood with hundreds of other pilgrims to gaze in awe and wonder at this 1,000-year-old sanctuary and place of worship. The last four of us arrived at 5:30 pm, and on cue, we all gathered for a few photos.

It’s a moment that defies description. A moment of triumph and completion. A moment of relief and deep joy. A moment for profound, heartfelt thanksgiving. It’s over. We are safe. We did it.

Some of us walked 150 km over 8 days. Two walked 300 km over 15 days. Each of us “walked our own Camino,” and each of us walked in community. Each of us discovered that it was more difficult than we would have asked for or imagined! We were all physically challenged – including Dani – and we have the wounds that attest to this.

But we were also challenged emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. We learned again and again that the longest, most arduous journey is the interior. “One does not walk the Camino with one’s feet; but with one’s heart.”

On Saturday – today – early in the morning before it was yet dawn, a small group of us (Dani, Joan, Carla, Melanie, Greg and me) made our way to the tomb of St James. Joan carried the prayers, we knelt for a few brief moments, and I placed the blue bag of Redeemer’s prayers and petitions into the niche. Another moment of grace. Before departing, we asked for a portion of the saint’s courage and left praising God, St. James, St Michael, and the whole host of heaven.

As I write we are just leaving the pilgrim’s mass at noon, having been blessed by Word and Sacrament, and the cleansing smoke of the giant Botafumeiro.

Throughout our journey I was joined by the travelling mercies of this old hymn, which captures some of our experiences:

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.
This grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

We yearn to share more of this pilgrim adventure and our learnings on our return.

Our Pilgrims have arrived!

A full update will be posted as soon as we receive it.

Almost There!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Or so it has been written. That is an apt description of our Thursday. On Thursday, our group making its way to Santiago walked from Arzua to OPedrouzo, a trek of about 18 kms. For a variety of reasons, it was our most difficult portion of the Camino to navigate.

First, there was the expected. It rained. A lot. For some of the day the rain was light. However, for much of the day, it was a steady rain or, worse, it poured. We all became soaked to the bone. The sun would make an entrance, expectations were set, and then they were dashed by cloud and more rain. The trail became very muddy and slippery, and walking it was difficult. As we are progressing towards Santiago, there are more pilgrims on the Camino, and the dirt on the trail has become mud. It was a mess.

Melanie and Lee taking refuge during a downpour.

Then there was the unexpected. Shortly into her walking day, Dani developed some severe chafing on her two front legs. We are not entirely sure how that happened, but it became clear that she would not be able to walk for the rest of the day. She was in some significant discomfort. It was necessary to call a taxi for Joan and Dani.

Help along the Camino comes in many forms including three fellows who helped arrange a taxi for Joan, Carla and Dani

We have found it difficult to secure taxis because of the sheer number of pilgrims on the Camino. It takes a long time for taxis to come if you can even secure one. We have also found during our week in Spain that there are many angels willing to assist us. Today was no exception. With Dani in some distress, John enlisted the assistance of three young men on the Camino – Juan, Jose and Ramon. They helped him find a taxi driver who would take Carla, Joan and Dani to our accommodation for tonight, a farmhouse located about 6 kms outside of Pedrouzo.

When Joan arrived at the farmhouse she was advised that she would not be permitted to bring Dani inside. As it is in Canada, the position of the owner of the farmhouse was unlawful. Dani is a working guide dog, not a “mascota” (a pet). She is entitled by Spanish law to accompany Joan inside our lodging.

Soggy pilgrims arrive at the farmhouse where some of the group is staying.

Our tour company was contacted immediately, and they, in turn, contacted the owner right away to remedy the situation. The rest of us staying at the farmhouse stopped our walking for the day and joined Joan. Dani was safely inside and, shortly thereafter, her legs were bandaged. There are no restaurants nearby, so with the assistance of Melanie’s very capable Spanish skills, and Google Translate, our newly-educated host ordered in pizza and wine for us. All now seems to be going well.

John leading in song and Dani with her bandaged legs.

After dinner the group of us staying at the farmhouse spent the better part of an hour relaxing, and singing some songs. John and Deb prepared songbooks for each of us before leaving Toronto, and John has brought with him a small guitar. John has led us with his wonderful singing voice and talented guitar skills.

As always on adventures such as this one, there are many bumps on the road. Luggage is misdirected and has to be tracked down. Lodging is hard to find or difficult to get to. Taxis are impossible to secure when needed. Sometimes we need help. But the principle that “God provides” has been evident since we have started our pilgrimage. We have just experienced it in so many ways.

Tomorrow is the day we reach Santiago. Most of us will walk 21 km to the Cathedral, arriving during the late afternoon. Although we travel at different paces, we plan to gather just outside the gates of the city to walk to the Cathedral together as a community. We are all looking forward to it.

Rainy Wednesday

Today’s update is from Lee who notes there are no pictures to accompany this because the weather, as you will read, wasn’t that great.

Today – Wednesday – we completed another 14 km towards Santiago. By the end of the day, we found ourselves in Arzua, 38 km from the end of our pilgrimage. Arzua is a mid-sized town in comparison to others along the Camino, but is relatively poor. Tomorrow we walk 18 kms, from Arzua to O Pedrouzo.

Today’s walk was a real challenge, not only because of the consistently rolling paths, but because it rained for most of the day. Footing was very slippery at times. It was drizzling when we started in the morning, after we had been blessed by Susan. The rain intensified during the course of the morning. By noon the rain was very heavy. Then, within 15 minutes, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and our clothes, which were soaking wet, dried relatively quickly. We all finished our trek to Arzua before showers started up again later in the day.

Most of us have brought to the Camino hiking gear which largely shields us from the rain. If one’s feet become wet, blisters can easily form. That being the case, waterproof shoes are in order. We also have rain pants, waterproof jackets, hats, and waterproof pack covers to protect ourselves and our belongings from rain. Many pilgrims walk with ponchos, which also protect one from the rain. They can be a little awkward to navigate in, but are quite popular if their availability in local shops is any barometer.

A number of us have made acquaintances during the course of our Camino. One sees the same individuals from time-to-time over the course of the journey, popping up on the path or at a small cafe along the way. I saw one particular gentleman numerous times in cafes, and convinced myself that he was not actually walking to Santiago, but instead was eating his way to Santiago. However, I subsequently saw him walking, so my theory was disproven. As I have indicated previously, it is interesting to engage these individuals, who come from all over the world. I usually walk with a shirt that unequivocally identifies me as Canadian, and a number of pilgrims have noticed. The comments have been consistently positive.

Today I had the privilege of carrying the bag of prayers provided to us by parishioners. I placed it deeply into my backpack in order to ensure that it did not become wet. We are all looking forward to delivering those prayers to the cathedral in Santiago.

First, however, we have another 38 km to walk. About half of the remaining kilometres will be walked tomorrow. It looks like a grim day, weather-wise. It will rain heavily all day. The Redeemer pilgrims will dress with full rain gear, and start out early towards O Pedrouzo, with the goal of reaching the Cathedral in Santiago by late afternoon on Friday!

Greetings from the Camino

Today’s update is from Lee

On Tuesday we had a relatively short walk towards Santiago – 14 km in length. As always, the path to Santiago was characterized by long uphill grades and, then, long downhill grades. Over and over. Thankfully, the temperature was moderate, it was mostly cloudy, and there was no rain.

Before departing Susan led a group of us in prayer at a small church adjacent to the Albergue where some of us stayed overnight. We then started out on our walk. For the most part we have left the beautiful vistas behind us. However, the Camino continues to take us through old towns dotted with ancient buildings and small churches. There is something fascinating to see every step of the way.

Carol, Greg, Dave and I started out together. We are all sore, and some of us are suffering from significant foot issues. The one pilgrim whose feet are the most important for us to monitor is Dani, Joan’s guide dog. As of this morning, she appears to be fine. Dani remains a real trooper. A few days ago Joan and Dani traversed the most difficult 100 metres of the Camino that we have walked to date – a narrow, dark passage full of rocks, drops, and water. When they alighted from the passage, a number of pilgrims watching them make their way burst into applause for both Joan and Dani.

Dan isn’t the only small animal on the Camino. We have encountered many cats, mainly at cafes and rest stops. Greg is a cat lover, and it shows. Cats are attracted to him right away, and if there is a piece of ham nearby they are hand-fed a snack.

Before dinner last night the group celebrated Eucharist in a garden behind our hotel. Susan and Greg led, and John Deacon, who brought a guitar, songbook (and a wonderful singing voice) with him to Spain, provided the musical accompaniment.

Today we make another 14 km trek towards Santiago. Rain is in the forecast, both for today and tomorrow. We have not yet been faced with walking in constant rain, so this will be a new challenge for us.

The Pilgrims’ Update

Carol shared the news from the Camino in today’s update.

Our fourth day of walking started in the beautiful Galician city of Portomarin. The morning was crisp and misty. We started with Rev Susan and Rev Greg leading us in the Lord’s Prayer in English and Spanish. We reflected on the theme of the forgiveness and the small hurts that we needed to forgive such as speeding bicyclists on the trail and taxi drivers that won’t accept service dogs.

Our destination was Palais de Reis which is a 25 km walk. A group of pilgrims including Joan and Dani , wisely decided that they needed to take it slower today so they took a cab to the halfway point and had a relaxing walk into Palais de Reis. Another group braved the entire 25 kms. The weather was perfect and the walk was on dirt and pavement with a long gradual uphill climb followed by a long gradual descent The countryside was beautiful rolling hills and small forests. Although the trail was busy today many of us found each other by the end of the day so we walked into Palais de Reis together.

As usual, Dani was a celebrity on the trail. She is a superstar walker and has the best and most positive attitude of all the pilgrims!

We are all starting to fill up our Pilgrim’s passport. Every establishment on the Camino including bars, hotels and restaurants, and even vending machines have their own stamp. We will take our stamped passports to the pilgrim’s office in Santiago de Compostela and show the passport to prove we have walked the last 100 kms. They will issue a Compostela which is our certificate of accomplishment.

So what do we eat on the Camino? Galicia is famous for its seafood so there is lots of calamari and pulpo which is octopus. Pilgrim favourites are Galician broth which is a soup made with potatoes, cabbage, and beans, tortilla which is a potato omelette, and Santiago cake which is a local specialty made from almond flour. On the trail, we consume delicious bocadillos which are sandwiches made of large slabs of crusty bread and filled with specialties such as queso and jamon (ham and cheese ) or different varieties of omelettes. Some of us are fond of Spanish cerveza (beer) which we find quite restorative after a long walk.

Tomorrow is a blessedly shorter walk. We will continue to follow the yellow arrow markers on our path to Santiago .

Sunday’s Journey

Today’s update comes from Melanie.

Today we walked 22 Km from Sarría to Portomarin. The landscape, while still very hilly, began to take on a less wild, more pastoral appearance, reminding some of us of the Irish countryside. The path was wider today, and less rough, which our feet and ankles appreciated after yesterday’s often treacherous rocky footpaths.

Along the way – paths and pilgrims.

Sarria is a major starting point for many Camino Frances pilgrims since it’s the closest starting point to Santiago a pilgrim can pick and still qualify for a “Compostela”: an official record stating you have completed the minimum pilgrimage distance (about 100 km). As a result, the main trail, restaurants, and restrooms were much more crowded with pilgrims. At times this created challenges, such as long waits for food or toilets, and a bit more crankiness amongst patrons. However, sometimes the increased numbers were a blessing, as we met many interesting people on the way—including groups of cheerful teenagers on school excursions, who were excited to practice their English with us.

Scenes along the way: fields of sheep, a cross with prayers and, a shrine for prayers and intentions that included one for King Charles III.

After Saturday’s grueling unintended detours, several of us decided to walk the whole day together in what Camino writer Joyce Rupp calls “a relaxed manner.” We drank cafe con leches at a cafe, slowed down at times to better admire the stunning scenery, stopped when someone needed to take a bathroom break, and had long, interesting conversations as we walked— conversations in which we discovered more about each other as people and fellow parishioners. Another unexpected advantage of slowing down was that the waves of faster pilgrims started to pass us by, leaving us with shorter lineups for the “aseos” (toilets) and less crowding on the path.

Joan and Dani (sporting her Camino scarf and shell!)

By late afternoon of this, our third, walking day, some of us were starting to hit a wall. We decided it would be prudent for our group to take taxis the last few kilometres, rather than risk over-exhaustion or injury. However, post-Covid, taxis have become much more difficult to get on the Camino. One rest-stop owner told us we’d have to wait at least an hour. As our energy levels declined with the sun, we thought our prayers had been answered when a large taxi van came around the corner. A miracle! We waved it down and were about to pile in when the driver noticed Dani, Joan’s guide dog. The driver suddenly changed his tune about taking all of us. He claimed it was “against the law” for him to take the dog in his taxi , even though Dani was an accredited service animal. Joan, Susan and others argued with him that this was patently untrue. In fact, by Spanish law he had to accept Dani. However, the man continued to refuse, offering to take only some of us on to Portomarrin and leave Joan, Dani and Carla behind to walk. A Good Samaritan he was not.

We unanimously refused to leave anyone or any dog behind and sent the driver on his way with what I will call an “Anglican earful.”

Along the way, including Portomarin – the destination – in sight but still a ways away.

Interestingly, this very negative experience was oddly galvanizing. Whereas a moment before we had felt too tired to walk, we were suddenly full of renewed determination. We walked in solidarity together those last stiff and painful miles until we finally reached our destination a little before 7pm. Appropriately, our long-awaited dinner began simply, with bread and wine—and it was good.

The Second Day on the Camino

We have now all completed the second day of our pilgrimage from OCebreiro to Santiago, a 22 km walk from Tricastella to Sarria.

We met at daybreak in front of the old church in Tricastella. It was built in the 12th century, and most recently, in 1790, had a bell tower added. Susan led us in prayer, and wished us well on the day’s walk. Today, Carol carried the bag of prayers authored by Redeemer parishioners.

The weather was mixed. We started out in a light rain, and subsequently experienced clouds, sun, blustery winds, and more showers. Into the evening, the sun was out in full force. It was a crisp 10 degrees when we set out, and got up to the mid-teens by the end of the day.

Today’s walk was a difficult one. Some of us inadvertently took a longer route to Sarria, one which goes through the town of Samos. We ended up walking an extra 5 kms that felt like 15 kms when we were done. A few pilgrims lost track of the Camino path, which complicated their arrival into Sarria. For those who walked the direct route to Sarria, the day was less eventful. However, both routes are very hilly, and the aches and pains that we experienced yesterday were made worse by today’s walk. Dani continues to safely guide Joan along the way.

The path between Tricastella and Sarria is not as picturesque as our first day’s walk. However, the northern Spanish countryside continues in this area to be remarkably beautiful, characterized by lush green hills and small streams.

In most of the small towns we walked through there was typically an old church that appeared to have been built hundreds of years ago. None of these churches appeared to be active, but one can imagine how vibrant they must have been previously.

One of the things that is fascinating about the Camino is the physical appearance of the paths upon which we walk. Some of the paths are now paved over, but, for the most part, one walks on dirt and stone paths. Looking at the them from a distance, one can see how the feet of untold pilgrims over the centuries have worn down these paths into grooves in the ground. One wonders about who these people were, why they chose to engage in a pilgrimage, and how they accomplished their pilgrimage during a time when the supports that we have simply did not exist.

Tomorrow, we have a 22 km walk between Sarria and Portomarin. The path inclines for about 11 kms, and then declines for the remaining 11 kms. With any luck we will make it to Portomarin without the type of complications that we experienced today!

Day One is Done!

We have now completed our first day of the Camino, the 22 km leg from OCebreiro to Tricastella. It was an amazing experience.
 

We all gathered in front of the church in OCebreiro shortly after dawn. The sky was a beautiful mixture of oranges and blue. Susan led us in prayer, and we then started walking west towards Santiago – a full 155 kms away. The weather was spectacular – cool with clouds in the morning, sun in the afternoon, with a high in the mid-20s.

The walk between OCebreiro and Tricastella is said to be the most beautiful portion of the Camino. It did not disappoint – the beauty of God’s earth was on full display. The vistas were breathtaking – huge valleys of trees and farmer’s fields, with small towns dotted throughout. Beautiful wildflowers graced the path on the way.

The small villages we passed through along the way contained small churches, homes, barns, and other buildings which are hundreds of years old. Many of these buildings support ongoing farming and other local businesses. Many cattle were seen, and cowbells heard.

Our youngest walker, Dani, made the full distance with Joan and Carla. She was a real leader, setting the pace, and taking Joan safely through steep uphill climbs and very long downhill grades which led directly into Tricastella. Dani instinctively knew to walk from side-to-side down hills to make things safer for Joan.

We met a number of people from other countries during the course of the day. In particular, Deb, John, Carol and I befriended walkers from Australia. They are walking the Camino before moving on to visit other areas of Spain and Portugal. Interacting with people from other areas of the world is one of the highlights of walking the Camino. People come from every area of the world to walk. A pilgrimage serves to highlight just how much we have in common with citizens from other countries of the world.

Today Deb carried with her the prayers, hopes, and concerns of our parish – those which parishioners delivered to Susan before we departed from Toronto. The paper upon which those prayers are written on, and the bag that she carried the prayers in, are not particularly heavy. However, throughout the day she was struck by the weight and significance of the task she had been asked to perform. We will each take a turn experiencing the importance of transporting those prayers to the cathedral in Santiago over the course of the next week.

Tomorrow we continue our walk. We will travel 21 km to Sarria. Some of us are feeling a bit sore from one particularly long uphill portion of the trail today, and then, later on, a long downhill walk. We hope that the flatter terrain tomorrow will allow our legs to heal before we tackle a 25 km portion of the Camino a few days from now.

On Their Way!

It’s early Friday morning. Today we start our Camino, with a 21 km stage which is mostly flat, but has a steep downhill portion during the final 10 kms. It will be a real test of how well we have prepared for the Camino. Downhill walking is often more challenging than uphill walking. We will be treating blisters, but our legs and knees will require special attention and rest at the end of the day.

Yesterday was long and hectic. We departed from Madrid for OCebreiro by train. Two of our group, the Reverend Greg Carpenter and Dave Winegarden, joined us at that time. They just made the train before it pulled out of the station. It was great to see them.

On the train Carol, Joan and I met a woman from Atlanta, Georgia, who was travelling to Sarria with a number of friends to walk her first Camino. She was very friendly and excited about the experience. Getting on and off the train with all of our luggage was a real challenge – time tends to speed up during the chaotic process of embarking and disembarking. We were thrilled that our pre-planned taxis were present in Sarria to pick us up and drive us to our destinations.

The people you meet along the Camino are, for the most part, very friendly and helpful. Our taxi drivers got us to our destinations without a hitch. Most of us stayed last night at a lodge in Perdafina, a 5 km drive east of OCebreiro. When we arrived, our host greeted us and helped us into our various rooms. He called the taxi company to arrange for our transportation to OCebreiro this morning, and made a reservation for us at a local restaurant for dinner. Heather and Ruth’s host has been coordinating their transportation as well. Hospitality is so evident in this area of the country.

Today’s walk will be a special challenge for one of our walkers – Dani, Joan’s guide dog. Dani has been a fabulous travelling companion since we left for Spain last Monday evening. She assisted Joan with great skill while we were in Madrid, where the sidewalks were very congested at times, and littered with various obstacles, including construction vehicles and delivery trucks. There will be fewer people and vehicles to negotiate along the Camino, but Dani will be tasked with ensuring that Joan avoids walking on uneven terrain. We are confident that she is up to the challenge!

Joan will be walking the Camino with all of us, but will be joined in particular by Carla Agnesi, who met up with us late last night. Carla is a walking powerhouse. She just completed the English Camino two days ago – over 100 kms long – and now will be walking with us for 150 kms on the French Camino. Quite an accomplishment!

Our 21 kms today will be difficult, but from the drive to Piedfieta it is evident that the vistas along the way will be breathtaking. All of God’s greatness is evident here in so many ways, and we all look forward to experiencing that greatness in its full glory over the course of the next week.

Update One from Spain!

It’s Thursday morning, and most of the Redeemer pilgrims are travelling today from Madrid to OCebreiro. This afternoon we are making a 4-hour train journey from Madrid to Sarria, a town which is about 40 kms west of OCebreiro. There, we will transfer to a taxi van, which will take us to OCebreiro by early evening, if all goes as planned. We are staying in a number of lodges in and around the town.

Some pictures from the first day:
The Church interior. The plaque outside the church in Madrid. A statue of St James. The ever-important passport!

Yesterday we visited a church in Madrid which focuses part of its ministry on pilgrims who walk the Camino. We each secured a pilgrim passport. These passports are stamped along the way, to confirm that we have walked the 100 kms necessary to secure a certificate which attests to our walk. The priest blessed us and one other pilgrim who will be walking the Camino. We briefly spoke with the other pilgrim after the service. She is from Russia, and will be starting her walk from Astorga, Spain.

J
Joan, Dani, Lee and Melanie.

In fact, a few of the Redeemer pilgrims have already been walking the Camino. For the better part of the last week Heather Bennett and her sister Ruth Morrow have been in Spain, walking eastbound on the Camino from Leon towards OCebreiro. We will meet up with them later today or tomorrow morning, and commence our journeys to Santiago together. Yesterday Heather and Ruth walked 32kms, largely uphill, ending their day in OCebreiro. They have wisely built in an extra day to rest their feet before tackling the final 150 kms of the Camino with us over the next 8 days.

The walk from OCebreiro to Santiago will be a challenge. We will undoubtedly face difficult walking conditions. Many blisters will be incurred! However, we are all looking forward to this experience, building our community, and learning a bit about ourselves over the next week.

Ready to Go

Blessing the Pilgrims

Here is a message from Lee as the group makes their final preparation and heads off.

One definition of a “pilgrim” is a person who makes a journey to a holy place for a religious reason. Starting on September 22, 2022, a group of 14 Redeemer pilgrims will gather in OCebreiro, Spain, to commence a 150 km pilgrimage west along the Camino to Santiago, Spain. Their goal is to arrive in Santiago on September 30, 2022.

The Redeemer pilgrims include 9 members of the Redeemer (The Reverend Susan Haig, Deborah Deacon, John Deacon, Heather Bennett, Francis Pillman, Joan Robinson (and her guide dog Danielle), Melanie Stevenson, Carol Ritter, and Lee Shouldice). We will be joined by 5 friends of the Redeemer (The Reverend Greg Carpenter, Ruth Morrow, Carla Agnesi, Sky Weishar, and David Winegarden). After many months of physical, mental, and spiritual training, including a number of local pilgrimage, walks with parishioners of the Church, the Redeemer pilgrims will walk approximately 19 kms each day, rain or shine, through the region of Galicia, Spain.

Parishioners were asked to share their burdens, cares, hopes and dreams with us, by providing them in writing to Susan Haig. Many parishioners have done so. All have been placed into a blue knapsack. We have undertaken to carry those messages with us, along with our own, to the tomb of St. James in Santiago. Each Redeemer pilgrim will take a turn carrying the knapsack on our way to Santiago.

What any given pilgrim experiences while walking the Camino differs, depending upon the individual. Each evening we hope to send an update regarding the day’s pilgrimage to the Redeemer, which will be posted here on the Church’s website. As the pilgrimage develops, we hope to communicate to parishioners of the Church what we are experiencing, and what we learn about ourselves.

Those of us walking the Camino have been guided by the following prayer, authored by Joyce Rupp and Tom Pfeffer, two individuals who walked the Camino over 15 years ago:

Guardian of my soul,
guide me on my way this day.
Keep me safe from harm.
Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth and all your family.
Strengthen your love within me, so that I may be an icon of your presence
in this world.

During this time, the Redeemer pilgrims ask for your prayers and support.