Then that night I dreamed that my community leaders were rejecting me, because I had not been as involved the last few years. At the same time, all the community members were still looking to me for direction. I woke up covered in sweat.
Day 17 was also the day we joined the Camino Frances (at Melide). We had been planning to forge our own path to the North of the Frances, to try to keep away from all the crowds. Maybe the card was telling us not to? Or at least, not for all of it?
The route for the day was 22 km, first up and over a mountain, then mainly downhill to Melide.
We woke up a bit earlier than usual, to try to leave a bit earlier and beat some the heat. I got nine hours of sleep, but somehow it felt like only about five hours.
I only had a bit of cheese left to carry with me, but I didn't want to put it in my bag, after the "great cheese fiasco" of Day 10, where my cheese melted all over inside my pack, causing me to wash just about everything.
We set out together, and for the first time just naturally walked together. My pack felt heavier than usual, I felt draggy, and we both wished could have stayed another day at Casa de Ponte.
Getting closer to Merlán, I started to feel normal again, and my pace naturally picked up.
I played "over or around?" with a rocky outcrop I could see on a nearby hill. (Spoiler: over.) I thought it might be the ruins of the old hospital.
We stopped at Casa Goriños in As Seixas for about 30-40 mins, to rest and get a drink and a sello (stamp). It was a very neat looking bar. I noticed that most pilgrims just went in to get their stamps, then left without buying anything.
At the top of the hill with the rocks, I played the "over or around?" game with the next hill that seemed have ruins on the top. (Spoiler: up to the horizontal line, then along it.)
For the next half an hour or more, I ended up walking in the middle of what I guessed to be a large scout troupe, based on the ratio of adults to youths, plus the fact that some of them wore matching scout-like kerchiefs. They talked and sang and laughed as they walked.
At the peak of the hill, another large group of youths was sitting in the shade. Passing them and going into the quiet pine forest was lovely.
Emerging from the point forest, I saw a big city ahead: Melide.
At the 74 km marker, was yet another group of youths. I was starting to think it must be a school. They had their packs off and many sported the same green t-shirts with something to do with Valencia on the back. I had read that some schools have some kind of course credit for walking the Camino.
On the long walk towards Melide, I thought more about how I walked "with my hands full." Earlier, I had joked that Cathleen always had her hands full, too, because she walked with poles. She laughed, "they support me!" So I joked back, "mine inform me of my path (cell phone) and nourish me (food/water)." Then we paused at that. Maybe it was not that I had my hands full, but *what* they were full of... burdens or things that served me?
Then I thought about how having my water bottle in my hand ensured that I was constantly drinking it. Cathleen's brush with heat exhaustion the day before was partly due to her having her water in her pack, and therefore only accessible when she stopped and took her pack off. She also noticed that in the hottest hardest most exposed areas, she "powered through" rather than resting/eating/drinking MORE than usual, and we talked about how symbolic that could be for her everyday life.
Cat caught up with me, and wanted help getting her water out of her pack, then take a rock out of her shoe, and by then the school group was starting to pass us again. "Oh noooooooooo!" Cat groaned and she started running, her shawl flapping out behind her like a flying nun. At the next fountain, in Vilamour, I managed to pass the group leaders again.
I stopped at Bar Paradilla and ordered a KAS Limon, and took out my money and my Camino passport. She brought out the stamp, but then the group leader for the school came in, and started asking about ordering a million bocadilla for his group. The woman got distracted and walked into the kitchen. So took my sello (stamp) and I left. I had no patience today for the typical 30 minute wait for service to buy a canned drink (that sits a foot away from the server!)
Even though was perfect timing for a break, and lunch, for that matter, I didn't want end up stuck there with 50 noisy teenagers, so I popped out the door, sans KAS Limon, opened my umbrella, and chugged more of my own water on the road.
A little further down the road, there was a neat man-made water station. Just in time to refill my bigger water bottle that I had guzzled. :)
On the outskirts of Melide, I heard a series of gunshot type sounds. This time I knew to look to fireworks. Yep, there they were! At 2 pm, for some reason! I had felt like I was walking alone, but when I turned around I saw a long string of school youths behind me.
Walking through Melide, there was some kind of fair happening, with vendor stalls and even rides for the kids. A band played loudly from the main stage. The streets were packed. Looking at people drinking pints on the bar patios, I considered stopping for a drink/snack, but thought I might end up drinking beer, which probably would not help any. Besides, the fact that I was squinting at the band's music made me realize I needed quiet time. I kept an eye out for an ATM and a mailbox, but found neither! I continued on to the hotel, figuring I would find them in the evening. I groaned when I noticed that our hotel was on the opposite side of town, but as I got closer, I really appreciated that the city noise almost completely disappeared.
I knocked on the door of A Lua Do Camino at 2:22pm. It seemed like a good sign. In our room I munched on a peanut butter power ball, ate some melted cheese, and lay down.
Within the hour, Cathleen messaged me. She was in Melide. She stopped for a cold drink and snack, and couldn't find the hotel on there map. I told her it was almost out of town, and she located it quickly. She messaged that she was leaving, so I kept a watch for her. Right when I expected she would arrive, the bell rang in the hotel. I went out to the gate, and it was two other pilgrims wilting from the heat. They asked me whether there was room at the inn. I said I was just a guest, and let them in to wait in the shade. I didn't know where the hostess had gone.
Cathleen arrived not long after. Then another desperate-looking couple, who assured me in disgust that they had a reservation with booking.com. although I felt nervous letting in so many pilgrims, I also felt great compassion for them standing outside the locked gate in 30°C+ heat. I hoped the hostess would not be angry with me when she returned. The first couple phoned the number on the gate, and said the hostess was returning.
We took showers and washed off the grime of the day. After a rest, we headed out to do errands. However, pretty much everything was still closed for siesta. We did locate an ATM.
We ended up at the Cathedral, which was fortunately open!! We went in and got a sello. I decided to do some prayers. I expressed gratitude again, for this trip, my health, how well Cathleen and I got along. I intended that I finish this trip healthier than I left (on all levels). I sent well wishes for my adopted grandma who has just passed and her daughter (my adopted mom), Cathleen and her husband, my own husband, and my friend Nihan and her husband. These pairs were all dealing with their own challenges, in various different ways. I gave thanks for the guidance and support I have received, spiritually, in the human realm, and even from the animals I've encountered. As soon as I finished, I felt some huge energetic shifts.
Then, Cathleen whispered to me: seven swords! I looked up, and sure enough, there was a carving of a heart with seven swords.
Leaving the church, I wanted to express to the hostess how wonderful the church was. Even though she spoke some English, she got confused at my statements. I tried in Spanish, although I lacked the vocabulary. "Iglesia: Me gusta. Mi Corazón contento." (The church: I like it. My heart is happy.) She beamed. I almost cried.
After visiting the church, we saw that all the shops were still closed for siesta. We reached around a little before Cathleen says, "we have to stop." Just then, we were on front of a bar called STOP, so I said, "ok!" Lol. We ordered some beers and water. The waitress brought us beer in frosted glasses and some complimentary tapas. I watched animal shows on the TV, then a Soul Train type show, where we knew all the songs.
We tried again for the shops, but they were still closed. So we had another beer at another bar. We were slowly working our way back to the hotel. Finally, we went to Café Ezequiel, which I had pinned on my map as a top place for pulpo (octopus) in Melide, the pulpo capital of Spain. It was AMAZING!!! The meal of the trip. :D And surprisingly not very expensive. We ordered another plate of it after our meal was finished, we loved it so much.
On the way back to the hotel, there were more fireworks, even though it was still light out. Spain was weird about this. A new music stage was being set up in the main street. I still didn't know what festival was happening. We were happily full and didn't want to investigate.
In the hotel room, I looked at the Camino forum online and people were discussing the pulpo at Café Ezequiel in Melide!! I chimed in that we were just there, and how good it was!!
No comments:
Post a Comment