Santiago de Compostela

I have been spending my days resting. It is a good occupation. I went to see the ocean. And there I did some writing. I love big bodies of water. It was fairly calm while I was there. They call it the costa del morte. At one point I thought I saw wild horses come down to graze a hillside, then lasted some kind of mountain goat. But the distances are deceiving there. The ocean is so vast that everything becomes far away and creatures on the shore are small and insignificant. Returning to Santiago is like joining a festival. The part of the city in the medieval section is for tourists, principally geared to the concept of pilgrimage though not necessarily welcoming warmly the thousands of pilgrims dropping on their doorstep every week. The big hotel on the square, the Parador, a former pilgrims hospital won't willingly rent a room to anyone with a backpack. They turn away perhaps dozens of weary pilgrims seeking a rest and a place to celebrate their accomplishments every day. Yet the lifeblood of this community is what the pilgrims bring to it. Musicians play in the streets both day and night. Hundreds attend daily mass at the cathedral. Many more tour and search for the history of this monumental endeavor of people willing to give up time from their lives to suffer walking across country to the grave of Saint James. It is a beautiful community that emphasizes the love and sharing of good will despite hardship all around. I, for one, continue to suffer with the pain in my feet even after resting a week. I attribute my pain to the healing process. there is more than one healing going on as well. Not only are my feet struggling to right themselves but my mind as well. One of the remarkable changes that takes place in a pilgrims mind is the inward contemplation inherent in walking. A pilgrimage is a difficult thing to do with other people. Even in a group walking the distances to Santiago that one must do creates a level of mindfulness not common to human society. It is not something easily turned off and yet the exertion is very tiring. More than physical exhaustion the mental state necessary to walk the pilgrims road leaves one empty. It is one reason, perhaps that often those who have reached the end of their road return quickly to their other lives, often feeling a loss of something special, that is the camino-the way. They leave little time to return their minds to the real world and contemplate the lessons of the long distance walker. It is good to decompress your inner self after a journey such as this. All of the body needs time to heal. I'm heading off to the next stage of my journey today. Travel always gives me anxiety. I've learned to take taxis instead of walking now. And I've learned the Spanish transportation system enough to know I want to be one of the first in the bus to get a seat where I won't be trapped for 10 hours uncomfortably stuck on the inside of a row with a reclined seat in front of me. I hope it works and this long ride isn't a nightmare.