The Pain in Spain stays mainly in the Legs on Day 4 of the Camino

It was pretty awesome last evening when the Monastery’s Abbot gave us the Pilgrim’s Blessing. As you look around and see your fellow pilgrims from all over the world, all here for their own personal reasons, but yet all here for a single common reason-a safe passage to Santiago. The eyes of each pilgrim tell a story, some with excruciating pain, some still with a smile of gratitude, some with tears as they get closer to their goal. It becomes a little overwhelming as we huddle, most of us strangers until a short time ago, but now bound by a commraderie of purpose. It gave us a new power for Day 4 that we all now needed.

We began our day under a steady rain which would continue on and off most of the day. The scenery is still uncompromisingly beautiful and stunning each day. The trail today was a design only the ancients could paint. We climbed pathways which were like mini waterfalls with stepping stones for each advancing step. There was a good share of rock and stone paths, but as the rain pelted down, it also became in places a trail of packed mush of red dirt and clay. The villages have weathered the pilgrims for centuries and the people still wave and say “hola” (hi) as the thousands pass by their humble abodes. The pilgrims all walk with a purpose, however not without a grimace now and then from the aches, and blisters, and sore backs from wearing their backpacks which have become just an extension of their bodies.

Did this day bring out all of iniquities of life itself, or did it manifest itself as the exact opposite? We all felt a sense of gratitude for this opportunity. I think all of us now realized a sense of oneness with those who traveled along side, as well as those who came before. It also made us realize how fortunate we are to be able to traverse such an ancient trail as this, and carry with us those deep innermost feelings of why we came. The Way now begins to break each of us down and a certain metamorphosis of new life begins.

After trekking 13 miles of every imaginable trail and following a deep descent down a winding roadway we came into the view of the Village of Portomarin, where one could see the 12th Century Church of San Juan which looked like a mighty fortress perched high above the river. It has stood guard over the River Mino for nine centuries. But as all days end we file in one at a time over the next thirty minutes or so and gather at the local watering hole for a job well done and enjoy that daily reward of a cerveza or a glass of vino.

We were then transferred to our accommodations in Lestedo near Palais de Rei where we were greeted by a beautiful edifice, which was in centuries past the domicile of the local priest. What a beautiful casa with wonderful hosts who fed us a sumptuous feast of many of the local delicacies including octopus, chicken, salad, bread, wine and of course dessert. The most popular always seems be the Tarte de Santiago dessert. At least our guide Jason seems to think so and even has his own rating system for this tasty little moist sin of Galicia.

Buen Camino for now…
Dave and Judy