06-21-2023 Primetime Living - Flipbook - Page 22
22 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, June 21, 2023
TRAVEL
Camino de Santiago
Life lessons on the way
By E. Rose Scarff, Contributing Writer
The Santiago Cathedral square with pilgrims arriving.
P
ilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, the ancient pil- day, and I decided to rest a few more days
grimage route across northern Spain, have several sayings that reveal layers
meaning over the course of the journey. The first is “Bien Camino” which means
“good walking” or “have a good Camino.” It is the usual greeting of pilgrims as they
pass each other
The other expression is “your Camino is
your Camino,” meaning everyone’s journey
and experience is different. Don’t compare
yours with someone else’s, or with some
idea of what a pilgrimage should be, which
is generally thought of as “real pilgrim”
syndrome.
When I started my pilgrimage in SaintJean-Pied-de-Port in France with the
determination of walking to Santiago de
Compostela 500 miles away, I had a bad
case of “real pilgrim” syndrome but didn’t
know it. I planned to carry my pack and
walk the whole way even though I was 73
years old. I looked down on pilgrims I met
on the first day on the steep climb over the
Pyrenees who had sent their heavy pack
ahead and were carrying only a small day
pack even though they were much younger
than me. I couldn’t understand pilgrims
who planned to walk only a short distance
and not go all the way to Santiago. What
was the point?
I was quickly humbled. By the time I
had crossed the Pyrenees, old injuries in
my feet were plaguing me. I had to send my
heavy pack ahead and walk with just a day
pack. But even that effort to help my feet
was not enough. By the time I had walked
100 miles, I had to admit that if I didn’t stop
walking and really rest, my feet would never
recover.
On my third day on the Camino, I met
Mary D. (66) of Canada. We walked together off and on for the next few days until we
reached Pamplona. There she took a rest
before continuing but we stayed in touch
with WhatsApp.
When I quit walking in Logrono, Mary
was soon going to be in Burgos, so I took
the bus there to meet her and see a little
of the city. I also decided that from there I
would go to the north coast of Spain where
the Camino Norte pilgrimage route followed
the coast. I could not walk it, but I could at
least see the countryside from the bus.
So, after a few days in Burgos, I was
off to San Sebastian and then to Bilbao. In
both places I took a short walk each day
to see something in the town, but mostly I
stayed in my room with my feet up. At first, I
was discontented and not happy that every
step was painful. But I was spending my
down time reading and writing, something
in ordinary life I never have enough time
for and while walking the Camino, no time
at all.
I began to see this time as a blessing,
especially when I rejoined the Camino in
León. There were many places along the
Camino that I had planned to see more of,
but if I had been keeping to a daily walking
schedule in order finish the Camino when
I planned to, there would have been no
time for sightseeing. Or energy. My friend
Mary joined me in León having walked from
Burgos during the 10 days I was resting.
She was there to rest, not sightsee.
The next day Mary continued walking,
and I stayed another day before taking
the bus to other places along the Camino.
In Astorga I visited the Roman ruins,
the Cathedral and the Gaudi designed
Bishop’s Palace. In Ponferrada I explored
the Templar’s Castle. By the time I reached
Sarria, I decided I could start walking again.
My feet were still bothering me but were
much better.
I planned short distance days at the
beginning to see how my feet would handle
walking again. They were fine while the
rest of my body, after several weeks of
little activity, got tired. Then I had to walk a
longer day because of the available accommodation. My feet objected greatly.
By that time, I had reconnected with my
friend Mary. We were on schedule to finish
the Camino on the same day. I decided
that the only way I could do that would be
