I leave after breakfast at 10:00. I am in no hurry. I also need to stop at the Farmacia for sunblock. As I approach the Farmacia I pass a shop that can only be described as a junk shop. It carries everything from tee shirts to garden hoses. I will look in the shop for two items I need to complete the plan for my four Cross's.
The walk today starts out of the city by climbing fifty four steps to the Camino. Today I must also remember to begin having my Credential stamped at least twice a day. I am now within four days of Santiago. The one physical test for the day will come within the first two miles. A long and fairly steep hill that fortunately is in the shade. I will complete the climb with three stops, I'm in no rush. Injury caused by foolish and aggressive tactics makes no sense. I am getting to close to risk that.
Along the way today I will see many new faces . They will be the new people who will walk from Sarria to Santiago, the shortest distance to walk and qualify for a Compostela.
Rainer leaves after having breakfast about an hour ahead of me. I will catch him later and we will walk the final three miles into Portomarin together. My pace today is very good but I need to be a bit more careful not to push it. Tomorrow I will be more cautious.
My four Cross's, what is the plan? First a little Camino history. For hundreds of years pilgrims would bring with them a stone with the name of someone on it who had passed away and leave it at a place they have selected on the Camino in memory of that person. Pilgrims would also bring a stone at the request of others. Rainer is carrying two such stones and will place them at a preselected location. I have been collecting seven stones along my Camino and I will place all seven at the monument at the top of the hill overlooking Santiago often called the monument of Happiness. It has this name because it will bring happiness to the pilgrim as he sees for the first time his destination, Santiago. I will tell you more about the stones shortly but first my four Cross's .
As I was training months ago I thought about the stones and how many I would bring and for whom. I also decided to do something else in addition to the stones. I would leave four Cross's buried on the Camino. I have sent to Robin a picture of my four Cross's all of which are silver and each a bit different while at the same time they are exactly alike. They are in a small metal box and include two notes, one which I will share with you, the other to be read only by the person, perhaps one of my grandchildren or another family member who finds the box. The box will be buried between Sarria and Santiago and I will record its exact location which will be sent to Robin along with pictures.
The part of the note I will share with you says:
Hello,
I am not sure who you are but congratulations on finding the box.
I hope you are enjoying your Camino as much as I did mine. More importantly, I hope you are here as an act of gratitude for all of the gifts and blessings you have received just as I did in 2013.
There are four Crosses in the box. Pin one to your backpack, it will keep you safe. Bring the other three home. Give one to Nanna, one to your Mother and give the last one to someone who is very special to you.
Safe travels, and may God continue to bless you.
Love Poppy.
I have not decided exactly where I will leave the box, I am working on that but it will be near a monument to be used as a reference point that will in all likelihood be here on the Camino for many years to come.
I will tell you about the stones tomorrow. Back to my walk to Portomarin.
Uneventful but almost a repeat of one of my past detours. As I am walking and thinking about how big a mistake it was not to think quickly enough to get a picture of the Dos Jose's, I realize that I can turn this lapse into something really great.
Robin has already begun planning a return trip to Spain next year which also includes a stop in Germany to have dinner with Michele and Rainer at Michele's restaurant in Dordmun. After Germany we will go to Spain and visit some of the cities where I did not get to see much because of the schedule I put myself on. While walking today I had what I think is a great idea.
We will include a visit to Villafranca, the village where the Dos Jose's brought me. We will stay at the Paradore and hire and English speaking driver to help us find the bar with the card games somewhere near a village called San Juan P something. Believe it or not I do know what direction it is from Villafranca and I know that it's about forty kilometers away. I doubt there are a lot of San Juan P something's .
We will go late in the afternoon, around 3:00 to 4:00, the same time I wandered into that parking lot. I hope to find one or both of the Jose's where I will have my picture taken with them and also get a picture of the Pink Panther car !
As I am walking along today completely focused on putting this idea together the two people I just passed on the Camino yell out to me. I turn around and they are waving at me because I just walked right past the left turn I was supposed to make to stay on the Camino. I almost took a "detour" thinking about how to put this idea together. Saved again by two strangers !
Rainer and I arrive at the hotel, its 4:25. My walk today took about six hours. It was a really good day. Now to get my gear taken care of, rest a bit and then two things. Dinner and then I open the card Amanda gave me with instructions not to do so until my 30th day, which is today.
I have only four days of walking ahead of me. Tomorrow will be Stage 31 a walk from Portomarin to Palas De Rei, fifteen and a half miles. I also will share with you the plan for the stones.
Have a great day.
Beautiful pictures----can't wait to hear your plan for the stones. Jill
ReplyDelete