Reflection: The Beautiful, The Ugly

BEAUTIFUL
Frost flying off tree branches, like snow, against a blue sky
Kind voices, kind acts, respect
The cloistered nuns (I haven't met other types along the Camino yet)
Sunrises, sunsets
Soft earth, paths padded by fallen leaves
Food
Dogs and cats following me through town
Noticing birds and livestock the same color as the earth, moving about
Bells of churches, of livestock, of horses
People walking the Camino in contemplation
Handsome men walking the Camino? ;)

UGLY
A man speeding up ahead of you, then peeing right in front of you in an open street (normal pedestrian, not pilgrims.. all pilgrims up to now are a good bunch)
Animal and human logs
Trash-although I sometimes use this as an indicator that I haven't lost my way off the Camino
Specific peeve-ladies, plastic sanitary pads are not biodegradable, so please take them with you as opposed to leaving them on the camino. thank you
People getting sick and not feeling well
Mud
Asphalt, pavement, rocks under foot
Stable and city smells
Pointy metal walking sticks-use rubber tips if the weather and terrain doesn't call for pointy teeth; it also preserves the paths.

Day 17 Carrion de los Condes

Sorry, day 16 is on the phone, and can't be posted yet due to no wifi. Whenever I encounter wifi again, I will post it! Also, the last few days were all uploaded and in jumbled order, but I just cleaned it up so that it goes day by day.

I was walking from Poblacion to Villalcazar de Sirga, and stopped by the church of the Virgen del rio, which wasn't open when I got there. Any time I pass by a church, I try to see if it's open and if I really want to go inside, even if it looks locked *and it usually is* I push all the doors to see if they might give way. you never know! I decided to rest in front of the church for a bit, then saw a car drive up and a priest open the church, sweet! Went in, looked around, it had cracks everywhere and looked a bit humble. I decided to pray a Hail Mary in front of the statue of the virgin and child. I realized I kept getting distracted to decided to compose myself and say one really good Hail Mary. During that time, very briefly, I thought I felt the face of Mary upon me, a warm, consoling, comforting, sorrowful, calm feeling. Then, I walked out of the church and continued along the Camino. Soon afterwards I saw that same priest's car zoom by me, having likely locked the church again and going about his next business. Wow, I had been there for just a few moments, at the right time.

The part from Burgos up to now so far has felt like a very romantic walk. I really enjoy the landscape, canals and streams lined by trees. By chance I coincidentally ran into Lucio in Carrion, who had been in the same albergue last night, so I gave him a big hug of goodbye before he takes his bus. Carrion is where everyone pretty much piles up as the last stop before Terradillos, 30km away, so there are lots of people in the parochial albergue Espiritu Sancto tonight. 3 korean men *that doesn't include me*, Pati again! *yay it's been a while, 1 Chilean man, 1 German lady and 1 Australian girl. We're planning on going to Moratinos tomorrow. I did some serious food shopping tonight and finally bought a knife, pottery knife but is light and has a sizeable blade, but I would have preferred a dagger. I would look so cool and swashbuckling if I had one hanging from my belt loop. heh. Evildoers and fruit, watch out! Also bought some food called Morros de ternera, but when I cut into it, it really looked unappetizing with all these hairs on the meat...threw it out. Sad, but at least now I know never to order that in a restaurant!

The priest Julio at 7pm mass at San Julian said that snow is hitting this region on Sunday.  Apparently the french guy in Castrojeriz and Ramon had the same -virus of the camino-as pati calls it.  Don't worry, right now, I'm very healthy and there is still a huge smile on my face!

Day 16 Poblacion

Uneventful easy walk to Fromista and Poblacion. Freezing thick fog in the morning. Walking through it, my backpack came out frosted. Started warming up around 1. Even the pavement stones in the square were slippery and icy at 1.
The church (11th c) in Fromista all the tourists visit as the best example of Romanesque architecture is OK, but maybe I'm just jaded after visiting so many other churches along the Camino (11th-16th c). It definitely has been extensively restored and is in the best condition I've seen of churches its age. It has been deconsecrated, so doesn't have that holy atmosphere. Im always unsure about what to think of deconsecreated spaces like this and the jerome monastery  cloister space in lisbon, which i thought was really superb manueline architecture, but now feel like museums. There was a huge group of Spanish tourists I walked through and one old lady came up to me, clasped my hands, and said buen Camino slowly, the way you would say something to someone who doesn't speak your language. It was kind of funny, but said thank you since she seemed kind. I said buenos dias to the people, but most just stared, deciding amongst themselves what ethnicity I was, not asking. Meh, not like I had the energy to walk backwards and enter the convo anyway. Always walking forwards. Heh. And I was hungry.
Stopped walking early enough to enjoy a few hours of warm sun where I read, prayed and listened to the birds chirping and eating berries, all the while sitting. Yay sitting.
Albergue tonight with one other person, an Italian Franciscan brother currently living in San sebastian. Albergue has no heating-boy am I glad for my sleeping bag. The brother's genius idea for heat - boiling water for steam. Helped a bit. As soon as the sun was setting, I hopped into my sack to just warm up and chill before dinner. The brother and I swapped stories and then went to the bar for hot chocolate. Very interesting how he's a movie critic, teacher and played soccer. He recommended some nice chapels and holy places to visit along the Camino. He wants to buy me breakfast and then pray his special rosary mysteries with me while we walk the beginning of tomorrow's Camino. Then he's off to Burgos to wrap up his pilgrimage, so bye bye. One thing he said that is interesting-he recommends 2 experiences to his youth. 1 - the Camino to know and understand yourself. 2 - volunteering in Calcutta with the sisters of charity for outward service to others. If you're not praying there, you're dead.

My Camino

They say everyone's Camino is different, just like how everyone's life is different. As I hear homilies given during masses at churches along the Camino, I hear the fathers use the word Camino a lot when talking about how one should lead one's life.

My Camino so far I think has reflected pieces of my past and present. So far, there have been 2 moments when I have not wanted to walk and asked myself why: day 12 and 13, moments of spiritual and physical darkness, when I am pushed near the limits of what I can handle. Will the Camino also suggest a possible future?

Strangely Good Weather

I don't want to jinx anything, but the weather I've had so far the entire Camino has been strangely very good. Locals in all the places I've passed through say this is very rare at this time of year. Usually there is snow, and sometimes lots, and it is colder. An Italian couple that passed through Zubiri the day after myself actually saw snow fall. Lord, thank you and continue guiding my steps!

Day 15 Itero de Vega

Ran to 8:30 am mass at the same convent as yesterday. Takes 15 minutes from the municipal albergue. One layer of pants is not enough. My face felt like it would freeze off. The priest presiding was from Benin, said the opening for me in English and also had me introduce myself to all the sisters after mass. I wanted to give something back to the sisters at the convent in castrojeriz for their kindness by buying some of their sweets they make. Yea they sell yummy baked goods and candies! Their punos de San Francisco looked particularly tasty. After mass was exposition and it didn't look like anybody was leaving to go about their other duties. I rang the doorbell anyway to try to at least donate something, but no one answered, and there are no slots around for donativos . I felt like i just received so much from them and could give back absolutely nothing. So decided to just gratefully accept the blessings. It was 9:30. I needed to get my mochila and walk through more meseta.

I left my glasses in the albergue. Now, it's impossible to walk in the dark. They were my lightest and favorite kate spade glasses too. Crushed. OK, you may think: why did you take such nice glasses with you? They were the most comfortable.

I decided to stop in Itero de Vega at 2 for the night since if it got dark I wouldn't be able to really see without my regular glasses. No way i could do 16 miles in 3-4 hours. At least i didn't want to. The bar owner called the albergue and the hospitalero said he couldn't find them. I decided to check my bag 1 more time. Stupid me. Hah. I found them. I cracked up. It's OK. I got to play with a puppy here and just enjoy the warm sun that is usually too hot when walking, but perfect when sitting around lounging on the steps. Sleeping here anyway and catching up on my writing and using wifi. I decided on this albergue fitero because I saw the cute puppy 1st, 2nd it was recommended by the bar owner in hontanas, and 3rd I actually saw the lady owner riding a bike and had greeted her on my way into town, not knowing who she was.

Day 14 Hontanas

Kind town I stopped by for comida. Bar owner lady was nice and wished me buen Camino. Another lady chatted with me a bit and told me to enjoy the Camino. She wondered if I wasn't lonely walking by myself, but I relish the opportunity.