Editor’s note: Rick McKay, Joe Masonick, and Jack Karolewski, have been travel companions for more than 50 years to a variety of sites with many goals. This week’s adventure is the 25th in the series, a 14-day hike in 2005 across northern Spain’s intriguing Camino de Santiago, known as the Way of Santiago, for a religious retreat and pilgrimage. Visiting various villages on the journey requires continual hiking and climbing. Previously the trio’s exploits were focused on an 11-week trans-Asia trip in 1977. This week continues Day 11 on the journey through Spain’s, Portomarin to Palas de Rei, Monday, Sept. 26, 2005.
The previous part is at thevoice.us/deep-laughter-repeatedly-wine-and-song-in-spain
By Rick McKay
As we move near Santiago, the path becomes increasingly crowded with pilgrims. Today we were joined by a group of approximately 12 from Vashon Island in the Seattle area. They are all members of a walking club and they signed up for a guided hike on the Camino, led by the author of Pilgrim’s Stories, by one Nancy Frey. Jack had read her book prior to the trip. The stories were collected for her doctoral dissertation. Thereafter, she met a Spanish man, they were married, and settled here in Spain, and offer tours. I hesitate to guess what this group is paying for her services and the convenience of having their gear transported from town to town.
A German guide of a similar group, which we met earlier on, called it Camino Light, and so they are regarded by the hardened veterans, sometimes with a little resentment, especially when their brisk, unburdened, steps carry them into a town ahead of just about every other pack-toting perigrino, allowing them first pick of the accommodations, LOL!
We are starting to recognize so many voyagers now as we pass them, and they us in, en route to the day’s final destination. We meet up with many of them again at the albergues, or in the town squares, having dinner.
Today I walked and talked with a gal from the Camino Light group. She teaches anthropology and comparative religion at a private middle school in the Seattle area. She was going to quit in order to do the Camino, but the principal told her, no, that she needn’t, that there would be a spot for her when she returns. So she is collecting stories of Medieval Christianity to share with her students when she resumes her teaching position. However, that won’t be for a while because once she reaches Santiago, she will fly to Paris where her husband will join her for a biking adventure in France.
Later, I left her with her friends and moved on ahead. Joe fell behind early, as he is wont to do. Jack had departed the albergue before us and was somewhere well up the road, leaving me in the middle.
Soon, I overtook Christina, a young German girl from Cologne. We had met on the path the prior day and talked for a short time, so we picked up where we left off. She has just finished her university work in communications and has only to write her thesis before she is done. Then she will search for a suitable job. If she does not find one to her liking, she may do volunteer service work in South America. She is traveling the Caminodue to a recent crisis in her personal life (she didn’t go into details), and she wanted to take some time to sort things out.
I asked her what her family thought when she told them of her intention. Her dad was shocked, didn’t want her to go, but her mom and grandparents, though surprised, were supportive. And so here she is, alone on this ancient pilgrimage. What better place to reflect and contemplate.
Continued at thevoice.us/crowded-path-to-santiago-spain-includes-health-issue