Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it!” Alice Walker

Day 4 – Ponte de Lima to Rubiaes – 20kms

Total kms to date: 111kms (excluding other walking)

Lizards seen: 38 (another slow day)

Snakes seen: 4 (three small and one big – thank goodness all dead)

Pilgrims seen today: 10

G&T’s to date: 5

Mojitos: 3 (unchanged)

Wine: still not counting

What can I say about today other than, it was spectacular, fantastic, colourful, interesting, hot, very tough but worth every kilometer.

Before I tell you about today, I think I best clear up some misconceptions. The “fun” totals above (alla Bridget Jones) are cumulative totals, not per day totals. I know those of you that know me thought I had finally become become an alcoholic but no, even I know my limits. Five G&T’s a day would even be too much for me.

(Soppy alert! – jump past the below paragraph if you don’t like soppy)

Also, I am really ok, I am not ill or deeply disturbed about anything, I am simply needing to process the fact that my son left home and got married in five minutes and I was not ready. I am sad, happy, disappointed, heartsore, hurt, angry and relieved my gorgeous son is happy. So I just need to get over myself and accept an love unconditionally again. For those of you that know me, I am uncomplicated and move on quickly, but this has been a really tough challenge for me.

I think I am right when I say that most people do their first Camino for some profound reason, like grieving, healing from an illness, or like me celebrating something. I walked my first Camino to celebrate my life and to show gratitude for all my blessings. At the same time I raised R90k for Little Libraries. Most second Caminos are done I think just because it is an addictive thing. It just gets under our skin. When I originally planned my Camino it’s simply because it was simply because I was was lusting after another Camino, but the life happened and Kyle declared his intention to get married three two weeks before my trip to Canada and I had to pull out of Comrades due to a hip injury.

So my Camino has become one of deep reflection, of letting go of anger and resentment and sadness and disappointment and just being me again. Make no mistake, my boy is happy happy happy and I love my new daughter, but these things take time. No one teaches a Mom how to let go of a young adult child, there are no books on this subject. It seems like a taboo subject. You must have an empty life if you are distraught about your son leaving home, right. Well, I have a perfectly beautiful life. I have a husband that adores me and who I adore, I have a career and job that i love and that fulfills me and keeps me busy. But I still mis my “boy” like crazy. And it still feels like my heart has been ripped out. And I am still so grateful and blessed that all he has done is change countries and get married. I will be over it and life will go on.

I am pleased to declare that in walking there is definitely free therapy (shhhh… don’t tell the psychologists they may advise againest it. Free of course if you do’t count the cost of the traveling. Worth every penny I say. I am dropping my burdens as I go, by the time I get to Santiago (probably before or already) I will be wondering what the hell I was so worked up about.

Anyway enough blah blah!Down to the day and the walk. Let’s start with some photos of the walk.

Below photos of Ponte de Lima as I was leaving this morning at 6h10. Love that morning light.

The walk today was a continual up up up, and obviously then a lot of very steep downs. It was spectacular though. Forests and rivers and streams everywhere. Loved my walking poles even more today as they supported me through some tough parts. Imagine Lions Head and times it by about five for the incline and then times the roughness of the path x 5 too, and thats what it felt like on my feet. Completely cancelled out by the beauty around me. Wow. If only I could do this every day.

Below some photos of the way and the beauty surrounding me

In the pic above this old man was tending to sheep and the woman took pics he asked her to see them I think and then he asked to kiss her. I then asked “and me” and he proceeded to do the same to me. Lovely moment.

Wifi not playing ball with me so cannot seem to load photos. Grrrrr! Will load more tomorrow, they are worth seeing.I loved today’s walk and i got to my Accommodation Casa Das Oliveharinha by 12h30. And spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping and lazing about. Gracious host Fernando, from Angola. Washing down, a dinner at the Casa of soup, fish pie and crepes and ice cream. Very delicious wine but quite expensive. I met Patricia from USA and Anne fro Ireland and had dinner with them. Pics tomorrow. I am so frustrated so many photos to show of this beautiful place and I cant load them.

Gifts for today; a beautiful walk filled with views from all sides; Icy cold streams to dip my hat into when it was 30 deg at 9h30; gracious hosts; meeting two new Camino friends; a long lazy afternoon resting my feet. Shade for most of the way.

Tomorrow will bring better wifi and i will post more pics. It also brings 20kms to Tui in Spain. So I sadly leave Portugal for Spain. Not that Spain wont be awesome but i am so loving Portugal.