Walk Hard - And Take A Taxi Now And Then. POST #6

The El Camino is different for everyone who walks it. But the grueling effort to walk 10 to 20 miles a day is a reality that everyone must face. Sore feet, blisters, tired leg muscles — all must be ignored when you are walking back roads or dirt trails in the woods to get to your next night’s stay.

What’s the point? Susan had wanted to do El Camino since seeing the movie “The Way” (Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez) about 25 years ago. Sometimes there is no point, you just feel the call.

But I will say that on mile 9 when the feet are burning, and the toes are complaining bitterly about the long downhill you are doing, and you have 3 to 5 miles to go, one’s decision-making can be called into question. Maybe that call should go into voicemail?

In the peace of my home, I thought El Camino seemed interesting but did not focus on it as I was putting together the Portuguese part of the trip. After Cascais and Madeira I proposed a car trip from Lisbon to Porto where we would stop in interesting towns like Coimbra and maybe even the big wave surfing town of Nazare, where a surfer rode a 100-foot wave. Susan said, in her own quiet way, “can we do El Camino?” And that was that.

We are at the end of the Coastal Route and about to join up with the Central Route, so no more views of the waves and ocean blues and greens from this point on. We are on a rest day in Poio, just outside Pontevedra. The next two days are 16 and then 19 miles and then a last day of 9 miles into Santiago de Compostela — our destination. Yesterday we decided not to walk and took a taxi from Redondela in the pouring rain. Susan has had a cough and congestion affecting her sleep and felt awfuL. She slept well last night and we are hoping that two days of rest plus some medical chemistry and throat lozenges will get her ready for the final push. If not, more taxis and less walking.

We continue to enjoy meeting pilgrims from other countries. And the food can be amazing. Last night’s seafood paella qualifies. And we hit beaches after several walks: Praia de Ancora, where there were too many surfers to actually swim; and in Baiona, and the beach in Vigo where Susan was too tired to pull out her bathing suit after walking but she accompanied me to the beach. And when the water turned out to be really clean and refreshing, she stripped down to her panties and ran into the water. No photos taken and no one batted an eye on a beach with a number of topless sunbathers. I thought she looked great.

We joined Susan Hester and Jan on Monday where their itinerary overlapped ours on the walk from Vigo to Redondela. Very nice to walk and talk with friends for a day. And we should mention the Saturday night party at our small hotel on Saturday where our host served as the MC for a karaoke night dressed in Brazilian Mardi Gras turban and robe. He served up cups of flaming liquor to about 15 attendees, and made me sing. A lot of fun. But the party started at 10:30 p.m. so we could not stay long.

A quick note on the photos and their size: I know they are huge but I have not been able to figure out how to manipulate the size on Susan’s IPad. Technologically challenged, I know.

Aforementioned paella

Grandson Theo. Just had to include this one. Pretty cute.

An El Camino decoration on a house along the way. Somehow makes you feel a little more connected to people you do not know but might like to meet. Note the Camino shell, typical staff, and, of course, the cell phone.

The Karoake party. Note the flaming bowl — that is the beverage being served. And the IPad with the words to whatever song was being sung. I did get a hat. Will not wear it.

Please note that I am not sending photos of damaged toes and blisters. Only Greg Hitz got those.

You are welcome.

As always, thanks for checking out what we are up to. We want to remember Leon Levenson who died from Alzheimer’s a few days ago. There are more important things to this life than travel and new experiences. Family and friends, in particular. We will miss you Leon. And our hugs to Caroline.