ponderings

This camino is entirely different for me from the last two.  Those were entirely new experiences on trails I have not traveled before, this is a return to the same trail (well, same trail network) but with different options, expansions, changes, different stops along the way, and different people to meet.

This Camino is carrying a much deeper impact with me. There is less that I have to conquer or prove to myself which enables me to delve deeper into the Camino experience. As on previous caminos, I am trying hard not to overly manipulate the Camino and instead embrace the Camino in the moment as it is right now.

All that said, today was a physically challenging day and in fairness the section I walked is one of my top 2 least favorite sections.  Today started off pouring which delayed the start till 8:30 when it calmed down enough to venture out.  Rain continued off and on for a few more hours while I trudged along on the cobblestone streets (read NOT FUN) while they were wet (EXTRA NOT FUN).  When the cobblestone finished the trail turned into a dirt road then an I don't know what.

Then quickly to a wilderness path which degraded to what a hiker would recognize in a mountain path with boulders, large roots, and plenty of mud puddles.  The problem was not really with the trail but more with my heel on my left foot.

So, as a side note, the heel on my left foot, now called "left heel" or more simply "Heel" has been given a persona.  So Heel only knows swear words, when it is happy, it is silent.  When I step on something it doesn't like there is a large uttering of assorted swears.  Towards the last third, more swears, and at the end a whole new and creative assortment comes out of Heel.

So, the problem was not really with the trail today, but Heel.  Heel HATED almost all of the trail and was good and properly sore by the end.  The good news however, we reached an agreement: I would slow down and take more breaks, Heel would stop the worst of the complaining till we got to Viana do Castelo. 

 Heel, for the most part saved to those terms, but as soon as I stepped off the 1.5km long bridge.... 

 Well, let's just say I learned some interesting new swears. Thanks to the wonders of European pharmacies, I have a can of spray that quiets heel's worst vulgarities and some gel that was really quiets Heel after a while.

I was going to splurge on a private room tonight but decided at the last minute to hit up the parochial albergue.  Nothing quite like 6 people in an attic room all on hard beds with paper sheets.

There is more I want to go over, but time passes by very quickly when you strip out a lot of fluff and live simpler (for a few weeks at least).