Buen Camino

“El Camino es interior. No es solo andar!”— The way is within. It is not only walking. I found this phrase to ring so true in my soul as I did the Camino de Santiago. The Camino is a pilgrimage that most do by foot and it has many different routes that end in Santiago de Compostela, España. It originally has religious ties. It was a pilgrimage of St. James, AKA Santiago, an apostle of Jesus Christ, who voyaged to Spain to spread his faith. He ended up being killed and where his body was found, is where the elaborate cathedral was planted in Santiago de Compostela. It became a journey and destination for many Catholic people— coming the French way, the English way, the Portuguese way and there are many different ways within Spain, all leading to Santiago de Compostela. These days, some people do it to connect to their faith and some people do it to connect to nature, to reset their minds and to reflect and process life.

Well, for me personally, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. At this point of my life. I had lived in Spain for almost 2 years and many folks asked me if I had done the Camino. It was June 2019 and I had some time on my hands and minimal funds. I also was in a place of my life where I had zero idea of my next steps. It then popped in my mind that the Camino could be perfect for this. I always feel alive in nature, I love being active, it’s not expensive and I needed solitude to “figure out my life”. I looked up information and the different routes, with no idea what I was actually about to embark on. 

I was planning on stopping in Pamplona for Las Fiestas de San Fermin to run with the bulls to start my trip. Nothing like a bit of adrenaline to get you going! 

I then wanted to make my way to start the Camino in Oviedo. I decided to do the Camino Primitivo, the Original Way. It is said this was the original path in which Santiago took. I mainly chose it because it is also said that it is one of the most challenging, with mainly inclines and declines, very picturesque and it was one of the shorter routes, 13 days. This “camino”, being such an abstract idea to me at the time, seemed long. I didn’t think I needed 13 days and that I would be content with allowing myself 9 days to walk this path. I planned for this, with a booked return back to Madrid.

After a long dramatic bus story, that I’m not going to get into, I made it from Pamplona to Oviedo. I got in late with no where to stay. I then went to a hostal, that was closed and full, but a guy answered the doorbell anyways. Well… he knew someone that knew someone that knew someone that had an open room for me to stay. Sometimes people are so kind. I felt blessed and I slept in the next morning with a later start to the Camino.

The Camino was just beautiful with nature, towns, animals, flowers and such greenery in the north of Spain. I ventured on this journey by myself and with no idea what it was going to teach me.

Oviedo —> Grado (25.91km)—> Salas (22.11km) —>

Tineo (19.76km) —> Sanblismo (17.43km)

I met a guy from Spain just about 1 minute into my walk and we got lost in about 5 minutes. Jaja. Once we got the hang of it, by a kind older professor from Oviedo, who walked with us for about an hour and guided us, we learned that we should be seeing a yellow arrow or shell pretty frequently. We walked together for the first 4 days, with good conversation and a lot of silence. I ended up feeling very overwhelmed because I didn’t want to share this journey with one person. I wanted solitude and to be with myself to reflect on my life. I struggled because I didn’t want to be selfish and I battled with this idea of sharing life or being in solitude. I followed my instincts and communicated, in my painfully honest way, that this Camino wasn’t about connecting and sharing it with him. I wanted to do my own thing. I did suspect that I wanted to make friends though, but with self reflection as the priority and a compelling need to stay true to my intuition. 

That evening I was at an albergue, a hostel for pilgrims, with only 12 people, many who I’ve passed and chatted briefly with on the Camino previously. With being in an albergue that was in the middle of nowhere, there was nothing but time to hang out, drink beer and wait for the owner of the albergue to have dinner ready! Needless to say, we had a good time and this was the start of some beautiful friendships.

Sanblismo —> La Mesa (31.15km) —>  Grandas de Salime (15.65km) —> 

A Fonsagrada (25.33km) —> Vilar de Cas (38.08km) —> Lugo (15.87km)

The next day felt like freedom. I am dramatic, but it is true and it didn’t hurt that it was the MOST beautiful part of the route, called La Ruta de las Hospitales— in the mountains, clear blue skies with perfect views, wild animals grazing and a crispness in the air that made you feel giddy. I was thriving and felt no obligation to walk with anyone but myself.

I spent most of the day on this path alone and the last part of it was shared with the people who became my closest friends of the Camino. We chatted, got to know each other a bit more and then made it to the albergue where we  relaxed, drank, shared a phenomenal meal and did some tequila shots. jaja! 

It was a fluctuating group. People come and go based on their pace or plan, so we are always with open arms. Our main crew ended up being me, a girl from Texas, USA and friends from Italy, the north of Spain and the south of Spain. We spent our days laughing, talking, sharing food and just living this journey as a family. There was always time for a stop for cerveza, a selfie, a photoshoot of cows and good laughs. We were people from all over and of all ages and with them I didn’t even have to question if I wanted to share life and this Camino. It was a given.

It is so funny to me that I pictured myself alone for most of this camino and how in my normal day to day life, I have been desiring to find a group of friends that were my community to share life with. On the Camino de Santiago, I didn’t figure out my life and I didn’t have mostly solitude. But instead, I made a group of friends that felt like my people, my family and people I want to know for the rest of my life. I was reminded that life is about sharing with people who pour life, joy and positivity into the depth of your soul! And though the Camino was only a short time, the impact will last a lifetime. 

There is a quote from the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, “ It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy. “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?” “But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan. “Are-are you there too, Sir?” Said Edmund. “I am,” said Aslan. “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

I hate leaving magical experiences and people I love and I wish I could go back, but overall, just like in this quote, I was brought to do the Camino de Santiago and by just being there for a small amount of time, it has changed me. I will bring this experience, memories and friendships with me for a lifetime.

And as everyone says while you are a pilgrim on this camino, “buen camino” which means “good journey” more or less. Buen camino to everyone on this journey we call life!