White Rock Wedding

Today Vero and Ervin got married.  It's been a pleasure witnessing these 2 friends growing closer and closer, and it was very special, seeing them join as one.

The wedding took place in White Rock, where about 80 or so friends and family members gathered on an overcast and windy day.  Vero and Ervin's wish was for the wedding to take place outdoors on the deck overlooking the water, and they got their wish.  At various points during the day it seemed like the weather wouldn't hold and it would rain, but it didn't.  As the first few pictures below show, the setting was ideal.

Vero's sister came from Argentina, and I sat beside her (in the front row!) as sort of an interpreter.  I say sort of, because I realized right from the get-go that it's hard to interpret someone's preaching.

After the ceremony the festivities continued indoors.  We ate a nice buffet dinner.  I think Michael and others prepared the food.  Other friends from our soccer group contributed in various ways, from transporting the sound system, dj-ing, setting up and taking down tables and chairs.  I liked how resources were used from within Vero and Ervin's circle of friends and family, rather than hiring professional companies to do the work.  It communicates how all of us have a "stake" in making their marriage work.

Personally, I think it's important to hold weddings in a church, so if I ever get married I would insist on that, but other than that I liked the simplicity of today's celebration.  The joy we experienced was indeed a foretaste of the heavenly wedding banquet that St. John speaks of in the book of Revelation. 

Lord, bless these wonderful friends who have declared their covenant of love for each other before You and family and friends.  In this day and age, where relationships are seen as seasonal, temporal, and changing, may their marriage be a strong symbol - a sacrament - pointing to your relentless, unchanging, and unwavering love for us, your children.  I pray this for Vero and Ervin, through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

2 Days In In Pamplona

The past two days I've been in Pamplona visiting with Juan, Yueh-Hsin, and little Lorenzo.  They are amazing hosts.

For the most part, Juan and I ventured around town, and he showed me many great places in his city: the old walls, the cathedral (and other churches), the old part of town, the route of the running of the bulls, and many other places.

The highlight for me though was a day-trip to a monastery in Leyre, and then afterwards to Xavier, two very historical places.  The monastery in particular, as most of them do, made a positive impact on me.  The setting of it was stunning, overlooking a a valley and a lake.

Tomorrow bright and early, Juan will drive me to Bilbao, where I will catch a flight home to Vancouver.  Here ends my trip.  

The night before I began walking the Camino, I met a guy from Barcelona.  He was close to my age, and upon finding out that I was about to begin walking my first Camino, he said: "You'll be back.  There's something about the Camino that brings people back for more.  You'll be back.  You can be sure of that."

He was right.  Absolutely right.  I hope to return and walk again, which route, I'm not sure yet.  Maybe the Camino Portugues, or maybe I'll complete the Norte route.  And actually, I wouldn't be opposed to doing the Primitivo again.  It was that good.

But I think next time I walk, I'd like company.  As much as I hate to admit it, walking on my own was a bit lonely at times.  I'm an idealist, and think that there is a difference between solitude and loneliness, the former being a positive state, the second one a negative.  And there have been times in my life, even lengthy periods, where I felt quite comfortable, and even thrived, being alone, but presently that's not the case.  I don't know, I can't explain it.  Peace come and goes.  It's elusive, like the wind.  Lord have mercy. 
 

In the meantime, goodbye Spain.  Thanks for the wonderful hospitality.  Hasta la próxima.

Camino de Santiago: Concluding Thoughts

Today is my last day in Santiago.  Tonight at 11pm I take a bus to Pamplona where I will visit with Juan for a few days before returning home. I offer here some thoughts on my Camino experience.

* preparation matters: in terms of packing, I did well.  I fit all my belongings in a 36L backpack. I should've been better prepared in terms of footwear though.  One-year old, wornout trekking shoes don't cut it.

* there's healing in walking: say what you will, but the human spirit is refreshed, renewed, and rejuvenated by walking. 

* Spain's cup of coffee, the café con leche, is by far the best cup of coffee I've ever tasted.

* other specialties, like the biscocho cake, jamón iberico or jamón serrano, and sopa de lentejas, are all well worthy of high praises.

* go wooly: synthetics stink.  Wool, on the other hand, keeps you cool in the heat, warm in the cold, and it doesn't stink.  It does take some getting used to in terms of wearing (itchy), and it's not very strong or sturdy.

* religious: Spain is less secular than expected.  I'm sure this is because the places I visited and the people I met are familiar with or even committed to the spiritual life.  Still, refreshing.

* walking limits: my limit seems to be 20 kms per day.  25kms is uncomfortable but do-able occasionally, and 30+ kms is downright painful.

* openness: the high number of pilgrims I met who were open to talk about God seem to indicate that people are searching for meaning.  "I want to have hope", said Markus.

* reading discipline: I'm glad that I brought a New Testament along.  I read through the first two gospels and had plenty of time for reflection.

* tempranillo: finally a red wine that I can drink without getting a headache.  Spanish red wine.  And not only the tempranillo, but the crianza too.  And it's ok to chill red wine in the fridge!

* sharing sucks: if you don't believe me, try sharing a bathroom with 20 others.  It's a stretching experience.  Wear flip-flops.

* small towns: I'd like to live in one, one day.  There's a seeming simplicity to living in a small town that I find really appealing.  But I imagine that it can be a lonely place too, if you're an outsider.
 

* company: I enjoyed walking alone, sometimes.  On the Primitivo there are less people, which means that I spent a lot of time alone.  I think I'd have enjoyed the walking experience more with a trusted friend or companion.  Jennifer would've been such a partner, even though our walking limits differ.  I'd gladly compromise, to accommodate her.

* irony: why is it that even though I feel lonely at times I push people away?  There were a number of opportunities to mingle and get to know others, but I often shied away, spending time alone instead.

* self-acceptance: I have not accepted myself yet.  Is it just me or do others feel like they're a failure too?

* closed doors: I wish more churches or chapels were open along the way.  I'd probably have walked slower, and found more places to force myself to reflect. 

* walking stick: I'm torn.  A stick does help when walking, especially when walking long distances.  It helps me keep my balance.  But I don't like always having something in my hands while I walk.

* rhythmic prayer: the Jesus Prayer and prayer beads are the solution to a wandering mind.  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have Mercy on me, a Sinner!

Pilgrim's Mass: Take 2

I attended Mass again today, but whereas yesterday I sat in the main nave of the church, today I sat in the transept.  I was much closer to the front, and had a better view of the botafumeiro.

For much of the rest of the day I walked around the city and took pictures.

Santiago is a city that seems entirely immersed in the Camino experience.  Everything in the city, at least in the old core, seems to revolve around the Way of St. James.  Sure, much of it is a tourist trap, but I dare say that faith is quite alive in the city.  For example, I saw at least two bookstores - one of them quite large - right in the middle of the city.  

But what struck me about these bookstores is that in addition to the many books with tourist appeal, both had a substantial selection of theological books.  I spent a good 2 hours browsing through interesting titles and authors, from C S Lewis to G. K. Chesterton, from Pope Gregory the Great to John Paul II and Pope Benedict, from St. Francis to St. Benedict to St. Teresa of Avila, and from Karl Rahner to Henri de Lubac.  I even saw a book or two of the Reformed tradition, by Karl Barth, for example.  Surprising.

Many books were available in various languages.  And the stores were packed.  Lots of customers. I'm not sure a city's spiritual well-being can be judged by the number and kind of theological books it has on offer, but at the same time, I'm not willing to discount that possibility either.

Pilgrim's Mass in Santiago

Today was a day to savour my arrival at Santiago.

I slept in in the morning.

I went to the cathedral to take more pictures.

 I attended the Pilgrim's Mass.  The botafumeiro was a bit of a spectacle, but it was impressive.  The sermon was, well, let's just say there's room for improvement.  But the liturgy, the Mass, absolutely glorious.  I'm more convinced than ever that the unity of the church is most vivid and present in the living Christ who gives himself to us in the bread and wine.  

I really like the plaque above.  It's placed near the tomb of the Apostle James, and it contains the words of Pope John Paul II, himself a Camino pilgrim, and reads:

"I, bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Catholic Church, send to you, old Europe, from Santiago, a cry of love: Return and find yourself, be yourself."

I'd say it's a challenge, an indictment, but probably most of all a lament, for Europe to find herself, to find her true identity again.  She's lost her spiritual roots, those elements that made her glorious once.  And in losing her roots, she's lost her identity, her means of being a blessing to the world.

After Mass I went for a snack with Leah and Cathy, pictured below.

Day 17: O Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela (20 Kms)

I got up at 7:15 this morning and immediately noticed that I was one of the last pilgrims to get up that "late".  In fact, many had already begun walking.  I'd heard a few days prior that pilgrims begin walking really early here, with the hopes of arriving in Santiago in time for the Pilgrim's Mass at noon.  Turns out this is actually true!

After drinking a coffee, I began walking too.

I still had to wear my frontales (head lamp), as the picture below indicates, because it was still too dark, especially in forested areas.

But even after sunrise, it was foggy until well after 10.

 Just after 10am I stopped at Casa Porta de Santiago for a bicocho and a hot chocolate.

Today's route was pretty easy, no ups and downs, just pretty much a straight road.  This is probably the main reason that I did excellent time, arriving in Santiago at 1:30pm.  By 2:30 I had my Compostela (certificate).

I walked around the main city square and cathedral area, taking pictures, and eventually ran into Leah and Cathy, a mother-and-daughter team from Vancouver Island that I'd met yesterday on the road.  They'd walked all the way from St. Jean Pied de Port.  We took some pictures, before agreeing to meet up again for the Pilgrim's Mass tomorrow.

At 4:30 I checked into my pre-arranged accommodations, the Pension Badalada.

The next few hours were priceless: lying in bed, reflecting, napping, showering, shaving (!), and watching Lord of the Rings, which happened to be showing on tv at the time.

I ate dinner at Rúa Bella, a restaurant owned by an Argentinian.  The hostess at Badalada, too, is from Argentina.

A few emotional moments worth mentioning about today.

1- leaving the albergue "for the last time."  Although I didn't write much about friendships formed over the past few weeks, I do think that a certain camaraderie is established among Camino pilgrims at the hostels.  Pilgrims are "linked" to each other - because of the blisters, the meals, the exhaustion, the elation, the disappointments and the successes - in a way that perhaps only someone who's walked the Way can understand.

2- entering the outskirts of Santiago.  There was definitely a "buzz" among the Pilgrims.  Spirits were high, pain was either forgotten or ignored, cameras were out, and smiles were on everyone's faces.  This was definitely contagious.  I teared up on several occasions.

3- crossed fences.  As the two pictures below show, the Camino passed a number of fences that were filled with stick-crosses.  Walking by what seemed like kilometers of cross-filled fences was very emotional for me.  When did this tradition begin?  Who are the people who put them up?  What are their stories, pre-, during, and post-Camino?  These were questions that raced through my head.  

I also noticed that there were numerous partial crosses that people had placed strategically - either horizontally or vertically - along the fence, inviting me to "complete" the cross.  Where a horizontal stick was already placed, I would add the vertical stick to make it into a cross, or where a vertical stick had been placed, I completed it by adding the horizontal piece.  I participated in this tradition, walking slowly, meditating on the significance that each of these crosses could hold.  A few times I began weeping, not really caring if others saw me in such a "weak" state.  On one occasion another pilgrim smiled compassionately.  On another occasion a local nodded his head forward in what seemed like some kind of solidarity.  It was beautiful, sacred, perhaps one of the most holy moments of the entire Way.

4- arrival at the Cathedral.  Naturally, this was a highlight, but there were so many people around, it was hard to be present in the moment, much less dwell on the significance of the accomplishment.  All in all, a bit anti-climactic.

Below is the video I took upon arrival at the cathedral.

Day 16: Arzúa - Pedrouzo (17 Kms)

Another great night's sleep on the Camino.  What I've learned in the past few weeks is that physical exhaustion is a significant factor towards ensuring a good, sound sleep!  And yes, there was heating.  I was able to keep warm all night.

Below is a picture of a coffee bar at breakfast, full of pilgrims getting ready for the day's walk.  This picture was taken after 8am.  It was still dark outside.

It rained on and off throughout the morning.  Even so, the way was packed with many walkers.  And whereas in previous days I'd encountered a maximum of 20 pilgrims in a day (and this only happened once, maybe twice), today I encountered a number easily surpassing 100.  I couldn't help but think of the Grouse Grind throughout today's walk.

At around 11:20 I arrived in Salceda, having already completed 9 kms.  In Salceda enjoyed a fabulous bocadillo de ternera with an iced tea.

Shortly after I resumed walking, I encountered this make-shift shrine (below), commemorating previous pilgrims who'd walked the Camino and died along the way.  I heard a story about a man who'd walked the entire Camino Francés and then promptly collapsed on this stretch of the road.  Hearing this story reminded me of the numerous dangers that previous pilgrims had to endure to get to Santiago.  I'm thankful that today the road is very safe.

I found Pedrouzo a bit unusual, because there were farms interspersed in the middle of town.  The picture below, for example, was taken a mere block and a half from the main road.

For me the highlight of Pedrouzo was the small but lovely church.  It's such a gem.  At the back of the church, behind the altar, is a gigantic shell, carved into the wall.  The picture below gives an idea of what I'm referring to.

I ate dinner at Café Che, and I ate spaghetti bolognese.  I think this may only be the 2nd or 3rd time that I ate pasta since beginning the Camino.

The albergues on the French route are much bigger than on the Primitive route.  Here in Pedrouzo, for example, there are upwards of 80 people staying in the hostel.  This makes for a cozy atmosphere, to be sure, but it makes using the washrooms rather unpleasant.  Today by the time I got to use the shower, there was no hot water left.

I'm excited, thrilled.  Tomorrow is the last day of walking.

Day 15: Sobrado Dos Monxes - Arzúa (23 Kms)

After going a week without walking, I was itching to get back on the road this morning.

I got up early, I was ready to go by 7:15am.  At 7:30 I went to Mass.  I'm tired of attending without being able to partake.  Other than that, beautiful, inviting liturgy.

After Mass, I had breakfast with my Spaniard friends one last time.  We gave each other a warm going-away hug at the end, before saying farewell, Godspeed!

I hit the road around 8:30, with a bittersweet feeling.  Bitter - enveloped in feelings of loss, longing and loneliness; sweet - encouraged by conversations with the various staff, monks and reteratants; and eager to see what lay ahead on the Camino.

As I began walking, my eyes were tear-filled.  Why?

I stopped for a coffee at the 7.5km mark in Carredoras.  The hostess there was a very friendly lady who was not at all shy about telling me of all the troubles burdening her beloved España.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on Spain!

At the 13.5km mark I stopped in Sendelle, were a very friendly lady gave me a tour of the town church.

As soon as I left Sendelle it began to pour, and I walked in the rain for a good hour before it stopped and the sun tried to peak through.

I arrived in Arzúa late afternoon, and noticed immediately that this was a very busy town.  That's because here the various routes converge before the final stretch to Santiago.

Unlike at previous locations where there was always a bed available at the inn, here I was turned away a few times before I finally found lodging at the Albergue Los Caminantes.  The hospitalera here is an energetic woman, a firecracker, really, who welcomed all of us pilgrims with great  enthusiasm and good humour.

As I headed out for dinner a few hours later (and still way too early for the rest of Spain to head out for dinner), it began to rain again.  I ate dinner at Restaurante Carballeira.  I journalled there for quite a while, before, during, and after my meal.

Below, a picture of the soup, caldo gallego, that I enjoyed for dinner.

The weather's chilly.  I hope the hostel has heating.