Camino MMXXVIII : Days 0-1
Day 0
I’m in front of Burgos Cathedral, waiting for my travel buddy (by now I am used to his late arrivals) right on the spot where we had our last beer three years ago.. To get into the right mood, I decide to rehearse a bit of “pilgrimness”. Be open. Not even the first instant of striking a conversation is awkward in the Pilgrim's world. So, I look around an -lo!- there’s a lone peregrina writing her diary… So I go and sit somewhat near her, ready to make use of the “Pilgrim’s license to attack”. Her concentration on her writing holds me back -my first rule being not to interfere with the Muse of Inspiration – and when her pen starts to finally run out of juice…
A careless Pilgrim is now sitting right between the lone peregrino and the lone peregrina, simply looking at the Cathedral, unaware of all the emotional charge that the bench was carrying! …But that’s part of Pilgrim’s life too! The license to just be.. in the way.
Not too worry, some time later I spot her again talking to a lady and dive straight in.. so smoothly that I hear them asking to each other (in German) if they knew me before.. We are all a big family on the Camino! Peregrinus peregrini deus est
…to a certain extent. I get into the Hostel and a massive man is avidly reading his Camino guide. Upon my request to borrow it, he looks at me surprised:” it’s in Cerman!”. I know: I’ll just look at the pictures, Sir. As he reluctantly hands me the booklet, he removes from it the tidiest metal bookmark I’ve ever seen. His whole weight is now on me by means of his surveilling eyes, watching my every move. I became apologetic and felt in need to point with my index finger to the figures I was looking at to prove my good intentions. I must confess the thought of kidnapping the book and running for my life crossed my mind, too…
Day 1
Having been denied access to the municipal hostel due to the late arrival of Seyi and having paid a visit to an appalling fast food to quench his primeval hunger the night before, we have a late morning start. 9,30 am: almost evening for Camino’s standards. We are in the very tail of the Pilgrims’ distribution and all we see are the traces left by others. When the time starts to get late and the night approaches (it was around 2pm..) we meet an Italian man- who was very concerned about finding a bed. We tow him till the next auberge in the middle of nowhere, but he’s not convinced and keeps crunching miles. We, on the other hand, stop for a beer (stupid doodlers..), lured in by a German man – who had been drinking red wine since 1pm- and whose sole goal was to prove that the place was iconic (a “cult”). He did not convince us, either. Still optimist and fresh, we set off, despite the late hour. Our destination was Hontanas (a tourgrim trap ..according to the prophecy of a French hippy I met on day 0). Having got there quite late (19h-ish), we are treated like cattle and kicked out with no empathy from every hostel we set foot into...That was a hard reality check. But let’s not go into further details of the massification of the Camino… With the confidence of the Strong (more or less..), we venture into the last stretch in the heart of the mesetas. No human construction or even trace of it for over one hour. I hope my travel companion, by that point trudging along with his massive backpack, enjoyed this evening walk as much as I did (On the other hand...more suffering, more expiation, mate)
Then, when the clock is ticking 8.30pm, we suddenly come across a magical place: the monastery of S.Antonio.. where a free donation hostel is sitting between astonishing ruins.
We are welcomed warmly and frankly, like true Pilgrims, by Monia, the hospitalera. She was an “exposed soul”(to use Seyi’s word): no hidden agenda - simply transparent and authentic.
The multipurpose room (sleeping area + kitchen) is magic.. the timber frame, the paintings, the old stove... the oak table with candle lights... We feel that even the air we are breathing is magic. "The Camino gives you what you need (and no more) and not what you want".
We missed the communal dinner, so Monia cooks some pasta for us . Needless to say it was "al dente": the best ‘menu del peregrino’ ever cooked! Dining at candle light, enjoying deep conversations and silences with very spiritual people, the stress evaporated. We were recharged men!
Everyone we meet was truly exceptional (especially compared to the previous crowd). They exuded spirituality. Seyi was looking a bit lost in all these silences, to be honest (he probably can say the same of me…?)
Marius and Robert - dressed in baggy natural clothes- are real travelers, doing the Camino backwards. They are seeking spiritual enlightenment- and living the Day.
Marius looked blissed: "Open your heart, guys", "there is only today. The past and the future are illusions". “I’ve done the Camino del Norte before. But the Camino Frances is different”. More people? (I dare asking) “Just different”.
There was some inexplicable intensity, some sort of solidity in Marius… his unfinished sentences ..the rebuttals to "superfluous" probing questions.. Then he continues: "If your heart is open...” Robert dives in "...Call a Doctor".... (you see: it was a constant roller-coaster between deep shit and convivial moments!). But real conversations soon start again. Monia telling about her experiences in India, then taking Marius aside to look at him in the eye: “you are a gift of the Camino”. These folks are best in class in appreciation, we realize... Then she takes us to look at the baby owls on the roof. The charm of the simple things.
And there was Xavier, a Spanish veteran of the Camino, doing it for the 10th time and hospitalero himself, too. He’s chilled out, appreciates the small things and appears to be wholly…present. Doesn't fear silences, there's no chit-chat with him...he just cuts it off as if he didn't hear. "Queso.Cheese. Take" ..you cannot refuse ..."Sit" indicating a chair… you are on it before he completes the word.... "Que dia precioso!"…you lift your eyes to look around... "Holaa", then looking straight into your eyes "Que tal? ...and you get ready for a bone-crushing handshake.
We are normally really bad at writing notes at departure, but this time the ink was flowing with inspiration: "Thank you, Monia, for the REAL welcoming, and for bringing us back to the authentic Camino"