Day 7 - Oia to Baiona

I woke up this morning with a blister on my right big toe. I'm unsure how you develop a blister in your sleep, but I have managed to do so.

It isn't life threatening, and I have a bag of tricks in my footcare bag. Mostly it is annoying as it ends an epic number of kilometers without any blisters at all.

I read my daily motivation app for today. It was written by Marcus Aurelius. "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."

I tucked that away after applying it to my big toe. Later this morning there were several of us from last night's alburgue all at a cafe together. We were discussing our aches and pains and how we were addressing them more with attitude than with medicine. I showed them the quote. It was screenshot and read in about four different languages.

***

The sunset last night was beyond spectacular. It continued to deepen in color after the sun disappeared. It was a perfect ending to my first day back to Galicia.

This morning I didn't feel quite as chipper. After putting on my backpack and heading back to the Camino path I realized I was tired. There is a weariness that happens after consecutive days of walking or working. It is why we need days of rest, which is something I haven't scheduled into these first two weeks. I don't have the liberty or time to add days at this point, so I will have to manage my rest time in creative ways.

I turned on my mini-recorder that I keep in the pocket on my left shoulder with my glasses. I had a mini-bitch session where I aired all my frustrations and judgements that had surfaced through the night like my blister. Then I turned off my recorder and let them go.

The next hour took me up the coast, just me and my shadow. It was a perfect morning for turning around and seeing where I had been and how far I had come.
By the time I found the first open cafe most of my housemates from last night caught up with me. We flowed in conversation and steps, giving each other a listening year or space when needed. I treasured their companionship today.

There were other treasures to be found on The Way - scarecrows, painted rocks, windmills, lighthouses, and churches.

Once I arrived in Baiona I toured two churches built right next to each other. One was a Romanesque style from the 13th century. The second was 17th century with an Italian plateresque style (I had to look that up). It was built to venerate the Saint Liberata, who, according to legend, was one of nine sisters (born at the same time). Her mother thought her husband was having an affair so she decided to drown their daughters by having them thrown into the river. However, the midwife decided to give the infant girls to Christian families in different towns. The girls grew up and were persecuted for their faith with all of them being martyred except for Liberata. But after living in the wilderness in her retirement years she was captured and crucified in Portugal. So this church has that going for them... as well as a giant statue of St James above the altar depicting him as the Moor slayer.

I think I preferred the scarecrow and the painted rocks today.

***

It's my parent's 60th wedding anniversary. I am missing celebrating with them. Today I miss my family a lot. As much as I love being here, the best place in the world is always with your loved ones.

I won't see the sunset this evening. It has started to downpour. I'm hoping it clears by tomorrow morning as it is another long day of walking, but the forecast is for rain all day.

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