Portomarin

I missed today’s blog and I regret it because it was a pretty good day all around. It was a good walk. Portomarin is a great little town and I didn’t stay here the last time I was here 10 years ago. For whatever reason I walked through it. Today we had light rain off and on again. It was enough to need rain gear but we were so happy to peel it off when we could. The worst part was, and I hate to say this, was the thousands of people. You wouldn’t believe it. Usually you can step aside and let the herd go but the droves of pilgrims, the chatter, the loudness, music playing out of backpacks. Nope, never again for me. I guess I need to be grateful I got to see this road before it was like this. I’m having a really hard time with it. This may be my biggest challenge so far in the last 400 miles. I love people, don’t get me wrong, but they don’t get the spirit of the Camino. It’s an all out ‘me first’ mentality. Etiquette here is if someone wants to pass you, you move to the side and say Buen Camino. And if you want to pass, you do so politely with a Buen Camino. No one cares anymore. The lines to get food or use the bathroom are a half hour to an hour long. Huge suitcases are in every albergue and hotel. No one is packing just a backpack anymore and shipping ahead. It used to be (and I’ve done it many times) if you want a break from the backpack, you ship it ahead. But now, they carry little day packs and ship a huge suitcase ahead. No. That’s not the Camino I fell in love with. The simplicity, the love on the trail, the, for example, using a dime size of shampoo so you could make it last all month. It’s gone. This is pure gluttony. I hate to say this, but I’ll never be back, but I’m glad I’ve had these last 4-5 days to solidify my end of this relationship. Thankful I got to experience it when I did, but grateful for the true colors I have been shown this last bit. The first 4 weeks were amazing. I’ve met so many beautiful people and loved running into them on and off trail, truly. But they are now lost in the hoards of people now. God get me out of here. I could care less for another Compostela to throw in my desk drawer. But, I’m a finisher, and I will finish in 4 days.

P.S. I wrote this the day after the date posted…tomorrow is much worse 😂Leer más