WILLERTONS WORLD

Rubiaes de Pedro, Portugal to Tui, Spain.

April 11th, 2017 

After finding a bar in Rubiaes to post my blog in last night, I came across a Spanish guy who had already walked 55kms that day and had set out from Porto 2 days before. He had another 10kms he wanted to do that night so he could say he had done Santiago in a week. Crikey!

After battling snail pace upload speeds, I headed out to the one restaurant in town where all of the Peregrinos went. Staying at my Alburgue was a 60 year old American who was soon joined by another full of ****, ego centric but none the less charming couple of Americans, a young Dutch couple and a German girl. Good conversation and a chance to meet people.

When dinner arrived it was enormous – big enough for two and I couldn’t even eat half of it. Walking back, I came across the Oboe player from Taiwan/Austria and a guy. They had walked 34kms and hit the hill. They were exhausted and looking for accommodation by torch light, which I was able to help them with.

The next morning I thought I would make an early start, but the dogs of the village had different ideas, keeping me awake until 1130. There are dogs everywhere in Portugal – most houses have one and they all bark. None the less, after a breakfast of an apple and a coffee I hit the road at 8AM.

I was walking alone through a beautiful old roman road which snaked along the banks of a river and eventually into farmland as I walked up through a valley. The going was easy with just a few wee hills and mostly cobbles, some asphalt and then as I progressed, rocky country lanes.

Early on I was surprised by a cyclist who appeared behind me and stopped to take the same photo I was. I told him he had surprised me and he said ‘yes I am like a ghost’. I said ”Well nice to meet you Casper” and he thought that was very funny and rode off.

Stopping for a cafe com leite, I started the next tranche of the journey down a narrow track covered on both sides by thick bush. Halfway down I got the distinct feeling I wasn’t alone. Suddenly I heard a loud noise in the bush on the right hand side up, above and behind me. Thinking I was about to be attacked, I stopped and turned around to stare it down. I waited for around 1 minute which is a very long time standing there on your own. The noise didn’t repeat itself, so I slowly turned around and continued walking.  

All of a sudden my head was full of the presence of people who had passed over during my life. My Nana Newick, Nana Marwick, Benny Schalks, Lori Burns, Barry Sanford and from the scarcely believable file, Catherine Tasker, a girl I went to intermediate school with and hadn’t thought of for a very, very long time. It was a strange and yet very comforting thing as they walked with me, surrounding me with their presence.  They were happy and reassuring me, asking me questions. I seemed to be able to communicate with them, not by saying anything but just by somehow joining spirits. When I got to the end of the cutting, they left me gradually, until I was just left with a warm, tingly glow of their former presence. I can’t really explain it but it was an awesome and surreal experience. 

They say the Camino is a bit magical and I guess I experienced that. 

Pushing on through some villages on the 25km trek into Spain, the way was flat and easy. Stopping for an omelette I met a Canadian guy who ran the Alburgue, who used to be a war correspondent and recalled playing tennis with the NZ Ambassador in Beijing in the early 90s around the Tienanmen Square episode.

Soon arriving at Valenca I was urban walking which is now a real dislike after the solitude and quietness of the bush.

It was hot today. Really hot for walking. I soon arrived in the far end of Valenca where a massive fort is on a hill. The way runs right through there, so I stopped and celebrated with an ice cream, Grande Agua (water) and a Cervaza, while talking to a Polish girl and her German boyfriend, a girl from Patagonia and one other from Switzerland who all live together in Barcelona.

The border into Espana is over a bridge and leads into Tui where I stay two nights, at the ominously titled ‘Hotel Colon’ ferrying back tomorrow night from Porrino.

Tui has a beautiful river and looks very old once again, so I am looking forward to exploring it some more.

MLC THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Magic is real. Sometimes you just have to let it in. 

MLC THOUGHT 2: Amidst the failing physical effects, what are the strengths of middle age? Wisdom? Mental toughness? Confidence in what is true north? Does all of that equal strength? How do you let go of the person you were and embrace that these things are now your reality?

STEPS: 33,112 or 26.82 kms

WEIGHT: I don’t know but I am seeing things I haven’t seen in ages.

PORTUGESE: doesn’t matter anymore