Day 29: The Bridge to Portomarín

Another amazing day on the Camino! Each passing day brings me closer to my goal. I’m nearing the end. Today I passed the long-anticipated 100km marker, which means I have less than 100 kilometers remaining until I reach Santiago de Compostela.

The homestretch is here.

To some, 100 kilometers sounds like a lot. But since I’ve already walked 600, 100 now seems so small. That only gives me 4 days left. And 4 days goes by in an instant out here.

As far as today goes, it was very foggy in the morning. I left Sarria around 10:00 AM. As I walked for the next few hours, I could only see 50 meters in front of me. Everything else was consumed in the thick fog. The path took me through the countryside once more, winding through various small farm villages packed with dogs. Some dogs are friendly, others aren’t so much. All the hostile dogs are on a chain or behind a fence.

Today was the exception.

I’m pretty sure I almost got attacked by an angry, unleashed dog. Not sure if it was my walking sticks that made it agitated or if it was normally locked up and the owner happened to somehow get distracted, but either way the dog looked like it didn’t want me around. After I passed it, it started to tail me, growling and with bared teeth. It looked like it wanted to pounce. I tightened my grip on my walking staff in preparation. And at that moment, the owner sternly yelled the dog’s name and called it over. With that, the dog retreated.

Maybe the dog never would’ve attacked at all and was simply defending his territory, but call me a fool if I don’t prepare for the worst.

If you happen to be thinking about doing the Camino, don’t let that story scare you. That scenario hardly happens. Aggressive dogs will bark at you, but so many pilgrims walk the French Way every day. so the dog owners have to take precautions. In my case, it was a rare occurrence in a small window of time and probably would not have happened if I had arrived in town a minute later.

Towards the afternoon, the fog cleared away and the sun started to shine. It was blue skies from there on out. I went from walking in my raincoat and rain pants to my t-shirt and rolled-up-pants. With much more visibility, I could see the scenery. It was just breathtaking. Pictures from today’s trek are below.

A few more things happened after I arrived to the albergue for the night:

• I went to another Catholic mass for pilgrims along with Leo, Segöh and Mattaeas.

• I made a decent pasta meal with barely any pots and pans to work with.

The decent pasta

• I ate dinner with Segöh, Mattaeas and Emmanuel.

• I challenged Mattaeas to another chess match. After a tight game, I claimed the victory! Mattaeas is an amazing sport, and a great friend.

Sweet victory! U.S: 1 - Belgium: 1

Since Emmanuel is a seasoned pilgrim and loves to talk, during dinner I got to learn more about the celebration ceremony for the pilgrims who arrive in Santiago. Along with many other things, they get the privilege to touch the statue of Santiago’s fabled remains. And from what he told me, 1,000 pilgrims arrived in Santiago from this week alone.

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So much happens every single day that it’s impossible to grasp. Each day is filled with adventures, challenges, and countless decisions.

Ah, yes. Decisions. There are so many to make. Sometimes I think about the possibilities. I’m 18 and traveling around Europe on my own. I can go literally anywhere I want, to visit any city I like. If I wanted to, I could abandon the Camino and simply go freestyle.

Of course, I’m not going to do that. But lately it has gotten me to think about what I’m going to do after I get to Fisterra and watch the dying sun on New Year’s Eve. With the world wide open, I’ve spend several days contemplating what I’m going to choose.

And now, I think I’ve figured it out.

First, I’m going to take that Vipassana class. 10 days. Meditating. No distractions, whatsoever. Just me and my mind. And the instructor, occasionally. I’ll get to practice clearing my mind, which I think is a vital skill in this day and age, with so many distractions everywhere. To be able to shut off those negative thoughts and control what enters my mind is something I hope to achieve.

Of course, the idea of doing nothing but meditating for 10 days does seem rather intimidating for me. But I’m still gonna go through with it. It’s a new type of challenge I get to face. What’s the worst that can happen? I won’t be able to do it and it becomes an incredibly boring 10 days? I can think of worse things. It’ll be good for me. The reward seems so worth it.

Next, I want to go to the Canary Islands. They are basically the Hawaii of Spain. I’ve heard tales of the volcano Teide, and how its summit marks the highest point in all of Spain. And there’s a hike trail that leads up to it. Say less, I’m going there. As far as cheap accommodation goes, I think I have quite a few options. I can try Couchsurfing, WWOOFING, or Workaway. And of course, I’m sure there’s plenty of regular hostels around. I even heard of a community of surfer dudes and hippies making shelters inside beachside caves to live in. I’d say it’s worth a look.

But, that’s for the future. Right now, I have a Camino to finish. Tomorrow I walk 25 kilometers to the city of Palas De Rei. Can’t wait!