Day 6: Orisson to Roncesvalles (4/6/14)

The sun seemed to rise very early in the Pyrenees - 

and I would have appreciated looking at it longer -

 if not for the emerging reality
that pilgrims get up and going very quickly.

A small breakfast (if available)
and out the door between 7-8am.

(And yes, it was already beginning to dawn on me 

that this was NOT
the leisurely retirement I had in mind!)

But, if you're going to get the most out of your day
and your energy levels,

you need to get moving before your body has a chance
to weigh in with different options!

Besides, most albergues are like homeless shelters; 

they might gladly give you a place to lay your head for the night - 

but they want you gone by 8!

Walking on pavement for the first segment 

fooled me into believing that this wouldn't be too bad...

but I was soon to discover a Camino truth -

things change -

and sometimes there IS no path -

just an arrow pointing in the general direction.

For all my reservations about dangerous conditions,

while there WAS snow on the ground, 

 I saw absolutely nothing to indicate any weather condition 

which would have necessitated the trail being closed
the day before.

What I DID see was 

Our Lady of the Pyrenees,

(which made me smile since it looked like Mary was white 

and Jesus bi-racial - 

which says WHAT about God?!)

a herd of beautiful horses,

and trees which reminded me that you can bend -

and still be rooted!

Let me also just say how delighted I was to see the BVM so early on my journey.

(For my Protestant or unchurched friends,
BVM stands for Blessed Virgin Mary -
and I love her!)

We go way back together...
see here for proof 

I knew I'd be seeing lots of images and statues of Mary on the Camino
since Spain is such a Catholic country
and Mary is adored there as well.

Early on, while planning for the Camino,
I had a strong recurring premonition
that I'd be "Walking with Mary".

Little did I know that the Universe meant that in a literal sense!

For the first stage of my journey (3 days),
I walked with Mary,
a retired Lutheran Pastor from WA.

Mary is a veteran long distance hiker,
having already walked the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail;
after the Camino,
she was starting the Continental Divide Trail to complete the trifecta!

Although a decade older than me,
our strides and pace were similar (slow)
 and she was invaluable in giving me tips, support
and encouragement
in the few days we walked together.

(Sad to say, her hope that this Camino experience
would turn me into a long distance hiker as well
will remain unfulfilled!)

The Camino is a great teacher -
and an opportunity to practice the reality -
 that people come and go in your life.
You never know from the onset of meeting them
how long they'll remain or what role they're meant to serve in your life -
or what your role may be for them.

And, while I may have had some of these observations and thoughts
whizzing around in my head while I walked that day,

the only notation in my journal from Day 6 is "Long HARD day".

Now, several weeks later -
and from the comfort of my own home - 

I'm beginning to realize how much walking the Camino
is also like childbirth -

once it's over,
the memory of the intensity of the pain fades.
(Well, almost).

Don't look for me to be having a second Camino anytime soon though!
The memories haven't faded all that much!

The albergue for the evening, at a old monastery, was a welcome sight -

and I was delighted to discover that apparently I wasn't the only one
who had felt her backpack with every step!

Okay, so here's the part where I reveal something not so nice about myself...

I was pissed to discover there was a child on the Camino!

Not that I usually mind kids...
some of my favorite people are kids, 

but, come on...

2 weeks earlier I'd left a 35yr career in pediatrics 

and now I got to have one of those 'peds' in my hostel
and on the trail for several days!

  Turns out my inner curmudgeon (ok, also external on most days)
had her panties in a twist for nothing.

Ollie (6) and his parents were delightful.
Dad (Jonathan) was from South Africa,
Mom (Andrea) from Hungary
and they were now living in London.

We had lunch together on the trail,
pooling what little food we each had in our packs -
 purchased days before in St Jean -
and afterward Ollie decided to go barefoot in the snow.

He hectored me into joining him,
saying he'd take my picture when I did.
He grabbed my camera and was in the snow
before I could get my shoes off.

He was delighted when I pretended to believe him about the snow being warm -
and even more delighted when, to my feigned amazement,
I discovered that the snow was freezing!
(I didn't let him know how good it actually felt
on my aching, throbbing feet!)

The picture he took of me is one of my favorites from the whole trip!

 OK, that was the lovely story about Ollie...
here's the down side.

At dinner that night,
he accidentally spilled a glass of water
right onto my new (less than a month old) iPad mini -
my link with the outside world (when wi-fi was available)
and the means through which I intended to write this blog
while actually ON the Camino.

Apparently Siri is a witch -
she doesn't like water AT ALL -
and before our very eyes,
we watched in fascination as the i-pad short-circuited,
complete with sound effects, twirling screens and flashing lights -
until it flat lined completely!

And I was devastated -
for the better part of an hour.

At least until I had time to process what had happened
and realize what a great gift it was.

Not only had Ollie reminded me that it isn't kids I don't like -
just their abusive parents, the 'system' and the horror stories associated with each -
but he had freed me
from having to feel obligated
to stay connected to home
and the world I'd left behind.

I was being forced to live in the present
and fully experience my Camino -
without having to share it immediately.

I could simply live with it.

The world would go on without 'Camino updates and photos' from Donna -
at least once I contacted my adult children to let them know I was doing well
but would be unavailable for a while -
and I would be able to concentrate on whatever the Universe had to teach me!

It was a win/win.

Like I said earlier,
things change -
and when doors close,
windows might not always open
in the way you anticipate!

The lessons were coming hard and fast!