try to encapsulate the Camino in a few short moments of chit chat

a pilgrim daydreaming of the comfort of his armchair
 Not sure where I heard it, but it’s been said that you have a short window of opportunity in which people want to hear about your holidays. 

After ‘How was your break? You were in Spain weren’t you?‘, there’s a few moments where you can share generally, before the conversation moves on to what’s been going on in your absence. Or the news of the day or whatever you might normally talk about. 

Of course close friends might be different, and if you had some earth-shattering news to tell, people might perk up and give you a bit more leeway. However, when I think about what I was doing last week, and I try to encapsulate that in a few short moments of chit chat, I find myself sputtering out banalities. 

It was great,’ I reply. ‘Yes, Spain. Northern Spain – flew into Bilbao and then walked along the Camino de Santiago for a week. 

‘No, I didn’t do the whole thing. That’d take six weeks or so, and I just didn’t have that kind of time.’

Then back to daily life. That’s just how it is. To be expected, even. Life moves on. 

The thing is: I do have this blog and this is as good a place as any to leave my impressions from my limited time on the Camino. It wasn’t easy blogging while actually there, so I took photos and wrote down impressions as I was going. Fully intending to keep talking about it long after I returned. 

The photo above is a pilgrim imagining the comfort of home, which made me smile as I saw it while lugging my pack. That night as I was icing my swollen foot and uploading that photo, I was already quite aware that I was going to miss the simplicity of the Camino upon returning to the day to day. 

I walked around my adopted hometown today, as Munich came to life with the bustle of locals and tourists alike. Someone in Spain told me about his having walked the Jakobsweg, which is what the Germans call this pilgrimage – it’s German for the Way of St. James  – from somewhere in the former Yugoslavia. That’s purportedly the ancient way, from what he said. 

There’s a route that goes through the Bavarian Alps, as well. I’m already imagining taking a week sometime and following the way markers toward the French border. Maybe I’ll even take my dogs and see how manageable it is to find a place to stay along the way where they’d also be welcome. 

In the meantime, I’m looking at photos that remind me of some of my better moments following The Way and I’m doing my best to bring the best of that Spirit to my daily life here back at home. 

Here’s one of the only photos I have of me while I was out there:

1 comment

  1. Hope there’s a lot more coming my way as you sort thru your experience. I’m really excited that you got to do this.

    I’ve done 2 things today: begun to pack for my trip to San Antonio tomorrow w/ Amelia & Violet, & made out the email list for my b’day party that Michael & Sara are going to throw for me on my b’day. You’ll get an invite (& that includes Meredith, but I know you all can’t come). I just want you in the loop. We’re going to have it in the afternoon of my b’day at the Cathedral which is cheap cuz we only have to pay for the sextons, & Chuck (from Program) is going to cater it.

    YEsterday afternoon after our swim & supper, the girls & I went to Krogers to buy snacks for our room so we won’t have to take time to do that on our trip, especially since I get a discount at Kroger (senior citizens-10% off most everything that’s a Kroger brand-makes for a nicer shopping experience, I can tell you. Amelia has a new cell phone & she’s pretty excited. She also got a new cord for her MP3 player, so I’ll get to hear HER favorite music. GOODY!

    Thanks for the blog. Enjoyed it.

    Trying to get everything I can done in time to go to meeting tonight & still get in bed at a decent time. We’ll see.

    Love, Mom

    Sent from my iPad

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