5/26 When Things Don't Work Out

I woke up to a knee that was very sore.  Major limping sore.  I still have a fair amount of walking to do just to get home...from the bus station to where I stay in Santiago, to the Cathedral on Sunday morning, to the train station, from the train station to where I stay in Lisbon, to the airport, and from concourse to concourse in 3 different airports.  I have to give my knee as much rest as I can...so I humbled myself and told Annie and Polly to go on without me this morning and called for a cab to take me to Cee.

Along the Camino, as I have walked with 4 women who have become friends, I have taken a picture of their footprint when I saw them walking ahead of me.  So...in order, these are Francine, Polly, Annie, and myself.

While I was waiting for the cab, I talked to a German fellow who has done the Camino from Le Puy en Velay in France to Saint Jean Pied de Port.  He too, said the  French route from Le Puy en Valey was beautiful and thought it was similar in difficulty and length to the Camino Frances.  The wheels are turning.

How can I be disappointed?  I have spent the last 30 some-odd days walking in beautiful country, in beautiful weather, with the freedom to contemplate, reminisce, and reflect on how I am doing in this thing called Life.  I have loved every moment.  And there will be more adventures for me.  Right now, I think my attitude about having to stop walking is more important than seeing more of Spain on foot.  I will cheer Annie and Polly on, celebrating with and for them.  I hope to find a Farmacia in Cee and get more ibuprofen and a knee brace to give me some extra support.  And I will remember that everything happens for a reason...and sometimes things work out differently than we imagine.  It's okay.  I am yearning for home.

The owner of Albergue Tequeron in Cee is a treasure.  I arrived by taxi around 11 and she hadn't even had time to clean up after yesterday's batch of pilgrims, but she took one look at the way I was walking and said, "No worry...I take care of you."  I secured 3 beds, found out where the closest Farmacia was, and hobbled to the cash machine.  After I put on the brace and took another round of ibuprofen, I was walking with about half the pain I had this morning.  Two pilgrims came and asked for a bed and Pillar asked me, "Are these your amigas?"  No.  Pillar turned to them and said, "So sorry...completo."  Yikes.  Polly showed up and then Annie...they had had a good walk but it was very windy.

We are hoping for some good Galician seafood tonight.  Polly and Annie will walk the 15 kilometers to Finisterre and I will catch a bus from here at 10 am.  The path from Finisterre to the ocean is about 3.2 kilometers.  I am hoping to leave my backpack somewhere and walk that far, but if I am sore, I will stay in Finisterre and be the backpack watcher.