Day 9 Queimada at Casa Domingo Albergue

That day walked most of the 23 kilometers barefoot as we were often on trails. Unfortunately, one of the guys had a bad blister and couldn't walk the whole way. They say, "You don't walk the Camino, the Camino walks you!" I se this happening time and time again and the best advice is to just go with it. 

We ended the day with my dear friends Anna and Gonsalves' beautiful Albergue in the small village of Ponte Campana. I have been going there since 2005, when we filmed a scene from the documentary Las Peregrinas. They keep a copy of My Camino book on display in a cabinet. And a bookmark hanging on the wall. So sweet of them. 

We arrived tired and hungry. After getting settled in our bunks, we did our laundry and hung it on the line. Them Anna made us a plate of Jamon and queso to snack on with a beer or glass of vino tinto.

We celebrated dinner in the dinning room with about 30 other pilgrims. We sat with Misha from Germany whom we had shared a bunk room with a couple of nights before. 

We also met a man named John, who was leading a group of 5 others on a marriage retreat. They were all from Georgia and Tennessee and had all been sponsored by a restaurant chain to do the Camino. Al the love they shared  and the fun they had was so inspiring to witness. 

After dinner Gonsalves surprised us with an ancient pagan ritual, a Queimada ceremony. He and his brother dressed up in costume and they called men up to the front to stir the concoction of a local liquor Hierbos, coffee beans, orange and lemon, sugar and maybe a few more ingredients. It was lot with a match so it burned a bright flame. 

Gonsalves asked a pilgrim to read to the audience while I stirred and stirred. 

Gonsalves dressed up in a costume with a hat. Once it had cooked long enough we all had a taste. It was very sweet!

It was an early night as we were all very tired. 

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast together and set out to walk 24 kilometers in the sunny and comfortably warm 23 C weather!

Ultreya. 

Sue 

@barebottomshoes

www.suekenney.ca

Next Camino walk with Sue is in October 2015. Pack pack service is included and all accommodation is booked in rural pensions, hotels and private Albergues. 

Mycaminobook@gmail.com

Day 5 Barefooting to Samos

This is the first time in 10 group trips that I have led,that I didn't go to the Monastary in Samos. In fact I don't even have a pic of it as some of them are on my IPad, which I can't download to my phone right now. Trust me when I say it is incredibly beautiful though. 

We walked very quickly in the morning and I got to be barefoot most if the way. We arrived in the old town of Triacastella and ate lunch in a typical taberna. The entire group seems to like Ensalada Mixta. Salad with tuna, asparagus, hard boiled egg and corn niblets. 

We started walking again and spent a lot of time in the forest, or on dirt paths, so itcwas perfect for Barefooting. I had a sore toe, as I stubbed it, so I wrapped or with tape for the day. 

The terrain was so natural a couple of the pilgrims tried batefooting. Jan, who is 70 years old, was the first to take off hers and join in. I talked to her about the shift that takes place in the alignment of her entire body to make it more efficient. We talked about some is the benefits it has on her physical body and the freedom that is experienced. 

She said as she ages she becomes more fearful of falling. Going barefoot can help to strengthen the feet, ankles, legs and the core body to help overcome that fear. The feedback from the sensory nerve endings in the soles of your feet work quickly to message the brain/central nervous system to adapt to shifts in the terrain so the body stays upright. Jan felt that what I was saying made "common sence" and that made her want to do it!

The more we walked, the closer our group became. We travelled together most of the time or at least within site of each other, although we had agreed before leaving that everyone should walk their own Camino. There was no expectation that we had to stay together but the group wanted to. It was quite lovely. 

One of our pilgrims, Lynn, was having trouble with her one foot swelling up so much it was hard to walk. We agreed to keep a close watch on it to see if she should see a doctor or not. 

One thing I don't like about walking in the country, especially in Spain is the fact that the animals are herded back to the village at night and in the morning, so there is a lot of cow dung visible. I found myself taking my shoes odd and the. Pitting them back on again. :)

We arrived quite late in the day. It was great that we had a hotel room rather than an Albergue. The group went on the tour of the Monastary and then most of them went to Vespers. We had a late dinner and everyone was in bed by 10pm. 

That morning we had breakfast at the hotel (cafe cin leche, fresh squeezed orange juice, a buffet of eggs, bacon and sausages, and some sweets too. We left around 7:30 am knowing that we had our longest day ahead if us. 28 kilometers!!

My foot infection was clearing up thanks to Jan's oil of Oregano. Even still, I was a bit concerned as I seemed to favour that foot and that meant I wasn't walking evenly. A sure-fire way to develop an injury. 

By now several of the pilgrims had been shipping their backpacks and had decided to complete the journey that way. I still had mine and so did Katherine. She had set a goal to walk with it and that motivated her to keep it, though it was decided without any attachment to suffering. Once you've had a backpack on for a few days it becomes a part of you and she didn't want to give it up. 

We arrived tired and hungry. 

Sue 

@barebottomshoes

www.suekenney.ca

Next Camino walk with Sue is October 2015. Backpack service will be available to all. You just have to walk. 

Day 4 Love on Cebreiro

One of my favourite places to stay on the Camino is Fonfria. Angela, the owner is in my documentary film, Las Peregrinas. She was a brand new business women at that time and has just opened her Albergue Reboleira. 

Cebreiro is very special to me. It was on this mountain that I experienced a profound shift in my ability to connect with universal love. I tell the story of My Miracle on Cebreiro in the book My Camino. I especially love walking this mountain barefoot which I did most of the day. 

For several years I have brought sacred sage with me so that I can offer to do a smudge on the mountain for the pilgrims in my group. This day, the group gathered in a circle to protect me as I struggled a bit trying to light the safe in the wind. Once we got it lot, I blew the flame out so the smoke could be used to smudge. 

I explained that the group should face the east, just as the sun was rising, and once they had been smudged it would be a good time to thank the Creator by saying Miigwech Creator. This was taught to me my Sherry Lawson, a dear friend who is from an Ojibway First Nations Tribe in Camada. The ritual was truly a precious moment for all. Miigwech Creator.  

Today I met a pilgrim on her second Camino, named Inge from Belgium. She found my bookmark for My Camino at an Albergue last year. She contacted me to find out how to lead a group and asked if I could agree with her. She has a beautiful group of women walking with her. What a delight it was to meer her at the Albergue in Fronfria that day. 

Throughout the day i walked barefoot as much as I could. I was feeling a lot of pain from a split in my skin that had got infected. One of the pilgrims Jan suggested I try her Oil of Oregano and I did. That day I placed Sorrow Stones for my family and friends. I also left 5 intentions from the list of requests I had. 

The weather was warm and the smell of cow dung permeated everything. Fortunately, I no longer find it to be repulsive. Instead the smell brings back good memories of walking the Camino. And following yellow arrows reminds me of my first Camino in the winter of 2001. 

Mireya!

Sue 

@barebottomshoes

My Camino Book

www.suekenney.ca