“The Camino will provide” is a common mantra on the pilgrimage, and it provided me with a host of insightful experiences, making it difficult to know where to begin. I’m just going to jump in with a day of contrasts; day 5 of my pilgrimage.
Mason and I woke up this morning to a rough night’s sleep. Our room in this particular albergue (pilgrim hostel) had 8 bunk beds and Mason and I were on top bunks with two Spaniard men who didn’t speak any English sleeping below us. At some point during the previous night, after lights out at 10pm, a cot was brought into our room for a pilgrim who also left in the morning before daylight. Although we never saw him, we sure heard him! It was our first encounter (of too many) with a horrendous snorer...the type of snoring you would swear is magnified by your ear plugs and feels so powerful that it stirs the air into waves that crash against your body and the walls and the ceiling of the room! You get the idea!
When Mason and I hopped off our bunks (actually, I am already waddling at this point because of feet pain), the two Spaniards started imitating the snorer and in charades-like fashion illustrated all of their failed attempts through the night at getting this guy to shut up...shining their flashlights on him, making animal sounds to wake him up and even throwing things at him! I am laughing from my gut - the kind of laughter that brings tears to your eyes and literally doubles you over and makes you worry that you might pee in your pants! I have often heard the phrase “laughter is the best medicine” and for the first time I felt the transformative power of laughter and was truly grateful to start my day with this flood of positivity!
Mason and I set out walking on this beautiful, crisp blue-skied day, and while climbing a mountain, Mason spotted a faint rainbow. As we reached the top of the mountain trail, the rainbow intensified and we could see our path for many kilometers ahead of us heading directly through the center of this rainbow. Gradually, clouds began to gather and a second rainbow appeared above the first one, both framing a hilltop village (Cirauqui, the first of many villages that Mason claimed as his favorite!) that we were headed towards. The rainbows felt like they appeared for us pilgrims, beckoning us to continue on our journeys with beauty and awe and magic in our hearts.
At lunch, we met up with a travel buddy who had already become like family to us. The day just kept getting better and more beautiful. And then, at the end of our day, the contrast.
...to be continued.
Buen Camino!
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