Between Caminos - Walking from Cee to Finisterre
- dwelton1956
- Oct 8, 2023
- 4 min read
I rolled out of bed today and was determined to get back on the trail again. My ankle feels better, and I hate seeing my fellow pilgrims heading out of town with their packs while I lay up and catch rides to my next stop. I do want to keep my old injury from preventing me from walking with my daughter and her husband in a few days, but I couldn't resist getting back on the trail today. It was a beautiful walk, and the total distance was only about 12 kilometers.
It didn't take long to walk from my hotel to the trail which ran alongside the harbor. The town of Cee wraps itself around the harbor in a horseshoe shape. I was able to watch the sunrise as I walked out of town. It was a beautiful morning with the sound of waves lapping the shore and the crying of gulls. The trail passed a church which was open, so I went inside. The small churches along the way have their own special feeling when you go inside. The big cathedrals are spectacular but the small village churches have a sweet spirit about them. When I am inside the smaller churches, which are hundreds of years old, I often think of how many generations of people it has served. How many christenings, baptisms, weddings, and funerals have occurred within those walls? Those stone walls have witnessed both joy and sadness over the course of many years. The church has stood solid through war and peaceful times, through tough times and times of plenty. If those walls could talk what a story they would tell.
After visiting the church, I walked down the trail which led uphill between stone walls and into the woods. It was a pretty steep little climb for a bit. Over the past couple of days, I have gotten to know an Englishman named Shamus because we always seemed to be staying and eating in the same places. He is a Camino veteran and is a fast walker. He quickly passed me when we were leaving town. After I topped the hill, I saw him heading back down the trail towards me. I asked him why he was heading in the opposite direction. I figured that he had lost something along the trail and was going back to look for it. He was actually coming back to check on me and make sure that my ankle had held up to the climb and warn me.
of a steep descent ahead. The kindness of my fellow pilgrims never ceases to amaze me. We quickly become like a big family along the Camino. Helping each other when we can, sharing burdens, providing friendship and fellowship. The Caminos are special trails and seem to attract special people.
Speaking of fellowship, I also met a pilgrim from Colorado named Roger as we were both climbing the first big hill. He shared with me that he had been diagnosed with Parkinsons' disease in his early forties. He told me that he was completely incapacitated and unable to walk. Today he has no problem walking and has done multiple Caminos, ran a marathon, climbed the highest peaks in Colorado, and did many other physically demanding activities. I asked him how he was able to come back from being almost bedridden to what he is now. He had a one-word answer: Jesus. In his lowest moments, he prayed and asked for help, and he said that he was told to get up and walk. He did and went from being able to only shuffle around a bit to now able to hike long trails and run marathons. He now feels called to become a physical therapist so he can help others and at 57 he is going back to school. He has written a book about his journey, and I encourage everyone to check it out like I am after hearing his incredible story. The title of the book is Push The Rock: Second Chances on the Road to Kilimanjaro by R.W. Long . It is available on Amazon, and it is also an Audiobook.
Roger and I walked together all the way to the outskirts of Finisterre. We took a break at a little cafe that was next to the trail and then he walked on. I stayed a while longer to rest my ankle and I didn't want to get to town too early because my room would not be ready for another hour. Roger is headed back to catch a plane home tomorrow. I really appreciated our time together. I soon walked on and in about another kilometer, I found Shamus sitting in front of a little cafe with a pilgrim from Mexico that he had hiked the Camino Primitiva with. He had seen Roger walk by and found out that I was doing fine and would be along soon. I tried to remember the lady's name from Mexico but it escapes me tonight. If she is reading this, I apologize. We chatted for a bit then I walked on into town. After checking in and dropping my pack in my room, I tried to relax a bit but my room was feeling the full force of the sun and it was sweltering. Most places do not have air conditioning and it has been hotter than normal for this time of year here. I decided to go out and do some exploring where at least I had a breeze to cool me off.
After wandering around town and checking out a couple of old churches I decided to get a sandwich at a little cafe near my hotel. There I met a man named Carl from Canada and a young lady from Hungary. She told me her name and I remember it started with a P. We had a good time chatting and took some pictures together. The owner of the little cafe was locking up for the evening, so we paid and said our goodbyes. They both were headed back to their countries in the next couple of days. That is the way it goes on the Camino. Sometimes you spend days and weeks around other pilgrims and other times only a few hours.
Well, that wraps up today on the Camino. Tomorrow I am heading for the village of Lires further down the coast. I think it is about 13 kilometers away. Here is the link to the photos I shot today on YouTube:
Until tomorrow, Buenos Noches and Buen Camino!
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