It´s been 3 days of walking so far on the Camino de Santiago, and while I´m still feeling like a bit of a newbie at this whole pilgrimage thing, it´s been a real treat. Unreal scenery, fantastic hospitality, and after walking 25 km, food and wine never tasted so good! Here are some of my pilgrim awakenings to share with you all:
1) While learning to sew may have seemed trivial in junior high school, it´s a useful skill when it comes to blister care. After a dibillitating walk yesterday wherein I resorted to bandaging my ENTIRE feet in medical tape, some fellow pilgrims and I had a little sewing bee. This involves sewing through each blister and leaving the thread in it to drain while you have a glass of wine. Excellent medicine I think.
2) In Spain, if you want to win a woman´s heart, you need to first grow a mullet, then buy some jeans which are very tight, and finally, you must stand nonchallantly in front of a running bull until the last possible moment when it´s finally allowed to run like hell. Go figure!
3) Lunch on top of a midieval ruin is just plain cool!
4) It´s understood that a balanced breakfast is made up of cafe con leche and a pain chocolate.
5) Middle aged men snore. Alot.
6) Fanta and wine…who knew?
7) It´s okay if you´re so covered in sweat and sunscreen that dozens of little black flies get stuck to your skin, in your hair, and in your cleavage…because they´re stuck to everyone else too.
8) No matter how much you think you´re suffering on this trip, someone else is suffering more. Case in point…husband and wife team pushing their 4 year old over a mountain in a baby pram.
9) Fast and salt taste goooood.
10) Camino style comprises a large dorky hat, a walking stick which makes you feel a bit like Gandalf, bits of string hanging from your feet as you treck, feet slathered in vaseline, and a scarf draped over your shoulders like a cape. Why don´t more boys like me?!
thesaltysister 