Day 4 June 19 Noja-Güemes 14.23 miles walked

Good Morning Noja!!

   

Convento de Mercedarias Completivas follow the link for some beautiful music
Stretching and resting in the shadow of this great castle of a chrch.	Onward toward Güemes and the most famous albergue on the Camino del Norte
Meet Isabel (left) posing with Mari-lyn infront of some pilgrim art at the famous albergue of Padre Ernesto(click here to find out more, google will translate the page from spanish). Exhausted and overheated I stopped at a campground for a snack  and enjoyed being seranaded by a group of adult siblings singing childhood songs as they celebrate their family reunion.	A sign posted at the Albergue de Güemes. "The great works are made by crazy geniuses, the fighters  execute them, the sane ones criticize them as useless." Possibly attributed to Spanish doctor and playwright, Santiago Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934)

Somehow, I ended up walking an extra 3 miles, no matter how I look at it I can't seem to re-create the circles I must have walked in.

Help For The Lost and Found

I am fine 

But only because 

There is HELP 

No way to do this 

Or anything else 

Alone

The solitary steps are synched with those of

The unseen others who paved the path

There is no shame in asking 

The arrows can be unclear 

Backtracking is the best option 

But it takes practice  

Trial and error

Lost and out the way 

The extra kilometers will teach you

There will always be HELP 

When you come to the end of yourself

I am fine!

HELP in the convent the chanting healing power of ancient prayers

In the blessing from the African sister tell people about us  

The order of Santa Maria de la Merced needs members

At first I thought she was recruiting “I married”, I say 

“No”, she clarifies remember us to the Apostle in Santiago

Let people know we are here

I promise

The old man with tissue paper thin skin 

Leaning over the stable door the barnyard smells steaming

The dirt road running through his farm

Izquierdo derecho por la caraterra 

Back to the highway again

He knew I was not about to backtrack

Pride 

You know what they say about that.

The couple insisting it is time I get out of the sun 

Leading me despite my protests “no estoy bein” Fine!?!

 “Solo necesito agua” I am only fooling myself

To the Ayuntamiento (village city hall police station)

HELP: cooling hydration and refueling

The officer is planning to bike the camino in a few days. 

He had questions

HELP in printed satellite images red line on green trees 

I'm still confused but embarrassed to take any more time.

The blessing HELP?

Protection  perhaps?

From the tour bus careening down a shoulder-less  highway 

Undeniable as a flashing neon sign 

Wrong way!  Change directions! 

Buen Camino “I'll be fine” 

I had said in the morning

You wanted to take the bus 

A challenge to go it alone again 

I could have gone with you but the bus and 

Later offer of ride 

Too much HELP 

I'll be fine 

No one can do 

This for me no matter how hot it gets.

HELP comes in the shade of an ancient oak tree 

Downward facing dog with acorns 

In the church yard flat on my back 

Shavasana with

Prayers for restoration

The strength to lift  my pack 

The deserted country back roads 

Boil in the cauldron of this scorching afternoon heat

The campground bar just 5 km left

Aquarius and water 

Serenaded by seventy-year-old siblings 

smoking on the patio 

Effortless habitual harmonies 

“Brave girl’s got this” 

I overheard the oldest say

HELP

See I’m fine

Feet, hips, shoulders beg to differ

Slowed to a glacial crawl

A young man 

Shirtless in running shorts

With nothing more than a Jansport school backpack

I swear I feel the wind as he breezes by

Embarrassment floods face

Did he hear me distracting myself with Sunday school praise songs? 

“Who am I kidding I’m old and out of shape”

HELP

At the next cross road he is waiting 

We walk together until my turn 

(He must be super human walking 42 km in this heat)

The last 1.5 km

“I’m not fine

I’m done” I shout

But there is nobody to hear

The final hill to the albergue is a vertical assent

I start to remove my pack 

Maybe a search party will find me here

HELP

Is an admonishing voice from the balcony across the street

Shouting like an angry coach

“Up the hill to the left!”

“Don’t stop!!”

“Go! go! go!”

I wish this HELP would bring me water or

Offer to carry my pack

HELP is about digging deep

The yelling propels me counting each step

(if only just to get away).

On the bench outside of the stone lodge 

HELP waits bearing witness to my exhausted tears

“Estoy bien, pardon, estoy casada pero bien”

“Tired but despite all evidence to the contrary

Fine”

HELP waits patiently for me to retell the days events

Nodding although I'm sure its unintelligible between the tears and 

broken Spanish

The hospitaleros (volunteers) are probably trained for things like this

I reassure myself

They have all been here for hours 

Clothes already hung out to dry on the line

HELP 

Friends: first day Luk , Mari-Lynn my walking partner from the day before

Introduces Isabel

(how did she arrive so early even though she didn't end up taking the bus??)

Collapsing in the cool grass 

Eventually laundry stealing nipping pup 

Forces me to the shower.

In the room for 12  bunks some thee beds high

There is just one left for me

HELP comes in warm water  

Transformational baptismal stream

Dirt, aches and pains, doubts, near-misses, shame and fear 

All mystically wash away 

Muscles healed, clean clothes 

I am a new creation

HELP is communion around the table

Wine and stew, salad and bread

Laughter in six languages no translation needed

The air thick with shared experiences and 

Hand rolled cigarettes

The balm of “me too” soothes like Arnica

The brilliant sunset a promise 

HELP will bring us sleep.