On the 21st of April 2013, I walked Villatuerta Puente to Azofra, a distance of about 21 kilometres. By now, my body seemed to have accepted that walking was an integral part of my new way of life. The muscles still complained, but they were getting stronger. The blisters on my feet continued to thrive and this continued until some days after I had completed my Camino walk. I was wearing standard size boots but unknown to me, although my feet were mostly standard size, they were not completely standard size. Walking long distances made my feet acutely aware of the small ways in which my feet varied from standard size. These variations resulted in continuous blistering that never went away.
If you walk the Camino, ask a podiatrist before you go to advise whether your feet need specially designed boots to enable you to avoid blisters.
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This was me in Najera on my way to Azofra on 21 April 2013. Although it was not raining, I wore my rain jacket to ward off the cold.
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While walking, you always need to watch for Camino route signs. This one was outside Najera. The stylised shell indicates you are still walking on the designated Camino route.
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Every day that you walk the Camino, there is a river of peregrinos in front and behind you. I took this photo on 21 April 2013.
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Here are some more peregrinos walking on Sunday 21 April 2013.
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Part of the wonderful Spanish countryside through which I walked on Sunday 21 April.
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As well as those who, like me, walked the Camino on two feet, there are those who do not walk but ride the Camino on bicycles. Because those walking were called peregrinos, those riding bicycles were called beeceegrinos! This photo shows some beeceegrinos on 21 April.
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Diary Entry Made on Sunday 21 April 2013 at 4.00 pm
I completed seven full days of walking at about 1:55 pm today. I arrived at a new municipal albergue at Azofra. According to Brierley, I walked 21.1 kilometres today. A sign just outside the town of Najera said that it was 584 kilometres to Santiago. This means I topped the 200 kilometre mark at some time today. [Note: Actually, this was incorrect. I did not complete more than 200 kilometres of walking until Monday 22 April 2013.]
I walked with the English lady Suzanne from Navarette to Ventosa and we were joined in Ventosa by a Canadian called Stuart Taylor. Suzanne walked as far as Najera and Stuart and I pushed on to Azofra. Stuart retired after a working life in the Alberta Forestry Service. He is a very nice man.
It was beautiful walking weather today. Because it is Sunday, the Navarette albergue said there should be no departures before 7:00 am. Yahoo! I had a sleep in!
The temperature was initially very cold but there was glorious, bright sunshine. The feet and legs still ache but less than they have done. Maybe the body will now start recovering from the shock of what I am putting it through.
Distance Walked Today: 21.1 kilometres.
Total Distance Walked So Far: 183.4 kilometres.
Total Distance Covered So Far: 195.8 kilometres including the 12.4 kilometres by taxi.
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Soul Song Number 9 - The River: Part I
(21 April 2013)
Every day The River resumes its flow.
The Pilgrim River starts at various times,
But always before dawn.
In Navarette, the stream commenced at 7:00 am.
It was Sunday,
The day of rest.
Pilgrims were required to sleep in for at least a little while on the day of rest.
Once the magic time had arrived,
Almost imperceptibly the River of Pilgrims resumed its flow,
Following The Path that has only one purpose,
Revealing to a multitude of people the Way of The One.
The Pilgrims might think they seek The Saint.
They might think The Saint will help them find God.
Of course, The Way does both of these things.
But it also does something else that is far more important.
The Path helps people to find their own true selves.
That is why The River always flows.
Because pilgrims are always seeking their true selves.
The River of Pilgrims is always the same.
It is always different.
Its constituents are the people, the seekers.
The seekers are always the same,
But they are always different.
The problems the pilgrims are trying to solve are always the same,
But they are always different.
The River of the Camino embraces all of their sorrows and problems,
Washing them all away.
The River of the Camino takes all of their problems
And reveals the solutions,
Solutions that always come from the pilgrims themselves,
Even when the pilgrims think otherwise.
Flow Pilgrim River
Flow your way across Spain.
Lessen the pain.
Keep revealing the answers.
Please continue to flow into the hearts of the pilgrims.
For the Pilgrim River is truly The Way.
(This poem is dedicated to Suzanne, who pointed out that the flow of pilgrims is indeed a river of people that happens every day.)
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