by: forgionedan@gmail.comPosted on:

Nuns and The Camino Inglese – The English Way

The English Way of St. James

This route, which is one of many of the Camino, is in north western Spain. It is in the region of Galicia. which is near the Atlantic coast. It is a very short 125 Km route which can be done in 4-5 days.

It is an ancient route that has been hiked for over 2000 years by many many pilgrims. It is nowhere near being as busy or as full of pilgrims like the very popular French route – The  Camino Frances ( the 800 Km route that I blogged about endlessly)

It May not be as long, as popular, or as well known, but it is equally as Spectacular!

Maps of My Hiking Route from Ferrol in Galicia, Spain

I began in Ferrol. I chose to stop in the following towns; Fene, Pontedeume, Mino, Betanzos, Bruma, Sigueiro, and finally Santiago de Compostela.

Ferrol to Fene

Fene to Pontedeume

Pontedeume to Mino

Mino to Betanzos

Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma

Hospital de Bruma to Sigueiro 

Sigueiro to Santiago de Compostela

 

My Trouble with the Nuns 

Cordoba – June 15 – 18 O Holy Accident

Before I can begin to tell you about this Camino (one I have wanted to hike for 2 years now), I must backtrack a few weeks to give you insight to my encounter with a nun. For the sake of this story, let’s call her Sister Fragility.
I was in Córdoba, Spain on June 15-18, 2018. Córdoba was spectacular and I was mesmerized by this 5th century city. One day as I caught a glimpse of the Cathedral, I knew I needed a photo.
I got out my camera lens and began taking photos. As I backed up trying to get the entire Cathedral in my shot, I bumped into something and heard a scream “ Dios Mio”!
I turned around to discover that I ACCIDENTALLY bowled over a nun! OMG, I was so upset. The poor darling was not stable on her feet  ( She was very fragile – thus her name Fragility). She must have been in her late 70’s, but looked much older. There she was on the ground, as I helped her up and I was apologizing profusely!
She was ok. She was not hurt and she accepted my help. The other nuns (sisters) looked angrily at me. I was SO UPSET! I just kept apologizing. I kept repeating in Spanish;
“lo siento.
lo siento.
yo no la vi
Fue un accidente.
 ¿Estas bien?
 me siento horrible.
 lo siento mucho.”
Sister Fragility smiled at me and shook my hand. The others just glared at me.
I went right into that Cathedral, knelt at the altar, and did penance! A very Catholic Guilt Response!
This story is important because it kept popping up during my next 2 weeks touring, and I feel it affected the start of my Camino Inglese hike!
Granada June 18 – June 22- Nunsense
Oh Catholic Guilt Never Ends
I was sitting at a café in the Cathedral Square in Granada thinking to myself,  this place is so beautiful. I really am a lucky man for being able to do this trip! I looked up and noticed that there was a sign that advertised an exposition on Mother Theresa from Calcutta, in the museum beside the cathedral. At that moment, a nun came to me and asked if I wanted a ticket to the exhibit. It was 8 Euros. I was not sure if I wanted to pay the fee but all I could think about was the nun (Sister Fragility), that I accidentally knocked over in the street in Córdoba screaming Dios Mio! I looked at her and bought my ticket!      
As I paid my lunch bill and walked towards the church and the exhibit. I saw that 2 nuns were sitting at the entrance and I pulled out my wallet and gave them my entrance ticket.  They looked at me and said this is free, there are no tickets. They told me a gypsy was walking around selling fake tickets to tourists! What could I do? I sucked it up and I learned  all about Mother Theresa!
This has to be the end of my nun sage but is it?
😇😇😇🙏🙏🙏
Madrid – June 23 – June 26 -The Sisterhood Must be Talking 

Convent of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid

I was told to tour this particular convent whilst here in Madrid. It was supposed to be magnificent! They sell tour tickets and there is never availability! Once it’s full, you can’t get in!

I have not had great luck with nuns on this trip! I thought I’d go first thing in the morning. I didn’t want to “ bump into another sister whist there.” I’d hate to knock over another nun!

When I arrived to buy my tickets, the nun at the door said the following when I asked for a ticket;

“ No hay más boletos hoy. Estamos llenos. Ven otro día.”

Basically that translates to ;
there are no more tickets for today come back another day, we are full!
I know this sounds ridiculous but seriously I thought there was a conspiracy against me from nuns by the time I got to this point on the trip.
WHY ALL THIS ABOUT NUNS YOU ASK?
This is what happened to me on Day 1 of my Camino Inglese Hike. I feel like things have gone full circle.
My Facebook Posts from June 28 and June 29
June 28
Ok, I sometimes wonder if I am loosing my mind! I’m NOT starting to Hike early in the morning!
When one hikes The Camino, one needs a credential that must be stamped at one’s starting point and at each hotel along the way.
Where is my Credential ? I tore my bag apart looking for it ( at 9 pm, not earlier like most people would do). Then I remembered, it’s in my stored luggage in Madrid!!!
The Only place in this town that I might be able to get one is the tourist office which opens at 10  am!
Ugh! I have to hike 24 Km tomorrow and I won’t start until 10:30 am. Apparently it’s flat, so I can go quickly. Sometimes, I wonder. It must have been the Madrid heat!
—————————————
June 29

OMG! Now I have to wait until 11:30 am to start my hike!

The ONLY place in town to get my credential is this Cathedral in Ferrol, NOT the Tourist Office! Although it is open, they don’t start selling the credentials until 11:30 when SISTER ISABELLA arrives!

OMG! I’m sorry I knocked over a nun 3 towns ago in Córdoba!

Does the entire sisterhood of Spain have it in for me? It’s like I’m advertised on Interpol!

I’m going to beg and add tears to help, but after I kneel and pray!

To All Nuns In Every Country – I am sorry. It was an accident and Sister ? was fine!

Fingers crossed, wish me luck!

Camino Inglese

Not only did I actually hike that day, but Sister Isabella sold me my credential early and I was off!

Day 1 was amazing!

Day 4 was special and I felt truly blessed by the kindness of a stranger! YES, I’m back in with the nuns.

The Kindness of Day 4

There Is Kindness in Our World.
I finished my hike yesterday. It wasn’t supposed to be a long one. It was simply 11 km. It only should have been 9.5 Km but I got lost. Yes, I missed a yellow arrow marker.

If you look closely at this derelict building you’ll see a yellow marker on the blue plate . I was mesmerized by the building and completely missed the marker and went in the wrong direction which is what led me astray.

 

I started the day in the sunshine and was having a wonderful hike through the woods, along riverbanks, up and down hills, and just simply enjoying the beauty of Galicia (the region of Spain that I am in).
Galicia wouldn’t be this beautiful if it weren’t for the multitude and frequency of rain storms that it gets.
I was following what I thought was the correct path until I came to the entrance of a cow pasture with no other direction to go. I was NOT going through it!

The Camino can guide you to some pretty strange places, but it never guides you to the beginning of a cow pasture and leaves you there without arrows indicating which way to go.

I knew I made a mistake. As soon as I realized I must have missed a route marker, the skies opened up and a torrential rain storm came through.

There I leaned against the fence post, sopping wet from head to toe and wondering how much further I had to walk to get to where I was going. I wondered if the rain was ever going to stop. There was no point trying to get out my rain gear because I was already wet. Thankfully, my camera and money were inside dry sacks in my backpack.

I knew I had to backtrack and find the place where I took a wrong turn. As I turned to walk away, a dirty pick up truck pulled up. The man knew I had taken a wrong turn somewhere and he told me I was about a kilometre and a half off the path of the Camino.

I got in his truck sopping wet and he not only drove me back to the path, but he went further to a little town along the way. He dropped me at a tiny café. I was able to dry off, have coffee, and wait out the storm.

He told me I spoke Galiego well! Hmmm, I thought I was speaking Spanish!

I made it to my hotel thanking my lucky stars for some strange farmer who drove by and picked me up. He did not have to do that or drive me to a place where I could get back on track today. I’m in shock at the kindness, but this what can happen on The Camino.

It’s market day here in Betanzos. Despite frequent rain storms, hundreds of people are here.

I’m very very Thankful

———————————————-

I’m not finished this hike yet. Today, I start Day 5. Two more days to go!

Please enjoy photos from my days thus far!

Day 1 – Ferrol to Fene

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 – Fene to Pontedeume

 

 

 

 

Day 3 – Pontedeume to Mino

 

 

 

Day 4 – Mino to Betanzos

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5 – Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma

Oh its just pissing down rain today! Forecast – STORMS ALL DAY!  I hate hiking in rain! I must say though despite the rain, everything that I have seen so far on this Camino route has been spectacular!

 

KEEP WALKING!

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