SNIPPETS
OF
DAY ONE
On
the first day of my el Gran Camino de Santiago on June 19, 2022, I
arrived at Hendaia
(Hendaye), France in darkness. The bus dropped me and my Swiss
collaborator at 02:30 in the earliest of mornings. I was excited. It
was very cold and I was just wearing a flimsy collared t-shirt. We
kept moving just to stave off the cold. We walked on concrete
sidewalks and on asphalt streets until
we crossed over into Spain.
After
so much effort to find a meal in Hendaia and in Irun, light
begun to claim the skies. Then I found that elusive arrow. We decided
to push through with or without food and God be with us! The
road goes up and up from Hondarribia until we arrived at the chapel
of the Guadalupe Hermitage. I prayed and asked for blessings inside.
Outside, I got the first stamp for my empty credenciales.
Still
walking on empty stomachs, I blindly followed a path up a mountain,
completely trusting on my intuition on which arrow I would choose and
hound the rest of the day. My hunch was answered as we passed by
ruins of Carlist watchtowers. I knew of these structures during the
making of this DIY Camino del Norte. I designed that I pass there,
not knowing that it was the Purgatory Trail, and it was one of three
routes of the first day.
Then
came the lone dolmen, a stone monolith erected by Celtics, long
before the coming of the Romans. I scaled Monte Jaizkibel and walked
among its ridges, enjoying an aerial parade of eleven serpent eagles
circling above me, paying homage of my presence. I went down and
followed a well-beaten path that finally led to Pasaia San Juan
(Pasai Donibane) and to our first albergue.
I
had my coldest mugs of beer and that elusive meal, all rolled into
one super dinner, Spanish time (22:00). It was a super effort upon my
part to remain awake, despite the beating that my eyes received as it
adjusted to the long daylight hours which the Europe is enjoying at
this time of year. After that very late dinner, I hit my bed and
there was no turning back.
I
am a pilgrim from the Philippines.
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