VIANA DO CASTELO, Portugal — It’s ironic that the most inspiring thing I’ve heard so far walking the Camino de Santiago with my son and his wife has come from a self-proclaimed atheist from the Netherlands.
We shared a room earlier this week and struck up a conversation. I learned this was his sixth time doing one of the Camino routes and incredibly his third one this year!
I was telling him about my bad back and how I was very worried about whether I’d be able to do the 200-mile walk we started in Porto.
“The Camino heals whatever is bothering you,” he said. “It just has a way of doing that.”
He wasn’t wrong.
I’ve held onto his words all week as my back has felt better each day.
After a few days walking the coast on mainly wooden boardwalks, our route took us inland Thursday and things got more difficult. The heat became a factor and the nice bouncy wooden boardwalk gave way to unforgiving cobblestones that wreaked havoc on our feet and joints.
We splurged and spent the night at an Airbnb instead of a municipal albuerge or hostel. It was so rejuvenating to have a private room and bath. This journey has definitely helped me appreciate all the things I take for granted.
The walking itself offers a great opportunity to think, to forgive, to seek forgiveness and to simply reflect on anything and everything.
I’ve never really prayed the rosary before but my wife, Jennifer, bought me a special Camino rosary and so I’ve prayed three rosaries per day: one for my wife, one for us and then one for a different intention each day.
Friday was a grueling, yet rewarding day as we walked more than 17 miles many of which were over tough-walking terrain like sand dunes, small hills, cobblestone and forest. We gained 900 feet in altitude and I could feel each foot.
There is something rewarding about treading the same ground pilgrims have walked for more than 1,000 years.
It was the first time we met up with other pilgrims and walked with them for a long stretch.
One of them, a 66-year-old man from Amsterdam, was on his fourth Camino. I asked him why he does it and he answered immediately “for the adventure.”
He also said that it’s important to stay active as you get older.
Why am I doing it? I guess for all the reasons mentioned above plus others yet to be revealed to me. Plus, I like to see if I’m up to the challenge.
I hope that there are not many more 17-mile days ahead of us. I’m not sure how many more I can take.
Keep me in your thoughts.
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres
Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Walking the Camino de Santiago offers healing and adventure | Torres
Reporting by John A. Torres, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
