Walking across Europe - 2013: Camino Primitivo Alternate Route (April 5, 2020)

A very good friend mentioned that recent email blog notification emails were missing pictures/videos. I am not sure why this would have happened however if it does two options 1) go to bottom of the email and click on the website link or 2) use the website link www.caminolongwalk.blogspot.com. Pictures/videos are there.

Another great day of walking today, with the exception of an early morning incident, the day was a quiet reflective one. Loooooooong at 33.0 kms I walked and now total 264 kms. 46 kms to go... I think I am a couple of days walk from Santiago de Compostela...so could finish a day ahead of my 13 day schedule.

Having just passed Melide by a few kms I am now back on the Camino Frances route...and the number of pilgrims will increase exponentially!

While in Melide I stopped and had a Galician delicacy pulpo (octopus)!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1MMey1AVGF6lBcbp8B1GObfiQLTEV1RNs

Pulpo!

The day started at 5:10 am...8C...superb walking weather! Some time around 6 am I had a real shock...an unwelcome visitor was moving around within maybe 15 meters from me. A skunk! While a fence was supposedly protecting me I was terrified nonetheless...Can skunks climb fences? Chew their way through? Leap the fence? Getting sprayed in the COVID - 19 time period did not seem like a good idea.

I kept walking with a major crouch hoping the skunk would not see me...thought that my smell should be ok and certainly not worse than the skunk. Thankfully after 10 minutes or so he/she went on to terrorize someone else!

A perceptive reader of the blog published this comment recently

I notice that you're walking the Camino with no pack, relying on a spirit of generosity in the people you meet. I admire your courage.

Now I had been wondering when someone would notice that I was not walking with a backpack...why have I done this? Simple. Can you imagine seeing someone walking back and forth on a deck 29 ft wide for 5-6 hours per day...WITH A BACKPACK? Wouldn't they think that was weird? So I didn't do it...thinking that people would simply not notice what I was doing :).

The reader is correct...people have been very kind to me...providing shelter and food as needed. Considering I only have a single set of clothes for the entire Camino Primitivo that may also explain why I have been sleeping exclusively outside! Here is what a very kind person, Dawn, prepared as a delicious breakfast after 4 hours of walking this morning! Omelette with salmon!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1YoRQCevqD_GZFiTV3jem7jusvNRlI2K_

Dawn prepared an omelette and salmon! Delicious!!!

This morning the special Camino Primitivo path was gone however it had been replaced by a number of signs warning me about Dangerous Animals. These signs are shown below...created by my special pilgrims Rose & Elodie with help from mom Lise.

They apparently went out last evening, in the darkness, to place the various signs. As I was walking I reflected on something that I have always deeply felt...I am a very very fortunate person...so many wonderful people young and a bit older in my life! I am so thankful for that!

Sometime around 8:00 am or so Rose joined me...she was so very excited to tell me which pictures she had drawn...which Elodie had done...Rose could not contain herself. This also got me thinking...Rose is 5...COVID - 19 has impacted her as well in that her outside activities have all stopped...she isn't seeing her kindergarten friends...her teacher etc. etc.

Maybe she will remember some bits and pieces of the time Papi did this crazy Camino Walk and how she helped...well I am hoping some memory of this special time will remain and that makes every step worthwhile!