DAY 9 PONTE de LIMA - RUBIÃES

Just to reflect on yesterday. It was a tough day! At the pilgrims restaurant next to the albergue where we stayed, we had a good pilgrim's meal: steak, egg and chips.

Alex was again with us. He told us that he rests on Saterday, it is a Sabbath for him. I asked if he was Jewish, no! He is a Christian following the Bible. Church? No, reading the Bible and trusting it. We saw him previously on the walk reading his Bible.

I replied that the moment one reads the Bible you also interpret. The problem then is (reading by myself and interpreting by myself) 17000 different Christian denominations. I explained that I live under grace and that the most important thing for me is unity with God. The topic continued and I also discussed meditation with him. We joked about the unholy food that we are eating.

This morning I realised again, difficult topics, where we disagree strongly with one another, can only be handled and discussed when there is a relationship between the participants.

Ok, so back to today. We set off at 07:00. The morning was beautifully fresh. I was contemplating Ps 143:8 "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee." The scenery was breathtaking. We climbed 200 meters over 2 km's.

At the top of the mountain stood a cross. Here pilgrims place something symbolic that they want to lay down and get rid of; a photo of a loved one who passed away, prayers of petition, money?! Climbing your own mountain and conquering it is not always easy. However, when you get "there" and lay down that which binds you, is a liberating experience.

I suppose that is what a pilgrimage is about, not a walk through the countryside, but a road to enlightenment, and then (always) down the mountain back to your calling.

We arrived relatively fresh at the house we are now staying over at. So far it is just the two of us. We hope to get a good night's rest.

(Postscript: I write the blog from my phone in my second language for a broader audience. Please bear with my spelling and grammer.)

DAY 8 BARCELOS - PONTE DE LIMA

When you are so tired it is hard to reflect on the day. We walked 35 km. Most of the journey was with Alex from Germany.

It was a hard slog. Maybe my mind will be môre clear tomorrow. One thing we do know is that our boots are very close to their end - after roughly 800 km. (Go and have a look at one of our first blog posts in 2013 with regards to boots.)

DAY 7 VILARHINO - BARCELOS

We left at six, handed back the keys, had a coffee and were on our way. The morning was fresh and pleasant. Walking through farmlands was a pleasure.

(When we left, there was a pilgram sleeping outside of where we stayed. He did not know about the arrangement to pick up the key from a coffee shop in town!)

Our text that we read this morning was also the instruction of St Benedict to his monks. In the tradition of John Cassian, they should constantly pray Ps 71:11 "O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help."

As we walked I meditated on this verse. I interpreted it for my own situation. Not so much that God should miraculously give me wings to fly over the road. No, the help I required was to be freed from my own ego and become the person God intended me to be.

The miracle of the day did however take place. We had one bread bun for breakfast. On the road there layed a bun. I wanted to poke it with my walking stick. I bent over and picked it up. This bun was fresh out of the oven, clean as if someone placed it their. It was a small portion of manna from heaven. And therein lays the miracle; to experience God in the small things. The mysteries were served to us.

When Ansie asks if there is not a place where we can get a cold beer, you know we are hot and tired. We stopped for a cold beer on the tap and staggered into Barcelos at 15:00. We had to walk another km to the albergue, had something for lunch/dinner and getting ready to go to bed.

Why are we so tired? It feels as if we are running a marathon every day. Tomorrow it is 35 km again.

"O my God, make haste for my help."

DAY 6 PORTO - VILARINO

Yesterday took a toll on our bodies. We therefore decided to make today a rest day. We took the metro to the outside of the city center. This cut a number of km's which meant we only had to walk roughly 13, but with detours and taking the wrong route we ended up with 15.

The guide book is sometimes not as clear, which is a blessing in disguise. We were too early to get into the monastery, so we continued on our way. It was at this stage where an angel stopped and asked (in Portugues) if we are going to Santiago. Yes! "But you are on the wrong way!" He phones his wife, who can speak English and she directs us. He makes sure that we get onto the right road. We are stil looking for the pilgrams albergue, which is just mentioned in the guide book. We walk into the little village. The guide book mentions that the pharmacist at the end of the village is friendly. We stop there and ask for directions. It turns out that the key of the albergue is at the coffee shop across the street. It is free of charge. We get the key and directions. "Just bring the key back here tomorrow when you leave".

So, backtrack again to find a room with two bunk beds and a shower. It is quiet, we should get a good night's sleep. Then back into the village to get something to eat. At the first restaurant we stop for the pilgrims menue. The owner is more than friendly. The wine is on the house, if we want more please ask. He gives us his card with contact details. "If you need help anywhere on the route, even in Spain, please call me."

What can we say. God is good! He is merciful and full of grace. He still reveals himself through normal, everyday people!

We stop at the chemist again. I buy some flu medicine and ask directions to the mini-market for bread and cheese. We then walked to a coffee shop where the owners lived in SA some twenty years ago. We will have coffee there later and do the wifi-thing.

Tomorrow we will, hopefully set off early to cover the next stage of the journey.

DAY 5 SÃO JOÃO DE MADEIRA - PORTO (Take 2)

We set off at 06:00. We knew we had a long day ahead. The long day turned into a Comrades marathon. We spent 11 hours on the road. I picked up a cold the previous day and Ansie's hip and feet are giving her trouble.

The most terrible memory of this day is not the heat or the body complaining but the dogs! Why do people have dogs, small house dogs and keep them tied to a chain with makeshift dog boxes? We  encountered this terrible sight along the way, four small dogs on chains. The fifth one was in a desperate condition. There was something wrong with his back legs, a discharge was running from his nose and he could only see from one eye. I was contemplating the thought of taking my knife and end his misery. The owner came out as we walked off. I just starred at her.

We hardly took a corner or there was another big dog. Its owner was with him. The dog could hardly walk... I prayed that God will deliver them from evil.

When you judge, you become out of balance. I want to judge these people. What set of values do they live by? What ethical code do they follow, in their relationship with nature or other (human)beings? Sometimes it seems as if they are on the same road as we are, but they are not.

I was out of balance and out of sync! But it is in the extremities where you get to know yourself and to know God. It is in the extremities where you find yourself and God. There in the fire, in the purging, He convinces you that He is gracious, merciful and good.

Porto is big. Finding accomodation proofed to be a challenge. We could book into a hotel, but we are not tourists (remember, we are pilgrims) and our budget will not afford it. The youth hostels were full. We found a pension next to the station! Well, the bed was clean. After a good meal at a local restaurant, we were in bed.

What a journey.

DAY 5 SÃO JOÃO DE MADEIRA - PORTO

Today we walked almost 40 km. I will update tomorrow, now to bed!

DAY 4 ALBERGARIA A-VELHA - SÃO JOÃO da MADEIRA

I am still reflecting on yesterday's experience with the monastery. At the albergue where we slept (in luxury for an albergue) it was the complete opposite. We were welcomed by two brothers. The one only fifteen.

Their hospitality was overflowing. The bar worked on a trust system. You take what you want and leave the money in a open box. They could not be there for breakfast, but "please help yourself, take what ever you need, as much as you want." They trusted us.

This morning I was wondering why people do not trust the church anymore?

The evening was a wonderful celebration of divercity with lots of laughter and singing (O sole mia and the camino song).

We walked well, stopped for coffee,  beer and a picnic along the way. Tonight is Ansie's birthday, so we must celebrate. We are sleeping, on mattresses, at an institute where they care for the dissabled and people with special needs - Santa Casa Da Misericordia.

Tomorrow is a long day with 35 km to get to Porto. Tonight we will be in the sleeping bag early.

DAY 3 ÁGUEDA - ALBERGARIA A VELHA - ALBERGARIA-a-NOVA

Today's walking was better. We are now slowly getting into a rhythm. The guidebook suggested a walk of only 16 km. This however will leave us with two days of over 30km per day to get to Porto. So we decided to walk 4 km further with the intention of sleeping at a nunnery (Casa Diocesana).

We had to make a small detour, just to find the doors locked and no one in sight. It is a modern facility with burglar bars in front of the doors and windows. The water taps outside were dismantled. We decided to leave and walk a further 4 km to the next village and albergue. What an irony when we turned away from the monastery and a chicken somewhere chuckled three times.

In The Rule of St Benedict (53) he tells his monks that one of their main responsibilities is that strangers are to be welcomed "as Christ". We felt a bit disappointed, but I suppose the real question is how hospital am I towards the stranger.

The roads we are walking on are either through forests or small towns. People are friendly, coffee and red wine good and bear relatively cheap. At 12:00 we had a big plate of the day, which consists of soup, main course and desert. I had veal, but I think it was cooked veal shank with chick peas. Ansie had a wonderful fish dish (€6 p.p).

Now we are relaxing outside with new friends, talking, again, the European Union, politics and human rights. These people do not understand African politics, well neither do I!

Ultreia, suseia, Deus adjuva nos!

DAY 2 MEALHADA - ÁGUEDA

We started the day's walking at 07:00. It was very early on clear that this was going to be a difficult day. Our bodies were battling to adjust to the 11 kg backpacks.

The road was not really challenging, except for the tarred service we had to walk on. We are seven pilgrims on this phase of the journey (Finish, Italian, Spanish, German and two South Africans) with very few Albergues to stay over, one per town and private - pricey but with good facilities.

Many towns and even houses have their own little shrines. Mary and the three children from Fatima was displayed almost life sized in front of a house, John the Babtist holding the lamb in his arm, Mary the Theotokos, to name a few.

Along the way we enjoyed some grapes that were placed as an offering(?) at a crucifix. I am sure Jesus would not have minded these weary pilgrims taking a few grapes and leaving some for the next. Somewhere an angel stopped at us, handing us a bag with some fruit and cold water - grace abounds!

Reflecting on the day I think of the Rule of St Benedict. Somewhere he says that the monk who needs to go on a short trip must not eat in town. I think he was trying to say that the monk in town and the monk traveling should remain the same person. Are we the same? Yes, we are the same people doing the same thing that we would have done at home. But we are also being changed, living in community with seven other, sharing our snacks and wine and discussing the complexities of politics, religion and life.

The journey has only started and yet so many experiences.

COIMBRA - MEALHADA

So, yesterday we took the wrong train to Coimbra. After playing musical chairs the conductor told us there is no seats on the train, it is full. We are on the wrong train. We will get to Coimbra but will have to go and sit in the bar. That meant we could enjoy a beer.

My children taught me through their own travel experience to plan less and enjoy more. You may end up where you did not intend to go, but you will experience more.

The walk today was more difficult than we expected. A lot of walking was done on tarred roads. The impact on our hips were strenuous and the Comrades ultra we ran three weeks ago was still felt.

Take note pilgrims planning to walk the Portuguese route; some of the Bombeiros Voluntarios do not take in pilgrims any more, as was the case in Mealhada. After a big lunch - plate of the day - we had to walk a further 2 km's to get to the Albergue Hilario. We must have walked more than 25 km's on our first day and we could feel our bodies protesting.

As Robbie Burns reflects (quoted by Brierly) "...a now-and-then tribute to Bacchus is like the cold bath - bracing and invigorating." So after finding a bed, a shower and washing of our clothing, we are now having a "cold bath".

Reflecting on the day, we are thankful to make this pilgrimage. It is after all a journey into the self. The more you get to know yourself, the more you will know God. He is ever present; in the farmer pruning the vine, the massive age-old olive trees with new branches and in the ice cold bear!

Tomorrow a new joyrney begins. Buen Camino!

COIMBRA

Tomorrow we will tell more. I met this man at the airport in Lisbon this morning. Maybe he is saying something about our intentions.

PILGRIMAGE

"A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone's own beliefs. Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places: the place of birth or death of founders or saints, or to the place of their "calling" or spiritual awakening, or of their connection (visual or verbal) with the divine, to locations where miracles were performed or witnessed, or locations where a deity is said to live or be "housed," or any site that is seen to have special spiritual powers. Such sites may be commemorated with shrines or temples that devotees are encouraged to visit for their own spiritual benefit: to be healed or have questions answered or to achieve some other spiritual benefit."

This pilgrimage that we are now, again, undertaking, is done in the belief that the journey - Camino de Santiago- is more important than the destination - The Cathedral where the relics of St James are kept.

The journey has begun.

Countdown to take off!

Burgos

CAMINO PORTUGUESE

My friends

A new journey will begin soon. As a matter of fact, Ansie and myself will depart Monday 20 June for Portugal. We will then on 21 June take a train to Coimbra to start our Camino to Santiago. We plan to walk 380 km in 17 days. We did no training, except to run form Pietermaritzburg to Durban, that was two weeks ago. Our gear is hopefully sorted out and the boots that we walked with in 2013 are still fine.

Why are we doing it again?

I suppose there are a number of answers:

Celebrate life!

See a new country and meet new people.

Pilgrimage.

A Pilgrimage is a spiritual journey into yourself, into God. We hope to encounter God in a wonderful new way. If He dwells in us, why then go on a pilgrimage? It is in the crossing of boundaries, our own but also physical boundaries that God is experienced in new ways. So, we hope to return with new passion and new vigour. There is so much more to discover and experience.

Ansie will return before me. I will volunteer as a hospitaleros at Albergue de Peregrinos de Alpriate More about that later, but if you are planning on walking the Portuguese route, come and stay over from 14 – 28 July. I would like to offer you a South African welcome and hospitality.

"Ultreia, Suseia, Deus adjuva nos" Onwards, upwards, God with us!

Johan and Ansie

We do not pull Christ toward us from heaven by prayer. Rather, we discover Him within ourselves. (Matthew The Poor – Monastery of St Macarius, Egypt)