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Camino Blog 7 – Can you go back?
I’m padding from a restored ancient dwelling overlooking Samos, site of one of the great monasteries. At one time, 800 monks were resident here. It was founded in the 600s.
We spent our day on one of the sweetest walks anywhere, shaded forest paths in a verdant valley, paralleling a clear trout stream as it wandered through meadows. In and out of little farming hamlets, one minute looking into a tumbledown machine shed, the next peering at a stream side washing table – conveniently dug in so the washer standing upright laundered on angled stones right at water level.
Farm folk just go about their work – I saw one farmer yielding a fearsome scythe to cut grasses – despite the steady stream of REI clad hikers constantly striding by.
Having done this stretch twice before, it was not new – but supremely delightful. A sunny but cool day made the walking just right and I relished seeing again some of the particularly memorable turns of the Way.
It was kind of like listening to a greatest hits from your era. As soon as the beat goes down or the melody starts, warm recollection sweeps you away. You are cast back to good times by that association.
This landscape is so sublime. I am surprised at many turns that I recall this bridge, this dovecote.
We almost didn’t come this way. Bob had read that the other option direct to Sarria was shorter by quite a bit – ie 7 kms – a lot of shoe leather. But he elected to come this way and I was pleased – for him as much as anything – having the chance to emerge from the forest walk to overlook the great monastery nested in the valley.
Not knowing about this from before would not have made my anticipation possible. Experiencing the day as an echo of previous trips didn’t seem to reduce the savouring of it at all.
Novelty seems to be necessary in our lives. When we’ve been over ground or heard something before, we are usually totally shut off to it, numb until it passes. Narrows the area of potential experience and defeats the potential in finding further subtlety in what we’ve been by before.
Well, this part if definitely new. We’re off to pilgrim’s mass in the monastery, preceded by vespers sung by the monks – as many are left in the echoing halls… The sheep outside the window are calling me out.
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Doug Bouey, President
Catalyst Strategic Consultants Ltd.
Calgary, AB // Phone: 403.777.1144
Email: boueyd@catalyststrategic.com
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