From Mealhada to Agueda

Today I encountered the friendliness of the Portuguese people. When I am  walking on my own, sometimes I am not that confident, being in a foreign country and not speaking their language. Today was such a day and the language barrier didn't help. But I needn't have worried. The Portuguese bar servers are there to help and are eager to please and even other custumers of the bars help where misunderstandings occur. Today was a very hot day so I had a number of stops for coffee along the way. Lots of acts of kindness to me during the day. One lady, in a bar, treated me like royalty, all for 1.80 euro for a coffee and pastry, sitting me at a table and bringing me my coffee. She stamped my Pilgrim passport before I left, and put he arms around me and gave me a big hug. I felt very emotional as I left. Later on that day I was greeted by a number of women who wished me well on my travels.
Later on, my walk took me through a forest, which was very relaxing. That is until a pack of dogs cut across my path. One of them stopped and looked at me, and barked, either to say hello or a warning. But I never saw them again.

From Coimbra to Mealhada

And so on Friday 13th. September I started my Portuguese adventure. Walking out from Coimbra, I wasnt sure if the Camino sign posting in Portugal was adequate, and found out very quickly that , in fact it was very good and easy to follow. What I also found found out early on was that I was on  my own as I didn't see any other Pilgrims. This I didn't mind as I needed to be on my own and prepare myself mentally for what lay ahead. I had dedicated this first day walking to the late  Pat O Reilly, a neighbour, friend and Political rival. So in my quite moments during that day my prayers were for Pat and his family. It was great to be back on the Camino again and settled in nicely to walking the Portuguese countryside. I soon experienced the friendliness of the Portuguese people which was an added bonus for me.

In Mealhada I had reserved a hotel to stay the night so I checked in and rested , as I usually do for 30 minutes on my bed before showering and washing my clothes.
Then around the town, for some sightseeing and coffee. Later that evening I had dinner of Roast Suckling Pig, a local delicacy, in my hotel,

washed down with a local wine. All the other diners were locals

2013 My Latest Camino Walks

Its about time that I updated my Camino Blog. At the age of seventy in 2010,  I undertook my 1000 mile (1600km) camino walk from Le Puy In France to Santiago de Compostela. Little did I know what lay ahead of me. A complete novice at long distance walking, I had only started serious walking in October 2008. So starting out from Le Puy on this epic walk, which would lead me to Lectoure, and from there to be repatriated home with an injured back, and to an operation on my back.
But undaunted I returned to Lectoure in 2011 and completed my walk into Santiago in 2012

So in 2013 I planned to do 5 Pilgrimages. One to Fatima,I got a bus from Lisbon to Fatima, where I had Mass and Communion. From there I got another bus to Coimbra and started my second Pilgrimage, and first Camino walking on 13th. September and arrived in Santiago de Compostela on 29th. September. After collecting my First Compostela I headed to Santiago and met a group of friends and went by car to Ourense and went on my third Pilgrimage and my second Camino and after 5 days walking arrived in Santiago for the second time , and collected my second Compostela.
Next day with Pilar, my amazing Spanish friend, 3 days walking to Finistera, my fourth Pilgrimage, and third Camino. Finally, one more Pilgrimage  walking to Muxia to collect my fourth Compostela. In all 5 Pilgrimages and  4 Caminos, collecting 4 Compostelas during the months of September/October.

Details of all these Caminos , and the wonderful people that I met , will follow in my next Posts.

CAMINO 2013. PORTUGAL, OURENSE, FINISTERA, AND MUXIA

Delay in updating my blog due Computer problems. Sorry Camino friends and others.

MY LATEST CAMINO/S

Well I am at last finalizing my plans for my latest Camino adventures. This year, in the Autumn I am going to Portugal and I am going to do 3 Pilgrimages.

1. I am going to fly to Lisbon and do a bit of sightseeing there. From there I am going to travel ,by bus, to Fatima for my first Pilgrimage.

2. I am then going to travel by bus to Coimbra and start walking to Santiago. That is my 2nd. Pilgrimage.

3. When I reach Santiago and collect my Compostela, I will stay overnight there and the following morning I will travel to Ourense in Spain, to meet up with friends from England, who I met last year, and will walk with them to Santiago again and collect my second compostela for this year.

My training here in Ireland continues. I walk 3 times a day to get used to walking the longer distances that I will be walking on the Camino. At weekends I normally walk between 20 and 30 km.

Please comment on my Blog

I am still updating my Camino Blog from my completion walk from Logroño to Santiago.  My arrival in Santiago was an anticlimax. I had walked 1000 miles (1600 km) and had expected a tremendous feeling of achievement  but this feeling didn't happen. So for the next 3 days I walked to Finistera. On my first day I was fortunate to meet a fellow Irishman Brendan O Meara from Fermoy in Cork. We hit it off straight away and we spent a great 3 days walking.

ANCIENT HORREOS OR GRAIN STORES

These are grain stores, used to store and ripen grain, and where they are protected from infestation by rats. They are a feature of the landscape in Galicia. They are usually made from stone, including the roof and are raised off the ground on toadstool like stone supports. I have also seen these stores with wood and bricks in their construction. Some also have crosses on their roofs

PORTUGUESE CAMINO FROM LISBON VIA OPORTO TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Me on the steps of Naas Town Hall after completing 1054 miles of my Camino walk

Yes I am in the planning stage again to continue my Camino walks. My original,  plan in  2010 was to walk 1000 miles (1600km) from Le Puy in France to Santiago de Compostela. This I did via Mater Private Hospital, after I was airlifted home, in severe pain, with a herniated disk which I suffered from in the vicinity of Castet Alour and Lectoure in France . I had to have an operation on my back which allowed me back walking again. I returned to Lectoure in 2011 and walked to Logrono, walking over the Pyreneess in the process. I then returned to Logrono in 2012 and walked to Santiago de Compostela completing my 1000 miles. For some reason I felt that reaching Santiago was a bit of an Anti Climax, so the next morning after reaching my goal of 1000 miles I set out to Finistera a distance of 54 miles ,which I completed in 3 days. On the way to Finistera I met a fellow Irishman, Brendan O Meara from Fermoy in County Cork and we had some fun times.
So now, I have my flights booked for the Portuguese Camino and the Guide Book ordered. I'll be setting off early September 2013, if my health holds up, and I have no reason to suspect that it wont, apart from my age. I will be 73 years old starting the next phase of my Camino adventure and as the saying goes, "old age doesn't come alone) I have had Cancer, I have Degenerative Disk Disease, Arthritis of the Wrists and severe Arthritis in my neck and I have Peripheral Neuropathy. Apart from those small health issues I am in perfect health.
If you care to follow my progress, it would be most helpful to me , if you would comment on my journey, in my Blog. A large number of people check my blog but few people comment, which is disappointing for me.

Reflections of my Camino

The final stop on his pilgrimmage, Donal laid his Camino shell on his wife, Doreen's grave, surrounded by family and friends.

Published on 03/01/2013 16:26 IN LEINSTER LEADER NAAS

Readers will recall we featured stories throughout August and September on retired Naas teacher Donal Corcoran who was about to set off on the second leg of his Camino pilgrimage.

The sprightly and youthful looking 72 year old is originally from Bishopstown in Co. Cork.

He taught engineering at the VEC school in Naas since 1964 until his retirement in 2005.

The Camino de Santiago de Compostela is a network of historical pilgrimage routes stretching across mainland Europe, which all lead to the city of Santiago in northwest Spain. While all pilgrims end their trip in Santiago, the starting point is a matter of choice. Donal chose to walk the longest version of the trip, from Le Puy, France, a total of 1,000 miles oR 1,600 kilometres.

Donal’s wife Doreen died from cancer and he did the Camino “in solidarity with all those who have suffered from cancer and for those who are still suffering from this disease.

“In doing this pilgrimage I am trying to raise money for the Research and Treatment of cancer in St. Jame’s Hospital under Dr. John Kennedy,” he said at the time.

We asked Donal to record a reflection of his trip to share with readers of the Leinster Leader. Here are his thoughts on his epic journey.

When I started my own personal pilgrimage on September 2010, I had only a vague idea of the adventures, the pain and the pleasure that lay ahead of me.

Now that I have completed the journey of over 1,000 miles I have to ask myself, did I really do it?

To do this in one’s seventies, to some people and sometimes even to me, seems a super human task. But when one thinks of this as a spiritual journey as well as a mere physical challenge it is understandable.

On this pilgrimage there are fewer Rosaries said - in my case, none - but every step was a prayer, thinking of cancer suffers, and others in need of my prayers.

Candles were lit in all the great cathedrals and abbeys on the way. I walked the way that millions of pilgrims had walked before me for over a 1,000 years.

I walked alone, but was never alone.

Sometimes I walked for hours without seeing or talking to anyone else. But even at those times I wasn’t alone, physically alone maybe, but spiritually alone? No...

As I was walking in solidarity with cancer sufferers, which included my late wife Doreen, their mental and physical pain was never far from my mind.

One also felt the spirits of the pilgrims who had walked before me were ever present and kept me company. Indeed it was not unusual to hear pilgrims walking behind you and when you looked around, there was nobody there.

I have mentioned three things about my pilgrimage that before I started had only a vague idea about.

Adventures: Meeting up with people from 28 different nationalities and walking, and talking with them and while we came from different cultures, and shaped by our cultures and our individual histories, realising that we are all very alike as regards our hopes and aspirations.

There were many times of great joy and laughter, and even a few songs in their company and indeed tears when we had to part. Personally I was made to feel special because I was from Ireland.

 Pain: There is no denying that I found the Camino walking difficult. When I say difficult I mean that it was no “walk in the park” The terrain was often rough, hilly, and very uneven and sometimes muddy.

It was unlike any walking that I ever did, and every day I walked, on average from 15 miles to 18 miles.

And blisters were a problem for me. While I had these, walking was very painful.

Also in Lectoure in France, I suffered a herniated disc and had to be repatriated home for an operation on my spine.

I also suffer from arthritis in my neck and wrists, although these were not a problem when I was so active walking. I also have degenerative disc disease so have to be very careful when walking on difficult terrain.

 Pleasure: But having said all of above, walking the Camino of St James was most enjoyable from start to the 1,000 mile finish. I felt very privileged to have the opportunity and the ability to do it. Walking through France and Spain, witnessing the cultural, historical, and architectural differences was immensely educating.

Talking with people from 28 different nations, highlighted how alike we all are rather how different we are.

Walking the Camino is now an important part of my life. I will give some talks on walking the Camino and give others the benefit of my experience. So if any groups, schools or organisations want to hear about the Camino of St. James, they are welcome to contact me.

To support Donal’s fundraising drive go to mycharity.ie/event/donal_corcorans_event. To read more about his trip, read Donal’s his entertaining and insightful blog caminodonalcorcoran.blogspot.com.

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PATHS WE CHOOSE IN LIFE

When walking the Camino we walk on many paths. Some are smooth and level and easy..  Some are rough and rocky and not so easy. Some vary in the type of surface and you have to choose which part of the path you will walk on.

Some seem to go on forever  and you see no end.

Some have twist and turns and long periods of uphill which could go on for hours. These are often followed by periods of downhill walking , which most walkers would agree are more difficult than the uphill stretches.

Sometimes you walk through near deserted villages and wonder about their past history.

Sometimes you are completely on your own--- or are you/? Millions have walked before you during the last thousand years and have they left something of their souls behind?

But as you walk it is very important to know where you are going and that you keep on the correct path.

The path may sometomes be long and straight and not too far from everyday life(note the motorway to the left)

But you are often left with your thoughts

Your thoughts of life and the paths that you have taken. On the Camino you have often to watch each step that you take. You can be concious of the fact that as you choose the easy part of a path you may be forcing peeople who are overtaking you to take the more difficult path. Life is like that, isn't it? In work, in a relationship, when you choose the easy path, someone else has to take the more difficult one

But whatever path you take, it always leads somewhere.

In my case it lead to Finisstera, to the sea, to where a thousand years ago pilgrims thought the were at "the end of the earth"

Is this the end for me or is it the beginning?