22 km
November 8, 2011
Camino Dog
From my notes this seemed like just a nice day with a nice surprise, but after taking a break from writing this blog, I have come to realize that this was the day I was seeking. I have had lots of time to reflect on my camino and I have come to understand what I think was the most important message I could have received. I will not reveal it yet, so you will have to read to the end to find out.
Early on in my journey I met an Asian woman who talked about manifesting things / situations to happen along the camino. I had been thinking for some time that I wanted a camino dog. It seemed every person’s story I had read, had at some point walked with a stray dog. I wanted a camino dog too! I missed my old friend Boon, and thought and cried about him a lot.
Well today was the day! Pam and I had no sooner left the albergue when a dog came down the street toward us. As we passed him, he turned around and started to follow us. He was a very nice German Sheppard, a little skinny but had a nice coat and was very friendly. We didn’t want to feed him and encourage him along but as we started to leave the city, we got worried cause he wasn’t turning back. He walked with us for several kilometres. We decided to duck into a small village bar for second breakfast and see if he would go on his way. Well it worked, or so we thought but about two kilometres down the path we saw the dog again at the next bar. We quickly picked up the pace and thought we got past him when suddenly he came bounding up the path behind us. At one point a group of angry dogs chased him and we thought again..well that is it, he will go back but he managed to out run the dogs and catch up to us, with a local lady screaming at her dogs to come back. Walking with a dog certainly attracts more attention from all the other dogs along the way. He continued to walk with us for over 10 km.
We stopped in to visit a small old church that an old Spanish man beckoned us to come and see. The dog would not stay out of the church and came right to me as I sat in a pew, and started licking my face. I don’t know that the man understood that this was not my dog. We quickly left a donation and departed the church to get the dog out. The church cat was not impressed either.
After we stopped for lunch, the dog was not around. We were told that he started to follow another bunch of pilgrims as they left town. Apparently, the same dog had walked with some pilgrims from Tricastella to Sarria and he appeared to hook up with the first pilgrims leaving town where ever he was. I decided the dog was just another soul on his way to Santiago. I also learned a few days later that some people who owned an albergue decided to adopt the dog but I also heard that being locked inside was not easy for him. He wined all night. I just bet he left at his first opportunity. I really do think he was on his way to Santiago, or was a protector of some sort along The Way. He was a special dog and really hung by Pam but if I got any distance behind, he would stop and wait for me. After we were sure the dog was gone I assured Pam I would not manifest another Camino dog. It was too hard on us.
We had a beautiful walk today past the 100 km marker, with some light rain in the afternoon. We arrived at Portomarin, crossing a very high long bridge. It was a bit freaky. 
We checked into a private albergue and were assigned a room with two Spanish men from Madrid who were cyclists. They were mature guys and very polite and considerate, not loud like many of the Spanish men I had encountered in albergues. I had to re-evaluate my previous judgement that was forming about Spanish men. Pam and I went out for pilgrims dinner. I believe this is the night Pam had octopus. I was not crazy to have it as my main meal, but it is a specialty in Galicia.
We were back to the albergue and off to bed very early this night.
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