With Hunter, Marius and our new Taiwanese friend Shining (like the sun, she says)

Today kicked my ass. I didn’t go particularly farther than usual, and the elevations weren’t particularly drastic, but still my body was simply not having it. My ankles are weak, my back and shoulders hurt at all times, my knees creak with every movement and the rain dripping down my face into my eyes was making me absolutely crazy. Somehow, despite all of the misery, I still was able to enjoy the walk. The views for the last, painful eight kilometers weren’t anything special, but something I can’t put my finger on maintained my forward momentum. Regardless of the constant uphill motion, the unnatural forests of strategically placed trees and the overgrown fields that didn’t seem to grow much of anything, I managed to smile. The albergue we’re in is mediocre at best with a hospitalera who seems more concerned with texting and talking on her smartphone than being hospitable. The cafe across the street doesn’t look much better. At the same time, never have I been so pleased to fall into my bunk and stretch out, to imagine the quantities of warm food that I will shovel into my mouth. Everything hurts, but I am content. Except that everything in this town smells heavily of cow dung, that is not enjoyable. Not at all. There may potentially be more cows than there are people here. Honestly, it seems that the entire region of Galicia, though beautiful, full of rich culture and populated with friendly and interesting people, is, for lack of a better or more accurate term, a shit hole. I really pray that it’s just the proper time of year for fertilization because inhaling all of this cow excrement is incredibly unpleasant. I don’t know how much more I can handle. Then again, if I can walk 500 miles breathing normally, I suppose I can do the last 80-something holding my breath or breathing exclusively from my mouth. Pray for my nostrils! And my feet!

We’re in Portomarín! Taking a short break and then continuing on through the rain. Today has been very visually stimulating. There are large cliffs and rock faces lining the way across the river into Portomarín. We descended toward the city through an uncovered tunnel with smooth, eroded stone stairs and bountiful puddles in between. I don’t mind the water as much after the exhausting heat we’ve trekked through for weeks. Hunter, myself and our new German friend Marius spent the day laughing through the downpour and discussing the differences between American and German politics, lifestyles, etc. I really enjoy the opportunity to meet so many friendly people along the way, like an amazing Dutch family that we all shared dinner and a drink with last night in our cozy albergue. The albergue advertised that it’s 99.5 kilometers to Santiago which was very exciting until I realized it was just a marketing ploy and we were actually 102.9 kilometers in walking distance from our destination. Regardless of how far we have yet to go, we’ve come farther than I ever thought possible and I’m so incredibly proud of myself, of Hunter, of our supportive families and friends, and of the many pilgrims we’ve met along the way!

After running half of the way from O’Cebreiro to Triacastela I collapsed at a popular local bar with an ice cold Nestea Limón.  At about 1:30 or 2 o’clock Hunter and I decided to hunt for a good camping spot by the river and wow, we found a great one. The sun shone through the large chestnut trees and the sounds of the birds chirping over the running river was absolutely peaceful and inspiring. We pitched the tent and rolled out my vibrant orange yoga mat to soak in the sunshine. At about 7:30 we looked at the time and had a wild moment of motivation to continue walking. We both laughed at the crazy idea as we wrapped up our gear and launched off back onto the road. With passion and commitment we hiked our way up to the top of the next mountain right as the sun’s orange and pink rays set over the horizon. The stars slowly made their way out of the dark as the brilliant colors in the sky faded away. We found ourselves walking late into the night, thriving on each others laughs and radiant smiles. Hunter taught me about the constellations and we told each other stories until we arrived finally in Sarria at 5 minutes til midnight. The people running an adorable pension at the entrance to the town welcomed us in with open arms and fed us bountifully. I felt like I’d arrived home. Sometimes the Camino itself is genuinely inspiring, something about this experience and this place truly is magical.

I’m staying in an albergue in O’Cebreiro tonight with Hunter. The dormitory-style bund beds are pushed together which gives the impression of a double king bunk bed which is the height of pilgrim “luxury.” This is our first encounter with the Galicean style of albergue which provides a push-to-pump shower with no door and a refrigeratorless kitchen void of pots, pans or silverware. It’s interesting to see this type of government-subsidized refuge for people traveling the Camino that cuts corners and thus, cuts costs to the government. I, in fact had to pay a euro more than usual for my stay tonight. These are in no way complaints, merely observations! I don’t require much anymore to cheer me up along the way, warm showers regardless of doors make me happy! The fact that there is a kitchen and running water at all automatically puts me a step ahead of our nights out in the tent! It’s comfortably warm inside which is very nice as well. With the high altitude, being out of the wind is fantastic. We originally were only going to stop because Queen Isabella stayed in a hostel in town, but after asking around we came to learn that the location she took refuge is unfortunately closed. My mother wrote the only unbiased, well-researched biography there is on the market on Isabella and I was hoping to have the opportunity to understand her mindset a little better. I am enjoying this town more than I expected I would despite the buses full of tourists mobbing around us and asking for pictures of “real peregrinos!” or simply photographing us without permission as we attempted to focus on the success of our ascent or the bountiful history and culture exuding from the area. We surrendered our efforts fairly quickly, having been swarmed by flashes and a plethora of languages trying to explain what it must be like to be pilgrims or how amazing it is that we’d try and walk all the way to Santiago. After leaving our packs at the albergue we climbed up another small hill above the town and enjoyed the wind and the birds and the sunshine on our skin. The view made it look as though you’re on top of the whole world with hills and mountains as far as you can see, all the way from Ponferrada to what I assume must be the town we’ll arrive in tomorrow. We feasted to an amazing pilgrim’s menu meal of spaghetti and roasted chicken and shared a bottle of wine with Nate. It’s been a lovely day! 20k tomorrow!

My previous post brought up some further thoughts and questions about vegetarianism and veganism that seemed important to dive further into. I don’t doubt that it is a fulfilling and important way of life for many people, but it leaves me with many questions about the growing culture that this life choice has been creating.
First of all, as omnivores, is it wrong to consume meat? Many farms worldwide are run in rather cruel ways, would it be a matter of irradicating this issue or the farming of meat overall?
What is the difference between that and farming/consuming vegetables on a large scale?
Is it about the sustainability issue? If so, how can we justify utilizing pesticides and eliminating biodiversity as is commonly done in the US in order to produce a necessary quantity of vegetables and fruit for the entire human population?
If we were to commit to veganism as a society and eliminate or significantly reduce animal agriculture, what would happen to the pigs and cows and chickens that are being raised for the purpose of farming? Do we wait for them to die off? They’re so rarely used for utilitarian purposes in farming nowadays because many more efficient farming machines and techniques have been invented that In that case, would these animals become “obsolete” in a sense?
Is it about the water usage? If so, are there alternative, effective ways we can use/filter water in order to justify animal agriculture?
Where does one draw the line between what is “humanely” or “sustainably” produced and what is not? It’s incredibly important to keep sustainability and humane treatment in mind and in practice, but it’s unrealistic to believe that all of the people in the world could agree on what kind of agricultural treatment is acceptable.
Must we stop consuming all animal products (milk, cheese, honey, etc), or would eliminating the consumption of meat be enough?
Where is the line drawn between what can be eaten? Do bugs count as animals? Many cultures consume insects for nutrition. I’ve even met vegans in the US who eat cricket products in order to maintain a healthy level of protein in their diet.
What about in context to cultural importance? Some cultures find the idea of veganism to be offensive (or vice versa, the consumption of meat of certain types, or at all, is offensive), would it become more important to protect the animals or the culture? Is there some way that this could be synonymous?
I’ve considered converting to vegetarianism for quite some time and I’ve also begun to cut back on the quantity of meat that I consume, replacing it with other proteins in order to maintain muscle, blood sugar levels, etc. The biggest problem I’ve confronted is the intolerance and bullying projected by vegetarians that I attempt to reach out to for help (I will also note that I know many kind, civil vegetarians/vegans who are making a positive impact on myself and others as well). There’s no need to name anyone, but I had a consistent issue with one student in the greenery during my freshman/sophomore year who made a point to criticize my food choices daily in front of all of my friends. I was in a state of depression at the time that was causing me to eat significant quantities of unhealthy food in an attempt to “comfort” myself, and this cruel treatment only forced me to regress further into a negative and self-harmful state of mind. You cannot force someone to see the world and its’ many problems the way you do, especially not with spite and criticism. It’s taken me a year to open back up and begin trying a larger assortment of vegetables more regularly while moderating my consumption of meat, as I had to truly realize the importance of it in context to my own life and health as opposed to the negativity and forcefulness that was being reflected by another person. The attempt by this student, as important as her purpose may have been, was ultimately futile as it took away the opportunity for me to decide for myself what I was capable of and willing to commit to. I also admit that a lot of this stems from a stubborn nature exhibited by myself and many other humans. I didn’t want to think that this person could be right, no matter how important the cause, because I didn’t want to side with someone who was trying so immensely and publicly to prove I was wrong in such a cruel way. As I’ve grown older and had further experience with the subject I’ve developed a hunger for education that makes it possible for me to embrace and fully think through the idea of becoming a vegetarian (or not), and what that may imply to the health and presence of animals not just in the short term, but also in the long term as well as in our ever-evolving modern society.

Karen, Marianthe and I arrived in Las Herrerias about an hour ago. Hunter is taking the Alto Dragonte route so I’ll be waiting for him here while the girls go onward toward O’Cebreiro. He may be exhausted and choose to stay here, I’m happy to take a break and patiently await his arrival as there are many animals for me to observe and write about in this town. I’ve been enjoying learning about the systems of animal agriculture, wildlife reservations/refuges and animal shelters in this country. It is often sad to realize the fate of many of these creatures but unfortunately that is the way that the world and the food chain operates. I constantly want to reach out and help the many feral cats and dogs, the cows and sheep and goats, motivating me to further my education into veterinary science. Humans may be a more “intellegent” species in certain regards than farm animals and such, but we all have an equal right to prosper on this earth. Habitat fragmentation due to farmland, roads and cities etc., has significantly affected the necessary migratory patterns of almost all species worldwide and I hope to learn how to work with this common problem as well. Times have changed and as populations grow dramatically it becomes unrealistic to expect unity between wild animals and “civilized” societies and towns, so if we intend to save many of these diminishing species we must learn to find more effective ways to protect them from hunting while maintaining their natural migratory patterns to the furthest possible extent. This is being exemplified in Seattle currently by the proposal to build a “land bridge” over the highway in order to promote migration for land mammals as well as create a protected landscape that offers alternative habitation opportunities. I learned less than a year ago that 1/3 of the existing species of birds from the last 100 years (which are an excellent global signifier of environmental health) are either extinct or endangered. Since traveling the Camino and mulling this concept over in my head repeatedly, I realize more and more every day how seriously the use of pesticides, habitat fragmentation and lack of biodiversity in many places could also be harming humans. I’ve firmly believed my entire life that animals worldwide should be treated more respectfully and responsibly, but now my dedication to studying them has showed significant evidence that humans aren’t treating one another respectfully and responsibly either. When or how can this cyclical pattern of self-harm and the harm of others end? Is it possible, or has the modern conception of self-importance (such as owning your own home, having your own biological children, owning your own business, etc) doomed us all? I’m not trying to be cynical, I’m genuinely curious as to how we can change on more than just a personal level. How can we teach one another to truly respect and love each other? I  will forever stand by the golden rule, always treat others as you wish to be treated. Others, in this context, include the earth, the plants, the people, the animals and everything else!

Some food for thought.

Buenos dias y Buen Camino!

In Villafranca Del Bierzo with Hunter and Karen and our new friend Marianthe! Doing well, recovering physically! Going to enjoy a long walk up the mountain tomorrow and back down a bit too! I love the sunshine, it’s been recharging me mentally and physically so much!

In Molinaseca doing absolutely wonderfully! The sun! The flowers! The rivers! It’s all very magical!

I survived my first night of camping in the woods of Spain with Hunter! Not a soul but the two of us and the birds and the bugs. It was incredible.