Belorado - Talking the Camino!

Remnants of flowers in the street the morning after the Corpus Christi procession-
Village of Recidilla del Camino 

I slept in a little today as I got a 7AM start to Belorado.  All the festivities of yesterday were well gone.  Certainly it is quiet on the road.  There is a sound of silence to borrow from Paul Simon for a bit.  I must say I have relished hearing birds and streams.  The sound of rain or wind can be deafening at times.  My own sounds; at times panting or the beating heart have been profound to me.  Even the animals and their noises have been so present as we walk the road.

An Italian man and a Spanish couple talking on the road.
The dog is going all 500 miles too!

But there are other sounds too!  People are laughing or chatting along the road; sometimes even singing.  The Camino can sound like Babble, at times, as peoples speaking different languages strive to express themselves.  I was little help the other day when two Spanish-speaking women (who led me in circles) were trying to get a point across to the two men from Ravenna that I had previously walked with.  Even though I couldn't help they just kept getting louder.


Sometimes it is small talk that is exchanged.  That's usually how it begins:  "Where from?"  "Nice day" "You think the sun will ever come out?  Often it's Camino themed the exchanges regarding villages, weather, albergues, or feet

Statue of "Our Lady, Protectress of Pilgrims" over the south portal of the church
 in Recidilla del Camino facing the Camino path. 

But what this chatter does is "shrink the world."  It's a reminder that there are so many common concerns and experiences that are shared the world over.  Asians, Africans, Americans, Europeans or others have so much more in common when push comes to shove.  One of the best forms of talking I have found is smiling or laughing.  That more often than not gets the proper point across.  The people I have encountered so far are joyous and positive.  I guess they must be to walk (part of) 500 miles.

Crossing into the Castile and León Region.

But those conversations seem to evolve over hours, days weeks as people become more familiar with each other.   Larger issues seem to surface.  I overheard two young women (one from upper Michigan, the other from Canada) talking about wearing the same washed clothes for a week.  One said "I could never get away with that back home."  "I know, right!"  exclaimed the other one.  But then a conversation began about simplicity and what we really need.

Couple holding hands as they walk the way.

Some of the talking does not take place between strangers, but spouses, friends or families.  In a hectic world how many people have the luxury to spend talking for hours as the pilgrims do on the road.  This "Talking the Camino"is an opportunity for strengthening ties and maybe re-ordering priorities.  It's strange how people talk about "not talking" and yet the opportunities are always there.

Beautiful Landscapes outside of Roncesvalles.

The last type of talking on the Camino is prayer.  Prayer is offered more than some would think.   I've seen rosary beads in the same hand as a walking stick.  I've heard couples reciting the Divine Mercy Chaplet.  I've heard God's name evoked as landscapes have revealed God's Handiwork or Rainbows, God's Covenant.  In ten days of journeying, I've had the chance to hear a confession and join each evening with a core group of pilgrims who attend daily Mass.

Facade of the Church of Santa Maria, Belorado.

In all of these instances the Camino gives one the opportunity to listen and to talk; a rare commodity in our hectic world.  While I was worried about walking the Camino for months now.  Perhaps it's greatest gift might simply be the talking.