The end of Camino Teresiano (el Camino de la Vida Interior).

At the end of Teresiano, she is buried here in Alba de Tormes.

This camino has been a time of reflection, as most walks are, but it has been a special walk as we have been following the steps, and the thoughts of an exceptional woman and her life. We ended this first part of our camino today in Alba de Tormes, where St Teresa ended her life in one of the convents she founded.

In the midst of the glaring religiosity, the paintings of saints in various poses of humility, suffering, (transverberacion) there is a strong sense of the woman. From the books she wrote, the convents she founded, the papal bull of her canonisation, the memories of her male confessors, her spirit shines through. I could look at the huge urn and the reconstruction of the room where she died, complete with the folded arms veiled eyes image, and see a remarkable woman who kept faith with friends and her God, and forged ahead with her convictions.

The Saint and her friend St Juan de la Cruz
Documents detailing the canonisations in the 16 C
The mock up of the room she died in

From this Convento Anunciacion we walked through this pretty town with it’s Mudejar architecture and winding streets to the top of the town and the Tower of the Duke of Alba. St Teresa was a close friend of his wife and he was her patron, donating money to found some of her convents.

The remains of the Tower of the Duke of Alba overlooking the town with its churches and convents ,and imprints of Santa Teresa

So what am I taking away from this walk, besides my admiration for this saint and a better grasp of the times in which she lived?

Silence. As we were walking on these very solitary paths the only sound was often the rustle of the long grass on either side. In the early mornings as we started off full of energy the sound of bird call and insects chirping blended with the rhythm of our footsteps. In such a silence there is peace and the space to contemplate.

A realisation that the life I have is right here in front of me, not in some other place : A lot of my life has been about searching but some of what I want is right in front of my nose. I have family to love and who love me and a home.

I no longer need to feel that I am opting out by not training hard for triathlons, running hard, flinging myself into dance. making friends and being fun. I can do or be who i want to be, I’m ok warts and all.

I accept who I am, while striving for the things I want to achieve. However there is a realisation that I can work with what I’ve got.

The recognition once more that endurance is the key to living life to its fullest. As I placed one foot in front of the other, or flinched as my hips just didn’t stretch as they used to, I did think about St Teresa and others who have walked this path so long ago in much harsher conditions.

In the villages we have passed through there are so many testimonials to people who have lived , worked , created . Especially in Alba de Tormes , looking at the pieces of lives from 500 years ago : the home,the churches, the history of the people, I was reminded of the nature of life .

.It’s a bit of a cliche “the camino throws up things that you need to look at or get through”. This camino more than any before has thrown up thoughts of aging, mortality, life direction, regrets. So along with the aches and pains I am learning to be accepting. Hard one that.

St Teresa prayed to bear witness to joy (of God), to advance “el camino de la vida interior’. If you take away the literal connotation of God, being joyful, grateful for this life and being alive is what I am taking away from this Camino Teresiano.

Life, an intricate pattern of pieces that fit and have colour and texture, and last (from the tower of Alba, recovered floor tiles )

A Hard Days Walk from Gotarrendura to Fontiveros 24 km

Written in Salamanca.Day 7 of Camino Teresiano .

“I am running behind in my blog writing .This account is of Day2 of walking the Camino Teresiano 24 km. Looking back we were silly to walk a so far,so late in the day ,and carrying too much .But ,as they say ,the Camino throws up lessons.During the second half of that walk maybe St Teresa was with me in the silence ,and in the slogging on, one foot in front of the other, I thought of those who suffer so much more and have no place to go at the end of day and are alone.My pain was so little.My life is so wonderful .”

I should have known : my day started off poorly as I hunted for my notebook for half an hour, delaying our start on what turned out to be a very hot day and flat treeless terrain.

The first couple of hours were happy and easy . We passed through a couple of pretty villages,along a Roman road and through farmland with wheat swaying in the breeze,sound of bird call and even the cuckoo, some poppies and blue cornflowers along the paths . Gradually it got hotter and our packs got heavier. The road became flatter and stretched mirage – like toward a moving horizon. Our last stop was in Narros de Salduena at the Plaza where we refilled our bottles from a fountain and lay on the ground with legs up on a bench.A pretty ,silent plaza ,but who cares ? Just focussing on the heat and sore hips . And still 12km to go .

Well we made it to Fontiveros and flopped onto the grass in front of what appeared to be a Sports Center.I phoned the woman who runs the Casa Rural and she arrived immediately and lead us over the road to the Casa Rural la Fonte.

Bliss . Cool rooms, bedroom and bathroom attached, kitchen and patio. All for 20 E each . We’re staying 2 nights ! We are here in Fontiveros

First storks
Poor feet
A cool patio and a halt to walking for a while . Fontiveros Casa Rural

The Wonder of the Unexpected.On Camino Teresiano: Poetry, History and Lunch with a Poet

Is it serendipity, karma, gift for the soul, a consequence or just plain fortune? But today in Fontiveros, a small town on the way to Alba de Tormes and the end of this Camino, we were privileged to be part of a celebration .

The town is awarding its poetry prize to Gonzalo Sanchez-Teran. He is the winner of the third biennial St Juan de la Cruz poetry contest. Today there was a poetry launch followed by a tour of the many ancient buildings and then lunch. This evening there is a concert, a presentation of the prize and Sanchez-Teran will read some of his poetry. This is the town where St Juan de la Cruz. was born, established a church and wrote. He is a well loved saint of this town and also beloved of poets I am told by our hosts at the lunch: “Fontiveros. Villa de la Poesia”

After the opening discussion/panel of Sanchez-Terran’s Collection we followed a guide on the historical route. I wished I had worked harder at my Spanish as she explained the historical background, stages of renovation, of several beautiful sites: the Carmelite Convent, the birthplace of St Juan de La Cruz, now a church, the Augustine Convent, monuments, palaces and chapels.Finally we entered the huge church, dating from the fifteenth century with an amazing wooden ceiling now fully restored .

The altar
Original door under the stairs, tapestries and garments and the wooden ceiling. The renovations must have cost a lot.

Then we were invited to lunch at the bar named after Juan’s father. Served a traditional Fontiveros meal I was told: Soup a la St Juan (a chicken noodle broth), followed by chunky meat and chic peas. I ate the chic peas. The sweets were the best but wisely I only ate half as very very rich. I needed my brain to be working so regretfully had only a couple of glasses of the good tasting red wine. I took my poetry collection to the poet to sign.

My signed copy of Y Corri Cual si El Mal Tuviera Lindes
Signing
Food food food

And so to bed: siesta time. Then we returned to the Council Building “ Espacio Llama de Amor Viva“ the sign reads. To love life, roughly translated. The poet was presented with his prize,and read some of his work fluently and movingly.

We’re off tomorrow to Narro de Castillo, with great memories of this town of poetry and St. Juan de la Cruz. Plus a resolve to work at my Spanish and read more poetry in Spanish. I am also curious to find out more about St Juan.

Camino Teresiano :A Day in Avila before Starting to Walk

A cold night in the Plaza Santa Teresa

Monday night we arrived at the Hotel Palacio after 30 odd hours of travel : flight from Perth to Madrid, train to Pio Principio and another train to Avila. Half an hour walk and there we are. Transposed to another country. Just spent Tuesday afternoon, our first whole day in Spain, packing and repacking once again. and the keyboard is still here Wednesday. So this post is about extended preparation for this Camino Teresiano. Or Ruta de Santa Teresa, and the thousand decisions and waverings that seem to multiply as the actual walk looms.

And we’ve just decided to stay here another day

So this morning (25/5) is the first time I am using the new small keyboard on this trip.It’s been a while since I have used it and surprisingly I have got used to NOT using it, typing on my phone. The temptation is to go on doing so, but have carried this keyboard all this way from Fremantle Western Australia in my backpack.

So yesterday morning started with a very good breakfast at the Palacio Hotel. Kept us going for remainder of the day. Then out into a cold day and there is the Cathedral del Salvador de Avila. Fittingly, the first and last building for the day. Just realised that the hotel we are in is one of the palaces that once surrounded this gothic/Romanesque building with an imposing entrance signalling its doubling as a fortress in medieval times. There is something dour and cold about this Cathedral, maybe because its a cold day and also it is beautiful but impenetrable doors remain firmly shut.

Then it’s into the jobs for the day: the Officina Tourismo to get a map, directions to the Orange phone place, information about various sites we want to see and the opportunity to practice my Spanish. Ironically some of my phrases sound so good that the recipient thinks I am fluent, so responds with the usual rapid fire speech of which I understand about half, and have to pretend I’ve got it all . So now I have had to write down and am learning “I am trying to speak Spanish”. The highlight of the Tourismo visit was the painting of Saint Teresa on the wall, a 3D one that one is invited to touch. So. I did. I was so happy to have my photo taken that we managed the first forgetting episode of the day. Left my notebook at the tourist info desk.

Rather a forbidding likeness of Saint Teresa
Please touch

Next coffee, first bar cafe con leche in Spain, then the Orange shop for Spanish SIM cards. Always a bit of a stressful experience explaining, deciding and inserting the cards. Coffee again and a realisation that the book is at the tourist office so back we go .

Then it’s walking and looking at this very pretty city. Cobbled streets, lots of Churches and attractive apartments with small balconies facing the streets, tables from spilling out from the bars. When the sun spasmodically shone and the cold lifted people gathered for coffees and lunches. I imagine that when it’s warmer these streets will be full of people. At the moment still quiet .

We ended the morning at Convento De Santa Teresa, which houses the room where she was born and the inevitable relics. But more of her and the walk round the walls to check the start of the walk later.

The afternoon back at the hotel room tossing out stuff, and reinstating some. This happens every Camino. The realisation that weight equals injury and aches! Trip to pharmacist and purchase of foot cream and talcum powder. Panic again, me this time . Where is…. ..?

So this day is about an experience of Avila . Also about the psychology of forgetting. The familiar configurations of place, people, language are gone. So also have the normal places where objects of significance are kept -phone, money, cards. Now we also have masks, sanitisers, key cards for entry, passports, and lots of pockets . Where is ???

Perhaps the decision to stay another day in Avila was made partly because I have not settled in to this somewhat scattered life yet and starting to walk so soon does not feel ok

So I’ll end this blog at the Cathedral. A morning shot.

Morning Avila

Exploring Avila, Santa Teresa,and finding the start of our Camino

Here’s the source of our Camino

So our first day in Avila we wended our way through cobbled streets and pretty plazas, past so old Cathedrals, Churches, colourful buildings interspersed with “se vende” signs and crumbled walls to the Convento de Santa Teresa solidly standing at the top of rise and overlooking a landscape stretching out beyond the city walls.

Outside Church next to the Saint
Sweeping views and glittering chapel

The Church is splendid inside and houses the room where the saint was born, a glittering small chapel dedicated to her, and alongside the church a room full of books she wrote, about her, depictions of all the convents she founded and some interesting relics and objects she used : her walking stick in later life, heavy rosary beads, her ring finger preserved.

Then we took off for another walk around the walls and towards the start of the Camino. The sun came out and people walking, children playing a version of “first to the peg” at the bottom of the hill.

The path starts at the bottom of the hill, on the other side of the river, and then we walked back up. It was a steep climb, but made worthwhile as an old man sitting outside his home in the fading sunlight regaled us with stories of festivals, a garden, and a film made years ago in Avila starring Sophia Loren and Carey Grant.

My walking boot

The next morning , walking around the top of the town ,we stumbled across the Camino waymarkers: the shell on a wall and the yellow arrow at my feet

We’re ready to walk Camino Teresiano!!