Charlotte Apodaca (Lucero) (1961)
March 10, 2019
In response to Paul Aoki's question: what are we doing to stay active:
Some time ago: Vern Larson has asked me to share my experience of walking the Camino del Compostela (Portugal/Spain). Vern asked me on three separate occasions to share this journey. I learned many years ago – when asked three times – it might be meaningful to others. What you will find is a brief background as to why I enjoy traveling and seeing the world up close and personal. The Camino del Compostela was an experience like no other I have ever had. Vern, thank you for encouraging me to write this story; and thank you, Paul, for asking the question of each of us. Staying busy and active is the gift we all can give ourselves before we go on to Higher Ground-All part of life.
LIFE’s JOURNEY
Inspiration:
Before I give a narrative of what was a very deep spiritual experience for me - the Camino del Compostela. I want to give a summary of why I love to travel and experience environments up close. I have had the opportunity to live and work in developing countries, including growing up in our agricultural community of Yolo County. Where my family was part of the farm labor workforce.
Some of you as classmates might recall a teacher at Dingle School (I don’t recall his name) at the beginning of each school year would call an assembly. The assembly was held in that very large dark Dingle School Auditorium; with those hard-dark wooden seats that were flanked with decorative black rod iron arms and legs. While I don’t recall the teacher’s name nor the grade level he taught – he would present a slide show of his summer travels; he made traveling seem like the most exciting thing anyone could experience. He would talk about the people, the food, the landscape, the art, and the importance of learning geography and history of all parts of the world. It could be that there were only a few of these assemblies – but I was taken by the idea of travel and the world unknown to me as a daughter of farm workers.
My parents encouraged the loved of personal heritage, Spanish language, world history, and geography. Both of my parents would say there is a big world to be explored – they encouraged determination to dream and have personal goals we hoped to accomplish in our lives. My father never allowed us to say the phrase (I can’t); he believed his children could and would accomplish anything they set their minds to. With the inspiration of those school assembly’s and my family’s encouragement, my goals were – education for myself and any future children I would bring into the world, and a goal to step on every continent before I go on to higher ground.
While there have been many detours along the journey of my life: my goals were always steadfast and step-by-step to date my educational goals for myself and my children have been accomplished, and I have stepped on five continents – Africa and the Antarctic are yet to be visited. (I am proud to note in this narrative that Rudy, myself and three children are UC Davis graduates, and one child graduated from UC San Diego).
My opportunities for travel include living in Mexico over a period of three years when Rudy was overseeing a project for his company. After I graduated from UC Davis and became a retired person of the same institution; I applied and was accepted into Peace Corps Ecuador at age sixty. These experiences strengthen my beliefs in a universal power that guides us all – if we trust and have faith in the unknown; all things can be manifested into realities. It is because of my faith and trust that I have lived with a powerful desire to experience cultures, customs, and how people live around the world: as well as being a person of service abroad and locally. A lot has transpired over the course of my life – some very challenging times; and some very exciting experiences that only come from being persistent and looking at the glass half-full; life is not perfect; but, life is good and I am a blessed woman.
SUMMER 2017
The Camino del Compostela walk is one of the many desired experiences - I have been fortunate to experience and a life benefactor. The history of the Camino is tied to Saint James, also known as the Way of Saint James. The Way is a spiritual pilgrimage that an average of 300,000 pilgrims walk each year. There are several routes one can take; the goal is to plan a walk that brings peace and tranquility – regardless of the trek. People from all over the world have walked the “Way.” For each of us, the walk has a different purpose. On our “Way!” we met people from every country, except for North Korea. Just, being able to say, “accomplishing the Way” was a personal and emotional experience.
We (three generations) together walked the Portugal Way the summer of 2017 – my eldest daughter Katherine, two granddaughters (Roxanne and Meg), my son-in-law Matt; and my granddaughter Meg’s partner Shea.
The six days, 129K (80 plus miles) walk was difficult in many respects, for the first few days we mostly walked up very steep mountainous paths. Paths that included busy highways, crossing freeways, narrow bridges, rocky dry and wet creek beds, walking across lots of boulders, as well as walking through lots of beautiful vineyards.
On the first day, we were full of energy and excitement of becoming part of the historical trek that individuals by the thousands from all walks-of-life, faiths, and nationalities before us have made. As a Catholic, I felt, how hard could this be if Saint James and others of his time – walked in bare feet; maybe they had leather strapped sandals - who knows. The apostle Saint James is known as the pilgrim who begin what has now become the famous Camino de Compostela - “the way to Santiago,” founded in the IX Century after the discovery of the tomb of Saint James, over time it has become one of the three major cities of Christianity along with Jerusalem and Rome.
With my “faith” and “Catholic” background – I was set to enjoy a long, but mild terrain each day that we were now going to walk. We were each well equipped with great boots, shoes, socks, clothing, water, snacks to eat along the way, and with our smartphones we could take photos along the path to journal, photos to share with family and friends at the end of each day’s experience; and our well-packed backpacks stored anything we “might” need along the journey – we were set, and off we went. (side note: I had practice walking in my “hiking boots – and had put over 250 miles which took about seven months walking around my community of Davis, before setting out for the Camino walk).
Our first day’s walk and the first-night stay was a spiritual challenge.
We started our 16-mile day’s walk in the town of Biaona, Spain. We set out at 7:40 in the morning: our walk for the day was going to be a 24K walk on our way to the community of Vigo; as it turned out – it was an expedition of mountain climbing; when you go up - there is then a time when you must come down. The drop in some parts of the pathway was steep, and going down was challenging – “thank goodness for walking sticks.” This first day was an awakening – with lots of questions – such as “why are we doing this.” Our feet hurt, we were hot and sweaty, our packs seemed like they weighed a ton. We talked about how we could get rid of some of the “stuff.” Did I mention – our trek was not a tour – planned by a company – we like traveling on our own: planning, getting our “own” nights lodging, etc. Those groups that travel via an arranged tour – have their packs driven to the next town – where beds and lodging are waiting at the end of the day (something I would highly recommend).
We, on the other hand, carried our packs, and each night googled for available lodging in the next town where we needed lodging for the next night; we also google vegan restaurants where we could eat lots of veggies, fruits, and for those who ate meat – could indulge in their meat fix.
Day Two: Vigo to the Redondale community – a shorter 11 miles walk than the day before, and more climbing – steep mountains; with steep downhill challenges. A skateboarder’s dream; the walk was beautiful, overlooking the coastline, and rural areas as well. The path was well marked – lots of Camino shells, yellow arrows pointing the way – the arrows were found on the ground, sides of fence lines, electrical poles, and sides of latrines. The “WAY” is well supported by the locals in every community.
At the end of the second day, we decided to send some of our weight to colleagues of my son-in-law who were living in San Sebastian Spain for the summer, and our ultimate destination. San Sebastian was our focus where we would rest and recoup from the six-day Camino walk; the goal was to enjoy a lighter vacation with family and friends at the end of the walk for an additional three weeks. We found a Correo – a type of FedEx – between the six of us, we sent four boxes off to San Sebastian. Our packs were now a little lighter.
Day Three to Day Six: Redondale to Santiago (the ultimate goal of the walk) – each day was tough – a lot of walking up and down - who planned this trip, anyway??? I must take full responsibility and admit I had placed a seed earlier in the year when we were planning our trip to Europe. Wouldn’t it be fun to Walk the Comino del Compostella??? Being an Apodaca Lucero – one does not stop -just because there are uncomfortable moments. And so, it went for the remaining days; up in the morning, full days of walking up and down mountains, and all types of terrains where we each experienced a different momentum in the walk of this Camino. Our feet hurt, the perspiration rolled off every part of our bodies, and water was a welcomed relief. We would find our nights lodging; shower and slip into our beds as though we had never had the comforts of sheets and a place to lay our heads.
When we reached Santiago, it was a personal relief and a joyous moment – here I was a 74-year woman who just walked six days and over 80 miles. I climbed mountains and maneuvered steep downhill paths, and can say “I did it” … Standing in the square of Santiago with my daughter and granddaughters (three generations) this was a great accomplishment. I felt fulfilled, accomplished, and wondered how I would continue to be of service when I returned to the comforts of my home and community.
Memories to be shared with family for generations. For each of us, the walk was personal, rewarding, and an awakening to our individual spiritual growth – at the end of each day our feet hurt, blisters covered each toe and the balls of our feet; yet the next morning our feet with all the discomfort – were ready to carry us onto the next town and the final experience of Santiago de Compostela: THREE GENERATIONS WALKING TOGETHER - how awesome was that!!!!
Blessings to each of you and may your daily walk-of-life, be fulfilled with joy, love, and kindness.
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