Day 9 (28 April) Reflections On Old Vines — 14 Miles

Living in the present is one of the principles that the Camino is said to help develop in its participants. Since doing my 88 Temple walk in 2019, I think that I am better at doing just that in all aspects of life. My Camino walks have reinforced that behavior. The images that I include in the blog represent my take on the experiences of the present, of the moment, and the beauty contained within them.

Today, I saw snow covered mountains in the far distance, massive clouds that appeared so powerful as they dominated the sky, and the never ending trail. It is unfortunate that the photos present only one of the senses. You are missing the chirping of birds, the warmth of the sun, the babbling of streams, the bracing wind on the face, and the words “Buen Camino” that fellow pilgrims say as they walk by.

Away from distractions of daily life, the Camino also offers opportunities for reflection. Acres of vineyards in La Rioja are on both sides of the trail. They are planted with young, mature, and old vines. Seeing them over and over, hour by hour, made me think about them as an analog about life.

Newly planted vines are thin but straight. Their young branches need support and guidance as new sprouts form each spring. The grapes usually yield wines that are said to be fresh but lack depth.

As the vines mature, their bases thicken and their outer bark start to show markings of age though they remain mostly upright, trim, and straight. These vines have experienced several seasonal changes and climatic events. Depending upon where they are cultivated, they may yield grapes that form reserve wines.

Finally, I passed many plots with old vines, some of which could be as old as I am. These vines have unique shapes and vary in height. They have undergone transformation from years of pruning and bear the marks of age. Yet every year, they develop new growth and yield grapes that are prized for their richness and complexity. Perhaps you have seen wine labels that proclaim that the grapes come from old vines (vieilles vignes – French; vinedo viejo- Spanish; vigna vecchie – Italian).

I was thinking that my life can be seen now as an old vine with my unique experiences that have formed my shape and the wrinkles on my skin, nuances in thoughts, and vigor in spirit — my height has remained the same since I was fourteen. I continue to form new growth that helps me renew but also gives me the opportunity to nourish others. Take these thoughts for what they are — a happy traveler on the Camino who has time to clear his mind and review his past, present, and future.

Dinner was in the sister hotel from mine. I met up with Roy and his daughter, Shannon – the second father/daughter combo that I have met on this Camino. We have run into one another from time to time. This was the first time that we had an opportunity to talk.

Roy is an American with a duel citizenship in Canada. He is retired but still consults in waste management. He completed the Camino from St Jean to Santiago in 2018. His dream is to take at least one of Shannon’s daughters on a Camino. Shannon graduated from John Jay/ CUNY but now does project management in Toronto.

We dined together at a restaurant owned by the same people who operate Hotel Rey Pedro I. I started off with beans, of course, but white instead of red. I tried the pimentos rellanos (stuffed peppers) and ended with flan. The beans were top notch. Seeing Shannon’s plate and hearing her comments, I should have opted for the eggs with mushrooms. The flan was very good but I liked the one from yesterday better which I judged as my ATF. We all agreed that the wines were excellent both red and white (must be old vines).

We walked back to our hotel as night fell. Oh hum, another tower from the 18th Century.

Hotel Rey Pedro 1: 1.5