徒步，我們與島嶼的對話-朝聖之路(法國之路) Day4~5 第一次認真與自己身體相處的旅程

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68.5km>90.5km

Pamplona > Puente la Reina’

週六清晨下著綿綿細雨，每天庇護所內的聲響就是天然的鬧鐘，徒步朝聖者大都起很早，大家收拾行囊要趕緊前往下一站，越早到的人比較容易搶到庇護所(因為有些庇護所無法預約)，早起盥洗時總會在空氣中聞到跌打損傷藥膏的味道、或是酸痛貼布的味道，我想這也是許多朝聖者的共同回憶。

(沿途的貝殼除了指引著我們，也讓我們看見不同區域所展現出各種創意的貝殼指示)

昨日晚上在廚房做菜時遇到一群跟我們一樣來自台灣的大哥大姐們，熱情地招待我們吃東西，聊天過後才知道原來也住三重，倍感親切，隔天一早出發時也互相打氣，有時候在路途上聊著天，時間過得比較快，上坡路段總是辛苦，但抵達制高點往下俯瞰時，一切的辛苦就很值得。

(當超過20km時，腿部的疼痛感會急速增加)

(走到制高點的那一刻，除了開心，還有更多是對於未知的旅程更加有信心)

每一天抵達庇護所時，都會先洗澡，常常洗澡時雙腿都還在痠痛，學著與疼痛共處也是一門大學問，要每天仔細地確認身體的狀況，每日早睡早起，這一段時間應該是人生最健康的時候，也不禁回想起工作這麼多年，真的能好好休息的時間已經不知道是多久之前，現在彷彿有種回歸到小時候，很純粹的感覺。

旅行中我逐漸發現最難能可貴的是，每個旅人主動踏出第一步認識新朋友的勇氣，也是需要練習的，但走在這條朝聖之路上，無數次練習的機會，造就這條朝聖之路的獨特。

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90.5km>112.2km

Puente la Reina > Estella

已經習慣在早晨喝上一杯濃縮咖啡，這是療癒自己的最好方法，朝聖之路的第一週真的不輕鬆，身體還沒習慣這樣的疲憊，所以每天都在懷疑自己能不能達成，除了身體以外，心靈上的考驗也不容小覷。

(每天一杯濃縮咖啡搭配一杯現榨柳橙汁)

(證明自己來過，或是寄託某種情感於石頭上，是旅途的印記)

(下雨天臨時來避雨，發現一間超級美味的餐廳，老闆娘熱情還請我們喝咖啡，同時也是一間庇護所，非常推薦)

幸好有旅伴能夠聊天，以及旅途中所遇到的新朋友們，每個人來走朝聖之路的目的都不同，有療癒情傷的、有重新思考人生目標的、也有挑戰自己為目的來的等等。我第一天剛領到朝聖者護照抵達庇護所時，Check in 的時候就被問為什麼要來走朝聖之路，問題來得有點突然，我忽然不知道怎麼回答，或許，我也是在這段路上找答案，走著走著說不定就會知道為什麼來了，迷惘沒什麼不好，我也對於未來開始迷惘，歷經了感情的受傷、事業的瓶頸與糾紛、家人生病等等，好多時候其實是很無助的，幸好身邊的家人與朋友們不離不棄的陪伴著，才能夠勇敢的面對未來。

今日的目的地是Estella（埃斯特亞，又名星星鎮），傳說在中世紀有人發現許多星星墜落此處，前來查看時見到一尊聖母像，認為是一種神蹟而得名。我們在前幾天就在餐廳一直看到Estrella的啤酒，所以對這個單字不太陌生，且覺得這個鎮名滿可愛的，就一直很期待抵達目的地。

(熱心提供食物補給的當地人，用捐獻方式提供回報)

在徒步的過程中會經過許許多多規模不同的小鎮，我想這輩子能夠到這麼多西班牙小鎮旅行的機會，應該也只有這一次，每個小鎮的特色都不同，我們可以看到許多用心佈置的建築外觀與當地特色，當我們聽到河流聲，看到一座石橋時，代表我們終於走到了，歷經日曬雨淋，累到看著方向的指示牌都彷彿是在晃動，好似出現幻覺般，大家都說前一個禮拜最痛苦，真的是要自己走過才能知道有多痛苦。希望痛苦過去後，美會留下。

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68.5km > 90.5km

Pamplona> Puente la Reina

It was a misty, rainy Saturdaymorning. The gentle sounds inside the albergue (pilgrim hostel) served as ournatural alarm clock. Pilgrims usually wake up early to pack and head to thenext destination. The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of getting abed—some hostels don’t take reservations.

During the morning routine, theair often smells like muscle rubs or pain relief patches. I think it’s a scentmany pilgrims share in their memories.

Last night in the kitchen, wemet a warm group of fellow Taiwanese travelers. They were incredibly kind andoffered us food while chatting. It turned out they also lived in Sanchong (adistrict in New Taipei City), which made us feel right at home. The nextmorning, we cheered each other on before setting off. Conversations with fellowpilgrims help time pass faster—especially on tough uphill sections. But onceyou reach the top and look down over the view, it all feels worth it.

Each day upon arriving at thealbergue, the first thing we do is shower. My legs are usually still sore, andI’m learning how to live with the pain—something you must become good at onthis journey. We check in with our bodies daily, sleep early, and wake upearly. In fact, this might be the healthiest stretch of my life.

It’s made me reflect on how,after so many years of working, I can’t even remember the last time I trulyrested. There’s a sense of returning to a simpler time—almost like childhood,pure and unburdened.

One of the most valuablelessons I’ve learned on this journey is the courage it takes to say hello andmake new friends. It's something you can practice, and the Camino gives youendless chances to do so. That’s part of what makes it so special.

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90.5km > 112.2km

Puentela Reina > Estella

I've gotten used to startingmy day with a small cup of espresso—my favorite form of self-care. The firstweek on the Camino is no joke. Your body hasn’t adjusted yet, and every day youwonder if you can keep going. It’s not just physical; the mental challenges arejust as tough.

Luckily, I have companions totalk to, and new friends we meet along the way. Everyone walks the Camino fordifferent reasons—some to heal from heartbreak, some to rethink their lifegoals, others just to challenge themselves.

On the first day, when Ireceived my pilgrim passport and checked into the albergue, they asked me why Ichose to walk the Camino. The question caught me off guard, and I didn’t knowhow to answer. Maybe I’m here to find the answer. Maybe I’ll discover it alongthe way.

There’s nothing wrong withfeeling lost. I've been feeling uncertain too—after going through heartbreak,career struggles, and family illness, I often felt helpless. But thanks to thesupport of my family and friends, I found the strength to move forward.

Today’s destination wasEstella—also known as the "Town of Stars." Legend has it that inmedieval times, people saw stars falling here, and upon investigating, theyfound a statue of the Virgin Mary. They believed it was a miracle, and that’s howthe town got its name.

We had seen Estrella beer inrestaurants over the past few days, so the word felt familiar. We even thoughtthe town name sounded cute, and we were excited to finally reach it.

Along the way, we pass manytowns of all sizes. I think this might be the only time in my life I’ll havethe chance to visit so many small towns in Spain. Each one has its own charmand character. The buildings are beautifully decorated, and every place tellsits own story.

Whenever we hear the sound ofa river and see a stone bridge, it means we’ve finally arrived. After hours inthe sun and rain, feeling so exhausted that even the signs seem to blur beforeyour eyes—it feels almost like a hallucination.

People say the first week isthe hardest, and it's true. You really have to walk it yourself to understandhow hard it is. But hopefully, when the pain passes, the beauty will remain.