Gained 1 Cherry. Lost 1 Cape

Well in the spirit of my naked Camino.... I decided to be naked in 2 ways; 1) in truth because this story is not worthy of your time if Iam not honest and 2) Who really needs that damd red cape anyways!!??Tag line; Super Woman seems to be a little more "woman" and a little less "Super". I will finish this as the day unfolded.Got up, went to trek through town to cross the bridge and get on my Monday Camino. I wasn't able to locate the yellow arrows that indicate the peregrino direction. I walked to the left 3 blocks, no arrow, and stopped at a bar (not really a bar but where it's open for breakfast) asked a local " Donde esta Camino" he pointed back to the right and said "Camino De Santiago". I walked right(down the previous street 3 blocks - i was just there) and asked another local "donde esta Camino?" To which she pointed left and said "Camino De Santiago"... seriously people!!!!??? I stopped at the western union that was in the middle and asked for directions; and bought a Spanish cell phone to call home except the directions to call and activate are in .......yeah, Espanol.... waste of 20 euro. Anyways, I also met 3 Canadian women peregrinos and we chatted it up a bit. I bought some stamps for postcards and then the western union worker pointed me back left to the Camino trail. I patted down my head, my pack, my waist.... something seemed odd, something missing, but for the life of me I couldn't find it so I wished the Canadians a Buen Camino and headed back to the bar for the 2nd time. A block away I heard faintly in the distance; "Kansas!!! Kansas!!!" Iwas like, that's weird? and then Ilooked back (this time a good thing to look back) the Canadian peregrino was running down the street with my trekking poles!! I left them on accident (got to love them Canadians... xxoo) In faith of my most recent directions I walked back to the left 3 blocks and was a the bar again and saw some fellow peregrinos from the Alburgue I was at last night, I inquired where the heck is the Camino trail. and they showed me their map (I totally forgot I have my own map in my 100 lb backpack!) it was the street (which looked like an alley) in the middle of the 2 points I had been racing between! Whew! They asked if I knew where the post office and I told them it was inside the Western Union. -- back on my journey. Walking down this Camino street I passsed a shop with walking sticks (the kind they use in the movie and probably has some historical meaning too which Iam unaware of) So I snuck into the shop to purchase mine. Now I look like a real peregrino  Cheesy, I know, but I also wear crocs in public so go figure!The next shop down (mind you I really should have left town about an hour prior) I see these little red cherries on stems and they look like wine glass markers! I wanted to bring some home for girls night; my glass would have a cherry, and others would have 2 or 3. I waited very patiently in the shop behind 4 other patrons and then Iwas at the front and said "Donde esta cherries" (holding up the sample) that means' where are the cherries in spanish. The shop owner said 70 cherries? and I said "No 70 cherries, only Doce (12) cherries". He repeated himself "70 cherries?" and I said I am sorry only speak a little spanish. I need 12 cherries. Then he went to HAND MOVEMENTS swiping both hands back and forth across the counter "70 cherries".... or in HIS LANGUAGE---- NO SE VENDE CHERRIES! (we don't sell cherries) ohhhhhhh! No Sale (no sevende) I was, again, wrong in my understanding and apologized again. Ishowed him my passport and said that my name was CHERRYholmes and he seemed to understand my inquiry. I thanked him and bought a hook for my camera to hang off my bad and left. Moments later he ran out of the shop and said "cherry for you!" and ..... yep..... he gave me his cherry  I kissed him on the cheek and said thank you very much!Then finally I found my way to the Camino and started trekking. My blister held up wonderfully today!! On the hilll out of town, it was UP UP UP UP I kept wishing I was in Colorado and would eventually arrive at a tunnel to take me though that mini mountain! A girl bike rider was peddling side to side back and forth to get up.... it was relentless and I used my mantra (strong mind, strong heart, strong lungs, strong legs) to get me into the push push push mode. I realized that probably the reason the military uses those cadence songs is to keep the troops focused on continual movement???( just guessing) Then when I arrived at the top, I enjoyed the breezy trek down and needed a seperate mantra to continue the rhythm. I was on an 8 count on the way up. So my down mantra is "Open Mind, Happy Heart, Breathe In, Give Thanks" It works for me. A couple of hours into my trek I came into wine country; vineyards everywhere. I passed a pile of stones where peregrinos are to put a stone of thanks on it. I put a stone on for every wine friendship I have; that took a while  Then at about 1pm I stopped for a glass of water and bocadillo for lunch. It was about 130 when I was done and I realized I was again in the middle of the siesta and the heat was high noon. Crap. I didn't want to repeat the other day when I walked until 6pm in the flipping heat so I decided to wait it out. Wait the SUN out!?? after an hour of sitting with the locals on siesta I realized I was going to be sitting there, swatting flies for like 2 more hours. double crap.--side note-- my son Ryan has been telling me recently that I am not very good at letting people help me. That I am too independant. I know he is right but still.... independance has served me well over the years. It's hard to let go and let someone ELSE take care of me or anything. It's not a good thing. He says "I wish you would let me do more". I have said I will try. Somehow I feel like I am failing if I don't DO IT ALL. (I know I need therapy). so today.... I decided to (oh this killed me to do it, it kills me to say it) but again, If I am busy trying to be superwoman...then I am missing the point of this particular journey. I called a freaking cab and took it to the next town - 6 miles- I suck.Bless Juan and his airconditioned Toyota! I felt like a fraud. Not like a real peregrino at all. Like a cheater. Maybe I am. A friend who recently did this Camino spoke about this exact thing. He and his wife would spend 6 hours walking in the heat only to arrive at the alburgue and a taxi would arrive and drop off other peregrinos who didn't "go the distance". I am struggling with this truth still. I want to be real. I want to 'go the distance'. I want to feel worthy of the journey. But for those of you who compared me to a 'reality show' ... well the reality is that Ieft my super woman cape in Cirauqui Spain. The nakedness of my truth feels very exposing and it's not nearly as sexy as all the other nakedness I've seen thus far. Hope you choose to still tune in to my Camino. I will give this my best. It's all I have.