One day I decided to go for a walk…

5 October 2023, Camino 3, Day 36

O Pedrouzo to Santiago

Glen and I have had a little joke along the camino. When we are close to our destination and need to push through he says, “Let’s finish this thing before it gets out of hand.” Well today we’re going to finish it.

The day has been cool (really almost cold), misty, and overcast. We ploughed on and the walk was actually easy. I had butterflies in my stomach when I woke up but as the day progressed I felt a peace come over me. I don’t really care for the walk into Santiago. It’s a couple of kilometers to get to the old part of town where the cathedral is.

The meaning of Santiago de Compostela is St. James under a field of stars because in the 8th century the monk who had a dream about the location of the bones of St. James envisioned them under a starred filled sky. Under a field of stars…such a beautiful image.

As you enter the old cathedral square you must pass through an arch. There is almost always someone greeting pilgrims by playing the bagpipes. Bagpipes originated in Africa and migrated into Spain. Later when the Spanish set sail for Northern Europe they landed in Ireland and brought these Celtic traditions with them.

But we didn’t stop at the cathedral. Our first stop was at the pilgrim’s office. We had heard that each day 1400 pilgrims arrive in Santiago and the majority of them will head to the pilgrim’s office to get their compostellas…the certificate of completion of the camino.

Our fear was that they might tell us to come back in a day or two because the line was so long. That was not the case. There were actually only about 30 pilgrims ahead of us in line so we got in quickly.

I will upload my Compostela and my certificate of distance in another post as I will need to scan them.

There is so much more to our arrival than the bare facts I’ve laid out here. I’m going to need some time to process my feelings more fully. I’ll be taking the next few days off as we travel by train to Madrid and then fly home.

Thank you so much for being part of this journey with me.

Buen Camino

29 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 30

Triacastela to Sarria

Today we enter the last 100 km of the Camino Frances de Santiago. I feel funny about this. A month ago I was saying to myself “OMG! I still have a month of this to do?!” And now it’s the final phase.

A lot of pilgrims only walk the last 100 km. As I said yesterday for some it is a resume requirement, for others who do the camino a week or two each year it’s the final stage, and for some it’s a walking holiday. It’s hard for those of us who have been walking a great distance to merge into this last segment.

These other pilgrims are clean. Many of them carry daypacks as their luggage is sent ahead. And they are so happy. They have a spring in their step and cry out heartily, “buen camino!” while the rest of us are trudging in to Santiago resentful of this intrusion into our private time with God.

I try to remind myself that I was like that when I started out from St. Jean Pied de Port or Pamplona. But I still dislike this boisterous interruption to my communing. I think though that this time has a purpose like other parts of the camino. I think this is God’s way of telling me that I can’t stay in contemplation all the time. I must re-enter the world. And I can still bring all the gifts that have been given to me.

So today’s a day of transition.

Buen Camino

28 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 29

Pedrofita do Cebriero to Triacastela

So you can see by the elevation map that today has a major downhill. Well after yesterday…we decided to skip it and take a taxi to Triacastela 😮😁😉. Yup it’s an easy day today 🥳 It’s a nice little town and we have finally crossed over from Castilla & Leon into Galicia.

So tomorrow we start for Sarria about 100 km from Santiago. In this last stretch we must walking carrying all our worldly possessions and get two stamps per day. In Spain some employers require a certificate of completion for employment to demonstrate the character of the applicant. Of course I hear all kinds of stories of taxis pulling up to a church, people dashing to get a stamp, and then driving off to the next stop. I can’t comment on that. I can only tell you that I will do my best to walk these last 100 km with my pack from Sarria to Santiago.

Buen Camino

27 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 28

Las Herrierias to Pedrafita do Cebriero

When they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only halfway up,
They were neither up nor down.

Pedrafita do Cebriero is about 2 miles off the camino before reaching Ocebriero but make no mistake it’s still uphill…and downhill. In fact we are on a different camino route in Pedrafita. We were on the Camino Frances and now we are on the Camino Norte..

According to the map this “road” has a route number designated to it so we were expecting a small asphalt road at the least a gravel road. Not this…

Despite the difficult passage I feel good about today. 4 years ago I was sick and so took a taxi to our hotel where I was told I discreetly open the taxi door and leaned out before losing my cafe con leche. 2 years ago I decided to ride a horse up to Ocebriero which was a great experience and I met some wonderful people. So even though I have never hiked all the way up to Ocebriero I am very proud of having made this difficult and a little scary passage.

We have at least crossed over from Castilla & Leon into Galicia the province where Santiago is located. It is another small triumph.

Buen Camino

26 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 27

Villafranca del Bierzo to Las Herreiras

Today is a relatively long day, about 12 miles. I’m worried about this since yesterday was a short day and I had a lot of pain in my quads, calves, and hamstrings. Of course silly me hasn’t been stretching like I should. So last night I did about 10 minutes of gentle yoga stretching and this morning I didn’t notice any pain. I’ve walked 6 miles already and am doing well 🤞 🙂

Later…we arrived at our hotel rural with plenty of time to do laundry and have an early dinner.

Sorry there isn’t much to say today. Tomorrow will be a big uphill.

Buen Camino

25 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 26

Cacabelos to Villafranca del Bierza

Ten more days after today. Mixed emotions are cropping up. We are stronger for all our walking and yet the walking takes its toll on our endurance. We are longing to enter Santiago and equally yearning to return to the life we know.

The walk was short to Villafranca, only 5-6 miles. It’s a town I know well. 4 years ago we had lunch at Don Nacho and I dined there two years ago. The food is memorable.

I even tried to replicate this dish at home. Not quite the same but a good effort.

It is a bittersweet time. All the goodness and all the hard work of walking are bound together tied by a ribbon of love of home and family. I wish I could express this better and I trust that you know what I mean.

Buen Camino

Continue reading “THOUGHTS ALONG THE WAY”

23 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 24

El Acebo to Molinaseca

The phrase for today is “Pick & Choose”. Pick the spot to plant your trekking pole and choose where to put your foot so you can take the next step.

Today’s walk started out on the road. Technically the camino also runs along the road as well as the parallel path. We decided to do the first 3 miles on the road then switch to the path to save ourselves a mile. Well it may have saved a mile but it added an hour and a half to our walk.

Keep your eyes on your feet and the path and be careful. But never forget to stop occasionally to enjoy the view.

Arrival in Molinaseca

Buen Camino

22 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 23

Rabanal to El Acebo

It is cold, windy, and wet today. The higher we go in elevation the windier it is but I’m told it’s better on the downhill. The temperature is in the 40’s but I’m dressed more warmly so it’s not too bad. I added a second jacket to my daypack so I have a fleece and a rain jacket. And Smartwool makes a dandy pair of socks 🧦 that can double as mittens.

Now the sad part of the day. Today we walked to Cruz de Ferro (the iron cross)

This is where pilgrims bring a stone from home to leave it at the cross. It symbolizes a prayer, hope, concern, or thanks. What makes me sad is that this feels like a sacred place and many pilgrims run up to the cross to take a picture, waving their trekking poles like they’ve just ascended Mount Everest.

My stone is the small black one on top of the white stone in the center.

Buen Camino

21 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 22

Astorga to Rabanal/Santa Colomba de Samosa

I love Astorga! I forgot to mention that we visited the chocolate museum. I didn’t have a picture but I did buy postcards to send to the grandchildren.

At one time there were 51 chocolate makers in Astorga. It is the chocolate capitol of Spain.

Today was quite different. we are off the meseta and back into the mountains. A 400 meter climb beginning in cold rain and ascending into plain old cold. It was the first time I thought, “I want to go home.” Of course it didn’t help that I was wearing shorts, a tee shirt, and a light rain jacket. Silly me 🤪. I made it 8.5 out of the 12.5 miles but then my foot hurt and I just wanted to lay my head down to sleep. So we took a taxi and I took a two hour nap.

There was a very bright spot early on. This is one of the tiny churches along the road with nothing else around it.

Our room is incredible! Very medieval. It was also cold but we sorted that out quickly and now it is toasty.

So the day started out not so good but ended up very cozy and comfortable.

Buen Camino