In Memory of Scott Sargent

Day 22-Rabanal del Camino-Riego de Ambros
7 hours-23.7 km

We are back in the mountains. What a glorious day for walking.
The scenery was magnificent, and a few of the villages look like they were taken from the Swiss Alps and dropped here.
We had a steep long climb for the first 4 hours, then a very steep rocky descent. But surrounded by mountains, the tinkle of cow bells and the fresh mountain air made the strenuous walk a joy.
The first village we passed through was Foncebadon formerly an abandoned desolate place known for it's wild dogs that menaced Pilgrims.
Now some hippie types have settled in and run a Hostal and bar, and the only sign of animals was 2 small cats pLaying in the sun.
Our next stop was the important Camino monument in the photo, the Cruz de Ferro. A simple iron cross atop piles of small stones.
It is customary for Pilgrims to carry a few pebbles or other token of love from home and climb the pile of rocks and symbolically place our burdens and worries there, as well as memories of loved ones.
In April when I started my first week of training for the Camino, my son Eric's best friend Scott Sargent died of a heart attack at the young age of 42.
With the Camino only a dream sometime in the future, I promised myself that if I made my Pilgrimage it would be in Scott's memory.
So I placed my pebbles at the foot of the cross in Scott's memory, along with some rose pedals from a rose given to me back in April by my grandson James.
I have set aside part of my prayer time each day for Scott's 2 young sons, Eric(11) and Ryan(6) and the rest of Scott's family.
Maybe it is only my son Eric who can truly appreciate the significance of this, but when I am on a steep long climb, out of breath and cannot take another step, it is Scott's image with his scruffy beard and his easy going manner that accompanies me and my step becomes lighter and my burden is less.

Blessings to all
Rita
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Gaudi Palace

Day 21-San Justo de la Vega-Rabanal del Camino
7 hours 28 minutes-26.7 km

We stopped walking just shy of Astorga by a few kilometers, but the beautiful architecture of the pretty little city of Astorga was golden in the early morning sunlight.
The photo is of a palace by Antonio Gaudi which brought back memories of a trip to Barcelona with our granddaughter Brittany and all the beautiful Gaudi buildings.
Today's walk was pleasant and easy. One long gentle uphill journey to Rabanal with a rather steep and rocky climb for the last hour. The day was perfect for walking, sunny and clear with a gentle breeze.
The landscape is changing. We passed through some very old and interesting villages.
This Camino is a photographers dream.
We are seeing a lot of new Pilgrims that just started their walk in Leon or Astorga. You can tell them by their new crisply starched clothes, white socks, new boots and spry walk.
The rest of us are a ragtag band, limping along, tattered and torn like a band of refugees.
The "newbies" haven't been toughened by the wear and tear of nearly 600 kilometers on their feet, tolerating blisters and aches and pains and swollen joints to slow them down.
We are 2 days ahead of schedule for meeting our daughter in Sarria next Monday. She will walk the last 114 km with us.
So for the next week we will walk much shorter days.
It means lagging behind our little band of Pilgrim friends and that saddens me to have to lose touch with them. But I am looking forward to the luxury of only walking about 18-20 km each day, especially since the Cantabrian Mountains are now looming right in front of us and we will have several difficult days.
I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Angels of the Camino

Day 20-Villa de Mazarife-SanJusto de la Vega
8 hours 20 minutes-28 km
Today we walked through endless cornfields for the first 5 hours, then we started our ascent of 3 long gentle hills. The climb up and down was not steep but the trail strewn with loose rock made it a miserable 3 hours of climbing with very little shade and a hot sunny afternoon.
When we got to the top of the last hill, a long slog, our feet screaming from all the loose rock; we met one of the wonderful Angels of the Camino.
David lives 15 km away but comes to that desolate spot where Pilgrims are ready to drop and he sets up his little stand of fresh fruit, homemade cake, juices, tea and coffee. He offers it all free to passing Pilgrims.
He tells me it is out of love for the Pilgrims and the Camino. He says he himself was a Pilgrim and knew the pain and exhaustion, so he wants to give something back to the Camino that means so much to him.
He is truly a Camino Angel for what he does, and there are many more like him.
There was Felicia who until she died at 100, sat in front of her little house and gave to passing Pilgrims the only thing she had. Water, figs from a tree in her garden, and love. Since her death, her daughter, now an old woman herself, has taken her place and greets Pilgrims each day with water, figs and love.
Then there is Marcelino who sets up a stand with fruits and cookies for Pilgrims. He also has a van and drives some of the road stretches of the Camino to help Pilgrims in need.
We also met Robert from England who walked the Camino and wanted to give something back. Each year he comes in his camper and sets up along side a lonely stretch of the Camino and offers English tea and cookies and first aid and foot care to passing Pilgrims.
These and others like them are truly "Angels of the Camino" and ask nothing in return for their love and kindness. They have a small donation box on their stand, but treat all the same, whether they give or not.
I know there are many more like them. And I know that I am very grateful to those that I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A Day of Friendship and Laughter

Day 19-Reliegos-Villar de Mazarife
6 hours 12 minutes-24.3 km

Leon is an amazing City: The Cathedral is a work of art and the gorgeous ancient architecture and art filled churches of Europe still continue to amaze me. We walked around in the evening and it was a city of lights, sidewalk cafes, families strolling and of course Pilgrims. I wish I had more time to explore this beautiful city, but the Camino calls and we start our walk before the sun is up.
One of the nice things about ending our walk in a large city is that in the large Pilgrim hostels you are bound to find friends that you have lost track of. And this was the case in Leon. We are never far apart, but we just don´t know exactly where we will end up each day, as we all walk at our own pace. Ron lost me twice today while he was busy walking and talking with other Pilgrims.
Our little band of Pilgrims has turned into a little family of about 10-12 special friends. We always seek each other out and are so happy to be together once we find each other again. The reunions are a fun part of the day, lots of hugs and kisses, and lots of stories to catch up on.
Todays walk was marvelous. Sunny with a nice cool breeze. We are out of the flat boring area and are now entering a prettier countryside, with a few rolling hills. Even though we walk alone, at each stop our little band of Pilgrims ended up together for a bite to eat and something to drink. Today we planned to stop at the same place for the evening. Most of us are here now, oa few moved on to the next village. We will cook a meal together and spend time in the evening in the garden drinking wine and telling stories.
We chose a funky little place with a nice garden and pool and Ron and I got here earlier than the others and were given a private room...how cool is that!
A very happy day!!

Love to All
Rita

Oasis in the Middle of Termoil

Day 18-Reliegos-Leon
7 hours 30 minutes-25.2 km

The walk today was again on boring flat track with little shade. The approach to Leon was along busy highways with lots of construction going one. Dodging traffic and hearing the large construction vehicles noisily raising dust as they raged past us made the walk very frustrating. With a long steep climb and very long sharp descent on a washed out road toward the end of the day, made the walking not at all fun today.
But we had a gloreous experience that made the whole day worth while. When passing through one intersection a man opened the gate to his property and I got a strong whiff of onions and earth.
We exchanged  good mornings and I said "You must be working in your garden" at which he beckoned us to enter his garden. Ron and I are both suckers for a nice garden so I knew a glimpse would be a treat.
It was like magic...no noise, peace and tranquility and good old fashion Spanish hospitality. 
The man had a wheel barrow full of his freshly harvested onions as big as grapefruits. I commented how beautiful they were and he said this years crop was not so good. I asked to take a few photos of his garden and his flock of chickens and he went about his business of  working in his garden. At least that is what I thought. He came out of the garden and filled my wide brim sun hat with about a dozen small tomatoes and two huge green peppers. Then he tryed to give us more. I thanked him profusely and told him I could not take any more vegetables.
So all day we munched on fresh tomatoes, but we still have two giant green peppers, as there is no kitchen in the convent we are staying at tonight, so I could not cook something up using them.
So we will cut the peppers up tonight and have them to snack on tomorrow as we walk.
This kind gesture and the few minutes in the Oasis of the tranquil garden with a kind Spanish gentleman made our day special and the walk was not so bad after all.


i wish you peace, love and laughter

Magnificent Night Sky

Day 17-Calzado de Coto-Reliegos
7 hours-26.7 km

Today we walked in the dark under a magnificent sky. You could almost reach out and touch the stars.
The Camino went through fairly boring, flat land with some farmers tilling fields. It was hot and sunny with very little shade.
We can now see the Cantabrian Mountains in the far distance. We will be climbing those steep hills in a few days.
We lost track of our Korean friend Su again. His young legs were restless and he had to move on.
Ron walked all day with Philip, but most of the time I lagged behind. It was great to walk alone in quiet contemplation and prayer.
I walked for a while with a woman from Germany who only knew a few words of English, so I struggled with my limited German and between us we managed to have a nice conversation about many things.
The photo is of Ron and Philip in from of a church in a small village we passed through.
I think if you click on the photo it will enlarge and you may be able to see a stork nest on the bell tower. There are giant storks nests in the villages throughout Spain on churches, towers, or any tall structure.
It has been a very relaxing and sociable evening in the Pilgrim hostel. Lots of new people here.

Peace, love and joy
Rita
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Reunions, Milestones, and Don PePe

Day 16-Caldadilla de la Cueza-Calzado de Coto
8 hours 45 minutes-26.6 km
Today we met Don PePe the donkey. He and his master stayed at the same Pilgrim hostel as us. Don PePe outdoors of course. It is not uncommon for someone to make their Pilgrimage to Santiago with a donkey. Traveling with a donkey, I am sure, has a whole set of problems of it's own which I cannot imagine.
One problem being that the donkey is the star. People are constantly running around Don PePe with cameras snapping away, causing a disturbance for the poor animal.
Everyone knows the donkey's name, but few ask the owners name.
We were happy and surprised to see our Korean friend Su last night. The little band of Korean friends split up, some had to go home, some took the bus ahead and our friend Su walked 3 long hard days and ended up at the same Pilgrim hostel as us. It was all big smiles and hugs and then the first thing he askedwas "How is your knee?"
This morning we walked in the dark with Su for a few hours before stopping in a village for breakfast.
In walked our friend Phillip who we had lost track of for a few days.
So another reunion with hugs of joy. Phillip is a Jesuit Priest who has wanted to make the pilgrimage to Santiago for many years but has always put it off. Last year he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and he decided to take a 3 month sabbatical to make his Pilgrimage and do some other traveling afer his Pilgrimage. He is a delightful man and we enjoy his company.
Today we have reached the halfway mark to Santiago. It is somewhere around the tiny village of Moratinos, population 17; 15 Spaniards and 2 ex-pats ( a retired American journalist and her Brittish husband)
Rebekah is a member of the same Pilgrim forum as I am, so I get to read her comments on line and I also read her blog, so I was excited to finally meet her.
She and her husband Paddy retired from the rat race and bought a house on the Camino and are in the process of renovating it. They welcome Pilgrims to stop by for refreshments or to stay for the night. They call it Peaceable Kingdom. The name suits it well, a very tranquil place with a nice garden, a flock of chickens and 2 dogs, and lots of warmth and hospitality.
It was a fun day filled with lots of people, lots of love, and one cute donkey.
Love to all
Rita
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry