Following The Signs

The tomb of  Santiago (Saint James) is most assuredly the most sign posted location in the world. With thousands of kilometers of paths from all over Europe, there are more signs and yellow arrows than one could ever count. I wonder if anyone has tried.

The signs range from large signs that can be easily seen to small and obscure, to faded yellow arrows that can be elusive to the eye.

They can be anywhere.

On a rock in the middle of a grape vineyard.

 On a sidewalk.

On a tree or stonewall leading into the forest.

In the middle of the road.

Just about anywhere that a yellow arrow can be painted.

And when there are no signs, Pilgrims make their own, just so the next person won't get lost.

It is easy to lose the way, by chatting, daydreaming, not paying attention, or paying too much attention to beautiful scenery.

One must be vigilant about looking for signs, and it is particularly important to look carefully for signs when walking in the dark.

Being attentive and looking for signs while walking the Camino,  again made me realize how true it is that the Camino de Santiago becomes that metaphor for life. Every day we must be attentive and look for "signs". The signs that keep us on the right path, that help us find our way when we have strayed, that keep us moving in a forward direction, that keep is mindful, helpful, generous and kind.

Call it what you will, intuition, gut feeling, grace. There is always that little "sign", that magic moment when we have a choice to act in a certain way to be more loving, more giving, more appreciative of the things around us, more attentive and more caring of our fellow human beings.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience."

There are opportunities to realize the truth of the above statement every day of our lives, we just have to be silent, watch, feel, and look for the signs.

I wish you peace, love and laughter
Rita

note: You may have to click on the photo to enlarge to see where the yellow arrows are.

Continuing on the Path

                                  

We have been home for a few days now but I cannot funtcion. I can't get the Camino out of my mind. It seems unnatural to just get back in the old routine of every day life.

I can feel the effects of the long journey physically, through the stiffness throughout my body, especially my legs.

But mostly the emotions of the journey are whirling through my mind. There is so much to digest from what we experienced that I can't let it go. I had so many profound lessons and peak moments that I have to sit with and think about. I need to make room to work on the things I have gleaned from the journey.

It wouldn't make sense to take such an arduous journey and then just let it go as if it were just another trip.

A very select group have the privilege, the desire and the ability of making such a trip. In my case it was more of a "calling". So I think that call was for a reason. That is the part I am still trying to figure out.

I do believe that the Camino is a methaphor for life. There are constantly lessons for us to learn from each other and teach each other in the course of our every day life.

Although I am still in the dark, I have faith that my messages and lessons will be revealed to me as I continue to walk this journey that we call life.

Blessings to all
Rita

Embracing Saint James

We spent our last 3 days in Santiago, exploring the streets of the medieval old town, and generally relaxing and enjoying good food, good friends and the city sights.

I spent a lot of time going back to the cathedral, the Pilgrim's office and the giant plaza, looking for friends and other Pilgrims and sharing the pleasure of their arrivals. And I loved going to the cathedral early in the morning and sitting quietly and having Saint James to myself.

One of the traditions is to go behind the altar in the cathedral and give Saint James an embrace. It was a special Camino moment for me, to finally greet the Saint that I had walked so far for.

I made sure I was early to attend the Pilgrims Mass, so that I could get a good seat in the cathedral.
The Pilgrim's Mass is overflowing each day with 800 to 1,000 including Pilgrims, other worshipers and tourists.
It was quite a thrill to see that even during the Mass the tradition of hugging Saint James continued and every now and them my attention was drawn to the rear of the huge gold and silver altar to see Pilgrims giving Saint James an embrace.

Another tradition is to walk or take a bus to Finesterre, which was believed to be the end of the world during medieval times. My journey was complete when I reached Saint James, so I had no desire to go any further. I did hear from fellow Pilgrims who made the journey that it did not have the same feeling as being on the  Camino; that it was not a the pilgrimage, but just a beautiful walk to the ocean.
 
I think that leaving Santiago de Compostela was more emotional than arriving, if that's possible. I felt like I needed more time to absorb and reflect on my experience before returning home. But when it came time, I was happy to return home to my family. I will have plenty of time to sit and contemplate the messages and lessons I received from the Camino.

I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita

Santiago de Compostela

Day 32-Pedrouza-Santiago de Compostela
6 hours 30 minutes-21.2 km

We were all up at 5AM. I think the excitement of reaching Santiago today was somewhat like a child that can't sleep on Christmas morning.
We were walking by 6AM. It was still dark when we reached the Santiago airport.
We climbed our last hill Monte Gozo (Mount Joy), so named because atop the hill the Pilgrim gets the first joyful glimpse at the spires of the cathedral of the Saint they have walked so far to see.
Unfortunately for us the day was rainy and overcast so we couldn't see much through the fog and mist.
When we got to the outskirts of Santiago, the walk seemed interminable. Then about 5 km before arrival Heidi started getting severe hip and leg problems. I gave here my trekking poles to help and she hobbled slowly and painfully into the city and on to the cathedral.
I wept tears of joy when I came around the corner and there was the grand cathedral looming in front of me. I walked up the stairs weeping, and entered, but the Mass had already started and Heidi needed to get to our lodgings.
Once the girls got settled in, I went back to Praza do Obradoiro, the "golden square" in front of the cathedral where throngs of Pilgrims gather. The square was filled with excitement.
I saw many Pilgrim friends. We embraced and took many photos and even shed a few tears with some that had been with us from the beginning.
It has been a very exciting and emotional day.
My head is still spinning.
Blessings to all
Rita
(The photo only shows a portion of the magnificent cathedral.)
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Mixed Feelings

Day 31-Arzua-Pedrouza
6 hours 32 minutes-21 km

A very relaxing walk today. The girls and Ron were out late last night, one of the drawbacks of staying at a hotel(or one of the bonuses, depending on how you look at it).
We got a late start, and actually started walking in daylight for the first time.
A delightful walk. Heidi and Ellen like to stop at every coffee shop!
Although the rain held off all day, it felt like walking through a rain forest. The air was heavy and thick with moisture.
The landscape is still lush and green and we passed through more eucalyptus forests, but now we have tropical climate and plants. There are palm trees, banana trees and even cactus.
And as always along the Camino the ancient medieval villages that time has passed by.
Most of the villages grew out of the need of serving the pilgrims and have changed little over time.
We went out for dinner tonight and had our best Pilgrim meal.
It has been an emotional day for me.
Tomorrow I walk into Santiago. I have mixed feelings.
It will be the end of a long hard journey....or will it?
How will I feel when I enter the city? Or when I finally greet the Saint that I journeyed so far for?
What are the lessons I have learned?
What does all the pain and suffering and struggle and perserverance signify?

Peace, love and laughter
Rita
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Eucalyptus and Torrential Downpours

Day 30-Palas de Rei-Arzua
10 hours-30.1 km
We started out in the dark, in the rain, and straight uphill. It was up and down hills all day and it rained off and on most of the day.
Some of the walk was along the roadside and through an industrial area going into the town of Melide.
But we walked through Eucalyptus forests off and on all day. And what a wonderful pungent fragrance it was.
Synthetic sports fabrics are marvelous. They are very lightweight, dry in a flash, easy to wear and durable. However they do hold body odor. And after 30 days of hand washing, no matter how diligent and thorough a job you do; in this humid, rainy climate of Galicia, you can smell the body odor at the first sign of dampness.
So, after 3 days or rain and dampness, today was a pleasure walking through the fragrant eucalyptus forests.
The above time for walking is a bit skewed because of 2 delays.
When the girls arrived in the airports of Madrid and Santiago, they tried to exchange dollars for euros, but unfortunately both airports money exchange systems were not functioning.
Today has been the first day we were in a town big enough to have a bank, and us being here during banking hours. I'll skip all the boring details and just say that after 1 1/2 hours, several banks and ATMs only one girl ended up with euros. It was very frustrating and a delay we did not need.
The second delay was when we had just stopped at a bar for a coffee break and no sooner had we ordered our coffee, we turned around to see that outside there was a torrential downpour that lasted over 30 minutes.
Heidi and Ellen were delighted to have such a long break but as soon as it slowed down we had to move on.
We walked in the rain for several hours more until we got to our destination.
It was a very long, very exhausting day, but so joyful and so rewarding in so many ways.
The girls did well and after yesterdays dingy hostal and cold showers they wanted to stay at a hotel.
So we 4 are cozily settled in a nice hotel room tonight and it is still pouring out.
Ron and the girls are downstairs in the bar having a well deserved bottle of wine.
Blessings to all
Rita
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A Different Camino

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Day 29-Portomarin-Palas de Rei
8 hours 15 minutes-27.1 km

We started of by the light of the full moon walking steeply uphill. It started to rain and continued to rain off and a good part of the day, but the countryside was filled with farms. We walked through several tiny farming hamlets. We met a few locals when passing through them and the girls had an opportunity to talk with them. They are amazed at the local hospitality and true warmth for the Pilgrims in this rural area.
One local farm couple were taking their herd of cows out to pasture and invited us to walk with the herd. We had a great conversation with the herdswoman.
We enjoyed watching the little dog work the herd and when one bull went astray it was amazing to watch the little dog take charge over the huge bull and in no time had the bull back with the herd.
Ellen and Heidi did great on this long tough walk today. They were ready to quit toward the end of the walk but we took a few minutes break and they were fine again.
I remember how exhausting the first few days were. I am really proud of how well they did.
Tonight we all had dinner with our Jesuit friend Philip; then we were joined by friends from Australia who will slow down tomorrow, so we won't see them again. So we stayed and had a farewell drink with them and Philip who we may not see again.
We talked about the feel of the Camino and how it has changed in the past few days.
One only needs to walk the last 100 km to receive a "Compostela" certificate so there are so many new Pilgrims on the road. We hardly see any of the Pilgrim friends we started with.
I am so happy that Heidi and Ellen are here to enjoy these last days with us.
Blessings to all
Rita

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Taxi Anyone??

Day 28-Sarria-Portomarin
7 hours 50 minutes-24.4 km

Last night the girls arrived by taxi and got dropped off in front of an ancient stone church near our Pilgrim Hostal, to the sound of the church bells ringing, as if witnessing and rejoicing their arrival.
They only had time for a shower, a bite to eat and a visit to the beautiful church.
The walk today was equally as magnificent as the past few days with all the canopied woodland trails, open panoramic vistas, and peaceful country villages that time has passed by.
I am so happy that the girls' first day was so gorgeous. Their excitement brought back memories of y first few days. They oohed and ahhed and snapped photo after photo.
The terrain was not easy. We had a long steady uphill trek most of the day, with a very steep descent. At one point the girls knees were so bad, they tried walking down backwards.
Heidi is in the photo by one of the frequently seen taxi signs. I have seen many taking advantage of taxis or having a courier service carry their backpacks from one stop to the next.
The girls were on such a high with the excitement of being here and the beauty of the countryside that nearly 8 hours of walking didn't faze them.
I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita
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Enchanted Day

Day 27-Triacastela-Sarria
8 hours 6 minutes-26 km
We started our walk in the rain and it continued to rain off and on most of the day.
Our guidebook says we ascended only 200 meters, but we climbed up and down so many times, so I think we climbed the same 200 meters over and over again all day long.
Picture this: Miles and miles of trail canopied over with ancient ivy covered trees on one side, an 8 foot high moss covered timeless stonewall on the other side, a flowing river with several waterfalls and ancient stone bridges, little hamlets with tiny centuries old churches and one of the oldest most gorgeous monasteries in Spain.
That was our Camino today.
A long hard trek with lots of climbing, but the most enchanting day so far.
Now, in less than an hour, our daughter Heidi and our friend Ellen will arrive to walk the rest of the way to Santiago with us.
Blessings to all
Rita
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Three Caminos

Day 26-OCebreiro-Triacastela
6 hours 40 minutes-21.7 km

There is a saying in Spanish about the Camino. Loosely translated it goes like this:
The first part to tame the body. (Roncesvalles to Burgos)
The second part to tame the spirit.(Burgos to Leon)
The third part for the pleasure of the soul.(Galicia)
I think it holds pretty true.
The long hard days of trekking through the Pirenees certainly let's you know that your body is much more capable than we give it credit for and we push it each day beyond its limits.
Then there is the flat, hot, shadeless plains of the Meseta that seem to defy all rules of time. Patience is tried. It becomes a challenge of the will to endure the boring hot lonely landscape.
Now we are in Galicia, the final stage.
So far it has been magical and spirit lifting. Trekking hard terrain I still feel light and alive.
And the divine is revealed in these expansive vistas lifting my spirits.
I keep stopping, drinking in the unbelievable miracle around me.
The peace, the quiet and the beauty are overwhelming.
They bring joy to my heart and sustenance to my road worn body.
Peace, love and joy
Rita

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OCebreiro

Day 25-Villafranca de Bierzo-OCebreiro
9 hours 35 minutes-36.9 km

It was a very long, difficult day, but a very exciting and rewarding one.
In the morning the trail was along side a highway, but the bonus was that we followed along side a flowing river with several small waterfalls.
The sound of the rushing water and plenty of birdsong made for a very happy day, which just kept getting better all day long.
We walked steadily uphill all day. The first 5 hours were on good flat track.
But then we started our very steep ascent to OCebreiro.
The trail was very rocky and rough, but the higher we went, the more gorgeous the panoramic views that surrounded us were.
We passed through several Celtic villages complete with Celtic music. I expected my granddaughter Holly to appear at any moment doing the Irish Step Dance.
OCebreiro is like being on top of the world with 360 degrees of brethtaking views.
The village itself is charming with all stone buildings, some round with straw roofs.
We had originally planned on 2 days to make the tough ascent. But weather perfect, outstanding scenery and storybook villages kept our spirits high.
Ron said if you can't see God by looking at this magnificent mountain scenery, you never will.
A perectly magical day, even though my feet are aching miserably.
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Celtic Country

Day 24-Ponferrada-Villafranca de Bierzo
7 hours 7 minutes-24 km

Our relaxing stay yesterday in Ponferrada was highlighted with a visit to the magnificent 12th century Templar Castle.
Another bonus was the big and modern Pilgrim Hostal we stayed in. We were reunited with many friends we had lost track of including Antonio and his adorable donkey Don PePe.
It was a long walk out of the city this morning then a long stretch along a busy highway. The noise and exhaust fumes were very annoying.
The morning was shrouded in mist and we had a light drizzle most of the day.
We are now entering Celtic country and it looks very much like Ireland, with lots of rock walls and green hills. Beautiful scenery of farms, orchards, vineyards and a spattering of sheep made it a delightful walk.
We had a long steep climb at the end of the day into the picturesque town of Villafranca de Bierzo.
Tomorrow we start a few very difficult days with our highest and hardest climb of the Camino.
Love to all
Rita
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Sweet Treats

Day 23-Riego de Ambros-Ponferrada
3 hours 54 minutes-9.6 km
The first 2 hours of our walk was steeply downhill on a very rocky narrow path. As usual we started walking in the dark which made for a painfully slow descent.
But after a while in the early morning light, the mountain scenery was stunning and we found that we had descended into a deep beautiful gorge.
Off and on the Camino has had wild blackberries growing along side the trail.
They are a nice excuse to stop for a few moments and enjoy a sweet treat.
Speaking of sweet treats, we only walked for just under 4 hours today!!
Then we left our backpacks and walked around Ponferrada with its beautiful churches and an impressive castle.
How great it was to walk around without a heavy pack and to have most of the day to enjoy exploring, eating ice cream, and relaxing.
Peace and Joy
Rita
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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
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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.

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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
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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
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