What a wonderful day, what a wonderful life!

Today was so awesome, a great hike, I met many new Camino friends, and the weather in this part of Spain was incredible! I am in Ribadiso, only 42km from Santiago, I have started staying in private albergues, so much nicer than the Galician Xunta´s. I have decided to walk the Camino Finisterre once I reach Santiago, it will be a much different walk, much more isolated and not many of my Camino friends will be walking with me. Today Sorin (my Romanian friend) told me about flying on Ryanair from Santiago to Madrid, very cheap flights so I have my flight booked to get from Santiago to Madrid, what a relief that is for me, now to just walk on and love Spain! I think I will spend extra days along the coast in Spain, maybe days to reflect on my journey, my friends, and my future. I have so many things in my life to give thanks for, hopefully my walking journey will be part of my thanks, in my heart I am very happy. Buen Camino.

 

 

 

 

Day 29 of my walk, I am so blessed!

Well it is only 68km until Santiago, I´m not sure if I am glad or sad. We have walked for so long, enjoyed life at such a slow pace, I feel like I have been in a protective cocoon that I don´t want to leave. I know that soon I must leave Spain but even with the daily challenges of life on the Camino none of us wants it to end yet at times we do, does that make any form of sense? I am in Palas de REI
today, 25km to 35km walks just fly by now, everyday gets easier and easier. There are many more people walking the Camino now, to get your Compostella you only need to walk 100km, so many people started walking in Sarria, it´s a popular starting point for the people on a budget for time or effort. I went to mass in the small church in Palas de REI tonight, it was awesome and I feel very blessed, guess I´m getting back to my religion, it feels good to not be alone any longer. I did not plan for this to turn out to be a spiritual journey but it did, everyday that at some point I am in doubt or I am lost but somehow I am led and find my way. So cool to let go and just walk, one foot in front of the other, no worries at all, just life on the Camino. Good night my friends and Buen Camino.

 

 

 

You have to go to the bathroom, it´s so cool!

This is where we are on our journey, I shared a wonderful Italian meal with two Camino friends. What a great break from the standard pilgrims meals although I do love the Galician vegetable soup, mostly potatoes and cabbage of some sort, very hearty and I think it is the staple of the poor. Our Italian meal was great, vegetable soup, lasagna, and Italian vino. The Galician vino is very acidic and not so sweet as the eastern Spanish vino was, must be a difference in the grapes, so Italian vino was nice. I was sharing my meal with 2 young lady´s Katie from Utah in the USA and my friend Dagmar from Germany, they are both very sweet. So part way through our meal Katie goes to the bathroom and returns all excited, she tells Dagmar that she has to go use the bathroom. Katie is all excited and says, "They have toilet seats here, and soap, and paper towels, you must go". Life is so simple on the Camino, a paper towel is amazing, I am so glad I'm walking the Camino and I will appreciate things much more when I return home. Buen Camino my friends!

I´m in Portomarin, 4 days to Santiago, very mixed emotions.

Hola, we are so close to Santiago now, it has been 28 days of walking, pain at times, elation at times, a very close union for many of us. Today was different because we joined many walkers who started in Sarria, to get your compostella you only need to walk 100km so many people have joined our journey today. I have met so many nice people, people who will be with me and walk with me forever! The last two days I have shared my path with Peter, he really wants to walk into Santiago together and I would be honored for sure. At 70 years of age he walks so strong, I am humbled to share the Camino with him. Last night I needed to get a new pilgrims credential, mine is almost full and it looks very cool. So I went to the Monastary in Sarria, so welcoming, after I got a new credential I was told to go to the arch of the church and pull the rope, it will ring a bell and someone will let me in the church and courtyard. I pulled the rope, waited for a few minutes and received the most warm welcome yet! I walked into paradise, the courtyard was beautiful, the church was amazing, I had a very emotional moment in the church. I have so many things to be thankful for, so many times I have been blessed in my life and I didn´t realize it. I guess this walk has awakened me, I am so blessed! Time to go join my Camino friends for dinner, we are cooking our own communal meal, life is so good! Buen Camino.