It’s hard to say how we felt about today and about our time on the Camino in general.

It’s impossible to deny there is a “feel” to the travel and travelers along The Way of Saint James. There is a sense of wonder and oneness among the travelers and a sense of history and devine faith in the many towns and villages along the way.

The Spanish countryside is remarkable and the path wanders through a beautiful land which begs to remain as it has been for centuries.

It’s hard to miss the significance of the tremendous number of “coincidental” meeting and conversations along the way. For these things all one can really say is “It was meant to be”.

How do you explain that of the hundreds of thousands of travelers along the way, few though our conversations may have been,  an almost unrealistic portion of those we spoke with had a unique connection to Kenyan outreach? For these things all one can really say is “It was meant to be”.

On a very personal note it would be very hard for me not to say that I took our welcome to the final miles to Santiago as an omen for good.

Today as we began our final miles we did so under, as though entering Santiago through, the most magnificent full, beautiful and perfectly placed rainbow I have ever encountered. What a way to start our day!

Today was scheduled to be a short walk so as to put us into Santiago ahead of the rain and, hopefully, ahead of the crowd.

As we closed in on Santiago the pilgrimage seemed more real. From hotels, hostels and albergues pilgrims funneled into the final path to the Cathedral which was our unifying goal.

As we closed in on Santiago the pilgrimage seemed more real. From hotels, hostels and albergues pilgrims funneled into the final path to the Cathedral which was our unifying goal.

As we passed along one of the final paths I couldn’t help but think about the path itself. Worn deep by the millions of pilgrims who have left their mark in the soil and taken away a bit of “The Way” on their soles, wearing the path so deep that in many places the path is well below the surrounding forest. It’s easy to believe that these pilgrims carried away a part of “The Way” on their soles and an everlasting memory of “The Way” on their Souls.

When we arrived in the city limits of Santiago the way was not always marked as clearly on the city streets as it had been in the countryside and indications of distance to our goal was no longer placed on markers along the way. Our eyes continuously swept the horizon searching for the spires of the Cathedral and our first site of it was cause for joy.

Diagonally up and to the right of orange backpack was our first glimpse of the Cathedral, barely one kilometer away.

I wish I had a name and a photo of the lady in Santiago who saw us looking for a marker, a sign post. She saw our backpacks and trekking poles, the ever visible sea shell hanging from our packs, she pointed the way and said “only a kilometer now, Buen Camino”.

The streets were full and the rain had come, dampening the clothes of the incoming pilgrims but certainly not their spirits.

As we made entry into the halls where pilgrims and their pilgrimage were recorded we met others we had known along the trail and waited patiently for our turn to obtain or pilgrims certification.

The Camino brought us far more then we expected and we leave it with far more than you can imagine.

Buen Camino

 

With rain forecast for Sunday we decided to make every effort to arrive in Santiago early Saturday to avoid hiking in cold temperatures and pouring rain.

We figured that, given the profile of this portion on a call the trip, we could make it from Ribadiso to Amenal and be in our lodging by 5 or so and still maintain a reasonable pace; so off we went.

Turned out this was one of our favorite days on our journey.

Filled with the realization that we were just a day away from Santiago our spirits were high and our legs now accustomed to the long days and terrain; there was no doubt we were ready for the final days of our trek.

Along a pleasant country path early in the day we were both startled by the sound of  galloping hooves and then to our right, above us on the path a magnificent white stallion came to a  sudden stop and looked at us as though WE were a sight to see!

We stopped to take a photo and he stood with patience until we were done, looked at us one more, obviously had seen enough of us-whinnied and galloped away.

One of the more peculiar sights of the morning was what we dubbed “mushroom alley”.

We turned a corner and saw that every stump for yards was covered with mushrooms. As if they were cultivated they started on one stump and flourished for 20 or so yards and just as suddenly as they started, they stopped.

No matter how pretty they were and how hard I tried I couldn’t get Brenda to try any.

Our biggest surprise of the day, and perhaps the trip, was when we stopped for lunch in an extremely small (3 tables) cafe in a village of only a half dozen buildings.

While eating our dried ham sandwich we struck up a conversation in broken English with Jose.

There was no apparent difference between Jose and other travelers with the exception that he seemed to be running the small cafe. When the owner came in we found that Jose was simply a “good friend” who was watching the till while the owner performed some chores.

Just as we were saying our goodbyes, Norman came through the door and saw Jose. Norman gave Jose a huge hug and a warm greeting and then said to us, “I see you’ve met a true legend!”

Ken and Jose

I guess it was obvious from our response we had no idea what he was talking about, so he got out his phone, pulled up a website and explained.

“My friend Jose is a living legend among pilgrims…as a sailor he was the sole survivor of a capsized ship in the seas off Norway. While praying for rescue in freezing waters he made a vow to the Virgen del Carmel ( patron saint of sailors) that he would make a pilgrimage to all the holy sites in the world if she saved his life.”

“ My friend Jose has traveled over 100,000 kilometers to keep his vow.”

It’s an amazing story of survival, resolve and faith.  (Read the entire amazing story here https://www.odditycentral.com/news/the-pilgrim-man-spends-eleven-years-walking-107000-kilometers-in-the-name-of-faith.html#more-54830)

After hearing the story of Jose and his personal pilgrimage we left the cafe amazed and in awe headed towards Amenal and our final night on the Camino.

Just before Amenal we made one last stop for water and a snack.

As we finished our water Brenda chatted with a man, Kennedy (Ken) Asaba leading a group of Pilgrims with whom we had leap frogged several times along the trail. When she asked about the group we were surprised to hear he was a minister from Kenya. He explained that over the last 3  years he has built his church in western Kenya and works to raise funds to help educate the local youth.

Brenda and Ken establish an immediate bond and are already in communications, hoping to develop synergies for the future.

This was truly a wonderful day on the Camino full of the sights and spirit that makes the Camino unique.

Buen Camino

 

Awake and alert as had been our norm, I prepared to meet the day.

Leaving Leboreiro at full sunrise we were off for Ribadiso. As the graphics below show, my brilliant planning ( or perhaps fortuitous circumstance) allows us to start the day with a relatively easy walk for a change.

The walk from Leboreiro to Boente was the most consistent level stretch we had encountered followed by several kilometers of steep incline to end the day.

At our first stop of the day we had the opportunity to lunch with Norman (picture below) from Denmark.

Conversation, as always, lead towards the trail and the inevitable question “where did you start?”

Norman’s response was “France, this time”, begging the question “how many times have you traveled the Camino?” ELEVEN!!! 3 of which were the ENTIRE French route.

His wife having passed away Norman has found a kind of spiritual solace and family among the frequent travelers along the trail.

Norman spoke fondly of his many trips and people like “Tom from Texas” who are on the trail, traveling with no funds, camping and foraging for apples and pears along the path; the “Family Camino”.

Although it’s hard to tell in the photo below, as we get closer to the large cities the mix of the ancient and modern becomes apparent.

Here the Camino is sandwiched between an ultra modern manufacturing facility and a freeway!

One of the more charming chapels on our trip was outside Melide. Ancient stone on the exterior and a beautifully maintained interior.

Something no amount of reading or watching of video had prepared us for was the wide range of music we would hear along the Camino.

Pilgrims passing us with earphones loud enough that we could hear native music from many nations as well as contemporary rock and roll. None loud enough to be heard from more than a foot or so away or in any way annoying, just an interesting mix.

Having said this, we were more than a little surprised as we crested a hill and heard someone playing bagpipe music in the distance.

As we rounded a bend and prepared to cross a small stream we were face to face with the source of the sounds!!!

Aileen is traveling the Camino and earning some extra money by camping along the trail and playing bagpipes for pilgrims along the way!!

Watch Video

Another interesting day filled with surprises on the Camino!

Buen Camino

Up at 7 and stretching out some newly found muscles and oiling some joints we were unaware existed, we packed our bags had a breakfast of toast, jam and traditional European coffee and said goodbye to the pilgrims we met over dinner and the small town of Triacastela and headed to Sarria.

Brenda in “the buff” getting ready to head for Sarria.

As you can see in the profile below we started the day, as it appears we will start everyday, with a vertical trek up into the countryside.

Most of our uphill climbs for day 1 and 2 followed the same 40-50 degree incline as you see from Triacastela to alto de Riocabov . At the end day 2 we found that the downhill incline could be MUCH worse as it was so steep, damp and the trail covered with loose gravel you were forced to use your legs as “brakes” for miles of the downhill portion.

Notwithstanding the vertical nature of the days travels we did find some more inviting areas and the countryside, villages, villagers and Pilgrims continued to be amazing and inviting.

BELOW: one of the level stretches between climbs.

One of the many ancient agricultural villages we trekked through in the hills above Triacastela.

DAY 3

Leaving Triacastela was the first of many challenges for Day 3. From our door step forward the first 13 miles of the day ( see the profile showing 27,6K below) Initially steep and rarely under a 30 degree grade, it was truly an uphill climb all day.

Although today was a tough day of hiking it was beautiful weather, beautiful countryside and Brenda spending lots of time stepping around the poop on the street 🙂

BELOW: One of the many beautiful streams and bridges we encountered throughout the day.

 

After three days in the 16 to 17 mile range tomorrow will be a short day of only about 10 or 11 miles.

Today was just over 17 miles. But brutal walking over and between huge stones (4-7”) in what seemed to be washed out creek beds while dealing with up and down inclines of 35 to 50 degrees practically all day. VERY LITTLE level ground today.

All that having been said we still encountered this amazingly beautiful setting! A ancient, hand laid, stone bridge in the middle of a wooded dell which has supported the feet of millions of Pilgrims over 2,000 years.

Buen Camino

O Cebreiro was our starting point on day one. A small village of stone buildings, lodges, a few taverns/restaurants and a charming church where we obtain the first stamp on our “Pilgrims Passport “. 2 stamps a day are required to certify your pilgrimage. (See photo below)

On our first night in O Cebreiro We met a threesome, Barbara and Bill who are husband and wife and their friend Dave who were on the trail together.

They were from Palm Springs and hike regularly together. Barbara and Bill started in France in September and Dave met up with them in O Cebreiro  joining them the same day that we arrived.

We met in a restaurant and share dinner and Barbara and Bill gave us thoughts, insights and tips on the Camino. It was our first of several great experiences with pilgrims on our very first day.

Above the lodge we stayed in in O Cebreiro
Below our first step on the trail.

Along the way we met a group of Korean pilgrims from Seoul who all but adopted us 😊. As we “leap frogged” past each other along the trail the shared ( in broken English) their time on the trail, photos of their families and as we went our separate ways a gift pendant and a note to “friends” met on the Camino

Below “Julie” our Korean friend.

One of The many country chapels along the way.

Lunch at the only sizable eatery we saw on day one between O Cebreiro and Triacastela.

We were pleasantly surprised that although many of the trails, more or less, paralleled the highways they were far enough off the road as to be unseen and unheard  and we spent hours on beautiful, well-traveled trails through the agricultural lands of Spain.

At days end We were both exhausted and re-invigorated, happy to finally be on the trail and moved by both the experience and the fellow travelers  encountered on day one.

Below is a screenshot from our Apple “Activity” application to provide an indication of what our first day activity totaled.

Just over 16 miles on steep  uphill and downhill terrain and as I write this post the sun is coming up we are finishing breakfast and preparing to start another day.

Buen Camino