Palas de Rei

Only a few minutes to write so I´ll try and be brief. The sun continues to shine through the bucolic hills of Galicia. There was a beautiful fine mist this morning and it cleared to a crisp, cool morning of walking. I must say I will remember the ¨smell¨of walking in Galicia....cow and pig manure. Speaking of smells....I think I have taken on a unique odour myself that is not so pleasant either! Handwashing My clothing just doesn´t do the job.
I have noticed a huge increase in the number of people starting out in the morning. A steady stream of Peregrinos steadfastedly and purposfully following the yellow arrows. At least there is less liklihood of me getting lost. I have picked up some kind of tummy bug and have been unable to eat much over the last three days except tea and toast. This is nowhere near what I need to consume in order to walk as much as I do. It is hard going as I notice my energy dwindling. I´m going to try and eat something now and just pray that I do not spend the night twisting and turning with stomache cramps! I can´t believe the amount of physical challenges I have had with this journey. My body is strong, muscles etc, no aches or pains there, but all these other problems have been such a drag.
Only three more days of walking unless I decide to walk to Finisterra which is another 100k or so. Please keep sending me your encouraging emails....
Buenos Tardes!

Countdown

With about 100km to go and only 5 more days of walking left, I am feeling a bit nostalgic already. What will I do with nowhere to walk, and, more importantly, how will I cope without the ubiquitous yellow arrow to tell me where I am to go? I feel like I could just live this life. It is so simple and surreal. I don´t have to worry about anything and my only purpose is to walk to the next village or town. I love Spain. It is so beautiful and sometimes I feel like I could remain here in some tiny little village with the sun shining and all my most basic needs met.
Lately, I have been thinking about what it means to be Happy. I think the true state of happy-ness is something we only get moments of in life. When you are experiencing a moment of happiness, it is so blissful, so keenly felt that I don´t believe we could stay in that state forever. I think the goal should be that we are aware of those moments and we say them out loud: I am happy right now, in this moment. Instead, we tend to look for the elusive state of being ultimately and consistently Happy all the time, and we don´t notice when it happens.
I have had moments of such happiness on my Camino and I have said it outloud each time I realize I am in that state of pure happiness. I cling to those memories as they are what will provide me with what I need to keep my Camino alive and attempt to live my life in a more simple and open way.
So many people I have met, each with their own ¨Camino¨, each with their own story. I bless all these pilgrims as they have come to this with open minds and hearts, and have most likely felt both the pain and the bliss of this extraordinary experience.
After Sarria, it is about 100km to Santiago. In order to acquire your Compostela, you actually only have to walk the last 100km. I expect the road will become very busy as more and more people join the last leg of the journey. I will arrive in Santiago on Oct. 12 and will likely see many people I have met along the way who will celebrate with me on the 13th. I must begin to decide what I will do afterwards but still, I remain for the most part, in the moment. I cherish these last days and trust that I will find my way after Santiago.
But now I am hungry and need to go and eat.
Blessings,

Long, but beautiful day

Today was the day I climbed the next big mountain. Acutally, I decided to do most of it yesterday and the rest today, but it seemed like the climbs would never end today. La Faba turned out to be a really great place - a tiny hamlet, high in the mountains run by a German confraternity. Nice and clean and a big kitchen to cook in. I am travelling with another group of people and I particularly like Arlene, from Bristol who I have befriended. She is about my age and we seem to have a lot in common. She has made me feel very welcome. There were about 15 people who pooled our resources and cooked a huge pot of pasta and a risotto. Plenty of wine, and lots of laughs. At 8:00, there was a special service at the little church for all the pilgrims so I decided to go. A franciscan brother led the service and a woman translated in German and English. He lit a candle lantern and pàssed it around, telling us to think of somone or something that was special and important to us on the Camino. It was very moving as the lights were dim and it was completely quiet. He then washed the feet of one of the pilgrims and asked her to wash the feet of another, and so on. It was very special. After that, he did a blessing and we all stood around the alter together. It made me realize that though we come from so many different countries, on the Camino, we are all the same. I think of this quite often. He left us with this thought: "if you go home and merely tell stories about your experiences on the Camino, you haven't really done the Camino. You have to change something and keep it with you forever". I will think about this as I keep walking.
There are people waiting to use the computer so I will sign off for now.....and take a rest.

Oh the shame...!!!!!

After I had a shower I took out my sleeping bag and laid it out on my bed. I decided to have a little rest for half and hour and then went out to sit at a cafe and write. I met some new people and we were chatting when I found a bunch of little itchy bumps on my shoulder. I got Gerry (from Ireland) to have a look and he said he thought it was what I dreaded it to be. Yes. I have bed bugs. Gerry and I came back to the albergue, my head hung in shame, admitting to my haeneous crime. The young man and woman who run the place gave me two big plastic bags and told me to pack up everything that can be washed and bring it down to the laundry. Everyone in the dorm was looking at me and I felt so embarassed. God Bless Gerry, who came with me and helped me. I have to have everything washed, even what I am wearing and it will cost me 5 euros per load! They can´t wash my pack but they can spray it with something. I feel like my whole body is covered in bites (it isn´t) and that there are bugs crawling all over me (there aren´t). Now I have to hang around here until some clothes are ready for me to wear.
I feel like crying.....but I´m not going to.
This too, shall pass.

Bed bugs.....?

I have some red spots on my arms and am wondering if they are bed bugs. Not itchy, but quite red. I will air out my sleeping bag and wash everything in my pack in a machine. I have checked all my stuff and don´t see any sign of any black dots so I´m hoping it is just the sun. Yesterday the temperature was 34 degrees in Ponferrada. I decided to stay there because there is a medieval castle (1200ad) and I really wanted to go through it. I totally forgot that on Mondays everything is closed in Spain and since I never know what day of the week it is, I didn´t get to go in. I was quite disappointed so when into yet another cathedral. The one in Ponferrada is quite special as it has very strong links to the Templar knights and has attained the lofty status of a Basillica. It was quite beautiful, but not so grand as others I have seen.
I walked 26km today to Villafranca, just at the foot of the next mountain to climb - O´Cebrera. Tomorrow is supposed to be over 30km to the top but there are a few little villages before that which I think I will consider. I read that O´Cebrera is not a great place to stay and this will shorten the walk a little and since it is all uphill, will be quite hard. I am realizing how strong I am getting as the hills are so easy for me now and I can keep my regular pace. I stop often to take photos and breathe......
On the other side of the mountain, I leave the province of Castille d´Leon and enter Galecia. Apparently, this is where there is a very good white wine - Albarino - which you must eat with octopus. My friend Juan Jo from Spain has been a good guide and translator for me. I met him yesterday and we are having dinner again together tonight. Again, I pledge to learn Spanish!
Most of the time I walk alone. I prefer it right now as I am needing to let my thoughts be what they are. After leaving the meseta, I am enjoying being in the mountains again. So many people complained about the meseta but for me it was a rich and beautiful time. I believe the transition is necessary to the process of the Camino and I am so happy I was able to do it all at once.
There are very few people I know now as I am either ahead of or behind the people I originally started out with. I met two Polish men today and they were fascinated that I had come from so far away and all alone.
My boots and my feet seem to have made peace with each other and most of my blisters are healed. This is a great blessing as I realize how much harder it was to walk now that they are better. I bless them every morning.
Now, two people waiting for the computer so I must close.
Love to all
J

In the Mountains again

So I am once again in the mountains and today was at the highest point I will get to on the Camino - 1505m. The views were indescribable. I stayed in Foncebadon last night, a funky little place only 2km from the Cruz de Ferro. My plan was to leave in the morning and get to the cross at sunrise. Didn´t work out exactly as planned, but it was perfect in the end. I left my stone, sat on the rocks and thought about the "burden" I was leaving there. My thoughts at that point are very personal so won´t put them down here, but know that it was an emotional and profound moment in my journey.
After that I carried on to the top and then began the decsent down to the next village - Acebo. When you are walking, and if you are able to stay present you don´t think about what is coming. All of a sudden, you turn a corner or crest a hill and you see the inevitable church steeple, telling you that you have arrived in the next village. It was hard going down the mountain (only half way down) as it was a very steep and rocky path. When I got to the village, I sat down and had a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and sat on the patio. The views were stunning and I am so happy to be in the mountains. The air is clear and fresh. And then I saw the sign for rooms and made the decision to stop here. In doing so, I know I will leave the people I have met recently, but it´s okay. I feel like having more alone time.
I passed a sign today that said 222km to Santiago. When I looked at this, I realized that I have walked over 500kms! I am strong, yes I am! I am doing something really amazing and brave and I realize that it took a lot of guts for me to do this on my own. So many people questioned my decision to do this alone. The fact is, you are never really alone. There are people ahead of me, behind me, and sometimes beside me. And this is much like my life. I walk alone, but amidst much love from all the people who believe in me and honor who I am.  I am choosing to slow down so as to be in the mountains a little bit longer. Tomorrow it is a short day - only about 22km to Ponferrada.
So here I am, sitting in a little hostel with a room that is clean, comfortable and all mine! The sun is shining, my clothes are drying and I´ve had a cervesa con limonada on the patio. A little luxury for a humble pelegrino who desperately needs to shave her legs!

Astorga

I am staying at an Albergue that holds about 125 people. I´ve managed to get into a semi private room with 3 other women so it should be a quiet night. This is a great city but because I didn´t arrive until later today, had very little time to explore. It was a 32km day and the last 3km was gruelling in the 32degrees heat. I had dinner at a fancy hotel with my friend Eric, a singer-dancer from NYC. He thinks I´m FABULOUS! We had a nice evening together and he is determined to be in Santiago for my birthday.
So many amazing people I have met. Two nights ago I ran into a couple from Vernon BC whom I had met earlier on. They are really nice but I hadn´t had a chance to spend much time with them until the other night. Linda shared that her camino is about grieving the loss of her son less than a year ago. She told the story of his sudden illness and death and that he was 41 and left behind a wife and three young children. She cried openly and I so appreciated her sharing her grief. It made me think of my mom and how strong she is and how much she would have been able to relate to this woman.
I am finding that we get very close very quickly with people and you take the moment you have because you may never see this person again. It is a rich and beautiful experience.
Tomorrow I go to Rabanal, only 21km. I am considering going a bit further as the next day is 31km and is up to the Cruz de Ferra, the place where I will leave my stone.
I feel good. Blessed. Happy.