Reset search
Jzionna's WanderingsJzionna's Wanderings
SatelliteEdit route
Living in: Spain Read more Spain
  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    2
    Day 38

    Santiago!

    October 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Sometimes, I look out to such beauty, and my thoughts stutter to find the words that may describe the grandeur beyond description! I'm overwhelmed with overflowing love often every day.
    Now I sit in Santiago at a laundry mat washing my clothes and backpack. Watching the clothes go round and round, washing away the blood, sweat, and tears from the garments I wore for 35 days, walking over 800 kilometors. I can't help but feel meloncholy as all the grime gets washed away. The grime that connected to so many people I have come to love. The municiples we burdened together. The sweet surprises along the way. The grime, the magic, and each one of those beings and experiences have woven their place in my heart. Never forgotten...till we meet again.💖
    Walking into Santiago at 7:30 am. It was a drizzly cool morning. I did want to see the catherdal at sun rise. The square was almost empty, didnt expect that. As my two aussi friends and I walked down to the office to collect our compestelas, we wondered where all the people were. Normally, there's a long line in front. We then found out that daily, there is free lunch given to the first 10 pilgrims who show up at the office. We happen to be 6, 7, & 8! We enjoyed a very nice lunch at the Paradores Hotel.
    All throughout my walk, there were chestnuts everywhere! 🌰 Chestnuts will always remind me of Spain.
    I will miss the companions I made and the long quiet walks when I walked alone. I'll even miss the grueling climbs that proved to me how capable I am when I thought I wasn't. This kind of walk is a trial of patience and trust, a lesson of compassion for myself and others. It's a time for reflection and to prioritize what is most important in our lives. I think that I will return with a mind to simplify my life even more, to be part of something greater. I will spend my time with all the people and things that are most precious to me.
    I want to keep lit the spirit of the camino. I want to continue to remember my ancesters who walk beside me. I will continue embracing beauty and holiness.
    It's an incredible piece of work, this thing called life, and I'm so grateful to be here!    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    Day 37

    Monte do Gozo 4k away!

    October 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today, I stopped short of going into Santiago. I would rather walk into the square while the sun is rising. Tomorrow, I will walk in the morning and greet the cathedral with my hands lifted in gratitude. Many of us will walk in together and embrace the completion of our 3o+ day journey.
    Pictures:
    #1&2. The first view of the cathedral of Satiago from the hill of Monte do Gozo park.
    #3. I recognized this albergue café from where Bri and I stayed in 2019, the window of our room where we slept.
    #4. While still dark, the walkers head out each day.
    #5&6. The camino is a circus show now. Cueing up for purchasing special tokens and unique stamps on their passports. There are cafés around every corner, accommodations are ample, and people are coming in swarms. This part is quite entertaining, I'm not bothered in a bit because it's just another side of the camino now.
    #7. A very detailed picture painted on a building!
    #8. Poke weed. It is a beautiful ornamental plant that birds love but is highly toxic, even fatal for human consumption.
    #9. Passing a church, I like the expressions on both these statues.
    #10. Having lunch in this albergue with my aussie girls and Karen (78) from Germany. This is the largest albergue on the route (though so few were here today), over 500 beds in several buildings.
    #11. And again, another camino cat.💓    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    Day 36

    Evening out in O Pino

    October 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 46 °C

    Arrived to O Pino at 4:. The albergue was easy to find and gladly found that it was another clean one with sheets and paper towels. Such small things give us great joy!
    After showering and the washing of clothes, we found an ice cream 🍦 shop. Ice cream is so delicious on these overheated days!
    We found a Mexican restaurant and ordered nachos and gin & tonics.
    Before leaving the restaurant, we collected our stamps for our camino passports. The young woman was stamping with melted wax seals. I love these special stamps. This particular seal was a story about unexpected love. Sweet and sad. The stamp is the shadow of a pilgrim.
    We then attended a mass down the street in an old church, with a large shell behind the priest giving a sermon.    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    1
    Day 36

    On our way to O Pedrouza

    October 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Leaving Arzua, we pass a wall of potted plants.
    A group of walkers leaving early, getting an early start for knowing it will be a hot day.
    A natural spring flows freely from a hillside, a place to refill water bottles.
    Morning mist in a field with a lingering moon.
    Several camino routes have merged into the road to Santiago, and the crowds now come marching in.
    Along the way is a wisdom wall with questions and quotes to read. There are many places through the woods that share small quotes of wisdom.
    A shrine in the rocks may randomly appear on the way, where walkers may place a picture of loved ones who are ill or who have passed.
    Pumpkins grow enormous here. There is beautiful squash everywhere at this time of year.
    There is a house of shoes once worn by walkers on the camino. The shoes and boots are filled with soil and flowers. I remember this place when passing through in 2019 with Bri. It's still here! I think there are more shoes!
    I watched an elderly woman walking down the road with her shadow tailing her. Such lovely light this morning.
    Finally, pallella! So delish!
    There are ample cafés now, and plenty of accommodations on the Camino Frances. What a different world we've entered in the land of Galicia!
    Never have I seen such dark purple hydrangeas.
    20 kilometers to go! We'll walk 15 tomorrow and walk into Santiago after walking 5k on October 3rd. I could hardly believe that I am at the end of my 700+ kilometor walk!
    My albergue with sheets. All is good💤🛌😴    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    2
    Day 35

    To Arzua

    September 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Today was an extremely hot day! The last 8k was so hard for me and many others to get through. But we all climbed beyond our limits and found a clean place ( with cotton sheets!) to rest for the night. I'm posting a few pictures from the monestary last night.
    This young man named Nico
    says he has traveled 700 kilometors on his small bike and packing a backpack in honor of his grandfather. It was his grandfather's bike.
    The walk now goes through more pine forests with another incredible fungi (Stinkhorn mushroom) and a golden spider, too!    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    2
    Day 34

    Chickens on Rooftops!

    September 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    We left a fantastic albergue with excellent accommodations. The lentil soup was the best meal I had in a while. As we left in the morning, mushrooms were spotted on the side of the path as the sun rose. After miles, we passed a house, which was also a place to get cold drinks. Chickens were in the yard, and also on the roof tops! It was milking time, so I peeked into the barn to take pictures. Cats and dogs were just hanging around with the chickens on a heated afternoon. The flies were ruthless there, so we didn't sit too long. We chugged a cold one and continued walking for another 10k.Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    1
    Day 34

    To Sobrado dos Monxes

    September 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We stayed in this beautiful monastery tonight. It's full moon, and all the sprits are high. We are on the down slope of walking to Santiago, knowing we have short days ahead and only a few to go. We are all more emotional and excited for the completion.Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    Day 34

    Oh these people, I love them all!

    September 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The challenges and joys we share together! Like I say, I walk the comino for the human experience. I fall in love with the people I meet. It's been a glorious experience. Four days before we reach Santiago; we've come a long way together, and in a few days, Iwe will embrace and say goodbye. But we will take with us the memories that we'll replay for the rest of our lives. 💖💕Buen Camino mi Amigos.Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    Day 33

    To Miraz

    September 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Now less than 100k to Santiago. We are coming to the end of our trek. Mixed feelings of accomplishment, but yet sad to say good-bye to all this. The journey has been, and it is still incredible.
    Every single one of the people I've met has given me joy and reflection; I love them all.
    The sound of the wind today brushing through the eucalyptus trees was worth stopping to listen in a quiet moment.
    We found a lovely albergue in Miraz, offering a lentil soup lunch. I'm showered, clothes are washed and hung, and all is well today.
    Tomorrow, 25k to walk to Sobrados dos Muxes.
    (And another camino cat.)    Read more

  • Jzionna's WanderingsSecond Camino, del Norte
    Day 33

    Inside Chacon's World

    September 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    This lovely man and artist invites passing walkers to enter through his gate into his yard and work space. He encourages you to rest and tour his private museum of art. He stamps our camino passports with a wax seal and a stamp of his own carved creation. He's an amazing carver, painter, and sculpter. His gentle demeanor and incredible artwork attract most passers. You feel a spiritual peace with him. We all walk away touched by something extroidinary. I love these magical discoveries of the camino.💖Read more

Join us:

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English