Day 7 - Fonsagrado to O Cadavo

What a difference a day makes!

This morning's hours were overcast and filled with fog but there was no precipitation today! Whenever we passed or were passed by other pilgrims there was more conversation and it always included talk about yesterday's weather. Some told us how depressed they were or shared the hardships of walking in the rain the past few days.

By the time we had walked about three hours the sun came out and Bonnie and I warmly greeted our shadows. 

When we came upon the first of two open cafes we would find today and there was a party of pilgrims happening. We were all congregating outside with our coffees and snacks, singing, laughing, and cheering for each other. People were intoxicated by the sunshine and it was glorious!

Today there were two pretty tough inclines in the second half of the day. We didn't talk much but I can't tell you how much Bonnie's presence means to me. Not everyone who is doing the Camino together walks together, but Bonnie and I are experiencing the Primitivo together step by step.

Just a few random thoughts from our walk and then I'm signing off. Though tomorrow is a flatter stage it is over 30 kilometers and our bodies are really telling us that we've been doing this for a week straight now.

This morning we were talking with a man from Italia (Side note: Why do we call it Italy, when that isn't what they call their country? And why do we say Spain, when they call it Espania?). I asked him if he had watched the futbol game last night between his country and Espania. He talked for five minutes straight in Italian. However he was so expressive with his expressions and his hand gestures that we knew how upset he was and exactly why.

We met a Canadian couple from Ontario. We told them we were from Idaho. We both said that the other came from beautiful places. After a pause the woman said, "Then why are we doing this?" It was very funny, but it also rang true to me. There are a lot of beautiful places in the world but they aren't this. If you are called to walk the Camino you won't find satisfaction doing anything less.

We have decided upon a few new guidelines that we would like to propose to the Powers That Be regarding pilgrims who do the Camino on electric bicycles. 1) If you do not have a bell or ring a bell to let other pilgrims know you are bearing down on them you will be fitted with a cowbell that cannot be removed until you reach Santiago. 2) The added indulgence of using an electric-aided bicycle does not prevent you from earning  a compostela at the end, however, the penance for doing so is that you must slow down when passing each walking pilgrim for them to cane you on the back with their poles as you go by.

Last night we ate local delicacies for dinner - octopus and mussels, and cod with thinly sliced potatoes covered with melted Tetilla cheese. They were both decadent. Tonight we were happy to find a couple of pizzas to share. Tomorrow we will be in a larger city and are planning to dine at an Indian restaurant.

Several days ago Bonnie asked a pilgrim about a tattoo on his arm. He told us he got it for his son who had died. It was all he shared at the time, but Bonnie and I felt we wanted to follow up with him. He accepted our invitation to dinner and to share about his son. It is one of the main reasons that he is on this Camino. He processed with us tonight and it was good. It was really, really good.

Ultreia et Suseia!Read more