Hike Day 7 - Porrino to Redondela

The beginning of today’s post is written by Billy Shakespeare (AI):

Lo, with the first glimmer of morn's tender rays, we didst depart from yon humble café, where but a simple repast touched our lips. With haste we took our leave, and as the city slumbered still beneath the cloak of night, we pressed onward, our path illumined by the flick'ring light of street lamps. Steady we walked, the road long and winding, as the day's bright eye began to peer o'er the distant hills. Thither, we journeyed, drawn forth by the promise of the pilgrim's trail.

The remainder of today’s post is by Dale…..no William Shakespeare

Originally, we were supposed to have two additional gentlemen on this trip, but they had to cancel. As our adventure began, I found myself wandering the streets of Porto, Portugal, with my lovely wife and three women. I couldn’t help but think, "How did I end up leading a group of four beautiful women?" If I’d had this kind of luck in high school, my life might have taken a very different turn. Someone joked before we left, “It’s great work if you can get it,” and I have to agree.

After a few days together, the ladies have been an absolute delight—engaging conversationalists with incredible life stories, each offering unique spiritual insights as we aim to make this walk more of a pilgrimage. As with all my Camino hikes, laughter is a constant companion, especially as we get a little silly after miles of walking.

We’ve encountered people from all over the world: the U.S., South Africa, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Israel, Hungary, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Australia, France, the Philippines, Brazil, and Colombia. One memorable moment was meeting an 81-year-old man from the Netherlands walking with his son, hoping to share the experience of a 470-mile Camino he had done years earlier. I’ll admit, they outpaced us. I also walked for several miles with an Australian gentleman fascinated by the political situation in the U.S., though he struggled to understand it and seemed genuinely concerned.

Today, the weather was perfect, and as we draw nearer to Santiago de Compostela, we’re seeing more and more pilgrims. At times, we could look ahead and spot groups of 10 to 15 hikers. I’ve been paying attention to the demographics, and from my informal observations, it seems about 75% of the pilgrims are women—many walking with friends, but a surprising number going solo.

We arrived in Redondela, Spain, and checked into a fantastic apartment. I’ve tried to mix up our accommodations, and this one was exceptional. With five bedrooms, we each had our own space, and the patio overlooked a beautiful stone arch bridge, the perfect setting to unwind after another day on the Camino.

Quote of the day by Marian Yoder: “Remember, we did not come on this trip to shop”.Leggi altro