One third

It occurred to me that as of today, one third of this magnificent adventure already lies behind me.

Over 350 kilometer of dust and sun I have met amazing people, shared laughs, patched smaller ailments, talked, and sometimes just sat silent and listened to the Babylonian mix of languages and voices.

Some of those I’ve met have found their calling in pushing each other to new distances, others hurt themselves in that process and had to slow down or drop out.

Everyone’s Camino is different, each walking their own, and so I do not judge. But to me, the Camino is not about proving my manhood or fitness as a pilgrim but about slowing down for the things along the way. An old woman showing us the 80cm long key to her bodega (bodegas are heaps of dirt and rocks under which wine and food is stored), a man telling me about his donkey, or a friendly stranger buying me a coffee and explaining her thoughts on art.

When I arrive in Muxia, the angry sea bashing the darkened rocks underneath me, a red sun setting into a vast ocean, until only the light of the lighthouse remains underneath the stars, the universe won’t ask how long it took me to Leon, but how many new memories, friends, and decisions I have made.Read more