Pacio

I wouldn't call today quite a rest day, but when you sandwich a 22 kilometer day in between two 30 km days, it feels closer to a day off (though my feet would still argue).

Lugo would have been a great day to take an extra day to explore. There are several museums and tours that would have been nice to have visited. We packed as much as we could into the time that we had.

On our way to dinner we passed by a store with hiking poles in the window. We hoped they might carry water bladders. While they didn't have one on display, an employee went into their storage and found one for me! It was just 14 Euros and it will be perfect for getting me to Santiago. I was getting tired of having to fill my Osprey bladder half full since I had lost the bite valve.

Today's hike was much different from yesterday. We had a slower start since we didn't have as far to go and found a nice cafe to get some caffeine and pastries. On our way back to our room to grab our backpacks we started seeing other pilgrims, some whom we hadn't seen the past eight days. This can happen when people walk at different times or walk different length stages.

There are also new pilgrims starting from Lugo on their way to Santiago. In order to qualify for a compostela you must walk at least 100 kms. That is what some people are doing the pilgrimage for. Trust me, if you are only going for the piece of paper with your name in Latin on it, you don't want to start in Oviedo! People starting farther back are walking for more than the compostela.

We did laugh to ourselves today as we could tell who some of the new pilgrims were on the road. Their clothes and shoes look new. They are still messing with the straps on their packs. Their excitement is genuine though and it is fun to meet these new people and know we are all heading in the same direction.

We had earmarked a restaurant for lunch today. When Bonnie and I walked into it there were two dining rooms full of tables set for the Sunday dinner. However, the hostess told us that they were 'complete,' that they were full. The locals are smart! They reserve their tables on Sundays knowing that hordes of hungry pilgrims will be heading through their community. The restaurant still served us drinks outside and we watched the Spanish families show up for their meal. It was heartwarming to see them and their tradition. We didn't have to walk much further to find albergues that had lunch and availability for us.

Three stages are left after today. Bonnie and I are discussing what we want to bring home with us - not in terms of souvenirs - but the things we learned about ourselves during this Camino that we can transfer into growth in our lives after pilgrimage. We're having these conversations with some other pilgrims too. 

We had quite a bit of road walking today, but thankfully it was through the country. We had more tractors and farm equipment pass us than cars.

I love the smell of the trees (especially the eucalyptus), the dirt, the farms, the gardens, the livestock. Can't say I really enjoy the manure aroma but it lets you know you are present in a place full of life.

I touched a lot of trees today. Some I am convinced were Ents and would have talked to us if we had slowed our pace and sat down next to them for a time. Since we are moving forward all I could do was thank them as I passed through their presence.

Ultreia et Suseia!Read more