I love sleeping in. No alarm clock and only the sun rising and shining in our room. That is the wake-up I prefer. Oh, and I can’t forget. A few birds chirping to welcome the new day. Coffee was brewing downstairs. All I had to do was brush my teeth, get dressed and pack my bag. It’s such an easy life walking from town to town. This is going to be hard to give up. Maybe I’ll consider walking home. Hmm, that would be more like a swim, so probably just stick to my plan and fly by way of Delta!

After our Continental Breakfast of fresh squeezed OJ, Plain Greek Yogurt, Croissant and Coffee, we were ready to hit the road. The morning was brisk but it looked like the sun would shine, eventually.

Today we started with a downhill! That was unexpected. George’s knee wasn’t warmed up yet, so he wasn’t too excited about this change of affairs. Luckily it only lasted for a bit and then we were back to our normal uphill trudge.

The trees were thick, covering the trail with overhanging branches and plenty of shade. The fields were grassy with sleepy cows and lots of cats on the hunt. I don’t think these cats have homes. If so, they wouldn’t look scrawny and be so skid-dish. But they are cats so it tends to be what and who they are.

After a bit, we stopped for proper coffee. Jay was sitting, sipping on his coffee, waiting for Mark. He waved us over and we caught up on all things Camino. They plan to meet their wives in Santiago tomorrow and want a group picture at the Cathedral. Mark, Jay, Sharon, Jeff, Caroline and Joanna and I all met at Orisson’s. It was my first day on the Camino. There are a few others that we have met along the way but it’s remarkable that there are at least ten of us that plan to finish on the very same day. Incredible!

After coffee, we all took off. Jay was trying to catch up with Mark, who unbeknownst to us, had managed to pass us. George and I sauntered along and found a super dark forest of trees to inspect. As we were taking pictures, Danny came along.

He is a Tour Guide and has been hanging near us since Leon. We hugged one another, congratulated each other on our very near accomplishment. This is what I’m going to miss the most. These special people we have bonded with.

As we continued, Roy and Ornit caught up with us. We walked the trail together for much of the morning. Ornit and Roy have been married for over 30 years with four children. They have their home just outside Tel Aviv and Ornit teaches at the University. She is such a kind soul, loves the outdoors, hiking, yoga, pilates and the Lord. George and Roy were carrying on about this and that. I’m thinking a trip to Israel is in the not so distant future!

We stopped for lunch and talked about the culinary experiences we’ve had or not, in Spain. Now granite, Roy and Ornit have been here for less than a week so I’m thinking, they haven’t had the opportunity to eat like George and I. But the one thing we all agree on is, Spanish food is lacking in spice. Please can we get a little bit of herbs and garlic to these dishes? Yes, I’ve had some darn good meals but it’s not as often as I’d like. And yes, I’m a bit of a foodie so this is important. I am looking forward to Santiago and taking Adrian, the CEO from 1930 Boutique Hotel up on a couple of his grand recommendations. We all plan to find at least one real good culinary experience in Santiago.

With only a few miles left, we parted ways. The rest of the day was long vistas, to the mountains and beyond. The views are starting to open up again, which is a delight to me. The clouds were a bit ominous but never quite materialized into more than just dark grey clouds. We climbed a few hundred feet making our total today, close to most days, about 1500’-2000’ of ups and downs. Nothing we haven’t encountered in the past few weeks.

As we entered town, and everyone was scrambling to find their beds for the night. Being I had already made reservations, it was a matter of getting to our home for the night. Actually this will be our final two nights. And how blessed we were.

Hotel Amiuka was built two years ago. Ultra modern and at the far end of town. It overlooks the distant mountains afar and fields of wildflowers. When we arrived, I wasn’t sure what we would find inside. But let me tell you, like the first place we stayed in Saint Jean Peid de Port, this equals it. It’s like stepping into paradise! What an amazing place to finish our final days on the Camino. And guess what? We met a couple from El Dorado Hills, Frank & Mari, neighbors from California. They literally live twenty minutes from our home. Yes, this truly is a small world!

Only one more day and this journey will be completed. Yes, for the time being, your morning or afternoon blog reading will commence. Unfortunately my real life is not as inspiring as my walking or daily hiking adventures. I hope that I can, someday, write about my everyday love, in a way, that I share my daily walks with you. That is something I really need prayer about.

Our amazing God in Heaven has bigger plans for our everyday life encounters. My constant reminder is why not have a daily life that is full of Him? I have met so many people along the way who, in fact, live a life of service and love. I so want that! With only one more day to go on this walk, I ponder, what does my life look like after I complete this? Is it back to what I did before or will it be different? I can only hope that this spurs on something bigger and better than what I left.

Let’s just call it 20 miles. By the time we walked for dinner and back, it was well over twenty miles, with hills, both ways! Oh, I’m pooped. But we need to start from the beginning. Up and out by 7am and down to the local cafe for Espresso. She just put the croissants, both plain and chocolate in the oven, but we had a full day ahead. So no croissants this morning. Well, not yet.

First things first, I messed up on the mileage calculations. For some reason, today was a 14-15 mile day, not a twenty mile slog. My math must’ve been off a smidge. As George would say, imagine that! Looking at the elevation profile, it didn’t look like much ?!?! But it was.

The walk out of town was pretty mundane. Although for a the little town, it was much bigger than I thought. I found the Town Hall, the Center Square and many more restaurants. We followed a few Polgrims but for whatever reason, there weren’t the gourds of people like the last couple of days. I think the new walkers were nursing their wounds and calling taxis. It happens.

We followed the road for a minute, and then entered the forest. There are tons of Eucalyptus Trees and I think I’ve figured out why they were planted here. They serve as a wind screen. It was howling this morning. The turbines on top of the hills were turning, and there was a cold wind from the north. Lucky for me, the sun was shining and I was planning on warming up from the uphill projectory. Climbing has a way of taking the chill out of one!

We passed a Cafe or two and I finally had to make the command decision and stop for fuel. This nice little place in San Xulian was just the right stop. The gal Shannon who we met last night was eating breakfast there. The Bacon looked like actual bacon, which is saying a lot because bacon in Spain, is not anything like bacon in the US! I need that. I walked up to the counter and ordered bacon and eggs, and George got his fresh squeezed OJ, a Chocolate Croissant with a Banana. We both got what we were hankering for. Oh my gosh, two fried eggs with bright orange yolks and the best bacon, hands down, that I’ve had on trail. I’m not sure what they did with that pig, but man oh man alive, that was scrumptious!

After my yummy breakfast, I was ready to carve out some miles. The terrain was a lot of up with little downs, open spaces with forested areas, covered trails with eucalyptus leaves on the ground and just a beautiful morning.

We saw Mr. Jansport who I found out is Ken, his daughter Elyssa and Cameron. Nice to put a name to this traveling trio. I met a gal and her family from Argentina who are new followers of my blog. That’s always fun. And ran into many of our favorite people on the trail.

The morning was perfect, even though we had some climbing. The trail was perfectly manicured. We did go through a bit of an industrial area with a Junk Yard. That was the first car graveyard we’ve seen. In fact George mentioned that we haven’t seen a single car broken down on the side of the road. I guess that’s a good thing because I also haven’t seen a single tow truck or AAA, except for the Semi-Truck Tow at the crash scene, weekend ago.

We crossed a beautiful bridge over Rio Furelos in the town of Furelos. It was one of the prettiest little towns that I’ve seen in quite sometime. We huffed and puffed and made it to Melide when George started hankering for real food. I had just talked with the 3 Musketeers, don’t know their real names about eating some Octopus. Lo and behold, we arrive in Melide and one of the restaurants are giving samplers out. I try a piece and tell George it tastes like chicken. He thinks he’s biting into a piece of cheese, but we all know it’s octopus! And we grab a table.

Probably the first real restaurants that we sat down inside for lunch. We typically have Cafe-Bar type establishments but not today. I order, you guessed it, Octopus and Pimentos and George has Steak and Fries. We both indulge in Beer. Our friends from Iowa show up and sit with us super good lunch we all had.

Being we are only halfway, we get a move-on. We walk through Melide and manage to make it without getting run over. Lots of traffic in town. We still have another nine miles to go and both George and I are not feeling too motivated.

Lots of ups and downs. It is much like the PUDS (pointless ups and downs) of the Appalachian Trail. we run into the 3 Musketeers again. They are actually slower than us. There’s not many people we pass, but these three are pretty darn slow. After a stop for Mineral Water, Soda and Water without Gas, we make our last and final stop at the Beer Garden. It’s hot and we need some yeast, barley and hops to power us up the final hump. After two large frosty mugs of Cervesa, we finish up our day.

We notice a group of kids with small packs and think they must be walking home from school. Wrongo-Dongo they are a group of 30 High School kids from Madrid, walking the Camino. They started in Sarria and plan to finish the same day as us. Once George told them where we started from, they are quite enamored. Now we are Super Stars in their eyes.

Nearly 5pm and 19.7 miles later, we make it to Arzúa. All I want is a shower, a beer and dinner, in that order. Wish is granted. I had looked at our Wise Pilgrim app and found a hotel that everyone was raving about called 1930 Boutique Hotel. It has a restaurants I’m thinking we should go there for dinner. After our beer, we head over. Adrian, the CEO who can’t be older that 30, explains that the only people who can eat here are guests of the hotel. After he explains that most everything is closed because it’s Monday, he sees my disappointment and escorts us upstairs to his very fine dining establishment.

I am impressed. The waitress comes out and shares the menu with us and we order Tempura Vegetables with Grilled Steak and Potatoes. Then she pours the wine and gives us a shot of Beet Juice with Garlic and Olive Oil. Oh my word, it is so refreshing and we slug that down. Our bread comes with Truffle Butter and then dinner. I have come to the conclusion that Galicia is my most favorite place to dine after leaving France. The food we have had in the past couple of days is Michelin Star worthy.

What a day we had. The scenery was spectacular, the terrain was tough, the mileage too much, yet we have come closer to Santiago now than any day previously. We are less than a marathon away! And we will break that up into two more days. No race now just slow and steady. What an amazing day it has been and the hope for tomorrow!

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

We’ve walked over 400 miles in the past month! That’s why my feet are tough as nails. Walking over rocks and gravel, with the exception of slippery marbles, doest phase me any longer. No rock plate needed. The bottom of my souls are made for walking! Even George’s tender feet are getting callouses. Imagine that!

As we were getting ready this morning, George reviewed our exit plan and said it was a tricky route out of here. Most of the time it’s pretty straightforward but we are off trail and there’s a bit of navigating to get us back on track. Lucky for us, when we left the confines our plush apartment, there was a gaggle of pilgrims leaving too. So we followed suit and hoped the leader was going the right way. Yep, looks good because there are yellow arrows and we are headed back across the river.

Again, we have a morning climb. I suppose just about anytime you are near a river, there’s going to be a hillside or rather a mountain, to head up. With our sticks fully extended, we started matching uphill.

Today was another cold and blustery day. I was thinking it would eventually warm up but after my first hour of sweating and being cold to the bone, I gave in. I’m changing into my warm black Smart Wool pullover. I love this thing! If you haven’t tried Smart Wool, it is the best clothing purchase you can make. There’s many different thicknesses, but I usually go with a mid-weight. It doesn’t stink, it wicks away sweat and it keeps you plenty warm. I always have at least one layer, on my body, at all times. Regressing, now back to the trail!

Once I had proper clothing on, I was on the hunt for espresso and something to eat. There was a fork on the trail, one to the left and another, straight on. I could see what looked like an Albergue ahead so I chose to go straight. Well it appears that everyone else and their mother had the same idea. There was a line of pilgrims getting coffee and food. George snagged us a table and I waited in line.

The Barista was a well-oiled machine. As you place your order, he’s making your drink. No Cappuccino or Cortado but he’ll make me Cafe con Leche and give me an extra shot of espresso. That’ll work fine. I ordered George his most favorite Chocolate Croissant and I had Eggs and Fried Potatoes. That’s wonderful. I haven’t had Fried Potatoes for breakfast in Spain. I sat down and within minutes I had Fried Eggs with French Fries. Hmm, well at least I got my potatoes! And they had hot sauce, so all was not lost.

We, along with the masses of Pilgrims, headed back up the hill. Today was about a 2000’ climb covering four to six miles. Nothing too crazy, just a consistent uphill march. I ran into my Iowa Friends. The daughter Lana wanted to show me what she crocheted last night. A shell just like the one I had on my pack. What a compliment!

We walked for quite a distance, talking about her plans for the summer. Both her and her Mom Lori are Spanish Teachers in the States. They have the summer off and planned to walk as a family. Once they get to Santiago, Lana’s husband and both brothers will join her. Lana’s parents return home and the siblings will travel together to Germany. There they attend a wedding of a Foreign Exchange student they hosted a couple of years back. Following that, Lana and her husband fly to Ireland-Scotland-England and follow a Harry Potter themed walk. Sounds like she has a packed summer ahead.

Our next stop was Verna de Naron where I was ready to get some hot tea. It was just one of those days. I pulled out my not-so-ripe banana, just the way I like it and some crackers. That’ll be enough to get me over the crux of this hill.

George and I carried on, seeing the Israelis and met a couple of new people on the way. The scenery was mostly treed with some Eucalyptus Trees, Pines and lots of Fig Trees. This was the first time I actually noticed clear cutting. There were distinct areas where they mowed down trees. The locals were tilling the soil, getting ready to plant corn, potatoes and vegetables. It seems that Spain has enough land to sustain themselves. I heard my first pigs squeal and assumed it was a pen with many swine. There’s tons of cattle, not many chickens but that doesn’t seem to be a staple around these parts. They love Pork, Jamon, Beef Cheese and Olives! And there is no shortage of fresh bread.

After most of the climbing was done, there was a great Bar-Restaurant on the trail. I can’t really say it was a town or village because there really was nothing but one house and this Bar in Portos. All I wanted was a bowl of soup. Ends up they had Vegetable Lentil Soup. George joined me and we had two soup bowls with bread. It was delicious and perfect for a cold day of walking, climbing, hiking and walking some more. We ate every last drop. Now I’m motivated to finish up this 17 mile day.

The last few miles were a long slow descent into Palas de Rei. A sleepy old town that looks a little rough around the edges! It is near Lugo, and has 3,400 people who cal this place home. The big happening is the Civic Center, but outside of that, there’s not much to see or do. We arrived shortly after 3pm, got settled in our 2-Bedroom Apartment and did a load of washing. One of the biggest perks about Apartment rentals are you can wash your clothes. And being we have but two outfits, doing laundry daily is a Big Deal! Laundry done, showers taken and now we’ll explore this little town they call the Palace of the King. Seriously 😐

So we headed out to find somewhere to eat. I was thinking across the street, would be fine. We walked into the Pizza-Bar and could barely hear ourselves think. Lots of men yakking and drinking beer. There’s one gal who’s obviously a Pilgrim. She’s young and rubbing her legs. She says Hola and I say Hi. You speak English? Yep, sure do. This gal tells us her story of walking for the past two days on the Camino. Wow, that’s great. Then she tells us she started in Santiago!?! She thought it’d be cool to walk the Camino and all she knew was Santiago. When she got there, someone had to explain to her that this was the end point! OMG, she really had no idea. That’s youth for you. Gotta love the fact she jumped on a plane from Canada and had no idea what she had signed up for. Welcome to the Camino Shannon! I’m sure we will see you again. Santiago is west. Follow the arrows!

Everyday, I could write for hours, sharing all the stories I hear and introducing you to all the people I meet. Today was no different. But I am limited in the fact I only have so much time, and need to get some rest. When this is all said and done, I will look back and remember not the hills I climbed or the food I ate or even the Cortado’s I drank, but rather the people I met, laughed with and even cried a bit with too. Just another amazing and indelible moment on this Camino. A journey that keeps me coming back!

Why is it that I can have the best night of sleep ever, the day before then toss and turn the following night? I just don’t get it. I was pooped when my 6 o’clock alarm went off. Dang it, can I reset and go back to sleep? Unfortunately for me, that’s not an option. So get dressed, pack up, eat some fruit and yogurt, the only good part of the morning and find espresso. Fast!

Once outside, I did feel better. The birds were singing as loud as ever and within ten minutes, I was ordering a double Cortado. Thank goodness for Spain and their Barista’s. No questions asked and caffeine in my veins. This will make up for the lackluster sleep.

We already started to see the usual suspects. The Canadians and his Jansport Pack. Our friends from Florida, Matt & Norman. And the rest of the gang. Even our Israelis friends passed by. We’ll catch up with them later.

We downed our coffee, and off we went with the masses. The trail is littered with new bodies, new pilgrims and sparkling new shoes! You can spot them out quite easily. They smell really good to start with and they have looks of complete confidence, until they miss their first turn! It was fun walking with some new blood.

The route today was a hefty uphill climb with a plateau at the top that seemed to roll on for miles. The day was cool, refreshing and a tiny threat of rain. All the newbies, who had packs on, maybe 25% were carrying their worldly possessions, had pack overs donned. The rest of us, come what may! No need to worry about minor inconveniences like a little precipitation.

We caught up with Mark & Jay pretty quickly. Mark is still walking really slow as his ankle hasn’t healed. But he’s still walking. Jay has slowed down tremendously, keeping Mark company. We all talked for a bit, then I bolted off. I was talking with a new family from Iowa. They were walking the 100 miles to Santiago with their daughter who just finished college. What a great bonding experience for the three of them! We talked for awhile, then I slowed and waited for my other half.

Once we made it to our first town outside of Sarria, we stopped and grabbed, you guessed it, more coffee. I scored a couple of bananas and two almond cookies to go along with it. We talked with another young couple from Pamplona. They were doing a short section before going back home to work. I think that’s the biggest reason you see Pilgrims jumping on towards the end point. Time restrictions. Especially the younger ones. They all have jobs, families and are not retired like us older folks.

George and I pointed the new pilgrims in the right direction as they started down the road going the wrong way! Oh, how I remember those first days on the trail. We followed right afterwards, but never saw them again. Fast, young and fresh legs. The terrain was mostly cow paths. There’s so much cattle in Galicia and evidently along with the cows, dogs know their way around. We’ve seen several dogs this morning going for morning strolls without their owners. None of the dogs looked lost and they all seemed to be eating well, yet they just liked walking. Maybe they are Pilgrim Dogs?

The big highlight of the day was hitting the 100 KM marker. It’s what everyone was talking about. We passed through the village, which really wasn’t a village at all, but just a cafe in Mirallos. They had their pilgrim stamp outside. We got our passport stamped and started looking for the infamous marker. Around the bend, down the hill, then up the hill. We finally saw it. The Holy Grail. Only 100 kilometers to go!

There was an Asian family, Mom, Dad and the three really young kids. We offered to take their picture which was like herding cats. The twins were probably three years old and the older sister maybe 5. The kids weren’t sure who they should stand next to, or if they should pick whatever part needed picking! Finally, I took the picture. Actually 3-4 pictures so they might get one that will be worthy of a Christmas Card.

George and I got down on our knees, which is a feat in itself. But never as hard as getting back up with a backpack on! Picture taken, and we walked on. Now we can chalk that obligatory pic off our list and keep trucking towards Santiago.

The rest of the day was mostly downhill. I was getting hungry and we stopped at Mercadoiro for lunch. George had a Burger and Fries and I had my Goat Cheese Salad. Ends up that Spain is obligated to offer non-alcoholic beer whenever they serve beer. One of the Pilgrims from Brazil told me about this. I ordered a Tostado Beer without alcohol. It wasn’t too bad. The flavor was descent but I must admit, I like the real stuff better.

We sat with our Israelis friends and got caught up on the latest news that four of the hostages were released! I guess released isn’t the right wording because they were actually rescued. Thank goodness. And I know that was a huge praise from them. As we were eating, a stray cow went walking down the trail we just came off. About five minutes later, an entire herd came running by. Only in Spain do cows walk on the same trail that us Pilgrims do.

Oh and then there was the Shepards. Husband and wife were attempting to move their sheep from one pasture to the other. The ground was really uneven and the Man Shepard lost his stepping and down he went. Three gals and George went over to help him up. Poor guy smacked his face and bloodied up his nose. They brought a chair over, sat him down as the wife Shepard kept on doing what she was doing. Either this happens regularly or she just needed to get her sheep moving to the next pasture. By the time we were done, the sheep, and the Shepards were where they were supposed to be, the cows were inside their pens and George and I had quite an entertaining lunch!

Our last 3-4 miles was easy peasy, sort of. As we headed down, I slipped on some loose gravel and bam, I went down. Dang it Kelly! You were doing so good for almost 400 miles! Nothing broke, twisted or got too out of whack, just a minor flesh wound. I pulled out my First Aid Kit which has had little impact this trip, besides the meds for George’s flu and stomach bug. It’s like insurance. You have to buy it or bring it, but you hope you never need it. All wrapped up and off to finish the race.

Our final steps to town literally were steps to town. We crossed the bridge over Ponte Nova, and there was a pretty steep staircase leading up to who knows where. George says, that can’t be the way? After all this and now we have to climb stairs? Oh, but wait. Once we check into our Apartment, we’ll do it all over again. Only four more days and this will all be, a distant memory. And then, I betcha, we’ll be missing this! Well, maybe not the stairs!

We arrived in town, checked into our super fancy Apartment and crashed. It wasn’t that it was a difficult day, but I think it’s the culmination of a month of non-stop pilgrimage. I am so grateful for the incredible places that we’ve stayed at, every night of the week. When I first planned this walk, I wasn’t too keen about booking a room each and every night of this journey. But now that it’s coming to an end, I can say I am so thankful that I did. It is a gift that we always have a bed to lay our weary bodies atop. Thank you Lord for providing your perfect guidance and for blessing me in more ways than I could’ve ever imagined. I can always rely on your wisdom and direction. You are perfect in every way.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Back on “The Way.” It’s nice to be walking again. We stayed at a cool Hostel last night. Back in the day, it was an old schoolhouse. Johan, who is a Pilgrim himself, purchased this place a couple of years ago, following his pilgrimage. He told me it was in great disrepair and had returned to the “wild.” Needless to say, he had much work to do. Many dilapidated buildings along the Camino, are bought for a song and a dance, restored and opened for business. With all the people coming to these parts, there’s no lack of beds for weary travelers. Johan really made me feel like family, and was an incredible host. Our bed last night was one of the most comfortable with real down pillows! Not foam bolsters, which are quite common along this corridor.

Our final steps on the trail will be saunters. No big miles, and nothing too strenuous. Just nice and easy walking days to Santiago. I did not plan it this way. Well in fact I did, being I am the “Party Planner!” But someone above was looking over me because, honestly, my little Achilles could use a break.

As we left, there were two distinct choices, one to Samos, quite a bit longer by 7.2 KM and some, or the shorter route up and over the hill. George chose the shorter route and I followed. It ended up being a great choice as the vistas were pretty darn nice and it was drop dead gorgeous, in both, the forest and villages.

We had a climb from the get-go. I haven’t done anything crazy; no big falls, no twisting of the ankles but I must’ve pulled my Achilles because today, it was talking to me loudly. Thankfully it was a short day with many breaks along the way. George and I walked our own walk. Me stopping and talking to everyone, and George carrying-on. It works as I can sooner or later catchup. Although these days, George is getting a move-on and it takes me a bit longer to catch him. Way to go George!

My first stop was outside of Triacastela. A local artist named Art (seriously, that was his name) had his studio open and was reading the Bible. I like this man already. He also loves to paint, then turns his paintings into printed postcards. He adds scripture to each of them, and then I buy them up! They were beautiful pieces of art!

There were many people walking today. We are making our way to Sarria and it’s the 100 kilometer mark so many Pilgrims enter the trail here. As long as you walk 100 kilometers, you can obtain a Compostela which is a certificate that acknowledges your accomplishment of walking “The Way.” It’s quite a thing and many Pilgrims come for this lovely piece of paper.

Oinko and Roy from Israel stayed at the Schoolhouse with us last night. They just started today and plan to walk to Santiago. I also met Ella. She’s from Portland, Oregon but has been teaching English in Spain for the past two years. She also started today. So many Pilgrims are adding to our mix. It’s great to see people from all walks of life’s, nations and cultures.

What is really cool is there are so many Pilgrims that we’ve met from the first day or primary week, and now we’re all finishing together. Yesterday afternoon while we were eating, we ran into Mark and Jay, another couple from Brazil that we’ve been walking with since León, and two other guys from Florida that we met when M&M were hanging with us. It’s quite the reunion on the trail!

Every Cafe that I saw, which was three, I stopped and consumed coffee. Cortado was my drink choice of the day. I had three, and was bouncing down the trail. Expecting it would be a road walk today, I was pleasantly surprised that there were trails. I climbed to the top of the second hill, and could see that I was above the clouds again. Almost like flying in a plane and looking down on the mist and fog covering the valleys below.

One of my many stops was Fontearcuda. It had the nicest of the Cafes and everyone was sitting outside. This trio from Canada showed up and the older gentleman, who was actually my age, was carrying a Jansport Backpack. One of the same packs I had when I was a teenager. I believe, if I was willing, he would’ve traded me packs in one hot minute. After 50 plus years, he thinks it’s time to purchase a new one. Just for nostalgia alone, I would love to have my old pack again. Envy! I need to curtail that, but boy oh boy, it brought back memories! I carried on and found another nostalgic piece of history, the Scalloped Shell Watering Hole.

By noon, we were only a mile from town. We stopped and I was ready to eat. I’m not sure if George is dieting or just tired of the food here, but I seem to be eating alone. He indulged in a glass of Sangria, but I ate mostly all of the Calamari and Peppers myself. I have become a big fan of the peppers here. It’s all I want! They are called Pimiento’s and they come in big or not so big sizes. I don’t care what size they are. They grill and salt them, and typically I get at least 15-20 on my plate. Presto, I am a happy camper! George won’t eat them so I eat the entire plate, all by myself.

After I finished my peppers and devoured half of the Calamari, it was time to beat feet and get to town. We arrived in Sarria a little before 1pm. I already received the super secret code for the Apartment and went straight in. The gal was still cleaning so we dropped our packs and walked, back to town.

Sarria is a big city with its architectural legacy, arising from the fact that the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela passes through these lands. There are examples of medieval structures for religious, civil and military purposes. The city was founded by Alfonso IX under the name of Vilanova de Sarriá and has close to 13,700 inhabitants. That makes Sarria the largest city in Galicia Providence. It has everything you could want, need or desire, except maybe a Ski Hill. But it’s a thriving metropolis and just about every Pilgrim that I’ve talked to, and that’s a lot, are staying here!

Once I was situated in the Apartment, my shoes came off and I was done for the day. George has been trying for the past 2-3 weeks to find a Barber, who is open. He attempted again, without luck. But he did stop at the local Super Mercado and brought home fixings for dinner. I was able to whip up some meat, brussels sprouts and mushrooms. It was nice, just to cook in our own little place.

Afterwards we had Nata, a traditional dessert from Galicia and listened to fireworks. It was odd. We couldn’t see anything, and it was still light outside but the continuous banging had to be some sort of Mortar Shell or Fireworks. I’m going with Fireworks! Gosh, my poor friends from Israel. And to think they were praying to get away from all of that! God, save us all.

I will go before you and will level the mountains ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:2-3

I have been writing for a few years now. Actually I’ve been called a “Creative Writer” since I was in Junior High. I remember my English Teacher telling me I should be a writer at the wee age of 13 years old. Oh gosh no, I have plans to be a Veterinarian. That obviously never happened, actually far from it! But I have been writing and journaling ever since. Maybe she knew more about me, than I knew about myself. Imagine that?!

George and I took a respite from the trail. I asked him a simple question, so I thought. What have you liked about this route compared to the Portuguese Coastal Route? Oh boy, I opened Pandora’s Box! You can’t ask me to compare this to that. It’s like asking you to compare the Desert to an Oasis! Wow, I didn’t expect that. I was just trying to make conversation so I’ll share my thoughts regarding walking, not so much this or that, just putting one foot in front of the other.

First, a wonderful quote from one of my favorite philosophers, John Muir.

Hiking – “I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike! Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, ‘A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”

John Muir was onto something, way before I was even born. He understood that when we allow ourselves to saunter, we are opening ourselves to more than we ever thought possible. This walk through the “Holy Land” is truly whatever we can open our hearts to. It’s not getting to a predetermined destination, but rather an opener to what the Lord wants us to hear, see and feel. He has allowed me to witness this walk in different eyes. Maybe that’s what He saw in me years ago. When I was sitting at my 8th Grade desk writing for an audience of one. All I needed to do was place one foot in front of the other, for just a little inspiration.

So now, I can say that yes, the Portuguese Coastal Route and the Frances are two different paths in life. The day to day saunter is the same, the scenery changes but in the end, it is all what you are open to experience. And maybe, just maybe, it depends on how open your heart is?

George and I had a nice relaxing time in Fisterra. It was unexpected in the fact that neither of us have experienced this place together. The fresh air, the warm sun, the blue skies and the ocean breeze. Yet after spending a day or two here, honestly, we both yearned for the trail. Let me say that again! Me and George both, wanted to return to the past routine of placing one foot in front of the other. To hear the voice of the Lord, to see what He has created and to feel His presence. And isn’t that the reason why I keep going back. Again, again and again.

So this duo will hop back on the path and continue onward, towards Santiago. One foot in front of the other, and maybe, just maybe, I will share my experiences and thoughts about the Portuguese Route versus the Frances? Or maybe I’ll just keep that to myself. God only knows. He will keep searching my heart, as I seek His. For that is all I truly desire & need.

Just a lazy day. The church bells chimed at 6AM and I covered my ears and went back to sleep. When they chimed at 7AM, I figured we better get a move-on. I had planned an easy day after our butt-kicker yesterday. George was pleasantly surprised. We packed up and headed to the local hangout and ordered Cortado and Croissant. Then proceeded to order another shot of espresso.

The Camino followed the road out of town. It promised to be little up and little down, but we all know how that goes. It was a bit more up than the trail map advised and some dirty trail down. That’s what you get when you sign up to follow me!

We passed a lot of gardens today. Many of the men were tilling the soil, placing wooden sticks to help beans climb, moving soil around and just tending to their perfectly manicured plants. I love seeing what others do to maintain these garden works of art. The one thing I didn’t see was not a single raised-bed! Hmm, I guess they employ the same practices I do. I have never been sold on the raised garden theory. I just love walking on the ground and moving my toes in the soil. It’s just my thing.

The only real town, if you can call it that, was Campo, which we passed through in a blink of the eye. It had a few stone buildings, a couple of cats, two German Shepards and that was about it. Never even saw a Cafe! But it is close to town so I imagine everyone walks or drives there to get their provisions.

The morning walk was nice. The mountains we trekked over yesterday were in the foreground, disappearing the further we walked. It was a nice day, with little temperature change. We didn’t see but, a handful of Peregrino’s, as I suppose they also were have a lazy day. Most had the same idea as George and I. Sleep in, walk just a few miles, and arrive in town for lunch.

Once we arrived, short business was checking in and doing some laundry. Lucky for us, our Apartment has a washing machine and George sweet talked the maids into some laundry detergent. He has a way of doing that. Before I knew it, clothes were in and we were off to find the Train-Bus Depot.

My plan was, and we know how that goes, was to take a train to Santiago then hop on a bus to Fisterra-The End of the World. Unfortunately after walking a mile to the train station, it was fully booked. No room for us Pilgrims. Plan B, take a Bus. We walked another mile in another direction to the Bus Depot. Once there, we were told to use the machine to purchase our tickets. Okay, I guess I could’ve done that online, but we are here and we’ll use your machine. Luckily the bus was not booked and it leaves at 8:30AM rather than 6:15AM, if we had taken the train. Win for the Baraga’s. Now we’ve had a full tour of the city of Ponferrada.

We made it back to our Apartment, hung our clothes to dry and headed for lunch. There is a nice square close by. No more one mile walks! Lunch was a Shrimp Salad recommended by the Waiter, Pork Loin (the best we’ve had to date) and yellow potatoes. Oh, and of course, Beer. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to relaxing, something we have had little practice at. I’m thinking a Siesta may be in our future.

We attempted to check out the Castle but it’s closed on Mondays. I’ve found that quite a few places close down on Mondays in Spain. Everyone needs a day off including George and I. We milled around and decided that we were pretty much done too.

The next couple of days will be sightseeing Fisterra, the End of the World. It also happens to coincide with MPM 0.00 Km for the Camino. That’ll be fun for George to see. So I’ll be taking a couple of days off from blogging and will return once we get back on trail. Until then, enjoy the silence and take time to catch up on previous blogs or just, rest and relax. We definitely will be.

Just a little insider info. When I write my blogs, I do so at the end of the day and preferably before I go to bed. However, I wait and listen to my Lord and his take on the following morning. I usually don’t know what scripture or how I’m going to conclude until I sleep on it. Like this morning. Being today is Sunday, I thought about the significance and then it hit me like a ton of bricks, we will be approaching the Iron Cross on Sunday. That was His plan all along. God’s perfect timing. And hence the reason my choice of scripture was selected.

This morning was colder than usual. The sky was clear, not a cloud or even a Contrail in the sky, but it was bitterly cold. We’ve climbed to 4000’ so now some 1000’ higher and there is a brisk breeze. So I doubled down and wore my black tights and had my jacket ready.

After scrambled eggs and toast, George and I walked up and out of town. Today was going to be a lot of up, with a lot of down in the afternoon. We were thinking more about the up in the morning.

As we left Rabanal, there was a large white Arabian on the outskirts of town. It was eating the grass on the edge of this rock wall, which worried me a bit. I was hoping and praying he didn’t get too close and fall off the wall. But then I thought, horses seem to be very keen to their surroundings and if they don’t fall of the Grand Canyon, I’m sure this horse will be fine.

The morning route was glorious. The mountains and hillsides were lush green with patches of snow high atop the peaks. The trail was a fire road which was fairly wide enough for hikers and bikers to pass with ease. There were lush yellow flowering bushes lining the trail, interspersed with purple sage. The combination of the two was spectacular. Everyone was in a great mood and no one seemed to be in much of a rush. As it was Sunday, the Lords Day and all things were new again.

We followed the masses for sometime and arrived in Foncebatton. It was the quintessential mountain top village with stoned walled buildings and slate roofs. This was the first time we’ve seen slate used for roofs as most of the time it is clay tile. There must be tons of snow that accumulates in these parts. In fact there was a couple of houses that had slate on the outside walls rather than stucco. Just before we crossed the road, there was a gal from Spain riding her bike with her dog in the front basket. Cutest darn thing I’ve seen on the trail. She told us they would be in Santiago in three days! Seriously, it’s gonna be another ten days before we get there. She’s cruising.

We headed to the first Cafe and George had his customary Cafe con Leche and me my Double Espresso with a dab of milk, aka Cortado. We drank more to warm up and I pulled out my jacket. We were halfway up the mountain and I wasn’t getting any warmer.

After coffee, I moved along. Just outside of this tiny village was a swampy lake and the frogs were singing. Not like California Frogs but Spanish Frogs singing a symphony that was quite soothing. I videotaped their performance as it was quite lovely.

The trail continued on a fire road and before long, crossed the paved road and turned into a single track within a mile or two, we rounded the corner and had our first glimpse of Cruz de Ferro, the Iron Cross.

This place of worship has many different meanings to the countless pilgrims that approach it. Some believed it was placed on top of the hill to guide travelers across the pass in winter months. Others state that when it was first erected, they had visitors bring rocks to place at its base to keep it uprighted. But in reality, the cross was placed there in the early eleventh century by Gaucelmo. Later Galician crop reapers would be on this path on the way to the farmlands of Castile and Leon, where they went to work. They also continued the tradition by placing a stone at its base, then called it Cruz de Ferro.

Almost every Pilgrim that we watched, approached the cross in reverence, said a silent prayer and placed a rock or token of some sort.

One of my friends I’ve met along the way shared that when her Father passed away, her son walked the Frances and scattered some of his Grandfathers ashes. Now she is here today, with her Mothers ashes and doing the same. There are many tributes and blessings that people share at the foot of this cross. It was quite meaningful for all of us today.

Another interesting feature was the Sundial that was constructed near the cross. It had the months of the year with the numbers of a clock. Based on the time of the year, and your shadow on the sundial, you could fairly accurately calculate the time of day.

George and I stayed for quite sometime before leaving this sacred place. The trail remained a narrow strip of dirt and I thought to myself that today was more like hiking than walking. We followed the ridge line of the mountain and enjoyed incredible vistas of peaks and valleys. It really has been the best hiking day of this journey, to date.

We came around a bin and saw this out of the way travel trailer converted into a full cafe. It even had indoor seating and a wood burning fireplace. Just exactly what I needed. George changed it up and ordered a Cortado with a Chocolate Donut and I had Hot Tea and a Vegetable Sandwich, which was quite delicious. We warmed up, drank more hot liquids and headed up the final hill of the day.

We finally arrived near the top with more spectacular views from both where we have been and the city below. The sun was shining brightly and the wind had died down. I stripped off my jacket, ate my banana and headed down.

The downhill was much steeper than the uphill. George has been dreading this part of the day and threatened to get a taxi. We talked about his options but honestly, this was George’s Pyrenees! He missed out as he was sick and I think, we all sell ourselves short, not having faith in our abilities. George is strong and he is ready for whatever this mountain brings. He adjusted his pack, readied himself and walked off this mountain.

About one-third of the way down, we stopped in El Acebo and had something to drink. We also pulled out all our excess fruit and devoured it. With six plus miles to go, we had some sugar and carbs to carry us through our afternoon hike. George did great. He was sure-footed and stayed the course I’m so proud of him for trusting his ability and pushing himself to finish up this day.

After it was all said and done, I congratulated him on a tough day. You are a hiker! He wasn’t too sure that he really wants to be a hiker, but for now, he’s looking forward to a cold beer and a shower. Luckily, I can make that happen.

We arrived in Molinaseca a bit after 4pm, hot, tired and a dirty mess. The ground was quite silty and our shoes, socks, legs and clothes were soaked with sweat and dust. Don’t you love that? I don’t think he’s convinced yet, but I still have another week to build him up. With God’s help, I’m gonna have a hiking partner for life!

After our shower, we went to visit the town. It’s honestly not a big town. We walked through it in five minutes but there are a lot of Bars! And that makes me happy. I had a glass of Vino Tinto (Red Wine) which I always asked for incorrectly. I guess Tinto Vino is incorrect. It’s Red Wine, but they say it Wine Red. Oh boy, I still have much to learn.

We made it back to our lovely Hostel and had a communal Brazilian Dinner. Jose and Mara love to feed us hungry pilgrims and they are serious about food. They served us with authentic Rice with Black Beans, a salsa-like concoction that goes on top (bring on some spice) with salad, and a coleslaw mixture with non-descriptive sausage and oranges. It was so darn yummy! They also make a drink that is very typical Brazilian called Kibamia which is made from Cachaca with lime, sugar and ice. I am so satisfied. Outstanding people and incredibly delicious. I can sleep good tonight. Hands-down best day ever!

The night before last, George warded off drinking. After last night, I decided that Espresso needs to be consumed before 3pm. Having a Cortado at 5pm, which is equal parts espresso with milk, is too much caffeine. I tossed and turned until close to midnight. Lucky for me we only had a twelve mile day with about 1000’ elevation. Nothing too crazy and still arrived in town early.

When I woke up, I told George that I was dreaming and smelled Bacon and Eggs. Wishful thinking. We headed downstairs and found a lovely breakfast of fruit, juice, bread and jam. But as we were finishing, here comes the eggs with mushrooms. Oh my, this is the best! Once we finished our two course breakfast, I was ready to walk some miles.

It was easy walking out of town being we were right around the corner from the route. We had a few streets to cross, ran into some of our typical pilgrim friends and walked on.

Within an hour or so, we made it to Valdeviajis. George was good with his morning coffee so we stopped to talk with a few Pilgrims. Somehow George managed to bum a breakfast cookie from a SoCal couple. Really, and then I did the same. I hadn’t seen them before but there’s a few new faces, as people were jumping on at León. We had our cookies and carried on.

The temperature has been perfect these past couple of days, slight breeze and cooler temps. As we get closer to the mountains, we are feeling the mountain air. Perfect hiking weather. Well at least before noon.

George pointed to the hills we’ve been looking at for the past week. They are actually mountains with glacier fields. The small patches of snow tell the tale that they experience winter around here. Some of the Pilgrims of late have had some bad weather and two pilgrims died earlier this spring from weather-related issues. It is a somber reminder of the grim tale that even a walk along this route can sometimes lead to another path. Today, our weather is forecasted for nothing more than blue skies and sunshine. Let’s pray it stays that way!

Murias de Rechivaldo showed up pretty quickly. It was time for real coffee and early enough to process caffeine. The Barista from Germany knew exactly what I needed. Real coffee with lots of shots. Double Shot or Quad? Is it that obvious? Double Shot with small amount of milk please. And a banana and an orange too.

After talking with Clara from the Netherlands, I think we thoroughly convinced her that the Portugal Coastal Route is outstanding. Last year was our first go of this Camino thing. We dipped our toes and were hooked, line and sinker in love with the Camino Ways. Everyone has their reasons for what they recommend and she has been convinced that the Mountainous Route is the best. Follow the coastline! We fell for the coastal food, the coastal villages and the way of life. It’s breathtaking and never looked back. To each their own.

Once we left our cozy Cafe, the trail was enveloped with wildflowers, green fields and mountains. Honestly, outside of the Pyrenees, we’ve had no real foothills or mountains to impede our little walkabout. It’s good to see my old friends again. There were a couple of locals plopped along the trail selling their goods. A Senor selling walking sticks, a gal making macrame and another knitting dolls. They were very nice but I was not ready to buy any souvenirs, and lug them to Santiago. Not yet anyhow.

Today’s work had a slight uphill battle. It was nice to sweat a little, along with some huffing and puffing. I don’t think I’ve had my heart rate up past 70-80 for quite sometime, hence the reason I’m not losing any weight. But on the bright side, I’m definitely not gaining anything either and God knows, I’ve been eating and drinking my way through Spain!

As we entered Santa Catalina de Somaz, there was a cute Cowboy Bar & Grill. We decided to stop and I grabbed something to eat. Because honestly that seems to be all I do here. I ordered a salad with egg. Typically that means hard boiled eggs but in this case, my lunch came with two fried eggs! Oh my, that was so good. The yolks here are bright orange and runny, just the way I like them. With a slice of sourdough bread. That makes a perfect lunch!

Now all I have to do was pry myself up, and back to walking again. The final 10,000 steps were a bit uphill and George commented that our hill has started. Yes, it has. For some reason I had it in my mind that we were going up and over the mountain today. No such luck. Just to the base. How come I didn’t know that? Alrighty then, we will be in our new town before 2pm. This really is an easy day!

We walked into Rabanal just after 1pm. There was Caroline and Marie from Canada, the two men we keep running into and Steve and Taz from England. It’s like coming home to see your old friends. We found our accommodations at Casa de Indie which is one of the oldest Hostels we’ve stayed in. It is decorated with pillows from India, and looks like Grandma’s house. It’s quite eclectic, to say the least but for $63, one can’t expect the Ritz! The shower is clean, the beds are soft and the floor squeaks. Two out of three ain’t bad. It’ll be fine for one night.

After showering, George was craving a Burger and Fries. Mr. Indie recommended the Albergue down the street. There slogan is “Kitchen Open Non-Stop” No Siesta Time. Perfect for Pilgrims that are hungry all day, everyday. We headed over and George got his “Special Request” and I was happy with Soup, Salad and a Chicken Filet. What a nice lunch-dinner it was.

After our meal, we walked back to our humble abode in Rabanal. We decided to hit the local grocery store, which is a small 10×10 space with all the necessary provisions. Wine, Cheese, Chocolate, Oreo Cookies, Water and a Banana. Sounds like exactly what I need.Well Ice Cream could be added but I’m not gonna push it. So we are relaxing for the rest of the evening, plan to pack tonight and head out right after breakfast. Another extra specially good day on the Camino. Gosh I’m not gonna want this to end.

When we planned this time on the Camino, I hoped and prayed that it would be the right time. As I near the end, I’m realizing it was God’s timing. He knew what was coming and he was preparing our hearts, minds and bodies to be ready. It seems He is always in charge, and we are just here for His presence. It could not have been planned any better. Thank you Lord for paving the way, opening doors and giving us this perfect moment.

I do enjoy sleeping in. Being we had an easy peasy day planned, I laid in bed, finishing uploading pictures. George was biting at the bit to get coffee so I sent him away and I did my thing. It was very satisfying to lay low till 730am.

As we exited town, the excitement of this weekend’s festivities was underway. Flags were hanging above, vendors were setting up and we were wishing I had known, so we could’ve stayed. Some of the Pilgrims are thinking about riding a bus back just to stay for the day. There’s not a bed in the town, so no chance of spending another night.

We made our way onto the dirt path and had the choice between the road or the scenic route. The scenic route for sure! And such a good choice. We walked through newly plowed fields, some grain and corn was already planted and hills of green surrounded us. And quietness. Oh the sound of quiet. Yesterday you could barely hear each other talk over the road noise so this was a great return to the peacefulness of our walk!

There were some small villages that we passed through including Villares de Orbiga and Santabienez. Both had cafes and fruit, which at this point, is my go-to breakfast. There were some odd decorations lining the cobblestones streets. I’m not sure if they are welcoming pilgrims or warning us? And then there were kinder and gentler ones.

We took a pit stop, grabbed a couple of bananas and headed on up the trail. There were lots of people walking today. I stopped and fed a couple of horses. George had been carrying an apple for three plus days, and it was ready to be purged. At first the horses weren’t sure but once I broke it open, they smelled it and came running. Well not running but nudged closer. And they gobbled it up. Problem solved. Horses were fed and George’s pack is lighter!

As we followed the Pilgrims that were ahead, I noticed a fork in the road. Me and another Pilgrim were scratching our heads being the others were going a route that wasn’t even a trail, but an unknown dirt road. I looked at him and my app and stated the obvious! We are not even on the trail! He agreed and we hoofed it up a dirt path and met back up with The Way. George wasn’t having it because it was straight up a hill and he was liking the flatter non-descriptive way, but followed me anyways. Before long, we were back on the route, and on the properly marked trail with yellow arrows. As it should be.

We crested the hill, looked down over the valley and saw the town below. This is definitely the right way. And the other unnamed Pilgrim agreed. The terrain was rolling ups and downs, but nothing too unreasonable.

As we crested another hill, there was this patch of land that had all the trimmings and fixings for a beautiful stop. There were hammocks, lounge chairs, round table with 8 chairs and lots of food! Fruits, nuts and a squeezer to make your own OJ. Hard boiled eggs, cheese and crackers. Who does this? Sure enough the owner operator who looked like a kid, well almost everyone looks like a kid to me, came out with another dozen hard boiled eggs. I stopped and thanked Frederico for this unexpected spread. What a wonderful gesture and kind thing to do for tired and weary travelers.

We sat with many of our Pilgrim friends and took a much needed break. Well honestly it wasn’t like we had walked for hours on end, but any break is always welcomed. We enjoyed the stop and loved the fruit! After a bit, we packed up, pushed up our umbrellas and marched on.

The trail was stunning today. There was an interesting spot we passed that could’ve been a mint Sedona. It had red rocks that could’ve been busted out by a meteor or who knows what? It had a sink hole that was filled with water from a recent rain shower.

As we approached the top of the hill, we saw the town of San Justo de la Veda. There was a beautiful cross on top of the hill. Everyone stopped to admire it. George was right behind me and we also had to stop and just ponder the significance of this moment. We have walked over 300 miles and have been protected from any debilitating injuries. George has recovered from his flu and stomach bugs and seems to be trekking like a champ. It is only because of the absolute protection we have had on this journey. And that can only come from God above! I am so grateful for all that He has allowed us to do together. What a wonderful gift!

Our walk off the mountaintop which honestly was a bump on the trail, was quite gentle. At the bottom there was a fountain, but not any normal water spout. Someone had sculpted a Pilgrim with a Boda-Bag that was flowing water into his mouth. It was pretty ingenious and you had to stop and laugh at this. What a great sense of humor these Spaniards have!

Less than six hours, we arrived in Astorga. It reminds me of a European City with a castle on the hill, a moat around it and a classic Gothic-Style Church. We headed right up to our home for the night. We met Wendy who spoke Spanish. Thank goodness I have my translator with me. She was trying her best to convey what she needed and I was picking up on half of it. By the time she was done and exhausted, she spoke to George and said, you understand what I’m saying very well. You should teach your wife Spanish! I should’ve paid better attention in my Spanish Class in High School. Oh well, at least I’m covered because I have George!

We unpacked, showered and hit the town. First things first, I want to check out the Cathedral. We headed over and I ran into Caroline, my Bunk Mate from Day One. It’s her birthday today and she had ice cream and soda, ready to party it up with Maria. We exchanged info and sent her on her way. I love the fact that we always run into each other on this journey. Happy Birthday Caroline.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria de Astorga was not a disappointment. The edifice begun in 1471, within the same walls of the Romanesque predecessors from the 11th-13th centuries. The construction lasted through the 18th century, which added to its original Gothic appearance some Neo-Classicist cloister (18th century), the Baroque towers, capitals and the façade, along with the Renaissance portico. With a rectangular layout, the apsidal chapels, were very clear and bright. It has an architectural closeness to German Gothic. Each Cathedral I have visited varies. They all, in their own right, are different and uniquely constructed, adding to my incredible appreciation of the architects of each century.

Being we haven’t had much to eat today, it was time to hunt for some fine dining. Steak and Salad with Red Wine. Let’s hope we can fine a place we can have it all! If this is our biggest challenge of the day, we have little to be concerned with. I surely don’t miss the really world where things are getting a bit intense these days. With that, I’ll be signing off and looking for some food.

Each day that we are walking in the footsteps of St. James, and the thousands of Pilgrims that went before us, I am in awe of how great our Lord is. It is difficult to comprehend the love that Jesus Christ has for each and every one of us. I just need to be more boastful and loud about praising His glorious name! Thank you Lord for creating this world, for loving me with your entire being and showing me such undeserving kindness. I am blessed and eternally grateful for you!