Roaming Rocks

Miles 16.52/ Steps: 36,182

Todays selfie

Everyday we must get a stamp from our hostel, a church, restaurant or museum. Once we are 100km from Santiago de Compostela we need to get 2 stamps a day. About 3 miles into todays walk, in Moratinos, this guy was sitting outside of a bar doing wax stamps. We got to choose which stamp we wanted and the color of the wax. It was a lovely experience and a nice addition to the credential.

This town was so cute. Blue doors, Buddha’s in window sills and knitted decorations for the trees.

Sahagun is considered the halfway point if you started the Camino in Spain. The figurines made me think of the scene in the movie the Never-ending Story when Atreyu had to run thru the Sphinx’s gate. If you haven’t seen the movie you should! Feels appropriate to go thru this with Nikki since she was there at the beginning.

There are so many impressive wall murals:

Having fun with a statue with Joe, Orlando, Nikki and Annie

Goofing around at the midway memorial.

Most of todays walk was shaded by trees that lined the trail.

360km to go. (223 miles) to go!

Thank you to Heather for booking my accommodation because I couldn’t find anything in Bercianos. Rosa was the owner and was lovely and the hostel was great! I had a bottom bunk with fresh sheets and the bed didn’t squeak and no one slept above me! This is what dreams are made of.

We met up at a bar with live music and so many people were there! Bernardo, Savina, Nikki, Annie, Father Mark, Marie and Veronique! The singer was like Norah Jones/Eva Cassidy and just great background music to a lovely evening.

The drink of the night was Vino Tintos which is red wine, a fizzy lemonade and a shot of some liqueur. It really is light and refreshing and a perfect summer drink!

Lovely wall art and a Camino sign on my way back to my hostel for the night.

Miles 18.01/Steps 39,425

Todays Selfie:

Random pictures from the day:

These flowers smelled so good. Almost like Jasmine.

Today was a really long day. My body was so tired and my feet were really hurting. At mile 14 I had to just sit down in the middle of nowhere to stretch and get my mind in the right place. I still had over an hour and I was doubting I was going to make it actually. I finally got up and this butterfly landed on me. Then it started flying in small bursts as if to say… “you can do it come on”. It would fly ahead and then come back to me. It flew with me about 200 meters. It was pretty amazing and got me moving again.

Shortly after the butterfly got me moving, I came across a bunch of friends and this cat at one of the bars. I stopped, rested and then carried on. 2 miles left! I could do it!

I was so happy to get to town and my alburgue! The town was like a ghost town though. There wasn’t much going on aside from the two alburgues. I shared a room with Yetta, Kat and a German couple who were grumpy and snored. I was just very happy to have my own bed and it not be a bunk.

I worked on booking reservations for the rest of the trip since things were filling up. I used a paper placemat to keep track of my reservations…You use what you have….

Miles: 15.34/Steps: 33,587

Todays Selfie:

Early in the morning, I had the choice of taking the street route or the longer river route to get to Carreon de loos Condes. I ended up taking the river route which was 13 miles. It was a quiet and peaceful walk that was mostly flat.

The clouds were amazing to watch today. They changed shape so quickly with the wind. I also really enjoyed watching the birds in the wind. It reminded me of the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a favorite of mine from when I was younger. If you haven’t read it, you should check it out.

I am a super slow walker in comparison to most and Father Mark and Marie caught up to me pretty early. I walked with them for a few hours. Father Mark read meditations, sang psalms and did the rosary while he walked. Most of this was in Latin. It was definitely an experience which made me think of all of the pilgrims who have walked the same steps that I was walking doing something similar.

Along the way Father Mark came a cross a church and asked if he could perform mass in it. He was denied which felt odd. Why wouldn’t a local church want to invite younger travelers in to their church to spread Catholicism. It feels like a lot of these communities and especially the Catholic church in these areas is getting ready to age out. Most of the parishioners are older. Younger people have moved to the larger cities and there are very few younger people who attend mass. In 10 years they will be running out of patrons.

Outside the church was this cool water pump.

We stopped in Villalcazar de Sirga for lunch and Father Mark was able to do mass for a small group of pilgrims in the local church.

Legend states that this statue of Mary has performed many miracles over the years.

Its always a glorious moment when you are within city limits.

Kat and I walked into town together and then met Dee for drinks with a friend. Dee graciously let Kat and I to stay in the apartment Airbnb she rented for the night.

Sadly Dee is having to go home because her plantar fasciitis has flared up but she got these lovely tennis shoes and is making the best of it. We told her she should get a knee bike and push herself along the Camino!

There was a combination farewell dinner for Dee and birthday celebration for Savina that evening. The entire restaurant serenaded Savina (and Kevin as it happened to be his birthday to).

Miles: 18.74/Steps: 41,062

Todays Selfie

Miles: 15.89/Steps: 34,796

Todays selfie!

39 degrees and windy!

The views for the morning were of mostly wheat and barley.

This tree was amazing! Firstly there weren’t many trees to be seen. Secondly, I don’t think my words can describe the noise the wind made blowing through its leaves. It was so loud and mesmerizing. I could hear it from far away and it was deafening when I was next to it. Thirdly….did I mention how windy it was?!

This fountain made me laugh for a couple of reasons. Firstly, who doesn’t love a fountain of a man holding his penis. Secondly, I don’t think I could honestly drink water that came out of a man’s penis even if it was a statue. Thirdly, it reminded me when I was much younger and went water fountain shopping for my mom with my dad for some gift giving holiday. We went to 10 different stores to look at fountains and most of them had the one with the boy peeing, mimicking the Mannekin Pis statue in Brussels. We laughed so hard about how mad mom would have been if we bought it for her and came close to doing it. If you know my mom, I am sure you can appreciate the giggle. Such a fun memory! In hindsight we should have bought 2. The boy peeing and then the real one….It would have been worth the effort.

I wasn’t expecting to see so many red poppies on the Camino. I’ve never heard them mentioned in any of the materials I researched but there were so many today. It was a sea of red and absolutely stunning!

I made it to my alburgue Albergue de Peregrinos Casa Nostra and had a single bed and a sheet! It was heavenly but the bed and floor squeeked so loudly and there was no heating so it was my coldest night yet. I guess you can’t have everything? I don’t think I would recommend this alburgue based on how cold the room was unless it was summertime. I honestly haven’t been that cold for a long long time. I should have realized when it was warmer outside than it was inside when I left for dinner.

We found a lovely pizza place! We had a great meal with some other pilgrims and called it an early night!

Miles: 14.19/Steps: 31,073

Todays Selfie!

I started the day with “see you laters” to Nikki and Annie and was on my way.

It was stunning to look at the cathedral on the walk out of town. I couldn’t stop thinking about the mass that took place inside of it last night and what other historic events have taken place inside.

I have completed 299 of 800 kilometers. The first third of the Camino is meant to be physically challenging, the second third of the Camino is meant to be more mentally challenging and the last third is meant to be spiritual. Let’s see how mental and spiritual I can get! Today starts the beginning of the mental section and is known as the Meseta. The Meseta is 180km of flat, hot shadeless fields, wide open skies and endless wheat fields between Burgos and Leon.

We saw tons of stork nests with their babies today. It is really difficult to get good pictures of them since they are on the top of buildings. This one was flying with their friend by the river.

I had a lot of reunions today! First was Sandy and Diane, the two ladies I shared a cab with from Pamplona to St Jean Pied de Port.

Then I ran into Lou and Sonia from the second night in Orisson and Jetti from a few nights ago.

Then I arrived at one of my most memorable churches and experiences of the Camino so far. I entered this church in Rabe de las Calzadas and there was a nun inside stamping Compostelas and blessing pilgrims She whole heartedly gave me a blessing for the Camino. She gave me the biggest hug and held on those extra few seconds which was everything I needed at that moment. She then gave me a necklace with a charm of Mary to protect me on the rest of The Way. It was just a lovely experience.

Some of the other pictures from the day:

I checked into the Hornillos Meeting Point hostel and was one of the first to arrive. Yay me! I would totally recommend this Albuergue! I got a bottom bunk with a cloth sheet and no one ended up sleeping above me. Woohoo! Ironically Orlando was my roommate and Eduardo stayed in the hostel as well! We had paella for our communal dinner which was amazing and then hung out drinking wine for awhile! I made friends with Sladiana and really hope we stay in touch!

All in all it was a great day!