My Camino

 Only 26 km left to go tomorrow before I reach Santiago.  This morning there was a parade of pilgrims leaving Caldas De Reis in the AM and I'm sure the numbers will be even higher tomorrow.  Today's path was clear and easy terrain and should have felt better than it did.  Both Jan (from New Zealand) and I were sore by the time we hit town. The way was beautiful as always with lots of surprises on the way. Morning mist Professor Jan from New Zealand (she's 71 and can outpace me) Pretty calico! San Miguel De Valga - lots of dead people in cubbies. Cool garden with gourds Padron A bagpiper As you may be sensing, I'm running a little lower on energy now that I've been at this awhile.  I think there will be quite a bit of adrenaline running tomorrow as the crowds approach Santiago De Compostela which will help.  I plan on getting a very early start as this will be a longer day with lots of elevation to tackle.  I've been joking with friends I've met that wh...

Today began with a giant croissant which got me off to a good start. I decided to start out before sunrise, as did many other pilgrims.  The city was well lit, so by the time I had cleared it, it was dawn.  I soon met two women from Colorado, Jan and Judy.  Jan is a retired NICU nurse and Judy is a semi-retired educational coach (Similar to my New Zealand friend, Jan).  We walked and talked through a beautiful morning and made it to Caldas De Reis in just under 5 hours. We saw angels hanging from a tree And listened to a man play an "aniquelharpa" After a delicious lunch I decided to venture out to try one of the thermal springs. (I'll be sure to but bacitracin on my pinky toe wound tonight!) Igrexa de San Tome Becket I then visited a recommended restaurant on a river and ran into Jan from New Zealand!  We decided that we will walk to Padron together tomorrow which will be great.  Only 2 more days!

Day 9: Arcade to Pontevedra : 7 miles Today I woke up feeling sad.  I sat with it awhile.  I thought about yesterday evening when I had wine with a fellow pilgrim and knew it was related to that. When I arrived at my hotel yesterday, I noticed an older woman sitting in the hotel bar/cafeteria having a glass of wine and I thought, "how nice".  I went to my room, showered, did my laundry (!) and returned downstairs to have a glass myself.  She was still there, eating an early dinner, and asked me to join her.  She was 65, had been a nurse, was from Australia.  I don't remember her name.  She asked me lots of questions; was I alone, where was I from, why was I doing the Camino, etc.  which I answered.  She had lost a niece and step son this past year to cancer/illness and was on Camino either in their honor or to cope with the sadness, I'm not sure which.  She then asked me all of the same questions again.  This went on for about 30 mi...

Today I walked with a 71 year old Professor, Jan, from New Zealand.  It was day 1 for her and I think she was grateful to be with someone who was used to pathfinding.  I started out around 8:15, walking through the early dawn in Vigo.  It took me 2 miles to clear the "city", and then the trail climbed high onto a ridge.  The views were spectacular. Somewhere near the top of the ridge, I ran into Jan.  She asked if we could walk together for a bit and of course I was happy to.  We ended up walking the day together, talking about all kinds of things; family, career, journaling, travel, etc.  She has written a text book on Coaching Leadership which is in it's 3rd edition (she's working on that now) and spent her career in education.  I found the 2nd edition on Amazon!  Her daughter lives in Sweden with her wife and children which is hard for Jan.  One of her reasons to walk the Camino was to walk through her grief concerning this distance....

 September 27th: Baiona to Vigo:  Around 16 miles (my watch got bumped and stopped recording). The Camino spirit was strong today.  Sometime in the early AM, I ran into this gentleman traveling solo.  We talked a bit in English, Spanish, French and Google translate.  His name was Andres, he was from eastern Spain, and this was his 3rd camino.  Our paces were similar so we continued walking, often in silence.  At one point I asked if I was slowing him down and let him know he could go on ahead.  He replied that he would prefer to stay with me.  OK.  Now the paranoid, scared American in me started questioning internally but I decided to not be afraid and to trust. He turned out to be a very funny and kind man, the kind of person who picks up the trash as you walk along and touches all of the plants on the side of the road.  When we would pass dogs, he would bark, cats he would meow, goats...you get the idea.   He told me tha...