It was an early morning. Pierre was awake and up since 4:30 am... still not adjusted to Spanish time. I woke just after 6 and we began walking in the dark around 6:20 am. It remains one of my favorite times to walk in Spain.
The down side is that nothing really opens that early, so we were 14km in, at Zubiri, before coffee and breakfast was an option. But ahhh, fresh squeezed juice is wonderful and there is something quite spectacular about watching them push oranges into the machine and putting your juice directly into the glass! It was accompanied by coffee and fresh bread with ham, cut right of the leg in front of you.
Sunrise was a highlight too, in case you thought I was here just for the food.
Stopping in Larrasoaña, we took the time to shake our tired and now swollen feet from their boots. A supermarket (think tiny 7-Eleven) looked like the most likely place for coffee and a snack, so we entered. The owner, about 60 years old, was taking a break from stacking a large pile of fire wood. Pierre asked him if he needed help, but he was quick to say "no thanks" and explained that he worked slowly due to semi-recent heart surgery. Moments later he brought us out a complimentary plate of warm bread, chorizo and cheese, to thank us for offering. Delicious! Turns out his name was Angel. Really? Really! Perfect.
12:55pm and we had just 8km to go today. Through the woods, over a river (another medieval bridge) and we hadn't seen another Pilgrim all day.
My app told me I had walked 43,315 steps and almost 20 miles when I reached the Alburgue Parroquial. This catholic run hostel provides a clean, serene stopping place with communal dinner, all for a donation. It is staffed by volunteers and run by the "5 sisters".
Pilgrims, if you are reading this, please don't think of these type hostels as free. If you have money, you should donate generously. The money that today's pilgrim's donate, feeds the pilgrim's who stay tomorrow. That's just how it works.
The adjoining church had an amazing bell tower, if you made it up the steep spiral staircase. One sister (nun) invited me to ring the bell gently, once, after offering up my prayer. Perhaps I could have been more gentle... but my prayer was definitely given wings!
After dinner with 11 of my new and newer friends, we returned to the choir of the church for a brief time of meditation and sharing. Others had some seriously heavy stuff they were working through on Camino. For me, I realized that I'm grateful to live in the moment every step of the way and for the opportunity I have, that is only possible with the help and support I have at home. On top of being happy to be here, I acknowledged that I'm very happy with the life I have created/co-created at home. Being on Camino, with its daily challenges and slight hardships, is the perfect reminder to be grateful for my home, it's amenities, cuddly pets, clients, job I love and man I love even more.
My legs hurt and I left my soap in Espinal last night... but life is good!
The down side is that nothing really opens that early, so we were 14km in, at Zubiri, before coffee and breakfast was an option. But ahhh, fresh squeezed juice is wonderful and there is something quite spectacular about watching them push oranges into the machine and putting your juice directly into the glass! It was accompanied by coffee and fresh bread with ham, cut right of the leg in front of you.
Sunrise was a highlight too, in case you thought I was here just for the food.
Stopping in Larrasoaña, we took the time to shake our tired and now swollen feet from their boots. A supermarket (think tiny 7-Eleven) looked like the most likely place for coffee and a snack, so we entered. The owner, about 60 years old, was taking a break from stacking a large pile of fire wood. Pierre asked him if he needed help, but he was quick to say "no thanks" and explained that he worked slowly due to semi-recent heart surgery. Moments later he brought us out a complimentary plate of warm bread, chorizo and cheese, to thank us for offering. Delicious! Turns out his name was Angel. Really? Really! Perfect.
12:55pm and we had just 8km to go today. Through the woods, over a river (another medieval bridge) and we hadn't seen another Pilgrim all day.
My app told me I had walked 43,315 steps and almost 20 miles when I reached the Alburgue Parroquial. This catholic run hostel provides a clean, serene stopping place with communal dinner, all for a donation. It is staffed by volunteers and run by the "5 sisters".
Pilgrims, if you are reading this, please don't think of these type hostels as free. If you have money, you should donate generously. The money that today's pilgrim's donate, feeds the pilgrim's who stay tomorrow. That's just how it works.
The adjoining church had an amazing bell tower, if you made it up the steep spiral staircase. One sister (nun) invited me to ring the bell gently, once, after offering up my prayer. Perhaps I could have been more gentle... but my prayer was definitely given wings!
After dinner with 11 of my new and newer friends, we returned to the choir of the church for a brief time of meditation and sharing. Others had some seriously heavy stuff they were working through on Camino. For me, I realized that I'm grateful to live in the moment every step of the way and for the opportunity I have, that is only possible with the help and support I have at home. On top of being happy to be here, I acknowledged that I'm very happy with the life I have created/co-created at home. Being on Camino, with its daily challenges and slight hardships, is the perfect reminder to be grateful for my home, it's amenities, cuddly pets, clients, job I love and man I love even more.
My legs hurt and I left my soap in Espinal last night... but life is good!
1 comment:
Dallice, i remember that Chruch where you stayed over.... so glad you have a wonderful time and the weather looks very nice too!! ohh man i would love to walk with you, chuck, sue... for some weeks... Camiono was truly one of the best times in my life!! I will definitely go back to the Camino one day, hope soon! have to sort out some stuff first. just finished a further education in coaching. Have a great time.... send you lots of love and kindness, Tony
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