(11 June) Ponte Olveira to Corcubión

Today's Verse:

Do you know how the clouds hang poised,those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?17 You who swelter in your clotheswhen the land lies hushed under the south wind,18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,hard as a mirror of cast bronze? 19 “Tell us what we should say to him;we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.20 Should he be told that I want to speak?Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?21 Now no one can look at the sun,bright as it is in the skiesafter the wind has swept them clean.22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;God comes in awesome majesty.23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.24 Therefore, people revere him,for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? ”

Job 37:16c-24

Air was cool and the fog hung low for most of our walk.  The air at times smelled like Eucalptus and sometimes like pine.  I felt like I was on top of the world while we were walking the ridge line.  Ponte Olveira to Corcubión was remote but was a pretty easy and gorgeous walk along the ridge line.  The clouds hung low on the ridge and kept the air cool.  The Eucalyptus and pine trees gave the air an amazing smell.  At one point we were giving a warning, no cafe for 14 Km.  We were warned and we listened and bought a sandwich and banana for the road....and maybe one last cafe de leche to keep us moving.  The view coming down the ridge was beautiful but steep.  On this trip hiking up has always been easy for me but coming down has been difficult.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  The clouds were beautiful, the air was cool and the ground was dry.

It was a short hike and we arrived in Corcubión around noon.  The albergue wasn't the nicest we have stayed in but we easily made our selves comfortable (or as comfortable as you can get on the camino.  The town was cute and we explored.  

Tomorrow is the last hiking day on the camino.  I can't believe I was strong enough to walk all the way.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(10 June) Negreira to Ponte Olveira

Today's verse:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

 1 Peter 5:7

Today I got an email from a camino friend Suzie who had already returned to the United States.  The only thing in the email was this bible verse.  It was a beautiful considering the grief I feel from the loss of my mother-in-law and the peace I wish I could find from not being able to say goodbye.  

This morning we left around 7.  Not a single other person was stirring at the hostel.  We had to walk through town to get to the main path and saw a cafe open and grabbed a quick breakfast.  The air was crisp as it usually is in the mornings and the fog once again hung low in the trees.  Today the plan was to walk to a particular point and if we felt good we would continue.  The map showed that there would be high elevation changes that are hard in the heat.  The terrain in parts of our walk today were brutal on the feet.  We stopped several times but mostly drank from the water we carried in our packs.  Today's scent of the day was Eucalyptus and cleared our sinuses.  I love that smell.  We finally arrived around 4:30.  We had made a reservation because we didn't know how much longer it would take us to arrive and we wanted to make sure we had a place for the night.

After being on the Camino for over 10 days, I'm finding this part strange.  On the Portugese we would see the same people regularly and at the end celebrated with lots of those that we randomly met and traveled with.  On this path, it's different people every time.  So we're not getting to know the people the same.  On the Portuguese you would see them constantly in the evening or around town. Here it was more of a greeting.  I already miss those that I met on the first journey. 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insert link for cow video here later.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

(9 June) Santiago to Negreira

Today's verse:

31But they that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

After a day of rest I was hoping that I would feel revitalized and fresh but instead my heart is heavy and broken.  Yesterday Ben told me on the phone that his mom wasn't doing well.  Trying to process the reality of loosing her before I get home and later in the day processing her being gone has been very difficult for me.  Early in the day as we were climbing a mountain Ben text me and asked me to leave a small stone at the end of the Earth for his mom.  So I picked up a piece of granite and will carry it the rest of the way with me.  I was hoping that I would see her when I get home but God's time was different from mine.

We left the apartment in Santiago around 7 for Finisterre (the end of the Earth).  The air was chilly, and long sleeve shirts and the leg part of our pants were necessary.  There was a low fog on the city.  Despite lightening my lack the day before, I was carrying 3-L of water because I knew it was going to be a hot day.  We crested the hill and looked back and saw the cathedral towers in the clouds.  We got lucky with the weather again.  It looked like it had rained a short time before from the puddles in the streets and muddy path.  As the sun rose, the puddles quickly dried and clothes were shed.  The terrain was a mix of dirt path and black top.  The dirt path offered relief on our feet and the black top reflected the sun and offered little relief.  There was a cute little village that we passed that had a water fall and a massive curved Roman style bridge.  It was very quaint and something that you only imagine in a movie or dream.  All 5 of my senses are engaged and soaking in what's around me.  The smell (and taste because they are connected)- strong scent of mint on the side of the road that you can taste it; Sight- the beauty of the water and trees; hearing- the frogs and water moving / birds singing, touch- the rocks or dirt beneath my feet.

After the village, we hit another bit of blacktop.  It was exhausting in the heat.  We were relieved when we finally saw a sign for an alburgue when we entered town.  When I text Ben to say we arrived, I told him we were staying at a place with reiki meditation music and a small table fountain in the lobby.  I felt like I had stepped into a place for hippys. After a hot shower, clean clothes and a full stomach i realized that relaxation was what I needed.  I embraced my inner hippy and snoozed out in the sun for a bit.  

At dinner I got the news that Ben's mother passed away.  Ben wants William and I to continue our trip.  My heart feels heavy and I will miss my mother-in-law.  I will miss how much she loved my husband and my son.  My heart is sad.  Thank you Joy for all the laughs and smiles.  We will miss you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben I saved my fries for you.  Better eat them while their hot.

 

 

I'm going to miss you Joy.
 

(8 June) Santiago

Today's verse:

14 And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest.

Exodus 33:14

Since we didn't get our compostela yesterday, the first order of business was to go to the Pilgrim Office, show our credentials and get our certificates.  When we arrived there was a long line and we still had to wait an hour to get our certificates.  I kind of joked with dad that they shouldn't make people who have walked so far stand in line for an hour (or sometimes two).  Give the poor pilgrims a chair!!  The camino was an amazing spiritual journey for me and the people that I met were amazing.  Every time I look at the paper it will be the people and the spiritual journey that I remember, not necessarily the feeling of accomplishment at the end.  

Today is a day of rest and preparation for the second part of our trip.  Tomorrow is the beginning of the bonous journey to Finisterre.  In Roman times Finisterre was thought to be the end of the Earth.  The name Finisterre derives from the Latin finis terrae, meaning "end of the earth".  Cape Finisterre is the final destination for many pilgrims on the pilgrimage and is about 90- km walk from Santiago.  It is a recent tradition for pilgrims to burn their clothes or boots at the end of their journey at Cape Finisterre.....I won't be burning my clothes or boots but I'd like to say I walked to the end of the Earth.  

As part of our day of rest and preparation I decided to scale down the contents of my pack and left a few pounds of items at a drop off place in the pilgrim office.  Our apartment had a washing machine, so we got our camino clothes cleaned and on the line.  The drying line was a bit scary because if anything would have fallen off, it would have been in an unretrieveable spot.  Additionally we wanted to see the cathedral and took a tour of the roof.  It was really cool walking on the Cathedral roof. The view was amazing and there was so much that I learned about the architecture of the church and surrounding buildings.

Having an apartment near the cathedral was really nice.  It was easy to get around and we could go out our feet up anytime we wanted.  Several times we ran into fellow pilgrims that we had traveled with that stayed in the city for the day.  By the time we had finished dinner, we both wanted to get our laundry folded and get ready for the next day.

My heart felt heavy.  Things didn't sound like they were improving at home with Ben's mother.  I felt pulled to go home but Ben kept telling me to continue forward.  I have regrets and things that I wanted to say to her but felt like if I went home now, I wouldn't make it in time.