One thing I really like about walking before sunrise is the beautiful pink hue that colors everything.
I started the day really in a funk. It was my first day of feeling unsettled. After about a half hour of walking in the quiet of pre-dawn darkness, my mind settled in. There is something so soothing about walking in nature.
Today the irrigation canals were brimming with water. Several frogs sang to us as we walked along. Usually they are wary and disappear if I stop to catch a glimpse of them, but today I caught sight of several. Their voices are always so much bigger than they are!
We are walking through mainly corn fields. Every ensalada mixta that has been served to us has corn in it along with a multitude of other veggies and always tuna and white asparagus, which norther Spain is noted for.
Corn fields to the horizonWe walked through many charming villages today. It is so nice to peek into rural village life. Everyone is so pleasant and welcoming. The farmers checking their crops, wave. The walkers wish us Buen Camino and the villagers always smile and greet us or reply to my greeting.
Today’s Camino moment:
I was so sad because I couldn’t find my pilgrim’s passport that is essential to get your Camino Compostela. I remembered getting my last stamp in the village church where we are staying . It’s after 8:00 pm and the Church is locked! I ask my hospitalera, via her daughter, who speaks English, if someone in the village has a key to the church. In a flurry of Spanish, when she realizes what I have lost, she escorts me down the lane to the 90-year-old, darling, tiny, lady’s home. She explains my problem and the keeper of the church key (90-year-old lady) walks us back to the church and in rapid Spanish is explaining that yes, she found my Camino passport and has stuck it between some magazines! to keep it “safe” until “mañana”. Several cheek kisses and gracias’ later I have the record of my journey of over 500 km on the Camino back in hand.
I am loving your Camino moments, and I am so glad you got your passport back!
Me too. I try not to be sad when I lose things on the Camino, but that would have been the loss of a lot of memories!
I am so amazed. You are an inspiration and I can’t wait to see you when you return. Not just see you, but get a sense of how this has affected you enhanced the already wonderful person you are.