Day 32~ July 31~One more Day!

Ribadiso to Arca O Pino, 13.7 miles, 7 hours.

Cool, misty and flat. Pretty uneventful day. As I mentioned earlier lots more people and groups of kids, some Italian students even sang English Christmas songs as they walked. They made me laugh.

I am also happy to say that this will be last day of sleeping with hordes of other people. Doug has assured me that we can stay in a hotel tomorrow night after we arrive in Santiago. Attached is a picture of our final alburgue experience. Love to all and keep praying. We are almost there!

Day 30~ July 29~Fresh legs.

Ventas de Naron to Mato-Casanova, 11 miles. 5.5 hours.

This was a good morning to walk. Misty, foggy, cool. Couldn't ask for better. The cow pastures are starting to be replaced by corn fields, though the cows are stilling wandering the streets.

The last few days we have noticed more new faces. These faces go along with the fresh legs, fresh ironed clothes, no big pack and fast talking/walking pilgrims. Some of the people that have walked already 500-1000 kilometers are trying to finish fast because they are irritated by the new people who tend to walk in a cluster. I am amused and a little envious of their energy. A few of the groups of fresh legs have a van that meets them along the way to feed them, give them rides if they are tired and to check them into hotels.

Doug and I are so glad that we have done this our way. The experience has been so much richer as we try to order food (sometimes surprises end up on our table), try to find a place to go potty, try to find a church with a stamp to go into our pilgrim credential, and never quite knowing where we will sleep.

Day 31~July 30~ Countdown begins.

Mato-Casanova to Ribadiso, 12 miles, 8 hours.

Well it looks like we may make it to Santiago. I think we have 3 more days of walking though we stopped a little short today. You would think that after a month of walking at least 10 miles that our bodies would be use to it, but NO! Both of us have feet that hurt by about 6 miles. And Doug swears that the Spanish kilometer is longer than any other kilometer known to man.
By our calculation we have 40 km to go or 25 miles. Who knows???

A couple of weeks ago we were walking with some seminary students from Minnesota that would be ordained priests in a few years. One mentioned to us that pain is Glory. Well Doug and I have been saying each day that we have glory to spare. All day long we are talking to our feet. COME Onnnn Feeet! You can make it feet, just a little further!

Day 29~ July 28~ Leg gears

Mercadoiro to Ventas de Naron, 11,4 miles, 7 hours.

Cold and windy walk today. We crossed a big bridge across a river that made me think of the different speeds that my legs have.

So, along the way we have found that the longer the day the less gears I have. In the morning the gears may consist of meandering, slow and stop. In the case of crossing a road, I may pull out a scurrying gear. As we were crossing the bridge Doug saw a third gear which was quicker than he has seen in weeks. Towards the end of the day i have only slow and stop. We needed to cross a busy highway, on/off ramps and I tried my scurrying gear. Boy were my arms just a going, my legs did not cooperate. The more I kept trying the slower my legs were and the faster the arms went. Made us laugh once we finally made it across.

At the end of the day we had only 77km left to Santiago. At least that is what the sign says. The signs don't always tell you the whole story!

Day 28~ July 27

San Mamade del Camino to Mercadoiro, 13.5 miles, 8 hours.

Yesterday we stopped early as Doug's feet were killing him and his calves were cramping. I felt so bad for him, but the ornery side of me thought Yes he is weak too! Not nice I know. So he napped yesterday as I was doing housekeeping stuff. That is why I told him to write. Now it sounds like I need to talk a little about the shower situation.

Every place that we stop is different other than there is not one square wall in Spain. Some showers have two little spaces smaller than 3x3, one for dressing and one for washing (everything gets wet) with a door, these could be in a co-ed bathroom, some it is a small shower where you have to undress and dress in the public area. Not co-ed but still!! And last but not least open showers, not a door to seen, not co-ed. UGH!

The last part is that tonight for at least 20 women there is 2 showers, 1 toilet, 2 sinks, not ideal. Last night it was co-ed, 2 private showers, 2 toilets, 3 sinks for an 8 bed room, Doug was the token male in the room. WhooHoo!

Enough said. Here are some pictures for the day.

Day 27 ~ July 26 ~ Doug

Triacastela to San Mamed del Camino, 9.6 miles, 6 hours.

Doug here. Jamie has enlisted me for today but she will be back tomorrow. Another glorious day here on the Camino. But I know what a couple of you are really wondering about - bathroom facilities.

So here is my synopsis based upon 26 days of first hand experience. The public restroom in Spain can be divided into two categories.

1) The restrooms in any small bar or restaurant are amazing. Walking into many small towns or villages, it is hard to imagine that they have running water, let alone WC's. But the facilities in many cases would rival what you find at an Anthony's in Seattle (smaller, but equivalent in terms of hardware/fixtures). And without exception, they have been cleaner than your average McDonald's.

2) The public restroom provided by city and/or state government is nearly non existent. Alas, that greatest of all American inventions, yes the ever so humble Honey Bucket, has yet to be introduced into Spanish society. So, there is a basic rule on the camino. Move off path, move back and behind any available cover, and there you have it, an instant restroom provided by Mother Nature. Pilgrims in numbers untold have used this simple axiom - off, back, and behind. Thankfully, I have no first hand observance of this tradition but have witnessed considerable circumstantial evidence as to it's existence. But considering the number of people walking the pathway is remarkably litter free.

All that said, the camino experience is obviously not for everyone. But for me the whole experience is just simply incredible at so many levels.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow, Jamie may fill you in on the albergue shower experience.

Your intrepid reporter signing off.

PS Jamie here. Doug forgot to tell you about needing to have toilet paper in your pocket at all times as the bathrooms usually have none. And if they have soap and paper towels for your hands I am doing the happy dance!!

PSS. Guys don't worry about no stinking hand towels.

Day 26 ~ July 25~

O'Cebreiro to Triacastela, 13.2 miles, 8 hours.

What comes up must come down! We spent the day losing elevation through more cows and pastures.

This day was very hard for me. The last 3 miles I think Doug was very concerned about me making it to town. I just felt mentally and physically weak. For some reason going down is one of the movements that make my right leg more weak.

I can't say enough about how wonderful the countryside is and beautiful, but how difficult this journey has been. Today I missed english speaking people, American food, my bed, my family, my friends, church, pretty much a pity party going on in my head.

Doug was a rock. The first alburgue we came to was completo "full" the 2nd had a room w/bath that was away from others that was heaven sent. We ate tapas by 4:30 and was in bed by 5 watching tv. It was nice not talking to anyone other than Doug.

Song that stuck in my head as I was going to sleep. "All Who are Thirsty"

"All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep (we sing)

Come Lord Jesus come

Holy Spirit come

As deep cries out to deep"

Day 25~ July 24~ Galicia

Trabadelo to O'Cebreiro, 11.5 miles, 8 hours, the first 6.5 miles elevation gain about 315 feet, the last 5 miles elevation gain about 2,185 feet.

Walked early again to beat the heat and so glad we did. I knew that we would be climbing a "hill" today but had no idea the elevation gain until I started to figure out miles. We look at the map the night before to get an idea of where we might stop, but it truly is an unknown until we put our sleeping bags on our beds where we actually will sleep. It all depends on how tired or hot I am and how much distance it is to the next town.

During the day we walked through pastures with beautiful brown cows. We had just stopped for water at a fountain and taken a picture of Doug with Juan Jose (a fellow pilgrim) when on the same bridge of the picture came a dog and shepherd herding 3 cows down the middle of town. I was so stunned and Juan Jose had to jump out of the way that I got pictures of the back end of the cows! What fun!!

The day was hard, but so fulfilling knowing that we are moving forward everyday. The views are spectacular here, but our cameras don't do it justice. We have wished for Don's camera more than once on this trip. We have entered into the area called Galicia. Doug says that we have only 96.4 miles to go!!

Day 24~ July 23~ On the Road

Cacabelos to Trabadelo, 7 hours, 11.2 miles

Spent the early morning, in the dark, saying to ourselves that maybe we should have left a little later. We've been getting up at 5:30 in an effort to beat the heat. But the sun is obviously rising later than it was three weeks ago so maybe I can talk Doug into an extra 15 minutes of sleep from here on out. The signs right now are few and far between and there wasn't a yellow arrow to be seen. The first 3rd of the day was spent walking through vineyards and orchards. Very quiet and peaceful in the morning as the sun was rising.

We had made the decision the night before that we would go the harder up/down the hills trail and avoid the path that went along the river and road. I was opting for less noise, but God had another plan. We realized about a 1/4 mile down the road that we missed a sign or arrow. It turned out for the best!! Even though we had the road noise, the river was a bit cooler than up on the hill would have been. As it is the heat was getting to me by noon. Alls well!

Today I am a little cranky, tired and hot even after a shower. Tomorrow is another day.

Day 23~ July 22~ The albergue experience

Ponferrada to Cacabelos, 10.9 miles, 5.5 hours

Boy what a difference a flat surface makes. Walked faster through villages, vineyards and small vegetable farms. Doug says very idyllic, drop dead gorgeous.

Stopped at an alburgue that is different than any other. We have stayed in cubicles with 100 to a room. Rooms filled with 6-40 beds with kitchen, eating areas, men/women or communal bathrooms, laundry or no laundry areas or any combination. Today's 35 rooms are surrounding the courtyard of a church and remind me of storage units. 2 beds per door (room) with storage bins, room is around 8x8. Showers, toilets are segregated mid courtyard with outdoor sitting, laundry sinks with drying racks. All our clothes will be faded by the time we he back from the sun. No kitchen or cafe. We miss our bed and quiet home.

Our feet are doing much better with the shorter days!

Day 22, July 21~ Saturday

Acebo to Ponferrada, 10.3 miles, 6.5 hours.

I know that you are probably bored to tears reading this, but it was another hard, up, down, rocky, way. Can't wait to walk the bluff at home, child's play, hahaha.

Decided to stay in a hostel a luxury, our own room with bath attached is high living for us. Ate well and slept well. All the basic needs attended to!!

Doug has been intrigued at how many of the larger cities that we've passed through are tourist destinations. For instance, Ponferrada is the home of the castle of The Knights of the Templer. Lots of typical tourist types milling around the city. You can tell that they're not real pilgrims because they have clean clothes and they don't limp.

Good night all!!

Day 21 ~ July 20 ~ La Cruz de Ferro

Rabanal del Camino to Acebo, 10.7 miles, 8 hours

This morning I ordered coffee for 2, oj for 1 and toast for 1. Still not totally good at understanding the response yet so we go 2 huge portions of toast. I tried to give it to some other pilgrims that had coffee, but it seem that my Spanish and their English were equally bad. Boy the confusion I caused by trying to give away toast - the whole albergue was in an uproar! :-)

The day was hard with a lot of steep ups and downs. At the top of the Hill was the cross that pilgrims put rocks from home or ones that have been picked up along the way. We brought 2 small agates from our Whidbey beach, had a quiet moment and then placed them on the pile. As you look at some of the rocks and messages to loved ones, it grabs my heart how many prayers and thoughts have been said in this one place along the camino.

Almost straight down hill to Acebo (ouch) for another wonderful dinner with two young men from Copenhagen. They reminded me of Ryan. Fond remembrances of family and home half way around the world.

Day 20 ~ July 19 ~ Special dinner

Murias de Rechivaldo to Rabanal del Camino, 9.7 miles, 6 hours

The town of Murias (hot, windy, hard to understand how it survives) was basic just like the albergue we stayed in. We had a room and a bathroom to share with 20 other people. The most extraordinary thing happened at dinner. We were waiting for the pilgrim meal of the day and the owner of the small bar asked if we would rather have something grilled. She was tired and it was one hot day so we said yes that sounds great.

As we waited outside she invited us in to the garden area, brought wine and said that the meat would be done soon. What her and her sister fed us blessed us so much. Out came a small hibachi with grilled small ribs, blood sausage, chorizo, and lamb. Then came the toasted bread, soft grilled peppers, tomatoes in olive oil, French fries, aoli and lime chili sauce. We had a private meal made special for us that made Doug cry. He had smelled BBQ in a park 2 weeks ago and this meal just dropped in our laps. Again God is good.

Walking was nice and short. One of the interesting things we have found is that you can never tell what the inside of a church will look like by the outside. The picture of the gold alter is in a church in ElGanso with the most austere front. Wow!!

PS "Once your enemy, now seated at your table, Jesus thank you!"

Mindboggling! (Doug speaks)

Day 19 ~ July 18. ~ Lord guide my way

Villares de Orbigo to , 11.9 miles, 7 hours.

Ok - we are now officially on sensory overload. We don't know where we are, where we've been, or where we're going. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the combination of Spanish, French, German, and English garbled together. Maybe it's the food - no matter what we order it turns out to be something different. Thankfully it all tastes really GOOD!! That by the way is an early excuse for when we come home weighing more than when we left.

The picture of the food is just the first course (primero) the second course (secundo) is always a meat and potatoes (french fries). There was a beautiful church/monastery in Astorga that was so big that I could take a full picture. We also went into a church that the stamp was a piece of labyrinth mosaic that says "guiasenormicamino" over 300,000 times. Translated it means "Lord Guide My Way"

PS~ Happy birthday Dana, love you bunches little sis!!