Day 25 - 27 Villafranca to Sirria

Each pilgrim when they start the Camino, is given a shell to attached to their backpack. This is Joel's.

Day 25 to Villafranca
This was a rainy, rainy day. In spite of this I walked over 30 K, 19 miles. Everyone in the Albergue was stiff and sore from yesterday' s climb and rocky, slippery decent. I massaged my quads for about an hour to get the kinks were out. I started out about 15 minutes before sunrise. Around 9:30 I stopped at a bakery across the street from this huge castle in Ponferrada. I was enjoying coffee and a roll when friend Lisa came in. This surprised me as she had left a half our before me. It turns out she had taken a wrong turn. After I finished my coffee, I took off and about an hour later I met the young people I had the Sangria party with Friday night. We agreed to meet at noon at this winery in Componaraya.

I arrived before the kids and dried out with a glass of wine and tapa, total cost 1.50 Euro. After the kids arrived we had and impromptu lunch with goodies from backpacks. I had a second glass of wine and then hit the road again. I ran into Lisa again who was having a tough day. I walked with her for a few Kilometers and then went ahead of her. Imagine my surprise when I entered Vivllafranca and she was there. She had taken the highway rather than the trail and cut 2K off the hike. Stayed at an Albergue operated by a unique person.  Day 26 promises to be strenuous.

Day 26 to O'Cebriro
I am O'Cebriro. No Internet at Albergue. Very small town. It was a Monster hill climb today. The Camino spirit is gone. I will get it back when I get to the next village.

 

 

 

Day 27 to Triacastela
The highlight today was a great dinner. I started with calamari, then pulpo, then a galacian dessert made with almonds washed down by white wine. There was a couple from Northern Manitoba, Marilee, from Cape Cod and Harm from the Netherlands. For 45 minutes we were treated to Spanish guitarists in a jam session. It would have been a, eat your heart out, night for Janice. Tonight was designed with Love in mind. A fun night!!

Day 28 to Sarria
Day 28 started beautiful with walking into daylight. On my walk I hardly talked to anyone and the spiritual thought that came into my mind was the impression of "I AM" and the thoughts arising from this. I've shared much of that with Janice, but still processing all that came to me with the simple statement, "I AM".  I reached Sarria at 1:15 and veg'd out. Then I talked with Ron over cerveza for over an hour. I returned to my Albergue and talked to Jennifer and Armonde for an hour. At 6:00 I attended a Pilgrims Mass with several friends. After I went for an over two hour dinner with Ron and Elaine from Manitoba, Barb from Portland, Or. and Margot from San Francisco.

                                                  Barb

Ron & Elaine

Margot

Barb and I had dinner four nights ago with sister Lisa. Margot is a nurse who has traveled all over the world as a nurse and is now thinking of going into chaplaincy. She wants to be a minister, but also doesn't want doctrine to get in the way.  A common thread of impressions on this walk I'm working on in this walk. How doctrine in churches have gotten in the way of our relationship with God.

                                                           Fountain with Shell