Postscript

Therese and I have been back in the U.S. from Spain (and Ireland) for seven weeks now.  It was tough acclimating to "normal" life again, even with our recent retirements.  After centering your life around a very spartan existence for a month and a half, it became our new normal.  Coming home, we didn't
rise at 5:00 am, fill our packs, set out on the road in the dark, walk 25K to the next village, hope that the albergue wasn't filled, handwash our clothes, go grocery shopping, fix dinners with new friends and go to bed early to get ready for the next day.

It sounds dreadful when I write this, but it was really quite liberating.  Our lives were very simple and uncomplicated.  For example, we went 39 days without getting into a motorized vehicle.  That has never happened in the 60 years of my existence.  We had our ups and downs but it was truly a mind opening and tremendous time in our lives.  It was tough to have it come to and end.

Therese and I look back on our journey with nostalgia.  We miss walking to new villages every day; we miss seeing new things and having new experiences; and most of all we miss all of the people we met and friends we made along the way.

We've been staying in touch with many of our Camino friends through Facebook and email, from Australia to Hungary, South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada.  It really is a small world.  The Irish contingent is having a reunion this weekend -- we're really jealous that we cannot attend.  Maybe the next one.

I've put together a video of our Camino--some of the sights, sounds and people we met along the "Way".  I hope that this will give you a little taste of the amazing experience we had for two months this summer.

The video is on Youtube.  The films is long (24 minutes) and in HD so the file is very large.

http://youtu.be/CQTRw8wUyl4

So now, it's on to the next adventure (after Katie's wedding in December, that is).  We don't know what that will be, but hopefully something as wonderful and fulfilling as our experience in Spain.

Buen Camino
Mark

At the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela

El Final

Yesterday, we did the last walk of our Camino, 29K from Finisterre to Muxia. It was the quietest and most remote hike of the last six weeks going from one small fishing village to an even smaller fishing village. We saw only a couple of other peregrinos all day and the tiny villages we passed through were too small to even  support a bar/cafe. It was a tough day -- no bars for a coffee stop or mid day cerveza.  Good thing we decided to have breakfast at our hotel in Finisterre. 

Like Finisterre, Muxia is a fishing village located on a rocky peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic. It is quite picturesque with deserted sandy beaches tucked in very rocky coastline. 

The town is very small and sleepy. Not much is happening. Very few peregrinos make it here and there are only a handful of tourists that wander in (probably lost). An occasional tourist bus comes into Muxia to disturb the peace before heading out a half hour later.  

Therese and I will spend three days here before taking the bus back to Santiago. It is a perfect ending for a little R&R after our journey. We will enjoy the empty beaches, eat the local seafood, drink the local wine, and take a siesta every day. 

This will be the last post for this blog. We have completed our Camino and so my reporting has come to an end as well. I will, however, continue to post pictures and statuses on Facebook. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my posts. This journey has been amazing and it's difficult to show that in words and pictures. Hopefully, it has given you a tiny glimpse of life on the Camino. 

Buen Camino. 

Mark and Therese

To the End of the Earth

Yesterday, we arrived in Finisterre on the northwest coast of Spain.  Over the last 36 days, we have walked 882K (554 miles) from St. John Pied de Port, France  across the entire county of Spain to its west coast. It's hard to believe that we actually did it. 

It was another quiet day through the high farm country and them we spotted the ocean in the distance. It was quite a sight. And the cool ocean breezes were welcomed. 

From our first view of the sea, it was still a good four hour walk to Finisterre. It seemed as we would never get there.  In Cee, we got lost because there was a gigantic flea market all over town with thousand of people. It was impossible to see the waymarks (which weren't that good to begin with). The final 2K into Finisterra were along a wide, white sand beach. It felt good to dip our tired feet in the cold Atlantic. 

We decided to stay on a hotel rather than albergue for a couple of days to celebrate our arrival. It will be nice to have our own bathroom and not to listen to the snorers. 

Finisterre is a fishing village with a bit of summer tourism thrown in. It is very picturesque with beaches tucked in between rocky coastline and towering mountains plunging into the sea. We had a great seafood dinner at a restaurant along the harbor -- mussels, swordfish and shrimp with a nice bottle of Albariño, a local white wine. 

After dinner, we decided that we needed to walk a few more kilometers to the end of rocky peninsula, the traditional end of the Camino Finisterre. It is here overlooking the Atlantic where peregrinos  contemplate their journeys. Many complete rituals such as burning a piece of their clothing or leaving something from their Camino. 

We found a perch on the rocky cliffs and quietly watched the sun set into the western horizon. It was a wonderful conclusion to our day and long journey. 

We walked back to town in the dark and slept soundly for a change. 

On Tuesday, we slept in late (until 7:30, ha!) explored the town a bit, them went to the supermercado for food and bottle of wine for a picnic lunch. 

We hiked a short distance across the peninsula to a beautiful secluded beach. Hardly anyone was there save for a couple of hippies living in tents and a couple of caves at the edge of the beach (really). We went for a short swim; short because the water was probably only 60 degrees. We ate our lunch and drank our wine in perfect temperatures.

As we sat on the beach, a couple of women strolled by and were sunbathing topless. It didn't faze us in the least; we've seen it all in the last month. 

Tomorrow we are hiking to Muxia, another fishing village about 28K to the north of us. It will be our last hike. Although it will be good to have our walking finished, it's hard to believe that the daily Camino routine is over. We will spend three days in Muxia relaxing before taking the bus back to Santiago for our flight to Ireland next Sunday. 

Today's good intentions are for our son Matt and his wife Kristen who celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary yesterday.  It seems like such a short time ago that we were in Ithaca for your wedding. Time flies. We wish you many more years of love and happiness together. 

On the Road Again

After a rest day enjoying the sights of Santiago, we are on our way to Finisterre, literally the end of the earth. On Wednesday evening and Thursday, we spent time with many of the people we have met and walked with on the Camino. Here is some of the group we've spent the last several weeks with. 

We said good bye to those who are headed home but spent additional time with some of the folks who are on their way to Finisterre. Hans from Hamburg found a place that had €1 cervezas grande and we spent the better part of the afternoon there. 

Santiago also has a great open air market where you can get local meat, cheese, fish, produce, bread, wine andante other foods items. I wish that Richmond had something even close to this. 

On Friday morning, we left Santiago and headed to the sea. Immediately, there was a different feel to the Camino from the last week -- quiet. There were very few people and the trails were very tranquil. As we headed out of Santiago to  Finisterre, we looked back and saw the spires of the Cathedral in the sunrise. 

On Friday, we had an easy 22K walk to Negreira. Coming into town, we found that all of the stores we closed. At the albergue, the hospitalera said that there was a festival today with carnival rides, bands and other activities -- beginning at 10:00 pm.  That explained the lack of activity in town. Everyone was taking a siesta getting prepped to be up all night. 

Sure enough, the bands kicked off the music at 10:00 and played until 5:00 am. We could hear the celebrations all night long. When we started today's walk at 7:00 am, the partiers were just going home. Spanish culture is quite different than American. 

We also had another interesting experience last night.  We were walking around the town looking for a restaurant. At 7:30, none were very busy. It was at too early. 

We came upon a little wooden kiosk on the Main Street. Next to it was a canopy tent and a bunch of people milling around. We walked by and to a restaurant to check out the menu. An official looking gentleman came over to the restaurant and told us and other diners to go back to the kiosk for its "abierto grande" -- grand opening -- with local wines and food. Turns out he was the mayor of the town and they were christening a new information kiosk to try to drum up more tourism business for the town. 

We got our picture taken for the local newspaper and sampled the local wines, Alberino and other Raix Bias varietals. It was the good stuff. They also had some great tapas including tortilla and fried pulpa (octopus, a Galician delicacy). Therese even tried some thinking it was calamari. Oops. We never made it to dinner. The wine and tapas were enough.

Our second day's walk to Finisterre was long at 34K, our longest walk yet. It was another quiet day with few other peregrinos along the way. We had a bit of a slowdown for a few minutes while a farmer and his grandson herded this cows to a pasture after milking. 

Tomorrow we will arrive at the sea. We are both looking forward to it. 

 

The End or the Beginning

Thirty-three days. Seven hundred and ninety kilometers (594 miles). Mountains climbed. Rivers forded. Beautiful skies. Torrential rain. Cooling breezes. Blazing temperatures. Dozens of people from around the world befriended and now lifelong friends. 

It's been quite a journey. 

I had a restless night last night. It was hot, but that was not the cause. I think that it's because the incredible adventure was coming to an end. 

Therese and I rose early and left in the dark, a few minutes behind Melissa and Jamie and Katie. We walked quietly though very dark forested trails under the eucalyptus trees. 

We walked quickly and came together with the group just before a coffee stop. Together, we walked the last few kilometers into Santiago. Melissa was on a mission and was passing dozens and dozens of "day pilgrims" who started their walk at the edge of town to get the Camino experience.

As we entered the old part of centro Santiago, we could glimpse the spires of cathedral between the buildings. We were getting close. 

Down a couple of narrow, winding streets, under a bridge, through a tunnel, down a set of stairs and we were in the grand plaza of the cathedral. Many of our Camino friends who arrived earlier or yesterday were there greeting fellow travelers -- Vera came running up to give us a hug; Leone was there; Singing Phil; Dark Phil; Larissa; Chris and Bonnie; and others. It was quite a welcoming committee. 

Here's a video just after our arrival at 10:00. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhi_VWP6Dk4&sns=em

The famous Pilgrim Mass is at noon every day at the Cathedral. It gets very crowded with arriving peregrinos and tourists. We decided to go into the church at 11:00 to get seats. Even at that time it was crowded and we were near the back row to the right side of the main alter. 

Mass was an elaborate affair with a band, multiple priests, and the bishop presiding. The highlight of the Mass was at the end when they used the giant incense burner, known as the butofumeiro.  It takes eight men to operate and purportedly was used to cover the stench of the filthy pilgrims in the Middle Ages. Some things never change. Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwvzqQn1v_k&sns=em

After Mass, we got our Compostella at the Pilgrim's Office (in Latin and suitable for framing).  Then we found our hotel. It is a lovely, small renovated place but it has no air conditioning and our room is on the top floor. It's pretty hot, but we're used to it by now and they will change us to a better room tomorrow. 

Tonight, we will gather with our Camino comrades for celebrations, drinks, dinner and farewells. It will be bittersweet. 

Therese and I have reserved the daily good intentions of the last day of our Camino for ourselves. We decided to make this journey at a time of transition in our lives. We are crossing from the predictable world of working to the unknowns of retirement. While we are off to a magnificent start, we know that every moment won't be like the last five weeks. We've had a lot of time (really a lot some days) for reflection during this trip and think that we will be fine. But we will need your help. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. 

Buen Camino. 

The Penultimate Day

Last night, we stayed in O Pedrouzo about 39K from the cathedral in Santiago. So close and yet so far. It was another miserably hot afternoon. 

We stopped at noon at our planned albergue only to find that it was completo -- full. We checked out another place close by but it wasn't very nice and didn't have any outdoor space. So we ended up at our third choice, a large private albergue. The facility was nice though a bit impersonal. The dorm rooms were large with 20 beds each but were stifling hot. 

We spent most of the afternoon on the town plaza which was shaded and had a nice breeze was blowing through the trees. When you got out from under the shade, however, it was blazing. 

Our traveling companions for the last week -- Canada Mark, Singing Phil, Quick Melissa and Chris and Bonnie stopped at the same town. Also, Jamie and Katie from Northern Ireland, who had been a day back, caught up. It was a grand reunion and the group spent a better part of the afternoon try to teach Phil to speak proper English, e.g., "teeth" rather than "teet" and "thirty" instead of "tirty". It was a challenging effort.

Sleeping last night was difficult because of the heat and the recent peregrino starters deciding to stay up late and party.  I guess we've seen the last of the generally-understood 10:00 pm silencio.  

Despite the late partying last night, everyone was up early. We left the albergue just after 6:00 am in the dark. Really, it was way too early to start since we planned to do just a short walk today -- 20K or so. It was so dark early that I had to use my iPhone flashlight a couple of times. At least Therese liked it, I think. 

Everyone came together at the first coffee stop and we walked together watching the kilometer markers tick by -- 25K, 24K, 23, 22 . . . .  

We were soon at the 20K marker. Near this point was a memorial to a friend of an Irish woman, Bridget, whom we met on the Camino. This friend had just completed her second Camino a couple of years ago and died in her sleep at a hotel in Santiago. The seven of us, Phil, Jamie, Katie, Melissa, Mark, Therese and me listened to Bridget sign an Irish song to us over the phone. It was a very touching moment. 

A kilometer later, we reached O Pedrouza, our planned stopping point for the day.  It was only 11:00 am.  Our albergue was a couple hundred meters back on another road. We had a moment of group indecision. Some wanted to backtrack to the albergue; some wanted to go to the next town 5K away where there were hostels; others wanted to push on further perhaps all the way to Santiago which is tantalizingly close. 

We ended up splitting up: Therese, Melissa, Jamie, Katie and I deciding to stay put in this town, avoid the afternoon heat and have an easy stroll into Santiago tomorrow. The rest went on. I wouldn't be surprised if they are already in Santiago.  We'll have to wait until tomorrow to reunite. 

Fortunately, the albergue opened early for us and the hospitalero gave us the first choice of beds. It actually is quite a nice facility and we had a grand lunch in the garden. Katie, the sandwich master, made a gigantic sub. 

Tomorrow we make our last walk on the Camino to Santiago. 

Today's good intentions are for all of the fellow peregrinos we have met along the way. Coming from many different countries and backgrounds as well as different reasons for walking the Camino, we all have become fast friends and traveling companions. Some have already arrived in Santiago, others will arrive tomorrow or the next day. We look forward to reunions and farewells over the next few days. It will be hard, but joyful, knowing that we've had an incredible journey together. 

What Is This?

Since entering Galicia, we have seen these small buildings everywhere. Usually, they are 10 ft. in the air on top of a tall rock wall. They are narrow, with a small door at one end. They have tile roofs with large overhangs on all four sides. The side walls are slatted wooden planks with a bit of space between the boards. And they always set on stone pedestals. These buildings have been used for centuries. 

Any guesses?  Come on, you farmers out there.  

These little buildings are where farmers store their grain and feed corn, keeping it dry and safe from vermin. The key to the design is the pedestal. There is no way mice or rats could climb upside down to get into the building from the ground. It's a pretty ingenious design. (The one in the picture is from our albergue yesterday and is just decorative. A working building would not have a bush next to it or be so close to the ground.)

Today's 24K walk to Arzua was pretty hot from the start at 6:15. However, much of the hike was along shaded lanes so it was relatively cool until 11:00. Along the way we crossed several Roman bridges which dot the countryside. 

We stopped walking right at noon but the albergue where we planned to stay was already full. They must have opened early and this reflects the increasing crowds on the Camino. 

We have seen a lot of larger groups and families walking, usually with just day packs or no packs at all. The local taxis are very busy carrying backpacks and often tired hikers to the next town. It's a little disheartening to walk into an albergue hot and sweaty after a 6 hour hike carrying a 12 kilo backpack and have someone jump out of a taxi or find his/her pack waiting for them in the lobby. 

It's hard not to feel a little resentful after walking for almost 500 miles, but everyone experiences the Camino in their own way. Just being out there walking, in whatever manner, is a good thing. I just need to keep my perspective. 

Today's good intentions are for all of you who have been following this blog for the past 4 1/2 weeks. I appreciate your interest and comments and hope that you have been able to get a little taste of this journey that Therese and I have been on through Spain. It has truly been a wonderful and eye-opening adventure. 

Timing Is Everything

Yesterday, Therese had a Camino breakdown. The last part of our walk was hot and the albergue and village where we stayed had very little outdoor space with shade. Other than the dorms, there was no place to escape the heat. 

Everyone was a little cross because of the heat, Therese hadn't talked to Katie or Matt in a couple of days, there was no cell signal in the village and it was the 29th day of walking. It was just one of those times when you didn't want to be in the middle of rural Spain; you wanted to be home in familiar surroundings and air conditioning. 

Therese had a good cry, we talked a bit, had a light dinner and went to bed early. 

The next morning we left a little behind the group that we've been traveling with for the last couple of weeks. The early morning walk in the mist was refreshing in both mind, body and spirit. 

We caught up with our Camino group at the first cafe. They had been there for 20 minutes and still hadn't been waited on yet. Singing Phil was getting homicidal.

Eventually, we went to another place 100 meters down the road when the woman took our orders, made our coffees and cooked our food in short order. Everything was right with the world. 

The group walked together for several miles after the coffee stop along tree covered paths. It was quite lovely and serene. 

We split up at the next large town, Palas de Rei, where Therese and I went in search is a supermercado. We found one (open on Sunday!!), and bought some groceries for lunch. I was also able to put some money on my phone for calls and data service. 

No one really knew where they were going to stop for the day, but there were only a couple of albergues in the next 10-15 kilometers. We stopped at the first one 4K outside of Palas de Rei. It was kind of neat but it didn't have any outside space. Visions of the day before. 

The next albergue was 1K down the road. The guidebook described it as being in a tranquil setting on a river. That sounded good. 

We arrived right at noon when most of the albergues open. Approaching, we saw a couple of peregrinos standing in front and then moving down the road. When we got to the front, the gate was closed and a sign said that they were closed for a private event. 

We stood around for a few minutes looking at the guidebook for the next closest albergue. A woman came out of the front door and walked to the gate.  

"Esta albergue abierto?" 

"Si."

They had been closed yesterday because of a wedding but open today. Great!  If we had been a couple of minutes earlier, we would have gone past it like our peregrino friends. Tough luck for them because this really is a beautiful spot. 

After we showered and did laundry, we had lunch from our recently purchased groceries and each had two cervezas grande to celebrate our good timing. 

After lunch, we soaked our feet in the cool waters of the river that flowed through the property. All in all, we got lucky today. 

Today's good intentions are for our theatre-going friends, Bill and Susan and Jackie and Joe. Our love of the performing arts give us great pleasure and this common interest has brought us closer together as friends. 

Closing In On Santiago

Early this morning, we passed the 100K to Santiago marker. After 29 days of walking covering almost 700 kilometers, we are within a couple of days of finishing the Camino. (We plan to walk to Finnesterre, another 150 or so kilometers, but that is bonus miles.)

We left early this morning to beat the afternoon heat. It was dark and foggy and we missed a turn taking us a couple hundred meters in the wrong direction. We had to backtrack to get back on course. It wasn't a big deal, but any extra distance is not welcome at this point. 

The walk was quite pleasant early, through fog and most. It was quiet as well with few peregrinos. We have been staying in small villages and avoiding the large albergues. 

Today we are staying in a small farming village, Gonzar. We can tell there are many active farms every time the breeze picks up. There's not much here: two small albergues and a bar/cafe. But no tienda for groceries. I think that it will be like this until we get to Santiago. 

The weather is getting hotter, as well. This afternoon it is close to 100 degrees. With no air conditioning, I understand the siesta now. 

Today's good intentions are for Therese's bible study and book clubs groups. They are a good people who are interested in and supportive of Therese's adventures. 

The Rain in Spain Falls Nowhere

Day after day, the weather in northern Spain has been gorgeous. Cool crisp mornings, sun breaking through the early morning mist at about 10:00 and then sunny afternoons where it's hot in the sum but delightfully cool I'm the shade. It's almost too monotonous bit I'm not complaining. 

The last time it rained was June 19th when we were in Burgos. That is 16 days of great weather. We are in Galicia now where the typical weather is supposed to beach like Ireland or England -- cool and a lot of rain. All of the pictures I'm the guidebooks show wet trails and peregrinos in ponchos but we rarely see a cloud. It's really unusual so I'll take unusual. 

The start of our walk today was a pretty big climb, but then we had a nice long walk along a dirt path above the clouds. 

We then descended through the mist in the valley and had two hours of walking in very cool conditions though farmlands 

We walked through Sarria, a medium sized city where many people start their Camino. (If you walk at least 100K into Santiago, you can receive the compostella -- the certificate of completion of the Camino.) There will be many more people on the trail now, unfortunately. 

Our 23K walk finished at the top of a hill. Our albergue is a renovated 17th century building with a commanding view of the countryside. We spent a lazy afternoon at the picnic table eating, drinking, reading and chatting with our fellow peregrinos. 

Therese has had this nagging feeling that she hasn't really escaped work at Suntrust even though she's retired now. I think we finally figured it out: the Camino logo which we see on directional signs hundreds of times a day is a abstract representation of a shell. 

It is way too close to this:

Once we figured out the cause, Therese immediately relaxed and hasn't thought about it since. 

In this spirit, today's good intentions are for Therese's former co-workers and friends at Suntrust. She had many interesting jobs over the years at United Virginia, Crestar and Suntrust. But her best experiences were all of her co-workers. 

Independence Day

After a night at the top of the mountain, we had a very pleasant, downhill stroll of 21K to Triacastela today. The early morning views from the high mountain ridges were stunning with the clouds in the valley below and the ridgetops peaking out. 

Along the way, we ran into yet another peregrino statue. 

We are getting closer and closer to Santiago and we are seeing these markers every kilometer. We're on countdown; 83 miles to Santiago. 

We walked though several small farming villages today. You could tell by the sights, sounds and smells.  We came across  this group of farms animals and Therese said, "Let's run with the bulls."  I told her to check below; they ain't bulls. 

Our little Camino group split up during the walk today with people leaving at different times and intending to finish at different towns. Therese and I stopped at a very small albergue in Triacastela. At 14 beds, it was a welcome change from the large municipal albergue from yesterday. So who ends up there in our room? Leone, Canada Mark, Singing Phil and Quick Melissa!  We still all together and having a grand time. 

Today's good intentions are for all of America on this Independence Day. This classic American holiday comes at a great time of year and celebrates what is great about our country. We have been receiving congratulations from our non-American Camino friends all day long. 

Back Into the Mountains

Today's walk was into the mountains of the province of Galicia. Over two days, we have seen major changes in the terrain, weather and culture. Galicians speak their own language, so we need to learn how to read signs again. This afternoon in the albergue, Therese walked into the men's bathroom to take a shower and insisted she was in the right one until I pointed out the urinals. 

We had our usual walking group, Canada Mark, Leone, Therese and me. Singing Phil from Ireland also joined us, which was good. He kept Therese entertained as they tried to figure out the melody to "For the Beauty of the Earth" from church. 

The entire 25K walk was uphill and in the final 7K, we gained 600 meters (2,400 ft.) in elevation. It was tough, but the weather and views were gorgeous. 

Everyone had a good hike and felt great at the end. With four weeks of hiking under our belts, we feel fit and strong. Santiago is getting closer every step. Our fellow peregrinos are getting excited about reaching our goal soon but also a bit sad that it will be over. 

The town we are staying in, Cebriero, and our albergue are at the top of the mountain with gorgeous views and cool breezes. The town has a restored church and shops, which is nice, but it seems to cater to tourists. All in all, though, it is a very nice place. 

The Camino has gotten very busy in the last two days. Spain is on holiday now and many people are starting the Camino at towns within 200K of Santiago.  In addition, there are school groups of 25 to 30 kids walking together. We talked to one young boy this afternoon who asked us for some bread when we were having lunch. I think that it was just an excuse to practice his English with us. He was a very nice young man.  

Today's good intentions are for all of the faculty and staff I worked with over 28 years at VCU, especially the Technology Services group.  I was always impressed and humbled by their hard work and dedication day after day. I am honored to be a part of that group for so many years.  VCU is a great organization. 

Comparison Shopping

In the northern part of Spain where we have been walking for the last month, the basic cost of living (and traveling) is quite low. In the larger cities, costs are a bit higher but not much. All the prices are in Euros (€), so to covert to U.S. dollars increase it by about a third, e.g., €10 = $13.50. The nice thing in Europe is that the price includes tax, so what is on the price tag or menu is what you pay. 

Our lodging expenses have been €5-10 per night per person in the albergues. Hotels generally run €60 and way up per night. Pensions and casa rurals are a little less expensive. 

Food costs are way less than in the U.S., especially in the bars and restaurants.  Almost all restaurants have a Menu del Dia or Peregrino's Menu, a fixed price meal with a starter, entree, dessert, bread and a bottle of wine for €9-12. It isn't always fine cuisine, but it is hearty.  At the coffee shops (bars), the cafe con leches are €1-1.50. Nice pastries are €1. 

We've been trying to cook as much as possible in the albergues because the restaurant food gets tiresome quickly. At the supermercado, we can pick up enough groceries and a couple bottles of wine to feed 4-6 people for €15-20. 

Probably the best deals are beer and wine. At the bars, you can usually get a draft beer for €1-2, a little higher if it is a grande (supersize). Often, the bar will serve a tapas or two with the beer. Here is what Canada Mark and I had at a little neighborhood bar last night for €5 ($6.50). 

Wine is even a better deal. You can get a bottle of decent Rioja for €3, a very good bottle for €5 and and excellent bottle for €10. 

Today, we walked 31K to Pereje, a very tiny village. Last night, the municipal albergue in Villafranca was filled to overflowing. They put mattresses I'm the communal rooms and people were sleeping outside this morning. There were probably 250 people at the albergue. 

Many school groups are starting the Camino in the last 200K. We will need to stay away from the larger albergues for the remainder of our walk. The albergue in quiet Pereje is exactly the type of place  we will need to stay. 

Today's good intentions are for the members and staff of the Downtown YMCA. We have made deep friendships there and the staff are amazing. This Richmond institution is quite remarkable and we are proud to be a part of it. 

The High Point of the Camino

We reached the high point of our Camino this morning, both literally and figuratively.  Everyone woke early today in  order to be at the Cruz de Ferro (iron cross) at dawn. The Cruz de Ferro is at the highest elevation of the Camino at 1,515 meters (4,970 feet). 

The cross is on top of a tall wooden pole on top of a large pile of stones. The stones have been left their by pilgrims for centuries being carried from their homes or starting points.  By leaving the stones at Cruz de Ferro, the peregrino is leaving behind the burdens he has carried for so long. 

Some peregrinos leave messages on their stones. Some leave personal momentos. Others just leave their thoughts. It is a very quiet and reverential spot with everyone in their own thoughts.  You often can hear sniffles and sobs with people having very emotional experiences. It is quite remarkable. 

After Cruz de Ferro, we began a steep decent to Ponferrada for a total of 27K for the day. It was a hard (on the knees), but scenic, hike and we went through some lovely villages. It is a nice change from the pedestrian farming towns of the Meseta. 

On the last few kilometers into Ponferrada, we kept seeing these weird signs on random walls. It was just another unexpected Camino experience.

Today's good intentions are for The Team, my noontime running compatriots for 28 years at VCU -- Coach Forever Bob Davis, Eddie Blanks, George Monroe and Ed Acevedo.  They are a good group of friends who understand why I go on these adventures.