C#34 – 12th Oct, from Trabadelo to Laguna de Castilla, 20.1kms

We left around 8.30 and headed out with Maralee, our London friend who stayed at Casa Susi’s. We walked with along the road through little villages. We said goodbye at the town at the foot of the mountain where she is planning to hire a horse to ride up the mountain! Her knees are bad and she is hoping this will give them a rest.

We headed on up the mountain, the last high mountain pass before the home straight into Santiago. We are two days away from Sarria – the starting point for the ‘short’ Camino.  It is a five stage, five day walk. Once we get there we will pick up loads of pilgrims doing it the easy way. 

Anyway, the mountain trail was beautiful. Very few others. Lots of autumn colours and ancient, moss-covered, dry rock walls. It was steep but the views were fabulous. We shared the path with the local farmers and their animals. In fact, as we entered our final destination, we had a herd coming our way. No where to go. Monsterly, big, healthy cows with horns plodded down onto us. They just wandered by. Tony’s clip is funny as he films and tries to get out of their way.

We spent the night on the mountain. We could have gone along a bit further but I’m still not that well. But we are at the border town between Castillo y Leon and Galicia. Tomorrow we move into another flavour of Spanish culture. 

For the first time, I’m starting to smell the finish line and starting to believe that I can do it. It feels good.  We have seven days of walking left, less than 150kms.

So I’ve been thinking many things. Not sure if I’ll get the chance to write about them, but here are some topics that have occupied my mind:

1. The Camino as a string of beads
2. The Camino grapevine
3. The social semiotics of sighing